New in #21

 DIOR Addict Fluid Stick

479 Magique

It has been a really, really long time since I splurged on a high-end make up item, but man is it satisfying. I've been planning to get this since Sara raved about it in her excellent review and I was adamant on getting the same shade as her, but when I was in the shop, the lovely medium pink-coral shade Magique caught my attention because it's the type of shade that can be worn with everything. The formula is super pigmented and glossy, it lasts well for a gloss and even leaves a tiny bit of a stain behind. And just look at the stunning packaging! I'll post swatches. 

Müller, 31.79 €.

REVLON Colorstay Moisture Stain

020 Rio Rush

I had a choice of several colours and this bright pink one immediately caught my attention. Moisture Stains remind me more of liquid lipsticks, but with characteristics of a gloss. They are not like Dior's Fluid Sticks which are very pigmented glosses, rather the formula is somewhere between a mousse and a cream, but has a nice glossy finish. I'll post swatches.

*PR Sample: 10.89 € on Click2Chic. 

MAYBELLINE Color Tattoo 24HR 

35 On and one Bronze

Permanent Taupe is my favourite cream eyeshadow and I've been planning of getting this shade as well for ages to use as a base under warmer eyeshadow looks. It's a standard shimmery brown-bronzy shade, with a smooth, very pigmented formula that lasts so well on the lids. I still prefer Permanent Taupe due to the fact it's matte, but I'm glad I got this one as well because it works really well with colours like UD YDK and Smog. I'll post swatches.

Müller, 5.59 €.

 EBELINE Nagellack - Entferner Express

Nail Polish Remover

I've been loyal to the original Bourjois' version for years now, but I picked up this one instead based on Petra's recommendation to see if it's as good. These nail polish removing pots are by far the best invention in the nail cosmetics department, they make everything so easy and fast. Bourjois' version leaves an oily layer behind, which at times I find annoying, but it does nourish the skin around the nails. Well, Ebeline's version is just a regular nail polish remover and I actually prefer it because it means I don't have to run to wash my hands straight after removal while avoiding touching anything so it won't be greasy. It has the same sponge with a hole inside, so you just pop the finger inside, swish it around a few times and it's done. Brilliant.

DM, 1.99 €.

CATRICE Defining Blush

090 Mandy-rine

New Catrice stuff finally arrived and admittedly I raided the new shiny stands a bit. This is just one of the new blush shades that I've been patiently waiting for. Defining blushes are my favourite blush formula, but the shade range was small up to now. Mandy-rine is a matte, natural-apricot shade. I'll post swatches.

DM, 3.79 €

CATRICE Defining Blush

025 Pink feat. Coral

Another new shade and the one I've been anticipating the most. As you've probably gathered from the name it's a peachy-pink shade, though more pink and with only a hint of warm peachy tones. 

Müller, 3.79 €.

CATRICE Illuminating Blush

020 Coral me Maybe

When I swatched this in the shop it appeared that it has the weakest pigmentation of the three shades available, however, when I tried it at home it performed a lot better. Coral me Maybe is a proper coral, the perfect mix of pink and peach/orange with a yellow-golden sheen. It's a colour I really like in the pan, however, I'm not so sure about it when it's on the cheeks. That yellowish sheen clashes a bit with my skin tone, but the base colour is adorable and gives that cute, baby doll cheeks effect. I've only worn it yesterday and it lasted all day. By the way, the other two shades are gorgeous.

Müller, 5.29 €.

CATRICE Ultimate Stay Lipstick

120 Looks Like Coral

This is such a lovely everyday shade. It a very wearable coral that is not too bright on the lips, but still gives a nice punch on colour and it's one of the rare coral lipstick that doesn't turn orange on me.

Müller, 5.29 €.

CATRICE Ultimate Colour Lipstick

360 MATTraction

I love this shade. It's a deep rose colour, a shade that is a mix of red and pink - my favourite type of colours because they look so glam, yet fun and I feel most comfortable when I wear such shades. The formula is classified as matte, but to me it's a more creamy matte, which also means it feels very comfortable on the lips.

Müller, 4.29 €.

