Essence Matte Bronzing Powders come in two colours; Blonde (for lighter skin) and Brunette (for darker skin). I know I probably should have gone for blonde as I'm quite fair but after comparing the two I accidentally put the wrong one back on the shelf and only noticed my mistake after I'd got home.
So, I ended up with 02 "Sunny" in the Brunettes range for darker skin. I gave it a go and honestly, it looks absolutely fine on my fair skin, as long as its used with a light hand. If it's applied too heavily it can start to look a little muddy.
The bronzer comes in a very basic, large, transparent plastic compact with a flip top lid and a catch that closes with a satisfying "click". The clear plastic allows you to see the cute picture embossed on the top of the bronzer (which is still faintly visible, even after multiple uses). Some of the bronzers come with a palm tree imprint but the one I have is a silhouette of two "fun-loving" ladies.
The first time I opened and used it, I was quite surprised by the smell. Its not overpowering and does disappear after its applied, but the bronzer smells exactly like desiccated coconut! You know, the stuff that you use for baking. Yum!
Because I accidentally purchased the wrong shade, I tend to use it more for contouring and the matte formula blends easily.
I would recommend this product and would definitely consider purchasing another one when this one is finished, although I'd probably get one from the "Blonde" range next time.
I accidentally picked up the shade for darker skin as it was the only one left and honestly, it looks stunning on my pale skin. The one I have has a pretty palm tree imprint on it and ohmygoodness it smells like coconut. It's not an overpowering fragrance, it just smells really lovely. The packaging is pretty basic but I like the fact that it has a clear top so you can see the product inside. It's a huge bronzer and it will last forever. I did drop mine in the store and some of it came up, as I was trying to push it back down to be level with the rest of the pan it crumbled. So don't do that.
It is a perfectly matte, neutral bronzer leaning towards a warm tone. You could definitely use it for contouring if you desired but I think the warm tones don't make it suitable to do so. It's not crazy pigmented which is why I think it looks good on my fair skin despite being targeted for darker skin tones. I like it when a bronzer isn't too pigmented because it makes it so easy to build up. I like to use a big fluffy powder brush to dust this onto my face and neck and it blends out really nicely. Doesn't stick to any dry patches, applies smoothly and evenly. It doesn't last all day like a high end bronzer might but I think it's stil really wonderful quality. Overall I think it's a wonderful product for such a reasonable price.