MAYBELLINE Instant Anti-age Eraser Multi-use Concealer

 00 Ivory

This has been my favourite formula for so many years, but shade 03 Fair I have was not the best match for my pale skin, so I was overjoyed when I discovered Maybelline's new shade 00 Ivory. It's the best shade in drugstores I've found so far. It's very light and the undertone is not strong, so it fits my neutral skin tone best out of all concealers in my collection (along with the slightly darker Look by Bipa). This formula has medium coverage, which is enough because I don't like to completely cover my skin even if some imperfections shine though and this concealer is one of those that looks like skin, not makeup. The sponge is really helpful because at most times I don't need anything else to blend (unless there is a lot of product on the sponge), actually using this really feels like an eraser due to the applicator. Discovering this shade just made my year and I can get it easily at my local drugstore.

CATRICE Blush Box Glow + Multicolour

020 It's Wine O'Clock

Catrice almost always has brilliant quality of blushes, I've only ever been disappointed with their palettes, but their individual blushes are a delight to use. This formula is very pigmented, actually too much for my pale skin, so I need to use a light touch with it. Just like at their other illuminating/glowy formulas I've tried so far, I don't get that highlighter-meets-blush effect on my cheeks and it looks matte on me, but I don't mind because this shade is very pretty, giving me the look of fresh, baby doll cheeks that pairs beautifully with a light pink lip. Of course this formula does not beat my all-time favourites L.O.V. blushes, but it's a good change after six months of constantly wearing those. 

ESSENCE Draw the Line Instant Colour Lipliner

07 Eternal Beauty

This isn't the best formula, even though it is Essence's most long lasting, however, it is thick, slightly sticky and these dry out fast becoming useless. Despite that it's easy to apply it all over the lips, it's not drying and this particular shade is such a beauty. 07 Eternal Beauty is a light-medium muted pink, definitely a colour for my skin tone and one I've been wearing every day since I got it. This and Essence's Soft Contouring formula in shade 08 Big Proposal are some of my favourite shades ever. (If you're interested in the Draw the Line formula, I have a full review of shade 05 here)

 PANTENE Pro V Intensive Repair/ Repair & Care line

Why, oh why did I not know about this line sooner? It's an absolute drugstore gem that rivals many much more expensive products. I'm especially blown away by the effect of the conditioner and the mask, which are some of the very rare ones that provide enough nourishment for my dry hair, plus they even manage to make it somewhat softer, which at my thick texture is a miracle in itself and they some add shine. For a shampoo with no silicones this is surprisingly good, as similarly to L'Oreal's it almost feels like there is a bit of conditioner in there. It's not quite as good, but it's a solid second favourite in my books. The leave-in conditioner is another silicone-free product, so something I prefer to use on damp hair after washing too add an extra boost of moisture and preventing my hair from feeling dry again on the second day, but I do have to add something with silicones after, otherwise my hair tangles. This whole line will actually save me a lot of money that I kept spending on more expensive products over the years. Only thing it needs is an alcohol-free rich silicone-hair oil, then it'd be a perfect set.

BEAUTY UPDATES

ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara Waterproof and CATRICE Eyeconista Lash Millionizer Volume Mascara Waterproof

The two waterproof mascaras I've been using recently, but none are my favourite (yet maybe?), still given that they were an important part of my daily routine they deserve to be featured in this part of the post. I did a comparison test for a few days with one on each eye (changing the order daily because my lashes on one side are horribly unruly and make any mascara appear the worse performer). They are very similar with the main difference between these two being the wetness of the formula as Essence's has the same drier formula as I <3 Extreme and Catrice's is quite wet for a waterproof mascara, which doesn't work in its favour. Neither keep my lashes as perfectly curled as I expect, but they are averagely performing in this department, enough to say they are still worthy considering the purchase. Both are exceptional volumising and lengthening mascaras that are capable of creating big, very black, noticeable lashes. Neither smudge on me or run, but they are also such a pain to remove, which I'm not a fan of because I <3 Extreme is not quite a stubborn. The latter in general feels lighter and creates a more feathery look, but these two get you that volume much faster. I'm not super happy with the brushes of either as Lash Princess could be more defining and Eyeconista could be larger (the brush is very small compared to most mascaras).