 KARDASHIAN BEAUTY Deeply Felt 

Precision Tip Eyeliner 125 Midnight Black

I adore this. Seriously. I think I like it more than L'Oreal's. It's a felt tip eyeliner with a super black formula and a slightly smaller, even more precise nib that L'Oreal, but what impressed me most is that the formula is more liquid than at other felt tip liners I tried, so the application is incredibly smooth and flawless. It dries in seconds and it doesn't transfer anywhere. I love it, but I shall see how long it'll take to dry out. I'll do a review.

*PR Sample: 15.54 € on Feel Unique.

KARDASHIAN BEAUTY Whip Lash

Curl & Nourish 401 Coal Black

This is a mascara that also supposedly nourishes the lashes and makes it longer, healthier as well as darker in time. It's a non-waterproof mascara, so I didn't expect much from it, since my lashes drop like a stone if I use a regular mascara and the brush as well as the packaging look straight from the 99 cent shop, but I was actually kind of impressed and the "Great-Lash" type of brush works well. It's a very decent mascara, I actually like it more and more the more I use it. I'll do a review after about a month of use because I'd like to see if it really helps the lashes be healthier.

*PR Sample: 14.95 € on Click2Chic, 15.45 € on Feel Unique.

KARDASHIAN BEAUTY Nail Polish 

Perfection 806

Just a basic coral-apricot shade. I haven't worn it yet, but I'll post swatches.

*PR Sample: 9.96 € on Click2Chic.

ESSIE Nail Lacquer

Sole Mate

A gift from my cousin for my Name Day (thank you). I wanted a deep red/berry/purple/bordeaux shade that is similar to Chanel Rouge Noir and I hope this is it. I can't wait to wear it, it looks like the perfect autumnal colour.

9.90 € in DM.

MODELS OWN Scented Nail Polish Gumballs

NP217

I've only tried one scented nail polish so far, Revlon's, and it was a bust, but this actually does smell like gumballs. I love that scent, it smells of childhood. The scent lasts about a day and that's enough for me. The colour is an adorable Barbie pink.

*PR Sample: 5.95 € on Click2Chic.

MODELS OWN Scented Nail Polish Fizzy Cola Bottles

NP215

A taupe shade with gold shimmer. This one smells exactly like cinnamon on the nails - I love cinnamon!. I'll post swatches.

*PR Sample: 5.95 € on Click2Chic.

SECHE VITE Dry Fast Top Coat

My staple top coat, I can't live without it. It dries the nail polish super fast and that what's most important to me.

6.01 €, Destination Pretty. 

SECHE RESTORE Thinner

My old Seche Vite thickened in to a complete mess, so I bought this to save it. I don't find it works particularly well or my Seche Vite is just too far gone. I tried adding it gradually, a few drops at a time and it's still thick no matter how much thinner I added. What am I doing wrong?

6.55 €, Destination Pretty. 

DOVE Damage Solutions Intensive Repair Regenerating Treatment Mask

This is a self heating hair mask that has two components: 15 ml of hair mask in a satchel and 5 ml of self heating liquid/gel. You're meant to apply the mask first and then add the self heating liquid later. 15 ml was a bit little for my hair but I made it work. The thermo part heats up between the hands during application and it is kind of cool for those 5 seconds until it cools, so I don't quite get it. It didn't feel particularly special. It was good, but not exceptional for a special treatment that wasn't exactly cheap for one application. My hair felt well nourished, but it didn't last long, however, I did feel it helped a bit with the damage. In general, I don't think it worth those 2€ for one application.

Müller, 2 €.

10 Spiral Hair Pins

I recently found one of my spiral hair pins that I bought ages ago in Műller, where a pack of two costs 5 €. You basically screw them into your bun and two should hold it securely all day. However, on my thick, long hair, two aren't enough, so I bought a pack of ten on eBay for a ridiculously small price. These aren't as good as those from Müller as the ends are very scratchy due to not being filled well, so they can damage the hair, but for one euro they're fine.  

eBay, 1.07 €.

And last but not least (as if there aren't enough pictures in this post already), I sneakily took a few pictures of the newly set-up Catrice stand a.k.a. my new personal heaven. I'd just look at it all day. 

 Have a great day!

Best Buys Under 5 €

It's actually not that easy to find a good product that is under 5 € and I admit I struggled to get a nice bunch of products for this post. I have loads of products that I love which are just above the price mark (literally a few cents more), but I won't cheat and I plan to show them in a another drugstore favourites post. I selected 11 products that are available either in drustores or online or even in larger supermarkets and all are nice cheap thrills. So here is my selection.

