Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 15 Fair

There is so much talk about this concealer. Some refer to it just as a great drugstore buy, some find it HG and some even compare it to the much more expensive NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer. I wasn't particularly impressed by it from the start (mainly due to the shade), but my impressions did improve with further use and though it is not one of my favourites, it's a decent concealer.

Texture: It's quite a light concealer, especially from what I'm used to when it comes to the texture of these doe foot versions. It is definitely much thinner than Collection Lasting Perfection or NARS Radiant Creamy concealer, in fact, I find it closest to Maybelline's The Eraser. This means it's easy to blend and you have more time to work with it. It's one of those concealers that isn't too drying, but at the same time not too liquid/creamy, so it works under the eyes as well as on spots and I like that a lot. 

Colour: Oh, the disappointment. I fear Maybelline has difficulties grasping the meaning of the word Fair. FYI Maybelline: it's a really pale shade with no orange, so the opposite of what you did (yes, I'm being evil now and no, I'm not sorry). 15 Fair is the darkest concealer I currently have in my collection. I think the swatches speak volumes and confirm my claim about it not being particularly light. In general it would fit someone with a NC/W 20-25 skin tone and just FYI, though there is a shade called 10 Light, it is in fact darker (swatches here).

Coverage: It has a medium to full coverage, but it's not like Collection's or NARS' concealer that's for sure. It's nice for covering circles, but needs to be layered to completely cover spots and the accompanying redness.

Staying power: It lasts decently, not all day like NARS or Collection, but it fades ok and doesn't look patchy.

Packaging: A simple tube with a doe foot applicator. It doesn't leak and works fine. Nothing more to add.

Some say that Fit Me is essentially a dupe for NARS' concealer - it's not in any way a dupe. Maybelline's is simply too light and doesn't cover as well. What I find being a very close approximate to NARS is Collection Lasting Perfection concealer of which I already spoke in a review. 

Price and availability: Mine is from Feel Unique for 7€, but it's widely sold in drugstores (including in Croatia, Austria and the rest neighbouring countries. Yet again we are the only exception in Slovenia. I want to take this opportunity and thank Slovene importers for continuously pissing me off. That's why I take my money elsewhere). It's sold on Salma for Slovene readers if you want to take a risk and guess your shade.

If the shade fit me (see what I did there?) I'd really like this concealer. The texture is nice and the coverage is fine for me to use under the eyes. However, I have to use quite a dark foundation and self tan to be able to use the bloody lightest shade in the range. Lovely. But if you can find a matching shade, it's a nice concealer to have. I am staying a firm fan of The Eraser.

Have a great day!

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer

Dubbed as the YSL Touche Éclat approximate (yes, I'm aware it's an odd word to use, but I wont' call it dupe because I never owned TE), this pen has very mixed reviews, with some people absolutely loving it and some finding it completely useless. I put it on my wishlist a very long time ago, but pondered afterwards whether to really take the plunge and buy it due to these conflicting opinions. One thing is very clear about this product - despite the name, it is absolutely not a concealer. It is a highlighting pen with light reflecting particles that disguise darkness under the eyes and lift the complexion by illuminating it. I must admit, I was quite perplexed by this pen and still am as I find it doesn't really make a massive difference when I'm applying it, but seeing now from the before and after pictures I've made for this post, there actually might be something about it, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

The formula is very light and doesn't offer much coverage, but hearing the words: "if you're using Touche Éclat as a concealer, you are doing it wrong" repeated in the beauty community, oh, so many times, I was very aware that this as well is not a stand alone product to use. I use a separate concealer under it that actually covers and then put this on top in the popular triangle shape under the eyes, avoiding the area right under the lashes. It's also supposed to be used on the high points of the face, so tops of cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. The first thing that made me to doubt its illuminating capabilities is the shade. Though it is light and peachy toned, it's not exactly light for me, meaning that's it's very close to my skin colour rather than a bit lighter, which I associate with illumination and I detect no illuminating particles in it like ones in their Lumi Magique Primer for example. 

Given how pale I naturally am, this also means that on anyone who is NC20 and darker this should look lighter. On the pictures I am using L'Oreal's Nude Maqiue eau de Teint foundation in 100 Porcelain, which is about NC20-25/Bourjois HMS 52-53, and Maybelline Fit Me concealer in Fair, which you can see from the swatches is anything but fair, so that illumination is more apparent.

Happy face! By the way on the lips I'm wearing Essence XXXL Longlasting lipgloss in 15 Coral Mousse.

