ESSENCE I Love Extremes Volume Mascara Waterproof
I was very impressed by the Lash Mania waterproof mascara that I bought a couple of months ago, but just as I found my favourite drugstore mascara, Essence discontinued it. This one appears to be a sort of a replacement for that one and I just had to try it. I loved the volumising effect of the non-waterproof version, but my lashes do not hold a curl with a normal formula, so I'm delighted they came out with a waterproof version. I flipping love this mascara! It gives tons of volume, doesn't clump up the lashes even though it's new, it gives tons of length, holds the curl all day, doesn't flake or smudge - it's near perfect.
DM, 2.99 €
CATRICE Nail Lacquer
18 Bloody Mary To Go
I had an idea for a reds inspired post and I when I went through my stash for the products, I realised I don't even have the most classic, cool toned red nail polish. I never even had one. I have Essie's Really Red, but that one is already brighter and warmer. I compared a ton of nail polishes that looked almost the same, but I choose this one because that's what others picked from the ones I showed them and I'm quoting the reason :"Because that bottle looks the biggest". Classic. I had this nail polish on my wishlist eons ago, but for the longest time I was sure it was discontinued. I guess it's back on popular demand. It's a lovely classic red with a good formula. I'll can see myself wearing it loads.
DM, 2.59 €
EBELINE Concealer Ei
Concealer Eggs
These were so darn cute, so I really wanted to have them, but I did ask around before if they are any good. Even dry, these are very soft and bouncy, way more than any sponge I tried. I like the size of these because I just feel that all those big sponges are too much for my small face even if they have a pointy tip. They expand to about 30%, fit perfectly and blend well enough, but I've never been a huge fan of sponges anyway. They drink up some of the concealer and foundation, but it's not that bad. I like this for the finishing touches as it creates a much more natural look, which comes handy at high coverage stuff. They wash ok, I use regular bar soap as with everything, though it's hard to get them completely clean.
DM, 2.95 €
MAC Lipstick Samples
Diva, Rebel, D is for Danger, All Fired Up and Patisserie
Boy have these become expensive! I have tons of them already, but I haven't ordered any new ones for a really long time. At first because they switched to pots instead of tubes and then because the prices grew. But they had 40 % off and the prices were finally a lot more reasonable. I got a deep vampy red Diva, the purple Rebel, the perfect red-purple D is for Danger, the warm pink All Fired Up and the classic "wedding" nude Patisserie. I really wanted Brave, but apparently they don't sell it. I was most looking forward to Rebel because I hoped it's the perfect warm purple, but as I suspected it's very violet purple on me, however D for Danger turned out to be all that I ever wanted. All Fired Up is amazing as well. I'll post a proper review post, but you can see swatches on my hand here with D for Danger on the lips and here are the two previous posts of these TBN samples: 1 & 2.
The Body Needs, $4.99 in a tube
MAYBELLINE The Eraser Concealer
03 Fair
Thanks to Petra (Adjusting Beauty) I got a back-up of my favourite concealer. I just properly reviewed it a couple of weeks ago after nattering about it relentlessly for three or four years and this is actually my fourth or fifth tube. For those who haven't read any of my dozens of posts where I mentioned this - it's a medium coverage concealer that looks incredibly natural on the skin and has a sponge that does most of the blending for you already.
DM Austria, 10.45 € (one of my readers tells me that it's a lot cheaper in Italy, where it's 8.5 €)
In the spirit of buying back-ups, I got another one of these, which I once described as my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". It's a very, very rich pre-wash treatment that transforms my dry mop into decent hair. Wonderful stuff.
E.Leclerc, 6 €
AUSSIE 3 Miracle Oil Reconstructor
I saw this on some German girl's Instagram and I never dreamed this will be sold here. But it is! I'm still astonished. I didn't hesitate before putting it in my basket, especially since we ran out of our "household serum/oil", but I of course checked the ingredients first. It's a classic silicone serum with oils, just like Moroccaoil, Orofluido and others. First two ingredients are silicones, which are then followed by fragrance (not the best thing), jojoba, avocado and macadamia oil. It doesn't smell typically Aussie, but it's a sweet fragrance that it reminds me of a mix of vanilla and strawberry ice cream with a bit of bubble gum. The formula is light, similar to Kerastase Elixir Ultime, so it should work for most hair types, but don't expect extra special nourishment. It's pretty basic as far as serums go, but nice. I've used it on both dry and wet hair, and so far I like it. It's not Orofluido, but decent, especially for the price and I like it way more than Garnier's. The packaging has a handy pump, however, the cap won't stay on for some reason.
Műller, 8.99 € (100 ml)
NIVEA 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water
I heard tons of good things about this, but also some bad, anyway it had a nice discount, so I decided to try it. I've tried a lot of drugstore micellar waters and this one didn't blow me away. It doesn't stand out in any way. It again feels like water, doesn't have a scent and it removes non-waterproof makeup ok enough, but mascaras seem to be an issue with this. Some say this is the best drugstore version micellar water they tried, but to me it's just one more on the market. It takes three cotton pads for my face to be clean of makeup and that's average. I kind regret not buying theGreen Line one or just finally getting Bioderma again.
DM, 3.99 €
*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro 32 Jewels and Riches Collection Eyeshadow Palette
When it comes to Makeup Revolution and MUA, I don't really follow current events, even though I follow them on all social media, so I missed this launch as usual. Freedom Makeup is apparently a sister brand to both of these and I have to say that my eyes nearly rolled out of my scull because, I mean come on, it looks exactly the same as MR. The quality is the same as is the packaging, so what is the point of creating yet another brand, but just calling it professional. Rant over, I know I'm a super grumpy annoying person, but this palette is basically any MR palette, which means that the quality of eyeshadows varies, but they are mostly nicely pigmented and soft, the matte eyeshadows can be a bit chalky, but I've tried far worse. The range of eyeshadows is good, though that's not so hard to do when you have 32 places to fill. You get some nice neutrals and some bold shades. For the price this is a pretty decent palette and I've been using it quite a lot, which I didn't expect to.
