Sunday 29 November 2015

November Favourites


I had little hope finding a foundation that would suit my Snow White complexion in our drugstores, but lo and behold, I found three excellent candidates, but this one impressed me the most. I got the shade Ivory which is a very pale pink toned foundation (it's kind of a NARS Siberia's pink equivalent, though that one might be a smidgen lighter) and it fits me so well, despite the fact that my undertone is neutral. Colorstay foundations are not the most natural looking, lightweight products, but the medium-full coverage, fantastic staying power and a satin-matte finish certainly impressed me. The one downside at this foundation is the lack of a pump, however it's a pretty good foundation to try if you like more coverage.  


When I first tried this, I really didn't get the hype. I expected this intense glow, but it looked pretty shy, however, it turned out that I needed to get through the top layer to get the good stuff . I won't say it's the glowiest highlighter I own, in fact a couple of my cream highlighters are more intense, but it's my only gold highlighter and it gives a lovely, glamorous glow. The gold hue is noticeable, so I need to blend it in well to avoid it looking too gold, but I've been really enjoying glowy cheeks this month. 

What a cute little palette. It's got all the colours I use pretty much daily and it's shaped into this cute driver's license design that is so travel friendly. There are four powder products inside: a mini matte  peachy-pink blush, a champagne highlighter, a warm taupe crease shade and a deep reddish brown liner shade. I think theBalm makes some of the best eyeshadows, especially matte ones, so the quality is superb, only the blush isn't as impressive, but still nice.


I'm a massive fan of matte lipsticks and I think these are the most impressive ones I've tried so far. The finish is actually matte, not creamy-matte, it kind of almost reminds me of matte lip creams, though it's most similar to Mac's Retro Matte formula, but these are a bit creamier. I only have this one shade, though and I hope all of them are like that. I got the shade Darling which is a beautiful peachy-pink shade that is similar to Catrice's I got you Babel lip pencil. I'd really love to have more shades of these. 

Why isn't every Essence lipstick like this one? Excellent pigmentation, impressive staying power and a nice creamy texture, this is truly such a step up for Essence. The shade is so me - a gorgeous magenta that reminds me of Mac's Fired up. If you can still find these, they are so worth it.


I love this colour so much that it was on my nails for most of the month. It's a warm purple shade which is similar to Bahama Mama by Essie, but a shade or two lighter and not as vampy. The bottle is an absolute stunner as well with the gold cap. I was just really impressed by this collection as a whole. By the way, one of my lovely readers tells me that she found a dupe for this in Deborah Shine Tech 28.

My favourite vampy nail polish and perfect for this time of the year. It's a stunning plum-burgundy shade that looks almost black in certain lights, but it you can mostly easily see the reddish-purple hue of it as it has a jelly finish. 


Tappered crease, blending eyeshadow and flat definer
I was pretty pleased with most of the brushes in this set, but the tapped crease one, blending eyeshadow one and the flat definer one became my everyday brushes. These are synthetic brushes and very soft, so they are great at blending and not so much at picking up colours (unless they are very pigmented like theBalm's and Urban Decay's eyeshadows). I just love that these are smaller than a majority of brushes and are therefore very well suited for my small eyes. 


This was completely new to me and I'd probably never hear about it if I didn't get it as GWP. It's a strange very light serum that I expected it won't do anything on my thick, dry hair, but it makes it very sleek when I blow dry it. You end up using a small amount of product, so one bottle lasts ages. 

Black & Gold
When these launched years ago, I didn't think much of them, until I saw one in person. They are much better made than my original Tangle Teezer and the smaller size is so much easier to hold,  but it still combs my long, thick hair with ease. This gold version looks so glam, but many others exist.


I'm still so chuffed I finally got this. It's such a beautiful, fresh and floral simple scent that just makes you smell nice and elegant. Boss fragrances aren't the most exciting scents, but I love most of them. This one has notes of cactus flower, pink freesia, jasmine, rose buds, warm woods and cedar. I also love the bottle and I keep it displayed on my vanity. 


Have a great day!

Thursday 26 November 2015

Revlon Colorstay Foundation Normal/Dry Skin 110 Ivory


Revlon Colorstay and I have a past that extends far beyond my blogging years. In fact it was my second foundation I ever bough and the first one that was actually light enough for me. But that time I bought the version for combination/dry skin and as a young girl with unblemished skin, it proved to be way too much for me. I was searching for something natural that would just even out my skin and Colorstays do don't fit into this category. To be fair, the reason I got that foundation the first time was the shade, and things tend to repeat themselves, so I got it again for the same reason, however, this time I went for a normal/dry version which is a much better fit for me.

