Empties #9

  BATISTE Dry Shampoo Tropical

I must say that I completely get why Batiste is so popular and it has fast become one of my favourite formula of dry shampoos. It's not white (except if you apply it on one spot too close), it really refreshes the hair well and it doesn't leave too much of the powdery residue. I had the massive 400 ml can of Tropical version, which smells like coconut bread or coconut pastry and personally I'd prefer something more Rafaello like, but it's all right.

Repurchase: Batiste dry shampoos in general - yes (currently I have the Wild version). Tropical version: Maybe.

SEXY HEALTHY HAIR Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner

I've often sang praises about this hair hero and for good reason. It has come to a point where the mere though of being without for a single wash is almost unbearable. I am being dramatic or what? But in all seriousness, I find it a brilliant product that nourishes my hair, keeps it hydrated longer, reduces frizz and it has made my hair a lot more healthy since I started using it - a fact even my hairdresser noticed. I should also note that it's extremely light-weight, so I would recommend this to pretty much all hair types. I've been using it after every wash without fail on damp hair and one bottle lasted me about a year - at about 12 € per bottle (on Beauty Bay) I consider this a bargain.

Repurchase: Already did.

KÉRASTASE Nutritive Bain Oléo-Relax Smoothing Shampoo

Now this is what every shampoo should be like. It's the one shampoo that I consider as being exceptional and well worth the price. My hair is dry, as I've often complained, and this is like a shampoo plus conditioner in one in a sense that it leaves my hair clean, yet nourished, untangled and smooth. The scent does become a bit annoying with frequent use because it is one of those that has a sharp, potentially headache-inducing note in it, but it's worth putting up with it. I currently have Elixir Ultime version and Oléo-Relax is much better for my hair type.

Repurchase: Without a doubt.

MORROCANOIL Treatment Original 

As I've said in my Hair Oil series, I find there is very little difference between this one, Macadamia oil and Orofluido. All three are seriously good and I believe the main difference is just in the scent as well as the price. This one has my least favourite scent out of the three because it's sort of a generic fabric softener type of scent and I much prefer the rich, oriental version of Orofluido (which is also cheaper). 

Repurchase: Maybe, but I prefer Orofluido.

 BALEA Carambola Lambada Dusche

A nice, simple and affordable shower gel that smells very lovely tropically fresh (I described it before as similar to a grapefruit scent, but sweeter). Out of all summer LE by Balea this one is my favourite so far. 

Repurchase: It is a LE and I have enough of shower gels at the moment, so I suspect not.

ALVERDE Aroma Pflegeöl Kokos

I love these Alverde oils and I use them for so many things. This is my second or third bottle of this scent, which is a coconut muffin type of smell and it's ok, but I've grown a bit tired of it. One of the best features of this oil is the packaging, which is just perfect due to the brilliant pump.

Repurchase: Already did, but a different version.

BALANCE ME Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm 

I'm quite sad I've used this up. This is my favourite cleanser so far because it just suits my skin so well and it looks its best when I use it. It's a balm with scrubby particles and it cleans well, removes makeup and leaves the skin moisturised, so the dry patches are the thing of the past. It smells wonderful, the texture is nice and I love that it comes in a tube, which makes it very hygienic. The only bad side is that it's expensive. I have three other cleansers at the moment and none live up to it.

Repurchase: Yes.

NIVEA Anti-Perspirant Stress Protect

I actually liked this one. It worked ok for a spray deodorant and it smells pleasantly generically fresh, but I've used up this little 50 ml bottle in about a week or two. Currently I have the Pearl & Beauty version.

Purchase: Maybe.

 YVES ROCHER Mango and Passion Fruit eau de toilette

I'm a huge fan of tropical scents, with Escada's yearly LE's being my favourites, but this YR version was the one I never truly loved. It's a very simple, fresh, yet sweet scent that doesn't last particularly long and it does smell like a tropical drink with a prominent note of mango, while the passion fruit is more subdued. Both mango as well as passion fruit are my favourite scents in products, but in this combination it just didn't really work for me. 

Repurchase: No and I believe it's not available any more.

KATY PERRY Purr eau de parfum

This was a blind buy for me because it was 50 % off at the time of the purchase. It was never my favourite scent, but it's still a lovely, everyday fragrance. 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. I think the bottle is adorable and I'll keep it as decoration.

Repurchase: No.

 L'OCCITANE Almond Shower Oil

Since 2007 there hasn't been a day when I was without this shower oil. I keep repurchasing it and I buy these eco-refills with 500 ml (that's two regular bottles) with which fill my old bottle. It's a fantastic shower oil and it provides a true pampering experience in the shower due to a super luxurious oil texture that transforms into a thick, creamy foam when water is added, not to mention that it smells bloody fantastic. It is a great product for those with dry skin as I find I never need to use a moisturiser afterwards. You should try it at least once in your life.  