CATRICE Ten!Sational 10 in 1 Dream Primer

Since I ran out of Max Factor's Face Finity All Day Primer I haven't had anything that truly convinced me in my stash, though I haven't picked any of those myself, while this one was on my wishlist due to ingredients, as it has glycerine 3th and niacinamide 5th on the list after water and it doesn't sound like a typical silicone primer that be too dry and flakey on my dry skin. It's definitely a primer a lot more suited for normal-dry skin than oily-combination as it leaves a slightly tacky feeling and it's not matte at all. The ambitious 10 in 1 claim is mildly put an exaggeration, especially when it comes to pore minimising, blurring imperfections and evening out the skin tone, but it is a hydrating primer with a natural glow that is not over the top like at usual illuminating primers which tend to emphasise the texture of the skin. It has two minuses which are the reason this still isn't my proper replacement for MF's primer and that is the tint, which is too dark for me, though it's sheer and blends in better than Catrice's 1 Minute Primer. The second is the SPF 15, which is just not enough.

NIVEA products

This month I got this weird desire to explore Nivea products, a brand that I've largely neglected up until I tried their great mattifying face sunscreen. I went to their website and I'm sure if they didn't have the ingredients list there, my wishlist would stay intact, but I went through all of their products and picked those that primarily had Coenzyme 10/Ubiquinone highest on the list. Why Q10? Well, based on my limited knowledge there are a few ingredients than have been scientifically proven to diminish signs of aging: vitamin A/retinol/retinoids, vitamin C, peptides, Coenzyme 10/Ubiquinone and niacinamide/vitamin B3 (this list could be wrong, though. I got it of Reddit) - I had no Q10 products in my routine, so I wanted to include such products (for peptides I'm checking out Olay/Olaz, for vitamin A The Ordinary and Avon). I picked Q10 Plus C Anti-wrinkle + Energy Skin Sleep Cream as a potential replacement for my two vitamin C products. It combines ascorbic acid and Q10, but it doesn't state the percentage of vitamin C. I only used twice so far once because I want to use up Melano CC first, but I'm hoping for the best for this one because it's still reasonably priced and very easily accessible to me (it's 12.5 € for 40 ml, which is much cheaper than my favourite Eucerin's version which is 17 € for 7.5 ml, though that one will be really hard to beat. Good thing about Nivea is also that it's sold in supermarkets, so I can use those 25% discounts some have). In terms of texture it's like a regular thick cream and it sits on the skin for a long time, but not in an annoying way. Next I got the itty bitty 6.5 ml bottle of Q10 Power Deep Wrinkle + Firming Treatment which Nivea says has the highest concentration of Q10 in their products. It's supposed to last 10 days, but despite the thick texture, I already went past that mark. I can't report on any fascinating results though. The third face product I got were the Q10 Power Replenishing Pearls. It has Q10 6th place after water, which is not as high as I'd want, but it also contains hyaluronic acid and creatine right after. Despite the to me deceiving appearance of a possible light serum texture, these pearl are like a thick cream or even a balm. It's too early to tell if it's doing anything, but it's very nourishing and on the first day my skin had a healthy glow to it. For body I picked my first Nivea body milk Firming Q10 + Vitamin C. The latter is in a a form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a stable form of vitamin C, but it's not terribly high on the list, regardless I wanted to try it. It's the lightest formula in my collection (I like my body moisturisers heavy and thick), however, it takes a long time to absorb, in fact I can still feel it's on my skin in the morning. I've been using it every day for a week and while I can't report any firming results, but my skin has been nicely nourished and it actually finally got rid of some persistently dry patches I've had for years now. I also picked up a Hand Cream Anti-age Q10 and very unexpectedly I really like it. I thought I won't because I'm very spoiled by L'Occitane's hand creams, however, this quite nice. It's light, yet moisturising enough and though it takes longer to absorb than L'Occitane, it's absorbs completely in a few minutes. Formula feels almost silky which I like a lot and the scent is a typical Nivea. It's nowhere near as nourishing as L'Occitane, but I'm enjoying using this. Last thing I grabbed was their new Curl Forming Spray which is an alcohol free hair spray with oil - that last oil bit got me and I had to try it. I expected a mix between that got2b #Oh My Nude Tame it Softly Dry Lightweight Oil Mist I love and a hair spray, but it's more a like a light-medium flexible hold hair spray that indeed isn't drying, but not nourishing and I can apply a ton of this on dry hair, yet it never feel heavy. On damp hair before drying it's another story as the hair feels slightly sticky and textured like using a mousse. I put my hair in a bun after using a hair dryer and I woke up with my usual curls, but tighter and the sticky, heavy feeling was gone. So far I prefer it on dry hair.

