Products worth the splurge #2

 DIOR Diorskin Nude BB Creme

I am a fan of bases that give that skin-like finish and Dior's BB does exactly that. The coverage is light and it looks like you have no foundation on your skin, but it still blurs imperfections as well as somewhat diminishes the circles. My favourite bit is that it's immediately dry to the touch meaning it sets super fast to a semi-matte finish. It goes on so smoothly and blends so well that it's one of the best products to apply in hurry. Rather surprisingly the lightest colour is actually pale enough for me, which is a rarity especially when it comes to shades selection in my country, although 001 is pink toned. Basically, this just is the best BB I've tried.

 NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Snow Whites like me know how ridiculously hard it is to find pale shades of foundation and concealers. Chantilly is the lightest shade I ever found and it's actually neutral, so it fits me perfectly when I'm at my palest. The formula is super creamy and the coverage is almost full, so it can be used under the eyes as well as on spots. It's no wonder it's one of my favourite concealers.

BALANCE ME Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

Whatever is in this stuff is just amazing, since out of all cleansers I've tried so far, this is the one that makes my skin look its best. Since I started using it, I had zero dry patches and before they were my perpetual nemesis. It's a balm cleanser, but one with small oatmeal scrub particles that provide gentle exfoliation, and it removes all but "industrial strength" waterproof mascara while leaving my skin feeling clean yet moisturised.  I'm currently trying some more affordable cleansers and I'm already missing this one.

 OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir

This was the first silicone-oil that I tried and despite trying loads of the competition, it still remains firmly at the top of my favourites. What I love about it is that the texture is quite thick, which really works well for my thick, dry, coarse hair and I need to use only a small amount, so the bottle lasts me ages. I use it on damp as well as on dry hair and it tames flyaways, gives shine and in general makes the hair more manageable. It also smells bloody amazing, I'd describe it as a rich oriental vanilla-amber scent, but I have notes of the fragrance posted in my original review.

 THE BODY SHOP Body Butters

My love for TBS body butters began at 16 when I visited the shop for the first time during my stay in Berlin. I remember feeling very overwhelmed at the bountiful selection of differently scented products and I quickly grabbed one of the premade gifts for Christmas that included bits from the Shea butter line. Since then I may have developed a sort of an addiction and I've tried quite a few scents. They really are so good. I haven't come across a scent I wouldn't like, the texture of them is so lovely (though it depends on the version) and they are so moisturising. My favourite is Vineyard Peach, which I bang on about all the time. Also currently in my stash is the one from the Honeymania collection, which has a spectacular texture. I highly recommend you try one the next time you're around their shop.

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!