New in #85

artdeco Aussie Biotherm CadeaVera catrice Garnier L'Oreal Lancome LVLY by Paola Maria New In Pantene Yves Saint Laurent

New in #85

Admin   October 26, 2019   Comment  

 LANCÔME Teint Idole Ultra 24h Wear & Comfort SPF 15 Foundation

008 Beige Opale

Before I got this I took a sample in Müller along with four other foundations and this impressed me so much I went to buy it as soon as I was finished testing all five (I actually got one more from that test, but later, after I gave it a second try). I posted before/after, close-up and extended wear time pictures on my IG stories, along with first impressions and it's still highlighted if you're interested. It's definitely one of the most beautiful foundations I've tried. It's got good medium coverage without looking heavy. It doesn't emphasise texture, pores or lines, though it doesn't hide them - that's what I do actually miss at this foundation, since it was expensive, but the shade makes this foundation worth it for me. It sets to a satin-matte finish and one with a healthy look to it. Staying power is also very impressive and it's holding so well though the day, it doesn't go cakey, or slip into pores or lines, plus it lasts longer than my cheaper foundations and even when I don't use any powder or a setting spray. I can see why it's been so popular for many years. When I started getting into makeup this was all the rage on forums, but I couldn't find a match for me (008 is one of the more new shades), so I ended up getting the discontinued Color Ideal instead which I loved anyway. I was going to order this online since my local Müler has shade 005 as the lightest one, but as luck had it I ended up going to Ljubljana and discovered with that Müller Rudnik has 008 and 006. The first is a fair shade with a neutral to slightly pink undertone and 006 is the yellow version of it. With the help of a lovely sales assistant I picked shade 008 as the best match for me, which is the one I also predicted would fit me with the help of followers on IG (thank you!). Müller just happened to also have a -25% on one product that week and I ended up paying 37 €, which is cheaper than in online shops. 

Müller, regular price 49.79 €, about 10 € less online.

CATRICE Dewy-ful Lips Conditioning Lip Butter 

060 Don't Dream it, DEW it!

I have this in one of the original colours, 010 Yes, I DEW, which is super pale and makes me look dead, but I've always loved the formula. It only took me a year to get a wearable shade, but Catrice finally make me part from those 4 €. Formula of these is so comfy, it's pretty much the same as their old Beautifying Cushion lip glosses or the more well-known Clarins Instant Lip Perfectors. I use it instead of a lip balm. Shade 060 is a sheer medium rosy shade, super wearable and I know I'll use it all the time. These are really worth having if you haven't tried them yet and you should be quick about it if you want them because I heard they'll be discontinued.

Müller, 4.39 €

CATRICE Demi Matt Lipstick

100 Nude Crush Everyday

The initial launch of these completely passed me by, I mean I was aware of them, but you know how Catrice discontinues everything, so most of the time I just don't find it worth trying their stuff because it's gone so fast. However, one of my IG followers asked me if I tried these yet and when I swatched them in the shop I liked the look of this shade. This is so far Catrice's best formula they made in terms of comfort, pigmentation and how smooth it looks on the lips, gliding over dry patches, but it doesn't shine in the staying power department like their Ultimate Colour did. Formula is very lightweight and comfortable, while the finish is the promised demi matte. It's somewhat similar to Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipstick, but not properly matte. I like the packaging, it looks more interesting than their previous tubes. 100 Nude Crush Everyday is such a lovely nude shade, neither warm not cool, it just sits perfectly in the middle and it's also not too pale. Catrice likes to repeat themselves when it comes to shades, but I've not seen one like this one before. 

Műller, 4.39 €

CATRICE Lip Coconut Balm

010 Coconut Kiss

I was going to take the pot version, which has some good reviews online, but the last second I changed my mind and got this one I've read zero reviews about. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't do that, though this one isn't terrible. I like super soft lip balms like Palmer's Swivel Stick which is the only other lip balm I own and is one I've been using for many years, but this Catrice one is more like a very basic lip balm, so more on the waxy side, though not at all too hard to apply. The main minus is that this is white, so you get those lovely corpsy white lips with this and it's not a lip balm you'd carry around to apply in public, which is why I bought it because I have the huge "kid's stick glue like" Palmer's at home. As a plus I can say that it last nicely on the lips, it does nourish as it should and it smells lovely like coconut.   

