New in #90

catrice essence fragrance L'Oreal New In Subrina

New in #90

Admin   March 21, 2020   Comment  

 *ESSENCE Bye Bye Panda Eyes! Smudge-proof, Volumizing & Defining Mascara

I'm not loving this one, but it has one fantastic quality - it's the easiest mascara to remove. It's removed only with warm water, meaning it's a tubing mascara and it doesn't "run/smudge off, rather it disintegrates into small flakes, so there's much less mess at this one than at regular mascaras. However in terms of effect it's very average. The formula is thinner than most, so you don't get a lot of volume. It separates well and it's not a wet, sticky mascara that would clump the lashes quickly, but it has no hold, so it can neither hold my lashes up, not keep them fanned out nicely when I apply more coats because my lashes fall back to their natural position. The brush is a classic one. Maybe this will thicken a bit in some time, but for now compared to my other opened mascaras I have in my drawer, this is the least impressive one in terms of effect. 

3.79 €

*ESSENCE 24 Ever Ink Liner Intense Black

This I like a lot more than the mascaras and I've used it every time I've worn makeup since I got it. I've been using Catrice Liquid Eyeliner for many years now, but I used to use these felt tip liners all the time. The tip is small and precise, so excellent for when you want a thin line. When I first got it, I was so used to Catrice' Liquid Eyeliner that I needed some extra time with this one due to it being smaller, but I adapted quickly. It's an excellent liner for beginners because you can do small strokes with it and it's easier to avoid mistakes. Tip is for now well saturated, but we'll see how it performs over time when I use it several times over eyeshadows, because that's precisely the reason I switched to liquid liners - felt ones dry much faster or at least get ruined by eyeshadows. It's nicely black, but not as glossy intense as liquid version. It lasts surprisingly well. It can easily stay all day on my normal eyelids, but I have my doubts about it on oily ones - you're going to have to find some other reviewers to tell you how it lasts. I find this is pretty good.

2.99 €

 *ESSENCE Witch Side Eyeshadow Palette

I'm very impressed with the quality of this one. This palette contains 15 eyeshadows, 7 matte and the rest are satin or shimmery. It's divided into a dark and light side just like the front of the packaging, which also changes from eyes closed to opened. Most eyeshadows are soft, smooth and have great pigmentation, even the blue one which is very hard to come by. Only those spotty glitters are weird, though not completely useless. The white spots are duo-chrome shimmer than gives that change the colour of the eyeshadow, but they are too densely packed almost creamy eyeshadows are there's no way you can pick them up with a brush. Satin shimmer shades are most impressive, which makes me happy because I loved shade Haunted the moment I saw it and it's the best one in the palette. They last well, they blend well, I like most of the colours - truly Essence's latest offering is excellent. 

10.69 €

*CATRICE Disney LE Minnie & Daisy Eyeshadow Palette

C02 Daisy's Signature

This, however, was a disappointment. It's one the worst performing palettes I've tried in a while. Most eyeshadows are difficult to swatch, the central one Dazzling is so sheer. I still was able to make a nice look out of it, it just required a lot of layering and these do not blend easily. Despite being quite crappy quality, especially compared to the Essence one above, eyeshadow stayed put with no primer all day and didn't crease, so it's not an absolute waste and I like the shades. Not all are equally bad, just predominantly the ones I like, most useful are Lazy, Diva, Cherry and Jolly, with Diva being the best in the palette. Others appear to be more impressed or at least more forgiving to this palette than me, calling it subtle, but I expect more. 

9.09 €  

 *ESSENCE Stay 8h Matte Liquid Lipstick

05 Date Proof

This is pretty much just the repackaged previous formula Colour Boost Mad About Matte Liquid Lipstick and that one was in a better looking packaging and with a better applicator, so this is a downgrade. Formula is one of the thinnest such liquid lipsticks, something like Sleek Matte Me. Just like the previous one is dries to this layer that you can feel on the lips and it's equally less comfortable a lot of similar formulas, including the Catrice one below. I can deal with it just fine, but it might be torture for a lot of you. Staying power is still not amazing for a liquid matte lipstick. Colour is similar to my previous one 05 Dangerously yours, so a medium muted pink.

