The Shubhkamna: The Ordinary
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Showing posts with label The Ordinary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Ordinary. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

New in #89

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 L'OREAL Paradise Extatic Waterproof
In my last New in I mentioned I got the regular version of this formula, which I love for its volumising effect, but it drops my lashes, so I ordered the waterproof version to see if it fares any better. To me this is pretty much the same mascara as Essence's I <3 Extreme Waterproof. It creates an almost identical result on me and the formula feels equally on the dry side as Essence's. It adds some volume, leaves the lashes separated and keeps them curled all day. It's less volumizing than the regular version, which a recurring theme with all waterproof mascaras, but to me keeping my lashes curled is more important because no amount of volume can help me when my lashes drop and are pretty much invisible due to that. Since it's the same as Essence's, which is cheaper, I'll stick to that one, though I don't exclude the possibility of buying this one again purely for shallow reasons that this one comes in a much prettier packaging.   
Spletična, 7.50 €

REVOLUTION PRO Supreme Eyeshadow Palette 
Captivate 
I have this in version Allure which was sent to me so I didn't get to pick the shades and while I'm not a fan of most of colours in that palette, unlike a majority of such products which I end up giving away, I kept it purely because the quality is so good. This palette comes in 4 combinations, none is perfect for my liking, but I picked the most neutral one called Captivate based on online swatches and hoped for the best. The quality is again great, but like at Allure not all eyeshadows are equality good, so it's only partly amazing. The first three shades are that sort of cream chalky texture that Revolution has is some of their highlighters, but they are still useful. The rest of the palette is great, the eyeshadows are buttery smooth and very pigmented, they are also some of the nicest to blend. Colours are lovely neutrals, but I could do without three light shades and I'd put something different instead, such as the lovely bronze shade in Allure.   
Notino, 7.90 €


ESSENCE The Nude Edition Eyeshadow Palette
Essence's eyeshadows can be a hit or miss, but mostly a miss for me, even their popular Chrome eyeshadows, but when I swatched this palette in the shop I was immediately impressed. It's not as good as Revolution Pro, but the eyeshadows are a lot smoother than their usually quality and they are all nicely pigmented when swatched with a finger. I find it takes a bit more layering when using a fluffy brush, but I tend to apply most eyeshadows with a finger (except in a crease) and just blend out the edges with a brush. Their matte eyeshadows are surprisingly buttery feeling and smooth, but overall every single eyeshadow in this is good. I like most the colours and actually all are nice natural wearable shades. I'm quite impressed by this Essence's latest offering, they've improved so much through the years and this is actually much better than Catrice latest palettes. One weird thing though, that central taupe just fell out in one piece when I first opened it, but I just placed it back and it's fine.
Müller, 4.39 €

CATRICE Pure Nail Polish
02 Clarity
I fell in love with this colour as soon as I saw it on Catrice's stands. It looked just like my type of colour and I hoped it might be similar to Essence's discontinued nail polish in 56 You and Me. However, on the nails it's blah. It's much greyer than in the bottle, it's this grey mauve shade that I don't think it suits my skin tone best. I was told, when I asked for opinion that it's a granny colour. Yeah, so this was miss buy for me. But the actual formula is nice to apply and no different from regular nail polishes. It's a classic nail polish that's opaque in two coats and isn't streaky. But staying power is bad even on me.  
Müller, 4.19 €


MAX FACTOR Creme Puff 
15 Seductive Pink 
I have this in shades 05 Lovely Pink and 20 Lavish Mauve, the latter is one of my favourite shades ever and I'm also a big fan of this formula, though since I discovered L.O.V., I mostly wear those blushes. For quite some time I've been eyeing this shade in the shops. It looked like such a pretty natural rosy shade, however, mine is completely different. It's swatches peachy and I'm thinking it has to do with the amount of peachy vs. pink in my blush because it is so unexpectedly different. I'm not so sure about this one, but on the cheeks it looks a bit pinker. The formula of these is one of the nicest in the drugstores - pigmented enough, they apply nicely and are smooth, but I don't get that illuminating effect most reviews describe.
Notino, 5.53 €

L.O.V. BLUSHment Blurring Blush 
010 Be the Game Changer 
It's no secret I'm completely besotted with these blushes and consider them the best formula I've tried. I already have three and I got another shade that's missing in my collection. Formula of these is so refined and smooth, it's impossible to apply them in a bad way and some shades also have very fine shimmer that make them like a mix of a highlighter and a blush. This is one of those shades. 010 Be the Game Changer is still a warm-ish pink, but much less than 050, it's more a neutral-warm version of the shade. It has the same glow as 050. It's such a shame we didn't have these when we still had L.O.V. stands in Müller. I'd buy every shade. 
Notino, 9.99 €


MAYBELLINE SuperStay Ink Crayon
25 Stay Exceptional
This is another product I've been eyeing for a while. I was afraid it's going to be too dark for my liking and it is on the dark side for my skin tone. It's a medium muted pink shade that would probably look amazing on darker skin tones than mine. The formula of these is so good, though now that I've tried so many lip products, there are similar ones and the only reason it stands out is due to the shape and built in sharpener, so you have the benefit of using this as a liner and a lipstick. It's a smooth, nicely matte formula that's easy to apply. To me it's not drying, but it's not a nourishing formula and I can see it being not comfortable for some just like most if not all, matte lipsticks. It's got the same scent as their liquid lipsticks, so a strong fruity vanilla one. I've been thinking about getting one more shade of these called 15 Lead the Way, which is lighter.
Notino, 6.46 €

L’OREAL Paris Color Riche Matte Free The Nudes Lipstick
06 No Hesitation
This has been on my mind since the moment I tested it in the shop a few months ago. The texture looked so nicely matte, similar to Colourpop's Matte X, but mine is not as matte. Texture is just like at Maybelline like most matte lipsticks by now - smooth to apply and feels comfortable to me on the lips. The colour looks brownish in the tube, but on the lips it's more rosy-brown and it's a nice natural, wearable shade. It's scented with the classic L'Oreal lipstick fragrance that some call a granny scent, but I like it.  
Notino, 8.23 €


I got two more of these. I wanted to stock up because I feel this shade fits me so well. It's close to my natural lip colour, though it is darker, since my lips are so pale and it's more vibrant, but it's great for a natural look I like to wear and I can shape my lips with it without looking too much like makeup. I'm a fan of this formula, it's a lot better than the super soft one they had before. It's still soft, but waxy enough that the tip isn't blunt instantly.
Müller, 1.19 €

MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner
Dusty Rose
I already love this as much as Big Proposal and it's my favourite shade out of the three new ones I bought recently. It's a pinker version Essence's shade, but it still looks very natural. The formula is a good one too. It's soft and easy to apply all over the lips, plus you get a sharpener on the other side so you can keep it always precise. 
Müller, 5.11 €


*RIMMEL Scandaleyes Volume on Demand
I got a Travel SOS kit by Rimmel which contained three eye product, two below-mentioned eyeliners and this mascara. It's been years since I last had a mascara from Rimmel, but they used to be so popular on forums where I was. This is a nice one, it creates a good amount of volume, length and it doesn't clump the lashes together, however, it's quite wet when it's new and my lashes drop, but surprisingly not as much as at L'Oreal Paradise, so I have a tiny bit of hope it might dry and perform more like Max Factor's 2000 Calorie. We'll see. It'll keep this one for future use because now I have two L'Oreal's Paradise mascaras. 

*RIMMEL Wonder' Swipe 2-in-1 Liner to Shadow
012 Kha-Ching
I already reviewed this formula when I got the silver shade last year. This is an emerald green shade with shimmer that can be applied opaque, but it sometimes needs an extra coat. It's meant to work as an eyeshadow too, but the silver one wasn't the best and I haven't tried this one yet. It doesn't last as long as Catrice's Liquid Eyeliner and by the middle of the day only greenish shimmer remains.


 *RIMMEL Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer
261 Noir
I remember reading rave reviews about Rimmel's black eyeliners, but I'm not sure it was about this version in a twist up form. Maybelline set the bar very high for me and this doesn't cut it. It's less smooth, not as pigmented and it doesn't last all day on my waterline like Tattoo eyeliner. It's still an ok liner, but Maybelline's is a lot better and it transfers intensely black faster into waterline. Rimmel's has a sharpener and a sponge on the other side.


*MAX FACTOR False Lash Effect Deep Raven Black Mascara
This is a brand new mascara by Max Factor, which has a very similar brush to the original False Lash Effect, meaning plastic and big. I won't open it until I use up my other mascaras, but I in general tend to like MF mascara's and I'm a particularly big fan of their 2000 Calorie. I hope it's similar to their Voluptuous False lash Effect Mascara, which I love, but I haven't seen it on the stands for a while now.