Texture: It's a liquid foundation that has a runny-medium consistency. It's been almost a decade, since I had the oily skin version, but I think this one feels lighter and it blends easily. I've tried all types of methods for application (fingers, brushes and sponges) and it works well with all.


Coverage: I like to use thin layers and that way get light-medium coverage, but it's of course capable of more, at least a medium coverage if you use a "regular" amount of foundation and with a second coat you get an almost full coverage, but my darker freckles are still visible. The coverage reminds me of Nars Sheer Glow. I applied more foundation that I would normally use (I this is probably the amount an average user uses), just to show you how much it covers. The coverage is really good, though I tried layering it over my dark circles, but it didn't cover them completely. 

Finish: Surprisingly it's satin-matte and it stays like that almost until the end of the day. Judging from the name, I would expected a glowy finish and a tacky, moisturising formula, however, this is anything but. In fact, I would consider this more as an oily skin foundation. I don't feel it's drying, but it's definitely not moisturising and the satin matte finish looks so good. I must say that I'm impressed. By the way my skin is normal-combination and my forehead does get a bit shiny during the day (I'm not bothered by that), but with this foundation I get no sign of any oiliness. 


Shade: I picked up the shade Ivory that is almost identical to Rimmel's' 010 Light Porcelain, but maybe less pink. It's a pink toned foundation, though I don't find the undertone too intense like at Nars Siberia. Buff is supposedly its yellow toned equivalent, unfortunately the sample was empty so I can't be sure. Based on my research of our drugstores, this is one of the lightest, if not the lightest foundation colour we can get in Slovenia. It used to be only sold in one place here, but now it's much more readily available. Manhattan's Soft Porcelain is very close, but more yellow/neutral. Note how much lighter it is than the lightest shade of Catrice's Nude Illusion foundation. 

Staying power: It's very impressive. This lasts almost the entire day. It's doesn't look as pretty as when applied, it actually looks a bit cakey-ish (not too terrible), but it definitely sticks on all day. Impressive. 


Packaging: A heavy glass bottle with no pump and quite a big opening which makes getting the right amount of foundation out very challenging. The fact that there is no pump is one of the most irritating things ever and the more I use it, the more I hate it. It's not like the foundation is too thick to have a pump, I just think they are trying to economize. However, I have seen some versions with a pump, but I'm not sure if that is just a regional thing or an actual newly updated packaging. I remember transferring my first Colorstay foundation into an empty bottle of a L'Occitane serum because I was so bothered by the lack of a pump. 

Scent: It's got kind of a chemical-paint like scent that's trying to be powdery. It's definitely more subtle that at the combination/oily version. Granted it's been almost a decade since I had that foundation, but I remember how off putting the scent of the first Colorstay was to me. It was like paint mixed with alcohol and I wondered if I got a bad one, but this one is much better.

Ingredients: Picture here.

Price and availability: I don't recall this being so expensive when I first got it, but regular price in Műller is more than 15 €. Crazy. I bought it when they had a discount, but this is cheaper online and probably Ilirija, I was also told it's cheaper in Leclerc. 

This is a lovely foundation. Of course it has it's shortcomings, the lack of pump being the most noticeable one, but I love the finish of it, the staying power, the coverage and of course, the shade is amazing for me. It's a foundation that is a bit heavy for my liking and doesn't look as natural as Bourjois foundations, but I like how it looks when I use thin layers. There is a reason this foundation has been so popular over the years and I think it deserves the hype. If you like fuller coverage foundations, you'll like this one. 

Have a great day!

Tuesday 24 November 2015

New In: Hair Care Edition


LABEL.M Honey & Oat Conditioner 
300ml
My hair started to get obnoxiously dry again as in every autumn and drugstore treatments aren't cutting is at all, so I wanted to expand my conditioners/treatments stash. I've never tried Label.m, but it was recommended to me and I read quite a few positive reviews about it, so decided to try something out, besides, it's quite affordable for a salon treatment. When this arrived at my doorstep and tried it the first time, I noticed a remarkable similarity with Tigi's Oatmeal and Honey. I then  went to research the brand and I realised it was created by the same people as Tigi as well as Tony & Guy. The ingredients look completely different to me, but the texture and scent are the same. It's good, nourishing enough for my hair and it makes it look healthy, plus it smells like christmas cookies (cinnamon, cloves and all the rest), however, it's not amazing and my hair dries out soon again. I feel than my hair desperately needs more (I should have just gotten some Kérastase), but it's a nice conditioner for dry hair.
Look Fantastic, €14.60