Müller, 4.39 €

 ARTDECO Eyeshadow Base

I watched this Youtube video how to prevent foundation from slipping into smile lines, since so many foundations make mine look so much worse than they are without makeup and the main things used were an eyeshadow primer, a loose powder and a setting spray. Me being a beauty blogger, I of course had nothing in stock that would be younger than 3 years, so it was high time to renew my stash. Just like Lancome foundation this eyeshadow base was THE base to get back then alongside with the cult Urban Decay. Then I opted to buy the latter and it was great, but this time I wanted something easily accessible. I realised we still have basically nothing here apart from (judging by reviews) mediocre Essence and Catrice, so I got this one. It comes in a pot which is not ideal, but we'll see how long it will last before drying out. Artdeco has a sample in the shop and texture surprised me because it's not some thick formula, instead it's pleasantly creamy. This is much more balmy than I expected, I thought it's going to set to a matte finish and feel more silicone-y. Regardless, eyeshadows go over it nicely and nothing gets stuck on wet/sticky patches. With this my eye makeup lasts intact all day. I don't normally have much problems with my makeup on my eyes lasting well, but with this it truly was like freshly applied and blended 8-9 h later. I wanted to use it on my smile lines and I have a few times, but sadly I discovered this has shimmer. None of the reviews mentioned it and I didn't spot in in the shop because it's quite subtle.

Müller, 6.99 €

CATRICE Prime & Fine Multitalent Fixing Spray

I've gone through many setting sprays reviews and apparently Morphe is "the" stuff at the moment, but from brands we have in our drugstores, this was highest rated. The bottle is so small with only 50 ml and after three days of use about 2 cm were already gone, which I was not happy about. First few sprays shocked me how awful the mist is because it didn't resemble anything fine and I got big drops unevenly on my face. The second use was better, still I'm not completely sold on the atomiser, it should be better - I actually got three mists after this one and those have incomparably better sprays (I'll talk about two more in next New in). You really have to press it hard all the way and quickly, otherwise you get this useless spritzy fake mist. This is very wet for my taste and it takes long to dry, it actually smudged my mascara once. When it dries it sets to an invisible/natural finish and it's not matte at any point, nor is it glowy. While there's a lot I don't like at this spray, I'm impressed with its performance. My highlighter and blush were like freshly applied 7 hours later, though it was worn off on the side where I constantly touch my face. It's not outstanding, I'm guessing the high rating is more connected to the price than quality and I particularly bothered by the mist, but it really prolongs the staying power of makeup. 

Müller, 4.69 €

PRIMARK My Perfect Colour Bake it Setting Powder

Nude

I got this on a whim because it was the cheapest and easily accessible powder I could find in Slovenia. I think I only saw this shade, which is a pale vanilla colour, but the might be more colours. I love the packaging of this, it's the best one for a powder because there's no need for shaking the product though a few holes that most powders have, instead it has one of those tension meshes, where you dip the brush into the pot and the elastic mesh helps you get the product out - this is kind of worth it for the packaging alone because it's an experience using a packaging you don't have to shake to get the powder out. Powder is very fine and it blurs pores as well as helps a bit with lines (it's no magic though), but when used it for baking it becomes cakey especially under the eyes. Applied just with a fluffy brush it performs much better, but any more than that it looks heavy and obvious. In terms of holding back oil - it's not super matte, it doesn't leave my skin looking flat and it isn't drying on me, however, after a few hours my forehead is shiny, so I don't think this is for oily skin. Shade is pretty much transparent, but it oxidises in a thick coat under my eyes and gets an a yellow hue.

Primark, 3.50 €

ARTDECO Anti Pollution Spray

I planned on getting Morphe's version, mostly because the mist is very praised for being fine and then I saw this in Müller. It's somewhat similar because it's got water + glycerine as the first two ingredients, but this one is much more bare in terms of nourishing ingredients and I'd still say go for Morphe instead if you have the chance. This promises to hydrate, protect and fix makeup in place. The mist is so unbelievably fine. I've had water sprays before, but this is so much finer. It's like a delicate cloud of fine moisture - Artdeco has a tester in the shops, so you can try it for yourself to see what I mean. I had doubts about this actually doing something for prolonging makeup since ingredients are nothing special and I was sure it's going to be just a basic refreshing mist, but it helps the makeup melt in better as well as stay fresh a lot longer. Just like at Catrice's spray my blush and highlighter, which are usually the first gone were still vibrant 6h later (I didn't check any more after that). My makeup also didn't slip into lines, but it it wipe off on the sides of my nose. Spray is scented, so not ideal for sensitive skin, but it's a nice, subtle scent that disappears quickly. 

