May Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

featured Monthly favourites Wishlist

May Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

Admin   May 31, 2020   Comment  

MAYBELLINE Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder

90 Transparent 

This is one of my unsung heroes that I use almost every day now that I'm using Lavozon sunscreen and my other shiny sunscreen products like Maybelline Dream Urban foundation SPF50. I bought this sometime in winter and I wrote a less favourable review about it because my skin was going through a rough patch and this looked terrible on occasions, but now I'm a fan. I still love the loose version more for when I want a more perfected look, but this is much more convenient for everyday use since it's a non-messy compact. Powder is very fine, it's not drying, yet it's nicely mattifying without looking too flat. I bought this because reviews mentioned it blurs pores, but it's not a noticeable difference on me  and loose version is better in that respect. This comes in several shades, I picked transparent because I'm so pale and despite looking white in the pan it truly is transparent on me.   

ORIFLAME Giordani Gold Kabuki Brush 

This quickly became one of my favourite brushes. It's not just that it's very soft and dense, it's also got a short handle so there no hitting the mirror during application and I can get closer to it, which is a big plus if your sight is not the best. It's not large, which is great for my petite face, so I can use it for applying brush and powder, plus blends nicest out of all my powder blushes.

L'OREAL Color Riche Free the Nudes

06 No Hesitation

This is nice nude shade almost in the 90's lips style, but not as brown or grey. It's a good mix of rosy and brown tones that it looks wearable even on my pale skin tone. The formula is wonderful in my books and I think it might even be good for those with more dry lips despite being matte. 

ORIFLAME The One IlluSkin Liquid Highlighter

I mentioned that I got two similar product this year, L'Oreal's and Wet n Wild's, so I wasn't very excited about receiving this, however, out of the three it's the nicest. It's a similar shade to L'Oreal's, so almost a skin tone champagne shade and they apply the same, plus have the same intensity of the glow with a fine shimmer that looks like natural radiance, but Oriflame wins because it sets. L'Oreal's stays greasy on the skin, so I've been avoiding using it and this one is a sort of a upgrade to that product for me. 

CATRICE COSMETICS Sungasm Limited Edition Summer Glow Makeup Setting Mist

I like this a lot. Sadly it's a limited edition, which is a shame because Catrice discontinued their pink dewy mist and there's a nothing similar in our drugstores. This gives a nice glow to the skin that's similar to one Pixi spray creates. It also smells so good like summer fragrances such as Guerlain Teracotta and Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess. In terms of ingredients it's very decent too, so I think Catrice should make this permanent.

SCHAEBENS Cell Therapy Hydrogel Maske Anti-Age Booster

Usually when I get a sheet or hydrogel mask that's made by a non-Asian country all I get is some hydration, but this is definitely comparable with Asian brightening sheet masks. It evened out the skin and gave the appearance of a healthy skin just like for example My Beauty Diary Black Pearl and other similar formulas do, the only difference is that this is very light and I need some extra moisturiser after. Scent can be a bit annoying to some because it's chemical and strong, but I can deal with it. I'll be keeping a couple of these in my stash for days when I'm unhappy with my skin and for treat days. 

CANTU Shea Butter for Natural Hair Hydrating Cream Conditioner

This is the best hydrating hair product I have found for very dry hair. It's the only one so far that has managed to keep my ends nourished for a week and that just never happens to me. I've since used a different mask, Gliss 4-in-1 that I was testing and it didn't last a day, so Cantu pretty amazing in my books, but it's also a heavy conditioner so I have my strong doubts about its suitability for any other hair type than thick, very dry hair. My hair was softer than usual, it was less brittle, tangy and just overall it behaved so much better. It's not great when it comes to leaving the hair silky with no frizz, but I'll try to deal with that by combining it with leave-ins. This also smells like Pina Colada and the packaging has 400 ml, which is a total win because I use so much conditioner at once. 

BALEA PROFESSIONAL Kopfhaut-Balance Spülung  and BALEA PROFESSIONAL Kopfhaut-Balance Ansatz-Balsam 

(Scalp Balance Conditioner and Balm)

I used to complain about my dandruff and dry scalp problem a lot on the blog, but I've since almost given up, though I'm still using Balea's 5% Urea shampoo if it's going to make a difference. This immediately intrigued me because it's a conditioner and leave-in duo for dry scalp. I've had a similar conditioner from Head & Shoulders which didn't do anything for my dandruff, though it was a nice conditioner overall, but I never had a balm/cream for the scalp and I've been searching for something like it, because I've tried moisturising my scalp with oils with no success. The conditioner is meant for using all over the hair, but I use it only on my scalp with a more nourishing formula for my bottom half of the hair. These type of products are not easy to apply when you have such long hair like mine. It's not heavy, so it doesn't leave my scalp feeling oily or leave me with less volume. The balm has medium texture face moisturiser-like formula, so it's also not easy to spread, but at least it has a nozzle to get the product directly on the scalp. Together these two have helped the dandruff problem to a degree. There's much less of it and the scalp also feels cleaner, but it's still itchy at times, I think I'll have to find something separate for that. So far I'm happy with this duo and it's very reasonably priced. 

BALEA Schönheits Geheimnisse Reichhaltiges Cocosöl 

(Beauty Secrets Rich Coconut Oil)

A silicone-free oil that I use when my hair is very dry. This is of course heavier than silicone-oils/serum sand it doesn't leave the hair with the silky feeling, but it deals with dryness much more effectively. It's not a light product and I think than anyone with thin hair will not like this, maybe just as a pre-wash treatment, but otherwise it can quickly leave the hair too oily, though not on my thick, very dry hair. It's rich, yet not too heavy-oily like coconut oil can be, so it suits me well. The scent is the same as in their Langhaar Mädchen Haaröl, which is a vanilla-coconut scent, but it's quite bland.