LABEL.M Mini Blow Out Spray
This has outstanding reviews and I'm the biggest sucker for mini sizes ever (my lifelong dream is to raid the Sephora mini travel size section), so it landed in my basket. It's a spray you use before blow-drying and it protects against heat, it contains UV filters (great if you dye your hair) and gives volume plus texture to your hair. It kind of doesn't smell of anything really, that was the first disappointment as I adore scented haircare, but the effect didn't wow me either. It kind of made my hair feel drier and more frizzy, which now that I look at it, I shouldn't be so surprised about, as it promises volume and texture. Perhaps this is better suited for thin hair with no volume. I need to use this a bit more and combine it with other products, so I might change my mind about it, but so far it hasn't blown me away.
Look Fantastic, €4.79 (50 ml)


PURELOGY Hydrate Condition 
This has fantastic reviews on Makeup Alley, so I took a chance and got it. First off this smells strongly like toothpaste. I'm serious. The mint actually tingles and feels cooling on the hands after application. It's so strange. My hair smells like mint for the entire week after using this and even more in contact with water when I go to wash my hair again.  I've never experienced anything like it, but it's really strange having your hair smell like toothpaste. The texture is quite thick for a conditioner, but not too much, so it is easy to apply. So what's my verdict on this? I'm afraid I'm not terribly impressed. It didn't wow me, my hair isn't as sleek as with some other conditioners and it feels a bit dry, so I have to use a lot of leave-in treatments and Orofluido to keep it in check. I guess it's ok for moderately dry hair, but my hair needs so much nourishment and this doesn't quite deliver. Still this has tons of amazing reviews, so don't be afraid to try it.
Look Fantastic, €15.90


I can't be without this. Seriously. Every time it's start running out, I rush to get a new one before the bottle is empty. I hit a bit of a snag this time and the package got lost, but luckily it was resent and it arrived safely. This is my absolute favourite leave-in conditioner, it nourishes my hair, keeps it hydrated noticeably longer, reduces frizz and it has made my hair a lot more healthy since I started using it. They changed the packaging, now it's a bit darker and the writing has been changed a bit, but I think it's still the same thing. 
Feel Unique, 16.60 €


PERCY & REED Smoothed, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil
30 ml
I got this as a gift with purchase when I last ordered from Look Fantastic. I've never heard of this product, nor of this brand and I'm a hair junkie, but this is pretty cool. I like the name and it is indeed not oily, it is clearly a very light silicone serum. The instructions say to apply one or two drops, but that is just waaaay to little for my hair and I just go to town with it. The texture is incredibly light, it almost feels like water, so you can literally apply tons of this on the hair and it won't weight it down. It's recommended to be used on towel dry hair, but I tried it on dry hair as well and it doesn't really do anything, but applied on damp hair it makes my hair really sleek after blow drying. It does such a great job at taming my hair. I don't know how this is so great because the ingredients are awful. The scent is so familiar to me. I swear I had a hair product with this precise scent before, but I just can't remember what it was, anyway it's an indescribable chemical hair salon scent. It also works as a heat protectant. It costs 19 € for 60 ml, which is a price that is within acceptable range for me, I used it a few times so far and there is only a couple of millimetres of product missing, so I think I'll get the full size when this runs out (which will probably take a while).
Look Fantastic, full price €19.95 for 60 ml


TANGLE TEEZER Compact Styler 
Black & Gold
I actually wanted Shawn the Sheep version for years, but I got the gold one because it looks so stylish and cool. My cousin bough a pink one sometime this year and it was the first time I saw the compact version in person, but I have the original one for probably around seven years. I immediately loved the smaller version. I love it so much more that the original one, as than one is quite big for my child-sized hands, but this one is the perfect size, plus it has a cover, so you can carry it in your bag. It feels better made than the original one and it easily brushes out the hair with minimal damage. I still secretly want Shawn the Sheep one because I'm a five-year-old at heart.
Look Fantastic, €13.82


 Have a great day!

