*MAX FACTOR False Lash Effect Supreme Recharge Mascara
Max Factor's first refillable mascara. The outer rose gold casing holds a basic black tube. It has a hourglass silicone brush that's very similar to Milani's Anti Gravity mascara. After a month of being open this is still quite a wet formula that has a tendency to stick the lashes together if you don't wait enough between coats or apply too much of it. It creates a lot of volume + length, and it's one of those formulas that creates a more dramatic big lash effect than a natural one. It doesn't hold the lashes curled, which is typical for regular formulas on me, but it's difficult to remove for a washable formula, in this respect it's more like a waterproof formula, meaning it needs oil to get it off. My normally great performance cleanser Nuxe oil struggles with it, so a good dual-phase oil remover is needed. It runs in contact with tears and it irritated my eyes on a couple of occasions. It's also somewhat oily, so my glass lenses are constantly smudged. The refill pops out easily and replacement is not difficult.
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CATRICE Instant Bright Serum Concealer
002N
I don't remember a concealer ruining my day quite so much as this one, nor one that would make me run to buy a bunch of anti-ageing skin care, but this concealer makes me look so old. It emphasizes every small wrinkle I had no idea I had. It's so dry under my eyes and it cracks. They describe this as a hydrating formula with a glowy, natural finish and medium coverage. It's an odd formula that's glowy, but at the same time drying, flat and obvious under my eyes. This doesn't feel hydrating on my skin. Formula is medium thick, easy to blend with a sponge, but it dries a bit quick for blending with fingers, thought it'll get the job done, it just won't be as nice as with a sponge (on dry skin, of course). Coverage is quite high, medium-full, though I tried covering my freckles and they are still visible. Staying power is really good even without powder. Most of it was on my skin at the end of the day, just very dry, flat and unlikeable on my dry skin. Shade 002N looks yellow on me and obviously off, but it was the lightest shade on the stand.
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ESSENCE Line'n Stain Tattoo Lip Liner
01 Everyone's Nude Pink
The colour of the packaging has nothing to do with the actual shade of this. It's much darker on the lips, a medium-deep berry on me, so don't buy without testing. It's like using a sharpie. It's very precise and it's got excellent pigmentation, but the lighteight formula is still a stain, so I never managed to apply this evenly and it tints the dry parts of the lips darker than the rest. Essence is the only company that managed to make probably close to 20 different products featuring the same pH-reacting lip tint that I'm so fed up with because it's in stuff you don't even expect it in. This again has that same bright magenta tint that stick to the dry parts of the lips and it's impossible to get off for a couple of days. Formula is the lightest I ever tried, basically like a sharpie. That also means it's not at all moisturising and this quickly sets, then it can't be wiped off. There's no transfer anywhere, except on paper straws. If you enjoy that pH reacting tint and don't mind this looking uneven, you might like it, especially since it's very long lasting, but bare in my that if you slip during application, this won't come off easy.
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ESSENCE Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balm
03 - Time To Pitaya
I made an instant stupid mistake with this - I twisted the base like I was using a normal lip balm because I didn't know this doesn't retract back in. I had to put the excess lip balm in a separate pot so the cap would close again. You have to twist up only a small amount if you don't want a mess. This is super glossy, close to a proper lip gloss. It's nicely nourishing and feels very comfortable - I was checking other shades and they need some light nude-pink because I really like this formula for dry lips (I still haven't managed to find an untouched clear one to pair with a lip liner). Shade Pitaya is very pigmented with one swipe, you get a semi-opaque look that doesn't need much building up. It's a medium neutral-cool pink, I think it doesn't suit my skin tone best. In typical Essence style I think they added their trademark pH reacting tint to it, as when the lip balm disappears from the lips, my lips are still tinted pink. I wish they stopped doing that so often. I tried this on the cheeks too and it looks quite nice.
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ESSENCE Hydra Kiss Lip Oil
05 - Midnight Mystery
This was marked -50%, so I guess it's being discontinued. Shade is terrible, so I'm not surprised. I can't pull of sheer black, my pale skin tone just makes me look like a Disney villain even though this is sheer, but it's makes my lips look grey and dead. Formula is pleasant, it's a nice lip oil, but surprisingly not as nice as their discontinued Cranberry Oil. Formula is thick, nicely glossy, nourishing and it sticks on the lips well. Still, I think Catrice's version is better. This one has a soapy scent that makes me feel like I have a bad taste in my mouth, so it's not the best. I've only had this for about a month or two, but it's more than half empty, since there's only 4 ml and the applicator is big, so it get a lot of product on at once.
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LABELLO Caring Beauty Lip Balm 3 in 1 SPF 30
Red
This is quite strongly tinted red. It's a bit more than semi-opaque, but I haven't been able to build it up to full coverage. Formula is typically for Labello nourishing at first, but the moisturising feeling doesn't last and the lips become flaky in time. I tried this one the cheeks too and it's ok, it's not as smooth looking as Essence's Baby got blush Stick or even Melem's balms. It has SPF and like some such lip balms it has that bitter, unplesant taste.