My current collection of vitamin C products. Favourite of course is the amazing Eucerin Hyaluron Filler Vitamin C Booster which impressed me with both the lovely texture and its results. I'm currently trying to use up Melano CC Vitamin C Essence which sadly never provided me with any visible results, but the dry oil texture is nice. I've already mentioned that Nivea's Q10 plus C just got it's turn, so I don't know if it's effective yet, but the insect repellent scent is not my favourite. I've been avoiding using up Tiam's C Source despite the highest ascorbic acid content (20 %) because it's just a pain too use - too drying for my skin, sticky and difficult to layer over, plus I saw no results and nothing comparable to Eucerin. 

DISAPPOINTMENTS

 LVLY by Paola Maria Cleansing Oil

This was the biggest disappointment in the last month. I was so hoping I finally found a decent, cheaper replacement for Biobaza Micellar Cleansing Oil that I've been using for a couple of years now. While this forms the riches, thickest emulsion out of all oil cleansers I've tried, it is impossible to rinse off completely. It leaves a filter of product on the skin and it doesn't even remove mascara well, ether waterproof or regular. It's such a shame because it's one of very rare cleansing oils we can get in our drugstores and it's one of only two cheap ones. 

WISHLIST

My lovely fellow Slovenian blogger Sandra highly praises this formula because it's one of the rare ones that can hold her lashes curled despite the fact it's a regular formula. I'm always on a search for the cheapest such formula, as so far I've only found Beyu's Beauty Queen, Max Factor 2000 Calorie and Max Factors False Lash Effect Voluptious, all are quite expensive despite being drugstore mascaras. Essence's Lash Stylist Curl & Hold is also decent in that department, however, the formula is almost as hard to remove as a waterproof one, so I avoid it as an every day mascara. I had high hopes that Lash Princess with be just such a formula and to a point it is, but it's not quite as effective in that department as the others previously mentioned, regardless it's definitely a mascara I'll turn to when I want a lot of volume.

Brush: The brush is in a shape of a thin cone and with regular bristles that are densely packed. I'm not a 100% sold on this brush though I get good results with it, however, the tip collects too much product, which if I don't wipe it off can deposits too much in inner corner. I prefer the curved shape of the original Princess Lash. Overall it's still a nice brush that deposits enough mascara fast and if I avoid applying with the tip, combs the lashes ok too. 

Looking straight ahead, so you can see how much of the curl is retained.

Formula: The volume this creates with just one coat is very impressive, although a lot of Essence mascaras do this exact same thing, it's just a common characteristic to their mascaras. So if you like big, long, voluminous lashes head to the Essence stand first, as there're some good choices there. Formulas of both Lash Princess mascaras are like that and the difference between the two is that False Lash Effect is noticeably less wet. This works in my favour because it doesn't make my lashes drop as a stone, the original was in fact one of  mascaras that most weighted my lashes down. In terms of holding my lashes curled, it can't compare to the waterproof I <3 Extreme version or any waterproof formula, but if I curl my lashes well and wait between coats when applying this formula (so it dries) it keeps them lifted enough, about half way. Out of the three mascaras I was testing at the same time, this one takes second place in the curl department, while the Max factors 2000 Calorie wins.

Staying power: I don't know if I'm super lucky because I experienced zero problems with this formula. It lasts all day like most mascaras do on me, I get no smudging, flaking or irritations (I don't have oily skin, that might be it). However, every time I posted about this mascara on IG, I got several messages saying it's a great mascara, but it either smudges, flakes or/and irritates their eyes. My inbox was filled with messages describing completely different experiences than me and I'm glad I got all this feedback, so I can relay other people's experiences here. So if you have oily eyelid/skin or sensitive eyes, maybe it's best to keep away from this one. 

Price and availability: It costs 3.49 € and it's sold in drugstores. 

This an amazing volumising mascara and you don't have to layer it indefinitely to get big, noticeable lashes. It's also not super wet, which is an improvement from the original Princess Lash, however, although I've experienced no problems with smudging, the amount of messages I got about this mascara make the think I'm one of the rare ones, so bear that in mind if you plan to put this on your wishlist.

Big thanks to Sandra for sending me this mascara. You're awesome <3

PS: I recently got the waterproof version of this mascara, which I'll be reviewing in the future. It's slightly less volumising than this one, but since the brushes are the same, the mascaras in general perform very similar. Of course it holds the curl much better, but it's also more difficult to remove. 

Have a great day!

We never had much of L'Oreal concealers here, at least in the drugstores I visit most often, so this immediately caught my attention when I saw it on the stand. I'm always hoping for a liquid formula that would be similar to Bourjois Radiance Reveal or Maybelline the Eraser in a pale enough shade (by the way I just found it! It's the new Maybelline Eraser shade 00 Ivory), but this is another one in a long line of full coverage formulas just like five similar concealers I have. This is the concealer with the highest coverage I know in our drugstores.