Müller, 12.99 €

GARNIER Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Protecting and Hydrating Face Mist SPF50

I got this to top up my sunscreen protection, but I don't trust it 100% that's it's enough on its own. My experience with spray sunscreens has not been the best as those couple I had were very greasy, while this more lightweight. There's some wet feeling when you spray it on and I noticed this has powdery particles that catch on peach fuzz making it very apparent (before I tried this spray, I had no idea I even had that much of it), so this is not something to just spray on the face and be done with it, as you have to a least press it lightly with hands to blend in those powdery particles. It's got sunscreen shine, so a powder or matte foundation is needed and it's probably going to look bad on oily skin, though the feeling is very light and it doesn't feel very greasy to the touch. I apply two coats and it still feels light plus the makeup applies over it ok. It's also good over the makeup, but like I said you just have to press it into the skin a bit to get rid of the powdery particles caught on fuzz. It's got a sunscreen scent and it's not easy on the lungs when you apply it. So far I like this, though I have doubts it will last long. Maybe the body version is about the same that I could buy that one instead. 

Müller, 6.99 €

LVLY Skin Toner

This toner has a glycolic acid second on the ingredients list, so it's one of still rare affordable AHA products in our drugstores, however, for some reason it's not stated neither on the front of the bottle, nor in the description. Why not shout it from the rooftops, since I'm fairly certain this would gain more attention with disclosed AHA content on the front instead of manuka honey, I have no idea. But it has caused small problem, as the reviews on meindm are very mixed with people reporting thing burns their skin, which is to be expected from an AHA product, though the actual percentage of glycolic acid is not stated. It shouldn't be used as a regular toner. There really should be a label explaining what this product is because not everyone reads the ingredients list. It's a regular liquid toner that doesn't leave any residue behind and it's not sticky, it smells clean like soap or shampoo. I've said many times that I don't even feel a 30% content of AHA's on my skin, why I don't know, so it's no wonder this feels like regular toner to me and I can use it as much as I want everywhere I want. I've had reports on my IG that it's a brilliant formula for problematic skin, but I actually broke out on my cheek while using this (not because of this), so it's not keeping my skin clear, though those spots healed to only a mark within a day or two (it wasn't the only thing I used of course). Straight after application when this dries, my skin feels soft almost like I used a velvet primer. I'll keep using this so I have my chemical exfoliation/AHA use covered in my skincare routine. 

DM, 2.99 €

CADEA VERA Vital Day Q10 Anti-Falten Crème LFS20

Mini 5 ml

I got this because it's got SPF 20, ias n 99% of SPF day creams here there's an SPF 15 and this is the cheapest with a bit more. Nivea and Olay have expensive formulas with SPF 30. I don't like this. It's not super thick, but it's not a lightweight formula. It absorbs quickly, but leaves this annoying suffocating filter on the skin. I also felt my skin wasn't moisturised enough. But hey, I got a useful sample pot for 70 cents that will come handy.

Műller, 0.69 €

PANTENE Hair Biology 

Full & Vibrant Rejuvenating Mask

Hair Biology is a new line by Pantene that's was apparently designed for mature women, which made me chuckle. They have this brochure next to it and apparently I'm not old enough yet to be using these masks and I should be using Cleanse & Reconstruct because every young person has oily roots and dry ends. Anyway, I don't buy into this age-appropriate hair care and got two hair masks, but they also have accompanying shampoos and conditioners. Full & Vibrant is designed for thin and coloured hair. The thin part has me worried that it might be too light, but I bought it because it might prevent the colour from fading fast, as mine is (I so wish I achieved a lighter shade of blonde that I'd actually be able to maintain with regular toners). They have a more appropriate one for me, one for grey hair, which I assume contains violet pigments to fight yellow tones. Even though this is meant for thin hair, in my opinion this is much better suited for hair like mine - thick, dry, coarse and coloured because the formula is thick and it might weigh down thin hair. It's another amazing Pantene hair mask, it did everything I need - intensely nourish, leave my hair somewhat softer and tamed. 

De-Frizz & Illuminate Reconstructing Mask

This version is designed for dry hair damaged by colouring. I can't really tell a difference between this and their Repair mask or conditioner. It's a similar thick consistency, but the scent is different, it smells close to Fructis Hair Food Banana. It's another fantastic quality mask in our drugstores, just more expensive per ml (you only get 160 ml here) and in a prettier packaging. Both Hair Biology masks worked equally fantastically on me.  