GLAM GLOW SuperMud 
I had a sample of the original black one which wasn't anything special and L'Oreal's Pure Clay Exfo works the same on me. When my skin is acting up I always use The Ordinary 30% AHA and one of L'Oreal Pure Clay masks, but Glow Supermud combines AHAs (six of them in fact), clay and charcoal, plus a lot of people rave about it, so I wanted to give it a go. I got the small version because full size is so expensive and actually seeing how little you need for one use, it was the right decision. I'm used to the thicker texture of L'Oreal, which I always apply a lot, but this has a liquid type of texture and I find you need a thin application, it just works better than way. This is really very good, a lot better than L'Oreal and any mask I tried before. I didn't get any tingling, but I could see how it sucked the stuff from my pores, though I can't say they looked any better after, but it really works for unclear skin, which was why I bought it originally. I've done several treatments with L'Oreal before buying this in the last two months since my skin hasn't been behaving and this did so much more with just one use.
Notino, 14.10 €


*ORIFLAME NovaAge Facial Cleansing Oil
This is a new product by Oriflame and you know I'm always happy to see a new cleansing oil, since I use them every day. Extra plus: it doesn't have mineral oil, which tends to break me out. I'm very pleasantly surprised by this. So far it's proving itself to be an excellent oil. It's very similar to my favourite Hada Labo - the texture isn't too liquid, so you don't need a thousand pumps, it emulsifies nicely and rinses off completely, leaving nothing behind. The scent could be a bit nicer, but I actually barely notice it even now that I've only used it for a few days. I need to see how this works with my skin long-term, but so far I like it. 
Oriflame, regular price 19.99 € /current catalogue 12.99 €

*ORIFLAME Eclat Amour 
Eau de toilette
A new Valentine’s/spring fragrance by Oriflame. Notes include white violets, white iris and cedarwood, making this a powdery, woody-floral. This smells wonderful on the page of the catalogue, but on my skin I don’t get that pretty powdery touch this has. It’s less delicately floral and it comes off as a sweet, yet slightly sharp white floral on me. It’s ok, wearable, but not my favourite. For a romantic, spring floral I prefer their Delicate Cherry Blossom (very similar to L’Occitane), which also lasts longer.
Oriflame, 32.90 € / 18.99 €


PRADA Candy 
Eau de parfum
This used to be so popular and I've always liked it, but I tend to keep to the cheaper spectrum at fragrances, mostly with BBW stuff. I was looking for something new, something warm and cosy that doesn't have patchouli which appears to be in just about every popular fragrance right now, but my nose doesn't like it anymore. Top note here is caramel, heart consists of powder and musk and base of vanilla and bezoin. I was most attracted to the powder note, I really wanted a nice powdery/makeup-y fragrance, but a lot tend to smell off on me. This is such a wonderful powdery scent on a warm base that isn't sweet, which is kind of ironic given the name. It's not heavy, there's nothing sharp in this, it's just comforting, but not in a gourmand way. I'm not a fan of the bottle though.
Notino, 44.40 €


CAROLINA HERRERA Good Girl
Eau de parfum
 I had a gift card plus a lot of points in DM and I decided to use them on a perfume. I went through a lot of fragrance they have, which isn't even remotely close to what Müller has, so I was fairly limited in my choice, but I picked this one because it felt like the most universally likeable one and it's pretty popular at the moment. I originally wanted Legere version which smells better to me and I actually prefer the bottle, but the more I wear this, the more it's really growing on me. It's a warm scent with so many notes that are hard to pick out, but mostly I get tuberose with tonka bean and some cocoa. Very luckily don't get any coffee, which is a scent I dislike a lot, nor do I get much the obnoxious patchouli which my skin tends to emphasise tenfold, making most of the most popular fragrances unwearable to me. It's a nice warm, more of a sexy type of fragrance because it has some almost spicy sharpness to it that makes it similar to Paco Rabanne Black XS, while the base could be described as somewhat powdery or "a fancy fabric softener-like". Based on the notes, I'd never think this is a fragrance for me, but for now it works, though I fear that sharpness will become annoying to me in time. The bottle is absolutely gorgeous and deserves a place on my vanity.  
DM, 48.49 €


REVOLUTION SKINCARE Targeted Blemish Serum 2% Salicylic Acid 
My chin was breaking out for almost 2 months and I don't get why. It's been so many years since my skin was problematic, I had nothing in stock apart from COSRX Blackhead essence which I think it's too old because it's not working anymore and their patches. A while ago Sandra from Keep Calm and Wear Lipstick sent me a generous tester of TO's Salicylic acid 2% and Azelaic acid which she both swears by. That tester of salicylic acid was the only thing apart from CORSX patches that work on my spots. Unfortunately TO's version is currently being reformulated and I checked everywhere I could think off, but it's out of stock, so after some googling I found this. Normally I'm not a fan of the way Revolution shamelessly copies everything, especially TO which is already so affordable, but in this case it came in really handy. The textures of the two are similar, but Revolution's version is heavily scented, which they really shouldn't have add it into such a product. It also starts to emulsify when I'm rubbing it in, which is a bit strange. It's working ok, but not quite as quickly as TO's version, still most of the breakouts are now gone and all I'm left with is blemish marks, which I know will take forever to fade.
Beauty Bay, €8.95

THE ORDINARY Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% 
Another product I got based on Sandra's recommendation from a couple of years ago and also based on a lot of reviews. It's recommended for skin that's breaking out, but the description mostly mentions brightening. Since I knew my skin will be left with spot marks for absolute ages, I got this as well and hopefully it will work, but glycolic acid doesn't do much for me. This is a deceptively thick from the tube and when you apply it, it feels like a rich moisturiser, but it very quickly dries to a dry-to-the touch super smooth feeling, like I just used a primer. I've tried to use it under makeup a few times, however, it makes everything on top pill on me, though I hear a lot of people get along with it just fine if the use it under makeup. I get no tingling, except when I apply a toner over it, so when it gets wet. It's also a type of texture that's hard to layer because it starts to pill. I find this is more effective than Revolution's serum when it comes to spots, but neither have helped me to stop breaking out completely. It's assisting the fading of spots, still I have a long way to go before they disappear. 
Beauty Bay, €7.00


THE ORDINARY Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
I just ran out of my second bottle of Eucerin which I love and I would buy it again, but that bottle is 17 € for 7 ml, so I got this to try mostly due to the affordable price. I heard the texture is terrible and I was so worried how I'll get on with this, but I have no idea what people are complaining about. It's a medium thick kind of greasy cream with some powder particles and it really is nothing terrible or difficult to apply. I don't mind the powdery texture at all, but I only use it in my night routine and I'd be bothered by it if I wore sunscreen + makeup on top. The finish it leaves is very shiny and it sits on the skin for a long time. First day I got no tingling, then I got a little bit for the second use, but since then it's been perfectly ok on its own. I haven't been using this long, so I see no results yet, but I'll report back. At Eucerin it two two-three weeks before I saw the first results. 
Beauty Bay, €5.75

THE ORDINARY Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3% 
TO and reviewers highly recommend this to pair up with TO's Vitamin C 23% or their 30% in silicone. It's quite a rich oily-feeling texture and it pairs up nicely with Vitamin C (I mix them and with this combination the tingling is much stronger, so TO suggests to dilute them with oil), but I also like to use it on its own as one of the last steps, since it takes so long to absorb. This is another product I prefer to keep in my night routine. So far I don't see anything, but I'll report back in time.
Beauty Bay, €7.00


BALEA Urea Nacht Crème
A while ago I bought the 7% Urea sensitive version, which I almost used up already even though it's nothing special and it's lighter than I expected. This time I got the 5% one instead. I was hoping it will have a similar super smooth texture like the hand cream, but it's actually such a basic medium rich moisturiser. It does the job, but it takes long absorb.
DM, 2.69 €

BALEA Parfum Deodorant
Pure Blossom
I got this purely out of curiosity. I heard it smells like Lancome La Vie est Belle (which I don’t even like) and I wanted to see for myself if it’s true. It’s indeed very similar, on some people it might even be the same, but on me La Vie est Belle smells strongly of obnoxious patchouli, so this version is actually better. I can still smell it after about 4-5 hours, but it’s faint.  
DM, 1.19 €


*MOROCCANOIL Restorative Hair Mask
I'm a big fan of Moroccanoil, in particular their Intense Hydrating mask which is one the best moisturising masks I've tried (excluding Kerastase Masquintense, which I don't know if it's discontinued or not). This has argan oil, shea butter and canola oil high on the list, but only one hydrolysed protein which is much lower, so it reads more like a moisturising mask than a protein one, but it’s overall richer than Hydrating one. The results of this were exceptionally good, but I did use it after trying Matrix Re-Bond and that one is similarly amazing, though this does make my hair feel even silkier. It's a bit like Re-Bond and Intense Hydrating Mask had a baby, meaning it's so good for my bleached blonde hair. It’s so expensive, but Moroccanoil does not disappoint.
Click2chic, 40.89 € 

