May Favourites

 NYX Angel Powder Blush

This is a really, really old blush that I bought back in secondary school and though I used to use it a lot, new blushes took it's place, so it lay forgotten in my drawer. It's a matte, dusty baby pink shade that gives that cute, rosy-blushy look to the cheeks (sorry, I have no swatches of it). The quality is nice, especially for a drugstore matte blush, but I hear this shade was reformulated, so I'm not sure if they sell the same thing any more. I'd like to get more Nyx blushes, they are not as good as Catrice's, but I love the colour range, especially Peach and Apricot attracted my interest.

Real Techniques Blush Brush

I should just kick myself repeatedly for not buying it earlier. It's so fluffy and soft, perfect for applying a light veil of finishing powder. It's also a nice size and shape for applying bronzer and more pigmented blushes. Such a lovely brush!

 Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive

I always loved this shade, but until recently when Boots finally started shipping to my country (yay!), I was super frugal with it. Beehive is light, soft milky pink that is not too pale and looks really good on the lips (and this is coming from someone who dislikes glossy finish). I think this is one of the best nude shades out there with an amazing glossy finish and it goes with everything from a dark smoky eye to a no-make up look. I've said before that Mirror Shine's are my favourite lipstick-lip gloss-lip balm hybrid formula, though the staying power is poor as at all such products. I have the pretty, old teal packaging, but they changed it into a black tube with a mirror.

Essie Nail Polish Spin the Bottle

Spring 2014 LE
This is the perfect peachy nude nail polish, exactly the shade I've always wanted to have and I love it so much that it's all I've been wearing for the past three weeks. It doesn't look like much in the bottle and I wouldn't give it a second look if I hadn't seen swatches online first, but trust me it's pretty.

 SunDance Getöntes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 
Tinted sun protecting fluid

After my enthusiastic review I'll say it again - this is the best sunscreen I've ever tried and I love it. It's super light, not at all sticky or heavy and due to the sheer tint, there is no white cast whatsoever. Amazing product for the price.

Sebastian Professional Potion 9

This is a brilliant product that helps taming frizz and is a lovely leave-in conditioner which helps my hair stay hydrated longer. It really makes a noticeable difference on rebellious hair and helps tame it, but it's light enough that you don't feel in on the hair. One of my favourite new discoveries lately.

Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-powder

Described as a dry shampoo-volume powder and style extender in one, it's a powder, which smells amazing like peach/cherry blossom and peaches that refreshes the hair, works well as a dry shampoo, gives volume and texture. It's a great product if you want to do a braid or an updo.  

 Batiste Dry Shampoo Wild

I really like the smell of this version. I'd describe the scent as chocolate-vanilla-musk-woody one in a perfume version, so an oriental type of scent. But otherwise, it's a standard Batiste dry shampoo, which is one of my favourites.

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray
I haven't done a review for this yet since I'm still in testing phase, but so far I really like it. This is how I imagined a texturising spray would be. It's like a dry shampoo on steroids, meaning it gives a lot of grip and a bit of hold, so imagine it as something as a dry shampoo-light hairspray hybrid. I really like using it just as I washed my hair and curled it, it just makes it look better. I'm not sure about it on the following days yet, but it will all be in my review.

Orofluido Sahara
Whenever my hair gets super dry, I always turn to this and it fixes the problem. It's a light oil in a spray that smells amazing, gives tons of shine and most importantly really moisturises the hair. A little saviour for those with dry hair.

Purr eau de parfum by Katy Perry

Ok, this isn't exactly my favourite scent in the world, but I did wear it most of the month. It's a mix of fresh bamboo, juicy apple and floral notes (gardenia, freesia) with subtle sweeter notes of coconut and vanilla that get more prominent with time. Actually it's developing much different on me now than a couple of years ago when I first got it. Then I didn't smell any coconut or vanilla at all, but now I do smell very subtle notes of that. I think the bottle is so adorable, through I feel odd when taking the head-lid off because it's like I'm decapitating the poor thing.
Top notes include peach, forbidden apple, gardenia and green bamboo; heart is composed of jasmine, pink freesia, and Bulgarian rose; and the base notes are vanilla, creamy sandalwood, white amber, coconut and musk. 

Have a great day!