CATRICE Absolute Eye Colour Mono

2.89 €.

Yes, I could select a lot of products from Essence for this post, but you know what - I don't find them that thrilling and I much, much prefer Catrice, especially when it comes to quality. Although L'Oreal's eyeshadows are my uncontested favourites in the drugstore ranks, Catrice's are a close second. I love the colour range, there are some gorgeous neutral shades as well as a few brighter colours and you can create a selection that rivals any combination in the popular neutral palettes. The pigmentation of these is great and they blend really well, even the matte shades are excellent quality. If you're looking for some inexpensive fun products I highly recommend you check them out. My favourite is a taupe shade called 350 Starlight Expresso.
By the way, I just quickly swatched the new velvet matte eyeshadows by Catrice and they are fabulous as well. 

CATRICE Defining Blush

3.79 €.

I just can't shut up about these blushes. The formula of these won my heart - it's just perfect - smooth and pigmented, these blend so well, but foremost they actually manage to stay put on my cheeks a lot longer than any other blush I tried, except Benefit's Coralista. My favourite shade is Rose Royce which is an amazing rosy-neutral shade that goes with everything. 

MAYBELLINE Color Tattoo 24 HR

4.95 € (might be more expensive depending on where you buy them).

These really are so good! They boast with a lovely creamy texture that is super pigmented, blends well and once it sets stays put for hours. I tend to use them for a quick eyeshadow look or, my preferred way, as a base. There are a lot of shades to choose from, but Permanent Taupe, a matte taupe, is without a doubt my favourite cream eyeshadow as well as one my favourite colours in general.

LABELLO Fruity Shine Peach

1.85 €.

These could easily be described as the most convenient product to satisfy the craving for a cheap trill. Everyone needs lip balm, you use it all the time and they are usually in every grocery shop at the registers. Fruity Shines are one of the most fun ones with is a nice selection of tinted balms with juicy scents. My favourite is peach and I find it has one of the best peach scents out there as well as a lovely natural peach tint. These aren't the most moisturising lip balms, but they are nice for everyday use. 

EBELINE Blending Brush

2.95 € , only in DM (not in Slovenia, sorry).

I never expected such a brilliant brush for such an affordable price. It's an excellent super soft blending brush that I use also for applying a gentle wash of colour in the crease or on the lids. Basically, I can do almost an entire eye makeup with it, though due to its softness it's more for subtle looks and it performs best with high quality eyeshadows. 

E.L.F. Studio Flawless Concealer Brush

£3.75 (4.7 €), E.l.f. website.

I love how dense, yet still soft this brush is and it's just feels so well made. I use it for so many things from blending concealer, applying setting powder under the eyes and around the nose, applying a base eyeshadow colour all-over the lid, blending and even contouring. Truly a versatile brush.

INELL Eau Micellaire

2.29 €, only in E.Leclerc.

Micellar waters are a part of my everyday routine when I'm removing makeup, so I use a lot of them. This one is incredibly affordable and just as good as the rest drugstore versions. As most micellar waters it feels super light - like water and it removes makeup effectively, leaving the skin clean and refreshed. 

INELL Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante

1.51 €, only in E.Leclerc.

This is such a wonderful, gentle cleanser that is also really fun to use. It looks like those whipped creams in a can and the mousse actually resembles whipped cream a bit due to the super dense texture. It also smells so lovely and it really makes the morning cleanse an enjoyable experience.

DOVE Nourishing Shower Gel

2-3 €.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was another version of this lying somewhere in the house - I think our house might be the fan central of Dove Nourishing shower gels. These are seriously so good - incredibly creamy and luxurious feeling due to a thicker formula, they are especially loved in my household because they are nourishing and don't leave the skin feeling dry or itchy. I love the scent of these, all three actually: the classic original Dove scent, the sensuous coconut milk with jasmine one and the sweet almond with hibiscus one. If your skin is dry, give them a go.

BATISTE Dry Shampoo

£2.99 (3.7 €), online on Boots International and Asos.