Repurchase: Yes.

AVENE Cicalfate

This is just a simple, super thick ointment with panthenol (B5) for treating any type of damages on the skin from cuts, grazes and wounds. It was fine, nothing more to say about it.

Repurchase: I found something cheaper, so probably not.

ESSENCE 4 in 1 nail file

I buy these all the time. It's just regular nail file with four different textures that vary in roughness. It does its job and it does it well.

Repurchase: Already did.

BADGER Cuticle Care

I never liked this for it's original purpose as I find it not moisturising enough for my cuticles and I am not a fan of the strange herbal-lemon scent, but I did love this for my very dry soles.

Repurchase: Probably not.

BALEA Hygiene Reinigungstűcher

I bought a few packs of these before even trying them out first and I'm not a fan of them. They are nice and thick, but they have a strong hospital-disinfectant scent and Preven's don't. They do their job, but I probably won't repurchase. 

Repurchase: Probably not, I prefer Preven's ones.

 MAX FACTOR Khol Eye Liner Pencil

20 Black

I used to like this one and before the gel/khol hybrids such as Supershock by Avon came on the market, it was one of my favourite khols, but now I find it not black enough, too smudgy and not long-lasting. It has nothing on my favourite black eyeliner UD's Zero.

Repurchase: No.

Things that are discontinued:

TIGI Curls Rock Curl Booster

After years of collecting dust, I'm finally tossing this away. I never got this product. Is it a hairspray that's just super wet or is it like a replacement for mousse? I tried using it in so many different ways and it did nothing. Curls Rock Amplifier, on the other hand, I loved and I've gone through several bottles (if you'd like to define your natural curls, try it). 

BALEA Body Spray Aqua

I used this on hot days as a refreshment and it worked a treat. I also sprayed this on my face, when my foundation/powder looked cakey. I really liked how the spray did a very fine mist and it never just dripped. However, I'm still not sold on the whole water in a can fad, so I've refrained from purchasing the more expensive version from pharmacy brands.

BALEA Hawaii Deospray

I really liked this version of scent and I've owned several cans, but it's now discontinued. These Balea ones are, as described, just deodorants, so fragrance in a can, rather than actual antiperspirants such as Nivea's, but they always have some nice scents.

BALEA Bodycreme Sunny Peach

I loved the scent of this - it was a good peach scent, but I didn't find it moisturising enough for my legs as the skin was dry again in the morning. It was simply too light. I presume the still existing coconut version is similar.

After almost four years of blogging and more that a million views, the day has finally come and I have created a Facebook page, Instagram as well as decided to finally start using my Twitter account (which is also four years old). If you'd like to follow me on any of these social media, feel free do to so and if you decide to check them out on a later date, the links are also in the side bar. I can't promise you I'll be particularly interesting, as the tittle of my biography could be named: The Unexciting Life of the Unremarkable Woman,  but you might see new posts faster than now. Out of all social media, I still love Pinterest most and I'll probably be most active there.

Have a great day!

Max Factor All Day Primer

My experience with primers has left me rather indifferent to them and it's been a long time since I used a proper primer on a daily basis as memories of unsightly flakiness that Clinique Pore Minimizer tended to cause were just too painful and Garnier's Perfect Blur performance was very mediocre on me. However, you may have noticed that I included this primer in pretty much every favourites post recently. It was for good reason. I've been trialling this gem for a month now and I'm nothing but impressed. 

Texture: It's a thick lotion which has a strange sort of a "glue-ish" texture that seems like it should be sticky, but it isn't at all. The application is a breeze and it just glides on the skin, leaving behind a nice light and even coat of primer that doesn't flake. The finish of it is matte, but not in a drying way and I'm especially happy about it not emphasising dry patches. The skin feels smooth and dry to the touch, but the primer doesn't disguise pores, though it doesn't promise to do that. It feels super light on the skin, I pretty much don't even feel it, so it kind of reminds me of a thicker version of L'Occitane's Angelica Ultra Matte fluid. 

Does it actually work?: It promises to prolong the staying power of foundation and it definitely does. I notice a massive difference at the end of the day and even Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum lasts surprisingly well. There is a lot more foundation on the cotton pad when I'm taking my makeup off at the end of the day as opposed to when I don't use this primer. My skin is normal, but I can get a slightly oilier T-zone especially in the summer and I think this primer helps keep oil at bay quite well. It has SPF 20, which is nice as far as I'm concerned, since it means I have an additional layer of sun protection and a completely clear, light-feeling SPF for winter months. 

