February Favourites

  Bourjois Cream Blush 01 Nude Velvet

I've been doing 'the cream blush as a base plus powder blush on top' to make sure that the colour lasts as long as possible for a while now. I use this one, which is favourite cream blush, as a base because it goes particularly well with Catrice's Rose Royce. It's has that silicone dry-to-the-touch/almost powdery type of finish, which ensures that the powder blush doesn't stick on top in patches rather it blends over smoothly.

 Catrice Defining Blush 020 Rose Royce

My favourite blush at the moment. It's a natural nude-pink shade that works with any look and never looks overdone. The flush it gives is so pretty! Catrice's blushes are fantastic - really pigmented and last so long on the cheeks.

 NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly

I finally found a concealer that matches me perfectly when I'm at my palest. The formula is super creamy, the coverage is almost full (pretty much identical to Collection's Lasting Perfection) and it lasts all day. 

Essence Guerilla Gardening TE Lip Cream Floral Glam

I jut love this colour on me. It's close to Mac's Lady Danger, but prettier in my opinion. I love the texture and the excellent staying power of these lip creams plus they don't dry out my lips despite the matte finish. Too bad this shade was limited edition.

Tigi Catwalk Mystique Blow Out Balm 

I never considered this heat protection to be anything special and yet I always mix a few pumps of this with Kerastase Nectar Termique. It has this gorgeous shimmer in it and it really shows on the hair as it makes it noticeable shiny (I always get comments on that). Now that it's running out, I know I want to repurchase it. Also every time someone asks me to do their hair, I always use this heat protection, simply because it works on all types of hair. It's like a light silicone-lotion that doesn't weight down the hair at all and it makes the hair sleeker when I straighten/style it. 

Victoria's Secret Love Spell Body Butter 

Love Spell is more of a summer fragrance with it's fizzy tropical drink scent, but I've been really enjoying using this body butter recently. The quality of the body butter is great as it's super moisturising and smells divine.

 Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Fragrance Mist

I already talked about this spray in my recent product of the week post, so I'll be brief. It smells like vanilla crescent cookies on me, so a very strong vanilla with a hint of coconut and it really lasts on the skin.

Wonderstruck Enchanted

Yes, I know I complained that the staying power is very weak on me and it is, but I adore this scent. It's so sweet and cozy, just perfect for this time of year. I smell mostly berries with warm vanilla and sugar notes.

Have a great day!

Labello Fruity Shine Peach Lip Balm

There is a new kid on the Labello's Fruity Shine block. Peach version joined the family which already includes Strawberry, Cherry and in some countries also Guava, while Dragon fruit and Pomegranate mysteriously disappeared. I did make an unidentified high pitch sound when I first saw it, since I absolutely love peach scented products.
For those who are confused about the name Labello, it's just how Nivea's lip balms are called in this part of the world. To the best of my knowledge this version doesn't exist under the Nivea name.

The peach version has a hint of colour on the lips just as the rest of the Fruity Shine lip balms. This one is, obviously, a peach shade but with tiny gold shimmer, except that the shimmer doesn't show on the lips. The colour pay-off is minimal, but still noticeable, especially if you go to town with it. The finish is shiny.

The scent is divine! Just like peach yoghurt and very similar to The Body Shop Vineyard Peach body butter that I love so much, only sweeter and not as fresh. 

Formula-wise, despite the fact that they are loved by so many, Labello were never my favourites. I find them not moisturising enough, too light and they wear off so fast. Yet they are cheap and there are some fun colours in the fruity shine line, so I do tend to get one once in a while.

Labello Fruity Shine in Peach is widely available in drugstores as well as supermarkets. I got mine in DM for 1.85€. If you love peach scented products, give it a go.

Have a great day!

Tigi Oatmeal & Honey Intense Nourishing Mask

Back in my early teens, when I first got into hair care, Tigi's Oatmeal & Honey shampoo and conditioner  together with Tigi's Curl Rock Amplifier were staples in my bathroom for years. I bought several supersizes (750 ml) in a row and then the Oatmeal & Honey line got discontinued. They finally repackaged it last year and added a hair mask. Of course, I couldn't resist trying it out.

Texture: it's a typical hair mask that is neither too thin nor too thick. If I remember the texture of the old conditioner correctly, this is thicker, though not by much. It's similar in texture to L'Oreal's Ever Riche mask and a bunch of others.