Texture and coverage: Formula is the thickest concealer I've tried and I think it's also one most high-covering one, sharing its place with the Saem which doesn't come in such pale shades as L'Oreal's. Compared to other similar concealers, including Saem, it's harder to blend, though it's got its good days and bad days, as on some days it looks very heavy and on some days it looks ok. I haven't made the connection what influences the application as I've always used the same skin care under it and foundation choice also wasn't the cause. It likes to crease under the eyes and definitely emphasises lines, so it's not my favourite formula, however, it covers a lot. Finish is satin matte. This is formula best used for covering small imperfections like spots, while for larger areas I prefer Look by Bipa and Essence Camouflage + Glow, though they have slightly less coverage.

I just applied it in the triangle under the eyes and nose. You can see where the application ends and the slight piling at the top edge of the cheeks, which is another occasional problem with this formula.

I took the before-after pictures twice, the second time without the extra L'Oreal makeup I was testing at the same time. I think it's obvious here how heavy this can look and emphasises the texture of the skin, but like I said, this has its good and bad days.

Staying power: As is usual for such concealers, it manages to lasts well on the skin and actually it manages to look better after application, less obvious, it's just that it worsens the look of the lines that's the problem.

Shade: I got the shade 326 Vanilla, which based on the numbers might not even be lightest in the range, but it's very surprisingly light enough for me. In fact it's one of the lightest ones I have (beaten only by the Eraser 00 Ivory and Nars Chantilly, none pictured above because I just one The Eraser and Nars' is empty) and the lightest with a yellow undertone, which isn't my perfect fit, but it blends in because my skin tone is neutral.

Packaging: The applicator is huge, similar to the applicator on Deborah Extra Cover foundation and I was excited to try it, but I'm not loving it. The product collects on the tip, so you don't have the benefits of a large applicator, which actually doesn't bother me, but it's very hard to use it for more precise concealing.

Price and availability: It costs 10.99 €. I think DM has the largest selection of shades, since I've seen 4 or 5 colours, while I've only seen two colours in Müller.  

More than Concealer is not my favourite because it's quite a thick and heavy formula even compared to its competition, but it does cover a lot, which will be a big plus for some and I have to give praise to L'Oreal for having such a pale shade (and actually selling it here). I don't need a lot of coverage and I resent it makes my lines look so much worse, so I'd pick Essence's high coverage formula over this one from the selection in our drugstores, but that's just my choice. 

Have a great day!

*PR product

MAKEUP

ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara Waterproof

I got the regular version of Lash Princess False Lash Effect a few months ago and it's an excellent volumizing mascara plus it can even hold the lashes up a bit, but it's not like proper waterproof formulas, so I was hoping Essence combined that amazing volume with the great I <3 Extreme waterproof formula that's my favourite. What it looks to me is that they just used the brush from the Lash Princess and added the I<3 Extreme formula, resulting in a pretty much the same mascara as the latter. Volume is not quite as impressive as at regular Lash Princess, but it's still more than at a lot of mascaras and it holds a curl. I get no smudging with this one, but an occasional flake can appear. It's also hard to remove as you might expect and requires an waterproof makeup oily remover. The shape of the brush doesn't bring much new to the table compared to the I<3 Extreme, in fact I find it a bit less defining, so both produce somewhat dishevelled lash look, but not clumpy or spidery. I wish Essence used this winning formula when it comes to holding a curl and create one of those L'Oréal-like double mascaras with a plastic defining brush on one side and a regular volumizing on the other, but for now it really doesn't matter whether you get Lash Princess or I <3 Extreme, as the both do about the same thing. 

Müller, 3.59 €

 *ORIFLAME OnColour Power Up Foundation

38805 Light Porcelain and 38807 Natural Beige

Oriflame launched a new or renewed collection of makeup products that they described as an explosion of colours. This foundation comes in 4 shades and I got 2, including the lightest one. Given my experience with Giordani Gold MasterCreation foundation I expected another very pale shade, but sadly that's not the case. Both shades I have are way too dark for me and I have to use lightening drops to use them. The foundation has a light coverage, it doesn't look well covered in person, but for some reason it looks very good on camera. It's too moisturizing even for my dry skin, so if you have oily or combination skin, this won't work for you. Finish is dewy-shiny, so powder will be a must for most people. Overall it's not very impressive aside from the fact it looks very natural on the skin and you can't tell you're wearing makeup apart from the shine people could mistake for a moisturizer. The shade ruined this one for me, as I thought I can rely on Oriflame for pale foundations.