Ličila.si, 10.95 €
*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro Blush Palette
Pink and Baked
My first ever blush palette and the first time I've tried these "cheapy" blushes. Again the quality varies, but all in all, these are not bad at all. Some are very creamy and pigmented, like the bottom left (peachy-pink) and bottom two right ones (peach and plum-pink), but the second on the left (fuchsia) is the most disappointing as it's the lightest on the skin. The highlighter is waaaay too shiny and I think that even the most hard-core glow lovers will find this only appropriate for a sci-fi cosplay. I swatched all the shades here.
Ličila.si, 8.95 €
*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro Lipstick
Pro Red 108 Expression
I'm still not impressed by these cheap lipsticks. This one swatches quite sheer and surprisingly pink, but on the lips is a cool toned red. It needs a few layers for full coverage, which is not a big deal and it's more on the glossy side. It's nice if you want to try a cheap red for the first time, but reds enthusiasts will find it's not the best.
Ličila.si, 1.95 €
*BORN PRETTY Bottom Eyelash Mascara
I wasn't planning on getting anything from BP, but when I saw this, I just so wanted to try it. Clinique's version is so expensive and I always manage to mess up my lower lashes with all those clumsy huge wands (is it just me, or are they getting bigger with each new launch), so I'm glad a cheaper version exists, though this one isn't super cheap if we're honest. The brush is indeed super tiny and it catches every lash. It doesn't deposit a lot of product, but it's more of a mascara that adds colour, so the lashes stand out more. It claims it's waterproof, but my test revealed otherwise. It wasn't running, but it also wasn't completely clean under the eyes. I've been using it daily, since I got it, but I don't consider it as an essential item. I adore the polka dot packaging, it's so cute.
Born Pretty, $7.15 (currently 4.99 $)
*SAPPHIRE 8 in 1 Complete Curling Wand
I never except anything so expensive for a review, let alone a product from outside of EU due to insane custom changes (I had to pay 40 €!), I've actually written so many rejection e-mails that I have a pre-written form, but I was sooo excited about this curling wand. It has eight different barrels, so it's super versatile and it's a huge step up from my old Remington curler. I've been using it for the past 3-4 weeks and I reached a point where I'm basically completely in love with it. I hate to say that about a product that is so flipping expensive, but I do and I feel stupid for not having something similar before, but to be fair you can't get anything like in Slovenia (I think). It shows in real time the wand is heating up (it can be set to both °F and °C) and it's so much lighter than my Remington, plus there is no annoying clamp (such a useless thing). The temperatures can be set as well, from 180° to 210°, I use 200° as always and my curls last for days (proof here, last day of these same curls is here). Even though it's an US product, it has dual voltage, so you can use it in the EU, but you'll either need an adapter or like I did, change the plug.
I've made a big deal out of the review, even going as far to show you the results of five barrels, so if you're interested make sure you don't miss it. As another preview, here I used the pearl and the 3.8 cm one and here are third day curls with the spiral one on the first look, but it isn't my favourite and again the 3.8 cm on the last look:
Irresistible Me, 199$
Life Update
From September you can read me on another blog because I became a blogger for a Slovene online shop Click2Chic. I write in Slovene there, but you can still check out the pictures. I'll get a lot a products to swatch plus do a short basic review of, and it's a completely separate thing from my blog, so I'm not paid for posting here, but I'm allowed to post about them here if I choose to. I've been holding back this past months and didn't include anything from my job here, which was so hard as I actually love a few products, but I don't want it to look like I'm being sponsored by them and I want you to understand that they have zero influence over what I post here. I was thinking of doing these kinds of New Ins and posting reviews of only the things that I loved or just feel that you'd be interested in. But if you don't want me talking about those products here, I won't do it and reviews in Slovene will be on that blog anyway. Justplease let me know what you think about this in the comments. It's important to me that we keep our trust. You can check what brands they have here, but they sell stuff like Milani, Physicians Formula, Revlon, BH Cosmetics, Models Own,… so that's what you can expect from future reviews. These next things are all from C2C, but next time I don't plan to talk about every single thing I get.
By the way, I don't post just reviews there, but also "Pinterest inspired" tips, such as this post about concealers, which I just so enjoyed making. However, not all posts there are mine.
I actually already have one of these that I bought myself a while ago and I post it quite regularly where I want the picture to look pretty. I wasn't happy with the pigmentation from the start, but once the top layer is gone, it gets a lot better (you'll see it on my cheeks, how pigmented it is now). The flush it gives is a classic warm pink, so that I-just-came-from-the-cold one and gives you those cute cheeks. Apparently it has a: "Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress." *rolls eyes* I trust you're smart enough not to fall for this, though admittedly it does make me happy when I look at this gorgeous beauty. I remember it had a floral scent, but it's all gone now (I didn't open the new one). It has an added compartment under the blush that hides a handy mirror and a brush - You'll see this is a recurring thing in PH blushes and it's a brilliant idea, though the brushes aren't the best. My packaging is still broken and the blush part just flaps around, which is super annoying, but I saw on the Argan bronzer, which has the same type of packaging that there the closing mechanism works, so it must just be my Booster that’s broken.
Click2Chic, 15.90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Super BB All-in-1 Cheek & Lip Beauty Balm
Berry Pink
They made an EOS inspired sphere blush in lip colour - not bad. Again this one promises all sorts of things apart from making you coffee in the morning, but all the exaggerating aside, it's medium neutral pink cream blush. I'm reluctant to call it a lipstick, not because it doesn't work, but as usually when they try to do both, as a lip colour it ends up a bit drying. The colour is pretty, girly and a light almost Barbie pink on the lips that is semi-transparent, but I'd use a chapstick under it. On the cheeks in performs better and creates those bubble gum pink cheeks. The sphere packaging is so cute and great for travelling.