Scent: This has a super strong scent. It's probably the strongest smelling hair product I've tried. I've said before that it smells like Christmas and it does - like drinking mulled wine and nibbling on gingerbreads. The two strongest notes are cinnamon and clove plus there's a bit of honey thrown in as well. While this is a great scent for colder months, the strong scent will probably not be as appealing when it'll be 25°+ outside.

Performance: This is a nice treatment for super dry hair, it's definitely for those who need moisture and nourishment. Surprisingly, I noticed this leaves me a with lot of body almost like it thickens my hair. It's odd since this is quite a heavy product, maybe it just works like that on my hair, I don't know. Even without the got2b Volumania Volumizing Spray Mousse, I managed to get tons of volume with my regular routine and it didn't drop within an hour rather it lasted a decent amount of time. Of course, with volume comes the perpetual curse - frizz, and I do notice that the frizz is harder to tame after using this. The ends feel nice, not super soft like with Kerastase or Joico, but very close. The scent lingers on the hair, which not that surprising given the strength of the fragrance. 

Packaging: It's a simple pot with (only) 200 ml of product. I can already say that I doubt it will last me long since, with my hair reaching the end of my back, it means I use a lot of product at once. The pot was also only 3/4 full when I got it, so don't let the size of the pot deceive you.

Price and availability: I managed to find it for 13€ on Feel Unique, but this was the second pot I ordered. The first time I ordered it on HqHair for 14€ and then the package got lost (it was refunded). Generally, the prices without a discount are around 16-18€ online. I'm not sure how much it costs at the hairdresseser.

This is a great product for dry hair, even for those who are afraid a hair mask might be too heavy for them since in my experience it doesn't affect volume (please keep in mind I naturally have volume. I'm not saying it will make volume, it just doesn't leave the hair flat due to being too heavy). However, if you're sensitive to fragrance I must warn you that this has a super strong scent, stronger than any product I've tried. Though I like that it's in a pot because I can get every last bit of it out, I'm not too happy with the quantity. An additional 50 or 100 ml wouldn't hurt. But all in all, I'd say it's pretty damn good. I might get the conditioner next, the 750 ml with a pump version like I used to. 

Have a great day!

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lipliner Pencil in Black Tulip

When I bought Rimmel's Kate Matte lipstick in 107, which I wore pretty much every day all winter, I instantly went on a search for a matching lip pencil, since 107 is one of the most difficult colours to apply nicely. The problem is not in the formula, but in the colour - every mistake shows. Based on my Google search I decided on a lip pencil also by Rimmel, called Black Tulip.

Colour: when I was looking for a matching lip pencil in our drugstores, they all looked too brown. I hoped that with Black Tulip this wouldn't be the case, but unfortunately it has some strong brown tones in it. Basically it's a deep burgundy-brown shade, darker than Rimmel's 107, but closer to Rimmel's Apocalips in Eclipse except more brown. Worn alone on the lips, I'm must admit, I'm not a fan of this shade and I also don't like the Black Tulip all over the lips with Rimmel's 107 on top combo as it makes it look too dark. But it works well just as a "fixer" in a sense where I wear 107 on the lips and then just fix the lip line to make it more even. It is a shade darker, but worn in that way, it's not that apparent.

Formula: It's one of the harder pencils, but not as hard as Bourjois'. Worn alone on the lips it is very matte and looks super drying making it not the best look. But worn just around the edge of the lips, it works fine. 

Staying power: It's nothing special. Much like 107 it wears off too fast for my taste, but it still lasts a few hours.

Price and availability: I got it on Feel Unique for 3.89€, but it should be available everywhere where Rimmel is sold.

Though it's not a perfect match for 107, it still works ok and it's a nice pencil especially for the price. However, I would still like to find something better.

Have a great day!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly (vs. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer)

I don't normally do anything as stupid and shell out 26€ for a concealer, though it has happened before (YSL Anti-Cernes multi-action concealer, which is lovely might I add and was 5€ cheaper back in 2006), but being super pale means finding a matching shade is about as rare as hen's teeth. So I treated myself for my birthday with the lightest concealer I have found to date - NARS Radiant creamy concealer in Chantilly.

Right off the bat I noticed how similar it is to Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer, especially for something that costs about a fifth of the price of NARS' concealer (or a little less than a half for someone like me who has to order it on eBay). But more about the comparison later in the post.