Monday 23 November 2015

New In #36


MAYBELLINE Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara
I heard this was close enough to Benefit's Roller lash, but even if it's not I wanted to try it, since it has plenty of positive reviews. We only have regular formula in Slovenia and I had the hardest time finding the waterproof one, until it magically appeared on Look Fantastic. It has a plastic brush that is shaped almost as a curved comb and it has short bristles on one side and longer on the other. I did not like this at all from the start, it stuck the lashes together, so it looked like I only have half of them, but then one random day, it became soo good. It gives me massive lashes, not perfectly defined, but good enough and it hold the curls amazingly well. Do I like it more than the 3 € Essence I love Extreme mascara? Actually I find these two perform the same on me, so the deciding factor would be the price where Essence clearly wins. But if you don't have Essence and you have the same stubborn lashes as me, try this, it's amazing.
Look Fantastic, €11.26

MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Matte Lipstick
 975 Divine Wine
It's a bit ironic I ordered this online a day before I saw the news they are finally available here as well. But, I haven't seen this shade in our drugstores. A lot of people have been urging me to try these, since my love for matte lipsticks is well known. I chose Divine Wine, I don't know why, as I utterly adore Laetitia and I fear that'll be the reason I won't end up wearing this one that often, but I just love vampy shades on me. First thing that surprised me was how creamy it was, almost slippery in fact. The finish isn't as matte as at Laetitia or Milani's Mattes, at least at first, it then settles into a more matte finish. The colour is a deep brownish burgundy that is very similar to Mac's Diva, but a smidgen more brown (I'm not calling them dupes, my standards are very strict when it comes to that word. Picture of swatches here). Laetitia is much different as its base is berry. So far I can say, it's a really good matte lipstick, but Milani's (it's bellow) impressed me far more. 
Look Fantastic, €9.85

ESSENCE Longlasting Lipstick Nude
05  Cool Nude
I think just about everyone around here owns this lipstick, but I avoided it because I always found it too cool-grey when I swatched it on the back of my hand. I decided to give it try anyway and see if it works for me. I'm still not sure about it. I don't think it quite works for me to be honest. It does indeed have that grey tinge on me and I wish it were warmer. Formula is a typically Essence one -  light, almost excessively creamy and doesn't last long. 
Müller, € 3.49


REVLON Colorstay Foundation Normal/Dry Skin
110 Ivory
I was on a mission to find the lightest shades of foundation in our drugstores because apart from Nars Siberia and Rimmel's Lasting Finish Nude (the latter I still dislike), everything in my stash is too dark for me. I had an extensive research online and found an astonishing amount of utterly useless reviews that made me incredibly angry at the beauty community (where are pictures, swatches, maybe even before/afters? Come on! I hate it when my time is wasted by giving me so little information on a product), but there was one bright spot on the internet, Godfrina and her Kalter Kaffe blog, who made a fantastic series of reviews of the lightest foundations. It's all in German, though and my German is plainly said rubbish, but I got the point. I found three candidates: Revlon's Ivory, Manhattan's Easy Match in Soft Porcelain and Deborah Radiance Creator in 00. I took samples in the drugstores of all three (I always carry pots with me) and this one was most impressive. It has medium coverage, a lovely satin finish and lasts so well on the skin. This isn't my first encounter with Colorstay. The version for oily/combination skin was my second ever foundation and I really didn't like it, but mind you I was 15-16 at the time. This version suits me so much better. The colour is amazing and even though it's a bit pink, it blends so nicely into my skin. 
I got this one first because there was 30 % off in Műller (where it's over 15 €!). I also got Manhattan's Easy Match, while Deborah's Radiance Creator is a shade darker than these two (it matches me ok-ish, but I love the finish of it as it's true to its name. I'll probably get it one day).
Müller, 10.91 € (-30%)

MANHATTAN Easy Match Makeup
Soft Porcelain
The other foundation I got for my winter pale skin. You may think I'm excessive for buying two foundations, but I am so sick of wearing foundations that are too dark and I'm saving the Nars' Sheer Glow for special occasions because it's too expensive to wear it every day. In terms of shade, Soft Porcelain is about as light as Revlon's Ivory, but it's warm toned, though compared to the very yellow Siberia, it looks neutral. What hit me first was that this is incredibly similar to Rimmels' Match Perfection in everything to texture to how it smells, only the shade isn't as intensely pink and this one has a more satin finish. Both Revlon's and Manhattan's foundation will get proper reviews, I'm almost done, but if you're on a hunt for a very pale foundation, check them out. 
DM, 9.99 €


