My skin is still quite dry, so I'm sticking to my moisturising foundations. I made a switch to Oriflame and Essence from Bourjois Healthy Mix primarily because of the shade since both are paler and a better fit for me. MasterCreation is a type of foundation that is very natural on the skin, but that also means the coverage is only light-medium, which actually suits me perfectly because I don't like heavy coverage. It's a lightweight foundation that now that skin is dry it actually sets (it stays sticky on me in warmer months) and it doesn't slip into pores. Shade Rose Porcelain is a great fit for me which is a big plus.
The other foundation I've been wearing this month and more often because I know I can get a replacement at any time in a local drugstore when it runs out, so I'm not "saving " it as most others. It's more liquid and has even less coverage than Oriflame's foundation, but otherwise they behave very similarly on the skin. It's far from being the best foundation in our drugstores and I don't think I'll ever consider it a proper favourite, but I greatly appreciate that such an affordable brand carries the palest shade I know so far.
I've been grossly neglecting this little gem. I used this on a random day after quite a while and this has to be one of the colours that best suited for my skin tone. It just lifts up the complexion and the matte finish makes it look that much prettier. It's a light-medium warm pink that will likely look very different on darker skin tones, but I find it's a great combination of pink and peach without being too bright. Formula-wise this is without a doubt one of the best lipsticks out there. It's such a smooth non-drying formula with a great matte finish. After Colourpop Matte X, these are my second favourite.
ESSENCE The Gel Nail Polish
This is a last shout out to these two gems because by now they should be gone from the drugstores. Essence replaced this entire line with a revamped formula, which based on first impressions with one of the new shades feels exactly the same, but they changed the bottle to a much less pretty one. I'm not sure if similar shades of these two have been added to the new range (I know they kept their long-time fan favourite Do you Speak Love), but I sure hope they did. This is my second bottle of 98 Pure Beauty and don't ever recall almost using up a nail polish in less than two years, especially considering I do my nails maybe once every two weeks since my nail polish always lasts long (and I find it such a chore), but this is a gorgeous universal nude shade that I reach for most in my stash. 56 You and me is my great regret and not because I dislike it, but because I was stupid enough to walk past it for months/years and never even consider getting it and it has to be one of the most beautiful shades in my entire collection. Contrary to the colour of the cap, it ends up a lot warmer and also a bit lighter on me, so it's like a nude with a twist. I should have gotten a second bottle.
L'OCCITANE 20 % Shea Butter Hand Cream
Is there a better hand cream than this? I really don't think so. It's the cream that you use once and after that all the rest feel too light, yet too greasy. This combines two things I want - a very rich formula and an ability to sink in within a minute or so. Before this I almost never used a hand cream because I find them so annoying, but this is a whole other story. Since it's winter, my skin is quite dry at the moment and my hands that I wash so frequently are taking the brunt. This fixes the problem effectively, without limiting my use of hands for too long and it smells so good too. One tube also lasts forever to me.
I admit I did not appreciate this scent as much as my beloved Twilight Woods and Brown Sugar & Fig, but it has since grown on me. For me this is the epitome of a super feminine young adult scent with no notes that would stand out and the two mentioned in the name, have nothing to do with this fragrance. Note mention chestnut, argan, sandalwood & musk, but none of these notes really describe this scent. It starts with quite a sweet burst, but then settles to a more creamy, almost powdery type of fragrance. This was discontinued, though it's still sold in some places, but BBW tends to recycle this scent under different names.
This was originally a missed purchase that I bought in my search for a Orofluido Sahara replacement. I was going to buy their Healing Oil Spray, but they expanded their range at the time with their Professional line and I thought this too is an oil in spray like Sahara (I've since finally found a replacement in Createurs de Monoi Shine spray). This is a regular leave-in conditioner and it's super light, so from the start I thought this won't do anything for me. Yet the longer I had it, the more I started to appreciate it, especially because of the great list of ingredients which includes keratin in hydrolysed form, which is the best version of proteins. It's feels like nothing on the hair, yet I do feel like it's giving my hair an extra boost of moisture and the mist is so fine, making it easy to spray all over the hair quickly. I think this formula would suit any hair type and it should be great even on those with thin hair that gets easily weighted down. Only thing I had to get used to was a strong fragrance, which isn't a bad one, just more unique than most hair products. It's like an oriental perfume with heavy notes, so in summer it's not so easy to handle.
