MAYBELLINE Tattoo Liner Gel Pencil
Deep Onyx
I haven't bought a classic pencil eyeliner in many years, mainly because so far I've only truly liked Urban Decay's 24/7 Pencil and Avon's Supershock, but the first one is too expensive and I'm not an Avon member, so after I read a rave review by Gemma I finally got some information on what can I pick in my local drugstore. I got this to wear just on my waterline and I'm blown away by how good it is. In terms of formula it's about the same thing as UD's and Avon's, so very pigmented, soft and transfers with ease on the waterline, but staying power is where it truly shines. It lasts all day - not smudged between the lashes like all liners tend to end up after an hour or two, but on the actual waterline. I posted a picture of my 14h test on my Instagram Stories and it's still highlighted in the Beauty Updates on my profile. This is hands down the best eyeliner for use on waterline I've tried, however, for my top lash line Catrice Liquid Eyeliner remains unbeaten.
My skin was too dry to wear this in the winter, but it's getting better and I could finally pick this up again. It just reminded me how good this formula looks on my skin. It's light and pretty much invisible on the face when you blend it, the finish isn't that mask-like matte, instead it's more of a semi-matte and unlike a lot of foundations, it looks nice over pores as it somewhat fills them up a bit, therefore provides a very smooth base. Shade 100 Warm Ivory is one of the palest shades I own and is alongside Milani's Conceal + Perfect 00A a great match for my skin tone.
I have been without a proper moisturiser for months after my Tony Moly Panda Sleeping Pack ran out and I was using only Nuxe Huile Prodigiuese which was not enough on its own for the winter months. I've tried a couple of moisturisers I had in my stash, but none seemed right. This cream has been on my wishlist for quite a while, not just because based on a tester I had, my skin clearly adored it as it was a picture of health the entire time I used it, but also because of the great ingredients, in particular niacinamide which is on a high 4th place. It's got rich texture that's more like a gel, or gel-cream and takes some time to absorb, so I prefer to use it as a part of my night routine, though it can work under makeup too. There's an extra spoon added, so you don't have to scoop it out with fingers.
My morning moisturiser because it's lighter and absorbs faster than Dynasty Cream, so I can put over a sunscreen and makeup fast. I also had a tester for this and it suited my skin really well. It's a lotion type of product that contains ceramides which strengthen the skin's barrier and it's a formula that's designed for sensitive skin. The packaging is very big with a generous 130 ml, so it should last me a while.
JOICO K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor and Intense Hydrator
Since my most moisturising hair masks weren't working the way they used to and my hair felt very hard/coarse to the touch, I suspected I needed a protein treatment. I did a quick strand test where you take a hair, wet it and stretch it a bit. My hair usually just snaps, which means it needs moisture, but this time it overstretched and looked like a chewing gum, which was a clear indication I needed protein. K-Pack isn't new to me, as I've been using Intense Hydrator for years and I rave about it a lot being one of my favourite moisturising masks, but though I've used to have the Reconstructor many years ago when I was dyeing my hair, I have not repurchased it since because Redken's Anti-Snap was enough. This duo performed outstandingly. It was like they turned back time to before I started colouring my hair and it was again feeling like its old self - softer and the hydrator added a good boost of moisture that finally lasted more than a day. I've been using Olaplex for a few months now and these two have a much better visible results (though I will still use them both). I really recommend these two if you bleach your hair or use high lift dyes, also if your hair damaged from heat styling, but do the wet strand test first to be sure, as Reconstructor should only be use on hair that lacks protein, otherwise it can make your hair brittle (Olaplex is probably a safer bet if you’re not sure, since it doesn't have proteins). The Hydrator is a fantastic moisturising treatment that you can use anytime and if your hair is very dry, this is a great one.
SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL Blondme Tone Enhancing Bonding Mask and Blondme Keratin Restore Intense Care Bonding Potion
These two are very similar to Joico K-Pack duo, except they don't have the extra aminoacids and the mask contains succinic acid which from what I can gather on their website protects the hair bonds, so I guess it's more of a competition to Olaplex technology. The Potion is the intense protein treatment that needs to be applied first and then you have to apply the Bonding Mask over it. My version of the mask is Cool, meaning it's purple and it neutralises yellow tones in very pale blonde hair (a regular Keratin Restore and Warm version exist too). I'm not sure about these two separately, but together they are like magic for freshly bleached and abused hair. They left my it silky, soft and nourished, and I used them right after colouring, so they really proved themselves to me. I was a bit hesitant about these two because another Schwarzkopf mask I tried was very underwhelming, but these two are amazing.
SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL BC Bonacure Fibre Force Fortifying Primer
One review said this is Olaplex in a spray bottle, only better - well it's not the same thing, since the ingredients are different, but I've been using it instead of Redken Anti-Snap because it's got hydrolysed keratin higher on the list. I can't say it's got the same visible results as the two duos I mentioned before and just like at Anti-Snap I suspect I'll see results long-term (at that one my ends stay good longer and I don't have to cut my hair often) but I like it as a leave-in because it's light, doesn't feel sticky, it doesn't interfere with my other hair care and it smells nice.
