Phyto 9

This is marketed as a nourishing day cream with 9 plants for ultra-dry hair and since my hair is very dry, I had very high hopes for it. I liked all Phyto products I've tried so far and this has a high rating on Make Up Alley, so I was surprised that it left me cold.

Texture: It's like a face moisturiser, but for the hair and similar to Nivea Soft for example in a sense that it's not super thick, but also not watery.

Application: It has no silicones which means it lacks that slip that would make the product glide easily. Instead the application feels odd, like I'm applying a real moisturiser on the hair. It doesn't completely "melt" on the hair, so it tends to leave white bits which look like large pieces of dust if you look closely.

Scent: Almost none, but if I really put my nose to it, it smells like hay.

Effect: It can be used on damp or dry hair. On dry hair it does smooth down the flyaways and fixes dry hair, but once the wetness goes away, it all sort of pops up again. The dryness is still there especially if the hair is super dry. When my hair was seriously dry and I applied Phyto 9, it did nothing, it was like I haven't applied anything at all. Coconut oil or Orofluido are much, much more effective.  

On damp hair before blow-drying I noticed no difference in reduction of frizz nor in hydration levels, but keep in mind that I tried it only on my and my mother's super dry, frizzy hair. Maybe it performs better on someone with more moderately dry hair.

Packaging: A metal tube with a flip lid. It's small with only 50 ml of product and given the length and thickness of my hair, I have to use a lot, which means it won't last long.

Ingredients: As I said it's silicone free and it has 9 oils/extracts: marshmallow root extract, apricot kernel oil, macadamia oil, burdock extract, marigold extract, St John's wort extract, rosemary extract, white willow extract and sage extract. 

Price and availability: I got mine for 15.85 € in Leposana (E.Leclerc Ljubljana). It's available in pharmacies, on Look Fantastic, Feel Unique and HqHair, but it's more expensive.

I have to say that this product is a disappointment for me. It has a strange texture that doesn't glide nice on the hair and it doesn't sufficiently hydrate or nourish my hair. The tube is small with only 50 ml and if I used this every day on my long hair, it'd run out in probably less than three weeks. However, I'm not saying that it's really bad, maybe on someone else's hair this is fabulous, just not on mine.

Have a great day!

Best from Pharmacy Brands

My first experience with pharmacy brands happened many years ago with one of the dandruff shampoos and in these years I've tried a fair share of other products as well - from the famous Avene's Cleanance K and La Roche Posay's Effaclair Duo to the luxurious Nuxe Baume Prodigieux Lip Gloss - and I've found a nice amount of favourites and staples. I have a lot of faith in products from the pharmacy being a lot better than those from the drugstore and are probably as good as some high-end ones just for a more reasonable price. They are easy to get a hold of where I live, since we have a lot of pharmacies nearby and quite a few online shops (by the way, my favourite pharmacy is Leposana (E. Leclerck Ljubljana), where things are quite a lot cheaper than in my local pharmacy, especially if you have their loyalty card). 

 Phyto Phytheol Intense 

Dandruff treatment shampoo (100ml)

This has the weirdest texture of a shampoo ever. It's very thin and runny, also the packaging is beyond annoying because it's metal and you can't squeeze it resulting in having to pour the product out, which is particularity irritating when it's on its last legs. So why am I including it here? It's simple - because out of mountains of anti-dandruff products I've tried, this with combination of Phytopolleine had the best effect so far. It didn't cure it (I've actually lost hope for that, it's been going strong for 13 bloody years and I've tried everything, even went to a dermatologist), but it was the only product that actually removed that stubborn layer of dandruff that is stuck on my scalp and I finally felt like my scalp could breathe again. I'm sure that on someone whose scalp isn't so persistently dry that it flakes, rather has more "normal" dandruff problems this should solve it.

