Best Products in 2015 Part 1

The end of the year is here, which means it's time for my traditional posts with best products or best buys in 2015, so products that I got this year and they really impressed me. I already posted the budget version with all the products under 5 €, but I found many more excellent products that are above that price range. I think I covered almost every category, unintentionally that is, but it was a good makeup year for me, especially when it comes to foundations. By popular request I split my favourites into two parts. This one will include all the makeup bits and the next one all the rest (nail polishes, skin care, etc,…). Links to my previous such posts are at the end of my All-time Favourites page or you can search for best buys label, but here you have makeup favourites of 2014.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

After years of being on my wishlist, I finally got my hands on a bottle of Sheer Glow, which got for my birthday.  I call it my princess foundation for one simple reason - it makes your skin look so perfect. It is a medium to full coverage, so it's noticeable you're wearing makeup, but I really like the level of coverage it gives, even though I'm an "invisible foundation" kinda girl. I mostly don't even need to use concealer with this, yet it doesn't feel heavy nor does it sink into pores or make a cakey mess. The shade range is another huge plus at this foundation. They don't just have really pale colours, but they also thought about undertones, though Siberia, which I'm using, is very yellow (I'm neutral), but it works. It has no pump (did I mention this foundation costs 40 €?), but I found that the pump of Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum works fine. 

L'OREAL Infallible 24H Matte Foundation

This is my summer foundation when my skin is a little bit oilier. It's a foundation with a matte finish and it sets quickly, so you don't have a lot of time to work with it, but it gives medium coverage and doesn't look flat on the skin. The best feature of this foundation - it disguises pores like nothing else I've tried. I've got before/after in my review if you want to check. The downside of this foundation is that it can cling to dry patches, so it's not for dry skin and now in the colder months, I mix it with more moisturising foundations if I want to wear it, though currently I'm mostly using other bases. The colour range is a bit of a miss as both lightest shades, Porcelain and Vanilla, are pink toned and L'Oréal is terrible at making foundation colours, so it can end up looking a bit orange if your skin tone is very warm, but on my neutral skin, it's decent enough in the summer.

REVLON Colorstay Foundation Normal/Dry Skin 

I found this one when I had a sudden urge to re-explore our drugstores for very pale foundations. I was delighted to discover that things have very much improved over the years and this good old classic won me over. 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. With this my skin stays matte pretty much all day and it's not even a foundation for oily/combination skin. I got the shade Ivory which is a very pale pink toned foundation and it fits me so well, despite the fact that my undertone is neutral. The one downside at this foundation is the lack of a pump.  

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow

06 Golden Bronze and 38 Golden Taupe

These eyeshadow sticks are the best cream eyeshadows around. I currently own just two, 06 Golden Brown and 38 Golden Rose, but I would love to expand my collection. These are so creamy and pigmented, they blend easily and last ages on the eyes. I love using these on their own or as a base.  

THEBALM Nude'tude Eyeshadow Palette

I got several eyeshadow palettes this year, an overwhelming majority were drugstore, but this one was the one that truly won my heart. I'm not a patient girl, so I don't like to build up colour for ages and at Nude'Tude I don't have to. The eyeshadows are so pigmented, soft and they blend beautifully, also the selection of shades great and I use pretty much all the colours. This has become my standard "I need to look good and I don't have time for building up the colour for a million years" palette. It's like Bourjois' Nude-ist, so the thing I grab when we're getting serious with the makeup.

BORN PRETTY Smooth Liquid Eye Liner with a Panda Design

I've tried a lot of eyeliners this year and it's a bit funny that this one, which looks like a toy for five-year olds is so impressive. The formula is really black, smooth and the applicator is one of those brush ones, so it's very precise and easy to work with. Actually I think I could include this one in the under 5 € post, since I've never seen it being full price, so it's very affordable as well. Plus the panda design is super cute.

NANSHY Eye Brush Set

Tapered crease, blending eyeshadow and flat definer

I have the whole set, but I'm mainly using just three brushes. The whole set suits small eyes, which is just perfect for me, so the tapped crease brush,  blending eyeshadow brush and the flat definer became my everyday brushes. These are very soft synthetic brushes, 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 also love that the handles are shorter than at the majority of eye brushes. It's a weird thing to say, but if you are near-sighted and you experience handles hitting the mirror all the time, I'm sure you get me. I think you can get these individually, but I'm not sure they are actually the same (the names are).

