The Shubhkamna: My Beauty Diary
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Showing posts with label My Beauty Diary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Beauty Diary. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2019

K-Beauty and Other Asian Skin Care Favourites

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My current favourite affordable oil cleanser. It's got a nice rich oil texture which emulsifies into a thick emulsion that removes all makeup, though (the only minus I can say) it can't quite handle every waterproof mascara (Essence's are so stubborn). It doesn't irritate my eyes or make my vision foggy, there's no annoying scent, it washes off completely leaving no filter behind and unlike a lot of oils it doesn't break me out. One pump is enough for my face, so I use it much less than Biobaza I used before and it's also cheapest per ml from the oils that suit me. If I didn't have to order online it'd be perfect, though it doesn't take that long to arrive from Japan.  


I know that it's probably not the best thing to use a harsh scrub and to be fair I use it maybe once a month, but it's the only thing that makes my skin smooth, soft and feel like new, since no amount of AHAs or other products does it for me. It's a densely packed sugar scrub and if your skin is just a bit sensitive, do not try this (honey version is much less intense), but on me it gets rid of bumpy, uneven feeling texture. This also functions as a mask that you leave on for 10 minutes, though I never use it that way. I'm on my second pot and I have the honey version too.

Some swear by this and say it's one of the best blackhead products, but I've never seen any effect on mine, however, I use this because my skin then behaves much better and it's clear. It contains BHA meaning it clears out the pores and helps with spots too, but it's relatively weak. Since it's a light liquid it's easy to layer and to include in the routine. 


I've been using this every day for two-ish years. I fell in love with it through samples - one of big pluses of K-Beauty, there's almost always samples. It's the product that I noticed the biggest visible difference when I started using it, not a massive visible difference, but this improved my skin in general, as before most foundations looked odd on me and since I started using it my skin is smoother and makeup applies nicer. There's a bit of brightening/evening the skin tone and the skin texture looks more refined, but it's more about how my skin acts since I started using it.

There's was this amazing Banila product called Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Essence Oil that suited my skin so well, but it was discontinued a while ago. This is the replacement I found, though the bottle is so small for the price (15 ml for about 9$+). Propolis gives my skin a healthy glow and keeps it in check. I actually found (though samples) Tosowoong Propolis Sparkle Ampoule works very similarly for me and you get much more product for the price. 


Another product that I use every day, morning and night. It's a toner-like lotion that absorbs fast and feels very hydrating. It contains ceramides, Job's Tears extract, 3 types of hyaluronic acid, collagen and amino acids. The bottle is huge with 500 ml and I've had it for so long. It can be used all over the body, I often use it on my hands when I don't want the greasy feeling of a hand cream.

I only had the small size of this and if my skin line-up weren't so big, I'd buy it in a heartbeat even though it doesn't boast with the same fancy ingredients as my other products. It feels so lovely and it's definitely one of the nicest toners I've ever tried. It reminds me a lot of Hada Labo lotion in terms of texture (another amazing product worth the purchase, but it breaks me out. We now have a version of it in Slovenia), which means it's a rich toner-meets-serum consistency. It feels so comforting and lovely on the skin, it's just great stuff. The smells is also amazing, like oranges and it became one of my favourite scents of skincare. It contains hydrolysed collagen and adansonia digitata fruit extract, but that's about it.


This is so far my favourite moisturiser. It has niacinamide on 4th place among the ingredients (2%) and there's 10% glycerin, but lower on the list it also boasts with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, olive oil, sunflower oil, centella asiatica, argan oil, ceramides, honey, ginseng and some other extracts. 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. Apart from ceramides it contains camelia oil, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and plenty other extracts, though they are lower on the list. The packaging is very big with a generous 130 ml. 

My skin loves this, but it's better suited for me in the summer because it's one of those gel-cream textures despite being called a sleeping mask. In a thin application works like a moisturiser for oily-combination skin, but in a thick coat it creates an layer of moisture on the skin that lasts until morning. It's great for under the makeup and I used up two pots of these, but I haven't repurchase it recently because I have so much of Holika. This one also has niacinamide, as well as allantoin, several extracts (bamboo, jasmine, apple, blackberry,…) and even a peptide, but it's the last on the list. Unlike the other two moisturisers this one is scented and quite strongly, it smells like clean-laundry. 


I got this recently and I'm very impressed by it. I had my eye on it for a while because this is so praised and reviews are right - this is really good. It doesn't feel super thick like I would expect, but it sticks on the lips until the morning and it leaves them properly nourished. The extra silicone spatula is a great help during application and the formula has a nice gentle berry scent. In a thick coat it also has a glossy shine, which looks so good I wear it during the day too. This now exists in several versions (berry is the original): vanilla, grapefruit, apple lime, mint choco.


Note: this is the 2015 version and it has since gone through a formula change, but I hear it's similar. This the lightest sunscreen I found, it doesn't feel like a regular sun cream at all. It's a liquid lotion that's easy to apply in large quantities and has zero white cast. Initially it feels like a watery cream on the skin, but after about five minutes it's completely set to a velvety primer type finish. You can feel it on the skin when you touch it, but it's a very silicone-y dry feel. It's an excellent base for makeup and it managed to protect me well despite spending hours in the sun working. I heard a lot of people say that it reeks of alcohol, but I don't notice it that much and I mostly get a nice lemon biscuit type of scent. I've tried the gel version as well and it feels the same to me, though people with oily skin tend to prefer that one. 

I also recently has a chance to try Missha's Aqua Sun Gel SPF50 version and it's really good too.