Texture: Super creamy, pigmented and very blendable, though it needs something underneath that has a bit of moisture be it a moisturiser or a moisturising foundation. Dry, matte skin won't allow this to spread and blend as nicely, resulting in it looking a bit patchy.  

Staying power: Just like Collection 2000, this lasts pretty much all day. It outlasts all the foundations I own apart from Estee Lauder Maximum Cover.

Coverage: Is almost full and buildable. It covers the redness and circles under my eyes completely as well as any blemishes. It takes a few layers to cover any dark freckle that I have, but even then it's not perfectly covered, though it's good enough for me. 

Finish: It leaves a satin-matte finish and I don't tend put powder over it unlike with other concealers. It doesn't settle in lines or crease.

Packaging: A simple tube with a doe foot applicator. The doe foot makes it easy to apply where you want and the amount you need. My only gripe is the rubberised cap (NARS' signature) which gets dirty super fast.

I went on and compared it too most foundations and concealers I own at the moment (well, as much as I could fit on my arm). When I was researching online, which shade to get, there weren't many helpful comparison pictures apart from the ones with shades within the Radiant Concealer range, which drove me mad.

• Chantilly is closest to Missha's M Signature Complete BB cream in #13, which is currently the best match for me, but it's still lighter. 
• Compared to Rimmel Match Perfection in 010 Light Porcelain and essence match2cover (the lighter shade of the two), it's lighter and more yellow toned. 
• It's a lot lighter than Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in fair (their lightest shade available), Maybelline's the Eraser in Fair and Bourjois Healthy Mix 51. 
• Mac Face and Body N1 is ridiculously dark compared to Chantilly.  

Comparison with Collection Lasting Perfection concealer: I wore both side by side a few days in a row, using different foundations and BB's underneath to properly test it.

I wore both, one on each side of the face and I don't notice any difference in coverage, how they sit on the skin or how they wear off.

• They both offer pretty much full coverage, the difference is in how much product you need to achieve that. NARS' has more coverage and is creamier making it a bit easier to blend. But you can get the same amount of coverage with Collection 2000. You just need to add a few more dots of the product or add another layer (and I think everyone can live with that, right?). 
• The finish is spot on, the same satin-matte one and both have a tendency to cling to dry skin (something moisturising underneath fixes that problem). 
• The only difference is that by the end of the day NARS' concealer lasts longer and look brighter, while on Collection's side the redness under my eyes already peeked through (which could also be a result of a difference in shades with the NARS being obviously lighter).

Here is a side by side comparison. I kept the pictures large if you want a closer look. You can also see a full-face version of me wearing both concealers here (the picture is too large for here, besides not every one wants to see my scary mug).

There is a difference in shades, but that's it. However, for a Snow White like me, there aren't many such light shades and this one fits me perfectly at the moment, especially when I wear it with Missha's BB, Dior's BB or Rimmel's Match Perfection, and that's why for me it's totally worth the money. I love it especially for under the eyes as it makes that brightening effect on me, which makes me look rather fabulous. Obviously, if you found a colour match in Collection 2000 range, honestly you don't desperately need NARS' Radiant Creamy concealer, but it is a great product to have.

Radiant creamy concealer is an excellent product, though, I still prefer the more natural looking texture of my beloved Maybelline the Eraser (I wish they made such a light shade), but Chantilly is still my little dream come true. As soon as I get a bit tanner this will be too light for me as well.

I bought NARS' Radiant Creamy concealer from HqHair for 26 € (21 £) and Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer of eBay for 12 € with shipping from a seller that doesn't exist any more (but I'm certain you are able to find one yourself) and it's sold in UK's Boots and Superdrugs for 4.19 £.

By the way, there is another fabulous concealer I tested in the shop (applied it under the eyes and the whole shebang) and I think it's one of the best concealers I ever tried. It's Clarins' Instant Concealer, however, the lightest shade is much darker than NARS' Chantilly (it's also pink toned, so maybe closer to Vanilla and Collection's Fair? I could be wrong). For anyone who doesn't have access to NARS or even Collection 2000, but can afford a high price tag, go check it out.  

Have a great day!