Oriflame, regular price 9.90 €, currently 4.99 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Perfecting Concealer Stick

39914 Natural Beige and 39913 Light Ivory

This formula is surprisingly not that hard, waxy stuff that put me off such formulas years ago, but it is summer, so when temperatures drop, who knows if it still be as easy to apply. It looks relatively ok on the skin, it's hasn't got a lot of coverage, I'd say maybe a medium, but it doesn't have the best pigmentation, so you have to layer it. Though the lightest shade is wearable for me, there are honestly so many better formulas out there. Only two shades are available, both are quite light.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Power Face Powder

38801 M Beige

I can't find this in the catalogue, maybe it's just the Slovene version that skipped it, I don't know. My skin was not made for powders, I've hated them for years and this is nothing special. It set the makeup in place, but didn't prevent a meltdown I had happening with all of Oriflame makeup and it wasn't even that hot. Powder looks finely milled and it's not bad, but what do I know about powders with my dry skin, I never use them. 

*ORIFLAME OnColour Big Lash Mascara

I'm not impressed by this one. It doesn't hold my lashes up, so it's useless for me. It's got a classic defining plastic brush with two lengths of bristles and it defines ok, though it could fan out the lashes better. In terms of volume it's (so far) nothing special, but it also doesn't look like nothing. It's just average and I prefer their The One Eyes Wide Open & Awake mascara. 

Oriflame, regular price 7.90 €, 3.99 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Perfect Duo Pencil

36088 Mocha & Rosegold, 36089 Blue & Sapphire and 36090 Green & Turquoise

Five shades of these are available and I got three combinations. These are my least favourite products in the selection. A few seconds after I apply them on the upper eyelid they transfer to my crease. Even with a ton of powder under it, I get the same result. They transfer to the waterline, but you have to go over the line several times. Pigmentation of the darkest brown is great and it's also softest, but the rest could be better. They aren't the softest or smoothest eyeliners so I'm sorry Oriflame, but this is a fail to me.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

*ORIFLAME OnColour Creamy Lipstick

38742 Blush Nude, 38750 Deep Red and 38775 Clover Lilac

Just a regular creamy lipstick with a shiny finish and semi-opaque to full pigmentation. Staying power is its weakness, especially at the lightest shade which is gone in an hour, but ever Deep Red is not that much more impressive. Shade Blush Nude is gorgeous, it's a lovely nude and it's a shame about the staying power, but it's actually very similar to Oriflame's The One lipstick in Pink Flair which is better quality. Shade Deep Red is a classic burgundy and Clover Lilac a medium violet. These come in 20 shades.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 €

 *ORIFLAME OnColour Nail Polish

38983 Soft Pink, 38992 Deep Plum and 38996 Silver Black

These are the best products in the OnColour line. They don't state they are gel nail polishes, regardless they behave similarly and are very smooth to apply. One coat is enough, even at the darkest Deep Plum shade and I don't think I have any such shades that wouldn't be sheer with the first coat. Soft Pink is actually a pink coral, deep plum is pretty much black and silver black is a graphite grey with shimmer. 20 shades in total exist, 5 are special shimmery shades.

Oriflame, regular price 6.50 €, currently 3.19 € (5 ml)

 *MAX FACTOR Miracle Touch Skin Perfecting Foundation

I used to have the old version of Miracle Touch which was like a whipped creamy foundation in a compact form - this new one is nothing like it. It's that classic hard compact foundation and getting enough product on the face is a far bigger challenge than before. I got all the shades that are sold in Slovenia, of course none fit me (I took a picture for IG story of all four next to Makeup Revolution Fast Base Stick F1, a shade that fits me) and since the texture is hard, I cannot use my lightening drops and I can't wear these, nor do a proper review, so don't expect it. I applied one of the shades quickly on a Sunday so no one could see me and the first challenge is getting enough on the face quickly and second it's blending because it's a waxy texture. What I managed to get on the face had a matte-ish finish on my dry skin, but with so little I could get on, it's hard to tell if my assessment is true. I also could not tell you the level of coverage since all the shades are too dark for me. I'm sorry I can't be more help, but I can't work with these. The whole shade range contains 16 shades. It's got a separate compartment with the sponge.
Update: you can find a mini review from Preslava in the comments about this foundation, where she describes her experience with it on oily skin.

