Review- Coloressence 8 Palette Pearl Eyeshadow, EP2

Coloressence is a sub-brand of the company Natures Essence which has its roots in India. It has been available in South Africa for quite a while now but I had never really given much attention to it until a few weeks ago when I happened to see it on display at a local beauticians shop. I was attracted to the intense depth of the dark colors on the 8 shadow palette and it's satiny feel to it. I placed my order for both palettes and received them last week.

 A bit about the cosmetic range of Natures Essence- all products manufactured by Natures Essence are 100% natural ingredients and have NO animal content in them. They have a vast range of beauty products used for facials etc and a complete range of makeup products from foundation to lipsticks. They are well within the reach of the average and below average consumer but as I always say, makeup is a personal choice and what may work for one, may not necessarily work for another.

Having said that, let me tell you about my experience with the Pearl 8 eyeshadow palettes. The packaging is sleek and classy being black in color and slim and light enough to slip into your handbag without causing an unsightly bulge. It comes in a similarly designed box and the eyeshadows are nestled in a plastic casing. When you open it, you have a large mirror, a firm double ended sponge applicator and 8 eyeshadows of 3.5 gr each. The shelf life of the palettes are 2yrs.

I loved all the colors on this EP2 pearl palette with the exception of the light yellow gold and lime green colors. I found that the majority of the colors in this palette are highly pigmented and they scoop up quite a bit of product in a single swipe. They have a satiny, pearlised finish which I love. It packs on perfectly but certain colors move out of place easily leaving certain areas uneven & patchy. You would have to go back and pack on a bit more if this happens to even  it out.  The duration of the wear was about 3-4 hrs after which it started to fade. When applied without a base primer, the lighter colors were sheer and a bit powdery. A good base primer is a MUST.

The white & gold shimmer colors I used as a highlighter in these pictures.

So to sum up my pros & cons.....

Pros

• Darker shades are highly pigmented
• Has a beautiful satiny finish with a lot of sparkle and fine glittery look
• Excellent packaging
• 100% natural ingredients
• R250 for 8 x 3.5gr eye shades(now that is a steal even if 1 or 2 colors  turn out to be not your favorite)
• It has lovely, shimmery bridal colors
• Doesn't really have to be paired with a second color to give it a rich glamorous look(check pictures above) but looks even better when paired with a second shade.

Cons

• Doesn't stay on as long as I would like it to(3-4hrs max before it starts fading)
• Lighter shades are a bit sheer and powdery- BUT this can easily be overcome if you use a good base primer that will grab the product and give it some intensity and depth
• Not as blend-able as I would prefer... takes a bit of time and patience. If you are using it as the lids main color, and another product color to blend out the edges, it will work perfectly to give you the desired look. 
• Slight fallout- but not much more than I've experienced with some Mac and Inglot Matt shades

Would I buy these again? I don't want to be quick to jump the gun just yet and commit to either a yes or no without having another go at it but I certainly am eager to try out their other products eg the eyeliners and jumbo pencil eyeshades.

What do I rate it??? 7 out of 10

What have your experiences been with Coloressence eyeshadows? Let us know if it's worked any better for you than it did for me....