New in #84

ArtNaturals Aveo Bath & Body Works catrice essence Hada Labo Insta Naturals Joico L'Oreal max factor Melvita New In Nivea Oriflame Palmer's Pantene Subrina The Body Shop

New in #84

Admin   October 08, 2019   Comment  

CATRICE Pure Simplicity LE Baked Blush

C02 Naked Petals

I mostly neglect LE's, but this looked like L.O.V.'s Blurring blushes which are my favourites. There are four shades, I think I grabbed the lightest, though there were no testers I could try in Müller. The packaging is completely made of cardboard and I actually like this minimalism. Formula is sadly not as amazing as at L.O.V., it's not as fine, though it's similarly soft and has enough pigmentation, but there's also none of that lovely glow L.O.V. blushes have. C02 Naked Petals is a very light peachy-pinky blush, not exactly what I imagined when I saw it in the packaging. Honestly, if there were testers, I'd pick something darker, or maybe not even get one because there's no glow I like. 

 Müller, 5.29 €

ESSENCE I <3 Extreme Volume Mascara Waterproof

A repurchase of my favourite mascara. By now quite while ago posted this story on Instagram overviewing all of the mascaras I got in 2019 - then that number was 10, of those 8 were PR products and a majority regular formulas that drop my lashes, so obviously I had to put this one on hold, since I was testing all of those mascaras. Since Lash Princess WP and Catrice Eyeconista WP did not impress me with their curl holding powers, I picked this one again to compare it with those two and let me tell you this one blows all of those 10 mascaras out of the water. This one has by far the nicest effect of all of those, it creates the biggest lashes, it has the best multiplying effect because it catches individual lashes and doesn't stick them together, and it holds the curl best of all. One minus that I can live with because this is regardless an absolutely outstanding mascara is the massive brush which almost always touches my lids during application, but otherwise I have no complaints. I hope Essence never discontinues this because the newest Lash Princess WP just isn't that good compared to this. 

Müller, 2.99 €

CATRICE Liquid Eyeliner Matt

010 Dating Joe Black

Just like the mascara this is a repurchase on my favourite. I use this every day because it's the best liquid eyeliner I've found. It's super black, matte, long-lasting and has never let me down.

Müller, 3.79 €

*MAX FACTOR Matte Lipstick

15 Flame

I had one of these on the wishlist (shade Nude) and a month ago these finally reached our drugstores too, which is great since Max Factor really had to update the lipstick selection here. I was sent shade 15 Flame, which is not my colour, but at least I got to see the texture of these. Unfortunately these aren't matte, at least this shade, instead it's a creamy-satin formula with some moderate shine and a very comfortable formula. They don't differ that much from their Colour Elixirs and it's still a nice formula, but I was expecting something matte like the amazing Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipsticks or Colourpop Lippie Stix Matte X. Shade 15 Flame is a bright reddish coral. These have a black rubberised packaging in the style of Nars. While in Műller I swatched and took a photo with my phone of 5 out of 6 shades available in Slovenia (there was no tester for 10 Sunkiss, an orange coral), while only one more shade exists called 25 Blush. Added to my PR parcel was a lovely candle with the scent of orange blossom & mimosa which smells very much like a L'Occitane shop or at least like their fragrances. 

 9.99 €

*THE BODY SHOP Matte Lip Butter

031 Kobe Orchid

Another thing on my wishlist and those who know a bit more about me probably guessed why I wanted this shade, but even so this is the shade that appealed most to me on some swatches I saw. It's actually paler than I imagined it from the swatches and as is usual for my skin tone, it ends up looking very peachy. Formula is lighter than the liquid matte version, a bit less pigmented and it takes even longer to set matte. To me it's a comfortable enough formula, but this isn't nourishing at all, so those with dry lips might not be impressed by it. Though I like the formula well enough, staying power is not very impressive.

8.90 €

*THE BODY SHOP Lip Definer

Golden Syrup

This is a very pale shade, one of those concealer nudes that were all the rage about ten years ago. Formula is on the dry side and it needs some layering, but it could just be this shade, as I had a similar one from Barry M and it was even drier. I saw 11 shades on Slovene website. 

7.50 €

*ORIFLAME Tremendous Big Volume Mascara

I'm not a massive fan of Oriflame mascaras, actually I haven't really liked any I tried so far, until this one. Meet the 11th mascara I got this year and it was very surprisingly big like from the start. The brush reminds me of Essence <3 Extreme waterproof, as it's the same type of a regular wand with very densely packed bristles. This results in about the same effect, nicely separated, "multiplied" lashes with a fanned out effect. I've been using it almost every day since I got it and though there could be a bit more volume, I'm liking it a lot. Formula isn't gloopy or wet which is a big plus, as  because of this it's not a messy mascara and it doesn't drop the lashes. In terms of holding a curl is as good as a regular mascara can be, so it holds them up half way, which is good in my books for such a formula. I'm quite impressed by this one.