15.19 €

SKIN CARE

EUCERIN Hyaluron Filler Vitamin C Booster

I've already detailed my experience with this in my monthly favourites where I raved about it and I still stand by what I said. I've finished my first bottle and now I'm actually back to Melano because I want to use it up, but I'm already seeing it was a bad idea because my skin is no longer as nice as it was with this. Eucerin's is by far the nicest vitamin C product I've used, also most effective and a great product in general. This contains 10 % ascorbic acid, yet it works more effectively on me than the 20% Tiam, it also has no alcohol and it contains glycerine, squalane and hyaluronic acid. Eucerin's version has Vitamin C in a form of ascorbic acid, which is the most researched one in terms of beauty and has been shown to assist collagen production, but it's most often mentioned as a powerful brightener, helps fight UV damage and that is helps diminish fine lines. Vitamin C is packed in the bottom of the packaging, separated from the emulsion. Before first use, you have to peel off the foil to reveal a soft rubber bottom with you then have to press a few times to push the vitamin C to the emulsion. After some shaking the product is ready to use. The emulsion is very lovely - it's a nice smooth liquid formula that applies with ease and feels moisturising. Eucerin recommends to mix this with your moisturiser, but like I explained in my monthly favourites, I use it on its own. They also say that a reaction might occur when you first start using it, but I didn't experience it since I was already used to Tiam. At that one my skin became sensitive for a few days, so expect something like that if you're new to vitamin C products. I mentioned in my monthly favourites it took two weeks for the effects to start showing, but after than my skin was looking its best. It was always properly nourished, it started to become more even, healthy and I had zero breakouts (I'm currently treating one since I switched back to Melano). One thing that will bother people is that the bottles are very small with only 7.5 ml of product. While I like that they are small because by the time you finish the bottle the vitamin C is still relatively "fresh" compared to bigger bottles, I would much prefer to seethese costing less than 17 € for such a small amount and Tiam is still a far better bargain per ml if you can deal with the obnoxious texture and self-tan smelling skin. I love this, it's my favourite Vitamin C product out of the three I tried and I'm glad I have an extra bottle. There's a couple more cheaper vitamin C products I'm interested in (Nivea, Eveline and Avon), but though I'd love for them to be better because they are cheaper, it'll definitely be sticking to Eucerin's if those don't work out. 

Ingredients.

17.43€

NIVEA Sun UV Face Shine Control Cream SPF50

UV Gesicht Mattierender Sonnenschutz LSF 50

I've already mentioned this one in my last monthly favourites and in my best budget friendly post, so I've said a lot about it already. This fits my dry skin well and it's so far the only sunscreen from local drugstores I found that sets to a dry to the touch velvet finish. I can apply it the recommend 1/4-1/2 teaspoon amount with no problems and it never feels suffocating or heavy neither does it have a trace of a white cast. Texture feels like a regular cream, more on the thick side and it’s like a typical heavy sunscreen from the start with a lot of shine, but after a few minutes it completely sinks. There is some sunscreen shine, not greasy one, since this feels dry to the touch when it sets. I wear it under makeup and it never pills, but it can mess with the eyeliner, so it's not my favourite thing to use around the eyes. I get no oily shine during the day, but my skin is dry and it's been a while since I've had a greasy T-zone. Biore Aqua Rich Essence is still much lighter, as are A'Pieu Pure Block and Etude House Sunprise, but for my normal-dry skin Nivea is great.  

Ingredients.

Müller, 9.99 €

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

Florale

I've so been enjoying being reunited with this. It's my favourite oil to use for my face and I've been using it for many years now, and I definitely missed it in my routine when I was without it for a month or two. I got the new Florale version though I very fond of the original. The new Floral version smells very similar as the discontinued Fleur D’Or Acacia by L’Occitane, it’s just a bit more green and citrusy. Nuxe says it smells like magnolia, white musk, grapefruit, lemon, bergamot and orange flower. Overall it’s a citrusy floral scent and it smells like spring to me. It's nice because it's different, I've been using the original for so long I don't even notice the scent anymore, but I still love it a tiny bit more than this one, though this one is pretty nice and I think also stronger. The ingredients are the same as in the original one. I said in my monthly favourites that this oil + Eucerin's vitamin C really helped my skin look its best.