Though my hair is far from greasy, I don't shy away from dry shampoo on days between the washing. I've tried a few so far and Batiste is my favourite. It properly refreshes the hair, giving it more life and body as well as makes it smell nice, it's like an additional fragrance. When it comes to dry shampoo, for me the most important features are that it doesn't leave the hair white and that it smells nice. My hair is dark brown and Batiste can leave a white cast if I spray too close, but it's easy to blend it in. However, what I really appreciate is the large selection of scents and Wild is my current favourite. It has a lovely oriental scent, I smell notes of chocolate, vanilla, musk and wood that combine into a nice perfume version of a scent rather than gourmand one, like the Tropical version has.

TONI & GUY Sectioning Clips

3.08 €, eBay this seller.

These are so awesome. I could never find decent sectioning clips for a reasonable price here, so I ordered these from eBay and they are so good. They feel so professional and well made with the matte rubberised texture, you'd never think they were so cheap. I use them all the time when I blow-dry my hair to clip the hair out of the way or to create volume or curls - just brilliant stuff. 

Do you have any recommendation for great affordable products? Have a great day!

Empties #7

 L'Occitane repairing shampoo
dry and damaged hair

 I bought this after a very positive experience with a sample and I never posted an actual review for this, so here we go. I had a 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, but surprisingly it didn't last me nearly as long as I would have wanted. It's a sulphate, silicone and paraben free shampoo and a lovely one at that, but the lack of soap shows in terms that I needed to use at least five pumps of product to get it to lather. It also didn't help that the pump doesn't dispense much product in the first place, so I ended up using over 10 pumps per wash for my hair that is lower-back-length. The product itself is very liquid and light, it cleans the hair well, leaves it very light and fresh. However, I felt at times it wasn't moisturising enough, I don't want to say it's stripping, but it doesn't have that creaminess like most shampoos for dry hair do. Actually, I would say it's appropriate for all types of hair, even oily. It was very gentle on my scalp and I particularly loved using it in combination with baking soda as a sort of a cleansing shampoo to get that dandruff and flakes that are stuck on my scalp off at least temporarily.The scent is something I never got used to. It's the second L'Occitane product I've had with this particular strong herbal, slightly sharp scent and I honestly don't like it at all.  It's a lovely gentle shampoo and one of the best out of SLS free ones, but my two gripes are that you need to use a lot of product and the scent. 

Repurchase: No.

Dove Intensiv Reparatur 1 Minute Kür-Spülung
a.k.a. Intensive Repair

A lighter sister of my beloved Oil Care treatment. I have really dry hair and due to coarseness and thickness of it, the only way most (drugstore) products work for me is if I use a lot and I leave it on for about 20-30 minutes to get the maximum effect (for someone with thin hair 5-10 minutes is enough). Used in this way it leaves my hair sufficiently moisturised and feeling nice, however, I once left it on for only 15 minutes and the effect was minimal, moreover my ends were still dry. I'll stick with Oil Care version, but it's a nice treatment for moderately dry, thin hair. 

Repurchase: Probably not.

Balea Power Volume Hairspray

This is just bad. It has no hold whatsoever, especially for a hairspray that claims to be extra strong. The mousse from this line is good, though.The scent is nice, a bit fruity, but that's the only positive thing about it.

Purchase: No.

Lee Stafford Hold Tight hairspray

My favourite hairspray so far. It has a nice hold without feeling crunchy, in fact I can't even feel it on the hair. It's similar to Elnett, but with a more tolerable scent, even thought this one has a pretty strong oriental scent itself. By the way, I noticed that on thin hair, this has a tendency to make it feel stiff, but again this is not the case on my thick hair.

Purchase: Already bought the full size version.

L'Oreal Elnett Extra Strong

A very decent hairspray that doesn't feel crunchy at all and has a nice hold, but it's not extra strong, actually I'd say it's closer to medium. I know a lot of people hate the strong granny scent of it, I find it a bit like a more annoying version of Chanel n°5, but I don't find it horrible, just too strong and sometimes suffocating. 

Purchase: Not sure, but probably not.

Yves Rocher Vanille Collect'Or shower gel

A nice, thick shower gel with lots of glitter which washes off. I believe it's the same thing as their regular vanilla shower gel and this was only a glittery limited edition version for Christmas. The scent is like vanilla extract for baking, great for those who like gourmand scents.