How to Curl Stubborn and Difficult-to-Curl Lashes

Curled lashes make a huge difference - the eye looks bigger and more awake. I'm sure I've complained numerous times about how stubborn my lashes are. Though they are long, they are poker straight, grow criss-cross and years of being smashed behind my glasses have caused a very noticeable sideways split on one eye. All that and my hooded eye shape mean that if I don't curl them well, it looks like I have no eyelashes at all when looking from the front. I've tried a few eyelash curlers, some really bad and some good, but none of them work on me like on most people - meaning that a few seconds of holding them on each eye does pretty much nothing on me and the lashes drop in microseconds (I really, really envy all of you whose lashes are easy to curl!). But, a few great tips and years of experience taught me how to curl them relatively well. Curling the lashes is actually a long step in my make up routine, but that's just the way it is. I can make an effort and have lovely looking lashes or have the look of having no lashes at all.

Start by finding a good curler for your eye shape. My eyes are small with a rounded upper part. Best I found are Tana's and Shiseido's. Tana Eyelash Curler is cheaper, slightly smaller with a rounder shape and feels more sturdy/better made, but it is very hard to find (used to be sold in Műller, I found them on eBay. Google for more). Shiseido The Makeup Eyelash Curler is more expensive, a bit bigger, flatter, feels lighter and is dark, which means it's not easy to really see the lashes, however, I think this one fits my eye shape best (bought mine on Feel Unique). You can buy replaceable pads for both unlike for Shu Uemura, which recommends you replace the curler every 6 months (insane, if you ask me! My Tana's are 7 years old). Both Shiseido's and Tana's feel very comfortable to use and don't pinch or pull out lashes (I've had Manhattan's that did that). Other curlers I that are supposed to be good are from Japonesque, Tweezerman and Kevyn Aucoin.

Find a good waterproof mascara. The drier the formula the better. Waterproof mascaras hold curl much better because they don't allow the moisture to drop the lashes, however, they require an oil based remover. I find that drugstore mascara's don't hold the curl as well as high-end ones, but since we have only a handful of waterproof mascaras in Slovenia, I haven't tried a lot of them. Essence get BIG lashes volume boost waterproof mascara  and Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof are ok, as is Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus, but I get best results with Lancome's Hypnôse in waterproof formula and Helena Rubinstein's Lash Queen Feline Black waterproof.

Heated eyelash curler are not a must, but nice to have. It helps the curl to last longer, but you can also just heat your regular eyelash curler with a blow-dryer. In my experience that works very well and it's not too hot. 

I have Panasonic's Heated Eyelash Curler which I find really helps to give the outer lashes that fluttery look since it lifts and combs them so they point outwards (these are the lashes that are squashed on the edge when using a regular eyelash curler). It heats up in about a minute, there is an indicator that turns from purple to pink on the back, which tells you when it's ready to use. It's not that hot, but some people say that it burnt them, so caution is advised. I just place it on the lashes and wait three seconds, but combing doesn't do anything. I bought it on eBay.

Step 1: Start by curling your lashes in four stages, each time moving closer to the end of the lashes and do the last one as close to the roots as you can. This will give you a nice rounded curl instead of crimped looking lashes.

Step 2: Apply a very small amount of the driest formula waterproof mascara you have and I mean really small. This will give some grip just like a hair styling product with hold (e.g. hairspray) gives to the hair before curling it. I use a dried up waterproof mascara for this (so I don't waste product), but you can use your "fresh" mascara and wipe the brush before so there is only a small amount of product on the wand. I've learned this tip from Wayne Goss.

Step 3: Curl your lashes again as close to the lash line as you can. If you worry that this might cause your lashes to break - don't. I've been doing this for years and it's fine. Just make sure you apply a very small amount of mascara before and make sure your lashes are dry as well as still soft to the touch. I really notice the difference if I skip this step and my lashes drop fast without it.

Step 4: Apply a generous coat (or coats) of mascara. I prefer a very defined look so I also use an old mascara wand (L'Oreal's Million Lashes is best) to comb the lashes after.

Step 5: (Optional) Use a Panasonic's Heated Eyelash Curler. Not every heated curler works this way, but Panasonic's works only after the lashes have already been curled with a regular curled and mascara has been applied. It helps to create better lift and fixes the lashes that may look droopy, it also combs and defines them.
By the way, if you plan to heat your regular curlers, do that for step 1 and/or 3, but not after thick coat of mascara was applied.