The packaging is a rose gold metal-look click pen that works well, but collects dirt and fingerprints like there is no tomorrow. As at Bourjois CC Eye Cream there is a mere 1.5 ml of product inside which is a bloody rip off. However, for comparison Touche Eclat has 2.5 ml - again not a lot, which begs the question: what the hell are we paying for at all these pens? 

I got mine from Boots International, but it's sold in drugstores, obviously not ones in Slovenia (is anyone really surprised any more?). Slovene's can get it on Salma. 

As I said above, I'm not entirely convinced by this product. When applying it, I just don't notice a considerable difference, but the pictures tell a slightly different story or at least I think so. What do you think? Is it a noticeable enough difference that justifies owning this product? NARS's Chantilly, which is much lighter, makes a much more apparent illuminating effect for me, hence why I use it more often.

Have a great day!

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Eye Cream

While the 123 Perfect CC cream was on my wishlist, the eye cream from this release was an impulsive buy for me. I intended to get Maybelline's the Eraser, which is my favourite concealer, but I couldn't find it, so I grabbed this one on my way home. It's a nice concealer, but it has it's faults.

Texture: Light and runny. This texture allows easy blending and it's easy to cover larger areas. I also bought the CC cream recently and the textures are very similar (I'd do a separate review because I just got it).

Shade: I have the lightest shade called 21 Ivory which is slightly lighter than the CC cream and very close to Healthy Mix Serum with the exception that it's a much more neutral shade (kudos for that Bourjois! Now just make one lighter). It's very similar to Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair. 

Coverage: This is not the best covering concealer and I don't think it was meant to be anyway. It has a medium coverage that is very similar to the CC cream, maybe just a bit more. It doesn't completely cover my under eye circles, nor does it completely cover blemishes and due to the matte-ish texture it can stick on flaky parts of the skin, but it can cover redness and red marks from old blemishes. Honestly, for me it's enough as I like the natural look and it reminds me of my favourite concealer Maybelline's the Eraser, but I suppose most people wouldn't be too impressed.

Finish: Somewhere between matte and satin, in general very skin like. This really has a lovely finish.

Staying power: It's not the best, I'd say average. It rubs off in about 4 hours if you don't put powder over it. However, with powder over it, it lasts decently through the day.

Packaging: A twist up pencil shaped tube with a silicone nib. The silicone applicator is interesting, but in practice it can tug on the skin and it gets dirty which is my pet peeve (I want my make up super clean and looking like new). I actually apply it with fingers and not the applicator. I have to turn the mechanism that pushes out the product very carefully, otherwise I end up with too much concealer for application.

One massive disappointment for me, which I noticed only when I got home, is that this contains only 1.5 ml of product. Yes, you read right, that dot is placed correctly. That is a ridiculously small amount, it's like a perfume sample. For shame! If you look at the amount you get for price, even NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer with it's 6 ml for 26 € is cheaper. 

Price and availability: I bought it in DM for 7.99 €.

Overall I like it. The finish is lovely and though the shade could be lighter, I love the fact it's neutral. However, the amount you get is shockingly small and since the coverage it so similar to the CC cream (which you can layer anyway), there is no need to own both. I'm angry that I paid 10€ for 1.5 ml of product, when those samples in little bags that have a similar amount are free. But that's just my humble opinion. 

 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 #13

Recently, I have been skipping foundation/BB's entirely. Not just because of the heat, which makes any foundation feel suffocatingly heavy, but primarily because my skin got a lot better since I completely revamped my skin care regime. So I've been only using just a bit of concealer. But not just any in my collection. I used Maybelline's Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye. Why? Because it blends seamlessly into the skin and looks incredibly natural while covering circles and any other redness. I have raved about this it extensively in the past and it remains firmly at the top of my favourite concealers. It has medium coverage, but covers my circles completely and can handle some small blemishes. I just swipe a bit under the eyes, around the nose and on the nose (it's darker than the rest of my face). It doesn't require much blending, because believe or not, the sponge actually works. I blend where needed with fingers or RT brush if it's handy. The result is pretty much flawless (at least in my eyes). I sure hope my skin stays as good, because I am loving the minimalism, even though I sometimes I like applying foundation even when I don't need it. Since my T-zone is oiler than usual, I apply a bit of Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. For anything that needs more coverage, I still resort to Collection 2000 concealer, which covers everything, however, doesn't look as natural as the Maybelline one. 