La Roche-Posay Kerium 

cream-shampoo anti-dandruff (250 ml)

Again another anti-dandruff shampoo, but this is not the intensive treatment rather a maintainer with salicylic acid that chemically exfoliates the scalp. But why I love it is because it's super gentle, yet really creamy and perfect for my mega dry hair. Most shampoos leave my scalp itchy after use because they dry it out, but with this I never had those problems at all. I've gone through a half a dozen tubes and though I'm trying other treatments for dandruff, I keep coming back to this. This and Kerastase Oleo-Relax are my absolute favourite shampoos. 

 Alpecin Medicinal Forte Intensive Scalp & Hair Tonic 

(200ml)

Technically I didn't buy this in a pharmacy, I buy them in Müller, but it is a healing type of product so I'm including it here. Again I bought this originally as a dandruff treatment, but it didn't yield much results in that department, however, this is a miracle for itchy scalp. Whenever my scalp feels itchy this soothes it instantly. I have to warn you that is has a very powerful, herbal schnapps scent so beware of any comments about reeking of alcohol, but hey at least your scalp will feel great. Another thing is the packaging which is rubbish since it lacks some sort of a nozzle with which you could apply this directly on the scalp, rather it's just pouring out uncontrollably and that's why (please don't laugh at me for this) I use a syringe (without the needle, obviously) so I can get the product directly and evenly on the scalp. I'm currently using my eighth bottle.

Phyto Phytopolleine 

Botanical Scalp Stimulant (25ml)

As I already said in the Pytherol review, this is a little miracle product that completely purified my scalp. It's eye-wateringly expensive at 29 € for a stingy 25 ml, but I bought two in a row. Sadly, it seems that it stopped working on me as all anti-dandruff products do (please tell me I'm not alone in this), so I'm having a bit of a break from it and I'm hoping a fresh bottle in a few months will be effective again. This really was the only product that came close to getting rid of my stubborn dandruff and because it's an oil, it also leaves the hair feeling really nourished .

 Bioderma Sensibio H2O micelle solution 

(100ml, 250 ml and 500 ml) 

It wouldn't be a best from pharmacies post without this. I've been a fan of it for about three years and I've gone though countless bottles. Sure there are drugstore dupes nowadays, but I don't find them as effective in completely and quickly removing all the makeup even though they are really good.

La Roche-Posay Nutritic Intense In-depth Nutri-Reconstituting Cream 

(30 ml)

This is a saviour for very dry, flaky skin. It actually feels relatively light, but it's intensely moisturising and it transforms the flaky skin literally overnight. Sadly, it breaks me out, which breaks my heart, but my mother adores this. She's not the one to pay more than 5 € for a moisturiser, but since I gave her this one, she bought four in a row and says it's absolutely worth the money and even puts an effort into tracking it down, would you believe it. If you're suffering from dry, flaky skin, do yourself a favour and grab this next time you're in a pharmacy.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum 

(30 ml)

When I first tried to seriously deal with my dehydrated, flaky skin years ago, this was like a little miracle in a bottle. It's fantastic for such skin, even for one that has a greasy T-zone. It balances the skin out by intensely moisturising it, but its super light texture doesn't cause problems for oily skin. It is a serum, so it should be used with a moisturiser on top, personally I love the combination of this with Nuxe dry oil. 

Eucerin Aquaporin Active Light 

(30 ml)

My second favourite moisturiser right behind L'Occitane's Angelica Hydrating Cream. It's based on aquaporins, which are a sort of plumbing system for cells and it moisturises the skin while still being light enough to be used under make up. I actually got this based on a few samples the sales lady gave me and I was so impressed I ran to the pharmacy as soon as I finished the samples and I've repurchased it three times so far. 

 Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse 

Multi-purpose Dry Oil (50 and 100 ml)

If you're an old follower on my blog, you'll know that I've been using this every day for three, yes three, years already. This is a staple in my skincare, much has changed, but this stayed. This is one of those products I can hardly imagine being without. It keeps my skin super soft, radiant and healthy looking. It's a dry oil, so it actually doesn't feel that oily and it sinks in in minutes. It's a multi-purpose oil, so I use what's left on my hair and it keeps it in good condition. It can also be used as a body moisturiser and it gives that great glow in the summer. The scent of it is fantastic as well. By the way, I would recommend the 100 ml version because it comes with a spray pump, while the 50 ml size just has a hole and it's irritating to get the product out because you have to shake it vigorously.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or

Multi-purpose Dry Oil (50 and 100 ml)

The shimmer infused sister or the original. This gives that amazing Victoria Secret glow on the body (best on legs and collarbone) as well as that glowy, summery look if used under a foundation. I love using this on my hair, because it's not too greasy even though it's silicone free and it gives a lovely shine to the hair.

Bio Beauté by Nuxe Lip Balm 

with apricot butter (15 ml)

I've been loving this more and more since I got it. I have a favourite lip balm, Palmer's Swivel stick and for years I haven't used anything else (I bough a few, but hated them), and this Nuxe one is getting just as much use as Palmer's. It's a lip balm-lip gloss hybrid that moisturises the lips and gives a nice glossy finish that is not super shiny, which I really like. It smells amazing, exactly like home-grown pears. It costs 10€, but there is a massive amount of 15ml in the tube, which should last a long time.

Avene Cicalfate

Antibacterial Repair Cream (40 ml)

A staple in any household. This is just one of those panthenol (provitamin of B5) treatments I've tried and they are all about the same, but this one is the one I have currently. Cicalfate is very similar in texture to Bepathenol (from Bayern, the Aspirin company) in a sense that it's a very thick cream that doesn't spread that easy. But these are little saviours for any type of wound or that blemish you squeezed just a bit too hard. It's antibacterial and it helps the wound to heal faster.
Another panthenol treatment that is actually very different is La Roche Posay's Cicaplast (original one, not the new B5 version). That one feels like a silicone primer, so some may like it more to use it on the face. 

What are your favourites from the pharmacy? Have a great day!

Makeup Revolution Salvation Intense Lacquer A Love Like That

You may have noticed by the lack of posts about lip gloss that I'm not a fan of them. I'm a (liquid) lipstick  kinda girl, matte finish being my favourite of course. I think gloss is just too much of a hassle, they're sticky (I have long hair) and they wear off soon. But I gave this lip lacquer a go anyway and it's not that bad.

Colour: A neutral red with a high shine finish and no shimmer. This is super, super glossy when freshly applied.

Pigmentation: It's strongly pigmented, so it's like a liquid lipstick and a lip gloss in one. About two coats are needed for almost full opacity on the lips.

Texture: It's a thick formula, though it doesn't feel sticky on the lips (but the hair still sticks to it). The thicker formula with intense pigmentation means longer lasting power than most glosses and it doesn't bleed.

Scent: A lovely vanilla scent that is strong and you can smell it when it's on the lips. Yummy.

Staying power: It's decent for a lip gloss. The intense shine wears off quickly, but the colour remains. It completely wears off in a few hours and it doesn't survive eating or drinking (at least not that well). No lip gloss lasts particularly long and don't expect this one to last intact for hours.

Packaging: My word is it cheap and rubbish! The stopper that wipes off excess product gets stuck in the cap all the time and I have to fix it constantly which leaves quite a mess to deal with. I'm actually afraid of closing it all the way because it pulls the stopper out. It has a standard doe foot applicator which is nothing special, but it works well. This is by far the cheapest packaging of a lip gloss I've ever seen. Too bad since the product itself is nice and it deserves to be in a better packaging. 

Intenzivni lip glossi Salvation Intense Lacquer lahko dobite na Ličila. si za 4,95 € in so na voljo v več odtenkih.
Salvation Intense Lacquers are available in Makeup Revolution store.

Have a great day!

*The product was sent to me as a gift and no conditions were set.