Pharmacy, 25.50 €

 LVLY by Paola Maria Cleansing Oil

This is a new DM brand and as far as I could see consists of an cleansing mousse, serum (looked pretty good ingredients-wise), moisturiser with a SPF 15, eye cream, lip balm and one of those masks in a satchel (I saw a gycolic acid toner online too, but not in the shop). This oil immediately attracted my attention since I'm looking for a more affordable alternative to Biobaza. This one is about a third smaller (100 ml vs. 150 ml of Biobaza), but the latter costs almost 13 €. I've been using it for some time now and I'm not loving it. The texture is light like most such oils I've tried and once you start rubbing it in it becomes one of the thickest oils. Adding water creates a thick emulsion and normally I'd be so delighted to see this, but there is a bit problem - this does not rinse of completely. You can add as much water as you want and keep trying to get it off, but a film remains on the skin. Based on the feedback I got on Instagram, a lot had the same problem. A second cleansing with a gel or a mousse in an absolute must at this. For such a thick formula it doesn't remove waterproof mascara well and a separate two-phase oil cleanser is needed. Another thing is that in the following days my skin started to become more and more congested (possibly due to me not being able to wash it off completely, but it could also be that it's simply breaking me out like most oils). The scent is I think like Balea's other oil, it pretty much smells like vegetable oil, so nothing special. I really wanted to love this because Biobaza is expensive, but even if this didn't break me out, the fact it's so hard to rinse off it a no for me.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.99 €

BIOBAZA Exclusive Face Cleansing Micellar Oil

A repurchase. I still haven't found anything to replace this, I just sort of give in when my old bottle runs out and shell out those 13 € for a new one (we don't have Tuš Drogerija here with their discounts so it hurts even more). Sadly LVLY is not working for me, which is a shame because it would save me some money. Biobaza is one of rare oils that works with my skin as most others I've tried tend to break me out, but it's relatively weak and doesn't remove eye makeup well. This is probably my fifth or sixth bottle in a row and I use this every day without fail together with the Balea gel.

DM, 12.79 €

DOVE Body Wash

Summer Breeze

This is a limited edition scent that I found in Müller. I was looking for something fresh among Dove formulas, which are my favourite and this was the closest to what I wanted, though I'd prefer something more uplifting as this is still relatively soft for a fresh scent. The description say it smells like apples and black currant. I get none of the notes, but it smells nicely fruity-fresh clean. The formula is one of the new Dove ones, which are not as luxuriously creamy as the original, so I'm not 100% happy with it because when I pay more for a Dove shower gel I expect that fabulous rich texture, but it's fine, still better than 90% of other stuff.

Müller, 2.19 €

SUN DANCE Sun Milk 50+

Sonnenmilch 50+

After years of experimenting with sprays and oils and other weird textures, I went back to the basic, thick and annoyingly sticky sun cream. Last year I had a Lavazon clear sunscreen in a spray, that though it was clear was despite the promises greasy and it reeked of alcohol. The clumsy spray made it even worse as it was very difficult to apply nicely, so I decided to get a regular milk version for this year. This is a very regular sunscreen texture that never truly sinks in and it leaves you slightly sticky for a long time, but it's easy to apply and in sufficient quantity, since at sprays I never know how much to use. It's far from perfect, but it protects well and is a decent price for SPF 50+.

DM, 5.49 €

SUN DANCE Self-Tanning Face Cream 

Teint Selbstbräunungs Creme

I got this for mom, as it's been years since I've used a self tanner (I prefer to be my natural pale self). They had two such products from Sun Dance here, this inexpensive cream and a more expensive concentrate that is meant to be mixed with a regular moisturiser. This felt simpler to use, so I got this, but it's a shame they didn't have the toner version that I used to use and it was surprisingly good. I can't say anything about how this cream performs yet, but I buy one of these either from Sun Dance or Lavazon every year for mom and they've always been good enough for the price. 

DM, 1.89 €

SUN DANCE Sensitive Lip Balm SPF 50

Sensitiv Lippen Pflege Stift

I always use my Palmer's Swivel stick which I've been using for years and it's my favourite ever, but I have only version with no SPF, so I grabbed this for using during the day. It's better than I expected. I'm used to the lovely soft texture of Palmer's and dislike the waxy formula of regular lip balms, but this feels more balmy and doesn't just sit on the lips doing nothing. It's nicely moisturising and it holds on well, it didn't wipe off completely during eating and drinking which was impressive. It's got no scent. 

DM, 1.69 €

SUBRINA Shower Gel 

Rainbow Splash

I made a switch from the Cherry Blossom to Rainbow Splash which is a lot more girly with a scent of gummy bears (official description is a fresh fruity floral scent). I still have Fresh Elder which is my current favourite and when it runs out I'll repurchase it in this Spar XXL size, but Rainbow Splash might stay in the shower long too, since I'm a bit fed up with Cherry Blossom by now, though it's really good. 

Interspar, 1.85 €

DOVE Nourishing Shower Cream

A repurchase. Dove shower products are my favourite because of the luxurious creamy formula. Since I finally found an XXL formula in Slovenia, I'll keep repurchasing it. This one has a classic Dove creamy scent.