SHEET MASKS


These are my favourite sheet masks, especially the whitening version which truly brightens. They are intensely nourishing, they improve the general condition of the skin, perk it up, make it feel smoother, softer and more even. Rose Gold looks gorgeous with the gold mesh design and all smell fantastic like honey. They aren't the cheapest if you're buying just one on eBay, but in a pack the price for one is more reasonable. 

I still have these in the limited edition packaging from a while ago (I bought a pack and haven't run out yet), while the regular packaging is white with grapefruits. This has the most comfortable essence I've ever tried. In terms of what it does, it's pretty much just intense moisturising, but the essence makes it such a luxurious experience. It also smells fantastic like grapefruits.

Both of these are fantastic formulas of sheet masks, they feel like your skin was drenched in moisture and nourishing ingredients. They are quite similar, as both have a creamy essence and a thin comfortable sheet, so they are a delight to use. I use Madecassoside when my skin is very dry because it's very nourishing, soothing and it also evens my skin (without a brightening effect, it just takes down any redness). It's actually the same as The Face Shop's The Solution Madecassoside. Snail is my sheet mask when I need repairing, especially if I suffered a sunburn or have an inflamed spot - it just works for me. From this line I also like Ceramide and Manuka Honey, but dislike Hyaluronic Acid and feel indifferent towards Collagen and Pearl.

This is the second most brightening formula after Papa Recipe. The essence is lighter and more toner-like than the masks I've mentioned above, but it does the job of hydrating excellently and it acts as a sort of a reset button for my skin, so whenever my skin just doesn't look right, I use this. The Face Shop The Solution mask Pearl is very similar.

I actually really like more of these: ceramide, propolis, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, but these two are my favourite. Apart from formulas, I also love that they fit me perfectly in terms of size of the sheet. They are also super thin and feel great on the face. Madecassoside is exactly the same as Etude House, so very nourish and soothing and Peal is the same as My Beauty Diary Black Pearl, so brightening .

These are the only thing I found that do at least a little bit of something to help heal a spot. They work especially well on those brewing volcanoes where you know the spot will turn white and you can't pop it because it'll become infected, making your life miserable for several days +leave a pretty much permanent mark forever. Those type of spots are the ones I get on the chin and this patch can make them smaller up to 90% overnight and it completely disappears in the next days with the help of other COSRX products (BHA and whitehead liquid). But there were some other times when these don't do much of a difference and those are the obnoxious spots on my cheeks. There are 24 patches of varying sizes in one pack.

Adjusting Beauty made her post recently if you're interested in more recommendations.

Have a great day!

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Empties #31

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MAKEUP


This is my favourite mascara with a regular, meaning non-waterproof, formula and I already miss it so much. Every mascara I get to try disappoints me in some or other way, but mostly because they don't keep my lashes at least a little bit curled. This one does everything I want - gives volume, definition and keeps my lashes lifted enough so I don't look like I have no lashes looking straight on. It can't compare to a proper waterproof mascara, but it does enough and it's easy to remove. The price is the thing that keeps me from buying it all the time, but every time a new disappointment lands in my mailbox, I regret not having this in my collection.  
Repurchase: Yes.

Such a boring mascara, though not a useless one. It's so light and probably the most natural looking mascara I've tried. I had hoped this would thicken in time and start producing more volume, but that never happened. It doesn't give much volume, but it excels at definition and has a great multiplying effect, since it catches every lash, combs them very neatly and fans them out. The main feature is the a wand that bends, but that turned out to be a major disadvantage because it didn't allow much product to be deposited on the lashes at once, so a lot of layers are needed for a good effect. From Maybelline mascaras Lash Sensational is a big winner for me, but this one not so much.
Repurchase: No.

This was such a major mess when it was new. It was one of the wettest formulas I've tried, so application was clumpy, it weighed my lashes down and it took long to dry, so it was prone to smudging. I hoped that in a few weeks of use this will thicken and dry a bit, and start producing a better result, but against all expectations this became a very tame mascara that stopped creating a lot of volume, instead it was more about definition and just tinting the lashes. It's still not dry, but it became very natural looking on the lashes. 
Repurchase: No.

I'm a fan of Max Factor mascaras (apart from the super messy 2000 calorie) and this one had an almost the same effect as one of my favourite mascaras ever, Voluptious False Lash. However, unlike that one it didn't hold my lashes curled, so that was always an issue for me. If you don't have a problem with stubborn lashes, it's a nice drugstore buy, but I'd get Voluptious instead.
Repurchase: No.


I never considered this a unique formula, as even as I got it I noticed that Collection's Lasting Perfection acts exactly the same on me, and now I have plenty of other similar formulas, but the main appeal of this concealer is the shade. It's the lightest product I've ever found, almost an off-white with a neutral undertone and it was almost too pale for me. Now I prefer Look By Bipa's concealer in 010 because the shade is less pale and suits me better. The cap broke at one point which did not make me terribly happy, but otherwise this is a nice formula, it's just that I can get cheaper products that look, cover and last the same.
Repurchase: Probably not because there are so many good drugstore alternatives.

This is just the bunch I used up last year and I think there should be more hiding in my drawers, but this is my favourite eyeliner formula that I use every day and I always have a spare in stock. It's super black, dries matte, has a great applicator that is easy to use and it lasts all day on my lids. I'm always scared Catrice will discontinue this and I really hope this evades their discontinuing frenzies for years to come. 
Repurchase: Done.

SKIN CARE


MIXA Micellar Water Anti-Dryness
My favourite micellar water that just does the job of removing makeup, it doesn't leave any layer behind and it's not drying. It has no scent, it feels like water and it's got a skin friendly pH. I've used Bioderma before and this works the same for me for less money.
Repurchase: Done.