I'm using the shade Fair, which is very light and pink toned. I have another in the shade Light, which is a bit darker and yellow toned. I have comparison swatches of both here.

For some unfathomable reason this drugstore gem is not sold in Slovenia, so I have to resort to buying it in our neighbouring Croatia and Austria. There is still eBay, though. Currently there is a set available in our drugstores with the foundation version of this, but I hear the formula is a lot lighter and not that good. Honestly, if this concealer would be a proper foundation, it would be one of my absolute favourites and definitely my favourite higher coverage ones.

Have a great day!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer

I wanted this concealer for so long and had so many problems getting it, but it was worth it. First, I couldn't find a seller on eBay that would ship it to Slovenia, so I asked my friend, who was just going to London if she could get it for me. She couldn't find a single Superdrug where it wasn't sold out. I gave up and bought EL Maximum Cover instead. Of course I had to shell out 40€ for it, but I'm not sorry. Then in end of January, I finally ordered it on eBay and the package got lost. Fortunately, the seller refunded me and I ordered it again from another seller. This time it took only three days to arrive, I guess I had to get lucky sometime. It is a great concealer, especially for spots. I haven't found a drugstore concealer with so much coverage. Too bad it's not sold in Slovenia, I suspect it'd be a best seller.

Coverage is almost full, it's definitely full with two or more layers. It's great for covering blemishes, redness and other imperfections. It covers circles very well, however, I prefer Maybelline's the Eraser Eye for under the eyes because it looks like skin and is brightening. In terms of coverage it's close to Maximum Cover, however, the latter has more coverage and you use far less.

The texture is creamy and thick, it blends nicely both with fingers and a brush. The finish is matte and  it's not particularly moisturising. I like a bit more moisturising concealers for under the eyes, so if I feel I need more coverage, I put Collection 2000 on first and then Maybelline's the Eraser eye on top to brighten it a bit and to avoid it looking cakey. Because it sets matte, it can look cakey on dry skin, but this becomes more of an issue when it's wearing off. If your skin is dry, I suggest using a heavy moisturiser underneath. 

Staying power is amazing for a drugstore concealer. It outlast all of my foundations apart from EL Maximum cover. My only problem is that sometimes it can look patchy when it wears off.

It have the lightest shade called 1 Fair which is a very light shade with neutral to yellow undertones. It's definitely not as yellow as Essence Stay with me 10 or Healthy Mix 51.

Packaging is a slim tube with a doe foot applicator. Like so many reviewers, I noticed that the writing wears off fast.

When I first got it, it reminded me a lot of Essence Stay All Day concealer. The texture is similar, however, the Collection 2000 one has a lot more coverage

As I said I bought it on eBay for 9€ with shipping. It's sold mainly in the UK in Superdrug.

No foundation, just concealer:

This is a lovely full coverage and long lasting concealer that works well especially for covering spots. It's exactly what I've been looking for covering blemishes, but I couldn't find in our drugstores. I'll definitely keep it in my bag for on the go. 

New Essence Goodies Part 1

And again essence released a bunch of new makeup as they do so often. I got three things that are new in the permanent range, a colour changing lip balm from the newest Oz The Great and Powerful TE and a mascara that has been in the permanent range for a while. That little red pot from Catrice is a part of the Neo Geisha LE. I'll do this in two parts, the second will feature lip products and I'll post it very soon (I have the pictures already, I just have to write the reviews). 

First up is the Match2Cover cream concealer: 

The idea here is that you have two shades of concealer in one product and you either use one, or mix the two to get the perfect match for your skin. It is a great idea, I'll give them that, but the product leaves much to be desired. 

Starting with the packaging. It's simple, plastic, the lid stays shut and doesn't feel flimsy. It is small, compact and good for travelling. 

The texture is what left me disappointed. It feels creamy in the pot, but so dry on my skin and I wore a moisturiser underneath (La Roche Posay Cicaplast if you're wondering). You can see on the picture where I'm wearing it that it looks cakey and dry. I had difficulties blending it nicely as it didn't melt in my skin at all. I also didn't like it for pinpoint concealing. For some reason it didn't cover the redness I have from old blemishes and it just caked up. Maybe it would perform better on oiler skins, I don't know. I find it almost a complete dupe of theBalm's Time Balm concealer in terms of texture. Essence feels a bit more creamy to the touch, however, on the skin both feel dry and very similar.