It also works wonderfully as an as an eyeshadow base and keeps the makeup fresh longer.

Scent: This might sound strange, but it smells like a pool, so chlorine, though only if I put my nose to it.

Packaging: The primer is stored in a nice heavy glass bottle with a pump. The dispenser is very good and easily pumps out the desired amount. The only thing that is out of place is the plastic cap, which for some unknown reason looks already heavily used and it did even right after I removed the plastic slip around it. 

Strangely this has no ingredients on the bottle. There is no peel off label or anything, which I'm not sure that a company is allowed to do. Basically, this is supposed to be the primer part of the Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 foundation. I'm positive that it's a silicone primer, but it doesn't feel like one meaning there is no thick slippery coat of silicones on your skin (as at Garnier's Perfect Blur for example) and it's as if the skin can breathe. It doesn't clog my pores at all.

Price and availability: I got mine in Müller for 12.99€.

What can I say, I am very pleasantly surprised. It's a lovely primer that leaves a nice smooth finish, feels super lightweight, makes the application of foundation easier and it actually does what it promises - prolongs the wear of foundation and makeup. This is one of my favourite discoveries of late and I have to say I really missed it when I loaned it to someone for a few days. I've been using it almost everyday since I got it as it also prolongs the staying power of my tinted sunscreen. It truly is a drugstore gem.

Have a great day!

New in #16

MAX FACTOR Facefinity All Day Primer SPF20

I've heard several bloggers say good things about it, so I grabbed myself a bottle in Müller. It's a face primer with SPF 20 that promises to prolong the wear of make up. So far I like it a lot, it really does what it promises and it also keeps oil at bay, but I'll do a review once I properly test it.

By the way, I find it works great as an eyeshadow primer as well.

12.99 €, Müller.

BOURJOIS Rouge Edition Velvet 

02 Frambourjoise and 05 Olé Flamingo

I bought two more shades after being seriously impressed by the formula of Velvets. These two have a much better formula to work with than 08 Grand Cru and again have that perfect velvety matte finish. Frambourjoise is a beautiful rose-pink and Olé Flamingo a super bright hot pink. There will be a review with swatches.

12.99 €, Müller/DM.

MANHATTAN Eyemazing Liner

My L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim eyeliner is on its last legs and I was planning on repurchasing it, but then I saw Paddy mentioning Eyemazing in one of her reviews as her preferred choice for a liner. While I love L'Oreal's version, since it's not sold in Slovenia and Manhattan is more accessible to me as well as cheaper, I didn't hesitate in tracking it down. It has a very similar design with the thin felt tip that allows a lot of precision. I've only used it once and while it's a nice cheaper alternative, it's not as good as L'Oreal's. I'll do a quick comparison of the two soon.
5.99 €, DM.

REFAN 34 

Imitation of Lancôme La Vie Est Belle

This is a spectacular scent! It smells like an expensive box of pralines with a fruity filling (black currant and pear), but not completely gourmand because of the floral notes (iris, orange blossom, jasmine) and patchouli. The combination of the latter with the sweet notes reminds me of a much sweeter version of Paco Rabanne's Black XS. It's a strong scent with a fantastic staying power and one of my favourites at the moment. If you like sweet scents (like these), give the original a sniff when you see it.

Notes and reviews of the original on Fragrantica.

5 € for 15 ml in Refan.

Christina Aguilera eau de Parfum and Shower Gel

Though it's been out for years and many people adore it, I never paid much attention to this scent. I was very pleasantly surprised when one of my friends gifted me a set with a small 15 ml bottle and a shower gel as a thank you for helping her. I honestly did not expect to like it as much as I do. It's brilliant! I would describe it as a very expensive smelling soap, an oriental-floral scent and in general very feminine and warm. It sort of reminds me of a warmer vanilla version of Chanel N°5 as I find it has the same soapiness in it with jasmine standing out. The shower gel is fabulous as well and it has the same scent, so it makes a regular shower a more glamorous experience.

Notes and reviews on Fragrantica.

GARNIER Hautklar Fruit Energy Peeling-Gel

a.k.a.Pure Active Fruit Energy Daily Energising Gel Scrub 

I bought it as a more quick-to-use cleanser to include in my morning routine, since Balance Me needs to be removed with a washcloth. My skin hates gels because they dry it out and patches appear, so this is my first gel cleanser in a really long time.  The formula feels pleasant due to a more thick texture and the exfoliating beads in it are very gentle, while the pomegranate scent is lovely and refreshing. I haven't been using it for long and I want to thoroughly test it before I write a review, but so far I'm sad to report that despite being pleased with it from the start, I have noticed my skin getting drier. 