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CATRICE Gel Affair Nail Lacquer
004 - Rosy Bowtastic and 031 Electric Turquoise
I guess it was time for a nail polish bottle update. Shade 004 is quite thin for a gel formula. One coat gives a good level of opacity, but two are needed so everything evens out. Colour is quite pale, more of an off white than a nude. 031 is almost opaque with one coat with a smooth formula, but it's best to apply two. Electric Turquoise is a "Tiffany" green-blue and it stains the nails like crazy without a base.
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ESSENCE Express Dry Top Coat
Catrice's Quick Dry Top Coat is quite good, so I tried the slightly cheaper Essence's to compare. Formula is lighter than Catrice's, but maybe it will thicken like such top coats normally do. I tested it after the promised 45 seconds over two coats of Catrice's Gel Affair and it's dry to the touch, but still very prone to dings or smudges. It takes a while for the nails to be completely dry. So far every time I used this I ruined my manicure, even if I waited for 5-10 minutes after application, so I find it a frustrating top coat and I'm going to stick the better Catrice one.
ESSENCE Lip Care Jelly Sleeping Mask
This is quite good. It's thicker than Laneige lip mask and I sometimes prefer it because it sticks on the lips better and for longer (Laneige is still better for soothing flaky dry lips). It’s nicely nourishing and it has the scent of Kiki candy (soft taffy candy scent). It’s tinted and gives the lips a nice light shade of pink. I use the silicone applicator from the Laneige mask, I think this product is missing such a tool, I don’t like dipping my fingers into lip balm pots.
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GARNIER Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1
A repurchase. I bought this years ago when micellar waters first came out. Since then I've tried many and because there's always something new, I never repurchased it. Currently I'm using Cerave, which is my favourite, but I have to order online and I wanted something cheap. This comes in a travel size 100 ml, which is just what I wanted. It's as good as I remember, though it says new formula, but I don't notice anything different. It feels like water and removes all regular makeup. It's not scented.
ALVERDE Naturkosmetik Sensitiv Reinigungsoel Bio Kamille Bio Traubenkernoel
One of the thickest, greasiest cleansing oils I've tried and it smells like cooking oil that's been used for fries. It doesn't emulsify and wash off with water, so a second foamy cleanser is a must. It's fairly effective as a makeup remover, though it can't remove a red liquid matte lipstick even with a second cleanse. It doesn't irritate my eyes. Balea's, the new Hautsache (from DM) and CV Rose (Műller) cleansing oils are all lighter. They are a bit better at removing makeup, but I'm not impressed by these cheap offerings in my local drugstores, so I'll keep using my favourite Nuxe Very Rose one. I also noticed Alverde breaks me out (just like all cheap oils).
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REVOX Just Glycolic Acid 20% Toning Solution
Unlike The Ordinary's version this is a thick gel that's clear. It's a wash-off AHA mask and you're supposed to leave it on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Just like as The Ordinary version despite the high percentage of glycolic acid I don't feel this on the skin at all. I get no stinging or burning, but my skin is far from sensitive. My skin felt a bit softer after use, but not like when I use Skin Food Black Sugar scrub (a harsh, mechanical scrub that the only thing makes me feel like my skin is actually exfoliated, but I use it very, very rarely). This has no scent.
L'OREAL PARIS Elvital Glycolic Gloss Shampoo
I'm a fan of the 5-minute lamination and the serum from this line, so I shelled for the overpriced for drugstore shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo is like pretty much all L'Oreal shampoos I've tried - great. I have no complaints. It foams well on the first wash, produces enough foam, it cleans well and doesn't feel drying at all on my very dry hair. They could have picked a nicer scent for this line.
L'OREAL PARIS Elvital Glycolic Gloss Conditioner
This trend of small conditioner tubes must end. This has merely 150 ml of product which won't last me many uses. Formula is quite rich, but easy to spread on the hair. I left it on for about half an hour and then followed with the lamination product. I didn't use my usual hair oil and Moroccanoil All in One Leave in, I just used the serum from this line, so I could see how nourishing this line is and it's on the light side for me, meaning I need leave-ins to make this work better for me. As far as shine goes - the thing is this has zero frizz control and frizzy hair does not shine. My hair needed some extra help of overnight rollers and serums to become straighter, then I noticed a decent level of shine, but not the "glass hair" effect.
PANTENE PRO-V Active Nutri Plex Intensive Repair Mask
A repurchase, though Pantene changes things up so often this may or may not be the same Repair mask I used in the past. Pantene's hair products in general suit my super dry hair a lot and this one is fine, though surprisingly I after trying it, prefer the Bond Repair Conditioner. This one nourished my hair ok, but my top layer of the hair quickly became coarse as it usually does when I use drugstore products. Still, it's a good affordable option.