SCWARZKOPF GOT2B Bye Bye Babyhaar Bändiger

(Babyhair Tamer)

Finally we have a product like this, I've been looking for such a tamer for ages, ever since John Frieda's one was discontinued. It's a mascara or better said a hair gel type of product in a mascara packaging that very effectively deals with flyaway and frizz. It's something for some small fixes/finally touches and it does the job so well without leaving the hair looking wet from gel or greasy, it also doesn't leave it crunchy. It creates such a smooth finish - on me actually better than using a hair straightener or better said it gives me that proper sleek look after straightening, since on its own it's not enough. It smells like peaches, which is always a plus as far as I'm concerned. 

BATH AND BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist

Kaleidoscope & Oahu Coconut Sunset

I took pictures before I checked if both of these are still on BBW and it looks like Kaleidoscope is gone, though I guess it could still be found on eBay (us from outside US rely on it anyway). Kaleidoscope is one of my favourite fragrances, a unique clean scent that BBW says smells different on every one and it earned its place here because it got me compliments. I was out for three or four hours and it was still so intense that people smelled it from a couple of meters away and I wasn't overly generous with spraying - that's quite a feat for a body spray. On me it smells soft and clean with a note that reminds me of pears. Oahu Coconut Sunset is my beachy-summery fragrance, though it's not a light scent, but people instantly recognise the coconut note when I pass them. It's a syrupy sweet tropical coconut scent that's what some would say is a night time summer scent.

BALEA Parfum Deodorant

Pure Blossom

This smells like La Vie est Belle from Lancome, which I'm actually not too fond of, however, this makes an absolutely brilliant room spray. It lasts hours in a room, which is amazing for a 1 € deodorant, only BBW room mists beat it. This became an essential in the house. 

UPDATES

ESSENCE Blushlighter Gradient Powder Blush 03 Cassis Sunburst and THE BODY SHOP Coconut Bronze Glistening Glow Powder

I'm not completely in love in the shades of these two, though Essence's peachy-pink is slowly growing on me, but they deserve the praise for their textures. Essence's has such refined shimmer which gives a wonderful healthy glow on the cheeks that rivals L.O.V.'s blushes. But all four shades available are not to my taste and L.O.V. still wins when it comes to staying power. The Body Shop's Bronze powder has a smooth silky texture that applies and blends like a dream. I don't wear bronzers because I don't feel they suit me, but a blush with this texture would be amazing and I might end up using just the highlighter side for giving my skin some radiance.

ORIFLAME The One High Impact Eye Pencil

Pitch Black

While it's not quite impressive as my favourite Maybelline Tattoo eyeliner, this is one of the best such products I've tried. It's creamy, very black and it transfers into waterline immediately, so this is one great eyeliner which also has an added bonus that it's a twist up, meaning there's no need for sharpening. It's still manages to last 9-10h even in the waterline, which is so impressive, though Maybelline still wins by a few hours.  

ORIFLAME Amber Elixir eau de parfum 

I like this a lot more second time around. The annoying note that bothered me the first time is gone on me now and what's left is an amber-sandalwood-almond fragrance that to me smells a bit vintage, warm and cosy. Lasts well too and it smells wonderful on clothes and hair when it's worn off. 

ORIFLAME Milk & Honey Gold Nourishing Hand & Body Cream

This doesn't get the proper favourite of the month status because ingredients are disappointing compared to other body lotions, at least what they could add is some cheap urea high on the list and not have honey as one of the last ingredient (that irks me), but I can't deny this is regardless a lovely moisturiser to use. It's rich, yet it absorbs fast and it leaves a silky feeling on the skin. It's heavily scented and that's precisely what I enjoy most because it's a like body moisturiser of a nice fragrance.  

CANTU Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream

After being so impressed with the conditioner, I had to get the leave-in too. I've only had it for a few days, but so far I like it. It's the type of texture I was hoping it's going to be, meaning that it can be used both on damp and dry hair. It's like a combination between a silicone leave-in cream like Olaplex n.6 or Tigi After Party and a regular leave-in creamy conditioner that provides nourishment instead of styling. It works so well on very dry, coarse hair, but sadly it doesn't add that silkiness I get from Tigi Blow-Out or Olaplex n.6 so it's not a perfect product, but as long as it can handle very dry hair, I'm good. It smells like coconuts and bananas to me.

CV Rose Quartz Facial Roller

I got myself one of these in Müller, even though the price was higher than I planned to spent, but convenience won. It feels well made. The rolling is smooth, there's no squeaking and nothing is loose, though I feel like if this falls there is a chance it will break, so it best to be careful with this one. CV added a guide how to do a massage in the back, though I'm used to is slightly differently myself. I'm not sure what, if any, results to expect from this, I'm never puffy too see a difference from a facial massage, but I do it for lymphatic drainage. I use mostly Nuxe oil with this and do a 10-15 minute massage. I'm very skinny, so honestly this doesn't feel as amazing as I thought, since I have such a bony face and it can be a bit uncomfortable to use for me. 

WISHLIST

YVES Rocher Eau Des Vahines and Lagoon Body & Hair Wash - After trying the Catrice Sungasm face mist I'm craving a fragrance in a similar scent. I don't recall if Guerlain Terracotta or Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess are sold in my local Müller, but I can't get them online, so this is hopefully a cheaper and good enough alternative. It's already ordered. 

CLARINS Lip Comfort Oil - I got Catrice's instead, but I still want one of these in my stash. I remember the formula being even thicker than Catrice's, though my memory could be wrong. 

THE BODY SHOP Shea Butter Richly Replenishing Hair Mask - trying Cantu made me think that shea butter might work really well for my hair type and this has is high on the list. I think I already posted this on the wishlist once, but now I'm seriously considering purchasing it. Along with some fresh Pink Grapefruit product for summer. 

REVLON Ultra HD Vinyl Lip Polish Birthday Suit - I'm a huge fan of the original edition of Ultra HD liquid lipstick, though none of the shades are 100% to my taste, while this looks like a great wearable nude-pink. First Date in interesting too. 