Click2Chic, 8.91 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Nude Wear Glowing Nude Blush
Rose
Sweet Jesus lawd, this is so gorgeous in person! I was actually going to order something from Nude Wear myself just because those things are so pretty and then I got the news, I'll be testing this out, but I had no idea it's actually so well made. The packaging is beige faux leather in inside it's a pink satin, while on the other side it's again a nicely sized mirror and a brush. And the final touch - a rose gold bow. The definition of perfect packaging people. The blush itself is made out of fours shades, two are warm and two are cool, there is a silver overspray on the letters, but it goes away with one as and the letters disappears soon as well. The texture of this blush is medium soft, but I'm still at the top layer. The colours are all light and mixed together create a cool toned, almost violet-pink shade that's more on the sheer side, but shows up well on my porcelain complexion. If you like blushes like Essence's Adorable, which is more for people who are scared of wearing too much or are very pale, this will work for you.
Click2Chic, 15.90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil
This is 100 % argan oil and that's basically it. I've used argan oil before in my skincare and it saved my skin when I had the worst case of dryness in my life (my cheeks were rough like sandpaper). I also used it on my hair as a pre-wash treatment as it's great for really dry hair. Basically you can use it almost everywhere. The packaging has a dropper with which you can precisely administer the desired amount. I guess the selling point of this exact one would be that it's completely scent free, which is the first such oil I've tried, since argan oil does not have the most pleasant scent.
Click2Chic, 19.90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Bronzer
Light Bronzer
A bronzer that's infused with argan oil and is just stunning to look at. It is a mix of three tan colours and the gold glitter bits are again just an overspray. It has a very strong oriental scent that I could smell even before I unwrapped it, but I really like it as I just love scented stuff, however, if you don't like scented makeup, this really isn't for you. It doesn't smell on the face, just in the packaging. The texture is a lot softer than at Happy Booster and Nude wear, I'd almost describe it as buttery, which also means that the pattern will be quickly worn off. I was really concerned about this one because it swatches golden yellow with a sheen and from the start with huge gold glitter particles due to the overspray. Yup, totally unexpected. But it actually works one me, well at least once the huge glitter chunks are gone. I don't know what kind of sorcery this is, but I think I really like it, not as much as my Estee Lauder one, but considering I hate most bronzers, liking this one is surprising. However, I have strong doubts this would work on many people because for one, it's very light for a bronzer, it's also shimmery-glowy and it's very yellow toned. Maybe people with darker skin tones could use it as a highlighter.
Click2Chic, 17.90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Blush
Rose
This looks a thousand times better in really life than in any picture I've seen. The packaging is on point - red satin covered with black fishnets, it's just perfect burlesque-inspired box. It never convinced me when I was looking online, but now that I've seen it in person, it'd be my first choice also because of the shade, not just the packaging as at Nude Wear. The blush is a mix of two shades - a shimmery pinky-peachy colour and a shimmery hot pink that is in the centre (it's not just an overspray). It's my favourite product in this Physicians bunch because it has the glow and I mean a proper one, not like Max Factor's Lavish Mauve, but the real deal, like Benefit's Coralista. It actually showed up on my pictures, which is unheard of. The fine shimmer in it is ice gold colour, so it doesn't end up looking too cool or too gold. It's lightly scented of vanilla and it again has a mirror plus a brush in the back.
Click2Chic, 15.90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Sexy Booster Va Va Voom Volume Mascara
This is without a doubt the most gorgeous packaging of a mascara I've owned. It's similar to Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen Sexy Blacks as both have lace details, but not in other respects. It has one of those big plastic brushes, like Max Factor's False Lash Effect and Cover Girl Lash Blast and surprisingly I like it more that the Instant Lash Extension kit below. It's not waterproof, so it doesn't hold a curl on me, but that's not important to you, however, it creates a lot of volume for such a mascara, especially considering it's new. The first coat is a bit shy, but the second and third give you nice voluminous lashes. If you like mascaras such a MF False Lash Effect (original), you'll like this as well.
Click2Chic, 14,90 €
*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit
Hmm… this is a mascara that I feel needs a very long review with every aspect explained in detail because it's a bloody hard mascara to use. I've had fibre mascaras, but this is nothing like I've tried before. The fibres actually come separate and they are dry, so it is vital that you first apply a thick and wet coat of mascara, then quickly apply the fibres so they stick to the lashes and then seal them with another coat of mascara. Using this mascara has been a trial and error, I've got a horrendous result and I got a nice one, basically it's a mascara that you have to learn to use. I read reviews about it and they are very polarised, but it seems to me that mostly girls with short, stubbly lashes like this and I get why. To get the important question out of the way - does it work? Yes, it does, you get a lot of fibres on there, but if you're not very careful you'll get clumpy, spidery lashes. You are applying something a lot more substantial than just mascara, plus a very wet, thick mascara on which the fibres stick, so it can get messy. I’d also suggest you stick to just one coat of fibres, I did two once and it was just like spiders are crawling out of my eyes. So don't do that, I do stupid things like that, so you don't have to. The fibres go everywhere if they don't stick on a wet enough coat of mascara and they can get in the eye, which isn't terribly pleasant (contact wearers don't use this. I made this mistake just once in my life). But once you master the application, you get some nice results. The formula also promises to make your lashes longer and fuller in time.
Click2Chic, 23.90 €
*ESSENCE Sheer & Shine Lipsticks
01 My First Love, 04 Hidden Secret and 07 Sparkling Miracle
Essence discontinued their original line of lipsticks which have been around since the beginning and upgraded them to these. As the name suggests they are sheer and with a shiny finish, so they are those lip balm/lipstick-lip gloss hybrids and I think they are better than the one before, which didn't really set the bar that high. I got three shades: 01 is super nude when you build it up and I'm just not feeling it on me, concealer nude years are thankfully gone. 07 is the darkest and it's a cool toned fuchsia that I also don't dig on me, but 04 is such a flattering nude. It looks ugly brown in the tube and I'd never pick it up, but on the lips it looks pretty and a great office/school/everyday shade. They again don't last long on the lips.
Click2Chic, 2.20 €
*ESSENCE Liquid Lipstick
04 Show Off!
Essence's version of those liquid lipstick-lipgloss hybrids. They are the thickest version I've tried, but luckily not sticky, they are very pigmented and have a high shine finish. The shade is a pretty bright coral-red. I don't like it as much as L'Oreal's because those are sooo comfortable to wear, but these definitely pack a punch and they are of course a third or fourth of the price, so go for it if you want.