Wishlist #11

1. Essie Nail Polishes 

Spin the Bottle, Topless and Barefoot, Absolutely Shore

Three nail polishes on my wishlist? How very uncharacteristic of me. Basically, what I want and have wanted for years is an opaque nude shade and I'm placing my faith on Spin the bottle or Topless and Barefoot to be that shade. I actually went to the drugstore to pick up essence's iced latte only to realize it was discontinued (just great!). If you have any other recommendations for an opaque nude nail polish that is potentially sold in our drugstores please leave me a comment.
The third shade, Absolutely Shore, is pastel greyish mint green shade that I put the blame for my lemming it entirely on Maja (Pink Mascara), who swatched it a while a go and I can't get it off my mind since.   

On Beauty Bay 10 € per bottle.

Swatches:  Topless and Barefoot, Absolutely Shore, Spin the Bottle.

2. Fantasy the Nice Remix by Britney Spears

I'm a huge fan of the original Fantasy and two flankers were released this year - the Nice and the Naughty Remix. I've had a sniff of both and while the more sharp Naughty did not impress me (that oris root is so strong in it), I really enjoyed the Nice one. It's not as amazing as the original, but it's very close and a bit more fruity, though the cupcake vanilla note is still strong. It's such a lovely scent if you're into sweet girly scents.

100 ml on All Beauty for 26 €.

3. NARS Sheer Glow foundation

Too many people rave about this that I simply can't ignore it any more. I love their Radiant Creamy concealer, which I also bought because of the hype and it would be rude not to listen to all the bloggers' recommendations. The problem is of course that it's not sold here, so finding a suitable shade is very challenging. I'll probably order a few samples off eBay first, even though they are not cheap. 

On HqHair for 38 €.

4. Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Fibre Force line

I found a youtuber who describes her hair type exactly as mine and she raves about this, so it think it's worth giving a go. Similar to Joico's K-Pack, it's a line with keratin for as they describe extremely eroded hair and since my hair is snapping/breaking all over, this may help make it stronger. 

On All Beauty for 8-20 €.

5. The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Mist

I'm most excited about this product. My heart made a little happy dance when I learned that TBS released a body mist of my absolute favourite scent in any body product ever. I have a body butter from the Vineyard Peach line (well, two actually) and it smells divine, like ripe peaches and peach yoghurt. I need to get my hand on this ASAP, but no one on eBay is shipping this to Slovenia, nor is it available in Austria yet to the best of my knowledge.

The Body Shop £7.50 (currently 6$ on US website. You lucky b...bunnies. I swear I meant bunnies).

6. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray 

I've never tried any setting spray before and this one also comes in a small version, of which I'm always a fan of (anyone else loves sample/travel/try-out sizes as much as me?). I heard some great things about this and that it actually works, so I'm very temped to try it out.  

Travel size 30ml for 12 € on Feel Unique.

7. Real Techniques Blush Brush

I've been planing on buying this brush for years now. I need something fluffy and big for applying powder as well as blush. I'm so weird, as if shelling out 7 € for something I'll obviously be using every day is so bloody hard. 

9 $ on iHerb.

8. E.L.F. High Definition Powder

I'm searching for a nice setting powder with some blurring properties, while mattifying is not a priority for me, so after a lot of research this one looks to be very popular and inexpensive. Of course, my dream is to try the famous Guerlain's Meteorites and Hourglass Ambient Powder, but I'll give this a go first. 

6 $ on iHerb.

9. Panasonic EH2351AC Heated Eyelash Curling Wand

Ok, I'm cheating a bit here because I already ordered it, but I'm still waiting for it to arrive. Basically, I'm so fed up with my eyelashes refusing to get curled. I have a nice eyelash curler and a fabulous mascara that really holds curl, but what does that help me when my eyelashes drop within microseconds before I even have a chance to apply mascara. It's so irritating! I checked a few tips for eyelash curling and even bought a high-end eyelash curler, but a lot of people also talk about this curling wand and that it works great after you curl the lashes with a regular curler to get a better and more longlasting curl. It's not expensive, so I ordered it of eBay. Will see how this works.