Finally we are reunited. I've already gone through two tubes of this, it's my favourite cleanser ever, not just because I love the texture, but also because it suits my skin so well and keeps it in nice condition. I was trying to find a suitable replacement that wouldn't cost as much and I also experimented with some high-end stuff, but I really regret that I took the detour. All that happened was that I had to struggle though a plethora of mediocre cleansers that just didn't work for my skin (L'Occitane Immortelle oil is the exception here, but it's again very expensive). I have to note that I got three tubes of this so far and each one was slightly different. I don't know why that is, but this one is definitely the thickest and I'm not too happy about it. It's a balm cleanser, but much waxier and thicker that Emma Hardie's one and it also contains mini scrubby particles. It's the type of cleansers that doesn't completely melt on your skin, unless you keep it in a really warm place. As soon as I started using it, my skin got a lot better. I was using The Body Shop's Silky Oil before because I was trying to use it up, but my skin doesn't like that one too much, despite the fact it's lovely to use and does its job very well. Balance Me and Nuxe oil are my power combination - I should really learn to stick to it.
Look Fantastic, €22.56


HUGO BOSS La Vie
edp 50 ml
You have no idea how long I wanted this fragrance. Actually since it launched here, two or so years ago.  But I set myself a goal of using up old fragrances before I got a new one. I used up seven! Mind you they were all over five years old and embarrassingly already a bit off, but I did it. And like a Christmas miracle this fragrance was -45% off in Műller, so there was no better time. I could have gotten a bigger size for about the same price on Salma, but given my track record with fragrances, it decided it's wiser I stick to smaller sizes. I love this fragrance, I actually love most Hugo Boss fragrances (apart from Orange), even though they are considered generic and super boring. Just like Nuit Pour Femme, it's another fragrance I love, this one is again what I call an office scent, or a scent that is appropriate for any occasion because it just makes you smells clean, yet very sophisticated, however, this one has to me almost like tropical vibe (no such notes inside though) . It's stronger than the black version, with notes of cactus flower, pink freesia, jasmine, rose buds, warm woods and cedar. I'm also a huge fan of the bottle. It's simple, elegant, and I love that it's pink.
Müller, 39.99 €


One of my staples. I've been using it regularly for about three or four years now. This is the one of the strangest lip balms I tried, it's shaped as those glue sticks, so you look weird applying it, but it's very moisturising, not waxy and it just feels nice. It has a sweet cocoa butter scent, so it's quite pleasant, but I don't notice it any more after all these years. Great product that lasts forever.
Feel Unique, 3.10 €


THEBALM Mary-Lou Manizer
I finally have it! I wanted it mostly because Petra sings such praises about this and I trust that woman. It's a gold toned highlighter with an intense shine that is almost at the point of being too golden for me, but it's still fine. I didn't get it the first couple of times I used it, but I just had to get though the top layer. Now I already love it and thinking of getting Cindy as well. It gives just a lovely glow that super glamorous, but actually not that different in terms of intensity to the discontinued Jemma Kidd cream highlighter. 
By the way these theBalm products were sent to me, but not for review purposes. It's more as a thank you for me helping the distributors with some things. I don't consider them PR products that's why there is no star.
Müller, 23.99 €

THEBALM What's Your Type? Mascara
"the body builder"
I honestly had no idea theBalm even has mascaras. I've never heard anyone talking about them. I got the volumising one, "the body builder", I don't have the box, but I think there is an actually body builder on it. The brush is so…retro. It's really the most standard, basic brush that every mascara had in the 90's/early 00's, which to me isn't a bad thing at all. It's a regular formula, quite thick and wet when you first open it. It gives a nice amount of volume, but it's currently too wet for any definition. It's not bad, but I've tried better ones, however, I have a feeling it will improve a lot once it dries a bit. 

THEBALM Put A Lid On It
Eyelid Primer
It's been years since I had an eyeshadow primer. In fact, I only bought one in my life, Urban Decay's Primer Potion when I was 17-18, but I never repurchased it after I used it up. I've been using Max Factor's Facefinity All Day Primer also as an eyeshadow primer and it works brilliantly, but I'd like to see how this one works. I love the packaging, the squeeze tube is the best form to hold an eyeshadow primer (I had the original packaging of Primer Potion and when I cut it, there was at least a third product left), it's slightly yellow tinted, but it doesn't leave any colour on the lids. It goes on very smooth, not completely dry siliconey, so it's a bit thicker than UD's. It dries relatively quickly on the lids, but you can feel that you added a layer on which the products will stick better. With this primer my eyeshadows look perfect at the end of the day. There is zero creasing and everything still looks nicely blended. Maybe they fade a bit, but it's difficult to say given that I check in artificial light by then. I really like this.

