NEW Ulta Drugstore Makeup Multi-Brand Value Sets (NYX, Maybelline, Essence, Soap & Glory and More)

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New Products from Wet n Wild, Essence, NYC, and CoverGirl Now at Target

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Essence is Coming to Target! Here's Your First Look at the New Spring/Summer 2016 Launches (Including New Target-Exclusives)

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New Ulta-Exclusive Essence and Catrice Gift Sets (Plus Free Gifts with Purchase and Discount Codes)

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Spotted at Ulta: Essence Cosmetics Limited Edition Spring 2015 Spring Break Collection

Well this is exciting! We don't often see limited edition Essence collections at Ulta (they usually pop up at regional retailers like Fred Meyer in the Pacific Northwest and HEB in Texas) but today I have a new Ulta sighting for you compliments of reader @ortizcrystal on Instagram.

@ortizcrystal spotted this limited edition display at her local Ulta this week and kindly shared some pics. 

image credit: @ortizcrystal for Nouveau Cheap

Essence Cosmetics Limited Edition Spring Break Collection

(retail: $2.99 - $4.99 at Ulta)

I enlarged @ortizcrystal's pics so that we could get a better look at everything, and I was able to determine which products are truly limited edition, and which products are repromotes from the core line. Here's a closer look...

Splurge or Save? Urban Decay Ink for Eyes Waterproof Eye Pen vs. Essence Waterproof Eyeliner Pen

Purchased by Me 

So I was all set to review for you the Essence Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (available at Ulta and other retailers), when something occurred to me. The more I kept using this eyeliner, the more it reminded of something. Then it hit me, and that's when I decided it would be more fun to do a little comparison for you...

Urban Decay Ink for Eyes Waterproof Precision Eye Pen (retail: $20)

Essence Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (retail: $2.99)

Since I own both of these liners, I thought it might be helpful for me to compare the two, and let you decide which might be a better fit for you and your lining needs.

Spotted: NEW Essence Cosmetics At Ulta

It's been a while since I've heard about any new Essence Cosmetics displays spotted at Ulta, and this really couldn't have come at a better time since, if you follow Essence on Instagram, you know that they're always releasing new collections that you can't get in the US. It's torture to look at them, but I put myself through it nonetheless!

I know that certain limited edition Essence collections do make their way to regional retailers like Fred Meyer in the Pacific Northwest and HEB in Texas, but for the most part we don't see them in wide distribution here in the US. Now, these products I'm about to show you are NOT limited edition but they're NEW, and that's exciting, right?

image credit: @mmullins35/for Nouveau Cheap

NEW (permanent) Essence Cosmetics at Ulta

(retail: $2.49 - $4.99)

Many thanks to reader @mmullins35 on Instagram for this one. @mmullins35 spotted this display at her local Ulta this week and was nice enough to share this pic with us.

Keep reading for a breakdown of what's in this display...

Spotted: NEW Essence How to Make Your Face Wow Make-Up Box

Remember the other day when I showed you the new Essence How to Make Nude Eyes Make-Up Box at Ulta? Well one of the other Make-Up Boxes in this collection has just landed at Ulta too!

image credit: @beautella for Nouveau Cheap

NEW Essence Make-Up Boxes from Ulta

(retail: $9.99 each)

For a look inside this box (and trust me, you want to see inside this box!) CLICK HERE to be taken to my original post and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Thanks so much to reader @beautella on Instagram for the great pics!

Spotted at Ulta: NEW Essence How to Make Nude Eyes and How to Make Your Face Wow Make-Up Boxes

UPDATE: One of the other Essence Make-Up Boxes has been spotted at Ulta! Pics of the How to Make Your Face Wow Make-Up Box just added to the bottom of this post.

Ready for some cute overload? Longtime reader Lisa of Swatchesandwhatnot blog spotted a new Essence shadow box at Ulta the other day--check this out:

image credit: Lisa for Nouveau Cheap

NEW Essence How to Make Nude Eyes Make-Up Box at Ulta
(retail: $9.99)

This is admittedly a bit pricey for Essence (I think they're most expensive product to date has been $4.99) but remember that Ulta often has $3.50 off a $10 purchase coupons and 20% off coupons, which you can most certainly use on Essence products!