DM, 6.49 € for each

PANTENE PRO-V 3 Minute Miracle Intensive Repair Conditioner

The more of these Repair line products I buy, the more I'm impressed, yet I don't see much of a difference between them. While the mask is indeed more nourishing and might be too heavy for some compared to the regular Repair conditioner, this 3 Minute version conditioner feels the same to me. Again it's a wonderful product for my very dry, coarse, many-times bleached & coloured hair. Any one of the products from the Repair line you get, it's great, this one is 50 cents more expensive than the conditioner in the same 200 ml version.

Interspar, 3.49 €

L'OREAL Excellence Crème 

8.1 Light Ash Blonde & 9.1 Natural Light Ash Blonde

Interspar had a discount on these, like they do about every two months I noticed and I stocked up on these two shades that I've used up many boxes of. I use them for toning, so I mix them with a different, weaker 3% developer to avoid excess damage. They work better for me than regular purple toners because my hair is still too dark to be toned with those and blue-green ones don't really exist. 

Interspar, 5.09 €

AUSSIE 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor

Mini 75 ml

This was a GWP when I got Pantene, a bit random, but the size is a good one. I've already used up several of these and I currently have the Colour version, which I haven't actually touched since I discovered Pantene. But before Pantene this was my favourite drugstore hair treatment. It smells like bubble gums and it's enough to nourish even my hair.   

YVES SAINT LAURENT Touche Eclat Le Teint

I've always wondered what this foundation is like. I got a shade that's much too dark for me, B30, so I had to try it with TBS Adjusting Drops and even with those it wasn't light enough to wear in public. I think the original lightest shade B10 is an equivalent of Mac's NC15, which is too dark for me, while the new BR05 shade looks more promising, but it's not accessible to me at the moment. This is one of the most beautiful foundations when freshly applied I've tried. It's got the dewy characteristics, but a dry-to-the-touch formula, which is what I look for. It's got a radiant finish without glitter, shimmer or greasiness. It can look a bit greasy towards the end of the day (I didn't wear powder or anything else with) and it creases, but it doesn't slip into pores. I think that with powder it would perform well. Coverage was hard to determine to me because the shade was so dark, but I'd say light-medium as it didn't cover spots on its own at all and I double-layered there. It lasted well on my skin, much better than I expected for a glowy foundation, as 6-7h after application it was still on my face, except it completely wiped off a spot I had and the sides of the nose.

YSL Touche Eclat B30 mixed with The Body Shop Adjusting Drops, which in my experience don't mess with the original formula of foundation.

BIOTHERM Skin Oxygen Cooling Gel

This has alcohol very high on the list, which I'd sort of expect in something that's called a cooling gel (alcohol or peppermint or both). I find that unacceptable for such an expensive moisturiser and for such a price I only expect the best things, which this has barely any of. There's a drop of hyaluronic acid and that's pretty much it. It's a basic moisturising gel-cream formula. It absorbed fast, left a silky finish, but it wasn't cooling as promised. It's scented with a typical fresh fragrance.

Have a great day!

New in #81

Balea Biobaza Dove Ebelin essence Eucerin LVLY by Paola Maria max factor New In Nivea Nuxe Oriflame Pantene Subrina Sundance

New in #81

Admin   July 15, 2019   Comment  

MAKEUP

ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara Waterproof

I got the regular version of Lash Princess False Lash Effect a few months ago and it's an excellent volumizing mascara plus it can even hold the lashes up a bit, but it's not like proper waterproof formulas, so I was hoping Essence combined that amazing volume with the great I <3 Extreme waterproof formula that's my favourite. What it looks to me is that they just used the brush from the Lash Princess and added the I<3 Extreme formula, resulting in a pretty much the same mascara as the latter. Volume is not quite as impressive as at regular Lash Princess, but it's still more than at a lot of mascaras and it holds a curl. I get no smudging with this one, but an occasional flake can appear. It's also hard to remove as you might expect and requires an waterproof makeup oily remover. The shape of the brush doesn't bring much new to the table compared to the I<3 Extreme, in fact I find it a bit less defining, so both produce somewhat dishevelled lash look, but not clumpy or spidery. I wish Essence used this winning formula when it comes to holding a curl and create one of those L'Oréal-like double mascaras with a plastic defining brush on one side and a regular volumizing on the other, but for now it really doesn't matter whether you get Lash Princess or I <3 Extreme, as the both do about the same thing. 