And you're finished. A good waterproof formula should keep the lashes curled well enough until you decide to take the make up off. 

The before and after on my lashes:

I used Shiseido's curler, a dried up Hypnôse mascara, a "fresh" Hypnôse Star mascara and finished with Panasonic's Heated Eyelash Curler.

One more thing and I'm finished, I promise. Waterproof mascaras can dry out the lashes, so take care of them. I use a face oil every day (Nuxe) and apply a bit on the lashes as well. Coconut oil is great as well and it works as a make up remover. 

I hope this was helpful and have a great day!

Sundance Getöntes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 (Tinted Sunscreen)

I love this! Who would have thought that I'll find a sunscreen that I actually love wearing and it's reasonably priced.

It has a liquid, light lotion-type texture that is very easy to apply and it's even lighter than their mattifying version. You can apply a lot and it doesn't feel suffocating at all, moreover, you can't even feel that you're wearing it. The colour is about NC/W20 with a neutral undertone, but very sheer and it gives only a hint colour. Due to the tint, there is no white cast and it has almost none of the sunscreen shine. The finish it leaves is actually very normal, light moisturiser-like, so no excessive shine and no stickiness or any of that sunscreen faff. You don't even have to use powder if your skin isn't the oily type, but I do powder my shiny T-zone because I do that anyway. I love wearing it as a no-make up look with a bit of concealer, but it works well as a base with all foundations I own.

It smells lovely as well, not at all like chemical sunscreen as the mattifying version, but fruity-floral. It protects the skin very well as tested working in the field in high sun for hours and it didn't sweat off proved by a tan-tinted cotton pad at the end of the day. However, I should tell you that I can stand in the sun without protection for hours and my skin does change colour neither to tan or red (how weird is that? I've been slightly red a handful of times in my life and you know how pale I am).

The packaging is a small, squeeze tube made from hard plastic that is great for carrying in a pocket or a bag for reapplication.

Ingredients for those who are interested (I stopped worrying a long time ago):

It's sold in DMs and it costs 3.69 €.

I love pretty much every thing about it: how light it feels, the scent, the neutral-and-not-at-all-orange tint (though if it were more pigmented, it'd be too dark for me at the moment) and the non-shiny finish. I still use the mattifying version on my décolletage especially when I wear light clothes. It says on the box it's LE, but I truly hope they make it permanent.

By the way, I love it more that the Garnier's Miracle Cream, which also has a tint and SPF, but that's a review for another day.

Have a great day!

Forever Repurchased #1

I'm starting a new category of posts that will feature products I've repurchased and/or I keep repurchasing. I  realized I actually have a ton of such products, I guess I'm a creature of habit or just very loyal to products I love. I already have five posts ready that I'll post in a very sporadic fashion and each will feature a handful of products.

Tigi S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray Heat Defender

What a mouthful! This is product I've been using for three years and it's like a light oil that it's excellent for dry hair (I mean a silicone-oil in a spray, much like Orofluido Sahara, but lighter or got2b Öl-La-La). I use this every time before I use either a curling iron or straightener and spray it all over the hair concentrating on the ends since they are the driest part. It sprays a fine and even mist, so it's very easy to get it evenly on the hair. Because of its oily texture, it instantly smooths the hair, gives tons of shine and makes it look very healthy. In the typical Tigi fashion, the sweet apple-pear candy scent is lovely as well. One bottle actually lasts me very long, so it's not that expensive in the long run. 

By the way, prices really vary for this. I find that Beauty Bay, All Beauty and Online Beauty Buys (on eBay) sell it cheapest.

Alverde Aroma Pflegeöl Kokos

There is nothing particularly exceptional about this oil, however, it's packaged in the most practical manner and it's very affordable. I use it for moisturising the body, hair, taking off make up and shaving. It's a light oil, though still greasy, but it doesn't take ages to sink in. The only thing I'm getting tired of is the coconut muffin scent, I'd like it more if it smelled like the pure coconut oil, so next time I'll take a different version (there are three more scents).