PANTENE PRO-V Bond Repair Conditioner
A repurchase, though it looks like they changed the packaging to an opaque white tube instead of partly clear one. Together with the shampoo from this line they make properly nourished, it feels silky and the ends feel better.
BALEA PROFESSIONAL Keratin Repair Haarkur
This is apparently a best-seller among masks in DM - at least in Slovenia. I didn't have much expectations, especially since it's silicone-free, but it's a very decent protein mask for the price. Texture is quite rich, it didn't feel like I'm using a mask without silicones and my hair was moisturised enough. It's better when it comes to frizz than L'Oreal's Glycolic Gloss set, but my hair still dried with some frizz and not smooth, so I had to use a serum and rollers overnight for smooth hair. With some extra leave-ins this mask should do just fine. I'll likely try the Oil Repair too.
BALEA Finishing Spray Glow und Care
DM finally came out with a proper shine spray. I have a bunch of them and Schwarzkopfs (from their brands Gliss and got2B) are my favourite. This one is not quite as shiny as Schwarzkopf's, but it is a bit less greasy, which some may appreciate (I want more oil, not less).
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GARNIER FRUCTIS SOS Damage Eraser Conditioner
I expected I would like this, but it's effect is nothing special on my hair. As I was rinsing it off, I missed that silky feeling you should get from a conditioner, so I added a lot of leave-ins to make sure my hair wouldn't be tangled and dry. I'm not impressed by this one. Texture is thick for a conditioner.
SCHWARZKOPF Brilliance Hair Glossing Mask
Schokobraun
A repurchase. This a tinted hair mask in a cool dark brown shade that matches my natural hair colour perfectly, so it hides my bleached ends. Formula is nourishing enough for my hair (together with Moroccanoil All in One leave-in that I always use, of course). It's messy so I colour in the shower.
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BABYLOVE Ultra Sensitive Pflege und Masagge Oil
I wanted a cheap body oil that comes in quite a large packaging and isn't just sunflower oil with smaller amounts of other "fancier" oils. This was supposed to be mostly almond oil, but it looks like they recently made changes that aren't on DM's website yet, as this new version has mostly rapeseed oil with some almond oil. The packaging is not good, as the oil always spills on the side of the bottle, so the bottle is always greasy and the label is half peeled off already. Texture is rich and feels very nourishing. It takes quite some time to absorb. It smells unsurprisingly of rapeseed oil. I've been using this daily for my dry skin and it's fine for the price, but next time I'll probably try to find something else.
BALEA Urea Fuss Sockenmaske
Moisturising socks with urea, panthenol, avocado oil, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, squalane and ceramides. These are very big and fit large sizes of feet. The sticker that holds this wrapped didn't hold well, so I had to improvise and I also wore my regular socks over it, so it was a better fit. Without socks over it, this can get slippery when walking. My feet were very dry before I used it, I already had some small cracks forming on my heels and this fixed it. I used an electric foot file before for a better effect and my heels felt much softer after use, something I didn't manage to achieve with moisturisers and oils. But the effect lasted about 2-3 days. I'll likely buy this again for an ocassional treat.
I liked the hand mask version from this line too, which surprisingly wasn't annoying to use. The gloves didn't stop me from doing my usual stuff, including using my phone. It also improved my dry cuticles and hangnails situation, as much as a single use mask can.
SUBRINA Oil Shower Gel Good Vibes
A repurchase. I like this scent and it lingers on the skin. It's not a tropical scent in my book, more of an almost powdery, cosy one with some fruity touch, but it's difficult to describe it. In my small way it reminds me of scent like Yankee Candle Soft Blanket.
BALEA Duschől
A repurchase. I buy this when my skin is very dry because it's the cheapest shower oil and very decent for the price. But the scent is so bland and I don't like it at all. They had this product for over a decade probably and the newer came out with a nice scented version. Formula is an oil that emulsifies with water. It's not as rich as L'Occitane's, but it's great for dry skin that's flaky.
48 Deo Anti-perspirant Roll-on
Fresh
A new line of antiperspirants and a deodorant - you might know the hand cream from brand 48 or the disinfectants. I have all versions of roll-ons, but I bought another (Fresh) as a gift for someone. The science behind these is that they have probiotics, which support natural microbiom and help prevent bad scents by encouraging good bacteria to grow (instead of those that cause bad smells when breaking down the molecules of sweat). Two, Fresh and Clear are anti-perspirants with aluminium and Sensitive version is aluminium-free. All have very neutral, unisex fragrances, I like Sensitive’s the most, but all are nice. They come in soft tubes that can be squeezed, but have a classic roll-on ball.
BOROTALCO Deo Stick Original
A repurchase. I always buy deodorant in advance and since I bought this backup, Borotalco sadly stopped working on me. I'll switch and then go back to it in time. It was very reliable up until now and it has a pleasant, sort of retro powdery scent.
- sreda, april 16, 2025
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