GARNIER Biphase Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil
One of my favourite micellars. It's one of the strongest I tried, as the extra oil makes it some kind of an hybrid between a regular micellar and a waterproof makeup remover, though it's not quite strong enough to get off a waterproof mascara. I prefer Mixa's version, but this is a close second.
Repurchase: Yes.

BALEA Erfrischendes Waschgel
One of many tubes I've gone through. This is the old one before they changed the formula a bit and I actually like the new one more because it doesn't have a strong scent. This is my second cleanser after oil and it does its job well without being drying.
Repurchase: Done.

BIOBAZA Exclusive Face Cleansing Micellar Oil
My standard cleansing oil, I've been through quite a few of these so far. It's not the best oil, but it's half cheaper than L'Occitane's Immortelle. It's rubbish at removing mascara and liner, but it removes all the rest and it works well with my skin, which is something that doesn't happen with most oils. I want to find something cheaper and better, but I'm reluctant to experiment for now. 
Repurchase: Done.


This was in my stash for quite a while, mostly neglected and I think it got bad because at the end it just wasn't removing much and I tossed it away (not that it was a top performer to begin with, but averagely ok). However, I kept the bottle because this is the best packaging for micellar waters due to the pump and I now use it for Mixa Micellar water. 
Repurchase: No.


I was not a big fan on this. It's gel with sparse scrub particles which turns into oil when rubbed into skin and emulsifies in contact with water. It just didn't fit into my routine - it's too weak for a scrub, I couldn't use it as a stand-alone cleanser because of the oil because it needs a second cleanse and even though it was an oil, it didn't work as a makeup remover (though it doesn't claim to do that any way). I was glad to see this gone.
Repurchase: No.

INELL Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante
This was my morning cleanser for years before I started just using water to avoid messing with pH too much. But I used this can as a shower mousse and it was lovely. The formula of this is very fluffy and the mousse is nicely thick, plus I liked the simple scent. I'm not sure if it's still sold, but I used to buy these in Leclerc.
Repurchase: No.

I love this stuff. It's nothing special and texture is similar to regular gel-cream moisturisers, except it stays on the skin longer when a thick coat is applied (as a sleeping pack). I mostly used it in the morning under a foundation and it always worked great, while for night routine it was not quite enough in these winter months, but for most of the year it was fine (I'm currently using Creatures de Monoi moisturiser, which fits my dry skin better). It works with my skin and it never lets me down, but it's just a moisturiser and I'd like to upgrade to Beauty of Joseon cream because I really liked the sample I got.
Repurchase: It's likely. 


Palmer's makes the best lip balms, I'm especially a big fan of their Swivel Stick which apart from this Flip Balm is the only lip balm I use. They are the only brand I found that doesn't make such a waxy formula that sits like an annoying layer on the lips, instead it feels more creamy and smooth. This one actually dried to an useless state, which is no wonder since it was both quite old and I almost never have dry lips, so I very rarely apply a lip balm - sometimes I forget them all together for months. Regardless I really liked this one, not just the formula, but also the fruity-cocoa butter scent and the great packaging.  
Repurchase: Yes.

These were very flip-floppy. They never worked as effectively as Biore's, but sometimes they were quite decent, yet sometimes they did nothing. They just didn't impress me much.
Repurchase: No.


ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Emulsion 
I loved this. It's a light moisturiser that I used in the morning under makeup and it worked under all foundations. I also loved the grapefruit scent which is so uplifting. The toner and cream from this line are also great.
Repurchase: Yes.

ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Essence
My least favourite product from this line. It just didn't do much apart from light moisturising, which other products did better anyway. 
Repurchase: No.

THE BODY SHOP Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil
This little bottle lasted me so long, though I had some long pauses to test other products, and I loved it a lot. Every time I used it my skin was in such great condition - clear, soft and very radiant. It's a dry oil, so there's very little of that greasy feeling, even less than at Nuxe, so that's a step up in my books, except for the scent which is somewhat nutty-herbal. Nuxe is still brilliant, though, and way cheaper, especially per ml, but I'm very tempted to buy a full size of TBS. 
Repurchase: Yes.


One of my favourite moisturising masks. It's got such a pleasant, comfy lotion formula and it feels like heaven on the face, plus the grapefruit scent is so nice. I highly recommend this one, but in this formula. I've tried lemon from this line and it's different. By the way, this is a LE packaging and the regular one has a picture of grapefruits.
Repurchase: Yes.

My favourite sheet mask formula by far because it does everything I want, which is nourish, even out the skin and noticeably brighten. It also smells like honey which is an extra plus. It's one of the more expensive mask formulas, but it's worth it.
Repurchase: Yes.

Alongside with Pearl, Madecassoside is my favourite formula of these. It's nourishing, calming and tones down any redness. It also promises to promote healing, though I never used it when I had spots. Etude House's version is very similar and the only difference is the sheet, which is marginally better at The Face Shop (mostly in terms of fit for me), so it doesn't matter which one you get.
Repurchase: Yes.


MY BEAUTY DIARY Sheet Mask
Natto (tightening)
A simple moisturising mask, which wasn't as impressive as Black Pearl, but it had a nice milky essence that absorbed fast and it left my skin feeling nourished and looking better, less bland. I didn't notice a massive tightening effect, but all the extra moisture filled my lines for a couple of hours.
Repurchase: Maybe. I'd like to try more formulas of these.

MY BEAUTY DIARY White Lily Brightening Essence Mask
I expected this to be a better version of Black Pearl based on what I heard about it, but it wasn't as brightening. It was a nice moisturising mask, but are more impressive ones.
Repurchase: Probably not. I prefer Black Pearl.