Repurchase: Maybe.

Soap and Glory Righteous Butter

One of the more whipped and creamy body butters, yet still deeply moisturising. The heavier texture means it takes a bit more time to sink in, so I preferred to use it right before going to bed. It smells like Miss Dior Cherie, so the same super sugary, but sophisticated young lady-like scent. Great product for colder months.

Repurchase: Yes, if we had Soap and Glory around. Currently, I have no desire to track it down on eBay again.

Aveo nail polish removing pads

(Nagellack-Entferner-Pads)

Hated these. They removed nothing as the remover is disappointingly weak. They feel moisturising due to some oil inside and they smell lovely, like a classic tropical fruit scent they put in cheap products. Honestly, don't bother with these.

Repurchase: No.

Herbalife Hand and Body Gel

I really liked this. It's nice even for dry skin due to a lovely creamy texture, the ingredients are nice (SLS free, has glycerine and loads of extracts) and it smells lovely, like apples. I don't know if you can get this without joining their programme, which I not wiling to do anyway.

Purchase: I can't, beside even though it's good, it's not worth tracking it down.

Balea Sweet Wonderland Shower Gel

Yes, I know it's pointless to put a shower gel that is not available any more here.

This smelled amazing like Nesquick cocoa and I really wish it were they'd make it permanent.

Repurchase: it was a LE, but I would if I could.

Cien Shower Cream with Almond Oil & Apricot

A super nice shower gel that is very cheap. It's creamy and similar to Dove versions that are three times the price. The scent is generic, but nice for something that cheap. It's sold in Lidl.

Repurchase: Yes.

Le Petit Marseiliais Peche Blanche & Nectarine Shower Gel

A nice peach scented shower gel. Though marketed as hydrating shower gel for dry skin, I find the runny gel texture too light for dry skin.

Repurchase: I don't know, but most likely not.

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!

New In #10

 Balm Balm Frankincense Deep Cleansing Balm 

My first solid cleansing balm and I absolutely love it. The scent is so weird, but the texture is perfect and after a month of use my skin looks great. Just to warn you, they only offer a 30 ml pot and that is why I bought it, to dip my toes into the solid balms pool first. This small pot costs 10€, but after a month I still have about a half, maybe a bit less left. I'll do a proper review.

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer Eclipse

I was on a search for a dark berry matte lip cream and though this isn't matte, it's the perfect colour. This is such a great autumn/winter shade that will appeal to fans of deep colours such as Kate's matte lipstick in 107. Review with swatches will be posted soon.
It cost 7.49€ on Feel Unique. You can find a review and swatches of another shade called Stellar here.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lipliner Pencil Black Tulip

I needed a lip liner to match Rimmel's 107 and this looked closest on swatches I found online. It's not the prettiest colour as it is too brown for my liking, but it works nonetheless. Again, swatches will be posted.
 It cost 3.74€ on Feel Unique.

 Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick 340B Rose Boudoir

I got this as a gift in December from my cousin (thank you) after it was on my wishlist for over a year. It's a stunning, brightened pinky-coral that is in the same colour family as Bourjois' Fraise Remix and Maybelline's Shocking Coral. I also love wearing it as a stain (I'm wearing it like that here). The quality is, as expected, excellent. There will be a full review of this.

L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim Intense Black

I just got it and I already love it. Talk about precision - this eyeliner has such a thin and fine felt tip that allows me to draw the thinnest line if I want to. The formula is super black and it lasts all day on the lids without smudging or fading. It's very similar to the L'Oreal's Super Liner Carbon Gloss eyeliner, but with a matte finish and a more precise applicator. My one concern is how long will it take to dry out. I'll do a proper review and report about that after a couple of months of use.
It was 7.86€ on Feel Unique. This isn't sold in Slovenia (Obviously. I wonder what pathetic excuse they have this time).

Catrice Defining Blush 020 Rose Royce

Since I was seriously impressed by the Think Pink shade, I got another more neutral one. It's less pigmented, but still such a lovely blush. I'll post swatches, but you can find a review for Think Pink here.
These cost 3.79€ in Müller.

Catrice Ultimate Colour 260 It's a Matt World

One of the lipsticks that is about to be discontinued. I already reviewed it here.