3.29 €

*CATRICE Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick

040 Braveness Wins, 070 I am Unique and 080 Dream Big

This is more comfortable formula than Essence. It's still very matte, but it doesn't dry into a uniform layer. Staying power is similar to Essence, so neither are super impressive, with eating being their main nemesis, otherwise they stick on the lips ok. 040 is a peach shade, 070 a light pink, which looks cool lavender pink in the bottle, but it's not as cool on the lips and 080 is a medium rosy shade.

5.09 €

ESSENCE It's Brush Hour LE

Face brush

I needed an extra powder brush and I knew I shouldn't just pick one of Essence ones. They are still the same - cheap feeling synthetic ones that, yes, feel soft, but don't pick up much. It's ok, but there are better ones even on Aliexpress. At least it's pretty.

3.79 €

Foundation buffer brush

I'm not blown away by this one either. It does the job semi-decently, so it's not the worst, but it can leave streaks or blend away too much. It's a dense synthetic brush that isn't super soft, but I don't expect that from such a dense brush. I'll probably use it often, but it's not my favourite. Again I prefer Aliexpress brushes for the job. 

3.99 €

 L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinary Oil Shampoo

Elvital Öl Magique Nährpflege Shampoo

My favourite shampoo, I talk about it all the time. It suits my very dry hair and it's the best I found in the drugstores. 

Müller, about 3 €

L'OREAL Elseve Color-Vive Purple Shampoo

I only added this to the cart because it got me free shipping. I have Inebrya Ice Cream No Yellow Shampoo which is pretty strong, has a likeable non-drying formula and I would repurchase it, so I wasn't planning on trying L'Oreal because I kind of assumed it's weaker, but I was proven wrong. This is just as good as Ice Cream, it additionally toned my colour to an even ashier blonde. Formula is also nice, non-dying for my very dry hair and does the job. I'll be buying this one from now because it's a third of the price of Ice Cream in our drugstores (a bit over 3 € and IC is 10 €, though much cheaper online + available in a big packaging too). A masks exists too, which I might try, especially since it's 200 ml.

Notino, 5.51 € (which is more expensive than the drugstores as I learned a day later). 

 SCHWARZKOPF Blondme Bond Enforcing Premium Lightener 9+ 

My second box. One lasted me a year and I don't know how many bleaching precisely, but there were quite a few. I only have a 6% and 12% developer, so I mix them to get a kind of a version of 9% and with this mix it lifts my level 3 roots (dark brown) to a level 8-9 (medium-light blonde/canary yellow) in one session. Just with 6% it's a lot weaker and manages only a few levels of lift, on me it was from level 3 to level 5/6 (light brown/orange red), on ends 7 (dark blonde/orange). I haven't used it just with 12% yet because I have concerns about the strength. In all my bleach sessions it never left my hair dry, too damaged, overly processed, stringy or breaking off, so I trust this one completely, but I also use a ton of coconut oil before application and a ton of after care. It contains succinic acid which creates a protective layer around the bonds and it appears to be working. This was literary an instant repurchase, because I ran out of it during the session and I went online straight away to get another.