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Solution

I must be getting really boring talking about this product again, but I've been repurchasing it for three years and I've gone though countless of bottles. It's the best make up remover that feels like water and removes make up fast and efficient. Garnier's is lovely as well, but slightly less effective.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter

This body butter was first released as a part of LE, but I think they recently made it permanent which I've over the moon about. It is my favourite body moisturiser ever. It smells like ripe peaches/peach yoghurt - a scent I adore and they recently started selling the body mist as well, which I'm dying to get my hands on. It has a hard consistency, but it still applies nicely and it's definitely one of the most moisturising body products I've tried so far. Love it!

Have a great day!

Essie Spin the Bottle (Spring 2014 LE)

I've been searching for the perfect nude nail polish for at least a decade and I finally found it! Essie's Spin the Bottle is the perfect peachy nude gorgeousness. It looks very classy and really compliments my pale skin tone (NC10-15).

It has the classic thick, pastel nail polish formula that is a bit difficult to work with and it's fully opaque in two coats (three where needed. By the way, I always do thick coats), but the formula is actually very lovely for a nude nail polish and I manage to get an even application on all nails. With some Seche Vite on top it's brilliant. I also like the wide, rounded brush as it fits the shape of my nails well.  

I'm in love. I've been wearing it for three weeks now that's how much I love it. If you love nude polishes give it a go. It's a part of the current Spring LE by Essie and you can find it in DM or on Beauty Bay for 10 €.

Have a great day!

Sebastian Professional Potion 9

I'm rarely so impressed by a hair product as by this one. It's one of my favourite new discoveries lately and a new warrior in my war against the frizz and dryness. Potion 9 is a leave-in conditioner/styling product hybrid that promises to condition the hair as well as give hold, shine and tame it. It's been on the market for nearly 20 years and a best seller for much of that time. Now if that's not a sign of quality, I don't know what is. 

Texture: A light serum-gel that is bright orange. It applies evenly due to the slip it has. I can't feel it on my hair no matter how much I apply it and I think it might be appropriate for someone whose hair aren't as thick as mine and it shouldn't weight it down, but I haven't had the chance to try it on such hair. 

How to use: It doesn't actually say how much you should use on my bottle, so I just apply a few pumps on my waist-length hair. It can be used on damp hair before drying (with a hair drier or air dry) as well as on dry hair to add, as they say, texture.

Effect: I really like this! Applied on damp hair before blow-drying it really tames my hair, makes it much sleeker than when I just use my regular products, it feels moisturised and even a bit silky. It's very good especially in combination with Sexy Healthy Hair Tri-Wheat Leave-In conditioner, or as I call them - the golden team. I used it also on someone else who has the same type of hair as me, on who I usually do a blow out plus straighten her hair and the final result was much, much better than usual. The hair was sleeker, there was almost no more frizz and looked more healthy. This is a product that really makes a visible difference on rebellious hair.

The only problem with this is that if you want your hair curly as I do, the silkiness this gives means that the curls drop faster and it's more difficult to get volume because of lack of texture, however, if you like to wear your hair straight, the effect lasts longer.

There is this pin on Pinterest that I saw after I bought Potion 9. It's says "Apply to wet hair and your hair dries into long waves. Buy at Target." I kind of hate these random things people write under images. Anyway, I tried this on damp hair without using heat styling and let my hair air-dry. And I hated it. It's been a while since I let my hair air dry and I forgot how unkempt my hair looks naturally. I have natural messy curls that can't decide whether they are curls or waves (it's waist-length, so the weight of the hair is preventing it from curling nicely) and Potion 9 didn't make them any prettier or more defined (try Tigi's Curl Amplifier instead, it actually works because it has more hold). Also my hair gets super knotty and really dry if I don't use heat tools to tame it and then a lot of damage occurs because of that. This is a product that performs best with heat tools on my hair. 

On dry hair, it works like a mix of silicone serum with a very light hold gel. It tames the hair, makes it more shiny and also gives a bit of hold/texture due to the slight stickiness.

Scent: If you're familiar with Avon's hair serum this has the same scent. To me it smells exactly like a salon.

Packaging: An airtight bottle with a pump. It works great and I have no complaints, the only thing is that you can't see how much product is still in there, but that's the problem with most products anyway.

Ingredients: I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the ingredients. They are lovely and from what I can tell,  it's a very good leave-in conditioner with jojoba oil high on the list (one of the best oils for hair), safflower seed oil, panthenol (moisture and shine), a few proteins and etc.