Oriflame, 15.90 €, currently 7.99 €

 HADALABO Gokujun Cleansing Oil

I think I found my favourite ever oil. This ticks all the boxes for me - it has a rich formula that emulsifies into a lovely thick emulsion, it doesn't make my vision foggy, nor irritate my eyes and it doesn't have much of a scent. Just like Biobaza it washes off completely and it's stronger, as it removes all makeup even waterproof mascara and eyeliner, but if the mascara coat is thick, it struggles to get it off and I need an extra cleansing if I don't want to use a separate remover. I need only one pump for my entire face, which is a lot less than Biobaza, so I hope this one will last longer - also there's 50 ml more of it in the bottle. The pump packaging works just like it should and it's not leaking. I see no minuses at this one apart from that I have to order it online, but actually I got this in a week from japan with no shipping charges, so the seller I got this from is great.

eBay, $12.78 (seller kyotoarashiyama)

*THE BODY SHOP Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Peel-off Mask

This is something new from TBS. Their Tea Tree range has been expanded with this interesting mask. You get a powder which you mix with water and it's one of those peel-off masks, but unlike 99% of the ones I've seen, this doesn't have alcohol high one the list, in fact it doesn't even have it. Diatomaceous earth is the first ingredient, it also contains clay (kaolin), tea tree oil and salicylic acid. There is a line in the pot to where the water should reach (21 ml to 10g of powder), you mix it up, apply it on the face and peel it off on 5-10 minutes. I still need to try this and I'll report back when I do, but my skin is currently completely clear and normal, so I won't be able to tell you much how it works for unclear, very oily skin.

5.90 €

*THE BODY SHOP British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask

TBS has made me very happy because someone has been checking my wishlist, probably on Pinterest where I've had this for ages. A couple of years ago when TBS first came to Slovenia they sent me a sample of this mask and it left my skin soft and radiant like a good sheet mask would both time I used it, so I always wanted a pot of this. I already talked about this one is my monthly favourites and I'll just copy-paste the same thing here: It's a gel-jam type of mask with some crushed bits of petals (I think) that remains on the skin instead of sinking in and it needs to be washed off as it's quite sticky. It delivers a good boost of moisture and it's the type of formula I think would suit just about any skin type - dry, combination or even oily, I really can't see how this type of formula would feel heavy for anyone. I've used it a couple of times already since I got it and it left my skin in lovely condition. It also smells so good. I do not like rose scents, but this smells like proper fresh roses, the yellow climbing ones blooming every summer outside our house, plus I get some some sharp/fresh peppermint-like note. It's expensive, but you actually don't use a lot and a pot should last a while.

The Body Shop 26.50 €

*THE BODY SHOP Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil

I also already talked a lot about this one in my monthly favourites. It's another product that was high on my wishlist so again I'm so happy I finally have it. It's currently my thickest oil and most nourishing, so I skip moisturiser with this one. I can already see the results of using this one because my skin looks really good. It's clear, nourished/normalised and has healthy glow. The smell is not as nice as Nuxe's or Palmer's, but my skin loves this oil.

34.50 € for 30 ml, but a 50 ml exists too.

 HADA LABO TOKYO Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask

We got Hada Labo Tokyo in DM, it's by the same company Rohto as Melano and the "regular Hada Labo" they have in Japan, but this Tokyo version is sold in Europe. They have a regular hydrating line and the one with Retinol & Collagen I was more interested in. The products are expensive, especially compared to prices on eBay, but those products are not exactly the same. I grabbed the sheet mask with hyaluronic acid, retinol and collagen.

Sheet: This is the most "normal" sheet mask in our drugstores with the exception of My Hoin Ni (whic are pretty much dupes for My Scheming). It's not super thin like Etude House's, but sort of a standard sheet mask. Size was too large for me and I had to fold up lower parts. Adherence was great at first, but it dried up at about 40 minutes and basically fell off.

Essence: A toner-serum like essence, which is not as comfy feeling as their hyaluronic acid lotion, it's more regular I guess. It remains on the skin for hours and is a bit tacky. There is a generous amount of essence in this, the sheet is completely soaked and there's some left in the pack, which I used for my neck.

Scent: This has no scent 

Effect: My skin looked nice after this, properly hydrated, but for this price I maybe expected a bit more. I know there no mention of brightening, but maybe I'd like to see some more temporary plumping effect, as here it was minimal.

Worth it?: It's not amazing, but I like the ingredients a lot and it's miles better than any other mask we get here.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.49 €

PALMER'S Cocoa Butter Formula, Perfecting Facial Oil

I promised myself I won't open this since I already have Nuxe and The Body Shop, but I caved and I'm glad I did. It's a lot lighter than TBS and it absorbs quickly, so it's excellent for including in my morning routine, which I felt was lacking something. Since it's lighter it's also easier to use for my night facial massages, though I'm going to stick to TBS since it's more nourishing. I've used quite a lot of it for a massage and it was still completely absorbed after 2 hours on my cheek area, while it remained longer on my T-zone, but by the morning it was all absorbed like my other oils. A "regular" quantity of a few drops absorbs doesn't take long to absorb well enough and leaves a nice glow. It smells the same as Palmer's other Cocoa Butter Formula products, so like chocolate cake batter, which I immediately liked. This contains a ton of different oils (sweet almond, grapeseed, camelina, macadamia, sesame seed, coconut, argan and rosehip), plus some smaller amounts of retinol, a form of vitamin C and centella asiatica extract. 