Müller, 3.59 €

 *ORIFLAME OnColour Power Up Foundation

38805 Light Porcelain and 38807 Natural Beige

Oriflame launched a new or renewed collection of makeup products that they described as an explosion of colours. This foundation comes in 4 shades and I got 2, including the lightest one. Given my experience with Giordani Gold MasterCreation foundation I expected another very pale shade, but sadly that's not the case. Both shades I have are way too dark for me and I have to use lightening drops to use them. The foundation has a light coverage, it doesn't look well covered in person, but for some reason it looks very good on camera. It's too moisturizing even for my dry skin, so if you have oily or combination skin, this won't work for you. Finish is dewy-shiny, so powder will be a must for most people. Overall it's not very impressive aside from the fact it looks very natural on the skin and you can't tell you're wearing makeup apart from the shine people could mistake for a moisturizer. The shade ruined this one for me, as I thought I can rely on Oriflame for pale foundations.

Oriflame, regular price 9.90 €, currently 4.99 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Perfecting Concealer Stick

39914 Natural Beige and 39913 Light Ivory

This formula is surprisingly not that hard, waxy stuff that put me off such formulas years ago, but it is summer, so when temperatures drop, who knows if it still be as easy to apply. It looks relatively ok on the skin, it's hasn't got a lot of coverage, I'd say maybe a medium, but it doesn't have the best pigmentation, so you have to layer it. Though the lightest shade is wearable for me, there are honestly so many better formulas out there. Only two shades are available, both are quite light.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Power Face Powder

38801 M Beige

I can't find this in the catalogue, maybe it's just the Slovene version that skipped it, I don't know. My skin was not made for powders, I've hated them for years and this is nothing special. It set the makeup in place, but didn't prevent a meltdown I had happening with all of Oriflame makeup and it wasn't even that hot. Powder looks finely milled and it's not bad, but what do I know about powders with my dry skin, I never use them. 

*ORIFLAME OnColour Big Lash Mascara

I'm not impressed by this one. It doesn't hold my lashes up, so it's useless for me. It's got a classic defining plastic brush with two lengths of bristles and it defines ok, though it could fan out the lashes better. In terms of volume it's (so far) nothing special, but it also doesn't look like nothing. It's just average and I prefer their The One Eyes Wide Open & Awake mascara. 

Oriflame, regular price 7.90 €, 3.99 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Perfect Duo Pencil

36088 Mocha & Rosegold, 36089 Blue & Sapphire and 36090 Green & Turquoise

Five shades of these are available and I got three combinations. These are my least favourite products in the selection. A few seconds after I apply them on the upper eyelid they transfer to my crease. Even with a ton of powder under it, I get the same result. They transfer to the waterline, but you have to go over the line several times. Pigmentation of the darkest brown is great and it's also softest, but the rest could be better. They aren't the softest or smoothest eyeliners so I'm sorry Oriflame, but this is a fail to me.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Creamy Lipstick

38742 Blush Nude, 38750 Deep Red and 38775 Clover Lilac

Just a regular creamy lipstick with a shiny finish and semi-opaque to full pigmentation. Staying power is its weakness, especially at the lightest shade which is gone in an hour, but ever Deep Red is not that much more impressive. Shade Blush Nude is gorgeous, it's a lovely nude and it's a shame about the staying power, but it's actually very similar to Oriflame's The One lipstick in Pink Flair which is better quality. Shade Deep Red is a classic burgundy and Clover Lilac a medium violet. These come in 20 shades.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

 *ORIFLAME OnColour Nail Polish

38983 Soft Pink, 38992 Deep Plum and 38996 Silver Black

These are the best products in the OnColour line. They don't state they are gel nail polishes, regardless they behave similarly and are very smooth to apply. One coat is enough, even at the darkest Deep Plum shade and I don't think I have any such shades that wouldn't be sheer with the first coat. Soft Pink is actually a pink coral, deep plum is pretty much black and silver black is a graphite grey with shimmer. 20 shades in total exist, 5 are special shimmery shades.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 € (5 ml)