THEBALM Autobalm California Face Palette
I also didn't know this existed, I think it was meant as a LE last year and it's not on their official website, but it's sold in Müller (where it's cheaper) and on Feel Unique. I immediately loved this. It has a mini matte peachy-pink blush, a champagne highlighter, a warm taupe crease shade and a deep reddish brown liner shade. The quality is the same as at their Nude'Tude palette and their blushes, so it's brilliant. This is definitely what I'd take with me because it has the colours I would use, all of them and it's so cute. It's in a form of a driver's licence and it even has some map designs, which obviously appeals a geographer like me. I've been really enjoying using this, since I got it.
Müller, about 17€


*MILANI Matte Lipstick
Darling
I adore this. It is one of the most impressive lip products I tried recently. First off, I love the matte formula. It's a bit thicker than most I tried, but I like that because it's a true matte finish. It actually reminds me of Mac's Retro Matte. The colour is stunning, it's very close to of one of my favourite lip pencils Catrice I got you Babel, so it's a medium peachy-pink. I also lasts really well for a light shade. I'd really love to get my hands on more of these. Swatch of it here.
Click2Chic, 6.83 €


*JORDANA Matte Lipsticks
10 Red, 28 Natural, 48 Pink Passion and 60 Plum Obsession
Jordana is a new brand that is now sold on the online shop where I'm a blogger, so I got a lot of stuff to swatch for the website. I selected the shades myself based on what I though you might like and those that will fit into my Christmas posts there. Jordana products were partially selected based on great rating on Makeup Alley, so there are some good stuff and matte lipsticks appear to be very popular - now that I've tried them, I get why. For a very affordable price you get a fantastic, properly matte, fully opaque lipstick. Granted the packaging is cheap, but they didn't save on the actual products. This is the type of lipstick I expect for a budget product. I don't care about the packaging, the formula is way more important and these are miles better than Essence's Longlasting lipsticks or something from Makeup Revolution/Freedom Makeup and the likes. I selected four shades:
10 Red - a warm red
28 Natural - a warm beige-peachy nude
48 Pink Passion - light pink that I read is supposedly very similar to Mac's Please Me
60 Plum Obsession - cool violet pink (I just had a feeling people will really like this and even I like it, despite not being a "me" shade.
I really like the formula of these. It's nicely pigmented, a bit thicker, but still applies nicely and lasts well, which isn't as surprising considering they are matte. 
Click2Chic, 2.60 €


*JORDANA Twist & Shine Moisturising Balm Stain
These again have a very high rating on Makeup Alley. I chose two of the more new shades I believe, Gorgeous Peony, which is a light muted pink, so a very every day appropriate shade. Fresh Fig will appeal to all of those who like a bit more colour. It's a semi-transparent burgundy shade, so a gateway "vampy" shade for those who fear proper versions of such shades. These have a lip balm-like texture, meaning they are moisturising, but at the same time quite waxy, so they stick on the lips quite well.
Click2Chic, 4.20 €


*JORDANA Modern Matte Lipsticks 
These are the other (newest) versions of matte lipsticks by Jordana. How do they compare to the others ones? Well, I think both formulas are very similar, but these do feel a bit more quality, especially when it comes to the packaging. I chose two shades:
01 Matte Bare - a rosy-brownish medium nude. 
12 Matte Style - gorgeous blue toned red. I chose this one first out of all.
These are again such great matte lipsticks. I guess I could compare them to Catrice's matte shades. They glide nicely on the lips and have a nice staying power.
Click2Chic, 3.79 €


*JORDANA Best Lash Extreme Volumising Mascara
I've heard so much about this mascara. Many people love this and even though I prefer my mascaras waterproof, I wanted to review it for you. Even the first use gave me a nice amount of volume, so I can't wait for it to thicken up a bit and I'll see its true potential. The brush is a classic one, but more defining than that TheBalm mascara. 
Click2Chic, 5.00 €

*JORDANA Easyliner in Rock n' Rose
This was again chosen due to the high rating on Makeup Alley. So many people love this particular shade and I wanted to properly swatch it. I was a bit taken aback when I saw it in person - it's very brown. It' more of a taupe brown, but it has some hint of rosey tones. Actually the name says it all. The texture is a bit like Essence's Longlasting lipliners, so a great balance between being soft enough for it to transfer easily, but not too fragile, so it would break constantly.
Click2Chic, 3.00 €