iHerb, 10.22 €

 ARTNATURAL Retinol Serum 

10 ml

I got a few samples of products with retinol and this is the one I'm currently using. It contains 2.5% retinol. Formula is a very light milky serum that absorbs in less than a minute and it's a better option to layer over for when I'm doing my facial massages as it doesn't pill like the Instanatural does. Despite the high retinol content I got zero irritations or any type of tingling sensation some report, but my skin apparently can handle a lot and it's currently looking really well. It's got a faint sort of a spicy scent, maybe cardamon or ginger or allspice, or all together, but it's barely noticeable. I'm serioulsy considering buying full size, but I'll use it up first so I can properly decide. 

iHerb, 3.44 €

INSTANATURAL Retinol Serum

5 ml

 This serum was the first one I started using. It contains a form of vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate), hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Q10, so it's like a great all in one. I like the texture of this, as it's a very light orange serum that absorbs fast (under a minute), so it's great for layering and it has a nice orange-ish scent. One sample lasted me a week and a half of maybe two, I wasn't paying attention to be honest. I'd definitely consider buying a full size, but for now I really couldn't decide between Instanatural and Artnatural, as both are wonderful. 

iHerb, 3.18 €

INSTANATURAL Retinol Moisturizer

5 ml

I liked this one too. It's a light moisturiser that I think would suit oily skin too, since it's more like a lotion-cream consistency. One sample didn't last me nearly as long as the serums did. It contains retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, safflower oil and green tea extract. 

iHerb, 2.30 €

*MELVITA Rose Extraordinary Water

This is a very popular product, I still remember the hype around it from a few years ago. For me though, the strong rose fragrance is just too much. I know most people love it, but I've never been a fan of these scents. It's a thicker toner product or a very light serum that feels nicely hydrating and despite having dry skin, I wasn't reaching for a moisturiser quickly after applying this. Though it has alcohol high on the list, which is not ideal, but the ingredients preceding it are rose water and glycerine, which might counteract the drying alcohol. This version has double the amount of hyaluronic acid compared to before. 

18 €

*MELVITA Washable Cleansing Pads

Melvita set up a number of eco challenges in September and one of those was to reduce the use of cotton pads. So they sent me these washable ones they sell. There are three is a pack that you can wash many times they claim. One side is like a regular towel and the other is a velvety one that I prefer to use because the towel side is a bit rough. I've been using these since I got them, not often because I actually very rarely use cotton pads (I apply toners and liquid products with my hands and I rarely use micellar waters or duo phase cleansers because my cleansing oil does the job), but they worked out nicely. I washed them and they survived it well. I'd say these are a nice investment, but for removing nail polish you'll still need a regular cotton pad.

2.90 €

NIVEA UV Face Q10 Anti-Age & Anti-Pigments SPF 50

My mattifying version unexpectedly ran out (you really have no idea when it will happen with this one because it always dispenses the product with ease) and I had no backup sunscreen in stock, apart from Olay's Regenerist SPF 30, but since there were still a few sunny days this year that I knew I'll spent all day in the sun, I wanted an SPF 50 and I couldn't order online any Asian sunscreens because I couldn't wait. I went to three shops (actually as of today five) and the mattifying version just vanished - I don't know if it's discontinued or they removed it from selection in Slovenia or it simply ran out (there are no places for mattifying versions, so I doubt that). So in the last shop I grabbed this one because I really didn't know what else to pick. I remember when I was asking about sunscreens in early summer, a lot of you strongly discouraged me from getting this version, so I had an inkling I screwed up badly buying this version. It's pretty bad. Not the worst thing I've tried, though honestly I can't remember any worse ones, but though the texture feels the same as at mattifying version, so a thick cream, this never dries. My face is still sunscreen greasy several hours later - my skin is normal-dry, so this really saying something. What's worse it's moving a lot during the day and is constantly slipping into my eyes, making my vision cloudy, my glasses dirty because it ends up on my eyelashes, I'm constantly blinking since I can feel something is in my eyes causing me discomfort and occasionally it gets so bad they start watering. Every minute with this sunscreen is an annoyance if I apply it anywhere near the eyes. I simply can't wear makeup with this, as my eye makeup just smudges off. It's impossible to apply this one in a recommended amount, it's just too much, but as a plus I can say it doesn't have a white cast. I don't understand how this is still sold, while the mattifying version is gone here.

Interspar, 11.69 €

By now I went to several shops and I even caved and went to the pharmacies to find the La Roche Posay face spray SPF 50+ even though it's expensive (I couldn't find the cheaper Garnier version, which I wanted as a top up over makeup). I got nothing. My local Müller has zero sunscreens as of last week (apart from what's in skin care stuff). DM also has barely anything left and Leclerc only had this Nivea one and foam version with an SPF 50. If I knew this was going to happen, I'd stock up earlier (maybe it's different in Ljubljana, idk). Apparently we don't need decent and still affordable sunscreens in Slovenia as soon as it's the end of summer. I ended up ordering A'PieuPure Block Natural Daily Sun Cream SPF45/PA+++ for 6 €.

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo

A repurchase. This is my favourite shampoo for my very dry, thick and bleached/coloured hair because it feels like a shampoo + conditioner in one, probably because of the silicone high on the list and it leaves my hair feeling silky when I'm rinsing it off, so it's not annoyingly tangled after I wash it. 