Click2Chic, 2.79 €
*REVLON Matte Balm
255 Enchanting
I'm actually not supposed to talk about this yet, but it's coming soon on the virtual shelves of Click2Chic. I already have Unapologetic and I love the formula of these. This is one of the brand new shades for Fall 2015 and if you'd like I can post a review of it here once it's posted on the other blog.
Click2Chic, 10.89 €
*REVLON Photoready Prime + Anti-Shine
You might have seen the adverts for this already, but it's a primer in form of a balm. They decided to put it in a compact, so it's easier to carry with you for any touch ups, which is not a bad idea, except that's you'll be applying it over existing makeup, but since it's clear it should be fine. It promises to reduce pores, combat shine and prolong makeup. It's very light and feels very silicone-y, so creates that velvety layer on the skin and it mattifies very well, that's a plus, but does only a half of the job of disguising pores (compared to Infallible foundation), though the foundation does look better over it. So far I like it, but I don't think it'll knock my trusted Max Factor off its throne, however, people with oily skin will probably prefer the Revlon one.
Click2Chic, 13.59 €
*REVLON Photoready Kajal
350 Matte Expresso
I'm really digging this pencil. It's soft, it transfers well on the waterline, it's not harsh at all when you're drawing with it on the eyes and can be easily smudged if you want to. The staying power is insane. I applied it at 11 am in the waterline and checked again at 11 pm and it was still there. You don't want to know when took my makeup off and I went to sleep, but it was still hanging in the waterline. I'd say less than a half was gone, but from far away the effect was still the same, so pretty damn good. The colour is a deep cool toned brown that is a great alternative to black.
I think this is also new and not yet on the virtual shelves of Click2Chic.
*LIP SMACKER Disney Frozen
Elsa (Cool Vanilla Mint) and Sven (Berry Slush)
I actually had my eye on these for a while because they are so adorable and Elsa was the one I wanted most and the second was Olaf because it supposedly smells like Coconut Slushy, but I'm happy I got Sven nonetheless because Berry Slush sounded great as well. Elsa smells to me like coffee and there is not a trace of mint or vanilla (I really don't like coffee), while Sven smells fruity, like cherry-berry candy and it's mint green which makes me happy. The formula is classic for Lip Smackers, so soft and not as waxy as Labello/Nivea. I get why these are so popular in the USA.
Other scents/tastes: Elsa & Anna (Chilled Cranberry Grape), Anna (Strawberry Shake) and Kristoff (Ice Pop). You can get all in a box or individually.
Click2Chic, škatlica 9.99 €, posamezni (druge verzije) 2.49 €
*DEBORAH Smalto Gel Effect
49, 52, 54 and 58
These are new colours and you may remember how much I adore shade 01. It's the same gel formula that is just so nice to apply. I got four shades to swatch:
49 Peonia Pink is a pastel Barbie/bubble gum pink. Formula isn't as good as at the rest, but good enough considering it's a pastel.
52 Starlette Violet is a Milka chocolate violet. It's a one coater with a very smooth formula.
54 Amaranto is a muted red-vine colour with a retro feel. Needs two coats or even just one if you're lucky on some nails.
58 Cinnamon Suede is an olive green. Needs two coats.
I don’t' have a single colour that would be similar to any of these. Essence's Forgive me comes kind of close to 49, but it's a warm pink.
Click2Chic, 5,75 €
*CREATEURS DE MONOI Face Cream
Some of you might know of my love for L'Occitane Angelica face cream, but my skin has been enjoying this one just as well. It contains monoi oil, which is basically just coconut oil that had monoi flowers soaking in it for a month, so if you find that coconut oil is blocking your pores, this won't be for you. But my skin loves coconut oil, I use it as makeup remover and it makes my skin look so good. This cream does the same thing. It's quite thick or maybe I should say medium consistency, it takes longer to sink it that L'Occitane's and it also doesn't have silicones as that one, but it still works well under foundation. It has this lovely, indescribable scent that reminds me of Yves Rocher skincare. Does it make my skin smooth? Well, I don't have any dry patches and no spots, so yeah my skin is smooth. I've been using it for over a month now and my skin is in a really nice state, so I kind of really like this.
It's made by the same company as Yummy, so some German company and I don't know where else you can get this.
Click2Chic, 12 €
Review (includes ingredients)
*THE SCENT MANUFACTURE Extra Nourishing Body Lotions
Vampire Saga, Cashmere Sensation, Madagascar's Treasure and In Love
These look way more expensive that they are, but they are scented body lotions. They're not lotions in a true sense of the word because they are thankfully thicker and remind me of body creams. Each has a different scent ranging from teenage-y sweet to oriental, so it's a very diverse mix.
Vampire Saga looks like it'll smell the strongest and deep, but surprisingly it smells like candy. Blueberry candy that is, so it ends up smelling similar to Britney Spears's Midnight Fantasy and Escada's Moon Sparkle. If you like Tigi's scents, you'll like this.
Cashmere Sensation is the strongest and deepest scent out of these. It smells like a mix of Sariko shops (oriental spicy) and a nice fabric softener. It's a lot more spicy from the bottle, but on the skin it smells more powdery. It really reminds me of Avon's Herve Leger Femme once it settles. It's so strong I can easily wear it as a fragrance.
Madagascar's Treasure smells like vanilla dessert and caramel sweets. It's good enough to eat.
In Love is the most generic smelling out of these, but still pretty. It smells floral and fresh, there is a hint of fruitiness as well.
It's another brand made by CPEurope, that German company and I have no idea who else sells these.
Click2Chic, 4.99 €
*THE BRAZILIAN ORIGINAL Conditioner
This promises to reduce frizz, but it's too light for my hair. My hair was screaming for moisture on the second day, so it's far better suited for hair that is less dry than mine or even greasy hair. It smells divine, tropically sweet like pineapple and coconut, but not in a pina colada way. They do have an oil in this line, which I think would work way better for me because it has jojoba oil on the second place among ingredients, but the conditioner wasn't enough for me.