5.19 €, Műller.

DAS GESUNDE PLUS Panthenol Schutz- und Pflegesalbe

Panthenol protective ointment 

This is just a run of the mill panthenol treatment for cuts, dry patches and other problematic areas. It has the same super thick texture as Bepanthenol and Avene's Cicalfate, except that I think this version isn't antibacterial. The tube is much bigger than the two and it's much cheaper. I plan to use it regularly on my legs because I have a lot of damage there and I want to speed up healing. It should also be good to use on old spots.

2.29 €, DM.

GARNIER Deodorant Neo Fresh Blossom

I am disappointed with this deodorant. I don't sweat much, but this just does not work on me. A not so funny anecdote: I wore this to my graduation ceremony held in a stuffy hall on a hot day and I could just feel a drop of sweat roll down which never happened to me with any other deodorant. Good thing that I was wearing black! Fresh Blossom version smells like you'd expect, florally fresh. I like the applicator and the fast-absorbing cream formula that doesn't leave traces, but what does that help if it's rubbish. Rexona Clear Pure is miles better despite white marks. 

3.49 €, DM.

NIVEA Anti-Perspirant Stress Protect

I bought a travel size to try in DM after being disappointed by Garnier's Neo. I actually like it for a spray deodorant, though I usually go for roll-ons. It's almost instantly dry to the touch after application and the scent is very freshly clean. It's definitely more effective than Neo.

1.49 € for 50 ml, 2.99€ for 150 ml, DM.

SUN DANCE Transparentes Sonnenspray mit Tropicduft SPF 30 LE

Transparent spray sunscreen with a tropical scent SPF 30

It was the tropical scent that got me. As the name suggests it's a transparent sunscreen with the texture similar to a dry oil, so it gives that shine to the skin, but also doesn't sink in completely. The application is a breeze and it's a great sunscreen if you don't have anyone to do your back. It smells like papaya and oranges, so sourly-juicy sweet or for anyone that's familiar, it smells really close to Mango Mambo shower gel (or last year's Brazil Mango). 

4.49 €, DM.

BALEA Trend it up Lovely Berries Dry Shampoo

Limited Edition. It's temporarily replacing their original formula.

This is so white! It's one of those dry shampoos that leaves a lot of fine powder in the hair which you can feel when you run your fingers through it, however, this also means that it absorbs oils well and gives tons of texture/volume. It smells like strawberry sweets and the scent lasts decently on the hair. It's nice, but only if you're blond or you have light hair especially if your hair gets very oily and you need to spray a lot of dry shampoo. I use it only to refresh the hair, so I spray small amounts and from very far away to avoid it looking too white. Do not spray this close because it's very, very hard to blend in and it leaves a matte, grayish cast.  

2.49 €, DM.

ESSENCE Studio Nail 4in1 Profi File

I buy these all the time. It's just regular nail file with four different textures that vary in roughness. It does its job and it does it well.

1.59 €, Müller.

*GREEN LINE Micellar Cleansing Water

Micelarna čistilna vodica

Another micellar water is joining the drugstore ranks with Green Line launching their version. Green Line is a Slovene brand, so I'm not sure how accessible it is apart from here and probably in the Balkans. I've only used it once and so far I like it. It works great, but it's heavily fragranced (I like that, though). There will be a review once I properly test it.

I was sent this before its official release, so I don't know the price yet.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil
Collector's Edition

A repurchase of course. If you're a regular on this blog then you know how much I adore this oil and I've been using it every day as a face moisturiser for the past three years. I'm so happy that I got such a good price for it and I adore the limited edition packaging. I still have my old bottle, so this is going to the back of the shelf until I use that one up.

24€, Feel Unique (it's still on offer).

Actually this is only part one of my New in. I still have a couple of packages coming and I didn't feel like waiting any more, besides it's a too long post already. The second part should be posted soon and it will feature my Boots purchases.

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!

Colours of the Rainbow Tag

This tag was really popular a few months back, but I still see an occasional post popping up. So the rules are to take all seven colours of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) plus pink and multi-coloured, and talk about your favourite beauty or fashion item that fits with those colours. I honestly enjoyed doing this tag and this definitely one of the most colourful posts I ever posted.

ESSENCE Guerilla Gardening TE Floral Glam lip cream

I could choose any of my red lipsticks here, as I really enjoy wearing them and I wear them frequently. I chose Floral Glam not just because it's currently my favourite red, but also because it's a lip cream and they are my favourite type of lip colours as they are very pigmented, last so long and have a matte finish. I did a comparison of most my red shades in the review for this lip cream and Floral Glam is an orange based red that bears a lot of resemblance to Mac's Lady Danger and MUA's 13 (again some of my favourites).