Product of the Week #18

This is the second February in a row that I'm all over this body spray. I'm talking, of course, about Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion and it might surprise you to learn that it doesn't actually smell all that coconuty at all. This is not a scent I'd wear to the beach or associate with summer. Not at all. This is actually a very warm and snugly scent that's more appropriate for winter. I tend to change my fragrances a lot depending on my mood and I sprayed this very liberally one day just because it was the nearest thing around me. I then started writing another post and all of a sudden I started smelling home-made cookies. You know those yummy vanilla crescents? Sniffing the air thinking that some miracle occurred and someone brought me cookies, I then realised it's me that smells so good. I smelled just like cookies. Which is cool in my book and I don't care what anyone says. It usually smells a bit sharper on me, a more perfumey vanilla with a hint of coconut, but on that day, my chemistry and this spray really got along. Coconut Passion is also a great fragrance for layering, particularly with Yves Rocher's Noix de Coco or L'Occitane's Ambre (that's how I wore it last winter) This is a strong scent and it lasts long on the skin, so the fact this body spray comes in a 150 ml bottle, means it should last you a while. 

I got this off eBay a while a go, but if you're from a country that has Victoria Secret shops, I'm sure it's easier for you to get a hold off. Slovene girls that can't order from abroad should check Salma if they have it in stock, but they have a ton of stuff there that aren't even available at the moment.

Have a great day!

Empties #5

Herbal Essence Bee Strong Conditioner

This is surprisingly good for a drugstore conditioner and it's so affordable at only 2.45€ per bottle. I love the effect of it, the scent is nice and it moisturises my dry, coarse hair very well. My only real gripe is the packaging because when it's about to run out, you need Hercules' strength to get the rest of the product out (hence why mine in cut in the middle). I know there is a pot version available, which I'd prefer, but it's not sold in my country.

Repurchase: Yes.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Moisturising Conditioner

An absolutely lovely conditioner that I have been repurchasing for years and have rarely been without a tube of this in my bathroom. In fact, I currently have a 500 ml bottle of this with a pump.

Repurchase: Yes.

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner

(a.k.a. Dove Oil Care Nährplege 1 Minute Kur-Spülung)

I used up another one of these - I must have gone through at least a dozen tubes so far. This is one of my favourite drugstore treatments for dry hair. It's very thick, which I love, works great on my dry hair and it smells gorgeous. I recently bought the blue Intensive Repair version to try and it's nice as well, but I still prefer this one.

Repurchase: Yes.

Tigi Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray

This was my only hairspray for years. I used to love it, but since I discovered Lee Stafford's Hold Tight, I find it a bit sticky from the start and doesn't hold as well as I would like. It can also feel a bit crispy, especially when you really go to town with it, while at Lee Stafford that doesn't happen to me. That being said, this is still a great hairspray and my second favourite. It smells like pineapples (like the (old) Dumb Blonde line), so obviously I like it. 

Repurchase: Probably not, only if Lee Stafford's Hold Tight gets discontinued.

L'Oreal Elvital Volume-Collagen Push-Up Spray

I actually bought this only for the packaging. I needed a better, preferably a spray bottle for Alpecin Medicinal Forte that needs to be applied on the scalp. The nozzle looks right, however, the I find it so hard to squeeze.
So on to the actual product. It's a volume spray that is supposed to be applied close to the the roots. It's a liquid that pretty much feels like water and can be used on damp or dry hair. Due to it's lightness, it doesn't weigh down the hair at all. I notice no additional volume, which is not surprising considering that it has no hold at all. It has a high alcohol content, which is never a good thing in my book, and it also contains sollutable collagen - in all honestly, I have no idea how collagen would be creating volume. It has a chemical scent that is nothing special nor does it last. There are far better volumising products.

Repurchase: No.

The Body Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine

I wanted to like this, but I just can't. Though the ingredients are nice and there are no silicones, it feels too waxy. As a dry ends treatment on dry hair, it feels too heavy, waxy and it doesn't even give much of a shine. As a pre-wash treatment, it doesn't do much of anything either, particularly compared to proper coconut oil. This has a very hard consistency, especially if it's left in bellow 22°C degrees, so it's hard to scoop it out. You need to warm it up a lot between the hands and then it turns into a waxy oil. I place it on a radiator before use and it feels much more creamy, almost buttery and therefore easier to work with. It smells strongly like hazelnuts to me. The tin is nice and great for travel, I just wish there were a better product inside.

Repurchase: No.