ETUDE HOUSE 0.2 mm Air Therapy Sheet Mask
Snail, Ceramide, Madecassoside and Manuka Honey
All of these had a similar very comfy, nourishing formula and all are great formulas I'd like to use more. Especially Snail and Madecassoside are my favourite because the tone down any redness or irritation. All have the same chemical creamy scent, which is fine, but I expected a honey scent at Manuka Honey and I was a bit let down, though the formula makes up for it. 
Repurchase: Yes to all.

BODY


BILOU Creamy Shower Foam 
Tasty Donut
These has such a nice fluffy formula, but that not the main plus for me. It's the fact they last so much longer than shower gels. Too bad we don't have these here in Slovenia, but Balea's are the same anyway. This scent was very sweet and fruity, the description mentions the scent of strawberry jelly in donuts and it's indeed something similar.
Repurchase: Other scents.

BALEA Duschgel 
They see me rollin'
This smelled like Vademecum kid's pink tooth paste with the crocodile, so like berries with mint. It was much thicker than Balea's other gels, which did not work out that well, but it's already gone from our DM's anyway.
Repurchase: It's discontinued, but yes to other scents.

BALEA Rasiergel 
Peach Love
This was one of my favourite editions so far because it has such a nice peach scent. I hope they make a similar one soon as this is already gone.
Repurchase: Always, but in scents currently available.

SILISS Creme Depilatorire
I got this in Leclerc and it has to be the most useless depilatory cream ever. Most such creams don't work on me anyway, but even a very thick coat of this did not make my skin smooth. Waste of time and my bathroom had the depilatory cream smell for two days.
Repurchase: No.


Hard skin removing socks
I didn't see this anymore in our DM, but it's on meindm.at which I guess it means they brought it back after being a LE. It works exactly the same as Korean versions, which I'm very pleased about. It's a high percentage mix of lactic and glycolic acid which come in plastic socks that you're supposed to wear for about an hour. You can't really walk in them (far), so be ready to be off your feet for that time, thought you can put other socks over them. I didn't feel any tingling, but it does have a strong scent of green tea. The peeling began on day 6 and it continued for almost week. The first to go is the thick skin on the soles and the last the thin layer at the top of the feet. They look pretty bad for those days and they are very flaky, so it's not something to use when you plan to wear any open shoes. They didn't make my feet super soft, but neither did K-Beauty ones and that's because I have very hard skin on my feet that even proper files can't get remove. But it's nice because it removes the dead skin from places you can't normally reach with a file. I hope I find these again in our DMs.
Repurchase: Yes.

HAIR


MATRIX Biolage Anti-Dandruff ScalpSynch Shampoo
I loved the discontinued scalp scrub from this line, so I got the shampoo too, but in terms of anti-dandruff effect this did nothing for me. As a shampoo it was fine, one of the thick ones, it foamed well and didn't leave my hair dry. 
Repurchase: No.

ALPENCIN Medicinal Intesiv Kopfhaur- and Haar-Tonikum Forte
I've been through a few bottles of this. It's a liquid that I use when my scalp feels itchy and this alleviates it. It smells awful, though, like you soaked your hair in schnapps.
Repurchase: Yes, but I found something better - Subrina's Recept Intensive Balancing does the same thing, doesn't smell as terrible, has a way better packaging and it's cheaper.

I adore the crème serum from this line, so I thought this might be equally impressive. However, it's a pretty standard moisturising mask that was ok for my hair, but not amazing and its effects didn't last more than a day or two. Still, it's one of the better drugstore masks.
Repurchase: Maybe.

This is almost exactly the same as my HG hair product Dove Quench Serum, but neither are sold here anymore. It's a true miracle leave-in conditioner that leaves my hair smooth, it tames frizz and just makes it look better. I wish either of these two were still sold here.
Repurchase: Yes.


SCHWARZKOPF Color Expert with Omegaplex 
L8
I got two of these to do a balayage and it got me from a coloured level 4 (medium brown) to a level 6-7 (dark blonde) and in some places level 8 (medium blonde) which on dark hair means an orange and in some places golden tone, so right now I'm kind of ginger, though I already toned it to a more neutral shade (If you're not familiar with bleaching levels, you can see them here). It did what I expected and I was aware it's going to take several sessions on my hair to go lighter and it did so with pretty much zero additional damage. It's got a special Omegaplex serum inside the box which I think it's about the same bond builder as Olaplex and it helps prevent any major damage or breakage. So it that respect this is a great formula, though not quite as nice as L'Oreal's Excellence, but considering this is bleach, it's definitely one of the more gentle options. They have a stronger version called L9, but it's not sold everywhere and this one is more common. However, as good as the bleach is, Schwarzkopf is mental for putting the tinniest packets of violet toner and conditioner. I used two boxes, so I had 22 ml + 22 ml available and enough for maybe a third of my hair. Plus the toner is crappy, as the tint is quite sheer (I got a far more intensely tinted purple shampoo in the drugstore called Ice Cream No-Yellow shampoo), so I really recommend you get a separate purple shampoo or a toner - either Wella Color Charm T18 or T14 everyone raves about (sold in the US) or here in Slovenia Subrina Spectra demi-permanent colour 8/10. But you need to get to a level 9-10 first, so very pale banana blonde for them to work. I didn't get to that level, so I used L'Oreal's Excellence 9.1 which I had in stock and it's ashy, so it counteracts orange tones (I'd be better if I had 8.1 though).
TL;DR version: It's a great quality drugstore bleach for light brown hair at most, but get a separate purple shampoo or a toner unless you have very short hair.
Repurchase: Maybe L9 if I can find it, but I ordered Schwarzkopf Blondme bleach and developer for the next session because it's got fantastic reviews for being strong and having an added bond builder.