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Blush

There was a lot of Physicians Formula products on my blog this year, but this one is the true winner for me. Max Factor's űber hyped-up Creme Puff blushes left me cold as that famous glow was not all that visible on my cheeks, but this blush turned out to be exactly what I wanted. I have the shade Rose, which is a mix of two shades, a peachy-pink and the hot pink in the middle. It's a bit difficult to use them individually, but I always focus on the peachy pink more. It gives a nice rosy flush with a very glowy finish and the blush even smells like vanilla. Physicians Formula has some of the prettiest packaging ever and it's functional too. This one hides a very handy mirror and a brush in the back. 

MILANI Powder Blush

01 Romantic Rose

These blushes were on my wishlist since the moment I laid eyes on them. The design is the reason enough to get at least one. I heard these aren't the best as they are supposedly very powdery and I must say I don't have the foggiest what they are talking about. This shade, Romantic Rose, which I believe is one of the original ones, is beyond stunning. It's a dusty nude pink shade that is my type of shade. The quality is great, these are really strongly pigmented and apply nice as well. I would love to own more of these.

THEBALM Mary-Lou Manizer

Would you believe that this is only my second powder highlighter I own and my only gold toned as well as my only high-end one? Strange for a beauty blogger of 5+ years. There is nothing subtle about this highlighter, it was clearly designed for glow lovers. It's quite gold, but it still works for me even when I'm at my palest, I just avoid overdoing it. The glow it gives is very glamorous looking, so if you're one for more subtle highlighting, you'll probably save this one for special occasions, but believe the hype, it's worth giving a go.  

BOURJOIS Rouge Edition Velvet 

07 Nude-ist

And the top place in the best products of 2015 goes to… Nude-ist. I'm completely smitten with this. It is an outstanding shade and my most worn lip product in this year. I just instinctively grab it almost every time I leave the house. It's a beautiful muted rose-pink shade that is actually exactly the natural tone of my lips, however, a shade or two darker, making it look quite natural on my lips, but just giving that definition to my pale face. The staying power and the matte formula are winners as well. Gorgeousness in a tube. And to think this was the only shade I hated at first sight when I swatched them when they launched - silly me. 

REVLON Ultra HD Lipstick 

Rose

Meet the most comfortable lipstick I've tried to date. This is my standard goes-with-everything-shade in a formula that is basically better than a lip balm. It's nicely pigmented, super soft and light on the lips, it's moisturising plus best of all, it smells like Planica ice cream (a Slovene thing. Basically three flavours of ice cream in one: vanilla, strawberry and chocolate). On me Rose is a lovely, neutral pink shade that is a shade or two darker than my natural lip colour. 

I love the formula, but only in THIS shade. Why am I emphasizing that? Because this is a lipstick that doesn't contain wax, hence why it's very soft and a red or any bright/dark shade in this formula will be a mega huge mess. So stick to light shades in this formula if you don't want to be disappointed.  

MILANI Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipstick 

Darling

When lip products are concerned I'm a matte girl through and through and I think Milani's lipstick is one of the best, if not the best 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, I thinking Love, Flirty, Confident and Passion. 

MAC Lipsticks

All Fired Up and D for Dangerous

I got myself five MAC lipstick samples when I last ordered on The Body Needs and I found two new absolute favourites - All Fired up and D for Dangerous. I'm head over heels in love with the latter, it's a shade I've been looking for at least five years - a warm purple-pink-red. The other one, All Fired Up is another stunning colour, a warm fuchsia shade, so a typical me colour. Both of these are retro matte, which is my favourite formula by Mac, however, it is quite a thick formula that some might find drying. I'd love to have full sizes of these two.

This completes the first part of my favourites in this year. Next will include all that isn't makeup and should be up soon.

Have a great day!

Nanshy Eye Brush Set

 (Slovensko v drugem delu objave)

You may remember that a while ago I reviewed a makeup sponge by Nanshy. Well they don't just have makeup sponges, but also have quite a selection of brushes which are available both individually and in sets. I got the Eye Brush set that contains 7 brushes and according to their website it's a Top 5 best seller. These come in two colours, black and white. 

There are seven brushes in this set: the large shader, eye crease, tapered crease, blending eyeshadow, flat definer, precise bent definer and angled detailer. These are synthetic, vegan, cruelty free and antibacterial. Let's check them out individually

Large Shader Brush 

This one is meant for both packing on the colour as well as blending. It's a flat, but this brush is about a third larger and thicker than MAC's 239. It's decent for packing on colour, however, the thing is that my eyes are quite small, so it's better suited for applying a base shade all over the lid, but it can work for getting the colour only on the mobile lid as well, it's just not as intense. It's quite a stiff brush, but not in a way that it's harsh, just very dense. It's synthetic, so it doesn't grab as much colour as MAC's 239, but it is, on the other hand, much more suited for cream eyeshadows.