*MOROCCANOIL Glimmer Shine Finish
I'm a big fan of silicone oils in a spray. I have my got2b #ohmynude as a light version and Createurs de Monoi as a more heavy duty version when my hair is very dry. Unfortunately the latter isn't available anymore, so I wanted to see if this is a good replacement. It's lighter that CdM, but richer than got2B. It tames the hair and gives any intense shine just like the other two, but it's too light for really fixing dryness, though I get why they made it like that because for most CdM would very likely be too heavy and this is more suited for almost everyone people. My packaging is broken, it leaks at the top if I don't hold it straight and it leaks when I spray it, so I'll have to move this to a different bottle. 
Click2Chic, 16.80 €


OLAPLEX No. 7 Bonding Oil 
My third Olaplex product. I got number 3 before bleaching and have been using it ever since, I also have n.6 which I prefer to famous 3. Texture not as thick as Orofluido or Joico K-Pack Colour Therapy, but it’s also not very thin. It’s a regular silicone hair oil that gives shine and just help put those finishing touches to the hair, plus it smells nice like some kind of candy. I like the idea that I have an oil with a bond builder, which I use anytime on dry hair and it's the reason why I got it. I dislike the packaging, just like at all Olaplex products - it's like they are trying to make bottles from which you can't get anything out easy. I need to shake this one violently for those few drops. This is a also ridiculously small bottle and it's so expensive I feel completely mental for buying it, but there can never be too much of their bonding ingredient that has very likely helped me avoid terrifying damage to my hair.
Spletična, 27.00 €

I've been buying this for many years and I've gone through quite a few bottles. It's the cheapest good oil per ml and it also smells amazing. To me it's the same as for example Moroccanoil, Macadamia Natural Oil and Joico K-Pack (I love this one most due to the added quadramine complex), all are thick and rich formulas that suit my hair better than most oils from the drugstore which tend to be thin and more suitable for fine hair. I find that if I apply a large quantity before going to bed, my hair isn't as dry in the morning and it even performs better than regular oil (like coconut) because that one tends to absorb by the morning and my ends need a new dose by then. One minus is that it doesn't have a pump, but I finally found one that fits from a used up COSRX essence, just the stem doesn't reach to the bottom. This oil also smells amazing, it has a lovely warm oriental vanilla-amber scent.
Spletična, 13.80 €


SEXY HAIR HEALTHY Soy Tri-Wheat Leave in Conditioner
This is my regular repurchase, but they only had a mini one on Notino, which will have to do for now. I've had the mini before and it lasts a while. This is my choice for a moisturising leave-in conditioner. It adds an extra boots of moisture, helps the hair from drying out too fast and it also tames it a bit. It's been a staple in my hair care routine for many years.
Notino, 4.20 €


SCHWARZKOPF PALETTE Anti-Yellow Color Correction Spray
This is completely useless. I got this because I was a bit desperate for something that would tone my hair without having to wash it because I left Olaplex n.3 overnight and it completely stripped my toner off and I forgot to use Subrina's Colour Refresh mask after, so my hair was so yellow and orange it was downright embarrassing, but clearly not enough to wet my hair and use a toning mask which would make sense (I had such pretty curls, it was a shame to ruin them), so I grabbed this in the supermarket without reading any reviews and it just reminded me why I don't do that. It looks ok, it's dark purple in the bottle and there's so shimmer in it too that serves no purpose, but even though I used a ton of it and in several layers, there was zero toning of any sort. Complete waste of money. Maybe Schwarzkopf's Blondme Instant Blush Blond Beautifier Spray in Ice or even Steel Blue would be a lot better. Reviews look promising.
Leclerc, 6-7 €

Friday, January 17, 2020

Empties #34

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A gel cleanser I use for second cleansing after oil. It's cheap and it does the job. I've recently tried Cerave Hydrating Cleanser which is better, but this is so easily accessible compared to that one.
Repurchase: Done.

I've used this religiously for several months if not over a year, but I saw zero result, which sucks because I read only good reviews before buying it. There was no reduction in lines nor did it prevent them from getting deeper. As a plus I can say that it feels like water and it's very easy include it in any type of routine. 
Repurchase: No.

I finished this a while ago and have since moved to other vitamin C products, however, this was my first such product and I did everything wrong with this one, so it's hard for me to say it's bad. I was using it wrong for a long time (didn't apply it first or after AHA/BHA and I didn't wait for at least 15-20 minutes before applying other products) and after I realised my mistakes, it was already old. I got it because I heard it lightens old spot marks, which nothing helps me with including strong AHAs and despite consistent use this did nothing. But it is a nice vitamin C because it's like a dry oil that's not heavy or greasy on the skin. It's also more affordable than a lot of other vitamin C products.
Repurchase: Not sure yet, I like Eucerin's a lot more, but this is more affordable and maybe I should give it another shot, the right way this time.


I just breezed through this one and was shocked to see it was empty because the packaging is consistently dispensing the desired amount, so I had no indication it's running low. It's so far the best sunscreen I've found in our drugstores for still an affordable price (not that I've tried many), though at 10 € it's not that cheap. It's better suited for normal-dry skin because it's a heavy, rich formula when you apply it, but it sets in about 5 minutes to a decent dry to the touch finish. I could apply a lot of it and it was not greasy, nor did it pile. It's not as nice as Asian sunscreens which are much lighter and fast-absorbing, but it's easily accessible (just not in winter apparently, when they sell the rubbish anti-age version instead).
Repurchase: Yes.

MIXA Cica-Cream
First I was using this for my elbows and feet where I have very dry, rough skin and it worked well on my elbows, but it wasn't enough for my feet. In recent months I've started using it on my face because my skin became so dry and flaky, nothing helped and everything else absorbed in minutes leaving my skin dry again. For a couple of days I was applying this in a very thick coat, then reapplied every two hours after it fully absorbed and it really helped a lot. My skin is currently still dry, but not nearly as much as in those couple of days and I still use it when my cheeks are rough as the last step in my night routine. I hate the packaging though, it doesn't feel full even when new and it gets really hard to get the product out later. When I cut it, I still had a ton left. 
Repurchase: Yes, I have an extra tube that I'm already using.


This boasts with the 2.5% retinol content and though I found it suspicious it caused no reaction on me considering I just went straight to high percentages from almost nothing, I assumed my skin is more hardly than others because I can't even feel 30% AHA for example. But when after using up the 10 ml bottle of Artnaturals, I switched to the weaker The Ordinary 1% in Squalane and saw my skin got drier and flaky, the only conclusion I can draw is that this doesn't have the percentage of retinol stated, at least not in this form. Obviously I have no idea if it's true and reviews of this are generally so good, but I can't explain it any other way or at least I'm not knowledgeable enough. It's a light serum that would fit any skin type, it's not sticky, it doesn't pill when you apply other skin care over it, so the texture is nice, but it was like I was using nothing.
Purchase: I don't know. Great reviews for this are confusing to me now.

On paper this is a great all-in-one because it contains a form of vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate), hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinol and Q10. I liked the texture of this, 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. I only had it for a week or two (this is a sample, 5 ml), so I didn't see any results.
Purchase: I still don't know.

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 serum did, so I can't say much. It contains retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, safflower oil and green tea extract.
Purchase: Probably not, I prefer Beauty of Joseon.


S&G's scrubs are my favourite because most are quite harsh and that's the way I like them. I don't like this one as much as Flake Away, but it was another great one. It has the same fragrance as Mist me Madly spray, which has a type of vintage scent that won't appeal to just anyone, but from reviews I gather it's overall quite liked.
Repurchase: I'll stick to Flake Away, but these are so hard to get now that Boots International is gone.

L'OCCITANE 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream
I loved this one because it's almost as rich as the original and it smells like their discontinued L'Occitane Vanilla fragrance (the old-old one from 2007-8). L'Occitane's 20% shea butter creams are the best thing I found for truly dry hands.
This smelled amazing, like the name says it's a neroli scent, while I'm not sure I spotted any orchid, but it was a great rich floral scent. The formula is one of L'Occitane's light version which isn't as impressive as the 20% shea butter ones, but these are still nice for the scent alone.
Repurchase: Maybe Vanilla Bouquet, but I'm mostly sticking to the original.

BATH & BODY WORKS PocketBac
Pumpkin Cranberry Cider
This is a very old LE, though BBW tends to repeat their scents a lot every season. BBW has the best anti-bacterial gels for my liking, I love it when they are heavily scented almost like a perfume and these are exactly like that. This one has a fruity cinnamon scent and unlike 99% of cinnamon stuff here, this actually smelled like the real deal.
Repurchase: If only these weren't so hard to get for a reasonable price for us outside USA, but yes.