Another product I didn't appreciate fully when I got it, certainly not as much as the amazing Intense Hydration mask or hair treatment from this this brand. I thought from the start it makes my hair feel stiff, but it must have been something else because it's a weightless mist that's quick and easy to apply. I double up on my protection so I make sure all my hair is completely covered and this mist gets those last spots I might have missed when applying my usual heat protectant by Balea which is in a serum form (sadly discontinued). The thing I truly love about this mist and also all other Moroccanoil product is the scent, which surprisingly I hated a few years back, but now I find it smells like fancy hair salon and I'd so wear a perfume like it.
Since I dyed and bleached my hair, I'm taking every step to keep my hair in good condition and so far I'm doing well. In order to keep the L'Oreal's Preference hair colour that I used to tone after bleaching from fading, I'm using shampoo less often and rather use a cleansing conditioner. These are great, but especially the Curl Nourishment version which is designed to afro hair is fantastic (I brilliantly managed to break the pump on this gem when it hit the edge of the bathtub at an unfortunate angle, but it still works). It does the job of cleaning the hair, yet act as a great hair conditioner. Though on occasion I follow up with an extra mask just because my hair gets dry fast after washing my hair and by doing this I get an extra day before I need to smoother my hair in leave-in products. I've had the much more expensive Kerastase version and this Curl one is just as good for a fraction of a price. These are also such time savers because I can skip on conditioner entirely if I'm in a pinch.
Coconut Oil
This isn't a proper favourite, but a product I've been using every day on my ends and every two weeks as a pre-wash treatments. I got a pot sometime last month and I'm already half way through. Like I said above I'm doing everything to maintain the condition of my hair, so to keep my ends from drying out I use a small amount of this in the morning. Coconut oil on its own is way too greasy for most people, but if your hair is very dry and thick, it works a treat. My hair absorbs in it a few hours and doesn't make my hair greasy when I use a small amount. I also used it in a larger amount before applying bleach and it definitely made a difference. As a pre-wash treatment I tend to apply it for several hours, mostly I apply it before bed and reapply in the morning, then I wash it off late at night with a shampoo and use a hair mask after. My hair absorbs it so fast that if I keep my hair in bun or plaid, it doesn't even look that greasy, but I only do it on the weekends.
WISHLIST
L.O.V Blushment Blurring Blush 30 Beautiful Minds Empower Other - I've seen this on Adjusting Beauty's blog and it looks like my type of colour. Too bad we don't have L.O.V. stands anymore, though given the selection we had at the time, I've never properly missed them. // L.O.V The Galaxy Eyeshadow & Liner - I found these by accident when I was writing the review for their excellent Magnetic eyeshadows. These so look like my colour, but I've never seen them in person and reviews are very sparse. // ORIFLAME Amber Elixir Eau De Parfum - this seems to be one of the most popular Oriflame fragrances or at least one with best feedback on Fragrantica. Notes sound wonderful, especially for colder months, Oriflame describes it as an oriental vanillic woody fragrance with notes of delicious blackcurrant, coquettish heliotrope and sumptuous sandalwood. I don't like the bottle, though. It's like some kitch from the 70's. // HOLIKA HOLIKA Good Cera Super Ceramide Emulsion - I've had a generous sample of this a while back from the lovely Lorena, who introduced me to many new favourites. I remember my skin loved this formula and I'd like to get it for my morning moisturiser. // COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch - these are so far the most effective spot product I've found and because I'm running low, I need a new batch.// COSRX 95 Tone Balancing Essence - another product I'm running low on. it's my skin care staple and I don't want to be without it, so I'm planning to get a backup bottle before mine runs out. I mentioned many times before that this refined my skin and made it less "blah" looking.
Have a great day!