Interspar, 3.28 €

PANTENE PRO-V Hair Superfood Conditioner

My love for the Repair version is well established, but I was not quite as impressed with version Sleek, though it's still good compared to 90% of drugstore stuff. Superfood is even thicker than Repair, which is already thicker than a lot of hair masks, so a tube is not an ideal packaging, but I can live with it. In terms of effect this is just as good as Repair and both work wonderfully for my very dry, thick bleached/coloured hair. It leaves my hair nourished and softer than most conditioners (that tend to fail in this category). Another fantastic conditioner in the drugstores, I will surely be buying more of these and check out the rest of the line.

Leclerc, 3.5 €  

NIVEA Curl Styling Primer

I wasn't sure we'll get these primers, but I'm glad we did. I only saw the Curl and Volume version, however, not Sleek. I have the curl spray from before and it's pretty good. I got this primer because it has shea butter right after water on the ingredients list, so it should be great for dry hair. It also contains glycerine high on the list and it's a heat protectant. It's meant to be used on damp hair after washing. I expected a much thicker and heavier texture that would be more similar to Dove Super Quench, but though it's not super light, it's still closer to a lotion than a cream. It leaves the hands slightly sticky, but not the hair and from the start when the hair is wet, it's noticeable on the hair, but as soon as I start drying my hair, it's much less frizzy than without this and it's easier to get a a smoother result without having to really on increased heat + round brush. After the hair is dry it's like nothing is on the hair, but it feels noticeable smoother. I like this a lot and I always include it in my hair wash routine. 

Müller, 4.19 €

JOICO K-Pack Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil

I usually use Orofluido and I still do, but I love K-Pack line and this has the same Quadramine complex. I'm still waiting for Olaplex n.7 oil to become more easily accessible and I assume it's going to take a while, so while I wait and since my oil stash is low (at least the good one), I got this one instead. I checked the ingredient before and that complex is very, very low on the list, but so is at the other products I love, so maybe (and I'm really hoping this) it works low concentration (I know, wishful thinking probably). Formula is very similar to Orofluido, Moroccanoil and Macadamia Natural Oil, so the same thick texture that fits my hair best, so obvious I loved this from the moment I tried it. It tames the hair as it should and feels nourishing, so it deals with the dryness too, at least for a while. It's got a really nice salon scent - you'll recognise immediately when you smell it. Unlike Orofluido it's got a pump which is a bit plus (I actually added one from COSRX on my Orofluido). This is one of the best oils I've tried.

Notino, 21.5 €

BATH & BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist 

In The Stars

Make every moment glow with an addictive fragrance that radiates from start to finish like the stars above. In The Stars is a warm, sparkling blend of starflower, sandalwood musk, sugared tangelo, white agarwood & radiant amber.

This one seems to be beloved even on Fragrantica, where I get to read some descriptive reviews than on BBW's official site. I don't know how to describe this one, not that's it's unique, but I know of nothing similar. It reminds me of the 90's, some fragrance someone must have worn. I could have been mom, but she mostly wore Poeme. It's warm scent, but not sugary or overly vanilary, it's more  about amber, sandalwood and wood. I don't know how else to describe it, but when I smell it, this image of a warm sunny day comes to mind, it smells radiantly warm - yes, I know how stupid this sounds. I think tangelo gives it this unique citrus note that isn't zesty, but I wouldn't call this a fruity fragrance at all. For some reason I can't smell this a few minutes after I spray it and at first I was sure that this is low quality scent that disappears in minutes, but then I was standing 2 meters away from someone and they said I smell really nice and what I'm wearing. The thing is I sprayed this the night before after a shower, so it must just be my nose that is somehow immune to this scent.

eBay, $13.56

A Thousand Wishes

Warm your heart a thousand times over with a festive blend of sparkling champagne, crystal peonies & almond crème.

I got this second after In the Stars and I liked it a bit more than that one. It reminds me of a younger, sparklier version of Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty. I get champagne, some lovely flowery notes that aren't peonies because I know real peonies don't smell very nice (to me) and I don't know if it's almond crème, but I'm not smelling the usual vanilla-amber combination. It's sweet and warm with that sparkly champagne character, like eating almond macarons while drinking champagne without the sour wine notes. I like this a lot. 

Notino, 15.60 €

Kaleidoscope

 Effortless. Beautiful. You. Kaleidoscope mixes with your body chemistry for a fragrance that’s uniquely yours. With notes of iris, cedarwood & pink pepper. 

This was love at first spray. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrists, it's so good! BBW says that it smells different on every individual, which I supposed is somewhat true for most fragrances, though maybe at this one the differences are bigger, creating more unique scents. It's a type of fragrance I've never smelled before, this fantastic clean, yet not typically "laundry detergent" clean scent. It's like one of those smells when you enter some stranger's house and it smells uniquely theirs. It's not like Molecule 01 since it doesn't have the e iso super ingredient, but this combination of notes creates a smell where I can't pinpoint any of the notes mentioned in the description. I often get a strong scent of pears on me even though it's not mentioned among the notes. This is definitely one of the best scents BBW made.

eBay, $12.74

Almond Blossom

Warm. Rich. Smooth. With notes of sweet almond oil blended with vanilla orchid & cashmere musk.