KÉRASTASE Masquintense Epais

I never realised I have so many thing that are orange! And all the good stuff actually. So naturally I had difficulties picking one and I cheated a bit by making a second picture of my other choice - The Body Shop Vineyard Peach body butter here. I could include the entire Nutritive line from Kérastase here, well at least the products I got, because all of them all fantastic. I just keep getting more and more impressed by this mask. Every time I use it, everyday is a good hair day and I think that sums it up just nicely.

 NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

It was the most obvious choice out of all. I have, after all, been using it every day for more than two years as a face moisturiser. It made my skin so radiant and healthy looking not to mention very soft. It is a multi-purpose product and I also use it for my body and occasionally on my hair, it even works as a lip balm if you don't have anything else handy. Definitely a product worth the hype.

MACADAMIA NATURAL OIL Healing Oil Treatment
I would be really odd for me not to include at least one of the hair "oils". Since Nuxe oil took top place in the yellow category leaving no place for Orofluido, Macadamia was the best choice for green. They all perform so similarly that the only thing really differentiating them is the scent. Macadamia might not have the best scent in the world (mind you, some adore it, but get the sample size first just to be sure), but it is great for dry hair and I find it to be the one with the best defrizzing and shine properties.

TIGI Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hair Spray

I had difficulties choosing the blue product that deserves the top spot. I have many, but none really stands out. I decided then on what is the most obvious choice for me because I've been using this hairspray for years, particularly when I curl my hair. I never really talked about it apart from saying it has a tropical scent, but it doesn't make your hair stiff or sticky and manages to hold my curls in a decent condition for days.

MAX FACTOR Khol Pencil in Natural Glaze
This is one of those unsung heroes that I've been using everyday for years on my waterline and a bit in my inner corner to make the eyes look more awake and bigger. It's a fantastic fleshtoned eyeliner with peachy tones for an affordable price. If you don't have it yet, you need it.

VICTORIA'S SECRET Love Spell Fragrance Mist
This is my signature Summer scent which smells like a refreshing tropical fizzy drink. Sadly it doesn't last long, about an hour, but respraying it offers an instant refreshment on hotter days.

Fantasy eau de Parfum

This was the only scent that I wore for over a year, so it definitely deserves the top spot among "the pinks". It's a very girly fragrance, featuring a delicious blend of kiwi and lichee notes with vanilla and white chocolate. Yeah you'll smell like sweets and cupcakes, but to me it's a comforting scent and I'm a fan of such sweet fragrances. The projection and staying power is exceptional for a celebrity fragrance and you can find good deals online, so it's reasonably priced.

 SLEEK Original palette

Finding a multicoloured item wasn't an easy task, I don't even have any apart from the palettes. Sleek's Original one has been in my collection for quite a while, but I use it very rarely. The reason is that I rarely wear bright coloured eyeshadows (or any really) but if I need a bright blue, violet or green this the place to look. It's an affordable palette for those who want to experiment with colours. By the way, Sleek palettes have one of the best black eyeshadows.

I added a category with the mint green/teal/turquoise/ blue-green shades, since it is (are) my favourite colour(s) and selected Essie Mint Candy Apple. It's THE mint nail polish and has received many raves not just from me, but also from other beauty bloggers. I must admit, it is not the easiest polish to apply, yet I wear it the most out of all of my nail polishes. I have a few dupes, Depend 245 is pretty much a spot on dupe as is the already discontinued You Belong to Me by Essence.

If you find this tag fun, feel free to do it yourself.
Have a great day!

Drugstore Guide to Brands Available in Slovenia

Slovenia is not known for it's great selection of (drugstore) make up. By my count we have about 12 brands that are available in most drugstores, but it is getting better. It's about the same range of brands as is all countries of central Europe (the influence of Műller and DM is really dominant here), also in other European countries. Of course we have less brands and even those carry limited ranges (I'll explain more in individual descriptions).  I set on doing a post that features the products I own from individual brands, my experiences in general with the brands and maybe to help some make up addicts who intend to visit our little country and are interested in what our drugstores have to offer. There are three mayor drugstores: Müller (the biggest), DM (most common) and Tuš Drogerije (I actually only been in the one in Kočevje, so I don't know what brands they carry, if someone can fill me in it'd be much appreciated). E.Leclerc also carries some brands, as does Boutique (Maximarket), Limoni, Nama, Ilirija and some bigger Interspars and Mercators. I'm not sure what happened to Douglas. I did a post about favourite drugstore products here and here is a post on drugstore disappoitments.