Tapered Crease Brush 

I actually tried to guess what set I'll receive to test and I was hoping to get one with this brush. For a while I've been looking for a replacement for my Coastal Scents Italian Round brush, which is the only one that works in my crease, but this one isn't it. It's smaller and more suited for smudging eyeshadow under the lower lashline. As far as working in the crease goes, it's too small, meaning you get more of a cut crease effect instead of a soft, diffused look. I prefer to use in in combination the Blending Eyeshadow Brush or Eye Crease Brush.

Eye Crease Brush 

This one, on the other hand, is already bigger than my trusted Italian Round Brush. It's verging on being too big for my "crease" (I have hooded eyelids), so to me it's more of a blending brush. In fact the Blending Eyeshadow brush and this one aren't that different, the main difference it's merely in the amount of bristles, but it's the same type of a small blending brush that very soft and synthetic. I like using this for blending and it's is a very handy addition to my brush arsenal.

Blending Eyeshadow Brush 

A larger, fluffier version of the eye crease brush. It's soft, non-scratchy and blends well on my small eyes, but this is the largest blending brush in this set and I feel that it might be too small on different eye shapes than mine. For me it's excellent.

Flat Definer Brush 

I love this brush. I never even though of buying anything like it and now I feel pretty stupid. It is absolutely perfect for applying eyeshadow under the lower lashline the way I like it. My eyes are small and I don't like a lot of eyeshadow under there and not blended too far down. I prefer it more as a thin diffused line that defines the eyes and gives the appearance of a thicker lashline. This one does the job admirably.

Precise Bent Eyeliner Brush 

Very similar to my Alverde gel eyeliner brush, which is my favourite. It's a thin brush with a bent design that I find the easiest to use when applying gel eyeliner. I don't really use gel eyeliners, since I discovered felt tip eyeliners, but it should come handy one day.

Angled Detailer Brush 

Aside from the Italian Round Crease brush, I have another indispensable brush from Coastal Scents that I've been failing at finding a replacement for - Black on Black Taklon Angle Liner. This one is it. It's a similar small and thin angled brush that is very precise and perfect for applying the so called invisible eyeliner very close to the lashes.

The quality reminds me of Jessup brushes. These have very similar design and material used, however, this are much smaller and more precise, so unlike the Jessup set, I can do much more precise work with them and not just blending or applying concealer. One thing that I love and most of you will find me silly for it - the short handles. Well at least compared to other ones I have. My eyesight is poor, so I apply makeup very close to the mirror and I always bang the mirror with the handle. I'm sure many can relate, With these I don't or at least not as often, so it's a relief not the hear the constant clacking on the mirror surface.

I think these are the brushes most suited for small eyes. All in all the brushes in the set are small compared to most other brushes I own, luckily this fits my requirements since my eyes are small and hooded. The only brush that I really wish were smaller and flatter is the large shader brush, or they could just add such a brush to these seven because I consider it an essential and I use it every time I apply makeup. They are all synthetic, which means they don't necessarily pick up the colour as well, but they are great at blending and for use with cream eyeshadows. I'm particularly happy I got the Eye Crease, Blending Eyeshadow and Flat Definer and they have become somewhat of a staple brushes for me.

I got these from Ličila.si, but for international readers Nanshy is sold on their official website for £29.95.

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Nanshy mi ni neznana znamka, saj imam od njih že gobico, ampak njihovih čopičev pa prej še nisem preizkusila. Na voljo imajo kar nekaj čopičev, tako posameznih kot v kompletih. Moj je komplet sedmih čopičev za oči in je na voljo tudi v beli barvi.

Čopiči v kompletu so: the large shader (velik čopič za senčila), eye crease (čopič za pregib), tapered crease (koničasti čopič za pregib), blending eyeshadow (čopič za zabrisovanje), flat definer (ploščati čopič za definicijo), precise bent definer (natančni upognjen čopič za definiranje) and angled detailer (prirezan čopič za detajle). Čopiči so sintetični, veganski, niso testirani na živalih in antibakterijski.

Large shader brush

Čopič, ki je namenjen nanašanju senčila na veke, sicer pa se ga lahko uporabi tudi za zabrisovanje. Je ploščat, ampak debelejši kot npr. Macov 239 ali pa čopič za senčila od Essence. Je v redu za nanašanje barve, ampak je že skoraj prevelik za moje majhne oči in mi je boljši za nanašanje osnove, svetle barve na cele veke. Je kar gost čopič, posledično ne kaj dosti mehek, ampak ni grob. Ker je sintetičen ne pobere toliko barve, kot tisti z naravnimi ščetinami, ampak je pa zato veliko bolj primeren za kremna senčila.

