In the past few years I have been hearing more and more about reliable brands being launched in Penneys like Rimmel, Batiste, Bio Oil but it really was when I read the endless praise for Cocoa Brown tan when it was launched in Penneys that I really started paying attention. I will admit I have a slightly irrational fear of fake tan, if I didn't I have no doubt that C.B. would be in the lineup above, but from hearing how good this product was from seasoned tan users and bloggers across the board that I decided to look a bit closer at what else was on offer in Penneys and this is my pick of the bunch!
Haircare
Inecto
Inecto Pure Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner are products that, initially, I was a bit wary about having learned my lesson from having a few bad experiences with cheaper shampoo. The bottles are surprisingly big and the price for both is equally surprisingly low - €1.90 for 500ml if you can believe it. But I decided to take a risk and buy them after one whiff; they smell amazing. In fact they smell so similar to Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo and Conditioner - which carry hefty almost €20 euro a bottle price tags - I was very curious indeed. I'm sure it's not hard to scent a shampoo that way but after I tried them I was a skeptic no more! My hair felt amazing after using them, and was left very shiny and soft so I was glad I took the risk!
I will say, with a bottle that big, it's no harm to swap shampoos every so often. Product can build up with any shampoo and conditioner over time if you keep using the same without a break so I would recommend having a change of product every month or so. It's pretty obvious when you see and feel your hair when you change that it is pretty essential. So this bottle will last the guts of a year used on rotation with a couple of other brands.
Inecto have also just released Pure Argan Moisture Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner so, if the coconut is anything to go buy, we should be in for a real treat.
Hask
Hask Argan Oil From Morocco Healing Shine Hair Treatment is a little gem and was my first experience with Argan Oil for my hair. For €2.50 it's also a great way to test the wonders of Argan Oil before you invest in a big expensive bottle of the wonder hair product. It comes in a pocket-sized 18ml bottle which usually lasts me a couple of months.
Argan Oil is deeply nourishing for your hair and leaves even the most stressed hair feeling new and much healthier. You really just need to put a pea-sized drop on your hands - any more and you can over do it and make your hair look a tad greasy. The orange scent in this one is really pleasant too.
I can't find any fault in this particular product and it's one of my favourite additions to the Penneys beauty section. And, for such a tiny price, the results are really worth it!
Makeup
Essence
This brand is impressive for the simple fact that it is very rare to find a cosmetic brand with such a huge range of choice and colour for such an unbelievably low price. I actually first came across Essence when I was doing a last minute shop the day before a wedding for a couple of essentials so I popped into Penneys to get tights and found the stand of one of the most amazing selection of nail polish colours I'd ever come across. There, I found something I hadn't expected, a colour to match the exact shade of a pernickity coloured dress I was wearing the next day. At the same time I got another one to match my mum's outfit and I've had much praise for this brand since.
Now I must say, in some ways, you get what you pay for and, at €1.79, I wasn't hugely surprised that this nail polish chipped quite quickly. I was much more surprised when a very renowned brand's nail polish which cost almost ten times the price did chip soon after though so I think paying such a small price and getting such a broad and on trend selection of colours makes Essence a go-to for their nail selection alone.
But, in fact, there is much more to the brand than that. Every time I look they have added a new line to keep up with trends in the makeup world and for a small price you can get a little of what's hot right now quite easily. I recently featured their blush stick which cost €3.09 in a piece on this blog and it's always a bit of a treat checking in on what they've added next. I love the double sided eye pencil (€1.89) pictured above which can be bought in several complimentary colours that can be worn at the same time and, for someone who had never tried an eyebrow pencil, this little gem with a brow brush on the lid was the perfect one to experiment with.
The only caveat really is the longevity, don't expect these to last all day, but, considering most of these products cost under a fiver, they are a cheap and fun way to experiment and liven up your make up bag!
Wet n Wild
This LA brand has been causing quite a stir over here of late and for good cause. To look at the brand it's hard not to mistake it for one of the high end luxury brands and with the line over here broadening recently it's become a dream for any makeup addict on a budget!
Wet n Wild's Coverall foundation is a snip at about five euro and really does exactly what it says; it provides pretty extensive coverage without getting too cakey. The nail varnish range is pretty extensive too; Megalast reminds me of something from Max Factor and has quite an extensive range of shades for €2.99. Mega Rocks costs the same and is a slightly funkier range. I'm dying to try the recently released eyeshadow palettes as they really seem to be the highlight of the range so I'm going to dedicate a full article to the brand over the next while but, my first impression is of a brand that is of surprising quality and choice and nothing costs over a tenner!
The brand have broadened their market even further of late and I recently spotted a whole Wet n Wild stand down the cosmetic isle in Dunnes grocery! So, between price and availability, it seems like the brand that you'll be seeing and hear a lot more of in the coming year.
I can't find any fault in this particular product and it's one of my favourite additions to the Penneys beauty section. And, for such a tiny price, the results are really worth it!
Makeup
Essence
This brand is impressive for the simple fact that it is very rare to find a cosmetic brand with such a huge range of choice and colour for such an unbelievably low price. I actually first came across Essence when I was doing a last minute shop the day before a wedding for a couple of essentials so I popped into Penneys to get tights and found the stand of one of the most amazing selection of nail polish colours I'd ever come across. There, I found something I hadn't expected, a colour to match the exact shade of a pernickity coloured dress I was wearing the next day. At the same time I got another one to match my mum's outfit and I've had much praise for this brand since.
Now I must say, in some ways, you get what you pay for and, at €1.79, I wasn't hugely surprised that this nail polish chipped quite quickly. I was much more surprised when a very renowned brand's nail polish which cost almost ten times the price did chip soon after though so I think paying such a small price and getting such a broad and on trend selection of colours makes Essence a go-to for their nail selection alone.
But, in fact, there is much more to the brand than that. Every time I look they have added a new line to keep up with trends in the makeup world and for a small price you can get a little of what's hot right now quite easily. I recently featured their blush stick which cost €3.09 in a piece on this blog and it's always a bit of a treat checking in on what they've added next. I love the double sided eye pencil (€1.89) pictured above which can be bought in several complimentary colours that can be worn at the same time and, for someone who had never tried an eyebrow pencil, this little gem with a brow brush on the lid was the perfect one to experiment with.
The only caveat really is the longevity, don't expect these to last all day, but, considering most of these products cost under a fiver, they are a cheap and fun way to experiment and liven up your make up bag!
Wet n Wild
This LA brand has been causing quite a stir over here of late and for good cause. To look at the brand it's hard not to mistake it for one of the high end luxury brands and with the line over here broadening recently it's become a dream for any makeup addict on a budget!
Wet n Wild's Coverall foundation is a snip at about five euro and really does exactly what it says; it provides pretty extensive coverage without getting too cakey. The nail varnish range is pretty extensive too; Megalast reminds me of something from Max Factor and has quite an extensive range of shades for €2.99. Mega Rocks costs the same and is a slightly funkier range. I'm dying to try the recently released eyeshadow palettes as they really seem to be the highlight of the range so I'm going to dedicate a full article to the brand over the next while but, my first impression is of a brand that is of surprising quality and choice and nothing costs over a tenner!
The brand have broadened their market even further of late and I recently spotted a whole Wet n Wild stand down the cosmetic isle in Dunnes grocery! So, between price and availability, it seems like the brand that you'll be seeing and hear a lot more of in the coming year.
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