I've talked about this a lot and posted pictures of results, so it's no news I love this. I recently did my roots plus toned orange hair with it and it did a decent job, better on the roots, while it's still a bit more gingery on the lengths. It did a remarkable good job on the pieces that were golden blonde. Again I have to praise the formula because this is such an amazing one that makes my hair feel like the best conditioner ever. I'd really like to try L'Oreal's Preference version because I hear it's great as well and I want to see what's the main difference for those 2 or 3 €. Also I need to praise L'Oreal for being one of rare ones with a nice selection of ashy shades that are great for toning if you're lightening dark hair. 
Repurchase: Done.

I've also already talked in depth about this one and posted results. L'Oreal's is just miles better and stronger, so it lightens even dark hair. However, I've mentioned before that a shade my mother uses, 8.3 lightens her hair just fine.. The formula is the thing I have major gripes with because this is so drying and it's just not a very good one compared to some of its competition. I'd pick L'Oreal Excellent over it any time. 
Repurchase: No.

Sunday, October 28, 2018

New in #74

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MAKEUP


*ORIFLAME Giordani Gold MasterCreation Foundation SPF 18
Rose Porcelain Cool
Oriflame launched a few new Giordani Gold products and this foundation is their newest formula. The only Oriflame base I had was a tinted moisturiser about 10-15 years ago (it was my very first such product) and I remember it being very orange, so I was a bit concerned Oriflame's shade ranges run dark. Good news: they actually have shades for us Snow Whites. I was very happy to discover that and I believe this is the first PR foundation whose shade actually fits me. This formula is promises an anti-aging effect and a natural finish, it contains no alcohol. It feels light on the skin and it provides about light-medium coverage that can be built up. Finish is dewy-glowy, as you might expect for a foundation meant for mature skin and it's indeed as promised natural looking, so it's one of those foundations that it's hard to tell you're wearing anything, but your skin looks better. It's the type of foundation I like and in a shade that fits me, so I'm very pleased with this one. It's heavily scented, which doesn't bother me, but it could be a problem for those with more sensitive skin. 

 Oriflame, regular price 23.90 €, currently 13.99 €

*ORIFLAME Giordani Gold MasterCreation Lipstick
Delicate Pink
I just love the high-end look of the packaging on this one. I picked the shade myself based on the swatches in the catalogue and it's quite accurate. I went for a wearable natural pinky-peach shade, just something I know I'll use. This formula promises an anti-aging effect, it contains a peptide and has a SPF 20. It's a standard lipstick, so not my usual preferred matte finish, but I liked this straight away. It's not one of those overly creamy formulas like most non-matte formulas tend to be, instead it's almost semi-matte, or better said satin. Formula is more firm than what I'm used to, but not in a waxy way and it glides on the lips with no problems. I actually prefer it being less creamy, as it's easier to control the application. It feels comfortable on the lips, I didn't even feel it on when I was wearing it. Given it's not matte I didn't expect it to last long, but I was surprised to see it still going strong after several hours. 
Oriflame, regular price 14.90 €, currently 8.99 €


*ORIFLAME Giordani Gold Bronzing Pearls
Natural Radiance
I didn't expect this to be so strongly pigmented and I also thought the shade is going to be more pink, at least that's how the beads looked in the catalogue. It's actually a warm peachy shade and not really a bronzer, as it's definitely a blush shade (swatches are in a highlighted story on Instagram). There are four shades of pearls inside: a cool light pink, dark warm pink, light bronze/tan and a champagne colour. Pigmentation is so strong I need to use my fluffiest brush, so these are more meant for someone with a darker and warmer skin tone than mine. Staying power is impressive, but it's not surprising given how pigmented these are. The colour blends nicely on the skin with no patchiness.
Oriflame, regular price 20.90 €, currently 9.99 €


*ORIFLAME Miss Giordani Intense
For me this is almost purely a neroli fragrance. It reminds me of some L'Occitane neroli scent they have/had, which had that similar very bright, sweet floral scent that reminds me a bit of red berries. Though it's quite sweet from the start, this is a mature scent and musk seems to be the strongest base note, while woody notes are less intense. It's a very sweet floral scent on a base that reminds me of "old school" classic fragrances that were popular in the 90's, such as Poeme by Lancome. It’s a strong fragrance from the start, but it loses power quickly and becomes more of a skin scent, so this is not the most long-lasting fragrance or at least one you'd notice/smell on yourself for long. The bottle is beautiful with nice a classic design and a gold cap which holds very tight. 
Notes:
Top: peach, green notes
Heart: neroli, baby’s breath, velvety purple gardenia
Base: white woods, vanilla orchid, musk
Oriflame, regular price 32.90 €, currently 22.99 €


*DEBORAH 24 Ore Extra Cover 2 in 1 Foundation and Concealer
The newest foundation by Deborah which similarly to Milani's Conceal + Perfect claims it can be used both as a foundation and concealer, meaning it's a typical matte high coverage formula like for example Revlon's Colorstay. It's one the most matte formulas I've tried so far and it's way too much for my normal/combination skin that rarely has any shine, so this foundation makes my skin look flat and emphasises lines. However, though it doesn't fit me, I think those with very oily skin might really like this. It claims to have pore minimising capabilities, but I find it doesn't look good over my pores and I have better foundations for that in my collection. The main feature of the packaging is the big doe foot applicator, which I quite like (even though I know it's unhygienic) and another thing I like is the scent, which though it's heavy, smells like creamy almonds and it reminds me of L'Occitane's Almond body cream. I have three shades:
0 Fair Rose - a medium shade that is nowhere near being fair and it has an orange tinge to it. It's about a shade darker than Catrice HD Liquid Foundation 010.
01 Fair - a bit lighter than 0, but more importantly more neutral. It looks like a far better shade in general because the undertone isn't strong.
03 Sand - two shades darker than the other two and with a warm undertone.
DM, 14.99 €