Look inside this make-up box, after the jump...

Review: Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

Purchased by Me 

I don't think that I have ever, in the five-year-history of this blog, made the following statement: This mascara will probably work for everyone.

But I think I've found the most universally-appealing, budget-friendly mascara that I've come across to date. Unless you require a waterproof formula (sorry, this one's washable), you might want to hear me out on this one. Meet Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara:

Essence Lash Mania Reloaded False Lash Mascara

(retail: $4.99 at Ulta and select Walgreens locations, 0.33 oz)

If you're looking for a mascara that defines, separates, lifts, volumizes and lengthens, but doesn't do TOO much of any of those things, I think you might fall in love with this one. It does everything I listed above, but not in an extreme way. To me, it's the perfect everyday mascara that gives me everything I need in just a coat or two. 

As I've said many times, mascara is the THE MOST subjective makeup product on the planet. Whenever a mascara gets rave reviews, there's always a group of people who simultaneously despise it.  That's why I'm freaking out about THIS  mascara--I can really see this working for just about everyone (aside from those who require a waterproof formula). Keep reading to find out why!

Essence Cosmetics at Walgreens

You may recall that in April of 2013, I posted a reader sighting of a full Essence Cosmetics display at Walgreens (CLICK HERE to see what the display looks like). I know that some of you have since spotted a full display at your Walgreens locations, but I just received an official press release about it, and wanted to share!

ESSENCE COSMETICS - NOW AVAILABLE IN SELECT WALGREENS LOCATIONS

The new Essence Longlasting Lipsticks have landed (and I've got some swatches for you!)

As far as I can tell, Essence released their new Longlasting Lipsticks (ten shades) in Europe late last year, but I've got great news--they've officially landed in the US! Longtime reader Fatima (@fatima19880 on Instagram) spotted them at Walgreens recently (click here to see if any Walgreens stores in your area carry Essence--not all stores do), so hopefully that means they'll be at Ulta soon as well (they're not on the Ulta website as of the time of this post). I know that regional chains carry Essence too, so if you're in the Pacific Northwest, you might have already spotted these at Fred Meyer and if you're in Texas, you may have already spotted these at HEB.

Fatima purchased four of the ten shades and was nice enough to share pics and swatches with us. Take a look!

image credit: Fatima for Nouveau Cheap

NEW Essence Longlasting Lipsticks

(retail: $3.99 each)

NYX at Target, e.l.f. and Essence at Walgreens, e.l.f. at Walmart

I absolutely don't expect everyone to read every post I write here on Nouveau Cheap, but in the past few weeks I've received several emails/tweets/Facebook messages/etc. asking if I knew that 1) e.l.f. and Essence have been spotted at Walgreens 2) NYX has been spotted at Target and 3) e.l.f. has been spotted at Walmart. So I thought I'd take a minute to let newer readers know I actually talked about these sightings back in the Spring of 2013.

Here's a quick summary:

• (From April 2013): Spotted: Full e.l.f. and Essence displays at Walgreens

• (From March 2013) Spotted: Full NYX display at Target

• I haven't done a full blog post about this, but e.l.f. displays have been spotted at Walmart over the past several months by several readers and there are been several comments on the You Tell Me page about this.

To locate a Walgreens that carries Essence in your area, click here (I'm in San Diego and the closest Walgreens that carries Essence is in Riverside, which is a few hours away from me. Boo!).

To locate a Walgreens or Walmart near you that carries e.l.f. click here.

To locate a Target near you that carries NYX click here (for San Diego peeps, it looks like the Targets in San Clemente and Murrieta are the only stores to carry NYX at the time of this post).

Hope that helps!

Review: Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara

Press Sample

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, then you know that my number one priority when it comes to mascara is volume. I have barely-these lashes and if my mascara doesn't make my lashes noticeably more visible, it's worthless to me.

So when I had the opportunity to try the new-for-2013 Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (not to be confused with the original I Love Extreme Volume Mascara) I jumped on it. Now available at Ulta (in-store and online), HEB, Fred Meyer and select Walgreens locations, let's see if this one worked for me, shall we?

 Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara

(retail: $4.99, 0.40 oz)

Spotted: e.l.f. and Essence at Walgreens

For probably the last two years, many value sets and Limited Edition kits/sets from e.l.f. have been spotted at Walgreens (remember the Villainous Villains collection from last fall)? In fact, there are new eye sets popping up at many Walgreens stores right now (I'm sorry I haven't posted pics of those yet--I'm super behind on sightings posts).

But recently I've been hearing that permanent e.l.f. displays are now popping up at select Walgreens locations, and today I have a pic to share with you, thanks to reader imergo:

 image credit: imergo for Nouveau Cheap

e.l.f. at Walgreens

As you can see, there are both Studio and Essentials products in tihs display and it's similar to the display that you can find at Target. I obviously have no idea how many Walgreens locations will carry a perment e.l.f. display, but I really hope it's a lot of them!

Keep reading for another Essence sighting at Walgreens...

Another sighting of Essence at Walgreens!

If you missed the commotion yesterday, longtime reader T. spotted a full, permanent, wall display of Essence Cosmetics at her local Walgreens (click here for pics). This is obviously VERY exciting news for those of us who don't have HEBs, Fred Meyers or Ultas nearby (the only other retailers that I know of who carry Essence in the US).

I obviously have no idea how many Walgreens locations are going to carry Essence, but the good news is that we've had ANOTHER reader sighting! Longtime reader Impoverished by Polish spotted some Essence products at her local Walgreens, but instead of in a wall display like this one, they were on shelves normally reserved for new products:

image credit: Impoverished by Polish for Nouveau Cheap

Essence Cosmetics at Walgreens

Keep reading for a closer look...

Spotted: Essence Cosmetics at Walgreens

ATTENTION Essence fans! A full, permanent wall display of Essence cosmetics has been spotted at WALGREENS! Huge thanks to reader T. of the blog LacqLustre for this sighting--you can check out her pics HERE!

I spy polishes, face products, shadows, lip colors and even the new I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (which I'm in the middle of testing for review!) in this display. And as T. mentioned, this display has more products than many Ulta stores carry!

If YOU have spotted this display at your local Walgreens, please leave a comment and let us know! Hopefully this will be a new addition to Walgreens stores nationwide!

Another huge thanks to reader T. for this sighting (and for making my day)!

PS: T. has swatches of the new Sinful Colors Diamond Lust collection on her blog!

Review: Essence Kiss Care Love Lip Balms

Now available on the Ulta website (and in-store too, I believe), these cute little lip balms from Essence have been on my radar since I first posted about them back in the beginning of February. I received two shades for review (there are four shades in the range) so let's take a closer look:

 NEW Essence Kiss Care Love Lip Balms in 02 Purple Berries and 01 Fruit Crush

(retail: $1.99 each, 0.14 oz)

Keep reading for my full review...

Essence Limited Edition Fruity Collection has landed in the US

The Limited Edition Essence Fruity Collection came out in 2012 in Europe, and when I first saw the press info for it (click here for all the details) I went a little crazy. A pink-red blush with a "sorbet texture," pastel mousse eyeshadows, peach and cherry lip balms, fimo fruit nail art, a strawberry-scented top coat and sparkly pastel nail polishes? All in ONE collection? 

Reader Anon spotted this display recently at Fred Meyer (retailer exclusive to the Pacific Northwest) and was nice enough to share some pics:

image credit: Anon for Nouveau Cheap

Essence Limited Edition Fruity Collection

(retail: $1.99 - $3.99)

Keep reading for a close-up of the nail colors in this collection...

New Essence Spring 2013 now available on the Ulta website

Thanks to reader Fatima for the heads-up that many of the new Essence products I featured in my Spring 2013 preview post are now available for purchase on the Ulta website (not everything though--the BB Cream is not available yet, as well as some of the new lip colors, etc.).

BUT, there are new products available that were not featured in my orignal post, such as new nail art pens, stickers, kits, Gel-Look Top Coat and these new Maybelline-Baby-Lips-esque tinted lip balms:

image source: ulta.com

New Essence Kiss Care Love Lip Balm in Fruit Crush

(retail: $1.99, available in four shades)

If you're planning a haul, remember that the 20% off promotion on purchases made on the Ulta website (and in-store) ends TOMORROW, 2/2.

Thanks so much for the heads-up, Fatima!