L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo
My all-time favourite because it's the only drugstore shampoo that leaves my hair like I just used some conditioner. It leaves that silicone smooth feeling that my tangy, dry hair really needs. I've gone through many bottles.
Repurchase: Done.

PANTENE Intensive Repair Shampoo
My second favourite shampoo. It's doesn't leave my hair quite as smooth as L'Oreal, but it's close. An excellent formula for dry hair.
Repurchase: Done.


PANTENE Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Intensive Repair
Every Pantene conditioner I've tried so far has been great, this is no exception. To me it's the same as the Intensive Repair conditioner in the white tube. It leaves my hair nourished, feeling smooth and somewhat softer.
Repurchase: Yes if it's cheaper than the conditioner.

One of my favourite ever treatments. This is a hydrating conditioner/mask that I've been using for years now and I can always rely on it when it comes to nourishing my very thick, coarse, dry hair. In last year I rediscovered the Reconstructor from this line and together they are like magic for bleached, coloured, coarse-feeling (protein deficient) hair.
Repurchase: Done.


A protein treatment that you use under the Bonding mask. I always used this right after bleaching my hair. At first I thought that it works the same as Joico K-Pack Reconstructor, but it not as amazing when it comes to truly coarse hair that has zero softness. Still I enjoyed using it together with the mask when my hair wasn't in a very dire state. The annoying thing about it is that I have no idea how much it's still in the packaging and of course it ran out exactly a day after I made a big hair care order.
Repurchase: Yes.

A violet mask for counteracting yellow tones, but it's much weaker than Subrina Colour Refresh in Diamond Blonde, therefore only appropriate for very light blondes. However, it didn't deal with yellow tones not even with my lightest hair, which granted still aren't super blonde. The formula is a nice one, enough for my thick hair even though it doesn't feel thick or heavy.
Repurchase: Yes.

PHILIP KINGSLEY Elasticizer
This was my second try of the famed Elasticizer. The first time I was very disappointed by it, especially considering the price. The second try was better, my hair did feel a bit healthier, still it's not that special compared to Joico K-Pack. It's mostly castor oil, which is said to promote hair growth, though I don't know if the science supports it. It's a very popular product, but I'm still not completely sold on it.
Purchase: Probably not.


Before discovering Pantene I'd say this is an ok hair mask, one of better ones in the drugstores for dry hair, but post-Pantene, this has nothing on it and it's more expensive. Positive side about this treatment is that you can use it on dry hair as a leave-in conditioner and it's actually very decent, albeit the results don't last very long on my hair. It smells like Casali bananas or some other candy bananas, which is not my favourite scent, but I know it's the type people love.
Repurchase: No. I might try the macadamia one, but I doubt it's as good as Pantene.

This is richer than the conditioner, though the overall result on my hair is still very similar, but for someone with less thick hair, the conditioner and 3 Minute Miracle versions are maybe a better choice.
Repurchase: Yes.

My all-time favourite moisturising mask, though Moroccanoil Intense Hydration is similarly brilliant. This is sadly discontinued, but there are some new masks in the Nutritive line. This mask made my hair feel like "normal people hair". I know it sound strange, but the thing is that my hair has this thick, less pliable, non-soft texture and Kerastase Nutritive products were the only one that gave my hair that silky, light, flowy feel. Obviously if your hair has that average soft, thin texture you really don't even need to think about this mask because you'll get the same effect from a cheap Pantene conditioner, sadly I need to spend more if I want people to not describe my hair as prickly or like I always have a ton of hair spray on.
Repurchase: It's discontinued, but I'd really love to try the new Magistral version for thick hair.


I've been using this protein treatment for many years with some pauses. I usually start using it right after cutting my ends and it keeps them fresh longer as well as less prone to breaking, so I can go without a haircut longer. It just works, but not immediately and it doesn't reverse damage (nothing does, obviously). This is a product that gives long-term results, as it makes the hair stronger, so it doesn't snap off at the ends, which is the reason people complain their hair just doesn't grow. This kind of gives you a feeling the hair grows faster and you get the desired length faster. It's a light lotion that to me feels like nothing, so it's a product I can use in my routine that's full of layering.
Repurchase: Yes.

BALEA Beautiful Long Wunder Serum
This was my favourite cheap thermal protection. It's a silicone serum like any other, so it tames the hair and gives shine, but it was lighter than Orofluido, Moroccaoil and the likes. I liked that it was so cheap and easily accessible.
Repurchase: It's sadly discontinued, as a replacement I have Langhaar Mädchen which is cheap and similar enough, but this was better.

MOROCCANOIL Color Complete Protect & Prevent Spray (mini)
This is a great multipurpose product that prevents blonde colour from turning brassy/yellow (protects any colour from fading), plus it acts as heat protection, UV shield and it's hydrating, so a leave-in conditioner. It's very light, I'd prefer if it felt a bit oily, but I think it would fit most hair types.
Purchase: I don't know, I'd prefer their other products, several of which I have high on my wishlist.


I've tried most of the shades from this (Red, Orange, Purple and Magenta, the two left are Warm Brown and Cool Brown), but I've used this shade most. It's a classic purple mask for neutralising yellow tones, but this one is much stronger than others I've tried, so better suited for me since I'm a dark brunette going blonde, however, since it's purple it can't deal as effectively on orange tones, obviously, but it's not useless like other shampoos and masks I've tried. It's so strong though that you have to be very careful on very light hair because it can tint it blue-grey in seconds when used straight from the tube without diluting the shade with a clear mask. 
Repurchase: Done.


L'OREAL Excellence Crème
03 Ultra Light Ash Blond, 9.1 Natural Light Ash Blonde and 8.1 Light Ash Blonde
Another batch of these. I've already talked about 9.1 and 8.1 extensively before, but 03 is a new shade to me. I used it for toning my lightest hair, which still isn't quite level 10, but close. I tested four shades on individual strands before colouring and this was the second strongest light shade when it came to dealing with yellow tones, but it was beaten by Subrina. All three are the renewed version, so they don't come with the serum anymore, but with a shampoo, which is a change I'm not fond off. Formula is still great since it leaves my hair in nice condition.
Repurchase: Yes to 9.1 and 8.1, I still have some spares, for 03 Subrina's shade 80/8 or 1080 is better.


SCHWARZKOPF PALETTE Deluxe Oil-Care Color
218 Silver Blond
I gave this so many tries, every time I bleached my hair I did a strand test if this will tone. It fails miserably compared to L'Oreal 03 and Subrina 1080, all are meant for the same level hair (10). I think I'll just throw it away. Ironically I got it because reviews praised it as a shade that tones any yellow and brassy tones.
Repurchase: No.

SUBRINA Butter Colour
1080 Ice Blonde
Subrina is praised for their cool blonde shades, in particular 80/8 or 1080. I had this in my stash for years, but only now gave it a go because I finally reached a decently light blonde shade, though I'm still very golden under it instead of pale yellow. It's the strongest toning shade I've tried and it can deal with level 9 yellow hues as well as golden on level 8 to a degree, but not orange. So if you're looking that will give you a very cool looking blonde shade, based on my experience so far Subrina appears to be strongest. Formula of this is like a very thick, rich hair mask, it truly feels buttery as the name says, but it didn't leave me with the same feeling as L'Oreal does, maybe it lacks some extra proteins, though my hair was pretty coarse even before I coloured, so disregard my review of the formula, especially since overall feedback from other users has been that it leaves the hair very soft and nourished.
Repurchase: Yes, I'm also going to try something else from my huge stash.

Butter Colour 1080 on the lower 2/3 (it's meant for much lighter hair though), L'Oreal 9.1 on top. This isn't the best picture because the lighting conditions were terrible and my background created a green cast. I didn't feel I taking better pictures yet. The back is super orange because I couldn't reach well and it's neither well bleached nor coloured, but right now I'm don't feel like fixing it, since this already took me a week to do (together with hair care routine of course, overnight oil treatments).

I'd detailed my experience with this and posted results in the latest new it. Basically I had to bleach this one out. The colour was warmer out of the tube than the back of the box indicated, but results looked nice regardless. There were several things that pissed me off about this one, but intense staining of everything is definitely at the top.
Repurchase: No.


This was nothing special, a light and fast absorbing hand cream for when my skin wasn't very dry. The packaging is adorable and it smelled nicely like peaches.
Repurchase: No.

The only spot product that works for me apart from The Ordinary Salicylic Acid. They aren't miraculous, at least most of the time, but they can help diminish the spot and prevent it from becoming a raging volcano that would normally take days to heal. My spot healing routine includes these, COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and Etude House sheet mask Snail.
Repurchase: Done.