This is very similar to The Library of Fragrance a.k.a Demeter Fragrances Baby Powder. It's a strong powdery almond scent, warm and cosy, but more sophisticated than regular baby powder. I can see why this one is so beloved by many, as such warm homey scents are always crowd pleasers. It's not my favourite, but I might change my mind about it.

eBay, $12.74

Autumn Nights 

A fresh-meets-cozy blend of toasted tonka bean, warm amber & vanilla orchid.

Spicy vanilla that's the gist of this scent. It's warm, yet sharp probably from the tonka bean and there's some masculine note of leather, which makes it a unisex scent from the start, but it mellows into a feminine vanilla. It reminds me of Wild Madagascar Vanilla also from BBW. I imagined it different and it's not my favourite.

eBay, $12.74

NEUTROGENA Norwegian Formula Anti-Ageing Hand Cream SPF 25

This is one other Neutrogena cream are the only two I could find sold in our drugstores that has an SPF filter. It's a medium-thick cream, but it doesn't take too long to absorb, though it leaves a noticeable moisturising film on the skin which is not slippery. I've been using it for a while now and I like it. I wasn't expecting too because reviews are poor and I intended to use it just on the top of my hands in case I didn't like it, but it's pretty good. It's got a regular creamy scent.

Leclerc, 3 €

BALEA Schrunden Salbe

My soles are very hard and my skin gets thick soon after a pedicure, but luckily the skin is not cracked yet. Still I got this to nourish my feet, as it's got a very high percentage of urea (25%) which is one of the most effective moisturisers and barrier fixers. It's a very thick cream or maybe better said balm, since it has that more oily-vaseline texture when you start rubbing it in. The scent doesn't bother me, but it 100% will bother most, since it's a strong almost insecticide chemical scent. It nourishes my feet enough, but it hasn't done miracle where my skin is most rough.

DM, 1.99 €

NIVEA Care & Apricot Shower Gel

I don’t know why this has a label new because I remember having this scent some years before. It's one of the most authentic apricot scents, it a juicy rice apricot scent with a recognisable tart note that makes it smell like the real deal. The formula is nothing special, it creamy, but not super nourishing like Dove shower gel, but it does its job.

SUBRINA Shower Gel

Fresh Elder

Just another in a long line of XXL versions I get in Spar. This one has such an uplifting summery scent of elder, lime and mint.

AVEO MED 2 in 1 Crème Dusche 10% Urea

I got this because it has 5% more of urea than the DM version. It's nice, but not as luxurious feeling as Nivea so it feels pretty bland. The scent is nicely neutral, as you might expect. I started using this one as a face cleaser on some random mornings and it's lovely, as it doesn't leave that tight feeling at all.

Have a great day!

September Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

ArtNaturals Bath & Body Works fragrance Hada Labo Hugo Boss Insta Naturals Joico Monthly favourites Moroccanoil Nivea Oriflame Palmer's The Body Shop Wishlist

September Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

Admin   September 30, 2019   Comment  

HADALABO Gokujun Cleansing Oil

I think I found a new favourite cleansing oil. This ticks all the boxes for me:

- Rich texture that emulsifies into a lovely thick emulsion.

- It removes all makeup even waterproof mascara and eyeliner, though a thick coat of mascara is too big of a challenge for it with only one cleansing.

- It doesn't irritate my eyes nor make my vision foggy.

- There's not much of a scent.

- It washes off completely.

- It doesn't break me out.

-The pump is working as it should and is not leaking.

- I need one pump instead of three like at Biobaza. 

- It's the cheapest oil I like.

I see no minuses at this one apart from that I have to order it online, but actually I got this in a week from Japan with no shipping charges, so the seller I got this from is great (seller on eBay kyotoarashiyama). 

THE BODY SHOP British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask

TBS has made me very happy because someone has been checking my wishlist, probably on Pinterest where I've had this for ages. Some time ago when TBS first came to Slovenia they sent me a sample of this mask and it left my skin soft and radiant like a good sheet mask would both time I used it, so I always wanted a pot of this. It's a gel-jam type of mask with some crushed bits of petals (I think) that remains on the skin instead of sinking in and it needs to be washed off as it's quite sticky. It delivers a good boost of moisture and it's the type of formula I think would suit just about any skin type - dry, combination or even oily, I really can't see how this type of formula would feel heavy for anyone, yet it's enough for my dry skin too. I've used it a couple of times already since I got it and it left my skin in lovely condition. It also smells so good. I do not like rose scents, but this smells like proper fresh roses, the yellow climbing ones blooming every summer outside our house, plus I get some some sharp/fresh peppermint-like note. It's expensive, but you actually don't use a lot and a pot should last a while.

THE BODY SHOP Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil

This was high on my wishlist so I'm so happy I finally have it. I had a very generous sample a while ago which lasted me a long time and my skin loved this oil so much. Even though I was already using a relatively new bottle of my beloved Nuxe oil, I couldn't resist not cracking this one open immediately and I've been using it ever since. It's thicker than Nuxe and it doesn't smell as nice, but my skin is enjoying this one. This leaves my skin soft, clear, nourished and with a healthy glow. Since it's thicker than Nuxe I can use it without the extra moisturiser step, as it stays on the skin almost overnight, though in the morning it's fully absorbed. I do facial massages every night with this one, just like with Nuxe.