Orofluido Shine Spray

It does what it's supposed to and nothing more. This is a typical shine spray with a high alcohol content as so many of them, though it didn't dry out my hair. As it's expected, it gives lot of shine, but doesn't weight down the hair. Orofluido packed it with their delightful fragrance, so I loved using it as a hair fragrance. It's nice, but I prefer Orofluido Sahara because it also provides care on top of shine (but it is much heavier than this). 

Repurchase: No, but it's nice for those whose hair gets weighted down by products and just want shine.

Rosal Milk and Honey Lip Balm

This is a very waxy feeling lip balm, but still moisturising, though you can feel how it mostly just coats the lips. This waxiness makes it less appropriate for wearing it under a lipstick. The scent is more of a honey and milk meet plastic and beeswax, but not in a bad way. 

Repurchase: No.

Labello Soft Rose Lip Balm

A very average lip balm, but one that a lot of people have/had and some really like it. It really doesn't stand out in any respect, neither the scent, colour or effect.

Repurchase: No.

Balea Sweet Wonderland Lip Balm

I used this only once and I'm tossing it. The scent is a weird, chocolate-chemical one, nothing like the yummy smelling shower gel from this LE. The texture and the moisturising power are below average.

Repurchase: No.

Yves Rocher Noix de Coco Malaysian Coconut Lip Balm

Apart from the scent, which is one of the best coconut scents I tried, it's just not worth it. It's not really moisturising and the packaging is very impractical. The opening is way to small, so the only way to get the product out is with a lip brush and I just can't be bothered. 

Repurchase: No.

Essence Matte Top Coat

I actually ended up using this a lot also as a base. It may sound odd to use it in such a way, but I like it because it dries in less than 10 seconds. The bottle didn't last me that long and what was left got completely unusable.

Repurchase: Not sure if they sell it any more, but I liked it.

Essence Profi-Nail File 4 in 1

I bought several of these so far. There are four different textures: one to trim, one to clean, one to smooth and one to polish the nails. I like it, it does what it's supposed to, does that well, and it's affordable. I still have one that I use all the time.

Repurchase: Not sure if they sell it any more, but I'm sure Essence has a similar one and I will purchase that one.

Have a great day!

Empties #4

A lot of empties accumulated in my bags in the past couple of months (two bags of them to be exact). In fact, there are so many of them that I'll do two separate posts about them, otherwise this would be way too long. So if you see a product in the first picture and you can find it here, fret not, it'll be in the second part. The blue text are links to the original reviews or first impressions if you want to know more about the products.

L'Oreal Age Perfect Toner with Vitamin C 

I haven't used it up yet as I still have some left, it's just in a spray bottle because the original packaging is 
rubbish. I like this as a spray toner since it doesn't feel like your applying nothing, rather it feels sufficiently moisturising and it also contains vitamin C. The scent is among the stronger ones and it's difficult to describe in any other way than chemical, but I like it. If I apply this with a cotton pad around the eyes, it burns a bit, but this is not the case when I use it as a spray. In short, it's a decent toner and very affordable.

Repurchase: I might, it's not bad at all.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution

(a.k.a. Hydra Active 3 Mizellen-Technologie Reinigungsfluid in German speaking world)

A decent micelar water, though I don't like it nearly as much as Bioderma. Since I realised it's basically the same thing as the Garnier one, only in worse packaging and more expensive per ml, I won't buy it again.

Repurchase: No.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast

This is very different from other B5 (panthenol) healing treatments such as Avene Cicalfate or Bepanthenol, in a sense that it feels like a primer and it leaves a matte, silicone-dry finish. I used this on areas where my skin needed healing/repairing, mostly on spots and my legs. I like how smoothly it applies, especially compared to the much thicker Cicalfate for example. It's quite lovely.

Repurchase: Probably.

Omnia Botanica Argan Oil

An excellent oil for mega dry, patchy skin. If I got dry patches, this healed them super fast. But since my skin got loads better in this year, I've been using it mostly for hair. Aside from the usual treatment for dry ends, I used this on my scalp (I suffer from dry scalp and therefore flaky, itchy scalp with dandruff) and since this has a dropper, it's easier to get it right into the roots. I also added it into my pre-wash mix which contains coconut oil and a few drops of tea tree oil (as well as Phytopolléine universal elixir while I still had it). I like it, but the amount is so small for the price. I actually saw 0.75 l for about 15€ in E.Leclerc in the cooking section. 

Repurchase: I don't know. It's within the realm of possibilities.