Tapered Crease Brush 

Upala, sem da bom dobila ta čopič zato ker se mi je na slikah zdel zelo podoben mojemu prastaremu Italian Round Brush od Coastal Scents, ki je popoln za nanašanje senčila v gubo in iščem zamenjavo zanj, ampak tale je veliko manjši in bo za večino bolj primeren  kot "smudger" za pod spodnje trepalnice. Lahko pa z njim narediš bolj ostro črto v pregibu. Sama ga uporabljam v kombinaciji z Blending Eyeshadow Brush ali pa Eye Crease Brush.

Eye Crease Brush 

Ta je že večji kot moj Italian čopič in je že malo prevelik za moj pregib (verjetno nimamo spodobnega prevoda, zato bom samo rekla, da imam "hooded eyelids", torej tako obliko oči kot npr. Blake Lively). Zame je tale čopič bolj primeren za blendanje/zabrisovanje. Blending eyeshadow brush in tale se pravzaprav ne razlikujeta veliko, glavna razlika je, da je ta manj širok. Je pa mehek čopič in mi je všeč za zabrisovanje na mojih majhnih očeh, tako da sem vesela, da ga imam.

Blending Eyeshadow Brush 

Večja in širša verzija Eye Crease čopiča. Je zopet mehek, ampak dovolj gost, da lepo zabrisuje, sploh na mojih majhnih očeh. Ampak to je največji čopič za zabrisovanje v tem setu in mislim, da bo premajhen za tiste, ki imajo drugačno obliko oči kot jaz.

Flat Definer Brush 

Tale mi je pa zelo všeč. Nikoli mi niti padlo na pamet, da bi kupila kaj takega, ampak zdaj se počutim pa kar malo neumno. Odličen je za nanašanje senčila pod spodnje trepalnice, vsaj tako kot je meni všeč. Ne maram preveč senčila tam oz. ne maram da je zabrisano prenizko, ker me to naredi utrujeno, zato raje naredim bolj definiran videz s tanjšo, ampak zabrisano črto, ki naredi videz kot da imam bolj goste trepalnice.

Precise Bent Eyeliner Brush 

Ta je zelo podoben mojemu čopiču za eyeliner v gelu od Alverde, ki je moj najljubši. Je zelo tanek in natančen čopič z upognjenim ročajem in prav taka oblika meni najbolj ustreza za nanos gel eyelinerjev. Slednje sem sicer prenehala uporabljat ko sem odkrila tekoča črtala, ki izgledajo malo kot flumastri (felt tip eyeliner. Slovenščina ima polno neumnih prevodov, ki jih ne prenesem), ampak bo ta čopič že kdaj prišel prav.

Angled Detailer Brush 

Še en čopič je zame nepogrešljiv poleg Italian Round Crease brush, in sicer Black on Black Taklon Liner, ki izgleda kot tale. Je približno isto velik in še bolj pomembno tanek ter ozek, zato je zelo natančen in z njim lahko naneseš npr. črno senčilo čisto blizu trepalnic in ustvariš videz nevidnega črtala, da potem izgledajo trepalnice gostejše.  

Kvaliteta me spominja na Jessup čopiče. Tudi oblika in material sta podobna, ampak ti so veliko manjši in bolj natančni. Z njimi se lažje nanese ličila, saj tisti so že tako veliki, da jih uporabljam za zabrisovanje korektorja. Čopiči imajo krajše ročaje kot večina čopičev in to meni izjemno ustreza. Zaradi dioptrije sem ena izmed tistih, ki mora imeti ogledalo blizu med nanosom ličil in s čopiči stalno zadevam v ogledalo, s temi pa ne. Ok, večinoma ne, včasih se vseeno še zgodi, ampak je velik korak naprej. Zagotovo nisem edina, ki so jim take stvari pomembne.  

Po mojih izkušnjah so tile čopiči bolj namenjeni za ličenje manjših oči oz. takih kot so moje "hooded eyes". So kar majhni v primerjavi z ostali čopiči, ki jih imam. Samo large shader brush je za moje pojme ogromen in res pogrešan nekaj manjšega v tem setu. Ker so sintetični senčil ne poberejo tako dobro, kot tisti z naravnimi ščetinami, sploh če porabiš kakšno poceni paleto, ampak so zelo dobri za zabrisovanje in tudi za kremna senčila. Moj najljubši so Eye Crease brush, Blending brush in Flat Definer Brush.

