Xmas 2009: IPSA Essence Lip Gloss Set

Yep, a late Xmas review! Not because I forgot to review it but because I just scored this cute set a few weeks ago on eBay for cheap (US$20 incl. shipping)!
In all honesty I didn´t notice this Essence Lip Gloss Set from IPSA at all! I just found it on eBay and googled it and found out it was from Xmas 2009!


The Essence Lip Gloss Set contains 5 lipgloss minis, sized at 2 grams each. Not a lot but you need little so each tube will last you a while!
The tubes don´t have applicators so you either have to apply them with your finger or a lip brush. I use my fingers =)


The glosses have a very thick and sticky texture with a very glossy finish and great pigment. These give a mirror-shine finish (so nothing for windy days as your hair will inevitably get stuck to your lips!). Due to the texture these babies last very long on me, 3 hours is easy to achieve or even longer if I don´t eat or drink.
All the shades I have do have shimmer but in various degrees of intensity.
Like the majority of Japanese lip products these are unfragranced, too!


I love the well-balanced mix of colors in the lot and that the colors actually do show up instead of having the typical super sheer glosses that blend into the same color after application. I think you could mix and match the colors but I am the straight-out-of-the-tube kind of user so I will 99.999% of the time apply the color right out of the tube without mixing (but I might add a gloss on top, that doesn´t count as mixing, right?) =)


The colors are from the permanent line I believe and are as mentioned above all really pretty and wearable. I happen to own couple of the colors in the full size already but I don´t mind anyway.


E431: Gorgeous red-pink with blue micro-shimmers (not too noticeable so very wearable
H571: Medium pink with a peach tinge. This has less shimmer than the rest and is a bit sheerer.
E911: I really love this! It´s an clear gloss with a high amount of fine ivory golden shimmer so it´s a perfect top coat for lipstick, especially dark colors
H421: This is definitely my favorite color (as you might have guessed). It´s the perfect cool rosey mauve with a very shimmery wet finish. Gorgeous!
H461: A very fresh and pretty apricot coral. A bit sheerer than the other colors with very finely milled shimmer.


Overall I am really thrilled with this set and using it all the time for the previous week. I think I´ll eventually get H421 full-sized, too!

Bobodave still carries this for around US$27 if you are interested. Not really cheap as you only get 10 grams of gloss total but a nice set to try out various colors.