OLAY Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream / OLAZ 3 Zonen Anti-Ageing Cream - my Beauty Of Joseon cream is slowly coming to an end and since I'm on the fence whether to order from Asia now as it can take months, I'm checking local drugstores. I already have this one in the version with SPF 30 and it suits me, so this would be my night moisturiser. It has niacinamide high on the list plus peptides.  

NUXE Body Relaxing Fragrant Water - I have no idea how this really smells because I never saw it in person, but the notes and description sound like something I might like. Notes include coconut sorbet, white flowers and wild vanilla, so I'm guessing it's something summery. 

SEBAMED Anti-Ageing Aufbau-Creme mit Q10 - another face moisturiser I'm considering. It contains a lot of almond oil, glycerine and avocado oil, plus some shea butter, vitamin A (Retinyl Acetate not Retinol), Q10 and hyaluronic acid. 

BALEA Schimmer Spray Copacabana - another summery mist I'm interested in, though I'm concerned about the shimmer. 

SHEA MOISTURE Jamaica Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque - I think products for natural hair might be a good choice for my very dry hair, so this is another I found on Beauty Bay with a high feedback. It can be used as a mask or leave-in treatment. 

AFRODITA Perfect Code Peptide Mist - I really like the idea of a (potentially) light spray with peptides, as I could incorporate easily in my routine. So far I've only seen this online, which is holding me back otherwise I'd already buy in if it were in drugstores. 

April Favourites, Update and Wishlist

Monthly favourites Wishlist

April Favourites, Update and Wishlist

Admin   April 30, 2020   Comment  

REVLON Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor 

Embrace

There haven't been a lot of different lip colours I picked up this month, but on a majority occasions it was this one. It's one of my most worn lip products and though it's got matte in the name that's not quite true, as freshly applied it's a super comfortable fully opaque formula with a creamy shine. It's doesn't really set matte (Revlon later made another version of these which are properly matte), but in time it wears off to a less creamy version. Embrace is a nude peachy shade with some pink and it's not my ideal shade, but it's the most easy to wear from the nude shades they have at least on my skin tone.  

THEBALM Instain Blush

Houndstooth

I'm still very much into L.O.V. blushes, but I went though my stash so I don't neglect my other blushes and I picked up this one. TheBalm were my favourites before I found L.O.V. and I still consider them some of the best I've found. I got Houndstooth because it looked quite a unique matte mauve shade in the pan, but on my cheeks it's a simple pink that gives that classic warm pinky flush. Formula is smooth, plus it applies and blends nicely.  

CATRICE Kaviar Gauche LE Highlighter 

C01 Éclat D'Or

This was a LE years ago, so it's unfair for me to put it here, but in the last months I've wanted the glowy look that I hoped I could achieve with Hourglass Ambient powder, which doesn't look like that on me, while this is an absolutely stunning subtle highlighter in a champagne-skin tone shade with finely milled shimmer that looks like natural glow. I apply it all over the face in a thin veil and more on the tops of the cheekbones for an look that is quite luminescent, some would probably describe as too much, but my skin is normal-dry and I don't get extra shine during the day, so I'm enjoying a bit more glow right now. There is a dupe for this shade that is available in drugstores, it's the first shade in Catrice's Luminice Highlight & Bronze Glow Palette 020 Feel Gold, which has the same super fine shimmer that looks very natural and get you the same look, I just use my Kaviar Gauche one because it's absolutely massive. I also use my other "glow stash", but only because it was so expensive it would be a waste to let them sit in my drawer. They include Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, which despite the fact my skin got a lot better, still most of the time makes foundations applied on top patchy and it pisses me off because it's so expensive and Catrice has a good enough dupe that is better for my skin. I also use the previously mentioned Hourglass Ambient powder in Diffused Light, which I still don't get because it doesn't nothing special apart from on occasions blurring lines. So basically the Catrice highlighter beats both of those. 

A'PIEU Pure Block Natural Daily Sun Cream SPF45 PA+++

All winter I feared I made a mistake buying A'Pieu and not my usual Biore, especially after trying Missha's Aqua Sun Gel which I loved too, but I finally opened my tube and this is way nicer than I remember. It has gone through a reformulation I think or it was just a packaging change, but also my skin is drier now, anyway this is one of the nicest sunscreens I've owned so far. I can easily apply the right amount (3 fingers method), it sinks in completely within minutes, it's not irritating on my eyes and there's no sunscreen shine. It doesn't feel sticky or greasy on the skin, but it also doesn't feel completely dry like Etude House Sunprise, so it's a very comfortable formula for me. It also works nicely under makeup. This is brilliant for the price, I think I paid 6 € on eBay. 

GARNIER Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Protecting and Hydrating Face Mist SPF50 

I use this because it's convenient, but I don't love it because it can be both shiny and somewhat greasy. I use it either to top up protection or on days when I didn't think I'll spend much time outside and I've either already got my makeup on, or I need something I can apply in seconds. I try to avoid the eyes because getting this on my lids and lashes results in a day filled with smudges on my glasses and it's the most annoying thing ever (I made the mistake of applying this before driving just once in my life). All minuses aside, this is so fast and easy, it gets the job done and I can apply it over makeup, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with even a hint of oiliness, unless you carry your powder everywhere.

NEUTROGENA Norwegian Formula Anti-Ageing Hand Cream SPF 25 

This has been in my bag all year round. It's a hand cream with the highest SPF I could find in my local drugstores/supermarkets. It's thick, yet doesn't take forever to absorb and it works for my dry hands.  

L'OCCITANE 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream

This is a really old favourite and though Balea's Urea hand cream rivals it really well, I still pick this one often when my hands are very dry. It's very rich, yet takes under a minute to sink in, plus I love the shea butter nutty scent it has.