Čopiči so na voljo na ličila.si za 41,95 € (to je skoraj 6 € na čopič). Do konca novembra imaš 15% popusta na znamko Nanshy s kodo NANSHY15.

Have a great day!

*The set was sent to me for review purposes.

New In #35

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Intensely Lavish Lipstick

01 Lusty Peony and 04 Mild Sangria

So I died and went to heaven when I first visited Kiko Milano shop (for real this time) and saw a full Rebel Romantic collection. Sara from Passing Fancy and Ana from Beautysaur both talked about it weeks/months ago, so I had little hope I would get anything, but I got everything I wanted *cheers*. Lipsticks were the priority, I planned on getting 01 and 02, but 04 convinced me more in person. The packaging of these is unreal. Not only is it super pretty, but these actually feel like 30 € lipsticks. Heavy rose gold metal tubes with a magnet closing system - Kiko shows us you can make an absolutely fantastic lipstick for 7 €. The formula is outstanding as well, sooo creamy and lovely to apply. Honestly, these are probably the best lipsticks I've tried so far. They have a creamy finish from the start, but they do dry down a bit after a while to a more matte finish. If you get one product from this collection, get the lipstick. I have the shade 01, which is a medium powder pink shade with brown tones (apparently similar to Soar and it does have that 90's vibe on me), and 04 which is a dirty rose-red shade. I'll post swatches in my next post.

Kiko, 6.90 €

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Rebel Bouncy Blush

03 Treasure Rose

Again I got a shade that I wasn't planning to, 01 was on the top of my list, but this one looked better in person, which is incidentally the same shade that Sara has. The texture is described as something new and unique, but it's the same dry-to-the-touch, play-doh-like texture that E.l.f. Studio cream blushes have. It looked better in the shop, at home when I tried it on the cheeks I wasn't as impressed. It's very dry and it lacks a touch more slip, so it's a bit hard to blend, especially since I got a dark shade. The colour is a rose-retro red mix that translates into a pink-red flush on the cheeks. It's a colour I don't have yet, so that's a good thing, but I think the formula leaves something to be desired.

Kiko, 9.90 €

KIKO Midnight Siren LE Matte Muse Lipstick

03 Enthrall Pink

And another product I got a different shade that I originally intended too (this trip just proved to me that seeing things in person is everything). I actually liked all the colours, they really made a lovely selection of shades, but I went to the peachy-pink 03 and I'm really liking my choice. I assume that the applicator didn't escape your notice, but look who decided to copy Essence. There were actually some of my favourite shapes of applicators, however this one isn't as soft as the old Essence's, it's also a bit smaller, but it still works ok. The lipstick is very pigmented and fully opaque, just as almost all such products and it dries to a matte finish after about 15 minutes. These aren't the best matte liquid lipsticks I've tried, but also not bad. It's a bit sticky on the lips and it can feel drying. I like the interesting packaging, but they should work a bit more on the formula.

Kiko, 6.90 €

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Mirror

Apart from the lipsticks this is my absolute favourite item from RR collection. It's pure luxury for a fiver. The mirror is rose gold and it comes in a pouch, so it's protected from the evil sharp unidentified objects in your bag. It has two mirrors, a classic one and a magnifying one. Such a gorgeous item.

Kiko, 4.90 €

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow

06 Golden Brown

I already have the shade 38, which made me fall in love with these. They are the most amazing cream eyeshadows I've tried. So smooth, so pigmented, they blend nicely and once they set they don't budge. I swatched them in the shop and didn't have a makeup wipe - they didn't budge a micrometre with a dry tissue. I had to use a remover when I got home. Golden Brown is a bronze shade that is very similar to Maybelline's On and on Bronze, but it's a bit darker and cooler. I regret not getting shade 04 as well.

Kiko, 4.90 €

KIKO Nail Lacquer

375 Bois de Rose

I wanted another shade called Pink Sand, but was met with disappointment when I saw how little of the tons of shades they actually had in Palmanova's shop. I got the one I thought was closest, I just wanted a nice greyish powder pink, but this one is already darker and brighter. I still really like it and Kiko's nail polishes are so lovely that I'm sure I'll use it a lot. 