Essence Pure Skin Purifying Nose Strips

Years ago I tried the Nivea's version and apart from the feeling of ripping your face off, I found them useless. I heard some good things about these strips from Taya, so I decided to give them a go. The principle is the same - you stick them on clean, wet skin and leave them to work for 10-15 minutes before removing them. They smell weird, like that red stick glue everyone had in school (Pritt, I hated it). The instructions say to re-wet the strips before peeling them off, but instead of pulling the blackheads out, it separates and leaves sticky blue goo on the skin that needs to be washed off. In terms of results, I didn't notice any effect at all.
They cost 1.89€ for three nose strips in a pack.

Tigi Catwalk Oatmeal & Honey Intense Nourishing Mask 

I finally got this after one pot got lost in the mail the first time I ordered it. I haven't tried it yet, but the pot is only 3/4 full. I used to use the old Oatmeal & Honey shampoo and conditioner (I was buying the 750 ml sizes) and they were some of my favourite hair products. They were repackaged as well as reformulated (I heard for the worse. For shame!) and they added the mask, but as far as I can tell so far at least the scent is still the same. It smells like Christmas - gingerbread, cinnamon, honey and clove. I'll do a review when I test it out properly.
I paid 13.08€ for 200g on Feel Unique.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Hydrating Conditioner

My standard repurchase, but this time I went for a salon size 500ml that comes with a pump. My review is here.
It was 11.24€ on Feel Unique, which is a bargain.

Dove Intensiv Reparatur 1 Minute Kür-Spülung a.k.a. Intensive Repair

I've used up most of my conditioners this month, among them Dove's Oil Care mask that I've repurchased numerous times. This time I decided to try the blue version for a change. It's a bit lighter than the gold one and it also doesn't have the two colour "toothpaste" look, yet it's still a thick and creamy treatment. It has similar results, maybe it's a touch less moisturising, but it really is a minute difference. It has the typical Dove-ish scent, though I find the gold version smells better. It's a great drugstore treatment, though I'll stick with the Oil Care one, but if they didn't have it in stock, I wouldn't dismiss the blue one.
It cost the same as the other one, 3.99€, in Müller.

Joico K-Pack Intense Hydrator

Another repurchase. This is my favourite conditioner ever (and as that featured on my All-Time Favourites page). The texture is creamy and it has a bit of an odd scent that is difficult to describe in any other way than chemical. It truly hydrates the hair and I can feel it when I'm rinsing it off that it's not just that silicone coat. The current colder conditions along with the central heating being on all the time are causing my hair being even drier than usual and this does the job of keeping it moisturised, especially the ends don't dry out as fast.
It's not the cheapest hair product at 20€ for 250 ml, but if you have really dry hair, give it a go.

Herbalife Hand and Body Gel 

I have this in a generous 50 ml sample size that I got for Christmas. It's a very creamy shower gel/hand wash that foams nicely despite being SLS free and smells like fresh apples. The texture reminds me of Dove showel gels, but more gel like. It's quite nice actually, just don't ask where you can get this because I haven't got the foggiest.

La Petit Marseiliais Peche Blanche & Nectarine

As a fan of anything peach scented, I couldn't resist grabbing this in E. Leclerc despite the very retro packaging. It's supposed to be for dry skin, but I think the formula is too thin and not particularly moisturising. It smells like fresh nectarines from the bottle and under the shower it develops a slight artificial sweet note along side the nectarine. If you like peaches and nectarines, this is nice.
It was a bit over 2€.

Rexona Clear Pure Crystal Dry Deo Stick

I've never repurchased a deodorant in my life and I'm not sure if I had this before, but it smells so familiar. I immediately liked it. It smells great (fruity), but not overpowering and has a nice texture. I works for me and keeps BO at bay, but I don't sweet much. One thing that does bother me is that it leaves white marks.
It was about 2€.

Nyx Butter Gloss

I got these as a gift for my cousin. I didn't try or swatch them, but I did snap a few photos before giving them to her (she doesn't mind). The three colours are Peaches and Cream, Apple Strudel and Maple Blondie. I saw them swatched on my cousin's hand and they all look pretty much the same to me, especially if taken into consideration that they are glosses. I was updated that they are really good and smell amazing.

I got them on Cherry Culture.

Have a great day!