TIGI BED HEAD Blow-Out Golden Illuminating Shine Cream

I've been trying to find a product that would have a similar silicone crème texture of Olaplex n.6 or Dove Super Quench Crème Serum (discontinued) that I'm looking for and something that is reasonably priced, then I remembered I used to have exactly such a product - Tigi After Party. It was one of my first ever hair products, I used to own so much stuff by Tigi. This is After Party with gold glitter. Texture is the same, as is the scent, they just changed the name, colour of the packaging and added tiny shimmer (original After Party still exists. I got this because it was what they had on Spletična and I was just ordering a birthday gift). It's got exactly the texture I like, so a silicone cream that I can use on damp hair and dry hair because it doesn't leave the hair wet and it effective at taming frizz. Oils like Orofluido do a similar job, so normal people don't need more stuff, but I'm not normal and I find these types cream are sometimes more effective at taming the frizz for longer. It's tinted yellow, but it's not showing on my very blonde hair, however, also the shimmer isn't that visible on me, though this gives shine just like other similar products. The packaging is equally terrible as at AP. It's got a pump, but the vacuum pull does not work best, so it gets stuck and you can't get out anything. I resort to pushing it manually from the bottom and it fixes it, but man did it stir up memories. Plus it's so ugly, but that's my opinion. The product is lovely, so it's a shame about the packaging.

BALEA Langhaar Mädchen Hair Oil Intense Repair 

I rarely mention this, yet I use it all the time. It's not a brilliant hair oil for my hair type because it's too light, but I think on most it'll be a good one. I use it for a single purpose - as heat protection. I got it because it was the cheapest such serum per millilitre in our drugstores, since I use up a lot of this stuff at once to make sure the hair is sufficiently covered. It does the job and I don't have to wait for the product to dry before I start using heat tolls. It's not the type of heat protectant to use on thin hair, but for me such silicone oils work the best.

SUBRINA Colour Refresh Violet

I've spent the entire april in various shades of purple. This was the first shade I tried back in autumn when my hair was still a darker shade of blonde and because I got a very pink result, I promised myself to try this when my hair is very blond. This became my favourite Colour Refresh shade, not just for colour, but also for toning. I decided to go full out purple because I was always wondering if such a shade would suit me. I got the colour on the box with a 1:1.5 mix (colour vs. clear conditioner) and it was so intense. It's a pretty colour, the same as Subrina's Saten/Spectra 88 and the newest Butter Colour 880 if you're interested in a permanent version of this shade, but it's too much for me. However, with every wash I loved it more. I got to the colour I've dreamed for a while, a beautiful pastel violet shade and with further washing, so when only a small amount was left this works like a great toning shade. Diamond Blonde is blue-violet one that in a larger amount tones to a very ashy-grey shade, while this one looks more like their shade 20/2 or 1020 Pearl Blonde, so something like a sandy-beige light blonde. Personally I like this shade for toning more than Diamond Blonde, but you have to use the tiniest amount because this is so pigmented (I just got pictures of it working so well on dark coloured hair with a faded colour).

UPDATES

MAX FACTOR False Lash Effect Deep Raven Black

This was rubbish when I first opened it and I shared my first negative impressions here too along with Essence's Panda mascara, but I have to report this has improved (Panda didn't). It still doesn't hold my lashes up, so it's not for me, however, it has significantly improved in terms of volume. It creates a similar effect to Maybelline's Sensational mascara, meaning it separates beautifully, yet still creates enough volume and length. Due to my lashes dropping I barely see the results I get on my top lashes, but on the bottom ones it's creates a very pretty, almost doll-like effect. I still prefer 2000  Calorie, but this isn't too shabby, provided you give it time to thicken and dry.  

MOROCCANOIL Hydrating Styling Cream

This was on my last wishlist and I imaged it being so different, more like that Tigi cream above, but this is actually quite light and liquid with none of the silicone feel though they are high on the list. I apply it on dry hair, but it disappears quite quickly leaving none of that smooth feeling like an silicone oil does, so I prefer to use it on damp hair right after washing. I'm no sure feel about this one yet. It's not in any way bad, just not what I expected. I think I'll have to go through the whole tube to make up my mind about it. Maybe it will grow one me more. 

BALEA Bodylotion Urea

Last month I praised the entire Urea line and I said I plan to get the lotion too, which finally happened a few days ago. This leave the same silky smooth film on the skin as the hand cream, so I'm quite happy with it. I should have added it above under favourites, but it's only been a few days, so this is more like first impressions. Formula is medium thick lotion, similar to a Nivea Q10 one I have, so not as rich as BBW Ultra Shea. It's not a lotion for those who dislike when a product needs time to sink in and it needs extra buffing to get rid of the white streaks, but I use it at night, so I don't care. I've been using it every day since I got it, we'll see if it manages to do such a dramatic difference on my driers areas as the Nivea lotion did.

BALEA Professional Collagen Power Struktur Elixier

Since I haven't been in drugstores for months now, I've been scrolling through DM's and Müller's online shops (which don't ship here and don't have the all same things are sold here) and I found this Elixir has a high rating and surprising ingredients. This has hydrolysed proteins high on the list, so it's basically something along the lines of a poor man's Joico K-Pack line or Redken's Anti-Snap, but scaled down at least compared to Joico with it's Quadramine complex. I'm in no short supply of protein treatments at the moment (well, I only have Joico stuff, but several products), still I had someone pick this up for me a few days ago because I was curious if it's any good - who wouldn't want to know about an very affordable protein treatment and if it's any good. It's a silicone free formula with glycerine as one of the first ingredients, so it combines some moisturising action too with the protein. All proteins are in hydrolysed version which is the most effective one when it comes to adsorbing the empty spaces on the hair and they are quite high on the list. There also hyaluronic acid which benefits the scalp and supposedly hair too. Formula is like a thin gel-like formula and it's a leave-in product. It can be applied on damp or dry hair, but on dry hair it's similar to Moroccanoil Cream, so it sinks in and it feels like nothing. I've only used it once so far after washing and I let my hair air dry, which didn't result in silk smooth hair, it was my usual super frizzy mess (proteins don't fix that anyway, they make the hair stronger), but I have yet to use it with a hair dryer to see if it makes a difference it that manner of drying. I used a drugstore mask (Gliss purple one) and my hair was feeling dry straight after my hair dried completely, so I need to use a more moisturising formula with this. Basically it's a light leave-in treatment that's high in protein content and can be used on all types of hair even those that gets easily weighed down. I think those with damaged, coloured and thin hair might benefit most from this. I still need to see if it's good long term, but it doesn't have such dramatic results as Joico K-Pack.   