 *MAX FACTOR Radiant Lift Foundation
75 Golden Honey and 79 Honey Beige
I got two of the darkest shades available here and no amount of TBS drops can properly lighten either of the shades, so I'm not sure if I'll review these because I can't wear them without looking utterly stupid. This formula is marketed as foundation for mature skin, meaning it promise a radiant finish. I must say that if this came in a shade for me (the lightest here is much too dark as well, I checked), I'd probably like it a lot because it creates a radiant finish without leaving having that sticky, never full dry to the touch finish. Coverage is medium or possibly medium-full, but I can't really say because the shades are too dark and I can't really tell for certain. This sets on the skin quickly, so it feels dry to the touch, but it has that healthy reflect/glow to it. If you check the bottle towards the light, there is gold shimmer visible in the formula, but it's not visible on the skin. Such a shame this is only sold in such dark shades here, I'd love to try it properly. 18 shades in total are available, we only have 5 or 6 I think, starting with 40 Light Ivory (3 precede this shade).

 Drugstores, 15 €


 ECOTOOLS Precision Blush Brush 
I've had the old Ecotools blush brush for years and it has served me well (still will because it's in great condition), so I trust this brand when it comes to brushes and I got another one. Unlike my previous one which is tapered, this one is more of a classic round design, while the sizes are the same. It's as usual for Ecotools very soft and this one pick up less product than my old one, the back of the box mentions it's meant for a medium application of blush. It applies and blends the blush as it should, so I'm happy with it and I'll probably get some more of these new ones at some point.
iHerb, €6.94

SKIN CARE


SKINFOOD Black Sugar Honey Mask Wash Off 
I loved this from the moment I opened it. I'm a fan of honey scents, but apart from L'Occitane who stupidly discontinued their entire line, there proper honey scents are so rare and most smell very bland. I've had this on my wishlist for ages, however, I read it smells like hot toddy, so a spicy version of honey and I delayed purchasing it. If only I'd know this is one of the best honey scents I've found, I'd buy it sooner. This is a version of the Black Sugar scrub which I also have and it's amazing as nothing makes my skin so soft and smooth as that, but it is a very harsh scrub and not for anyone with sensitive skin. This also contains sugar, but much less of it and honey almost works as a cushion, so this feels much less harsh. In fact, this is more of a nourishing mask than a proper scrub, though it'll still so some of the job. This leaves the skin moisturised and nourished, so it's great especially for dry skin, but it'll fit most skin types.
iHerb, €9.99


CEZANNE Skin Conditioner High Moist
I've had a very generous sample of this that my reader sent me and it lasted me a couple of months and in that time this has become one of my most treasured skin care products. It's hardly an exciting product that would make great changes quickly, but it's a fantastic hydrating product that contains ceramides, Job's Tears extract, 3 types of hyaluronic acid, collagen and amino acids. It comes in a massive 500 ml bottle, sadly unlike Kikumasamune it doesn't have a pump, but just a regular flip cap, but at least it's easy to control and you're not pouring too much of the stuff. My skin likes this a lot more than Kikumasamune (my skin is much clearer with it) and it's not scented, so it's also better for those with sensitive skin. 
eBay (japan-beauty-of-quality), $17.46


MY BEAUTY DIARY Sheet Masks
Natto (tightening) and Black Pearl (brightening)
I got a full pack of Black Pearl version which I've talked loads about before and I consider them some of my favourites. The formula of these evens out the skin and just makes the it look its very best. I also got one Natto version which promises a tightening effect and is one of their most sold versions of these classic sheet masks. I've already used natto and I liked it. It wasn't as impressive as Black Pearl, but it had a nice milky essence that absorbed fast and it left my skin feeling nourished and looking better, less bland. I didn't notice a massive tightening effect, but all the extra moisture filled my lines for a couple of hours.
Ingredients for Natto.
eBay (stitchy11), Natto $1.80, Black Pearl (8 masks) $15.97

MY BEAUTY DIARY Floral series Moisturising Sheet Masks
White Lilly (brightening)
Apart from Black Pearl I hear this is another of MBD great brightening formulas. I have yet to try it, but when I do I'll report back.
eBay (stitchy11), $2.03

THE FACE SHOP The Solution Mask Sheet
Madecassoside (soothing)
A repurchase of one of my favourites. I already reviewed this here. It's great for healing, toning down inflammation and it's nourishing. I loved how my skin felt and looked after using this one, so I got more. I've tried all versions of The Solution masks and my favourites are this one, Pearl and Ceramide (Vitamin C is also nice, but soo sticky).
eBay (cosmeticmarket2012), 6 pcs for $10.50


ETUDE HOUSE 0.2 Therapy Air Sheet Mask
Madecassoside (soothing), Ceramide (moisturising) and Pearl (brightening)
I'm a fan of the thin sheets of these, while formulas differ. My favourite so far is Snail, but I wasn't happy with Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen. Madecassoside is a new addition to the line and I got it because I love the TFS version. Ceramides tend to work great for me too and Adjusting Beauty likes it too, so I got that version. Pearl is a brightening version and I tend to love all such formulas. I'll report back when I try them.
Ingredients for Ceramide, Madecassoside and Pearl.
eBay (coolpick), 0.99$