Kiko, 1.90 €

MISSLYN Nail Polish

610 Night Club

I've been on quest to find a dupe for the discontinued Essence's Deep Blue Sea for a while. Barry M's Navy was evading me for far too long, it just wasn't meant to be I guess, but I stumbled upon this shade that someone left away from its usual place, which was a real stroke of luck. I remember checking all the stands for a dupe, but the cheeky buggers hid this one really well (it's right at the back and barely noticeable). It's good dupe for it, a navy blue with blue shimmer, just as my old dried-up favourite. So glad I found this. The formula isn't terribly impressive though, as it's kind of on the dry side.

Müller, 4.99 €

ESSENCE Lipliner

11 In the Nude

I got this because I heard it's a dupe for Velvet Teddy. I don't have the latter, so I can't make a comparison like I did at the Wish Me a Rose shade, but Andria did that admirably anyway. They changed the packaging, in case you haven't noticed yet. The silver caps are gone and I strongly suspect they tampered with the formula, just as one of my readers told me. It could just be this shade, but the formula isn't nearly as creamy as the other Essence lipliners I own. Personally, I don't mind, but there might be riots in the beauty community. In the nude is an unexpectedly flattering and lovely warm nude shade that actually doesn't look terrible on me. 

Müller, 1.19 €

ESSENCE Eyeshadow Brush

So I go on this rant in my last Wishlist post about how I need to buy more quality brushes and the next week I buy another cheap Essence one. I have no words for myself. Anyway, this one looked interesting to me because it looks similar to MAC 239 and I only have one such decent brush, which is not enough. The cute shade of peach also appealed to me, but i really just wanted to see if it's any good. It's a bit stiff, but picks up colour well and does its job. It's not the best though.

Müller, 1.39 €

MA PROVENCE Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

I've been largely avoiding buying this shampoo because of the price. 8 € for something I might not even like you isn't what I'm willing to pay that easily. Thankfully I spotted it in E. Leclerc for 2 € cheaper than in other places and it sounded much more reasonable. Monika from the Sugarlove blog recommended this to me, saying it helped her with the dandruff issue and I'm always trying to find the miracle product that'll finally do what it promises. 

This. Is. So. Weird. 

I've never tried any Lush solid shampoos, but I'm guessing this is the same. It's so strange massaging a bar of soap on your hair, it truly is an experience (my code for: I'm not feeling it, man). It lathers well enough,  I wish for more and it's not so easy to spread the product all over the hair. It's the damn hole in the middle that just makes it even harder to use. This says that you don't need a conditioner after, a claim to which I laughed for 15 minutes, those people clearly haven't met my hair. My hair does feel stripped after washing and it's very hard to comb though compared to when I use other shampoos. Dandruff-wise, I don't notice any improvement so far, if anything my scalp might even feel a bit itchier, which is just fab, but we'll see how it goes. You get this stick-on handle thing to keep on the soap on and it's crap because doesn't even stick to the surface. The positive sting is that it looks like the bar will last a while as you use up a small amount at a single wash.  

I know Monika will feel bad now and will wish to apologize profusely - don't. Seriously. It's my scalp that's being a douche. Listen to her experience with the product, not mine. I'm super bitchy about hair products.

E.Leclerc, 5.99 €

BALEA Dusche & Creme 

Hibiscus & Nectarine

I haven't quite got over the fact that Balea decided to discontinue their Coconut & Nectarine version, but I had high hopes that they'll make something similar. They went with the hibiscus and nectarine combo, an interesting choice, but when I smelled it in the shop, it did not resemble the old nectarine scent at all. I still grabbed one anyway because I wanted to see if that scent perhaps develops in the shower. It does not. It's a very different scent that is a lot more floral and not as fruity. It's mostly hibiscus at this scent and it also reminds me of their summer limited editions, mango maybe. It's ok, but not repurchase worthy.

DM, 0.79 €

BALEA Pflegecreme Best Wishes

Violet & Freesia scent, Orange & Grapefruit scent

I have quite a few of these because I really love them as hand creams. The texture is light for a universal cream, but very moisturizing and it sinks in super-fast, so no greasy hands touching the keyboard. These do go bad if you don't use them up in about 8 months. Best Wishes are a limited edition created to celebrate 20 years of Balea. Violet & Freesia has a similar scent to Golden Twenties one, but warmer and it reminds me a bit of a less intense version of La Vie est Belle from Lancome. The Orange & Grapefruit one smells really authentically of oranges, but at times it has a strange note to it. I really like these two editions and the packaging is divine. 

DM, 1.09 €

BALEA Rasiergel 

Pink Grapefruit

I had this version on my wishlist for months, but I could never find it. Balea has the best shaving gels for the price, that's the obviously part, so let's concentrate on the scent. I love it. It's citrusy, but a bit bitter - it's grapefruit, there is no better description. I think I may even love it more than the previous mango version. 