Price and availability: I got my small 50 ml bottle on Look Fantastic for 12€, but there is a full size available with 150 ml for 22 €. I love that they offer a small size to try, every company should follow their example. 

This is a brilliant product that helps taming frizz and is a lovely leave-in conditioner. The light texture should work on most types of hair and shouldn't weight it down (though there is a light version available). I'll definitely buy a full size once my trial version runs out, but I suspect these 50 ml will last a while.

Have a great day!

New In #15

Did you know that Boots started shipping to Slovenia and some other European countries? We can finally get Collection 2000 concealer, Seventeen's Mirror Shine lipsticks, Origins, aerosols and all the light shades of foundations importers refuse to sell on our market. I jumped at the chance when they were running the famous 3 for 2 offer and placed my first order there. They accept Paypal and shipping is expensive at 10€, but it's through the DPD service so packages are tracked. My order arrived in four days and I'm really happy with my purchase as well as Boot's service. 

Real Techniques Blush Brush

It took me way too long to buy this considering it's such an essential tool. It's a fantastic brush - a really fluffy tapered brush that is not too big, which I'll use for pigmented blushes, bronzer and powder. 

£9.99 (12 €) in Boots.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm 210 Unapologetic

Unapologetic is one of the many shades that are not sold in Slovenia and the only shade I wanted from the matte range (we have five shades. Disappointing). It's a super bright pink with coral undertones. I just got it, so I haven't worn it yet, but there will be a full review.

 £7.99 (10 €) in Boots.

Bourjois Java Rice Loose powder 

I got this based on a recommendation from Sara (Passing Fancy). I was looking for it in our drugstores, but I guess it was sold here only for a limited time. I heard it's a lovely, illuminating setting powder that is a bit similar to the Hourglass Ambient powder. There will be a full review once I thoroughly test it out. 

 £9.99 (12 €) in Boots.

Essie Nail Polishes Spin the Bottle

I've official found the most perfect nude nail polish for my skin tone and the formula is not too difficult to work with. If you're in the market for a nude nail polish, go check it out soon because it's a LE. Post with swatches will follow within the next couple of days.

 9.90 € in DM. 

Panasonic EH2351AC Heated Eyelash Curling Wand

I finally got it. It actually didn't take that long to arrive from Korea, only two weeks. First impressions are all right - it's not that hot that it would burn the eyelids and as I read from all the reviews, it really only works after the lashes have already been curled and mascara was applied, so it only makes a slightly better curl and makes it last longer. If you want I can do a more in-depth review.

18 € on eBay from this seller.

Shiseido The Makeup Eyelash Curler

I wanted to try a high-end lash curler to see how it compares to my Tana's (which I can't find in Müller any more, so I guess they no longer sell it). This one is almost as popular as Shu Uemura. I need some more time to really test it, but so far I can say it's good, I'm just no convinced it's that much better than Tana's which is/was half the price. However, both are miles better than Manhattan's or other cheaper versions and are best I've tried. I'll do a comparison one day. 

Regular price 24 € on Feel Unique.

Garnier Miracle Cream

This was on my wishlist since British Beauty Blogger raved about it and later I heard that this is a dupe for Origins Vitazing. It's a white face cream that releases a sheer tint when rubbed into the skin. I've only tried it on the hand and it starts of looking scarily almost orange, but sheers out and gives a natural looking touch of colour/tan. It also has SPF 20. There will be a review once I test it out.

11.99 € in Müller. 

SunDance Getöntes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 
Tinted sun protecting fluid

After the last year's mattifying version, which I really like, Sun Dance made a tinted version. The shade of it is actually quite light and the tint is sheer, so the shade doesn't matter much, but it does mean there is not fear of leaving a white cast. I also liked it because this version is alcohol free and it felt light when I tried it on the hand. Haven't tried in on the face yet, but there will be a review one day. 

3.69 € in DM.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor 

I ran out of 3 Minute Miracle and I immediately repurchased it. I love this, probably more than the Dove's Oil Care one that I always rave about. You know I'm really fussy about conditioners because my hair needs more than average person's do and this one is a drugstore gem. It gives great results on my super dry hair and it smells amazing like bubble gum. 