 Maybelline the Colossal Volumin' Express waterproof mascara

This is my favourite drugstore mascara and I bought several of them over the years, but honestly, it can't compare to high-end waterproof mascaras. It gives about the same amount of volume and length as the more expensive versions, but it is not really waterproof and therefore, can't hold the curl well. It also doesn't survive super hot days (hello panda eyes). I would still repurchase it if high-end mascaras would be out of  my reach at that time. The packaging is hideous, though.

Repurchase: Probably.

Max Factor Lipfinity Lastick Lip Tint

I don't know why I kept this so long as I never used it. I'm not a fan of stains since they get stuck on dry patches while the rest of the colour fades and this one is exactly like that. The colour doesn't even last an hour. On the plus side, it didn't dry out yet, but I'm still tossing it.
Repurchase: No.

Rimmel Perfect Match Concealer

A very creamy, medium to full coverage concealer and one of my all-time favourites. It's supposed to be illuminating, but I don't find it so. It can easily be used to cover spots as well, not just circles and it covers both well. The packaging is not ideal, especially when it's about to run out, since the fact that the product must come through the brush wastes product. A more simple nozzle would be ideal. The shade is quite light and yellow toned, however, not as light as their lightest foundation in the same range (010 Light Porcelain). I also noticed that it oxidises well before the expiration date, which made it too dark for me, while from the start the shade was ideal. If you buy it, make sure you use it in a year, but otherwise it's a great concealer for the price.
Repurchase: Yes. It's really good and much better than anything I can just grab in our drugstores.

TheBalm Time Concealer Lighter than Light

A full coverage concealer in a nice really fair, yellow toned shade, however, this needs to be either warmed up or kept some place warmer to get a useful creamy consistency otherwise it's too dry and streaky. It's nice, but hard to work with and I can't be bothered. This is definitely not for dry skin.

Repurchase: No.

Givenchy Matissime Absolute Matte Finish Powder Foundation SPF 20

A matiffying powder foundation that lasted me half a decade. I can't find this on the Givenchy website any more, which leads me to believe it might have been discontinued, but there are still some left in different online shops. It is very smooth and provides light additional coverage (so picking the right shade is important!). In terms of mattifying this was the most effective powder I tried, but it still managed not to look flat on the skin as it also gave the skin a very subtle luminosity, though this is not the most natural looking powder.

Repurchase: It's not available any more, I believe. But even so, I'd like something with no coverage and a bit lighter.  Recs?

L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil

I really liked this oil. It has the same scent as my beloved shower oil and feels so luxurious. I used it very sparingly so it lasted me quite a while, after all, it's not every day you spend so much on a beauty product. It is a thick dry oil, which means it doesn't leave you super greasy, but it also takes a bit longer to sink in compared to Nuxe or Garnier dry oil. It's one of the most moisturising products I've used and it even helped me once with the dry patches on my forehead. This is the quintessential pamper product.

Repurchase: Yes.

 Balea Sweet Wonderland Deospray

While I love the scent of the shower gel from this LE, which is no longer available, I'm not too keen on this deospray. The scent is an odd chocolate chemical one and it didn't exactly brighten my mornings when I sprayed it. I still have the travel size.

Repurchase: No.

SunDance Transparent Selftanning spray

I loved this before I discovered XenTan and St. Tropez. Compared to those two, this is more of a gradual tanner. The tan it gives looks natural, but lasts only a few days and one application will only give you a faint tan. The spray application is even, though cold as Superman's ice breath and therefore uncomfortable. It has a floral scent and there isn't much of the tanner scent after one application, probably because of the smaller amount of DHA, however, when you're building up the tan for several days, there is a very strong selftan scent present that lasts almost until the tan washes off. One can of product also doesn't last long - two, maybe three full body applications; more if you tan only the legs, of course. It dries super fast, so I apply one layer and after a minute a second and even a third one. 

Repurchase: No, not really.

Balea Antibacterial Wipes

(a.k.a. Hygiene Reinigungstűcher)

These have that typical hospital scent, and are quite thick and wet. I much prefer the Preven ones because they smell and feel better.

Repurchase: Though it's possible, I prefer the Preven ones.

Balea Deo Roll-On Zucker Schnitte

First let's all laugh at the 48 hour claim - not even in the wildest dreams. Anyway, it's a very average deodorant and maybe I'd even like it a bit if the scent weren't so lame. I think this isn't even available any more.

Repurchase: Nope.