DM, 1.99 €

BALEA Badesaltz

Kokos & Cassis

When it comes to coconut and peaches, no Balea's product can evade me and the only thing sure in this world is that it'll eventual tumble into my shopping basket. These new bath salts have a handy sniff sticker in the back, so you can check how it smells. This one has a mostly a clean coconut scent, I can't really make out cassis. I haven't used it in a bath yet, I just checked the colour of the salt - it's crystal lavender colour. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ingredients.

DM, 0.79 €

ESSENCE Happy Girls are Pretty TE Sheer Lip Balm

01 pretty you

You already have a full review of this here. It's an unexpected surprise by Essence. I don't buy their limited editions because what's the point of buying something you can't get any more when it runs out, but in the spirit of expanding my autumnal lip colour collection, I got this rosy-brown shade (mostly because Sanja made me). It's surprisingly lipstick-y for a "sheer lip balm" (someone get Essence a beauty dictionary stat) and it's actually more pigmented than a lot of their lipsticks, but it still has that comfortable and moisturizing feel of a lip balm. Nice product if you can still get this.

DM, 2.49 €

ESSENCE Happy Girls are Pretty TE Multi Colour Blush

01 you Sweeten my day

Oh, the disappointment. It's not terrible, but after trying their matte blushes in the regular line, I expected they finally got a hang of creating nice blushes. Clearly I was wrong. I like the colour of this, but the pigmentation is extremely weak. Well, at least it looks pretty. Review with swatches here.

DM, 3.29 €

ESSENCE Big Bright Eyes Pencil

01 Highlight it…Nude

You'll laugh at me, but I got a back-up even though there is no heart-stopping news of this being discontinued. But this is Essence we're talking about. They make you fall in love with the product and crush your dreams every autumn and spring (I will never get over the Stay Matte lip creams. Never!). I use this every day in my waterline and it creates that awake, big eyes effect. It's super soft and pigmented, it transfers to the waterline instantly and even sticks in it quite well. The slight pinky hue of it is just perfect for me. I love this. A yellow toned version exist as well. 

Műller, 2.19 €

YANKEE CANDLE Soft Blanket

So I may have been going to Müller to check this candle embarrassingly often, yet I could never justify buying the big or medium candle because of the tear-inducing prices. But last week I confidently walked to the scented candles section and just grabbed myself a medium. Ok, there might have been a fair share of dawdling before, but the point is I finally have it. This is one of my favourite scents ever. I can't really describe it well, but it's like baby powder and fabric softener. It's soft, warm and cosy, it invites images of a warm home and snuggling under a freshly washed blanket. But it is a candle that doesn't give much of a scent when actually burning, their other scents as much more potent. Still, I shall treasure it.

20.99 €

YANKEE CANDLE Turquoise Sky

This was a new scent on the shelves of our Müller. It actually smells exactly the same as Sunshine fragrance from The Library of Fragrance (Demetre Frangrance). It's a very clean scent, like fresh laundry, but also a bit warm. The scent is so powerful. Even wrapped in plastic it made the room smell of its scent.

2.99 €

*THEBALM Frat Body Shadow/Blush

You've probably heard already that TheBalm hit some of our Müllers in Slovenia (and Croatia). I got a few bits to try out, the blushes were a sent as a thanks for me helping them with some things and I'm so chuffed that they surprised me like that (so these are not really PR products to be fair). Frat Boy is a very popular blush from TheBalm and apparently it's THE universal blush that is flattering on almost everyone (check the reviews on Makeupalley). It's a matte peachy-pink matte shade on the cheeks and it has quite a brightening, cute effect . 

Müller, 20 €

*THEBALM Hot Mama Shadow/Blush

Another super popular shade, just check the rating on MUA. Again it's supposedly a universally flattering colour and it has that NARS Orgasm vibe to it. It is however, much more golden-peachy in the pan than NARS' version. On the cheeks it's a golden coral with a lovely glow. I actually like it more than Frat Boy because it reminds me of my favourite Benefit Coralista, but it's a touch pinker.

Müller, 19 €

*THEBALM Nude'tude Eyeshadow Palette

The review of this palette is already up if you're interested. It's such a lovely neutral palette with great quality eyeshadows that are in the same rank as Urban Decay's. They are very smooth, pigmented and blend so well, it's such a joy creating looks with this palette. 