SHEET MASKS
THE FACE SHOP The Solution Mask Sheet Madecassoside has been a godsend when my skin was insanely dry, as was PAPA RECIPE Bombee Whitening Honey Mask. Both are intensely nourishing and the Bombee one brightest too as an extra bonus. I've used several of ETUDE HOUSE 0.2 Therapy Air Mask Snail recently when my skin was not just dry, but also spotty and I use this to heal & tone down inflamed spot - works like a treat. MY BEAUTY DIARY Natural Key Series Facial Mask Black Pearl is another of my favourites, it's lighter than the rest, but still moisturising and its main plus is the brightening effect. HADA LABO TOKYO Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask was a decent moisturising mask, in fact it's the best we can get in our drugstores. I've just recently posted about YEAUTY Eye Pad Mask Deep Hydration, which also impressed me for something that's available in our drugstores. A detailed review of THE BODY SHOP Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Peel-off Mask is here, but overall I did not like it. TONYMOLY Earth Beauty Bubble Mask Sheet is black mask just for the lower part of the face and it produced a very fluffy, yet rich foam. It didn't do anything to help clear out my pores, but that foam was such a delight to use.
Repurchase: Yes to The Face Shop (though Etude House Madecassoside is almost the same), Papa Recipe, Etude House Snail, My Beauty Diary Black Peral, Hada Labo Tokyo and Yeauty. 


CERAVE Moisturising Cream
I did not expected this to be so thick based on reading the ingredients list, but it's like Nivea or similar cream and it was perfect for my very dry skin. It's the thickest face moisturiser I know, thicker even that Mixa Cica, but that one proved to be more effective, still this came in very handy when I most needed a rich moisturiser.
Purchase: I'm tempted, but at the same time I have no idea if it was this that also broke me out or was it something else. 

Have a great day!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

New in #86

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 IT COSMETICS Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ 
Fair
Travel Size 12 ml
As hyped up as this is, I'm not 100% sold on it. I got the travel version because this has snail secretion filtrate high on the list of ingredients and as great as it is, products with it tend to break me out. It's a heavy, moisturiser-like formula with a medium-high coverage and on me a very shiny/dewy finish, which takes time to tone down. Despite thickness it blends well into the skin and looks good freshly applied apart from creasing under the eyes and on the lids, but after a half an hour I just don't like this one very much. It looks obvious and sits strangely in some places, though it doesn't emphasise pores. When it comes to lines it mostly emphasised them at the end of the day, but there were some days when it didn't. With time as it's wearing off it starts to look good again, so I'd wear this one only in small quantities, otherwise it's a bit much for me. I had a brief period when my skin was very dry and flaky (the previous part of review was done on normal skin), so I picked this CC to see if it works on such skin. It did a good job, I have nothing more appropriate for dry skin, but it couldn't hide all the flakies. Shade Fair is not very pale, so fellow Snow Whites, this very expensive and popular foundation/CC left us out, though I still wear it, since it's just a shade too dark. It's about the same as Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum 51 or probably Mac NC 15 without a strong yellow undertone. Luckily It Cosmetics has small sizes, so I didn't spend a ton on a foundation that's not my best match. It's worth it if you're looking for high coverage, extra layer of spf and great ingredients, but I actually prefer Clinique's foundation I'll mention bellow.
Cult Beauty, £13.00

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Hollywood Flawless Filter Primer & Highlighter Hybrid
1 Fair
I'm still confused what this actually is, on some days it feels like a highlighter, but on gloomy days it's a foundation - in small quantities that is. I generally avoid the Charlotte Tilbury hype, but I was looking for a fantastic out-of-this-world primer that would blur pores, lines and illuminate at the same time and this is described to be just such a product, plus this has such a high feedback everywhere I looked that I caved despite the insane price. It's a primer-highlighter-light coverage foundation hybrid, so you can use it either on its own, under foundation, mixed with the foundation or on top of foundation. I've had primer-highlighter hybrids before and was missing one in my collection since I used up L'Oreal Magic Lumi, but this adds the coverage part to the mix too. There are two reviews I can write about this. I used this first on a nice sunny day on its own and I looked like the shiniest creature on earth, but with that greasy shine, not the illuminated "glow from within" shine. I didn't set it with powder, which would help make it more wearable on its own. Flash forward on a cloudy, rainy days we have now and that extra shine helps my skin look more glowy and less drab. I set it with powder to tone down the shine because this is a lot on its own, but with a powder it works as a standalone product on the skin. Applied over foundation on the high points of the face it is a bit underwhelming for me, but I am used to the visible from space Colourpop's Flexiterian and this is a lot more subtle that proper highlighters. Coverage is actually better that I though it will be, it's a low level, but good enough to wear on its own with some extra concealer where needed, though it definitely won't satisfy those who love medium to high coverage foundations. As a primer under foundations, I'm not impressed. Despite reading reviews from numerous people who said it smooths the skin, hides pores and lines, I didn't notice that at all. Like I kind of suspected, since it's glowy it behaves the same as any other liquid highlighter, so it emphasises, not hides. It's not successful at hiding pores and it slips into lines after a couple of hours, so it's not as amazing as I hoped. It can also look so terrible with a foundation on top, like a mask of heavy foundation with flakes around the edges of application. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet, it feels a bit underwhelming for the price and I think you can get similar products for the price without the coverage part (which you can add with a separate foundation anyway). I hate the packaging with the big applicator so much because you get hardly any product with one swipe, especially since the formula is very thick. A pump would be so much better.
Cult Beauty, £32.00


CLINIQUE Even Better Refresh Hydrating and Repairing Makeup Full-Coverage Foundation
0.75 Custard
Big fan on this one. This was one of the five foundations I tried in my test that I posted on Instagram Stories and I like it a lot straight away, but I was using Olay Regenerist under it in that test, which prevented this foundation from setting because it's meant for drier skin tones and it felt heavy for my taste because of it. I had some sample left and I wore it an extra day, that time less, so the way I wear foundations and with a lighter base under it. It wore so good I went online straight away, found Look Fantastic has it so much cheaper than my local drugstore, plus -20% at the time and I just ordered it. It's a high coverage foundation with a satin finish that for such a level of coverage looks so much better than other foundations. It's still natural looking on the skin, it doesn't slip into pores or lines and it's a hydrating foundation with the best staying power I've found. Usually you get a good staying power only at matte formulas, but this one just hangs on for hours without migrating on the face (even at the first test when it was tacky all day, it did not wipe off). Look Fantastic has the lightest shade in stock 0.75 custard, which is a very pale yellow toned shade that fits me well. This is without a doubt my favourite high coverage foundation so far.
Look Fantastic, £24.00


 MAYBELLINE Dream Urban Cover Foundation SPF50 
095 Fair Porcelain
I'll just say it first - people, this is the furthest thing away from being a dupe for It Cosmetics. Same SPF does not indicate a dupe. This is a very lightweight, runny liquid formula instead of the heavy, creamy one of CC and it doesn't cover as much, instead it has a light-medium coverage that can be build up to a proper medium. It applies beautifully on the skin, it's got that non-makeup look to it, plus it doesn't sink into pores, nor does it emphasise lines. Finish right after application is natural with some radiance and it sets to an almost dry to the touch finish. Sadly in a couple of hours on its own it get that "sunscreen shine", where it almost looks oily, so a powder is needed with this foundation and oily skin types might struggle keeping it matte. But in other aspects it wears beautiful - despite the extra dewiness it doesn't emphasise or slip into pores, it doesn't even look terrible on my smile lines  as time passes, which is a big plus when it comes to what I'm looking for at foundations. I get no patches that someone mentioned to me on IG and warned me to not get this foundation, but I appreciate any extra opinion I can share here too. I like it, but I have to use a mattifying powder with it despite having normal skin. 095 Fair Porcelain is one of the lightest shades in my collection and it's just a smidge darker than Essence's #insta perfect 10. Undertone is neutral pink so it fits me perfectly. This foundation doesn't have the best UVA protection (it's only against UVA short-waves), but hopefully none of you think you can just wear this and be protected, as for the protection on the label you can too apply a lot of it, but I won't get into the sunscreen debate, there are plenty other sunscreen obsessed bloggers to tell you everything you're doing is wrong.    
Feel Unique, €10.56