Click2Chic, 8.95 €
*BEAUTY & CHIC Hair Line
Colour, Repair and Hydro Shampoos and Conditioners
Beauty & Chic is a new Slovene brand created by Click2Chic. There are three lines: for Coloured hair (pink), Repair (orange) and Hydro (blue). I was trying the Repair version and I really like the shampoo because I doesn't leave my hair dry, but it actually already nourishes the hair a bit. The conditioner wasn't for me though, because it's too light, but it should work for those who want some nourishment, but without heavy care.
Click2Chic, 5.90 €
Have a great day!
New in #31
MAX FACTOR Creme Puff Blush
20 Lavish Mauve
I had major doubts these will ever reach Slovenia, but they did. The price is higher than I expected and they really "spoiled" us with the selection of four shades, but at least they decided to include the one I had my eye on from the start. Lavish Mauve was the least shimmery and coolest out of the four. I thought it's similar to Catrice's Nuts About You, but when I swatched them side by side, they revealed to be very different, as Lavish Mauve is a much cooler, pink-mauve-violet shade with tiny duo chrome violet-gold shimmer, which I can't see on the cheeks. It's soft and decently pigmented, but I don't get that famous "glow" on my cheeks with this one, just a classic flush. You'll see how it looks in my review, but if you want to see it sooner, since I need to take pictures of Lovely Pink before, I can put a quick picture on Instagram.
Müller, 12.79 €
*05 Lovely Pink
Just today Max Factor surprised me by sending me another shade completely out of the blue. Lovely Pink was the second shade on my list and I remember from the swatches I made in the shop that this one was one of the more glowy ones. It is indeed more glowy on the cheek as Lavish Mauve, though I just got it today and I spent two hours in a hot car before trying it, but I could see that small shimmer reflecting on my cheek. It's a warm pink shade and the shimmer is gold.
*MAX FACTOR Colour Intensifying Balm
30 Redefined Rose
Another new release by MF and the other part of my surprise package. It is, as described, an intense lip balm, well in terms of colour that is, and it features a nice moisturising formula. Redefined Rose looks absolutely gorgeous in the packaging, but the colour on my lips surprised me, as it's lighter and a bit cooler pink than I expected - it actually reminds me of how Creme Cup looks on my lips, but I'm sure it's my neutral skin tone that gives it that hue as it looks much warmer of other people's swatches. The pigmentation is better than expected and it's semi opaque with one or two coats, but it can be built-up to pretty much full opacity. I have no doubts this colour will be universally loved.
CATRICE Longlasting Lip Pencil
030 Berryson Ford
I saw this lip liner on Sara's blog and it was this shade from that post that appealed to me most. It's a deep berry-burgundy colour that reminds me of shades like L'Oreal's Laetitia, Bourjois Grand Cru and Catrice's lip liner in Love the Way you Plum. This shade is like a mix of all three I mentioned, so it's a very autumnal/winter colour.
Müller, 2.29 €
ESSENCE Longlasting Lipliner
05 Lovely Frappuccino
Everyone is going gaga for this liner and Nadja even found it being very similar to the very coveted Soar lip liner. I have been avoiding it for a long time because I'm not a fan of Essence lip liners and my experience with the Satin Mauve liner wasn't the best, but of course I caved mostly because Sara said I should just get it already. Thank you! I think I really like it. I'm still a bit on the edge, but my mom liked it straight away on me and asked me if she can try it as well, however, some don't like this colour on me as it's supposedly too dark. It has been growing on me more and more, and I ended up wearing it loads. It's warmer than Satin Mauve, a tiny bit more red, but still cool enough and it actually looks like Soar and Brave do on most girls I've seen. Highly recommend this to any pale girl who can't find a match for her in the 90's trend revival. I already posted a picture of it on my lips here and it's also on my lips in the got2b photo bellow.
Müller, 1.59€
ESSENCE Lipliner
15 Honey Berry
So basically I'm an idiot. I was going to get 05 Soft Berry after seeing it on Sara, but was too lazy to write the name on the phone, so I thought this was it. Anyway, it's wasn't a complete miss and it is a colour I don't have yet. On me it's a purple that is a bit similar to Yummy Berry, but a bit darker and cooler.
I did check Soft Berry later, but I put it back on the stand because it looks so intimidatingly dark brown.
Müller, 1.19€
*MAKEUP REVOLUTION Iconic Pro Lipstick
Propoganda
MR came out with another line of lipstick and I've seen all sorts of very appealing swatches on the internet, with pretty much everyone praising these. The first few applications negatively surprised me because they were so sheer, but thankfully when the top layer is gone, it reveals a very pigmented, creamy lipstick. The shade is a deep red that looks very glam also due to the shine, however, I would prefer it in a matte finish and it actually exists under a name Propoganda Matte. It's a very comfortable lipstick to wear and I like the rose gold part of the packaging, as it makes it very chic. I don't get the name though. Is it deliberately misspelled?
Makeup Revolution Slovenija, 4.95 €
Do konca junija dobite na slovenski spletni strani Makeup Revolution s kodo BLOG17 17 % popusta.
ESSENCE Cinderella TE Blush
01 So this is Love
I managed to get a hold of one of the last ones of these before they completely disappear (I'm not sure when it was released in other countries though). I got it for just 1 €! What a bargain. Originally I wasn't interested in this blush much, but then I saw it's supposed to be a dupe for Mac's Hippness LE blush, which I wanted a lot time ago. It's a pink with a touch of coral, though on the cheeks it looks just pink. There is some gold shimmer in it as well, but it's not visible on the skin. It's not as pigmented as I expected from the intensity in the pan, so it's one you apply gradually. Cute little thing.
E.Leclerc, 0.99 €
*REVLON Ultra HD Lipstick
Rose
Revlon came out with a new line of lipsticks, all adorably named after flowers and I got the shade Rose, which is a natural light pink shade. These aren't that far from their Lip Butters, except they are even softer and more pigmented. The lipstick feels very balmy on the lips and not at all drying even when the hours pass. It has a shiny finish and doesn't tend to last well, but that's expected due to the texture and also the shade. It has a very strong scent of ice cream (exactly like Planica), which obviously appeals to the sweet tooth side of me. You have to open the lid sooo carefully because the lipstick is very soft and it dents easily. I've been wearing this quite a lot since I got it because it's such a non-brainer shade and it's a nice replacement for a lip balm.