Alverde

Is a brand available only in DMs. They pride themselves on offering a range of make up based on natural ingredients. It's fairly cheap, I think I paid 3€ for their baked eyeshadow. Since it is a more natural line, some products contain a lot of denaturised alcohol, like their liquid blushes. This results in quite an odd scent of some products that not everyone would like. I love their eyeliner brush (it cost less that 2€, my favourite brush for gel eyeliner) and their baked eyeshadows. I hated their gel eyeliners, but I believe those were just a part of LE collection. A Müller equivalent of a natural brand is Terra Natura (Thanks Taya) in the same price range. 

Bourjois

Without a doubt one of my favourite drugstore brands. They have amazing foundations (Healthy Mix), lipsticks (Rouge Edition), lip pencils, eye pencils and lip glosses. My cousin loved their mascara Volumizer (with 2 steps). I do, though, dislike their blushes and bronzer, but some people swear by them. It's not the cheapest brand, Healthy Mix foundation costs 14€, but you get what you pay for. It's also one of the rare brands that carries shades of foundations that are appropriate for us Snow Whites. It's available in most DMs and Müllers, also in Leclerc, Nama and Tuš Drogerija.

Catrice

 It's a fairly new brand here, but a great one. I think most were really excited when Müller finally started to carry this brand here (also sold in DM and Tuš Drogerija). They have awesome lipsticks, eyeshadows (cream and powder), nail polishes and those are the products I've tried so far. So far I haven't been disappointed by them, well apart from Lashes to Kill mascara, but it's not bad, just average. Eyeshadows and nail polishes cost around 2-3€, lipsticks are 3-4€.

Deborah

This is the only brand I don't own anything from right now. My mum loves their Atomic lipstick in 09. It's the only lipstick she's repurchased so far and it's the only thing she wears. I used to have their bronzer, but it was too orange and their blush, which was quite nice. Their lipsticks cost around 9-10€. It's available in most DM's and Müllers, also in Nama and Leclerc.

L'Oreal

Is everywhere. It's probably the most intentional brand, closely followed by Maybelline. But we only get a fraction of what's available in the UK or US. It's one of my favourite drugstore brands. I mean it is expensive, but most of their product are really good quality. I love their Infallible eyeshadows, mascaras, Lumi Magique primer/highlighter, lipsticks, Super Liner and there is probably some more. Unfortunately, they don't carry foundations that are light enough for me, so I don't know how they perform.

Essence

A lot can be said about Essence, but to sum it up in a few words: affordable, innovative and colourful. I own a pile of stuff from them, both from regular lines and from numerous trend editions they release. It's one of the most fun brands available. I love their nail polishes (cheap, great range of shades), Stay with Me lipglosses, Stay all Day eyeshadows, gel eyeliners, Sun Club blotting sheets and much more. I did a favourites post here. Their lipstick are more like glossy tinted moisturisers, which are great for those who are afraid of wearing more pigmented lipsticks. I don't like their eyeliners, lipliners (some love them, though), eyeshadows and foundations, also I find their mascaras quite average. It's available in DM, Müller, Tuš Drogerija, Ilirija, Leclerc and larger Mercators.

Manhattan

A brand that doesn't get much attention, but I adore their lip creams. It's the brand I used to buy almost everything from when I was in my early teens. It used to be the cheapest brand here, before essence of course. I bought my first mascara and lipgloss from them, also quite a lot of nail polishes. They have very pigmented lipsticks, good lipglosses, nice single eyeshadows, but bad trio eyeshadows. Lipliners and eyeliners are average. Sold in DM and Tuš Drogerije, it might be sold in some Müllers as well .

Maybelline

One of the easiest brands to find, however, and there is a huge however, the range of products available here is severely limited. Most of their, in my opinion, best products never reach our drugstores. For one it's one of my favourite concealers Instant Anti-Age Eye Eraser. It's available in Croatia, but not in Slovenia. What's the deal with that Maybelline? Another example: their Dream Touch blushes, available in most Carrefours in France (something like Interspar here), but not in Slovenia. Bonkers - the only appropriate word for this. Apart from blushes and concealer I also like their mascaras and lipsticks. I didn't like any of their foundations so far, also most of them are too dark.

Max Factor

I believe Max Factor is like an equivalent for Cover Girl, hence the similar products. They have fantastic eyeliners and I liked most of their mascaras (all of the ones with plastic brushes). They have nice lipsticks and foundations (most don't have a shade light enough, though Liquid Illusion has one). It's available almost everywhere. Oh, and if you're looking for their cream blushes, so far I've only seen them in Nama. It's in the Bourjois/L'Oreal price range.