Notino, 25.50 €

 SUBRINA Spectra Demi-Permanent 8/10 Ice Blonde and ILIRIJA Hydrogen Cream 3%

I've already talked a lot about this one in monthly favourites and showed the results. It's a demi-permanent colour just like Schwarzkopf Blondeme Toning shades, this one is similar to Ice. For toning it should be mixed with a 3% developer, though I was considering mixing it with a 6% and the reason for that is that in the US a lot of people use Wella toners, which are also supposed to be mix with a 3%, but I read some mix it with a 6% because it can help lift those darkest still orange/golden parts (Schwarzkopf Blondeme recommend 3% for bleached hair and 6% for natural hair). I wasn't sure this has strong enough purple and blue tones to counteract my mix of levels 10,9,8 (overall canary yellow) and some scarily orange parts which stubbornly don't want to be lightened, but it did a surprisingly good job. My hair wasn't Ice Blonde because it's obviously too dark, but it was a nice ashy blonde with some warmer parts. It's very gentle, so I wasn't worried it's going to cause extra damage on freshly bleached hair, but it is not nourishing at all, so even though I used both Olaplex n.3 and Joico K-Pack duo before, this left my hair coarse, but thanks to my extensive hair care stash I fixed with Matrixes Re-Bond duo and another session of K-Pack. I needed 1 and 1/2 box for my very long, thick hair. This shade is not sold everywhere, but it's definitely in Müller, Leclerc, Drogerija Ilirija and Click2Chic (Interspar doesn't have it, neither DM, while I'm not sure about Tuš Drogerija). Hydrogen Cream is sold in most places.

Müller: Spectra 5 €, Hydrogen Cream 1 €

SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask

Diamond Blonde

My 5th/6th or more tube, I don't know, but I use this a lot, since I've become a blonde. I have a couple of purple shampoos and Matrixes Brass Off, but this is the best such product I've tried. It's shockingly strong, so those with actual level 10 blonde hair be extremely careful with this and dilute it a lot. I used it when I didn't have enough Spectra the first time, so straight after bleaching on very orange hair that I was hiding on my lower layers. I used it undiluted and left it for 20-30 minutes, I forgot to check the time, but it turned even my golden-orange hair blue (but only to a certain level, as where it was dark orange, it didn't do anything), which was still way better than orange and I didn't mind it, but it’s a product that's where you need to monitor constantly what's happening and try to determine how strong your mix with Clear should be and how long to leave it on. If the hair turns blue, it actually just washes off, at least it does on me, so I'm not super careful myself, but I know some would just freak. This works faster and better than Matrixes Brass off, but it's still purple-blue, while that one is blueberry blue and better suited for counteracting orange, you just have to leave it on for a lot longer than this one. Things that bother me at this one - metal tubes that become hard to squeeze when close to empty and only 60 ml of product. This really should exists in larger versions because I need to keep repurchasing it, so I got two when Müller had 20% off. 

Müller, 4.99 €

YVES SAINT LAURENT Black Opium Neon

Eau de parfum 

This mentions only three notes: coffee, dragon fruit and orange blossom. I get dragon fruit and tons of vanilla, but no coffee, so that's a bit weird. It's pretty basic, a warm fruity vanilla scent on me, like Viva La Juicy and it doesn't stand out one bit. I'm sure BBW has something similar to a fraction of the price.

Have a great day!

New in #89

Balea catrice essence fragrance GlamGlow L.O.V. L'Oreal max factor Maybelline Moroccanoil New In Olaplex Oriflame Orofluido Revolution Pro Revolution Skincare Rimmel Sexy Healthy Hair The Ordinary

New in #89

Admin   February 25, 2020   Comment  

 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 €

ESSENCE Soft Contouring Lipliner

08 Big Proposal

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. 

Ingredients.

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 €

OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir

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 €

September Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

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

September Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

Admin   September 30, 2019   Comment  

HADALABO Gokujun Cleansing Oil

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

- Rich texture that emulsifies into a lovely thick emulsion.

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

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

- There's not much of a scent.

- It washes off completely.

- It doesn't break me out.

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

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

- It's the cheapest oil I like.

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

THE BODY SHOP British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask

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

THE BODY SHOP Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil

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

JOICO K-Pack Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil

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

NIVEA Curl Styling Primer

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

MOROCCAOIL Intense Hydrating Mask

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

BATH & BODY WORKS Fine Fragrance Mist 

A Thousand Wishes

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

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

In The Stars

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

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

Kaleidoscope

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

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

HUGO BOSS Ma Vie

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

UPDATES
GREAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

INSTANATURAL Retinol Serum

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

PALMER'S  Cocoa Butter Formula Perfecting Facial Oil 

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

ORIFLAME Tremendous Big Volume Mascara

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

DISAPPOINTMENT

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

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

WISHLIST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day!