Dove Maximum Protection deodorant original clean

This has an interesting mousse-like texture. It's supposed to be one of those super-strength antiperspirant, but I don't notice any difference between this and the regular ones. It smells nice, typically Dove creamy clean. I do have a few gripes: one is that it leaves white marks and second that there is so little product in it. I used it up in a third of time of any other deodorant, though this does mean it didn't have time to stop working on me. It's nice, though nothing special and expensive.
Repurchase: Not sure. I never repurchase the same deodorant because they all stop working on me.

CadeaVera Fussbalsam

This is a pretty basic mineral oil based moisturiser with avocado oil, lavender, peppermint oil and some other stuff. I find it way too light for my feet. It smells like peppermint.

Purchase: No.

Sweet Gold Sugar Hair Removing Paste

Utterly useless. I gave this sugaring paste another chance and this is impossible to work with.

Repurchase: When a purple unicorn bakes me some cupcakes, I might start considering it (that's a no in case you missed it). 

Have a great day!

Bio Beauté by Nuxe Lip Balm

There is something inherently cool about Nuxe. They may be a pharmacy brand, but they're elegant and chic and you love to display their products on the vanity. There is no secret that I adore some of their products, for one I've been using Huile Prodigieuse every day as a face moisturiser for almost three years. Nuxe also has a subsidiary brand called Bio Beauté, a line of organic cosmetics, which prides itself on using juicy bio fruit to make their products. So it's not surprising that Bio Beauté by Nuxe Lip Balm with apricot butter* has one of the most mouthwatering fruity scent ever as it smells just like ripe pears we grow in our orchard.

The product is a creamy lip gloss that nourishes the lips. If you ever had any of the L'Occitane lip glosses you'll know what I kind of texture I mean. It says it's for dry or chapped lips and I have neither (one of the lucky girls here), but I feel like this might not be enough for healing chapped lips, though it's nice for every day care and protection against dryness (their famous Reve de Miel lip balm might be better suited for actual healing). The finish is creamy-glossy and it brings a bit of glam to the natural look, though it also pairs well with lipsticks if that is how you wish to wear it. I have to say the lasting power surprised me since it doesn't just rub off after 15 minutes like most glossy products but manages to cling on very long. It doesn't have any particular taste which I consider a good thing, though it does feel a bit "grainy" if you lick it off.

A tube will set you back 10 €, but it holds a surprising 15 ml of product, which is not a bad deal at all. You can see the ingredients here.

This is going in my bag. It's been years since I had such a product (ever since L'Occitane stopped making the awesome smelling versions. I used to own every one of them) and I almost feel like I'm in high school again. If you want something that combines care and a glossy look, give it a go.

Ni nobena skrivnost, da obožujem nekatere Nuxe izdelke. Njihovo suho olje Huile Prodigieuse uporabljam za obraz vsak dan že skoraj tri leta. Nuxe ima še eno dodatno linijo imenovano Bio Beauté z organsko kozmetiko, ki je vsebuje sočno bio sadje in del nje je tudi Bio-Beauté by Nuxe Mazilo za ustnice z mareličnim maslom*, ki diši čisto kot zrele hruške iz našega sadovnjaka, ampak res kot prave hruške.

Sam izdelek je kot nekakšno kremno bleščilo, če ste kdaj imeli L'Occitanova bleščila za ustnice potem boste vedeli kaj mislim. Namenjen je suhim in razpokanim ustnicam, ampak jaz nimam ne prvega in ne drugega problema, se pa mi vseeno zdi prelahek, da bi dejansko pozdravil ustnice (se mi zdi Reve de Miel morda boljša izbira), je pa super za vsakdanjo nego in zaščito pred suhostjo. Je super balzam za dni, ko ne nosiš šminke, ker ti da vsaj videz glossa, čeprav se dobro obnese tudi v kombinaciji s šminko. Me je kar malo presenetilo da ni izginil z ustnic po 15 minutah kot večina takih izdelkov, ampak se kar dobro obdrži za bleščilo. Nima nekega posebnega okusa, kar je meni všeč, ima pa tako bolj zrnato strukturo, ki se občuti, če ga malo slučajno zaide v usta. 

Tubica balzama, ki drži presenetljivih 15 ml, stane 10 €, kar ni slabo. Dobite ga lahko v lekarnah in trgovini Maxi in Leposana (E.Leclerc) v Ljubljani. Sestavine lahko vidite tukaj.