Misslyn

The newest brand available here. I've never heard about it until about a year ago, when it appeared in Müllers. They have an impressive range of products, everything you need from regular things like lipsticks to a wide range of falsies, lash curlers, etc.  So far the only thing I bought from them are individual false eyelashes (size 2, no glue included), which are too short for me. Prices are very affordable, somewhere in the Catrice/Manhattan range.

Revlon

Available in Müller and Illirija, it's finally picked up after a rather odd era of nothing new coming in and now there is actually quite a current selection of their makeup sold here. I used to own their Colorstay foundation, but the lightest shade was too pink, I hated the strong alcohol scent and there was no pump. I love their Luxurious eyeliner in the shade Antiqued Gold and their Lip Butter are nice as well. I used to live next to Illirija  (Vič, Ljubljana, Tržaška cesta, by the factory and next to the petrol station, opposite of Mercator, you can't miss it. Take the number 6 city bus) and there were some awesome deals, eyeliners for a 1€, the lightest shades of Colorstay and Photoready for 2€.

S-he Stylezone 

Is only available in DM and (this is just my opinion) I honestly find it a bit lame. I like their huge nail polishes range, but the rest is just blah. They have a big colour range of lipsticks and almost all of them I find completely unwearable for me (it's like a festival of weird frosty shades. I hate frosty finish). There are a few exceptions, though. I like their mono eyeshadows (great quality), but their liners and quads are terrible. It's in the essence price range.

Müller also carries Isadora, Artdeco and Make up Factory; some Müllers have Pupa, however, they are too expensive to be considered drugstore brands. 

Brands that disappeared from our drugstores are Wet'n'Wild (try nonpareilboutique.com or eBay), Rimmel (but available in every other country. I suggest a visit to Croatia, Austria or Italy, if all fails try feelunique or Asos), Margaret Astor (Austria), Nivea (doesn't exists anymore), Gosh, Miss Sporty (I'm not sure if it's still sold in Tuš Drogerija).

Update December 2013: Limoni has left Slovenia and there is no drugstore department in inside Leclerc any more, but makeup is still sold there in a small shop across it.

I hope this was useful. Thanks for reading!

Drugstore Make up Favourites

FACE PRODUCTS

Foundation 

Bourjois has some of the best foundations among drugstore brands and their Healthy Mix Range is my favourite. We, pale ''Snow Whites'' in Slovenia, are terribly overlooked in the drugstore foundation market. There is a handful of foundations available in shades that are appropriate for (in Mac terms) NC15 or lighter. Bourjois Healthy Mix range is one of those. Shade 51 in both original and serum version is light enough, though perhaps a bit too yellow, but thankfully Bourjois realises that not all pale people have pink undertones. I love both versions. Serum has light to medium coverage, while the original foundation has medium coverage. Both look extremely natural, feel very light on the skin and leave a lovely dewy finish. (I did a review of the serum version here.)

Concealer 

I've already done a post on drugstore concealers (here), but the one that stands out is Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser. It has a light formula, but offers a lot of coverage. It manages to look very natural on the skin and basically undetectable.

Highlighter/Primer

L'Oreal Lumi Magique is definitely my favourite everyday highlighter. It gives a really nice glow without looking too shimmery. I much prefer liquid/cream highlighters and this one comes in a nice sleek packaging with a very precise pump, so you are not wasting any product. Review here.

Blush 

I favour cream formulas over powder ones. They are just easier and faster to apply plus they look more natural to me. Maybelline Dream Touch are really creamy, pigmented and apply like a dream. The shade range is very limited though, there are only four shades in total. I have two, Peach and Berry. There is another, previous version, called Dream Mousse blush, which I think is discontinued, but I love the shade Peach Satin. Review and swatches here and here. 

EYE MAKE UP

Gel eyeliner

 Essence has a great quality gel eyeliner for the price. It's really pigmented, applies nicely and lasts all day without fading or smudging. Honestly, I don't notice any difference between the much more expensive Mac one and this one. Review here. 

Cream eyeshadows 

Essence Stay All day eyeshadows win this category. They are very pigmented, apply nicely without looking patchy and last brilliantly on the lids. Another honourable mention with a similar formula, but just a touch more expensive are the Catrice one's. Reviews of both here and here. 

Eyeshadows 

A definite winner for me is the L'Oreal Color Infaillible range. I already own 6 shades and I want more. They are extremely pigmented and last so long on the lids. At about 9€ a pop they are quite expensive for drugstore eyeshadows, but the pots are big and you get a lot of product. My favourite shades are 21 and 24, which are probably my most worn shades. My preferred method of application is with fingers, then I blend the edges with Mac 217. I only wish there were more shades, preferably some matte. Review and swatches here, here, here and here.