BALEA Rasiergel

Iced Berries

I wanted the new peach version that I've seen on IG, but they didn't have it. I was sent a picture of the shelf and there were plenty of these and the regular ones here, so I guess this is the only LE here for now. I'm actually quite happy with the scent of this one. It's a very sweet candy version of forest berries, it's definitely one of my favourites they've made. I currently have the coconut one, which is so bland compared to this, I plan to finish it soon. 

FA Invisible Sensitive 48h Protection Anti-Perspirant

Rose & Hawthorne

This was my first time trying Fa deodorants, so I was completely sure that it's going to work because my body gets used to a certain brand after a while and they stop working. But this worked only for a few weeks which makes it the worst performing one on me to date. Obviously this is a something that's specific to me and I'm sure it works perfectly for a lot of people. But even so I find this is a much thicker, less emollient formula than the rest. 

WISHLIST 

L'OREAL Dia Light Semi-permanent colour 9.12 and/or 8.1 - I'm currently sporting about 2-3 centimetres of dark brown roots though I'm not in any hurry to fix that yet, I'm looking for some semi/demi-permanent colour options, since my hair is bleached. In my local drugstores we only have Subrina Spectra, which exists in one blonde shade and I'm not sure Ice Blonde is for me. I'd like to have something a bit darker that looks more natural blonde and I assume these are similar to Exellence 8.1 and 9.1. I found these online on Notino as one of the rare semi-permanent options.

L'OREAL Casting Crème Gloss 801 & 910 - these are demi-permanent colours. We have this line in the shops, but I'm almost 100% certain that not these shades. I hope I'm wrong because it would be wonderful if there were easily accessible here. I've found 801 of Notino, but not 910. 

GOT2B Bye Bye Babyhaar - I so hope we get this here. So far I've only seen in on meindm.at. John Frieda used to have this type of mascara that tames frizz and it worked so well. They're since discontinued it and there hasn't been anything like it here, so I have high hopes this is good and it arrives soon. I see this one has a plastic brush instead of the classic one that JF had. 

NAJ-OLEARI - this is a brand I've merely glanced in Müller though this brand has been around for a while. It was completely revamped, but I don't recall hearing about it before we got a stand her. So far I've only found one blogger who wrote about them, but other than that no one talks about it. I don't know if the sell poorly or are just nothing to write home about, but I've checked their website and I find some things interesting. The packaging is also so pretty. I'm going to check this one a bit more when I can. 

CV Cica Anti-Redness Beauty Shot and Pink Glow Serum & Primer - These must be new because I've only seen them on the website. Maybe they came here in the last month+ I haven't been in Müller. Cica cream has centellia asiatica which always worked well with my skin, so this is worth checking out. Packaging is only 15 ml, so it's likely something different than a regular moisturiser, but there's no ingredients state. The Pink Glow serum I'm not quite sure what is it, but ingredients look cool (3-O-Ethly Ascorbic Acid -  a version of vitamin C, Betaine and hyaluronic acid high on the list) and it says it has shimmer. It might be nice. 

BALEA Vital Konzentrat gegen Pigmentflecken (Anti pigment concentrate) - This has niacinamide as the third ingredient and a bit of vitamin C in a form of Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate lower on the list. Reviews are mixed, but based on what I see it's because people expect a bit too much and that this will erase pigment marks fast. I have none, so I don't care about that, but my skin loves niacinamide, so this is high on the wl. 

MOROCCANOIL Smoothing Lotion - so I was expecting more smoothness from the Hydrating Styling Cream and it ended up not being the type of product I expected. This is next on my list to try. Reviews are very promising and apparently it's a stylist favourite. Blow Out Concentrate is also still very high on my wishlist. 

BALEA PROFESSIONAL Kopfhaut-Balance Ansatz-Balsam und Spülung (Scalp balance balm and conditioner) - finally something for the scalp in our drugstores - provided it is here. Both are designed for sensitive scalp and promise to moisturise - I'm interested in the latter because mine is dry. They also have some keratin. I hope we have this here.

L'ORÉAL PARIS REVITALIFT Filler Tissue Mask, GARNIER SkinActive Hydra Bomb Night Tissue Mask and Schaebens Cell Therapy Hydrogel Maske - my sheet mask stash has reduced a bit and I actually never tried masks from these three brands. I'm most interested in Schaebens because it has niacinamide, allantoin, camelia extract, gylcolic and malic acid. I think I've seen Schaebens one here, but I'm not sure and I don't know about the rest. 

SCHOLL Intensiv pflegende Fußmaske in Socken mit 3 Ölen (Intensive care sock foot mask with 3 oils) - I've had those chemical peel socks, but never moisturising ones. I've been trying to fix my dry with moisturisers, but it's enough. This is highly rated online and I've already sent someone to get me one, but we appear to not have it in DM, even though I found it on meindm. Maybe Müller has it. 

Balea Verwöhndusche Bella Ciao - This should smell like pomelo. I'm currently into very fresh scents and I hope this one is ok. 

BALEA Bodycreme Copacabana - this isn't 100% on my wishlist because I suspect that it's the same Balea thin pudding like formula that is too light for me - maybe I'm wrong as the ingredients don't look half bad. This is here merely to show what's new in DM. It doesn't take a genius to realise where they got their inspiration for their product, but I have strong doubts the formula is anything similar to the Bum Bum Cream or even if the scent is similar. One review says it's kind close, but more almond like, then another that's it's nothing like it - not that I know that the original smells like. 

My Pinterest wishlist is here.

Have a great day!

March Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

Monthly favourites Wishlist

March Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

Admin   March 30, 2020   Comment  

 ESSENCE 24 Ever Ink Liner Intense Black

This is a really nice eyeliner for the price. The applicator is small, smooth and very precise, so also perfect for beginners and those who struggle with applying eyeliner. Formula is a deep black and it lasts all day on my normal eyelids. I've been using it a lot since I got it and it's still not showing any signs of drying out. I remember one of their previous versions needed to be "revived" in between individual eye applications, but this is consistently saturated with colour. Also the tip is really holding on and it's not becoming scruffy at the ends. We'll see how long it ends up lasting, but so far I'm impressed.

ESSENCE Witch Side Eyeshadow Palette

This was a very pleasant surprise, I did not expect such a nice quality from Essence. Matte eyeshadows in this are lovely and satin ones are truly impressive, only the spotty glittery ones are not worthy of praise and can only be applied with a finger, but that's only four shades out of fifteen. Most eyeshadows have a great pigmentation, they blend with ease and last well on my lids without a base. I'm particularly in love with shades Haunted (I just adore these types of colours), Talisman and Charm. You know I'd never give it a second look in the shop, mostly because I didn't have trust in Essence eyeshadows, but I'd be such a shame if I'd missed it.  

REVLON Nail Enamel 

680 Revlon Red

I've finally decided to wear some colour on the nails - it's been ages. I went with a classic red and this is my choice for such a shade. I used to wear Catrice's Bloody Mary To Go all the time and since that one is so old, this is my replacement for it. It's one of very rare nail polishes that still has one of those thin brushes that every nail polish had up until about 10-15 years ago, before Bourjois launched their first wide brush which have then taken the world of nail polishes by storm. I'm sure most people will hate it precisely because of the brush, but I love it for it. My nails are too narrow for those wide brushes and I always end up with a messy application, while with this I have a lot more control, which at a red is important. The colour is gorgeous, just the type of red I love most, so a cool version of the shade that I find looks most glamorous. One coat is enough for full opacity, but like at all it's best to apply two.

ORIFLAME NovaAge Facial Cleansing Oil

I've already praised this when I first got it, so now I'm reporting back after a month or so of use. This is a great cleansing oil, just as good as Hada Labo. The texture is just perfect, I don't need much for one use so it's very economical, it emulsifies well and washes off completely. It's also working well with my skin. Well done Oriflame. 

NUXE Huile Prodigiuese 

Florale

I'll explain more about my skin bellow under disappointments, but I went back to my basic routine which is cleansing oil, Balea Waschgel, COSRX Galactomyces 95 Essence, Cezanne lotion and this one. Nuxe is actually the product I've been using the longest, many years by now and it's my never-fails-products that I can rely on. I use it for my daily face massage as my last step in my routine, since my skin is currently not so dry that I would need an extra moisturiser. Another big plus for me is the scent, I know most people don't like heavily fragranced stuff, but I love it. 

LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask

Berry

Still using this every day - well almost, I tend to forget sometimes and on those days I do notice a difference in the morning. This helps so much in keeping the lips nicely moisturised, not flaky or tight. Lately my lips have been dryer than pretty much ever before, so this is lovely, better than anything I've tried. 

BALEA Urea line

I kind of can't believe it's taken me so long to actually pick more products from this line. I was only using the shampoo before I found the hand cream and I like that one too. I use the hand cream several times a day, sometimes I grab the foot version too if it's closer and it's equality good for my hands, but I also use it on my feet every night before going to bed. This urea formula just leaves the skin so soft and smooth, almost like it was full of silicones, so I really like it. The face version is not as impressive as the other two, but it's a nice thick moisturiser for when my skin is very dry. Lotion is on my wishlist too for when my stash thins a bit.

L'OREAL Elseve Color-Vive Purple Shampoo

This is surprisingly strong, I did not expect it. It can tint very light hair blue-ish purple just like Inebrya Ice Cream No Yellow Shampoo which I was told is the strongest such product, but this is very similar and cheaper. It can do a lot for a purple shampoo, plus I like the formula which reminds me of their Clay version, the one in mint green packaging. It doesn't leave my hair dry or tangly, which makes in one in a minority. I'll be buying this one a lot I think, it was a pleasant drugstore discovery. 

NIVEA Curl Forming Spray

I did not appreciate or praise this one as much as I should. I mean I used it every time I curled my hair, which I do a lot and I liked it for the job, but it's only recently that I picked up my old favourite Lee Stafford Coco Loco hair spray after a long time that I realised how good Nivea's version is compared to it. Hold Tight left my hair a lot drier and for my already dry hair that's not good. Both don't leave the hair crunchy or sticky, but Nivea's isn't drying. I think that when I first got it I expected so much from it and that's Nivea's fault for being so braggy on the back of the bottle because if you dismiss those bold claims and ignore the whole use on damp hair, this is actually a very nice classic hair spray, perfect for after adding hold after curling the hair with a curling iron. Also another thing I started to greatly appreciate after using Lee Stafford again - Nivea isn't irritating for the lungs.   

NIVEA Love Splash Care Shower

I've been loving the more fresh, zesty scents under a shower. I picked this one randomly, since I couldn't find that Fa one I said I'll repurchase, but this was a good buy. I smell mostly orange peel, so a bitter citrus scent and not the juicy sweet version. It's bitter fresh, unisex and I like it a lot because lately stronger scent are just putting me off. The formula is cool too, not drying, the gel is thicker than most and nice to use. 

SUBRINA Shower Gel

Fresh Elder

Another delightfully fresh choice, this is my third bottle I think. I finally figured out what the first note smells like to me - forest strawberries, which I adore." Officially" this smells like Hugo, that champagne based drink, but I don't know because I never drunk it. It's a mix of elder flower, mint and lime, meaning very fresh, uplifting and sweet. 

BATH & BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist

Almond Blossom

I changed my mind about this one. Originally I wasn't too keen on it, though it's a pretty scent, it just didn't wow me as much as I expected based on reviews. It's similar to The Library of Fragrance a.k.a Demeter Fragrances Baby Powder. It smells like a grown up version of a baby powder, the almond note is predominant in this with some floral notes. It's a warm, cosy type of scent with a lot of sweetness, but it's not like a typical candy vanilla. I still don't find it's rave worthy like most reviewers described it, but sometimes I just have a craving for it and it also lasts well for a body mist. 