 *MAX FACTOR Miracle Touch Skin Perfecting Foundation

I used to have the old version of Miracle Touch which was like a whipped creamy foundation in a compact form - this new one is nothing like it. It's that classic hard compact foundation and getting enough product on the face is a far bigger challenge than before. I got all the shades that are sold in Slovenia, of course none fit me (I took a picture for IG story of all four next to Makeup Revolution Fast Base Stick F1, a shade that fits me) and since the texture is hard, I cannot use my lightening drops and I can't wear these, nor do a proper review, so don't expect it. I applied one of the shades quickly on a Sunday so no one could see me and the first challenge is getting enough on the face quickly and second it's blending because it's a waxy texture. What I managed to get on the face had a matte-ish finish on my dry skin, but with so little I could get on, it's hard to tell if my assessment is true. I also could not tell you the level of coverage since all the shades are too dark for me. I'm sorry I can't be more help, but I can't work with these. The whole shade range contains 16 shades. It's got a separate compartment with the sponge.
Update: you can find a mini review from Preslava in the comments about this foundation, where she describes her experience with it on oily skin.

15.19 €

SKIN CARE

EUCERIN Hyaluron Filler Vitamin C Booster

I've already detailed my experience with this in my monthly favourites where I raved about it and I still stand by what I said. I've finished my first bottle and now I'm actually back to Melano because I want to use it up, but I'm already seeing it was a bad idea because my skin is no longer as nice as it was with this. Eucerin's is by far the nicest vitamin C product I've used, also most effective and a great product in general. This contains 10 % ascorbic acid, yet it works more effectively on me than the 20% Tiam, it also has no alcohol and it contains glycerine, squalane and hyaluronic acid. Eucerin's version has Vitamin C in a form of ascorbic acid, which is the most researched one in terms of beauty and has been shown to assist collagen production, but it's most often mentioned as a powerful brightener, helps fight UV damage and that is helps diminish fine lines. Vitamin C is packed in the bottom of the packaging, separated from the emulsion. Before first use, you have to peel off the foil to reveal a soft rubber bottom with you then have to press a few times to push the vitamin C to the emulsion. After some shaking the product is ready to use. The emulsion is very lovely - it's a nice smooth liquid formula that applies with ease and feels moisturising. Eucerin recommends to mix this with your moisturiser, but like I explained in my monthly favourites, I use it on its own. They also say that a reaction might occur when you first start using it, but I didn't experience it since I was already used to Tiam. At that one my skin became sensitive for a few days, so expect something like that if you're new to vitamin C products. I mentioned in my monthly favourites it took two weeks for the effects to start showing, but after than my skin was looking its best. It was always properly nourished, it started to become more even, healthy and I had zero breakouts (I'm currently treating one since I switched back to Melano). One thing that will bother people is that the bottles are very small with only 7.5 ml of product. While I like that they are small because by the time you finish the bottle the vitamin C is still relatively "fresh" compared to bigger bottles, I would much prefer to seethese costing less than 17 € for such a small amount and Tiam is still a far better bargain per ml if you can deal with the obnoxious texture and self-tan smelling skin. I love this, it's my favourite Vitamin C product out of the three I tried and I'm glad I have an extra bottle. There's a couple more cheaper vitamin C products I'm interested in (Nivea, Eveline and Avon), but though I'd love for them to be better because they are cheaper, it'll definitely be sticking to Eucerin's if those don't work out. 

Ingredients.

17.43€

NIVEA Sun UV Face Shine Control Cream SPF50

UV Gesicht Mattierender Sonnenschutz LSF 50

I've already mentioned this one in my last monthly favourites and in my best budget friendly post, so I've said a lot about it already. This fits my dry skin well and it's so far the only sunscreen from local drugstores I found that sets to a dry to the touch velvet finish. I can apply it the recommend 1/4-1/2 teaspoon amount with no problems and it never feels suffocating or heavy neither does it have a trace of a white cast. Texture feels like a regular cream, more on the thick side and it’s like a typical heavy sunscreen from the start with a lot of shine, but after a few minutes it completely sinks. There is some sunscreen shine, not greasy one, since this feels dry to the touch when it sets. I wear it under makeup and it never pills, but it can mess with the eyeliner, so it's not my favourite thing to use around the eyes. I get no oily shine during the day, but my skin is dry and it's been a while since I've had a greasy T-zone. Biore Aqua Rich Essence is still much lighter, as are A'Pieu Pure Block and Etude House Sunprise, but for my normal-dry skin Nivea is great.  

Ingredients.