 ETUDE HOUSE Face Blur SPF33 PA++ 
My primer collection consisted of a single product that I don't even like that much, so I've spend some time researching primers. I've had this one noted somewhere for ages and now that they revamped it by increasing the SPF to 33, I ordered myself a bottle. Reviews for this are great and it's described as a brightening/radiant primer plus it promises to hide pores - so very similar to Hollywood Filter claims. First that hits you is the strong rose + powder scent, which is not my favourite and if you have sensitive skin, this very likely won't work for you (Hollywood is unscented by the way). It's much lighter than I imagined, I expected something thick that will fill the pores. It's also not a strong radiant primer, at least it's not a typical light liquid highlighter product like L'Oreal's Magic Lumi I had and it doesn't have visible shimmer. For something called Face Blur it doesn't blur, at least when it comes to pores and lines, while it has a touch of off-white pink colour which makes the skin a bit paler, but on my skin tone it's not noticeable much. It looks greasy glowy even with a matte foundation on top, so this is truly only suited for normal-dry skin, though those with an oily skin might make it work with a lot of powder. I'm underwhelmed by this one, just like with Charlotte's Hollywood Primer. It doesn't hide pores, the illumination is weak, it's not blurring, it doesn't prevent my foundation from slipping into lines, but at least it has a decent SPF protection and it does make help the makeup apply more smoothly, so as a basic primer it's nice, it's just not as good on my skin as some report it's on their's. But I think I'll end up wearing it a lot due to spf.
eBay (cosmeticmarket2012), $10.51 

ETUDE HOUSE Proof 10 Eye Primer
I actually ordered this before getting Artdeco which was in my last New in, but I knew I'll have to wait a month for it to arrive, so I grabbed that one as well to have something in the mean time. This is highly rated online and I can see why. The texture is more liquid than any other primer I've tried before and it takes a minute to dry. I did a test with one eye primed and the other not, and I used Essence's Metal Chrome eyeshadow which I'm not as impressed by than most it appears (they are poorly pigmented and crease). There was a big difference in intensity and in time this prevent it from creasing. I've been using it daily since then and it has never failed me. For the price this is great. 
eBay (cosmeticmarket2012), $5.54


HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Powder
Diffused Light
I'm a bit conflicted about this one because sometimes it's great and then on sometimes it does nothing much. I've been resisting the relentless hype for year, since this is insanely expensive for some makeup product, but I took my chance when Feel Unique had -20% of life brands. All over the face it's nothing special because it doesn't my blur pores nor does it make the makeup look smoother/more blended and there's no "ethereal elfish/Galandriel glow", at least I haven't noticed it yet and I need to learn to use it/find the right products that work with it. It mostly looks like nothing much on the skin, but at least it's so finely milled it doesn't look powdery and fake looking. There's some sparse small shimmer in it, but it's only visible up close under artificial light. However, as much as I don't get it when it comes to use all over the face, it does on most occasions keep the foundation and other makeup from creasing in my smile lines around my mouth. I've been looking for a foundation/primer/powder that wouldn't slip into my lines or make it worse during the day because when I'm not wearing makeup you can't even see them and this does just that. Not just right after I apply makeup, but also if I chose some other powder and after a few hours my makeup is creased in those line, it can almost erase those lines, blurring and filing them in, however, sometimes it does nothing and I have no idea yet what affects its performance. Some use this as a highlighter, but it's barely noticeable in a thick coat, like I said it's mostly just nothing and it doesn't hold back any oiliness, so a separate powder for that purpose it needed under it. Over a setting powder it works better and I find I get better results than when I just use it directly over a foundation. I had a hard time deciding which shade to get, since the popular Dim light is said to be too dark for pale skin and Illuminating Light is allegedly too shimmery, but I picked Diffused Light despite fearing it will be too yellow because I saw a Youtuber who uses the same shade of foundation of Lancome as me using this and it works, it's completely translucent. It was very expensive, but considering it's (at most times) capable of doing something other products can't, it was a good investment, but I'm not sure about it doing anything when I apply it all over the face. 
Feel Unique, €50.40

HOURGLASS Veil Translucent Setting Powder
I got the small size with the stingy 0.9 g of product, but it's actually not that little-looking though the price is so high for what you get (I got it -20 %). When I was researching for powders, this one interested me most because it's some said it's a powder for those who hate the look of powder and that it's supposed to be nice also on dry skin (my skin is currently shifting from normal to very dry). It's the finest powder in my small collection and it truly doesn't look like powder at all on the skin. It has a slight blurring effect on the skin, but nothing spectacular and it doesn't prevent foundation from slipping in my smile lines. I notice shine soon even when my skin is dry, so it's not just natural oil, but this sort of turns into something more glowy, so this is not for oily skin in my opinion. I still need to use it more, but so far while I like it's invisible and it doesn't get cakey in time, I don't think it's worth the price. Maybe I'll change my mind the more I use it.
Feel Unique, €19.20


WET N WILD Color Icon Bronzer SPF 15 
Reserve Your Cabana
While I was exploring Hourglass Ambient Powders I came across a claim that this is a dupe for them (or maybe just Diffused Light). So since I already ordered Hourglass, I had to buy this too because that makes sense in this crazy head of mine. Truthfully, I was just curious if the comparison stands because I'm allergic to people throwing the word dupe so freely. So is it? Well, it's indeed very close, but this looks more powdery on the skin compared to the more finely milled Ambient powder which on me in time becomes more like a creamy texture. This also means it doesn't layer as nicely over a setting powder as that one, but honestly from far away you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, though this one has more tiny shimmer and it's doesn't prevent foundation from creasing in my smile line as well as Hourglass. Both last the same amount of time on me too. This is marketed as a bronzer and though I have pale skin, this is translucent on me and it has a nice looking very, very subtle glow on the skin. Using it as a highlighter you have to be very heavy handed for some proper glow, but you can use it all over for a some subtle radiance, though it doesn't give you the same effect as a regular highlighter applied in a thin coat. Like Ambient Powder personally I don't see what the big deal is, as neither are life changing products and I really wanted to see that amazing lit from within glow, but at least it was affordable and hopefully in time I grow to love both products or finally find a way to make them work. 
Beauty Bay, €5.00


MAYBELLINE Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder
05 Fair
Now this impressed me more than the powders above. This is so highly rated and is compared to the more expensive powder, in particular the hyped up Laura Mercier. It's not a typical product I generally like, since it's not invisible on the face, but it is doing a lot more than other powders I tried. From the start it looks powdery, but it's also nicely mattifying, while not being too draining or clingy or emphasising patches, it fills out the lines quite well (not perfect, but from some angles they are invisible) and it does a semi-decent job on pores, but it's not like a pore filing primer. In some time it becomes less powdery looking, but it's still nicely matte, or better said it looks like velvet on the skin. It's not ideal over spots, but let's faces it everything looks awful over spots (either not covered or cakey), as at least I haven't found anything that wouldn't look worse with makeup than without. It's also not best under my eyes, since my skin is more on the dry side there currently and this can look uneven. It gives some extra coverage, but not much, still you have to be careful when picking a shade, so you don't get something too dark or too pale. The packaging is somewhat annoying, though it it just a regular powder packaging, but since I tried the Primark's version with a mesh, there classic ones are so cumbersome. You get a very generous amount of 20 g which should last me ages, especially since I don't bake. It's not as easy powder to find though, since sites like Notino, Feel Unique, Spletična and others that sell Maybelline in EU don't have it (they really should because it's great), so I had to order on Amazon from a US seller and you can get it from US sellers on eBay too.
Amazon.de, €11.01


PIXI Glow Mist
I got this mainly for the ingredients, since it has propolis and niacinamide which are two ingredients my skin loves. Based on the list I'd say the dark green part is olive oil, but I don't know if it's only that. The mist is very fine, so much better than Catrice's, but not as fine as aerosolised Artdeco. I can be wet on the face for a while (sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't), but that promised glow is not that apparent on my skin - that little that is, doesn't last. It could be because it's already colder and my skin is just absorbing anything in sight despite heavier layers of moisturiser. It melts the makeup best of all sprays I've tried so far and it helps the makeup last longer. The only mini minus for me is the natural/herbal scent, but I can get over it. I'm quite happy with this even if it's not glowy, I rate it high especially because of ingredients. 
Look Fantastic, £12.80

L'OREAL PARIS Makeup Lumi Shake & Glow Dew Mist
This has such a great atomizer. It's miles better than Catrice's and while it's not as amazingly fine as Artdeco's mist in a can, this has such a fine mist. Despite the glow in the name, just like at Pixi I don't notice much of it, but it helps get the powderiness away and it helps prolonging the makeup. It's nothing special overall, but it doesn't what it's supposed too and the mix is so fine, not that different that the aerosolised Artdeco.
Feel Unique, €11.99


PIXI Skintreats Retinol Tonic
I loved the look of the entire Pixi Retinol line, especially the retinol oil, but I only got this (so far) because it's highly praised. It feels like a regular moisturising toner that absorbs quickly leaving nothing behind except for a smooth feeling. It smells so nice like lavender, though it has no fragrance. Retinol is low on the list, but the whole list looks good. I have the small 100 ml size, while larger ones exist too: a 250 ml and 500 ml with a pump. I've been using for a month now and I use too many things to be able to single out if this does anything special on its own, but I like having it in my routine.
Look Fantastic, £8.00


LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
Berry
My lips aren't dry, in fact I almost never apply a lip balm during the day and only when I remember at night (I've been using my trusted Palmer's Swivel Stick for years, the rest feels rubbish compared to it). Still I was so temped to try this because of an overwhelming amount of positive reviews. It's a smooth vaseline/petroleum jelly type of consistency and it's easy to scoop out with the silicone spatula you get with the pot. On the lips it feels exactly like the old L'Occitane lip gloss formulas (like their 12-year old honey version, not the new pitiful excuse for a gloss Terre de Lumiere, but maybe other versions are different). It's a rich lip gloss formula with a nice amount of shine and the best staying power I've even encountered. On most days I wake up with a layers of this lip balm still on the lips and I mean where I applied it, not smeared all over the face. I can't say how effective it is on very dry lips, but reviews are rating it high and my lips look nicely nourished with no dry patches in the morning. Also the amount you get is huge, it's 25% more than Nuxe's famous lip balm and 4-times more than an regular stick balm, but you tend to use more on average if you use a spatula. I love this as much as Palmer's even though it's not as fast to apply.
eBay ( younfamily_kc), $11.87

A'PIEU Pure Block Natural Daily Sun Cream SPF45 PA +++
I ordered this a month ago when I couldn't find Nivea's Mattifying version (I've since found it) and I got the Q10 version instead which is terribly greasy, runs in my eyes and never sets. This was the cheapest one on eBay, it was only 6 € and I've had a sample a couple of years ago, so I knew what I was getting. I hoped it'd arrive sooner, but like most of the time parcels from Korea take a month to arrive, so it was already too late, now it's so cold that I barely spend any time outside, so this tube is staying closed until next spring (I have Olay's Regenerist SPF 30 in my local drugstore for daily use until then). I can just say what I wrote in my original review two years ago: it's a thicker sunscreen than my beloved Biore (which I now regret not getting instead), more of a classic sunscreen type of texture, it's also has that typical almost white cast finish when you're applying it in a thick coat like I'm used to apply Biore, but it blends in without leaving any white traces. It's greasier from the start, but it sets to a slightly velvety finish in about 5 minutes. That's longer than Biore, but it's still acceptable and it's a lot nicer in terms of elegance than 99% of European sunscreens.
 eBay ( younfamily_kc), $6.60


 THE ORDINARY 1% Retinol in Squalane
A month ago I finished Artnaturals 2.5% Retinol Serum which was like I was using nothing, meaning it was very light, it didn't dry out my skin nor make any type of change. So I got this 1% Retinol which is TO's harshest retinol and I was sure that since I was using 2.5% this won't have any effect on my skin, but I wanted it because it's in squalene, one of my favourite ingredient. I use it every other day, so averagely 3x a week and after second use my skin got dry and flaky, which I did not expect at all. So I guess Artnaturals is lying about the retinol content or the form they used in that serum - I don't know, I don't want to accuse anyone anything, but it's the only conclusion I can draw based on my limited knowledge. My skin was very dry (I applied a thick coat of Mixa Cica cream and it was absorbed and dry in an hour, so I kept reapplying it. By the way that cream is gold), but it only lasted two days, so it was nothing terrible and it fixed itself fast overall. My cheeks are more dry than before, but it's very manageable, though I wouldn't say my skin looks better now, but neither worse. It's only been a couple of weeks and I don't expect to see result for a few months. I'll report back when I finish the bottle, hopefully I see something. It's an light oil that I use as the last step in my routine. Skin stays greasy for a while and as they suggest, it best to use it in the night routine.
Beauty Bay, €6.50

THE ORDINARY Matrixyl 10% + HA 
I've recently used up Argireline Solution 10 % that also targets dynamic folds and it did absolutely nothing despite religious use. That one is like water, so I was surprised to see this is much heavier. It's a thick serum that dries sticky and it's harder to layer over, so I use it as one of the last steps. So far I haven't seen anything and I have doubts I will, since so far from all TO products I've tried apart from 2% salicylic acid, I've not been impressed by anything, not even their highly praised 30% AHA mask that feels like nothing on my skin. Well, see how it turns out, it can't hurt, plus it has hyaluronic acid.
Beauty Bay, €11.50

THE ORDINARY 100% Plant-Derived Hemi-Squalane
I got this because it felt better to get something for 3 € rather than pay for shipping (Beauty Bay has free shipping above 25 €). It wasn't easy finding something on their website that's so cheap and interesting, but I got this because a lot of reviews mentioned it's the best product for taming frizz. It's a like a very light silicone serum without silicones. It's too light for my hair, though it temporarily tames it, but for thin hair that gets easily weighted down by silicones, this looks like a good solution - I need some extra oily richness. However, I love it as a part of my skin care routine. It's an oil, but so light I can use it in the morning. This is actually my favourite product from the three I got and I have been regularly including it in the routine.
Beauty Bay, €3.25


*RIMMEL Lasting Matte Full Coverage Mattifying Foundation
103 True Ivory
I tried this when my skin was normal and now when it's dry. When I first tried this on my hand I was fully prepared to hate because it looks like a thick, very matte formula that would surely be aging like Maybelline's Superstay and flaky on skin that isn't oily. I was partly right. It's very thick and hard to get out of the tube, but it's like a thick mousse consistency when you start blending it. You have to careful to blend out the edges well because it's not spreadable like liquid foundations, but surprisingly this looks nice on normal skin. It's nice, fresh matte finish that doesn't look heavy or cakey, though it looks terrible on lines, but it fills out the pores ok. I feared it might wear terribly, getting drier and patchier - luckily that was not the case. However, when my skin got drier, this was terrible. Patchy, it did not melt into the skin, it emphasised dry patches - I didn't ever try to wear it all day, I just took it off. So performance really depends on the skin type, it has the potential to look good and to look terrible. Coverage is not full, it's more medium, but I didn't wear a concealer with this and it's enough got me. I got the lightest shade here 103 True Ivory, which is the 5th darkest in the range, so obviously it's way too dark and considering it doesn't blend as nice as liquid foundations, you need a shade that matches you perfectly. 
DM, 7.50 €

*RIMMEL Stay Matte Liquid Lip Colour
600 Coral Sass
I have this in the shade 500 Fire Starter, review is here. I consider this formula one of the best in our drugstores. It's properly matte and thought it's not completely opaque with one coat, applying more doesn't make it crumbly. Coral Sass is a medium pinky coral shade, not my style (it'd prefer something more neutral like Blush), but pretty nonetheless.

*RIMMEL Stay Matte Powder
Translucent
This is such a staple, a cult favourite, I know several people who aren't even that much into makeup and have been using it for years. But me - well, I've never tried it. For the longest time we didn't have Rimmel and back when my skin was still oily-combination, I settled for the much more expensive Givenchy Matissime because the situation in our drugstores was dire (Essence was much poorer quality back then and no Catrice yet. Cheap powders were rare in general, let alone good ones). I was concerned using this, since my skin isn't very oily and I thought it could look flaky on me with time like a lot of powders, but this is very fine, it doesn't look too obvious (it's not completely invisible from close-up) and it keeps the skin matte all day. It's a golden standard for sure, at least when it comes to mattifying, but that's all it does and it doesn't help make the foundation less obvious or blend the edges any better like some powders do. It promises to blur pores, which it does a little bit, but it's not a big difference.

The brushes were added to my parcel, but I have no idea if they are sold on the stands. 


*ORIFLAME Giordani Gold Essenza Sensuale
Eau de parfum
This smells amazing! I've been wearing this every day since I got it, it's so good. Notes in the catalogue state gardenia, orange flower and bourbon vanilla, while there’s more notes on the Fragrantica site, including precious wood, sandalwood and tuberose. It’s similar to Elie Saab le parfum due to orange flower, but so much nicer because it doesn’t have that cloying jasmine note. It’s a great cosy, warm woody-vanilla white floral with a good staying power. I'm a big fan. It doesn’t have a classic spray, instead it has a applicator with which you dab the fragrance directly on the pulse points. 
Oriflame, regular price 24.90 €, currently 14.99 €


BATH & BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist
My fellow blogger the lovely Sandra from Keep Calm, Wear Lipstick blog shares my love for Bath & Body Works mists, so we've been exchanging testers of our stashes every now and then. She again blew me away with her parcel, I didn't even know she has so many BBW mists and she got me generous skin care testers of products I was very interested in. Thanks again!
Beautiful Day
A day-dreamy blend of daisies, pink peonies & sun-kissed apples.
Such an airy floral-sweet apple fragrance. It's similar to Champagne, Apple & Honey scent, but less sweet. The daisy note also makes it similar to Avon's Luck La Vie. I like this one a lot.