JOICO K-Pack Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil

I usually use Orofluido and I still do, but I love K-Pack line and this has the same Quadramine complex. I'm still waiting for Olaplex n.7 oil to become more easily accessible and I assume it's going to take a while, so while I wait and since my oil stash was low (at least of the good oils), I got this one instead. I checked the ingredients before and that complex is very, very low on the list, but so is at the other K-Pack products I love, so maybe (and I'm really hoping this) it's effective in low concentrations (I know, wishful thinking probably). Formula is very similar to Orofluido, Moroccanoil and Macadamia Natural Oil, so the same thick texture that fits my hair best - obviously I loved this from the moment I tried it. It tames the hair as it should and feels nourishing, meaning it deals with the dryness too, at least for a while (at thinner oils effect on my hair this effect is very temporary). It's got a really nice salon scent - you'd recognise immediately if you smelled it. Unlike Orofluido it's got a pump which is a big plus (I actually added one from COSRX on my Orofluido). I'm a fan.

NIVEA Curl Styling Primer

This is new in the drugstores, along with two other versions, Sleek and Volume (I could only find the latter and Curl in Müller). I have the curl spray from this line and it's pretty good. I got this primer because it has shea butter right after water on the ingredients list, so I thought it should be great for dry hair, as shea butter helps keep the moisture in the hair. It also contains glycerine high on the list and it's a heat protectant. It's meant to be used on damp hair after washing. I expected a much thicker and heavier texture that would be more similar to Dove Super Quench, but though it's not super light, it's still closer to a lotion than a cream. It leaves the hands slightly sticky, but not the hair and from the start when the hair is wet, it's noticeable on the hair, but as soon as I started drying my hair, I noticed that despite using a couple of protein leave-in treatments which always leave my hair frizzy, my hair stayed sleek the entire time I was drying it. It leaves the hair feeling so smooth and almost silky (for my hair that's a miracle, for most silky feeling will be more noticeable) like there is nothing on the hair. This is a great tamer for when hair drying and I find my curls lasts a longer than usual, though I use the curl spray after as well.

MOROCCAOIL Intense Hydrating Mask

I did the whole post about bleaching and colouring my hair, which happened at the beginning of September. In the middle of the process I used the very expensive Kerastase Chonologiste mask which was a total disappointment and I ended up using Pantene Superfood conditioner after I rinsed that off to give my hair some silkiness. So at the next washing I dug out this from my stash instead. This is one of the most impressive hair treatments I've tried, especially from the purely moisturising ones, so with no proteins. It never fails to leave my hair really hydrated, soft, silky and in great condition. This actually has argan oil on 3th place among ingredients which is really high compared to most stuff when it comes to any oils. It also smells so good, which is an extra plus, but even without it this is one of my favourite ever hair products.

BATH & BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist 

A Thousand Wishes

Warm your heart a thousand times over with a festive blend of sparkling champagne, crystal peonies & almond crème

I ordered five BBW mists in the last month and this one appealed to me most. This reminds me of a younger, sparklier version of Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty, with a similar champagne note, but it's much nicer because it's sweeter. To me this smells like almond macarons with champagne, however, without the sour wine notes. It's not a cutesy girly scent, but a more grown up still sweet fragrance.

In The Stars

Make every moment glow with an addictive fragrance that radiates from start to finish like the stars above. In The Stars is a warm, sparkling blend of starflower, sandalwood musk, sugared tangelo, white agarwood & radiant amber.

This one seems to be beloved even on Fragrantica, where I get to read some descriptive reviews than on BBW's official site. I don't know how to describe this one, not that's it's unique, but I know of nothing similar. It reminds me of the 90's or more likely 00's, some fragrance someone must have worn. I could have been mom, though she mostly wore Poeme. It's a warm scent, however, not sugary or overly vanilary, it's more about amber, sandalwood and wood. I don't know how else to describe it, but when I smell it, this image of a warm sunny day comes to mind, it smells radiantly warm - yes, I know how stupid this sounds. I think tangelo gives it this unique citrus note that isn't zesty, though I wouldn't call this a fruity fragrance at all. For some reason I can't smell this a few minutes after I spray it and at first I was sure that this is low quality scent that disappears in minutes, but then I was standing 2 meters away from someone and they said I smell really nice and what I'm wearing. The thing is I sprayed this the night before after a shower and my cardigan was drenched in it, so it must just be my nose that is somehow immune to this scent, however, I still like it because it's both unique and I feel it's universally appealing.

Kaleidoscope

 Effortless. Beautiful. You. Kaleidoscope mixes with your body chemistry for a fragrance that’s uniquely yours. With notes of iris, cedarwood & pink pepper 

This was love at first spray. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrists, it's so good! BBW says that it smells different on every individual, which I supposed is somewhat true for most fragrances, though maybe at this one the differences are bigger, creating more unique scents. It's a type of fragrance I've never smelled before, this fantastic clean, yet not typically "laundry detergent" clean scent. It's like one of those smells when you enter some stranger's house and it smells uniquely theirs (my cousin says my house & me have such a scent). It's not like Molecule 01 since it doesn't have the e iso super ingredient, but this combination of notes creates a smell where I can't pinpoint any of the notes mentioned in the description. I often get a strong scent of pears on me even though it's not mentioned among the notes. This is definitely one of the best scents BBW made.