I'm wearing it here.
Click2Chic, 10.89 €
*REVLON Colorstay Gel Envy
400 Royal Flush
Of course I chose a warm purple-pink shade, what else. This one also has a tiny bit of violet shimmer/frost inside that gives it that cool toned hue. I already review this shade here and I've never tried a more perfect one coater. I'm also wearing it in the picture with the Essence blush above.
Click2Chic, 8.49 €
CATRICE Luxury Lacquers Liquid Metal Nail Polish
01 Champagne Rain
Müller had 20 % off all nail polishes and it would be rude not to take advantage. Champagne Rain is a champagne gold shimmer that ends up looking completely opaque on the nails. It looks so glamorous, though I'm already dreading the removal process.
Müller, 3.79 €
L'OREAL Color Riche Nail Polish
205 Rose Bagatelle
L'Oreal's nail polishes appealed to me recently and I picked up this deep rosy nude shade. It's about a shade or two darker than Deborah 01 as well as a bit warmer. I needed two or three coats for full opacity as the formula is thin, especially compared to the new age gel formula nail polishes.
Müller, 4.99 €
*BORN PRETTY 10 Pairs of Eyelashes #HS-43
Born pretty has a ton of eyelashes to choose from and I decided on a pack of 10 that look similar to my favouriteArdell's Demi Wispies. When they arrived I noticed, they are in fact not that similar. They are shorter for about a third and more crisscrossed. I was afraid that they might be too short for me, and they are in the inner part of the eye, however, they are really long in the outer corners and give the eye that fluttery, elongated effect. I find these make my eyes look so much bigger. They are very pretty and fluttery lashes, though I do feel them a bit on the eyes and they are very difficult to get out of the box without ruining them.
I'm wearing them here.
Born Pretty, 3.99 $
*BORN PRETTY The Hot Shop Lipstick
#1
So this is blatantly copying Top Shop's lipsticks, but I'll withhold my judgement about that. I got shade number one, which looks very different from what I imagined based on the swatches. It looks completely orange in the tube, but it's one of those shades that looks peachy on the lips and is pinker the darker your skin is. On me it's still quite an orange-ish shade, but I imagine it would look amazing medium skin tones. It's a very moisturising and soft lipstick with a glossy finish, but not as soft as Revlon's one and it will definitely appeal to all of those who like more moisturising lipsticks.
Born Pretty, $4.29
L'OREAL Gentle Eyes and Lips Make-up Remover
A lot of people swear by this remover, especially for waterproof mascara. I was using the Maybelline version a while ago and it was the best drugstore remover I've tried to date (best ever is Clarins' one). This is the same kind - a dual phase remover that needs to be shaken so that both liquids mix. I like how it stays mixed for a long time, because most cheap removers separate after a few seconds. As far as removal goes, it's similar to the Maybelline one, but perhaps not quite as effective or it's about the same and Maybelline's is cheaper. I'd say the only difference worthy of mentioning is that L'Oreal's version stays mixed longer. As far as drugstore waterproof makeup removers go, this is a nice one.
Interspar, 4.99 €
BALEA Luxury Verwöhnmomente Badesaltz
Red Love
Luxury Pampering Moments Bath Salt Red Love
This smells so amazing. If you're familiar with Balea's Kokos & Nectarine shower gel, this is similar, except that it's a warmer and deeper scent. It's just a classic bath salt, so there aren't any bubbles, but it turns the water into this intense shade of red-pink. I love it and I will repurchase it, even though I hoped the scent will be stronger in the bath.
DM, 0.79 €
There is a whole new collection called Luxury, with a shower gel and another bath in this scent, and the same three items plus a hand cream and scrub in the Vanilla & Patchouli scent. So far I've only seen the bath salts and hand cream here.
PRINZESSIN STERNENZAUBER Märchenhaftes 2 in 1 Shampoo + Spülung
2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner
As I said in one of my previous posts, I can't walk past a product with a peach/nectarine scent. I found this quite randomly whilst exploring DM for new or interesting things. It again smells much like the discontinued Kokos & Nectarine scent, though it is a bit of a different candy peach scent. I got it to use as a shower gel, but I did use it as a shampoo once. It's a shampoo plus conditioner in one, but though it foams well, my hair didn't feel particularly nourished (also not terribly stripped) and my hair was quite tangly after using it, which didn't surprise me because it's a silicone free product. I didn't feel it cleaned all that well though, at least as far as the scalp is concerned, but it should be fine for children who don't use styling products anyway.
DM, 1.79 €
GOT2B Rise'n Shine Soufflé
Hoch Karäter Volumen + Glaz Soufflé
I watched this video from Luxy hair and saw that this is how my hair looks on the second and third day. She used a hair wax at the end and though I used to use such a product way, way back to tame my frizz, it never occurred to me to use to for curls as well. I had no idea which one to pick in the shop because no one talks about hair waxes that I know off, so I grabbed this one from Got2B because it promises a soufflé texture and it had a nice discount. It is exactly like a soufflé and you can feel the bubbles popping under your fingers. Consequently, it's s lot lighter than a regular wax, however, it still has that waxy feel and I wouldn't use this on thin hair that gets greasy fast. It does define the curls a bit, keeps them in place, perhaps even better than a hair spray and doesn't feel terribly heavy or greasy on my hair. I'm happy with it.
This is meant as a volumising product, but I see no scenario where this could be used for volume. Waxes aren't for volume, but for definition. For volume I'd get a texturizing spray.
Müller, 4 €
AUSSIE 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor
A traditional repurchase. I opted to try out new cheaper drugstore conditioners and masks instead of buying this again purely because of the price. Well, I ended up with three rubbish conditioners and an emptier wallet. Nice one, Mateja. So this one finally had a decent discount and I just grabbed it, now I'm thinking I should have taken two. This is one of my favourite drugstore treatments as it actually works well on my hair, it nourishes, makes it feel sleeker and smells amazing like bubble gums. But why it has to cost almost three times as much as in the USA is beyond me.