I'd say coverage is medium to full. Perhaps I'm just spoiled from Estee Lauder Maximum Cover, but I find that though it covers my circles well, it doesn't cover blemishes or red marks effectively.

Shades are a pleasant surprise, though. The light shade is the lightest I own. It's even lighter than theBalm's Time Balm Lighter than Light and even on my Snow White skin, it works wonderful as an illuminator. Just for reference, Maybelline's the Eraser in Fair is my perfect match right now. The darker shade is a smidgen darker than Maybelline's the Eraser in Light and I think it will match a lot of people. Unfortunately, this is the only combination of shades available, so people with darker skintones won't find a match here.

Here is a comparison of all concealers I have plus Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in 51 (it's swatched on my forearm, which is milky white right now):

I'm wearing the concealer on the right. As you can see it looks dry and obvious. Perhaps if I used a super greasy moisturiser it would work better. However, it creased even without it, so I think it would be even worse with it. Included here is the effect of essence get BIG lashes mascara:

All in all, I'm not too impressed. I was looking forward to this concealer, but it left me disappointed. If your skin is dry avoid it. Perhaps, it performs better on oilier skin. It costs 2.69€.

Essence get BIG lashes volume boost waterproof mascara is not a new addition in the essence range, but Sara from Passing Fancy said it's her favourite, so I gave it a go. You can see the effect in the picture above, honestly the lashes look a bit bigger in person than on the pic (I have no idea why my lashes always look so blah in pictures and so much nicer in person). In my experience, it gives you more length than volume. You get big lashes all right, but it looks a bit too clumpy for my taste. I prefer the look of natural volume, I mean big lashes that still look like there is nothing or much on them. I get that with the Maybelline one, though this one is not bad at all. I think it looks better a few minutes after application. I find the brush clumsy, because it's big and the bristles could be more defined. It looks just like an old school brush. The formula is dry as with most waterproof mascaras. It is a very good waterproof mascara, better than the Maybelline one. The latter smudges in contact with water and this one doesn't. It crumbles under a shower, but to a much lesser degree than I expected. In that respect I give a nod to essence. Because it's a good waterproof mascara is holds curl well. It's a nice mascara for the price, but not my favourite drugstore one. I like how it's waterproof, holds curl and lengthens, but the brush could be nicer and I'm not too excited about the clumps either. It costs 2.69 €.

Second part will be up soon. Thanks for reading!

(Mostly) Drugstore Concealers - Favourites and Really Good Ones

I've tried quite a few of concealers so far, drugstore and high-end, and I found some really good drugstore concealers that perform as well if not better than high-end ones. My main concern is redness under my eyes (I've always had it, even when I was a child), I don't suffer from much breakouts. I've already reviewed most of these concealers and you can find some reviews here ->click. 

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age the Eraser Eye Perfect & Cover Concealer

My absolute favourite concealer so far. I think it might be my HG concealer, it's just so good. It offers a lot of coverage, however, it looks very natural on the skin and not at all cakey. Mine is in the shade light (this is the second lightest shade, one even lighter one is called fair), which matches my skin perfectly no matter whether I'm selftanning or not (so it matches me when I'm NC15 or NC20-25). It has a peachy undertone, which really brightens up the under eye area. The sponge applicator works really well, although I still have to blend it a bit with my finger. It even covers some small blemishes. The only problem is that it's not sold in Slovenia (God knows why) and the closest place for me to buy it is Croatia. It is priced 10€. Highly recommended.

ArtDeco Perfect Teint Illuminator

This was one of my first ever concealers and I've repurchased it I think three times so far. Well, it's not as much of a concealer as illuminator, so basically a poor man's Touché Eclat. I never owned the famous YSL version, but this one is pretty good. I use it mostly on my under eye area, but it can also be used anywhere you would apply your highlighter, so on the top of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, cupids bow, etc. It's not the best at covering, but that's not what it promises to do anyway. It works best in conjunction with some other concealer with heavier coverage and it really brightens up the area. Mine is the the shade 8, which has yellow undertones and there is another shade that is more pink. It is priced somewhere around 10€. 

Rimmel Match Perfection concealer

My second favourite concealer so far. It has quite a lot of coverage, it's even good for covering blemishes and looks very nice on the skin, so not cakey. I have the lightest shade called 010 Ivory which is comparable with Healthy Mix 51 or Mac's NC 15. It also has illuminating properties, which is great for under eye area. The applicator is a brush and you have to squeeze the tube for the product to come out. As well as with the Maybelline one, this one is not available in Slovenia (Rimmel in general is not sold here) and I also had difficulties finding it in Croatia (Zagreb), so I got mine in France for around 8€, but you can get it online on feelunique.com. Highly recommended.