Müller, 35.70 €

*SMOOTH SEXY HAIR Smooth and Shine

You may know that I'm a massive fan of Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Three-Wheat Leave-In conditioner, which didn't go unnoticed, so I was kindly offered to try Smooth and Shine spray. I only have the travel size, which should come very handy. It's an anti-frizz spray that works in a similar way than Lee Staffords Dehumidiffier. Basically it's a light oil in a spray, but it's lighter than got2b Oillicious spray, so people with the type of hair that tends to get greasy fast might like it more. I've used it on dry and wet hair. On dry hair, it had a bit of effect, but not what I hoped for. The results on wet here were already better, but nothing in the rank of Sebastian Professional Potion 9. It's nice and people with greasier hair might like it more, but I need something even stronger.  

*NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or

I was sent this unexpectedly, I guess they don't read my blog and therefore aren't aware I talk about this constantly and that I already have a bottle of it at home. This is the gold version of the "prodigious oil", which means it has tons of gold shimmer as well as a tiny bit of a bronzy tint I already did a review with pictures of it on the skin a while ago, you can read it here. I use this version mostly for my hair because it's an oil that fixes my hair when it very dry, but it doesn't make my hair as greasy as coconut oil would, but it still means that I need to wash my hair the next day, it really is just a one day fix (I'm currently also mixing it with L'Oreal's Extraordinary oil-in-cream). It also gives my hair some shine due to the shimmer. It's drier than the regular version meaning it sinks in faster, but the moisturizing effect is the same. The gold shimmer looks lovely on tanned skin, but it's a bit late for that this year.

50 ml 25.80 €, 100 ml 40.24 € 

*NANSHY Eye Brush Set

That Zoeva Rose Gold set will have to wait for a bit because I have these babies to try out. There are seven brushes in this set: the large shader, eye crease, tapered crease, blending eyeshadow, flat definer, precise bent definer and angled detailer. I've given them a whirl yesterday, creating a classic smoky eye with Nude'tude palette and I liked the quality, but I did miss a couple of brushes. These are synthetic, vegan, cruelty free and antibacterial. The quality and general shape reminds me a bit of Jessup brushes, but these are much smaller and more precise.

Ličila.si, 41.95 €

*My Beauty Box

Slovenia got a new beauty box service and a few of us bloggers got the first box before they open shop. I already showed the contents on my Instagram and got a mixed response. Don't click if you want to be surprised >>click.

 I've written a review of all the products inside, I just need to press post, so expect that in the next days. 

My Beauty Box ima za zdaj samo Instagram, kjer boste izvedeli več informacij o tem kdaj bo trgovina odprta. 

*BELLE MARINE Soothing Serum

I got a new serum to test out. Belle Marine uses sea extracts from different algae and promises a lot from being anti-ageing to protecting against UVA/UVB. It's a light lotion consistency that sinks in fast and leaves a very velvet finish on the skin (it contains silicones), so it almost works as a primer as well. It has a strong scent of Nivea or baby cosmetics.

Click2Chic, 18.00 €

URBAN DECAY Naked Palette

I got another Naked palette as a gift for my cousin, so now all three of us own one. Some things have changed since I got mine years ago. Now you get a brush with it, before we got an eyeliner and a deluxe sample of the original Primer Potion (now you get smaller samples of four versions). 

Feel Unique, €52.06

Ok, I need to vent. It's been almost a year, since I last ordered from FU because they seriously screwed up my last order, I waited for over two months I think and I wowed not to buy from them for a long time, but they had a discount of the Naked palette and it was a good opportunity to finally treat my cousin. I ordered two other things as well - repurchases of two absolute essentials that are on their lasts legs, Healthy Sexy Hair Leave-in and Palmer's Swivel Stick. I immediately found it odd that the order needed to be shipped in two parts with no explanation and then only Naked palette arrived, but not the other two things, even though they have supposedly been shipped the next day. And there is no sign of the package for almost a month now. And their stupid policy that they won't deal with you until a month has passed. So basically they screwed me twice in a row and I'm boiling mad. I don't think I'll be purchasing anything from them for a very, very long time.

PAJOMA Duft-Kerze

Roses & Berries

A cheap candle from Müller that I got just to try it out. It has a strong scent of berry candy, but I detect no rose scent, which a good thing.

Müller, 1.99 €

BOLSIUS Aromatic Candle

Baked Cookies

Another candle I got just because I found it interesting. It smells like Ggngerbread cookies, but our version because we don't put ginger in them here. It's basically just a mix of honey, cinnamon and vanilla, but it doesn't really smell of anything much when it burns.

Müller, 0.99 €

Have a great day!