HUGO BOSS Ma Vie

This is one of my favourite fragrances ever, tied with BBW Twilight Woods. I've been using it for ages, actually since it launched and I never got tired of it like I do most fragrances (I can't stand Olympea anymore, nor any of my old favourites like CK Euphoria). It's completely different from what I normally like, this isn't that cosy comforting scent I gravitate towards, it's just the opposite. It's floral-woody fragrance, with the most prominent note of cactus, something not very common in fragrances, but I like it. It's got almost a tropical vibe because of it, it's quite a fresh & almost juicy-citrus note, but freesia makes it less "summer cocktail" and a lot more "office ready", however, not in a typical fancy fabric softener way like their Nuit Pour Femme is. I very luckily get no rose note in this, since I dislike it, but the woody-cedar base in noticeable. To me this is a very typical springtime fragrance like Avon Luck La Vie, though richer, not sweet and more long-lasting. I don't think this is a fragrance most will love, or possibly even like, it's likely going to be a boring springtime floral to a lot of people, but I really like it. And the bottle is gorgeous, though by now it does bother me that I can't see how much is still in there, at least the bottom could be clear.  

UPDATES
GREAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

INSTANATURAL Retinol Serum

I got a few samples of products with retinol and this serum was the first one I started using. It also contains a form of vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate), hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Q10. I like the texture of this. It's a light orange serum that absorbs fast (under a minute), so it's great for layering and it has a nice orange-ish scent. I'd definitely consider buying a full size, but I'll try the other two first. Those two are Retinol Moisturiser also from Insta Natural and Artnatural Retinol Serum with 2.5% of retinol. 

PALMER'S  Cocoa Butter Formula Perfecting Facial Oil 

I promised myself I won't open this since I already have Nuxe and The Body Shop, but I caved and I'm glad I did. It's a lot lighter than TBS and it absorbs quickly, so it's excellent for including in my morning routine, which I felt was lacking something. Since it's lighter it's also easier to use for my night facial massages, though I'm going to stick to TBS since it's more nourishing. I've used quite a lot of it for a massage and it was still completely absorbed after 2 hours on my cheek area, while it remained longer on my T-zone, but by the morning it was all absorbed like my other oils. A "regular" quantity of a few drops absorbs in several minutes (on my dry skin), leaving a nice glow. It smells the same as Palmer's other Cocoa Butter Formula products, so like chocolate cake batter, which I immediately liked. This contains a ton of different oils (sweet almond, grapeseed, camelina, macadamia, sesame seed, coconut, argan and rosehip), plus some smaller amounts of retinol, a form of vitamin C and centella asiatica extract. If you're looking for an affordable fast absorbing light oil, this one is nice.

ORIFLAME Tremendous Big Volume Mascara

I got this about a week ago, so I'm not going to put it up in the favourites just yet, but first impressions are so good. I'm not a massive fan of Oriflame mascaras, actually I haven't really liked any I've tried so far, until this one. This was big like from the start. The brush reminds me of Essence <3 Extreme waterproof, as it's the same type of a regular wand with very densely packed bristles. This results in about the same effect, nicely separated, "multiplied" lashes with a fanned out effect. It's very new so I expect some more volume in time, though even by now it's really good and I've been using it every day. Formula isn't gloppy or wet which is a big plus, as because of this it's not a messy mascara and it doesn't drop the lashes. In terms of holding a curl is as good as a regular mascara can be, so it holds them up half way, which is good in my books for such a formula. I'm really liking this one.

DISAPPOINTMENT

NIVEA UV Face Q10 Anti-Age & Anti-Pigments SPF 50

I got this because I couldn't find the mattifying version in three shops I went to (four as of today), but I was desperate for something with an SPF 50 and this was the only thing in Interspar where I had a decent discount. I remember when I was asking about sunscreens in early summer, a lot of you strongly discouraged me from getting this version, so I had an inkling I screwed up badly buying this version. It's not absolutely terrible, but it's very problematic. Though the texture feels the same as at the mattifying version, so a thick cream, this never dries/sets. My face is still sunscreen greasy several hours later - my skin is dry, so this really saying something. What's worse it's moving a lot during the day and is constantly slipping into my eyes, making my vision cloudy, my glasses dirty because it ends up on my eyelashes, I'm constantly blinking since I can feel something is in my eyes causing me discomfort and occasionally it gets so bad they start watering. Every minute with this sunscreen is an annoyance if I apply it anywhere near the eyes. I simply can't wear makeup with this, as my eye makeup just smudges off. It's impossible to apply this one in a recommended amount, it's just too much, but as a plus I can say it doesn't have a white cast. I don't understand how this is still sold, while the mattifying version is gone here, maybe it just ran out, but there were no empty spaces for that version in the shops.
By the way I went to the shops again today to find at least the Garnier face spray SPF 50 version as a top up and my local Müller has zero sunscreens as of this week (apart from what's in skin care stuff). DM also has barely anything left. If I knew this was going to happen, I'd stock up earlier.

WISHLIST

My wishlist got out for control this month - this list is not everything I added to my Pinterest wishlist recently, which you can see here.