*L'OCCITANE Pamplemousse-Rhubarbe Hand Cream
I have a thing for L'Occitane's hand creams. They really are something worth splurging on. I used to have the Almond version that I loved because it sank in in seconds and this one has the same type of texture, but a much stronger and fresher scent. I'm still on the fence about the latter. It's like a mix of refreshing grapefruit, sweet rhubarb and spices (clove, which I'm not a fan of and nutmeg). I know this scent from somewhere, I just can't remember from where.
A whole collection with this scent exists including a fragrance, shower, gel, body lotion, perfumed soap, hand cream and a lip balm.
L'Occitane, 7.60 €

*L'OCCITANE Jasmin-Immortelle-Neroli Body Lotion
I really like the scent of this. I've tried a few jasmine scented products and this is the best one. I still have Lush's Lust somewhere, which is sooo strong, almost headache inducing jasmine, but this one is fresher, more sophisticated and despite being a strong scent, so much easier to wear. The texture of the lotion is light and moisturising enough for an average person, but not enough for very dry skin. The scent is strong and it lingers, so you can use it even as an improvised fragrance and I think it will work fabulously in combination with the actual fragrance from this line.
A whole collection with this scent exists including a fragrance, shower, gel, body lotion, perfumed soap, hand cream and a lip balm.
L'Occitane, 23.40 €

*L'OCCITANE Miel Mandarine Lip Balm
Me and L'Occitane's lip balms share a long history. I had so many of them, but stopped purchasing them since they stopped making good scents (honestly, it all went downhill after the cherry blossom one, but I will check out the new honey one. Fingers crossed its the same yummy goodness from before). This one is a bit lighter than I remember their lip balms being. It's also tinted orange, which actually isn't the first time as their old orange version was similarly tinted. The scent is actually very subtle for L'Occitane. It's a mix of honey (if anyone remembers their awesome old honey balm in a tube from somewhere around 2006-07) and citrus notes, like that orange version I talked about.
A hand cream in this scent exists as well.
L'Occitane, 7.60 € 


H&M Owl and Cat Lip Balms
I wanted such lip balm for so long, well, this or a hand cream, it really didn't matter as long as I get an owl design. When I saw these in H&M I basically ran to the register with them. The lip balm inside is just the most boring one in history. It's the most basic, bland waxy lip balm with no particular scent. You're really paying just for the cute decorating item, but I love these. The owl exists in a bubble gum pink version. If you can't find these either at the register or the beauty/accessories department, check the children's section.
H&M, 2.99€


CADEAVERA Belebende Reinigungstücher
I haven't bought makeup wipes in such a long time, which is ridiculous considering how much swatching I do. I got these because they were the cheapest. These smell like the rest of the Young line, so like lilies of the valley, but with a fruity twist. They aren't super soft, but not harsh and I often have a problem with makeup wipes being too structured and rough. They managed to remove my base, eyeshadows, eyeliner and lipstick, but only about a half of my waterproof mascara, though considering these aren't oily, it's not a surprise. I takes a bit of rubbing to get of the swatches, so I think next time I'll try some different ones.
Müller, 1.45€


Samples:
I got a generous bag of samples at Look Fantastic at my last purchase. I was later told these are the exact contents of their beauty box from the previous month.

MONU Firming Moisturiser
For dry skin
25ml
I expected this to be thicker, but its texture is quite pleasant and not at all heavy like Emmy Hardie's face cream. I haven't used this much because I really don't like the strange herbal scent.
Look Fantastic, full price  €31.95 for 50 ml

ELEMIS Hydra-Balance Day Cream
Day cream for combination skin
20ml
A light, fast absorbent hydrating face cream for combination skin. It's quite nice, especially under foundation and it smells exactly like Emma Hardie's Moringa Balm.
Look Fantastic, full price  €58.95 for 50ml

NUXE Réve de Miel Hand and Nail Cream
15 ml
I heard many praises about this and even though I'm not a hand cream person, I really like this. I find it quite light, but that means it absorbs very fast and I can't stop smelling my hands afterwards. It's nothing like honey, but just addictive. I would consider getting a full size.


Look Fantastic, full price  €15.45 for 75 ml. It's probably cheaper in pharmacies in Slovenia.