BODY

*THE BODY SHOP Body Butter
Fall for Pumpkin/Vanilla Pumpkin 
I've already included these in my Autumn Picks post, where I praised both the scent and the texture. This scent was first released last year and it was highly praised, so I'm glad I had a chance to try it myself. It's not much what I expected because there's no pumpkin and also no spices like cinnamon, instead it's similar to their old almond scent which is mixed with a heavy dose of cookie vanilla, hazelnuts and maple syrup. It ends up like a cross between baby cosmetics and gourmand vanilla, which in time becomes a yummy scent that reminds me of Monte white. It's a warm and cosy scent that is great for colder months. Texture of this version is like Satsuma's, meaning creamy, easy to spread and also very nourishing. What can I say - TBS really knows how to make great scents, I like almost all of them.
The Body Shop, 17.50 €

*THE BODY SHOP Shower Gel 
Fall for Pumpkin/Vanilla Pumpkin
This has the same delectable scent as the body butter and I love the texture of it too. It's so rich and creamy, just a joy to use. Despite being a thick formula it foams well and washes off completely.
The Body Shop, 6.50 €


BATH & BODY WORKS Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Nourishing Hand Soap
I have one of BBW autumnal hand sanitizers so I know they know to make the best cinnamon scent and I expected the same from this version, but I missed in this blind purchase, though I can't say it's a bad scent. It's not a gourmand that I wanted, instead it's one of more "fruity" smelling scents with a strong emphasis on pumpkin and not much cinnamon. It's a bit like apple scented soaps we have here, but not quite (we don't have pumpkin stuff) and it has a touch of spice, just not cinnamon . Texture is a classic creamy soap and it foams well, but it's not nourishing and I need a moisturiser after as with most regular liquid soaps. 
eBay (laptorium), $11.67


DOVE Shower Gel Sensitive Skin Micellar Water 
Micellar water technology is spreading to shower gels and shampoos. I've been a fan of Dove shower gels which are not really gels, but rich creams for years and this is  one of their more gel-like formulas, but it's still quite a rich formula. Scent is creamy clean and bit fresher than their original scent. I thought I wouldn't like it at first, but under a shower it's quite nice. 
DM, 2.49 €


 BALEA Body Scrub
Coffee & Almond and Coffee & Coco
Did I just spend 2 € for small bags of salt mixed with coffee? Yes, I did. This is my first try at the coffee scrubs and I expected, well, more coffee particles, but here the primary scrubby bits is the salt. So as far as innovation goes, these are nothing much but scented packs of salt. There is some coffee mixed in it, which also turns the water brown and it gives it a strong coffee scent. The latter I unfortunately am not a fan of, but I thought I might just deal with it since these are something new. The coconut one has a very authentic scent of coffee with coconut, and that latter note is really so nice. The almond one, on the other hand, smells like a lemon-scented cleaner and coffee, so pretty much like an office early in the morning. I'd really suggest if you plan on trying these, even though it takes seconds to make them at home, you grab the coconut one because the scent is so much better.
Ingredients for coconut and almond.
DM 0.99 € each


BATH & BODY WORKS Fragrance Mist Champagne Apple Honey
I have a bath version from last year and I feel in love with the scent. It's by far the best apple scent I've smelled. It smells like proper apples and it's a great mix of tart and sweet notes, though I can't say I detect proper honey, but there's definitely some nice sweetness in it. I want the whole collection and it's definitely a scent that can be worn all year.
eBay (laptorium), $7.78

BATH & BODY WORKS Fragrance Mist Crisp Orchard Leaves 
This is a similar scent than Champagne apple Honey and another one I love. It's less sweet and fresher pear and apple scent with some musk, and it really reminds me of an orchard in autumn. It lasts surprisingly well for something fruity, though it's not exceptionally long-lasting.
eBay (laptorium), $7.78

BATH & BODY WORKS Fragrance Mist Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte
This is one of the most praised autumnal scents from BBW and though it says latter, I read in most reviews it's not a coffee smell. Well, my sensitive nose that hates coffee definitely notices the bitter coffee note from the start, but luckily this doesn't last long and what's left is a marshmallow scent that reminds me of how Pink Sugar smells after a while, but a much more toned down version of it. Actually this is the same scent as I'm sorry I'm latte hand sanitizer, but this fragrance has a noticeable coffee note. 
eBay (laptorium), $7.78