 £4.99 (6 €) in Boots.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Wild

My massive 400 ml can of Tropical version is running out and I wanted to try a different scent of Batiste since there are so many. I picked up Wild because I heard it has a nice oriental scent. I'd describe the scent as chocolate-vanilla-musk-woody one in a perfume version, not the gourmand kind. Lovely! The closest scent I can think of is Black Star by Avril Lavigne once it develops if I remember that scent correctly.

 £2.99 (3.6 €) in Boots

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray 

I picked this up quite randomly, though I did hear some good things about it. It's supposed to give texture and body to the hair. I've literally just tried it and I can say that this is how I imagined texturising sprays to be (very different from the L'Oreal's #TXT and far better). I'll report back when I use it a few times.  

 £3.79 (4.7€) in Boots.

Garnier Fructis Oil Repair 3 Shampoo

Damn, this is good! I didn't expect anything much since it's a drugstore shampoo, but Garnier meant business with this one. It looks like an average Fructis shampoo that has that lovely, typical Fructis apple scent, however, the formula is fabulous. It transforms into a dense, creamy rich foam and leaves the hair nourished, while still cleansing very well. After rinsing it off there is no dryness or that awful über squeaky clean feeling that I hate, however, it's only small fault is that the hair is left a bit tangly. If you have dry hair and you want something on a budget, this is a great shampoo to try.

Ingredients here.

2-3€ in Müller.

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo

Since I love the 3 Minute Miracle, I decided to try one of Aussie's shampoos as well. I'll do a separate review once I've had enough time using it. It smells divine, just like 3 Minute Miracle, so that yummy bubble gum scent.

6.10€ on Feel Unique.

Balea Rasiergel Summer Garden 

Mango scent

This is my favourite version of Balea's shaving gel ever. It's smells like candy in mango flavour. Yummy! And it's teal, one of my favourite colours. The quality is again excellent. I should stock up on this version because it's LE. Balea make it permanent please!

 1.99 € in DM.

Tesore d' Orientare Orchidea deodorant

I randomly grabbed this when I needed a new deodorant. It smells like soap - very clean and a bit floral (I just read on Fragrantica it's supposed to smell like J.Lo Miami Glow. Really?!). I'm not loving the scent, but it's not annoying either (yet). It performs like your average spray deodorant, so it's more about preventing/covering body odour than stopping the sweat.

 3€ in Interspar.

Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil Beauty Scrub 

This is new on the market, but I already heard a few raves about it. I've only used it once and I already love it, but I'll report back when I use it a few more times. It smells the same as the Body Ultimate Beauty Oil.
4.99 € in Müller. 

Riffi Body Brush

Another blogger inspired purchase, this time by Jana from Small Bits of Loveliness. I've been planning on buying this for ages, but always forgot. I bought the smallest one I could find to fit into my hand and I really like this one. The bristles are just prefect - soft, but not too soft. This dry body brushing business feels really nice and I've been doing it before almost all my showers (it only takes a few minutes). It's kind of addictive. It exfoliates the skin, assists in improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, but you should google it you want to read more about it because that is all I know. 

5.49 € in Müller.

Ulala! Detangler Hair Brush

I've had my Tangle Teezer for about 7 years and it still serves me well, but it is falling apart. I wanted something with a handle because I have small hands and TT is a bit big to hold, but instead of buying something online I just took one in DM. This is just a generic version that I've seen in several places, only someone put their name on it (Beauty Bay has pretty much the same version). The bristles aren't quite as soft as at TT, but that doesn't really matter on my thick hair, though it might on fine hair (I'd get a TT in that case. Macadamia's version is nice as well I hear).

8.75 € in DM. There is also a pink/black version.

essence show your feet super soft shoe insoles
EU 36-38

I've been looking for these for a while and they finally arrived in our neck of the woods. These are padded insoles that you can put in any shoes to make them more comfortable and have a sticker on the bottom so they won't slide out. I'm a size 36/3(UK)/5(US) and these fit perfectly in all my shoes. They feel nice and soft, however, they make the shoe 1/2 or 1 size smaller, so these are nice if you have shoes that run just a bit big, but if they fit well, it can get a bit pinchy. There is a violet or pink version that is bigger (fits 39-41).

2.99 € in Müller.

Have a great day!

Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-powder

I love trying new hair products, even if the product description doesn't completely fit my needs. Pret-a-powder really appealed to me from the moment I heard about it. It's an interesting concept of a dry shampoo, volumising powder and style extender in one that should extend the life of a blow out and give you one more day of presentable hair. 