Müller, 9.99 €

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

Florale

I've so been enjoying being reunited with this. It's my favourite oil to use for my face and I've been using it for many years now, and I definitely missed it in my routine when I was without it for a month or two. I got the new Florale version though I very fond of the original. The new Floral version smells very similar as the discontinued Fleur D’Or Acacia by L’Occitane, it’s just a bit more green and citrusy. Nuxe says it smells like magnolia, white musk, grapefruit, lemon, bergamot and orange flower. Overall it’s a citrusy floral scent and it smells like spring to me. It's nice because it's different, I've been using the original for so long I don't even notice the scent anymore, but I still love it a tiny bit more than this one, though this one is pretty nice and I think also stronger. The ingredients are the same as in the original one. I said in my monthly favourites that this oil + Eucerin's vitamin C really helped my skin look its best.

Pharmacy, 25.50 €

 LVLY by Paola Maria Cleansing Oil

This is a new DM brand and as far as I could see consists of an cleansing mousse, serum (looked pretty good ingredients-wise), moisturiser with a SPF 15, eye cream, lip balm and one of those masks in a satchel (I saw a gycolic acid toner online too, but not in the shop). This oil immediately attracted my attention since I'm looking for a more affordable alternative to Biobaza. This one is about a third smaller (100 ml vs. 150 ml of Biobaza), but the latter costs almost 13 €. I've been using it for some time now and I'm not loving it. The texture is light like most such oils I've tried and once you start rubbing it in it becomes one of the thickest oils. Adding water creates a thick emulsion and normally I'd be so delighted to see this, but there is a bit problem - this does not rinse of completely. You can add as much water as you want and keep trying to get it off, but a film remains on the skin. Based on the feedback I got on Instagram, a lot had the same problem. A second cleansing with a gel or a mousse in an absolute must at this. For such a thick formula it doesn't remove waterproof mascara well and a separate two-phase oil cleanser is needed. Another thing is that in the following days my skin started to become more and more congested (possibly due to me not being able to wash it off completely, but it could also be that it's simply breaking me out like most oils). The scent is I think like Balea's other oil, it pretty much smells like vegetable oil, so nothing special. I really wanted to love this because Biobaza is expensive, but even if this didn't break me out, the fact it's so hard to rinse off it a no for me.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.99 €

BIOBAZA Exclusive Face Cleansing Micellar Oil

A repurchase. I still haven't found anything to replace this, I just sort of give in when my old bottle runs out and shell out those 13 € for a new one (we don't have Tuš Drogerija here with their discounts so it hurts even more). Sadly LVLY is not working for me, which is a shame because it would save me some money. Biobaza is one of rare oils that works with my skin as most others I've tried tend to break me out, but it's relatively weak and doesn't remove eye makeup well. This is probably my fifth or sixth bottle in a row and I use this every day without fail together with the Balea gel.

DM, 12.79 €

DOVE Body Wash

Summer Breeze

This is a limited edition scent that I found in Müller. I was looking for something fresh among Dove formulas, which are my favourite and this was the closest to what I wanted, though I'd prefer something more uplifting as this is still relatively soft for a fresh scent. The description say it smells like apples and black currant. I get none of the notes, but it smells nicely fruity-fresh clean. The formula is one of the new Dove ones, which are not as luxuriously creamy as the original, so I'm not 100% happy with it because when I pay more for a Dove shower gel I expect that fabulous rich texture, but it's fine, still better than 90% of other stuff.

Müller, 2.19 €

SUN DANCE Sun Milk 50+

Sonnenmilch 50+

After years of experimenting with sprays and oils and other weird textures, I went back to the basic, thick and annoyingly sticky sun cream. Last year I had a Lavazon clear sunscreen in a spray, that though it was clear was despite the promises greasy and it reeked of alcohol. The clumsy spray made it even worse as it was very difficult to apply nicely, so I decided to get a regular milk version for this year. This is a very regular sunscreen texture that never truly sinks in and it leaves you slightly sticky for a long time, but it's easy to apply and in sufficient quantity, since at sprays I never know how much to use. It's far from perfect, but it protects well and is a decent price for SPF 50+.

DM, 5.49 €

SUN DANCE Self-Tanning Face Cream 

Teint Selbstbräunungs Creme

I got this for mom, as it's been years since I've used a self tanner (I prefer to be my natural pale self). They had two such products from Sun Dance here, this inexpensive cream and a more expensive concentrate that is meant to be mixed with a regular moisturiser. This felt simpler to use, so I got this, but it's a shame they didn't have the toner version that I used to use and it was surprisingly good. I can't say anything about how this cream performs yet, but I buy one of these either from Sun Dance or Lavazon every year for mom and they've always been good enough for the price. 