BATH & BODY WORKS Ultra Shea Body Creams

I've been more diligent with body moisturisers and dug out these. I've raved about them in the past, the formula is so nice, they are rich like a body butter, plus they come in a wide selection of scents. They moisturise my dry skin well, plus they make the whole bedroom smell so good and the scent lasts. County Apple is a musky apple scent and Twilight Woods a more fruity version of the body mist scent, so less woody, but more forest berries like with warm notes. 

UPDATES

 SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask
Magenta
And I'm pink! This time a more pastel version than the bright one I've showed you once before. This time my hair is lighter, so I can play with more pastel shades, though at the back where I still have orange-golden tones, it also ended up looking a bit orange, so I could have used a bit more colour, but I went with quite a light mix with about 80-100 ml of conditioner and 2-3 cm of colour from the tube (I was eyeballing the whole thing like always). It's fine and it actually looks a lot prettier in person because like always my camera bumps up the contrast, while in reality it's a lot more nicely blended. I've talked a lot about these in my previous posts, you know I'm a fan. Here's pictures of red, orange and violet, and I use Diamond Blonde all the time.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

CATRICE Pure Nail Polish

02 Clarity

I've expressed my disappointment with this in my new in when it was still on my nails, but it only got worse from that point. This just peeled and chipped off so quickly, which is completely unexpected, since everything lasts so well on me. So aside from the colour not looking at all like in the bottle, the formula is not impressive either.

CATRICE Poreless Perfection Mousse Foundation

010 Warm Ivory

Another product I mentioned as being disappointing in the review. It's such an obnoxious formula to work with and impossible to mix with anything liquid like the lightening drops. I can't' apply anything damp over it because it clumps up on me, plus the shade is so dark for a second one in the lineup. It's nicely matte and would probably work great on oily skin, but it's such a fussy formula that didn't impress me.

CATRICE Disney LE Minnie & Daisy Eyeshadow Palette

C02 Daisy's Signature

What a disappointment. This is one of the worst palettes I've tried in a while. Most eyeshadows are difficult to swatch, I spent so long doing those swatches, plus I had to use a base otherwise I'd get nothing. The central shade Dazzling is shockingly useless. But the palette on a whole is not completely bad, it just needs a lot of layering, using fingers and patience. I don't get how Cosnova can release such fab quality as Essence's Witch Side, but fail so miserably at this Catrice palette. And it's not that cheap. 

 ESSENCE Stay 8h Matte Liquid Lipstick

05 Date Proof

This isn't a disappointment because of the formula because I can deal with it just fine despite it being one of the driest ones, but it's a disappointment because Essence lazily just put the previous formula in a new packaging, which isn't even better. I preferred the previous applicator and the paint-like tubes. Even this shade is the same as the previous 05. They could have tinkered with the formula a bit and make it less like a layer on the lips, because now I don't think a lot of people can wear it with ease, also staying power is still equally unimpressive.

ESSENCE Bye Bye Panda Eyes Mascara and MAX FACTOR False Lash Effect
These two fall into the category of "not impressive". I've talked about the Essence one in the last New in post. While I love how easy it is to remove because it's a tubing mascara and it just crumbles off with only warm water, when it comes to effect it does very little on me, plus it has absolutely zero hold, so my lashes drop and I get nothing from it. About the same goes for the Max Factor one. While it's very nicely defining, catching every lash, it takes a lot of building up for some decent volume, still it doesn't compare to their 2000 Calorie for example, or the green-gold version of False Lash Effect, the Voluptious version. Maybe it's because it's still freshly opened, but the formula should be thicker. Of course it also doesn't hold my lashes up either, so it's useless for me. These two are like toddlers compared to L'Oreal's Paradise mascara I currently have opened too. 

THE ORDINARY

This will be a confusing one. I had perfect skin for years, actually since I discovered K-Beauty which was working wonderfully for me. But I got a bit concerned I'm not doing enough and I wanted to include some anti-ageing products and these are the cheapest, as well as have a great feedback. But ever since I focused more on the Ordinary products instead of my usual K-Beauty routine last autumn already in September, my skin has been crap. For a time it was insanely dry, flaky and just impossible to deal with and that came after I thought the retinol uglies are over. It was like a second wave of misfortune. Now it's consistently spotty, no matter what I do and it's healing so slow. Also my texture looks so bad, especially when I apply foundation. None of the products actually break me out, but it's like the combined routine is just messing with my skin. I don't dislike any of the products and I still use them, but with larger pauses and I've never just slapped on everything at once, I've always had a carefully considered routine. Still something about The Ordinary products just doesn't seem to agree with me which is a massive shame because I know they work for so many, they are really affordable and they have everything you might need. I don't know if I should just stop, but it's not like there are many cheap alternatives and I'd like to keep actives in my routine.

WISHLIST

Obviously nothing is currently a priority, to be fair I just find these things interesting for now and I'm not considering purchasing them, but I still created a wishlist because why not, right? And I made a crazy long one too, just like the rest of the post. (Looking a the post, I know I should have split the picture into two. Sorry.) 

L’OREAL Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar, Rinse out Moisturizing Hair Treatment for Silky, Shiny Looking Hair - this I'm actually really excited about. It's so far only in North America and from what I could find among IG comments, this wasn't planned to be launched in Europe before the end of 2020 and who knows what's the situation now. It's L'Oreal's new lamellar technology and reviews are very promising everywhere I checked. This is what L'Oreal says: "8 seconds to silkier, shinier, healthier-looking hair. Upon contact with wet hair, it works in just 8 seconds to visibly transform hair in a single use. Damaged hair feels healthy, shiny, and silky." Basically it's a liquid that you leave on the hair for a few seconds and rinse off. Kerastase has a similar product (obviously, it's a L'Oreal brand), but for some insane price. Ingredients-wise L'Oreal's looks bad, filled with alcohol that's high on the list, plus fragrance and some of the good stuff at the end, but what do I know what lamellar actually is and results matter way more. It's definitely something I'm very interested in, especially since L'Oreal owns Matrix, which has some of the most impressive products I've tried, specifically their Re-Bond line. 