Texture: It's a very powdery dry shampoo and since it also claims to be a volumising powder it has that more grip, but it's not sticky in any way like got2b Powder'ful. If you use too much it does leave the hair with too much residue and it can feel dirty, but in normal amounts it feels almost weightless. Though my hair doesn't really get oily, I can tell this absorbs oil well since it leaves my hair dry at the roots (but I can't say for sure that it's great on oily hair, of course). 

This is a nice product for those whose hair is really silky after being washed and their hair won't hold style. It's a great product to use all over the hair before doing a braid or an updo because it gives texture.

Volume: As it's described it's also a volumising powder and it works. I wouldn't say much better than a regular dry shampoo in a can or a volumising powder, but my hair has a lot of natural volume anyway so I can't really compare.

Is it white?: Oh, yes. My hair is dark brown and this leaves white/grey residue if I don't blend it in well or I use too much of it.

Scent: Beyond wonderful. This is by far my favourite scent of any dry shampoo. It's a light floral (cherry or peach blossoms) peachy scent. I know scents are subjective, but if a perfume with this scent existed, I'd be all over it.

Packaging: It definitely a different way of use and takes more time than dry shampoos/texturisers in a can, but I like the idea of a dry shampoo/texturiser in a shaker bottle. One bottle of Pret-a-powder, which holds 56 g of product, should last very, very long, especially compared to cans. It only has one small hole, but on my bottle it never clogged and the powder shakes out evenly. It's more time consuming to apply since you have to take care you don't apply too much in one spot, otherwise it looks white and it takes more time blend it in. It's a product for those with a bit more patience.

A voluminous fishtale braid made after using Pret-a-powder. My hair is a lot longer, but my (shaky) arms are too short and I couldn't capture it whole. You get a lot of texture to work with, so it ideal for making braids.

Price and availability: I paid 21.16 € with a code on Look Fantastic, while regular price is about 26 €. It's also available on All Beauty and Boots.

I think this is a product people with light, fine hair that has no natural texture would really love. I don't fit into this category and yet I still really like Pret-a-powder - mostly because of the gorgeous scent. I really love using this and I use it almost every day to freshen up my hair, even though I don't need texture or to use a dry shampoo. I go without washing for about 4-5 days then my hair start feeling too dry, but I don't have a feeling that my hair is terribly dirty on the first few days, but the product does build up after that. It's a cute product, however, expensive as a one time purchase (the quantity redeems it here, but I wouldn't buy it at full price) and it's not the easiest to work with. 

Have a great day!

Lancôme Hypnôse Star Waterproof Mascara

Lancôme's Hypnôse in waterproof formula is one of the two of my absolute favourite mascaras. I have very stubborn lashes that refuse to stay curled unless I use a good waterproof mascara and this one delivers. This time I went for a different version of Hypnôse called Star that comes is a very glamorous glittery packaging. 

Formula: The same as the original Hypnôse waterproof one. It's a drier formula that is really black and holds the curl all day. It gives tons of length and some volume. Exactly as I like it. 

Brush: I have to say I don't like it too much, I definitely prefer the original one. It's a dual-sided brush with a thin, flat side and a wide, tapered side that is designed to reach all the lashes, even those in the corner and it's meant to curl the lashes as well. In practice it turns out it's too small, about 2/3 the size of the original and it's difficult to coat the lashes evenly because of the shape. It's not the easiest brush to work with and it takes more time to apply mascara.

As you can see it's a much smaller/shorter brush than from most mascaras. The closest in size is Majolica Majorca's Lash Expander Frame Plus.

Packaging: It's a bit different from the original version. The cap is rounder and the old wand doesn't fit into the Star version, which I wanted to do. The bottom part is coated with silver shimmer, which makes it looking very glamorous. 

Price and availability: I bought it in Müller when it was 20% off. Regular price there is 33 €, but you can find it cheaper online for example on Feel Unique (29 €) or Strawberry.net (27 €) and if you're lucky enough to live in North America it's 28.50 $ (20 €) in Sephora.

Though the formula is again a winner, the brush is clumsy and not the easiest to work with. The packaging is definitely glamorous and serves as a nice decoration on the vanity, but next time I'll stick to the original.

Have a great day!