PANTENE Pro-V Repair & Care Conditioner
I think I found my new favourite ever drugstore conditioner. Not in a million years did I expect this to be so good, drugstore stuff tends to be so mediocre on my thick, coarse, dry hair, but I'll say something I've probably never said before - it might just be comparable to salon stuff. It left my hair moisturised, actually soft and even a bit shinier (doesn't happen to me often, that's why I add shine with oils). I was very pleased with the results of this one, but the other one I tried, Glatt/Smooth version was not as good. I'll definitely explore this line more, I saw they have two masks and a leave-in treatment and they will be mine soon.
AUSSIE 3 Minute Miracle Colour Deep Treatment
My old drugstore favourite, though now Pantene blows it out of the water. Still this is really good for drugstore stuff and it's one of rare ones that is moisturising enough for my hair and it manages to leave it softer than others. I got Colour version this time because I couldn't find the original Reconstructor and apart from the scent, they perform the same. It's nice to be reunited with this, though I miss the bubble gum scent of the original.
SUBRINA Shower Gel
Fresh Elder
I liked this the moment I gave it quick sniff. I have all of the versions of these shower gels because I take pictures for their FB and IG, plus I buy Cherry Blossom all the time because everyone likes it so much and while I like a majority of their scents, this is finally something different, more uplifting and fresh. It's a mix of elder flower, mint and lime, so a sweet floral zesty fresh combination and it's a great scent for warm months.
SUBRINA Kids 2 in 1 Shower Gel and Shampoo
Breezy
I didn't expect this kind of scent in a product for kids. The latter tend to have cutesy fruity scents that I also like and actually all other kids products at Subrina do have such fragrances, except for this one, which is a very pleasant surprise. This has Subrina's best neutral, clean and creamy scent out of all of their shower products. It's like their version of a Dove or Nivea-like classic scent. It's the same scent that most of those mini soap bars that come in fun shapes in Müller have, which I love, but I don't use those because they are drying. If you find Subrina's scents are in general too sweet for you, go and sniff this one, you might like it. Plus the packaging is so cute, maybe I'm bias, but these are some of the prettiest kids products in our shops. I've used it as a shampoo too and it was surprisingly ok. Nothing special, but it wasn't drying and it didn't leave my hair tangled. The formula is a bit thin for my taste, but it does the job.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
ESSENCE This is Me Lipstick
01 Freaky
Essence created an big collection of nude shades for all skin tones which includes lipsticks and matching nail polish shades, this is one of lightest in the selection and surprisingly for a peachy nude I quite like it. It doesn't lean too much to orange, as such shades often tend to, so it's a nice every day, nude option that I've been wearing a lot since I got it. I'm happy to see how Essence is improving their formulas, and this is a nice one that feels smooth and creamy at application with a semi-matte finish and a non-drying texture. Staying power is better too, but there's still room for improvement. The matching nail polish is a bit darker and I don't like the shade quite as much, but I love the gel formula. This whole range was a lovely idea and it was well done.
OPI Nail Lacquers Lisbon Spring/Summer Collection
Lisbon wants moor OPI
I really like this shade, the formula not so much though. It's a lovely off-white violet-pink shade that reminds me a of shades like Essie's Fiji. Formula is sadly a classic one, so it needs three carefully applied coats to prevent ridges, but at least it's not as annoying as Fiji, so this will serve at its replacement and I can finally forget about that nightmare shade that I love to wear, but hate to apply.
Nuxe Prodigieux Huile Prodigieuse Florale - I've been using the original for many years and since I tend to use it daily, I'm sort of immune to scent, which is a shame because it's a nice one. They recently released the Florale version with the same formula, but a different scent and I'll be my next face oil.
Bourjois Velvet the Pencil - their matte lipsticks are fantastic, so I have very high hopes for these, especially since the range of shades looks better than at the Velvet the Lipsticks. I just hope we get all of them and not just a portion. So far I haven't seen them in the shops.
Essence Lash Princess Waterproof Mascara - I've had two Lash Princess mascaras and both are outstanding when it comes to creating big lashes, so I'm excited to try the waterproof version, since I need something to hold my lashes up. I've already seen it on the stands.
L'Oréal Paris Paradise Extatic Waterproof Mascara - I recently went through my reviews and I saw how good Paradise Exctatic made my lashes look. Granted I still hate the fact it dried up after only a month, but maybe the waterproof one is better. Sadly I can only get it online, but maybe one day I'll get it.
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau de Parfum Légère - I love the look of the bottle of this one and usually when I fall in love with the bottle, the scent is a disappointment, but surprisingly I like both the original and this version of Good Girl. It's something new to me, I fully expected the one millionth version of La Vie Est Belle, but it's a nice tonka bean, dulce leche plus citrus combination. Maybe one day this will grace my vanity. It's citrusy fresh from the start and after five minutes, it's a feminine, a bit gourmand warm scent.
Pantene Repair line - after being so impressed with the conditioner, I want to try all - both masks, the leave-in and shampoo. Hopefully I'll like them as much as the conditioner because I like how affordable these are for such quality.
SNP Bird's Nest Aqua Eye Patch - my Secret Key Pink Racoony patches ran out and now I want to try something with better reviews. This, Petitfee and Berrisom and often mentioned, so I'd like to give them a try.
Have a great day!