FACE MISTS - I have no such products in my collection apart from an ancient travel size of UD All Nighter, which is almost empty and shouldn't be used anymore, so I'm looking for something new. Considering that every foundation I apply looks matte on my skin due to dryness, I'd like something dewy. Four made it into top choices, though I heard many other recommendations (Mac Fix +, Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, other Pixi mists). For a proper dewy spray I'd go with L'Oreal Lumi Shake & Glow Dew Mist, Maybelline Dream Satin Mist or Pixi Glow Mist (I'd get this one for the ingredients alone) and for a "regular" version, which I hear might also be dewy Catrice Prime And Fine Multitalent Fixing Spray (can anyone confirm? The praised pink one is discontinued).

FOUNDATIONS - I'm down three foundations in the last month, well four if I count a mini cushion foundation, all pale shades that matched me and a pump broke on one more, so I'm open to expanding my collection. I'm thinking between Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation in 095 or 100 (not because of the claim it's a dupe for It Cosmetics since it's not and not because of SPF, as it doesn't have sufficient UVA protection, but the shade selection looks great and I like exploring foundations with pale shades), Maybelline Super Stay 24h Foundation in 03 (I grabbed a sample today to test in the next days), Revlon PhotoReady Candid Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation in 110 (I grabbed a sample of 150 today to test the texture) and Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation in Porcelain (based on online swatches it looks a good shade for me, similar to Milani 00A). I also found a light shade in my local Müller of Clinique Even Better Refresh Hydrating and Repairing Makeup in WN 01 Flax, but how they managed to price it 47 € (!?) when it's 32$ on the official website is beyond me. I also grabbed a sample, as well as of Lancome Teint Idole Ultra in 005 and a great looking shade from Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Fluid Foundation in N1, as these were the lightest foundations I don't have yet I could find in Muller. Picture of swatches here.

POWDERS - This some also something my collection lacks. I only have two ancient ones: Bourjois Poudre de Riz Java Powder and Physicians Formula Nude Wear Powder. My skin is dry and I went through so many reviews where most reviewers have oily or combination skin, so it was hard to tell which one would work for me. I'm mostly interested in Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder and Fit Me Set + Smooth Powder which a lot of people with dry skin praise. RMCA No-Colour Powder is also praised for dry skin, though I hate the look of the packaging. I'm very interested in a travel size of Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder, which is highly rated and if I decided to do the crazy thing and splurge (which I won't) I'd go with Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder Mousseline Pastel or the famous Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre. In our drugstores I was only able to find loose powders from Trend it Up, Catrice, Max Factor, Revlon Candid (I hear it's too much for dry skin), ArtDeco and Clarins, all are still options on the list to pick from because they are easily accessible.

L'OREAL Color Riche Matte Nude Lipstick 06 No Hesitation - I tried the testers in the shop and the texture of these feels amazing. It's so creamy and rich, yet actually matte. I'd love to have one of these in my collection.

OPI Nail Lacquer Scotland Collection You Have Got That Glas-Glow - this shade looks so gorgeous and it's so my colour. It's a similar mauve-pinky shade like the discontinued Essence's shade Me & You. Too bad OPIs are so expensive here.

PANTENE Hair Biology Collection - I was so pleasantly surprised to see this in DM. I saw it on some blogs a while ago and apparently they are good. I'd love to try at least some products, I'll probably got with one of the masks first and see how I like it.

A'PIEU Pure Block Natural Daily Sun Cream SPF45 and GARNIER Ambre Solaire Sensitive Hydrating Face Sun Cream Mist SPF50 - Since Nivea Anti-Age sunscreen is a bust and with the end of September our drugstores believe you don't need sunscreens anymore, so they can just stop selling them, I'll order something online. I'll go with the cheapest K-Beauty one from A'Pieu which I already had a sample of and I liked it. I already mentioned the Garnier mist above which I'd like to have to top up when my makeup is already on. I couldn't find it, nor could I find the Hydra Bomb version. I know La Roche Posay version exists, but the price it too high. How is it September and there's barely any cheap/affordable under 10 € face sunscreen in the shops?

Have a great day!

Empties #31

Alpencin Balea BeYu Bilou Biobaza catrice Dove Empties Etude House Garnier L'occitane Matrix max factor Maybelline Mixa My Beauty Diary Nars Palmer's Schwarzkopf The Saem

Empties #31

Admin   January 20, 2019   Comment  

MAKEUP

BEYU Beauty Queen Volume Mascara

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.

MAYBELLINE Volumin' Express the Mega Plush Mascara 

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.

CATRICE Lashes to Kill Pro Instant Volume Mascara 010 Ultra Black

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.

MAX FACTOR Black Magic Mascara

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.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly 

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.

CATRICE Liquid Eyeliner

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.

BIOBAZA Beauty Micellar Water Mix

Chamomile and cucumber

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.

L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime 2 in 1 Perfecting Scrub

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.

TONY MOLY Panda's Dream White Sleeping Pack

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 Flip Balm 

Ripe Mango

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.

BALEA Clear-up Strips 

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.

THE SAEM Natural Skin-fit Mask Sheet

Grapefruit

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.

PAPA RECIPE Bombee Whitening Honey Mask Pack

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.

THE FACE SHOP The Solution Soothing Face Mask

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.

BALEA Feel Well Fuss Horhaut Entferner Socken

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.

DOVE Quench Absolute Intense Replenishment Mask

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.

DOVE Hair Therapy Style + Care Frizz-free Shine Cream Serum

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.

L'OREAL Excellence Crème

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.

GARNIER Olia

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.