Skratka tole mazilo/gloss gre v mojo torbico. Že dolgo nisem imela takega izdelka, čeprav sem kot mlajša imela vse omejene izdaje L'Occitanovih bleščil (vsaj tiste, ki so bile kul) in tale je zelo podoben, pa še diši res super. Če iščete nekaj kar združuje nego in videz lip glossa v enem, vam ga priporočam.

*I was sent this product to review. / Ta izdelek mi je bil poslan v oceno.

Have a great day!

Beauty News

essence bloom me up! tools! 

available in March 2014

big eyeshadow brushes  1.59€. 

applicators 1.39€. 

duo eyebrow styler 2.69€.

eyelash curler 3.29€

concealer sponge 3.29€

make up sponge 4.39€

big powder brush 3.29€

blush brush 3.29€

kabuki 4.39€

brush bag 3.79€

pocket hair brush 1.99€

Looks very interesting, doesn't it? I'd have that mint brush just because it's mint. I'm so shallow.

essence bloom me up! TE  

available in March 2014

eyeshadows in 01 bloomylicious, 02 rose it up! in 03 blow my mint. 2.19€

duo eyepencil 2.19€

lipstick in 01 rose it up! in 02 chaising lacy. 2.19€

blush stick in 01 chaising lacy in 02 blooming tender. 2.79€

 shimmer powder in 01 rose it up! 3.59€. 

nail polish in 01 blow my mint, 02 lovely lavender, 03 blooming tender in 04 chaising lacy. 1.99€

nail lace stickers 1.59€

hair band 1.59€

I love all the nail polishes, though considering these things sell like hot cakes, I doubt I'll manage to get them.

Illamasqua Valentine's Collection 2014 – I`m the one

Lipstick in Maneater (red cherry shade) 21.29€ 

Intense lip gloss in Touch (burgundy shade) 18.63€ (new colour)

Colouring pencil in Feisty 17.30€

Nail polish in Throb 17.96€

Na voljo v izbranih drogerijah Müller v Ljubljani (Čopova, BTC, Rudnik NS Supernova), Kopru (NS Supernova), Novem mestu (EKZ Qlandia), Mariboru (Europark) in Celju (Citycenter).

Viktor & Rolf  Flowerbomb & Spicebomb 

to be sold in Slovene Müllers

Finally! This is massively popular abroad I hear. I love these promotional visuals.

Flowerbomb

Top Notes: bergamot, tea, osmanthus

Heart Notes: jasmine, african orange flower, freesia, rose, orchid

Base Notes: musk, patchouli

eau de toilette 50 ml - 72.50 €   

eau de toilette 100 ml - 104.50 €   

eau de parfum 30 ml - 59 €    

eau de parfum 50 ml - 89 €    

eau de parfum 100 ml 115 €   

body milk 200 ml - 49.50 €   

shower gel 200 ml - 45.50 €    

body cream 200 ml - 69.90 €    

Spicebomb

Top Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, pink pepper, elemi

Heart Notes: saffron, cinnamon, paprika

Base Notes: Vetiver, tobacco, leather

eau de toilette 50 ml - 54€

eau de toilette 90 ml - 77€

shower gel 200 ml - 32.50€

after shave balm 100 ml - 49€

  Clarisonic available in Slovenia

Clarisonic Plus
Clarisonic Plus set vključuje:
• Clarisonic Plus
• Univerzalno enoto za polnjenje (100v-240v AC; 50/60 Hz)
• Glavo z nežno krtačko
• Glavo s krtačko za telo
• 30 ml vzorec Osvežilnega čistilnega gela
• 60 ml vzorec Prečiščevalnega pilinga

Clarisonic Plus sonična krtača za čiščenje kože se prodaja po ceni 225€ za kos in je na voljo ekskluzivno na maloprodajnih mestih Mueller parfumeriji. 

Clarisonic® Mia 2

Clarisonic Mia 2 set vključuje:

• Clarisonic Mia 2

• Univerzalen polnilec

• Glavo z nežno krtačko

• 30 ml vzorec izdelka za čiščenje kože

• Zaščitni potovalni etui

Clarisonic Mia 2 sonična krtača za čiščenje kože se prodaja po ceni 150€ za kos in je na voljo ekskluzivno na maloprodajnih mestih Mueller parfumeriji. 

Have a great day!