PERCY & REED Volumising No Oil Oil
30 ml
I'll talk about this in my New In: Hair edition, but I love this and would buy a full size.
Look Fantastic, full price €19.95 for 60 ml

MURAD Age Reform AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
30 ml
A gel cleanser with some small exfoliating particles that it's quite creamy, but still foams well. It's a nice cleanser, but not 50 €-nice.
Look Fantastic, full price  €47.95 for 200ml


LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER Eye Shading Brush
A flat shader brush that is synthetic and quite dense. It's ok, but doesn't pick up eyeshadows as well as brushes with natural hair, so I actually use this more for blending because its quite thick and works well in my crease. I ended up using this daily and really liking it. This is brand that was formed to help women combat the visible side effects of their cancer treatment, so some of the profits is meant for charity. I can't find this particular brush on Look Fantastic, but they have several other ones.
Look Good Feel Better on Look Fantastic


Have a great day!

Saturday 21 November 2015

Brand Focus: New Products from Revlon


Colorburst Matte Balm in Enchanting and Fiery (Fall 2015)
Four new shades were released this Autumn and they are permanent as far as I know, however, in Slovenia only these two are available. I got the lightest and the darkest shade called Enchanting and Fiery. I already own Unapologetic from before and it's the same formula, so nicely creamy jumbo lip pencils that just glide on the lips and have more of a creamy-matte finish. These don't have the staying power of a proper matte lip colour, but they last well for standard creamy lipsticks and of course, the darker the colour, the longer it lasts, so Fiery is pretty good. They have a minty scent and even tingle a bit on the lips, but don't have a plumping effect.


Enchanting
An apricot nude shade. Based on how it looks in the tube, I expected something brown and ugly, but it really surprised me on the lips. I think it's a lovely nude, especially for those with a warm skin tone.


Fiery

This may be the darkest in the bunch, it's certainly the darkest shade sold here and it's a burgundy shade with a mix of some brown and a hint of berry tones. It's a not fully opaque shade with one application,  I mean it's close, but burgundies tend to be very intense and this one isn't quite, but it is with two coats. Due to the shape it's one of the easiest such shades to apply and you don't really need a lip liner, at least until you don't ruin the shape too much. 


Links to reviews: Essence Hidden Secret, Milani Darling (I'll have a full review on the blog), Essence Lovely Frappuccino, Essence Sparkling Miracle and Sleek Minx


Photoready Prime + Anti-Shine Prime
A new primer by Revlon and they envisioned it as a travel friendly compact that you can use on a go either under foundation or over it, or you can even wear it on its own. It's definitely one of the best mattifying product I've tried and without the powdery-ness. 


It's a silicone based product so it creates this smooth, velvet layer on the skin. Because the skin is so smooth, it feels so soft and you just can't stop touching it, however, if you have a problem with silicones, this won't be for you. I think this is just perfect for very oily skin because it really keeps oiliness at bay and you can really use it over makeup because it's light and transparent, so it doesn't ruin anything. I wouldn't use this on dry skin, as it's too light and it prevents the any oils from breaking through, so it'll look very draining on you. There is a chance it will stick to dry patches, though I haven't experienced that, but now that it's colder I switched back to my old favourite Max Factor All Day Primer. It promises to hide pores as well and I prepared a before/after for you, so you can see its effect which isn't that impressive. It works to a certain degree, but  L'Oreal's Infallible foundation is miles better at this task. 


The product is in a compact and you can apply it with fingers or with an added sponge. It may seem gross to some to stick fingers in such products, but I think that this products meshes with the skin better with some heat from the fingers.  


Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum over Revlon's Primer. The picture looks so pale due to rainy weather conditions:

Picture of primer's ingredients here.


Photoready Kajal 350 Matte Expresso
I already said everything I had to say about this pencil in my New in post, but here you get to see it in action. The quality of it is brilliant. It's soft, it transfers well on the waterline, it's not harsh at all when you're drawing with it on the eyes and can be easily smudged if you want to. The staying power is insane. I applied it at 11 am in the waterline and checked again at 11 pm and it was still there. You don't want to know when took my makeup off and I went to sleep, but it was still hanging in the waterline. I'd say less than a half was gone, but from far away the effect was still the same, so pretty damn good. The colour is a deep cool toned brown that is a great alternative to black. I like to use this under my lower lashes, to give my eyes some definition.


Smoked out (with Enchanting on the lips):

Prices: Revlon Colorbust Matte Balms 10.89 €, PhotoReady Prime + Anti Shine Balm 13.59 € (47.9g), Photoready kajal 9.80 €. All prices from Click2Chic. They are probably the same or a bit higher in Müller.

Have a great day!