12 $ on Amazon.

Have you tried any of these thing? What's on your wishlist?

Have a great day!

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer O'Boy

Cool toned light pink blushes are rare in my makeup collection and after trying this blush, I'm starting to wonder why. If you read my latest New In post, you'd have seen the swatch of this shade already as well as the rest of products I've received. I'm sure at least some of you will find these Vivid Blush Lacquers "suspiciously similar" to Make Up Forever's HD Microfinish blushes or even E.l.f.'s Studio HD blushes, but hey, who are we to judge people who offer us an affordable, quality blush. 

Texture: a light, silicone based gel/cream blusher.

Pigmentation: This is super pigmented. I need the smallest amount and it's best applied with a stippling brush so you can gradually build up the colour on the cheeks otherwise it can look clownish fast. I'm super pale obviously, so someone darker should adjust amount accordingly, but I doubt a lot of people would have any problems with this showing up. You can apply it with fingers, though it that case it takes longer to blend so you're not left with a round circle of colour on the cheeks and it's a lot easier to overdo.

Colour: a pastel blue-toned pink. It's one of those Barbie-ish pinks that perk up the face by giving a proper pop of colour. It looks so adorable in combination with a pink or nude lip colour, my favourite combination is with Revlon's Lip Butter in Sweet Tart. 

On the lips: It's pigmented enough to be used on the lips and you can get full opacity. The texture is light and on the dry side, so a lip balm on top is advisable for anyone who tends to get dry lips. On me this shade looks that scary pastel cool toned lavender pink (similar to YSL Rouge Volupte 7 Lingerie Pink or MAC Viva Gaga), basically a shade I should never, ever wear. It's strange how much better it looks on my cheeks. However, on my cousin's lips it looked more neutral and actually wearable.

Packaging: It's a blush in an airtight bottle with a pump that is easy to control. Even though the amount you can squeeze out is very small, it's still too much for me, but I'm not complaining. Sometimes I press the pump and no product comes out, so I have to press a few times, but then it works again.

Staying power: It's excellent. Of course, it also depends on the base you're using, but I it did last all day once, which is not that surprisingly giving how strong the pigment is and that it's staining.

This is my favourite product out of the ones I've received. It's a wonderful intensive blush of great quality and I really like the shade on me. There are several other shades available and I hear that the shade Rush is a dupe for Daniel Sandler's Watercolour in Flush (review and swatches on Cityscape Bliss here). 

Tekoča rdečila Vivid Blush Lacquers lahko dobite na Ličila. si za 4,95 € in so na voljo v več odtenkih.
Vivid Blush Lacquers are available in Makeup Revolution store.

Have a great day!

*The product was sent to me as a gift and no conditions were set.

April Favourites

  Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in 009 Rich Sable

I've had this eyeshadow for more years that I care to remember, so I'm not sure if it's still sold any more. Rich Sable is a matte cool deep brown that I love wearing in the outer V of the eye to give it definition. The shade is similar to Faint in Urban Decay Basic palette only a bit darker and more cool toned. It's super pigmented and blends surprisingly well for a drugstore matte eyeshadow.

Mac Eyeshadow in Wedge

This is one of those perfect natural looking crease colours that every girl with a pale skintone should own. It's a cool medium brown with a matte finish that blends wonderfully and gives the crease subtle definition without looking like you're wearing a lot of makeup.

 Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick 340B Rose Boudoir

The season calls for coral shades and my first pick this month was Rose Boudoir. It's a vivid pinky-coral with a creamy finish that is a proper spring colour and it brightens up the face. It's actually very similar to Bourjois Rouge Edition 11 Fraise Remix if anyone is interested in a cheaper dupe.