DM, 1.89 €

SUN DANCE Sensitive Lip Balm SPF 50

Sensitiv Lippen Pflege Stift

I always use my Palmer's Swivel stick which I've been using for years and it's my favourite ever, but I have only version with no SPF, so I grabbed this for using during the day. It's better than I expected. I'm used to the lovely soft texture of Palmer's and dislike the waxy formula of regular lip balms, but this feels more balmy and doesn't just sit on the lips doing nothing. It's nicely moisturising and it holds on well, it didn't wipe off completely during eating and drinking which was impressive. It's got no scent. 

DM, 1.69 €

SUBRINA Shower Gel 

Rainbow Splash

I made a switch from the Cherry Blossom to Rainbow Splash which is a lot more girly with a scent of gummy bears (official description is a fresh fruity floral scent). I still have Fresh Elder which is my current favourite and when it runs out I'll repurchase it in this Spar XXL size, but Rainbow Splash might stay in the shower long too, since I'm a bit fed up with Cherry Blossom by now, though it's really good. 

Interspar, 1.85 €

DOVE Nourishing Shower Cream

A repurchase. Dove shower products are my favourite because of the luxurious creamy formula. Since I finally found an XXL formula in Slovenia, I'll keep repurchasing it. This one has a classic Dove creamy scent.

Müller, 2.99 €

DOVE Purely Pampering Coconut Milk & Jasmine Petals Shower Gel

I haven't seen this scent in a while, it's gone from DM and Müller, apparently to make place for the new less appealing scents to me. This scent is so amazing, but I don't know how to describe it. It's creamy, soft and floral, but not a since whiff of coconut, which I actually appreciate.

Interspar, 2.29 €

BALEA Rasiergel

Exotic Coco

Standard repurchase and another one is the numerous LE edition scent editions. This one of the worst editions they've done and I hope they'll replace it soon. Don't expect a coconut or frangipani scent, it's all very plastic, boring and not authentic. 

DM, 1.99 €

EBELIN Nail Polish Remover Express

Another repurchase. I had an ancient Aveo version in my drawer which I never liked because the sponge was falling apart from the first use. This one has a softer sponge which last a bit longer (still not even remotely comparable to the original Bourjois). These are still expensive for the amount of uses you get (it's best to stick to neutrals if you want it to last long and avoid reds or glitters for as long as possible), but it's still the fastest way to get the nail polish off. I mostly use regular cotton pad + remover method to avoid buying these express removers too often. 

DM, 1.99 €

HAIR

PANTENE Pro V Intensive Repair

Since I was so blown away by the quality of the conditioner, I got most of the rest of the Repair line too. Still on my list is the 3 Minute mask, but not the oil because it's got a high alcohol content. I gave everything to my mom to try first, since she has the same texture of hair like me and was complaining it's consistently so dry and she gave everything two thumbs up (and she's even less forgiving to hair products that me, for example she doesn't like Schwarzkopf Professional Bonding Potion and Mask and I find them great.)

Shampoo

This is a very creamy, thick formula and it doesn't foam that much on the first wash, but on the second it produces a very thick and rich foam. It’s similar to L’Oreal’s Extraordinary oil shampoo in terms that it almost feels like there is a bit of conditioner in there (it doesn't have silicones unlike L'Oreal), but it’s not quite the same and I still like L'Oreal's a bit more. I find it’s great for very dry hair and probably my second favourite drugstore shampoo.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.99 € (400 ml)

Intensive Mask

Mask is just like the conditioner one of the most impressive formulas I’ve found. It’s a bit thicker, but it does the same job of nourishing the hair, making it soft, silky and shiny. The pot is easier to use that the squeeze tube, but I'll continue buying both. The conditioner is a bit cheaper per ml.

Ingredients.

DM, 4.79 € (300 ml)

Instant Damage Defense Conditioning Spray Leave-in

Surprisingly this has no silicones, which is not common for Pantene and it has panthenol high on the list, which is a good moisturiser. The two-phase design is just like at Gliss Total Repair 19 and indeed these two feel similar. I tried using it on dry hair and it's not amazing just as I expected, I prefer something with silicones because when my hair is dry it become tangled and silicones make it smoother and more manageable. For me this is a leave-in conditioner to use on damp hair straight after rinsing off the conditioner to add an extra boost of moisture and it does its job well, it will likely be too heavy for some. It needs to be shaken a lot during between spraying because it separates fast. 

Ingredients.

DM, 2.99 €

Have a great day!