MAYBELLINE Superstay Ink Crayon 15 Lead The Way - I have this in a shade 25 Stay Exceptional. I like the formula, especially since it can be used as a lip liner and an all-over colour, plus it's also matte, which is my jam. We don't have this shade in our drugstore, but I was sent some swatches on IG and this definitely looks like my shade. 

ESSENCE Blush Lighter 03 Cassis Sunburst - I'm a sucker for a highlighter blush hybrids. I went in search of these three weeks ago, but we only had one shade here, 01, which is this bronzy orange shade that would never fit me, however, the texture looked okay and it had a finely milled shimmer look.

CATRICE Demi Matt Lipstick 030 Coffee, Mattmoiselle - love this formula which I have in a gorgeous shade 100. This shade looked most similar to Essence's lipliner in 08 Big Proposal when I was swatching everything in sight in Müller, but it might actually be darker, so I'm still not sure about it. I'd have it for the formula alone, as well as the red 060 and maybe 070 and 010. 

MISSHA All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel SPF50+ - I got a sample of this last year and it's one of the best sunscreen's I've tried. It's alcohol free unlike Biore, but feels similarly light and dries very fast on the skin, leaving none of the that annoying sunscreen feeling behind. I have A'Pieu Pure Block, so I'm in no hurry, but this will be my next one. 

MOROCCANOIL Smoothing Mask - I'm already a huge fan of Intense Hydrating Mask (which I recently repurchased) and Restorative Mask, so this is another I really want to try. Reviews online are overwhelmingly brilliant, which not a surprise, since Moroccanoil rarely disappoints. My hair naturally dries über frizzy (even before all the colouring) and lately I'm really struggling getting a smooth blow-out, so I'm always on a hunt for products that would give me that smooth effect. The lotion from this line is interesting too. 

L'OREAL Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Conditioner - I've tried the shampoo which I mentioned above and this will eventually get it's turn too. 

L.O.V. Perfectitude Aura Glow Powder - I adore L.O.V. blushes and this is their complexion toning/neutralising glowy all-over powder. Given that I know L.O.V. can do very fine shimmer, this is on my list to try. Maybe it'll impress me more than Hourglass and Wet n Wild, though to be fair those left the bar pretty low for me. Petra raves about it in her review, thought she uses it as a regular highlighter.  

MOROCCANOIL Dry Scalp Treatment - doing a recommendations story about Moroccanoil for the other IG account I manage was a dangerous job. It lengthened my wishlist quite a lot and this included. I never checked it properly, but I now read some reviews, get a look of the ingredients list and it sounds like a product made for my flaky, dry scalp. I'm kinda dropped the ball on the whole scalp situation because nothing ever worked and I gave up, but I'd love to give this a try. 

THE BODY SHOP Body Mist Grapefruit - I'm craving refreshing scents lately and this was always one of my favourites. I haven't had it in ages, but I used to have it I had it in body butter form. It's so sweet and fresh, like a refreshing fizzy drink. 

MOROCCANOIL Hydrating Styling Cream - this is from the same line as the amazing Intense Hydrating mask. It's a leave-in conditioner that I hope might delay the dryness for a day or two on me. I have to use a ton of leave-ins otherwise my hair get so dry and tangy, so I apply something pretty much every day. I'm not sure if this is ok to use on dry hair and not just right after a wash, but it's be nice if it was similar to the discontinued Dove Super Quench serum and Olaplex n.6. 

PANTENE Love Your Waves Leave In Cream 24H Frizz Control - as a big fan of Pantene, this of course made the list as soon as I saw it first on some hidden sad shelf in Interspar. It's since become available in DM too. The name says it all I think, so I hope it's good and there's a Sleek version available too, which might be more interesting, but I trust the gold label more than green at Pantene. I've seen no reviews anywhere.   

ESSENCE maximum DEFINITION waterproof volume mascara - it's waterproof and from Essence, so obviously on the list to try someday, but I'm in no hurry, since I have L'Oreal's Paradise.

MOROCCANOIL Blow Dry Concentrate - just another smoothing product from Moroccanoil. It's probably just like a classic silicone oil like their Moroccanoil Treatment or Orofluido, but I use a lot of that stuff, so it's always nice to have more and maybe it does help make the hair smoother than others, which I would really need at the moment.

SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL Blondme Instant Blush Ice - I expected being a blonde is going to be a struggle, but man, do those yellow tones appear fast. I have toning shampoos and masks, but sometimes you just need a quicker fix that doesn't require a hair wash and this looks kinda promising. I'm also interested in the shade Steel Blue. I've actually already gave Schwarzkopf a chance when I bought their Polly Palette spray, which was useless, so still have doubts about this one, but it might be worth a try. 

Pink Quartz Roller and Gua Sha - I do daily face massages and this would be nice to have too. It might be gimmicky though and fingers are probably enough, so I've been on a fence to get it for a half a year now. 

REVLON ColorStay Cream Eyeshadow 715 Espresso - it's shameful how long it took me check these out, since I should be familiar with all Revlon products, but I finally checked the reviews for this and they are overwhelmingly positive. Some say they are better than Mac's Paint Pots, which is high praise. These come in many shades and Expresso look most wearable, but not too light for me. 

TIGI Bed Head Blow-out Golden Illuminating Shine Cream - Tigi After Party was one of the first product I owned for fighting frizz, this brand was actually my first dip into salon hair care, so I've tried most of their product that had back then and I was using their Curl Amplifier cream for years. I saw this product in an After Party like packaging randomly while looking for a gift for someone and based on reviews this looks very promising. It's another product I have hopes work both on damp and dry hair and that it smooths the hair for a longer period. This contains gold shimmer unlike After Party.

Have a great day!