Cashmere Glow
Cashmere Glow envelops you in the warmth of vanilla & golden peach layered with luxurious cashmere musk.
Sandra once send me a body peeling with this scent and I liked it. This is an even better version. It's a warm peachy sweet cosy scent. I think if you like Twilight Woods and Amber Love, this will be up your alley. I'm a fan.

Sugared Cranberry Cider
The name says it all, it's sweet cranberry scent, but the warm, fall-winter version. More suited to younger crowds, but likeable.

Sweater Weather
A cool, fall-perfect blend of sun crisp apple, autumn leaves & orchard woods.
This is crazy popular among BBW fans, but I don't get it. It's got some a nice apple note, but it's overshadowed by this musty note. It reminds me of cold autumn days, which are just about the worst for a summer girl like me, but I can see why it's so popular. It's fresh and crisp, but it lacks sweetness for me. This is a unisex scent.

Bright Autumn Blooms
The most grown up scent in the brunch and very up my street. I can't find the notes, but it's like a high-end fragrance. A delightful rich floral on a maybe sandalwood-precious wood-musk base (I can't say for sure, but leans more towards powdery, rather than classic vanilla). I love this one, it's one of BBW's best quality scents. Too bad it was a LE, they need to include this into their regular line up, or bring it back next autumn.

Winterberry wonder
A sweet snowfall of red frosted winterberry, sparkling cranberry & crystal vanilla.
A berry vanilla. Sweet, juicy and warm. Very likeable, but more suited for kids. I have this one full size from 2017 when it was also a LE.

SKINTEGRA Atomic Cleansing Oil
I wasn't familiar with this brand until recently, but it's Croatian brand and Sandra tells me this is the best oil she tried. It's 20 € for 200 ml, though it's nice, it won't replace Hada Labo which I got almost half cheaper and I really love, as when it comes to cleansers  price is a very important factor for me. Skintegra is the nicest cleansing oil I tried, I can see why it's so loved by some. It's got a nice thick texture, it's easy to massage in on dry skin and it emulsifies into a rich milky emulsion. It washes off completely and leaves nothing behind. I've been using it for the last two weeks and my skin loves it, however, it's not that much better than Hada Labo. 

CERAVE PM Facial Moisturising Lotion
This was on my wishlist due to the niacinamide high on the list, plus it has ceramides, hyaluronic acid and cholesterol, and it's a very praised product in reviews. It's a medium thick lotion and I used it when my skin was very dry, but this barely made a dent despite the thick coat. However, when my skin normalised it was a nice basic moisturiser that did it's job. It's a very likeable product. I still love my Beauty of Joseon more, but I'd consider getting this one day.

CERAVE Hydrating Cleanser
A simple, creamy cleanser that doesn't really foam, but it doesn't irritate my eyes and it washes of completely. I like this a lot as most similar cleanser either didn't completely wash off and left a filter or irritated my eyes. I can see why it's a cult favourite. I'd buy it occasionally, but I know I'd still be buying the much cheaper Balea Washgel instead which suits me just fine, though Cerave is definitely much better. 

ROC High Tolerance Comfort Fluid SPF50
This was ok, but nothing to rave about. It's not super light, but also not a heavy sunscreen. It white when you start applying it and I feared it might leave a cast, but it blended into the skin without any white patches. I took a while to sink in and the skin wasn't dry to the touch like Missha's version, so it didn't impress me that much. Also throughout the day my skin felt weird, almost like it's irritating it in some way, which is weird considering it's meant for sensitive skin. 

NEOSTRATA Targeted Treatment Sheer Physical Protection SPF50 
I don't know who started a hype for this (I can't keep up with stories on IG, just with posts), but for the price I'm not the target demographic (29 €), since you're supposed to apply a lot of sunscreen at once, one tube almost evaporates in a month or two, so I'm looking only for very affordable ones. It's tinted, which given that it's a mineral sunscreen is probably a must to avoid a white cast. I don't like it. Though it's light, it's so greasy - not heavy greasy, but slippery greasy and it's so shiny. It takes quite a while to set to something less shiny. The tint is ok even on my skin tone and it's not orange, like most lightly tinted products are, but this is not for me.

MISSHA Aqua Sun Gel SPF50
I liked this straight away. I didn't try to apply the actually recommended amount, since it would be a waste on a day I was barely outside, but I tried a thick enough coat. It's a light-medium consistency sunscreen with a nice orange scent and it dries completely to a velvet finish, so zero stickiness, tackiness or greasy feeling. It reminds me a lot of Biore. It has a sunscreen shine, but since the skin is dry to the touch, it's much more manageable. Now I regret buying A'Pieu even more, this is seriously good.


I got one more parcel packed with goodies, this one from the fab Ana from Antiage Anasan, who spoiled me with some great skin care and makeup. Thank you! 

LAURA MERCIER Translucent Loose Setting Powder
I was especially happy to see this powder, which I was seriously considering getting, but I picked a mini Hourglass' Veil and Fit Me instead, even though Ana almost convinced me to get this one when I was still deciding what to get. This is exactly the same as Maybelline's Fit me Loose powder - and I mean exactly the same on my skin. I wore them side by side, one on each side of the face, switching sides on the next day and I couldn't tell them apart. Both are wonderful powders that mattify and to a degree blur/smooth the skin, but this does have that makeup look, which at this product I don't mind. This one is translucent and Fit Me is tinted, but I didn't see a difference in coverage. Both Maybelline Fit Me and Laura Mercier powder are great products, whether you prefer to stick to high end or save pennies on drugstore variants. 

BELLAPIERRE Heat Wave Highlighting Palette
You get five light-medium "strength" highlighters in this palette, all warm toned, but all apart from the middle shade are wearable leaning more towards neutral/champagne side, so they are very wearable even for my pale skin tone. Shimmer is fine, it reminds me of that great Catrice first shade in the Luminice palette, so they are all natural looking highlighters. Surprisingly I like the last shade most because it's a rose gold that is most unique in this palette.


ECOOKING Peeling Mask
I don't expect much from this type of masks because I've tried a few and I get nothing from them. Applying The Ordinary's 30% AHA feels like a toner to me and though this has lactic acid as the top acid ingredient instead of gylcolic (which apparently doesn't do much for me, based on my experience), I assumed I won't get much from this. Imagine my surprise when this actually stung when I applied it on the face. Mind you it lasted about 30 seconds, but at least I had a feeling something is working. It's says right on the packaging that it can turn the skin red and indeed my skin did turn red - I'm still in shock I found an AHA product that has an effect on my skin, I thought I was a lost case for sure. I only needed the smallest amount, so even this generous sample pot should last me a while. Like I said my skin was red right after application and it had an intense "plastic glow" , I've never seen any product do anything like it. I kept on for 6 minutes, they recommend to slowly build your tolerance to 10-12 minutes. I'll keep using this once a week as suggested - hopefully I'll remember.    

SULWHASSO Clarifying Mask Ex
This is a peel off mask, so the name is a bit deceiving, as under a name clarifying I imagine a clay mask. I've tried two similar products in recent years: Elizaveca Miss Piggy and The Body Shop Tea Tree version, neither can hold a candle to this one. Those two felt like they didn't attach on the skin where it matters, so on the nose and pores on the sides of the cheeks, while at this one it was a lot more like a proper patch. It didn't get much from my pores though, but I never expect miracles at such products, since none ever worked as they should on me, despite having large pores especially on the sides of the nose. The texture is thick, like a glue, but despite that it's easy to spread. Instructions say to wait 20-30 minutes for it to dry, but it was drier faster on me. It didn't peel off in one piece and I struggled on the edges, but I got it all off eventually. It's got a strong herbal scent. If you're looking for a peel off product that actually feels like a peel off product, this is the only decent one I've tried so far, even if it didn't clear out my pores completely.

VERSO Super Eye Serum with Retinol 8
I haven't used this one, since I'm using TO's Retinol, but when I do, I'll update you. I've read some rave reviews about it, so I really look forward to try it, though I secretly hope I don't fall in love with this because it's soo expensive, but on the other hand I really want to see some results.  

THE INKEY LIST Q10 
This is so much nicer than Q10 products I had from Nivea. All of those were so thick and impossible to layer, but this is a medium thick lotion that needs some time to sink in, but not too long. I've only used it a few times so far, but I like it and it's so affordable.

IDUN Moisturising Face Mask
I used this when my skin was dry. It's a rich nourishing mask with great ingredients. I applied it in a thick coat as suggested and left it on overnight. In the morning a few dry patches I had on my nose and dryness around old spots were gone. 

Have a great day!

Asal SEO

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