Müller, regular price 7.99 €
JOHN FRIEDA Beach Blonde Ocean-Waves
I've never owned a proper salt spray before, I did try to make it myself, but I didn't like it. I heard about this one fromAlix (I Covet Three) and I had little hope this will arrive here as well, but it did. Mind you it's only in certain Müllers, but at least they didn't forget us completely again. As Alix said it smells like summer, so it has this beachy, coconut-salty scent and that was one of the main reasons I bought it. It doesn't make the hair super crunchy, though it does leave that salt water feeling on the hair and it made decent enough beachy waves, however, real salt water does it way better. I've only used it once, so I need more play time with it.
Müller, 8.39 €
KNEIPP Badekristale Immer cool bleiben
Stay Cool Bath Crystals
It was 30°C outside when I was shopping in Müller plus I've just been through an hour long drive and this caught my attention because it's so cute with the penguin chilling with the cocktail. Normally I don't associate baths with cooling down, however, this one contains mint and menthol, so I'm interested in how this works out.
Müller, 1.29€
Shell and Starfish Soaps
I got these mainly as decoration. I've actually had these before also in a shape of a seahorse as these look so posh in the bathroom. The scent of these is so intense, it's just a classic clean scent and I love it.
Müller, 0.30 € per piece
*YUMMY Rhubarb and Orange Shower Gel
This smells soo good! Yummy came out with three summer and cocktails inspired scents of their shower gels: Cranberry & Lime (brusnica in limeta), Elder & Mint (bezeg in meta) and Rhubarb & Orange (rabarbara in pomaranča). Mine smells so tropically-fruity sweet, but a tiny bit bitter, which makes it so fresh - I love it. Mom says it smells like Radenska ACE Tropik and I say it smells like Bibita (discontinued blue label one). Otherwise it's just a regular shower gel, which is luckily not as runny as the original ones, but as far as any skin care benefits go, there are none, but the scent is all that matter to me anyway.
Click2Chic, 5,95 € (500 ml)
Belles Saisons Eau De Cologne Lavande
I already spoke about this in my May favourites and I've been spraying this like crazy for weeks now. I discovered this whilst exploring E.Leclerc's beauty section (again. I love it because they have things that you can't get anywhere else in Slovenia) and I was buying spare razors in the men's section when this caught my eye and once I saw the price, I just shoved it in my shopping basket. I love the vintage feel of the glass bottle, it looks better in person and it's glass, so I keep it on display in my room, right next to L'Occitane's stuff. The scent is proper a lavender and even though it's a eau de cologne, when I spray a lot of it, it doesn't disappear in seconds .
E.Leclerc, 1.51 € (250 ml)
Anything you'd like to see a review or an Instagram picture of first?
* - Products are PR samples.
Drugstore Recommendations for Dry Hair
PRE-WASH TREATMENTS
Coconut Oil
If your hair is really dry or at least your ends desperately need some extra care, oils are your best bet. Particularly coconut oil has proven to be excellent for hair because it's the only one that has the ability to penetrate into the cortex and also helps prevent protein loss. You simply apply it on dry hair before washing and leave it on as long you like, but the longer the better and leaving it overnight yields best results. Then you simply wash it off (you'll notice how much sleeker your hair is when rinsing off the shampoo) and continue with conditioner as well as the rest of the care. You can also heat the oil first in the microwave or use a hair dryer to warm it up as warm oil performs even better. People often ask me if putting a lot of oil on their hair will make it greasy - you'll wash it off. Unless you have a rubbish shampoo, all the oil simply washes off by shampooing twice. Coconut oil is sold in any bigger grocery store and drugstores (it's usually where the healthy food is), but beware of varying prices as I've seen some insane price tags and if you're paying over 10 €, it's too much.
I found this quite randomly in E.Leclerc and though we have this brand just about everywhere here, for some reason I could only find this oil there. I think it's even better than coconut oil and it's my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". They decided to fit the bottle with a spray applicator, which was a bad move, since the oil is too thick and there is no way it could spray it into a mist, but you just spray it in the hands and apply it like that. I'm always very generous when applying it and I use it all over the hair since my entire length is dry, but you can easily just apply it on the ends if that is your only problematic area. I tend to leave it on overnight or all day if I'm at home and put my hair in a tight bun, then wash my hair in the morning or evening and let me tell you this oil has fantastic results. It deeply hydrates and nourishes the hair like nothing I've tried. My hair feels like it's transformed. But it doesn't work on dry hair after washing if you plan to use it as a leave-in as it is very greasy and heavy.
E. Leclerc, 5-6 €
Other recommendations:
Macadamia Oil
Argan Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil
SHAMPOOS
I have tried many, many shampoos in my life, a large majority of them were from the drugstore and these two from L'Oreal win hands down. Performance-wise they are both about the same with the main difference being the scent. Extraordinary oil one has an oriental cinnamon-ish scent, while Glatt-Intense has a typical clean scent. The latter seems to have disappeared from our shelves, perhaps in order to be replaced by Extraordinary oil, but regardless, as I said they are so similar. The formula reminds me a lot of the much more expensive and utterly brilliant Oleo-Relax, so it's like a bit of conditioner was added to the shampoo, but it doesn't weight the hair down, just smooths it a bit. When I'm rinsing it off, there is none of that annoying squeaky clean, dry, my-hair-I'll-be-a-tangly-mess feeling and the hair can be combed a lot easier than at a lot of other shampoos. Best of all, these are on offer very often and you can get 400 ml at a bargain price of a few euros just about everywhere.