Essence Stay All Day concealer

It's a really nice concealer especially given the price (around 3-4€). It is actually quite pigmented for a drugstore concealer. I find the coverage sufficient enough for dark circles and even some small spots, however it's still quite light. It has a doe foot applicator, which honestly I like a lot as it makes the application really easy. But there are two problems: first is that it comes in only two shades (10 Natural Beige and 20 Soft Beige) and both run very light. I own both, 10 is suited for very pale skins (Healty mix 51) and has yellow undertones, while 20 is just a tad darker (Healthy mix 52) and has pinker undertones. So for anyone darker than that unfortunately Essence doesn't offer a good colour match. Second is that it oxidises very fast on the skin. By that I mean that when you apply it, the colour turns a bit darker and orange, however, when you blend in, it looks fine. So it's not such a big problem as more of a bit of a nuisance. It is one of the best drugstore concealers available in Slovenia and one of the easiest to get, since it's sold in almost every drugstore.   

theBalm Time Balm concealer

The heavies concealer of the bunch. The texture is very thick, but not that hard to blend. I prefer to apply it with fingers because it just blends better with the skin. Unfortunately, this concealer does not work well on dry skin. It clings to every dry patch so make sure you moisturise before using it. The coverage is full, works well on dark circles and blemishes, but really make sure the area is moisturised. It feels quite thick under the eyes, so I prefer to use other concealer and I use this one on blemishes. The shade I have is Lighter than Light which is comparable to NW15 (pink undertones). Original review can be found here ->click. It the most expensive out of these five and also my least favourite, but you can get it on feelunique.com.

Hope this helps and thanks for reading!

L'Oreal Lumi Magique + My Current Make Up Routine

L'Oreal recently released a new line that contains foundation, concealer and a highlighting base. I got the latter, which I've only seen in Interspar supermarkets (here in Slovenia of course, I'm not sure about other countries) and not in our drugstores (a bit odd if you ask me). Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup describes it as a close dupe for Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector (click for her review). It's certainly a fantastic product, I'd go as far as saying that it's one of my favourite purchases this year. Highlighters are one of my favourite products, but I much prefer liquid/cream forms that powder ones. They just give a much more natural glow.

I'll draw a comparison with a cheaper version of a similar product mybase by Essence. First the price: Essence costs around 3€ for 20ml and Magic Lumi costs 10€ for the same amount. Lumi Magique is much more liquidy and has a golden sheen to it, while Essence feels more thick and is more pink (swatches don't really paint the real picture, Essence is much pinker in real life). On the skin, Lumi Magique gives a touch more shine and that's why I prefer it, also it lasts longer. Both give that amazing ''lit from within'' glow that I absolutely adore. The packaging of Lumi Magique is a lot better, more sleek and sturdy. Also the pump is great because unlike with the Essence, you don't waste any product as it's really easy to get just a tiny drop of product. I use it on the top of my cheekbones, cheeks and sometimes I put a bit on the cupid's bow. You can also use both products as a base underneath the foundation or mix it with foundation.

Even though it's a lot more expensive than mybase by Essence I'd go for L'Oreal.  When I run out of Lumi Magique  I'll definitely repurchase. I've been wearing it every day for the past three weeks and I even got some compliments how great my skin looks. Highly recommended.

^These are my three favourite products right now. I've already written the review for Skin79 BB cream, I think mine's on it's last legs. When it runs out I'll get either the gold version or maybe I'll try the Missha M Signature one (I just want to try out some more of these Asian BB creams). Lumi Magique goes on my cheeks together with either Peach Dream Touch blush by Maybelline or Coralista. 

The last thing is a great concealer I recently found in Zagreb (yes, I've been cheating on my trusted Essence concealer and I'm not even sorry). It's Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye by Maybelline in Light (the second lightest shade, Fair is lighter). It has some peachy undertones, which are great for brightening under the eye. It even covers spots (as long as it's not a massive red one). The sponge is actually useful and applies and blends the product well. Another highly recommended product. I haven't seen it in Slovenian drugstores yet. What's the deal with that Maybelline?

The combination of these three products and some blush (Maybelline's Peach is my favourite for the moment) just make my skin look great plus even got me some compliments, which is always great. 

Thanks for reading!