  
 GARNIER Olia in 7.0 Mittelblond/Dark Blonde 
I wanted just a little bit of a change of hair colour, a shade or two lighter, really nothing much, though my wish since forever is honey blond and lately a nice balayage. I've always believed the ancient old wisdom every hairdresser preaches that box dye can't lift colour, it just deposits colour and on me you can't do anything without bleaching. I'm not terribly keen on doing a double-bleaching and toning on my hair just so I can put a light-medium brown shade on it, so I stayed off colouring for almost a decade after a series of bad bleaching & colouring job (hairdresser didn't use a toner on me back then, so you can imagine intense brassy result I had to live with until I put dark brown over it. It was so orange. Here's the only picture that exist of that time). But then I saw how wonderfully Garnier Olia lifted the colour from my mom's hair, who went from dyeing her hair dark chocolate brown to a light warm golden brunette, so I wanted to try it myself, convinced by the great results I've seen. I got myself a different shade called dark blond because I read on reviews it made someone's dyed blond hair slightly green, which means this has green tones in and those are necessary to prevent that reddish hue dark hair gets when it's lightened (mom's shade is 8.3 Golden Bronze which looks very warm and I don't think warm would work on me). Olia's are capable of lifting the colour by two shades and the back of the box promises to work on dark brown hair (at least the German version, it says dunkelbrown, while the extra box I got in Leclerc says only brown). My hair was virgin, I used two boxes, so my hair was completely saturated with colour and when I washed it off, there was no visible difference, apart from on my temples where my hair is much thinner than my natural coarse texture. I got the two shades lighter result as promised - it actually looks like a pretty colour there. My mom's hair had layers of dark brown dye on it and another thing I always heard is that box dye never lightens dyed hair, regardless this worked on her, but my hair refused to be lightened by this. I hoped at least that the lightening still happened, but the colour deposit ended up too dark because that tends to happen with box dyes, so I washed my hair with a dandruff shampoo a couple of times and it washes it off a bit, but only the golden tone was revealed, while my hair is now only a half a shade lighter and just at the top. Also this is a very drying hair colour despite the oil. My hair felt hard and very dry, and the conditioner did not fix it at all, so I added another of my conditioners again, but still didn't achieve any softness. It kept absorbing Creatures the Monoi oil like a sponge every couple of hours and only Morroccanoil Intense Hydrating mask really fixed it. Even though it didn't lighten my hair, I also hoped that it'll at least make my colour more vibrant and glossy, but I also didn't get that shiny new hair effect, so I'm just not a fan of this formula. By the way this is an ammonia free colour.

before and after

I got two boxes from different places. The ones in Müller have the large 50 ml conditioner in a tube and a plastic bottle with a nozzle for applying the colour (useless, get the cheap dyeing kit with the pot and brushes instead. I got mine in Tedi for 2 € with three brushes), while the ones in DM and Leclerc have a small conditioner and no bottle.
Műller, 6.99 €


*THE BRAZILLIAN Frizz Control Spray
This smells so good - it's got this a great sweet, tropical scent and I just love it. It's a spray that is used on freshly washed, still damp hair before drying and it promises to tame the hair. I have very unruly hair when I blow dry it, so I already use a lot of stuff to make it sleeker, including using a big round brush, but I still get some flyaways. This has a bit of hold to it, so it makes the hair a bit stiff, like using a mousse or a styling lotion. It managed to make my hair a bit smoother, but it worked better in combination with the spray mentioned bellow.
Click2Chic.si, 8.95 €

*CREATURES DE MONOI Shine Spray
This was love at first spray. It's very similar to Orofluido Sahara that I loved and it was discontinued a while ago and I was looking for a replacement ever since. It's a shine spray without alcohol, which is very rare and instead it's more like a light silicone-oil in a spray. This makes it not only a regular shine spray, but it also tames my hair and nourishes it a bit so I'm really liking this a lot. It's got the typical Creatures de Monoi scent of Monoi oil, which is tiare flower soaked in coconut oil. 
Click2Chic.si, 8.99 €


BATH & BODY WORKS Room Spray
Leaves and Mahogany Teakwood
These are in one way a disappointing purchase and in a another a brilliant one. First why I love it - I heard these are some of the most potent rooms spray, especially Mahogany Teakwood, which I heard you only need a spray or two and it fill the room with a lasting fragrance. I can confirm they are indeed super strong and very long lasting. You spray these and they can last for hours. Especially if you keep the doors closed, mahogany teakwood will lasts several hour. So in this respect I find these excellent, they are so much better than regular sprays which last 15 minutes tops. Now for the reason I find them disappointing - the scents. I got two of the most popular ones. Mahogany Teakwood is the most recommended one, while Leaves is the famous autumn favourite. Leaves is incredibly basic. It's exactly the same as any Airwick, Glade or even DM or the cheapest candles with that basic apple cinnamon Christmas scent. I am not a fan of those, I find them so boring because in winter they are everywhere in every shop that sells Christmas stuff, so the famous Leaves is nothing special. Mahogany Teakwood is a scent everyone describes it as a nice smelling man, which is a good way of saying it. Except everyone that smelled this in the house said it smells terrible. It smells like some men's shaving foam that I smelled before, I don't know the brand. The name describes it well a woody fragrance, but it's not as smooth as I hoped. It's sharper and just in general smells like a strongly scented men's cosmetics.
The cans are very small, only 42.5 g per can, so I overpaid them a lot (they cost 7.5$ in BBW), but they've come in so handy and I really find myself use them a lot. I only wish I'd pick different scents, maybe Fresh Linen and Pumpkin Pecan Waffle.
Notes of Leaves: Crisp Red Apple, Golden Nectar, Warm Clove Spice
Notes of Mahogany Teakwood: Mahogany, Black Teakwood, Lavender
eBay (cegan1234), $14.38; Notino 13.50 €


BATH & BODY WORKS Three Wick Candle
Palo Santo
I had my eye on this one for a while, both because it's so pretty and would make a great decor item on my vanity, but I also likes the sound of the notes, since I've developed a liking for woodsy notes. Despite very deceptive cutesy look, unlit this smells like fresh pine woods with notes on incense, but there is a little bit of soothing amber that tones down the freshness. Palo Santo is a tree that's used for making burning sticks and incense. Though I'm not a massive fan of the scent when it's unlit, I like how the scent develops where the candle is burning. The incense note is barely noticeable and all that's left is a smooth woody-amber fragrance. The candle costs an arm and a leg, but knowing me, this will last me a while and I get a super pretty pot once it's gone.
Notes: Palo Santo Wood, Warm Amber, Soft Musk
Notino, 27.90 €

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