Maybelline Colour Whisper in Coral Ambition

I so like this shade on me. It's a colour I've searched for years - that perfect light coral that doesn't look orange on my pale skin and just goes with everything. The formula is one of those shiny lipsticks that is not my cup of tea since I'm more of a matte girl and it doesn't last long on the lips, but the shade is worth it.

 Balea Carambola Lambada Shower Gel LE

This is my favourite scent in any tropical/summer edition by Balea. It's so juicy-sweet yet refreshing and similar to a grapefruit scent. They should make it permanent. 

 Essie Cute as a Button

Every time I put this shade on I'm astonished at how perfect the formula and the colour are. The application is always impeccable and the shade is the perfect pink-coral that doesn't look orange on me as most corals do.

 Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

It shouldn't be too surprising that this is in monthly favourites since I just raved about it in a review. It's another great base by Bourjois with a light-medium coverage and a satin/matte finish. I'm a fan of light covering foundations that look like you're not even wearing makeup rather that your skin looks so great and this CC cream ticks all the boxes.

The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter

I've had a craving for honey scents again and this in combination with Lady Gaga's Fame is divine. This body butter has a floral-honey scent that I've really grown to love and the texture of it is one of the best I've tried. Why do the best thing always have to be LE?

Lady Gaga Fame

As I said, this is perfect in combination with Honeymania BB. Fame is a honey-floral fragrance with a strong apricot note in the beginning (which smells like grape on me) and a hint of smokiness from the incense. In combination with the body butter that honey note stands out even more making a super cosy, sweet combination.

Have a great day!

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

Every time Bourjois releases a new foundation I get a bit excited. All bases I've tried from their brand are fantastic with Healthy Mix Serum standing proudly at the top of my favourites since it was launched three years ago and Bourjois nailed it yet again with this CC Cream.

Texture: It's very similar to Healthy Mix Serum, so a light formula, it just feels a bit drier to the touch. All application techniques work with this foundation be it using a brush, fingers or a sponge, but my preferred method for best result on my skin is using fingers.

Coverage: Light to medium. Again it's very similar to HMS in a sense that it's more blurring imperfections rather than completely covering them. Strong redness still peaks through, so for more coverage you'll have to use a concealer. 

Finish: Satin/semi-matte. As HMS this looks fabulous on the skin. It just melts in pretty much without a trace except around the nose where my skin is never completely smooth, but no one should be able to tell you're wearing anything if they're not looking very closely. It doesn't settle into and emphasize pores as Rimmel's Match Perfection does, it just looks like skin. Absolutely beautiful.
I should warn you that due to the more matte finish and texture this can stick to dry patches, so if you have problems with that go for HMS rather than CC Cream.

Shade: I have the lightest of the four called 31 Ivory. It's a touch darker and more yellow toned than the lightest shade of CC Eye Cream (also called Ivory). It's about a shade darker and much less yellow than the lightest shade in HMS. It's not the best match for me as it is too dark, but I either use a self tanner or mix it with a lighter foundation I have.

Staying power: It's not the best. Redness starts to peak through quite fast if I don't put a concealer over it and set it with powder. As fantastic as Bourjois bases are they are not known for its great staying power, but I forgive them because they look so great on the skin.

Scent: As most Bourjois foundations it has a scent which is something I really like. This one has a lovely baby powder-floral scent. 

Packaging: A squeeze tube with a precise small nozzle. In my book great. 

Price and availability: I bought mine in DM where I believe it costs about 14 €.

Another fantastic foundation by Bourjois this time with a more matte finish. It's very similar to Healthy Mix Serum, which is my favourite foundation, but I prefer the dewy finish of HMS to the more matte one of the CC, it just looks that tiny bit better on my skin. I love that Bourjois finally made a more neutral shade. Most brands cater only to either yellow or pink undertones, but us with a neutral one are pretty much forgotten. I just wish that the lightest shade was lighter. If 31 Ivory were the same shade as the 21 Ivory in CC Eye Cream, I'd be a lot happier.

Have a great day!