Other recommendations:
CONDITIONERS, MASKS AND TREATMENTS
Just as shampoos, I've tried my fair share of drugstore conditioners and though a large majority were disappointing (I just tried three new ones last month and all did not perform satisfactory), there are a few drugstore gems that I've been loyal to for years. They of course don't work as well as salon brands, especially when it comes to dry hair (I would suggest you still invest in one high-end one if your hair is really dry), but they still do their work admirably. Brilliant Brunette has been in my conditioners stash for so many years and when one runs out, a new one promptly takes its place. It feels quite light, yet it is moisturising enough for my dry hair and it leaves the hair feeling silky when I rinse it off, but there are two other things that it excels at and that is shine and scent. The scent is divine, it's like a mix of coconut and caramel in a more sophisticated way and this is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smells nice for at least a day if not longer. I currently own a salon size 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, while the regular sizes comes in a squeeze tube.
Price: 8.49 € for 250 ml in Müller and DM.
Things were shaky the first few weeks when I got my first Aussie Reconstructor, but it turned out to be one of my ultimate favourites. It's one of the rare conditioners that I consider being almost as good as some more expensive ones because the effects last a day or two longer on my hair, in particular when it comes to how long my hair stays moisturised. It has a gel-cream hybrid texture that is easy to apply on the hair and it smells just like Hubba-Bubba fruit fantasy bubble gum tape. I leave it on for longer than 3 minutes, usually about 20 minutes, but you can just leave for as long as you want to. It finally became available in Slovenia (can I get a hallelujah for that?), though it is quite pricey compared to the USA.
Price: 8 € in Müller.
Elvital Total Repair 5 Intensiv Maske mit Reparatűr Serum
Elvive Full Restore 5
This caught my eye when I saw it on Allure's list of best drugstore treatments, though it's has several different names and packaging, but I think mine is the right one. This is my first pot and though I liked it straight away, I'm more and more impressed by it with every use. Compared to most masks available on our market, this one performs really well on dry hair, it nourishes it and just does all the basic things I expect from a hair mask. The pudding-jelly cream consistency reminds me of Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Epais-Thick, thought L'Oreal's version of course isn't as impressive as the Kérastase's, but it's certainly lovely for the price. I also tried the newest Extraordinary Oil versionand it performs badly compared to this one, so I actually much prefer the combination of Extraordinary shampoo with Total Repair 5 mask. There is also another version of Total Repair in a violet packaging, but I haven't tried it yet.
Müller, 6.39 €. I've seen only the violet version in DM.
Other recommendations:
HEAT PROTECTION
L'OREAL Studio Line Hot & Smooth Hot Straight Cream
Studio Line Hot&Glatt Thermo-Glättungs-Balm
I will be completely honest at this category and say that none of the drugstore heat protectors blew me away, also a lot of them contain alcohol, which is completely unnecessary for dry hair. However, I have been using L'Oreal's Studio Line Hot & Smooth (previously Silk & Gloss) for at least ten years, first on my hair and now on others. There are a few versions of heat protectors in this line - I have two, the lotion version and the aerosol one. I wouldn't recommend the latter for dry hair because it contains alcohol and it does feel a bit drying on the hair, however, the lotion is another story. It's a very basic, light heat protection that doesn't weight down the hair and does its job of protecting from heat. My bottle is very old and it has been repackaged, so I put the newest aerosol version next to it, which comes in thenew design.
About 5 € in Műller.
Possibly interesting alternatives that I haven't tried yet, but heard good things about:
DOVE Style+Care Replenishment and Heat Protect Spray (available in Boots)
UMBERTO GIANNINI Glam Hair Princess Purrfect Hot Styler Spray (available in Boots)
LEAVE-INS
I have exactly the same opinion about silicone oils as about heat protections - there aren't many that are actually good or comparable to salon brands ones. Yes, essentially they are all just good-old silicone serums with some oils. Big deal, right? However, most drugstore ones again have alcohol in it or even if they have nice ingredients, they don't work as well, mostly because they are too light (like for example the Garnier Fructis one). And since they are so light, dry hair just drinks them up in minutes and then it's like you didn't use anything, so you end up using so much oil for any effect. But Petra showed me one exception and it's brilliant. You can tell from the bottle, I've been loving this for the past months. The texture is comparable to salon brands "oils" in a sense that's it's thick, but it's not as thick asOrofluido or Macadamia Natural Oil's one, still it's much better than most drugstore oils. I don't tend to use it on damp hair, but rather after blow-drying to tame the frizz, give the hair a bit of nourishment and shine. It smells nice as well and the scent is like a mix of their "regular" green serum, which smells a bit like apples but in a hair salon way, plus some deep oriental note. I'm also a big fan of the pump, but I do mind that there is only 30 ml of it in the bottle because when you compare the prices per ml, Orofluido is not that more expensive if you know where to get the lowest price.
Avon, regular price 6.90€, but it's often on offer.
Öl-La-La Styling Öl-Spray
This is basically just a very light silicone-oil in an aerosol form, which is wonderful for dry hair that needs a bit of a boots and even for those who find most liquid silicone-oils too heavy for their hair. It gives tons of shine, helps fight frizz and doesn't weight down the hair, which makes it a great choice to use when you wear your hair curly and you fear your curls will drop if you apply a proper hair oil. It's more of a styling/shine product, since the argan oil content is minimal and it doesn't actually nourish the hair much, however, it's much better than your average shine spray because most of those have a high content of alcohol. This spray is actually just cheating healthy, shiny hair in a can. I can spray a ton of it on my hair and it doesn't weigh it down one bit, build up or make it oily, however, my hair is dry and thick.
I've seen Fructis does the same thing, but they obviously had to put alcohol in it, what else.
6.99 € in Müller.
I will sneakily add this leave-in as well because you can get it for as little as 12.70 € on Beauty Bay and one bottle lasts me well over a year. A good leave-in conditioner makes all the change when you have dry hair. It injects an additional boots of moisture, it helps the hair stay hydrated longer and this one also helps fight frizz. Using this, I can easily use a drugstore conditioner without having my hair dry by the end of second day after washing it. I don't even have to resort to using oil every day on my ends. It's hands down the best leave-in conditioner I've tried and if you're worried it's heavy, it's actually just a very light liquid.
Other recommendations:
JOHN FRIEDA Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner - recommended by Živa from Nothin' Fancy. Really.
Have a great day!