I also can't get pass Catrice mono eyeshadows. They are really cheap (only about 2€), pigmented, lovely quality and have the best colour range in drugstore. There are shades similar to Mac's Copperplate, Satin Taupe, Patina and Retrospeck. I highly recommend you check them out.

Eyeliner 

Max Factor has some of the best eyeliners in drugstores, both in terms of quality and shades. It's the only drugstore brand available here in Slovenia that, to my knowledge, carries a flesh toned shade called Glaze. I wear it almost every day. I also own a white and a brown shade from their khol line. Their newest range called Liquid Effect is just amazing. The pencils are so soft and long lasting. I have the shade Brown Blaze, a dark coffee shade, which is the perfect everyday replacement for black. I wear it everyday on the top lash line. Reviews and swatches here and here. 

Mascara 

As far as mascaras go, there are several mascaras I like, but if I'd have to go for one brand, it'd be L'Oreal. I liked most of their mascaras I tried. Volume Million Lashes Carbon Black is fantastic, another great one is Lash Architect 4D False Effect Black Lacquer. Voluminous Carbon Black is also nice. Currently I like Maybelline the Collosal Volumin' Express. I did a drugstore mascaras comparison here, more reviews here and here.

LIP PRODUCTS

Lipgloss 

I don't like wearing lipgloss too much, but the ones I really like are the Essence Stay With Me. I have almost all colours now. They are not too sticky, there is no annoying shimmer, the colour range is beautiful, they smell great and are nicely pigmented. Reviews and swatches here and here.

Liquid lipstick

I know I might be cheating a bit by adding this category, but Manhattan Soft Mat Lipcream and Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream definitely deserve their place in my favourites. They are full coverage matte liquid lipsticks that last exceptionally well on the lips and don't transfer once they dry. I love matte lip colours, so these at the top of my list. Reviews and swatches here, here, here and here.

Lipsticks 

Catrice have great lipsticks in drugstore range, especially for the price. They are really pigmented with a good staying power, apply nicely and they have one of the best colour ranges. I believe there are no annoying mega shimmery, frosty shades in their Ultimate Colour range and there are also some non-shimmery creamy shades in the Ultimate Shine line (like 210 Kiss Kiss Hibiskuss, also a supposed dupe for the famous Mac Impassioned). Swatches here. 

Another line that deserves praise (even though we can only order it online) is the E.l.f. Mineral lipstick range. The two shades I own, Runway Pink and Natural Nymph, are matte and look great on my skin tone. An ancient review and swatches here. BeautyUK is also a brand we can only get online. I own the shade called Passion and it's so pigmented, long lasting and the colour is just gorgeous. Review and swatch here.

NAIL POLISH

Essence Colour & Go line offers a great selection of shades of great quality for an affordable price. They recently revamped this line, the bottles are different, there are new shades and the brush is a bit wider. Swatch and picture of one shade from the new line here. There are also a lot of Trend Edition shades released throughout the year. 

 Catrice and BarryM have inexpensive and really lovely quality nail polishes too.

TOOLS AND RANDOM

Brushes

I use E.l.f. Powder brush for applying and blending foundation. It's so soft, dense and doesn't shed. A really nice and inexpensive brush.

Ecotools range is widely available here in supermarkets. Bronzer brush is fantastic quality, so dense and soft. I use it for applying powder and bronzer. Eyeliner brush is one of my most used eye brushes and the eyeshadow brush, though quite big, is nice for applying eyeshadow all over the lid and also blending. More on my favourite brushes here.

Eyelash curlers 

I can't imagine my make up routine without Tana eyelash curlers. I actually have two, I had one at home and one in Ljubljana. These are the best curlers I ever had. I never pinched myself or got any eyelash ripped out (this happened to me a lot when I had other curlers). I got mine in Műller (they are in a dark blue/white box). Highly recommended.

Lip balm

This is kind of a random category, but since I apply lip balm under lipstick or use tinted lip balm instead of them, I'll do it anyway. My absolute favourite lip balm (which is not technically a lip balm, but a multi-task product) is Palmer's swivel stick. It's the most moisturising and soft lip balm that doesn't feel waxy like a lot of lip balms do. I love it. I also like Rosal Milk and Honey lip balm. It smells nice and moisturises well. Best tinted lip balms are Labello (or Nivea, depends on where you live), in particular the taste/shade/version with dragonfruit. I've bought several in a row.   

So this completes my favourites ramble. There will also be a post about drugstore disappointments and probably one that is going to be a sort of a guide thought drugstore brands in Slovenia and my experience with their products in general (if anyone is interested in reading about that).

Thanks for reading!