Müller, 2.99 €

DOVE Purely Pampering Coconut Milk & Jasmine Petals Shower Gel

I haven't seen this scent in a while, it's gone from DM and Müller, apparently to make place for the new less appealing scents to me. This scent is so amazing, but I don't know how to describe it. It's creamy, soft and floral, but not a since whiff of coconut, which I actually appreciate.

Interspar, 2.29 €

BALEA Rasiergel

Exotic Coco

Standard repurchase and another one is the numerous LE edition scent editions. This one of the worst editions they've done and I hope they'll replace it soon. Don't expect a coconut or frangipani scent, it's all very plastic, boring and not authentic. 

DM, 1.99 €

EBELIN Nail Polish Remover Express

Another repurchase. I had an ancient Aveo version in my drawer which I never liked because the sponge was falling apart from the first use. This one has a softer sponge which last a bit longer (still not even remotely comparable to the original Bourjois). These are still expensive for the amount of uses you get (it's best to stick to neutrals if you want it to last long and avoid reds or glitters for as long as possible), but it's still the fastest way to get the nail polish off. I mostly use regular cotton pad + remover method to avoid buying these express removers too often. 

DM, 1.99 €

HAIR

PANTENE Pro V Intensive Repair

Since I was so blown away by the quality of the conditioner, I got most of the rest of the Repair line too. Still on my list is the 3 Minute mask, but not the oil because it's got a high alcohol content. I gave everything to my mom to try first, since she has the same texture of hair like me and was complaining it's consistently so dry and she gave everything two thumbs up (and she's even less forgiving to hair products that me, for example she doesn't like Schwarzkopf Professional Bonding Potion and Mask and I find them great.)

Shampoo

This is a very creamy, thick formula and it doesn't foam that much on the first wash, but on the second it produces a very thick and rich foam. It’s similar to L’Oreal’s Extraordinary oil shampoo in terms that it almost feels like there is a bit of conditioner in there (it doesn't have silicones unlike L'Oreal), but it’s not quite the same and I still like L'Oreal's a bit more. I find it’s great for very dry hair and probably my second favourite drugstore shampoo.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.99 € (400 ml)

Intensive Mask

Mask is just like the conditioner one of the most impressive formulas I’ve found. It’s a bit thicker, but it does the same job of nourishing the hair, making it soft, silky and shiny. The pot is easier to use that the squeeze tube, but I'll continue buying both. The conditioner is a bit cheaper per ml.

Ingredients.

DM, 4.79 € (300 ml)

Instant Damage Defense Conditioning Spray Leave-in

Surprisingly this has no silicones, which is not common for Pantene and it has panthenol high on the list, which is a good moisturiser. The two-phase design is just like at Gliss Total Repair 19 and indeed these two feel similar. I tried using it on dry hair and it's not amazing just as I expected, I prefer something with silicones because when my hair is dry it become tangled and silicones make it smoother and more manageable. For me this is a leave-in conditioner to use on damp hair straight after rinsing off the conditioner to add an extra boost of moisture and it does its job well, it will likely be too heavy for some. It needs to be shaken a lot during between spraying because it separates fast. 

Ingredients.

DM, 2.99 €

Have a great day!

Essence launched an extensive collection of matching lipsticks and nail polishes, I think there are 20 products in total and I believe they are permanent because they already got a place on a stand in my local Müller. I'm a bit confused about my shades because I got 01 and 04 which aren't on our stands. Here I saw numbers from 09 to 20 and I liked shade 11 most. They were made to suit an array of different skin tones. Beauty and Blonde blog has fantastic swatches of all shades on a darker skin tone than mine.

This is Me Lipsticks

Formula: Essence lip products tend to be a hit or miss, though their misses are never really bad and these are a hit for me, or at least very good for the price. Formula is very smooth and creamy, it just glides on the lips with ease, it's fully opaque, isn't drying and has a nice semi-matte finish. It is lovely to see Essence is improving, yet still maintaining affordable prices, they have come such a long way from their cheap frosty sheer lipsticks they had at their beginnings.

01 Freaky

When I saw this in the packaging all I thought way "great, another nude that's going to look orange on my pale skin tone", but Essence nailed with this one. It's a lovely nude peachy-pink, it suits my skin tone well and it's not too pale. I've worn this one a lot since I got it because it goes with everything and makes you look polished. 

 04 Crazy

04 Crazy reminds me of their discontinued Mat Mat Mat! 04 Wow Effect, which is a similar muted berry. Number 11 on the stand looked similar, but I've never compared them side by side, since 04 isn't on a stand here. 

Staying power: is improved based on my experience with Essence lipsticks, though I won't claim it's incredible. It wears off evenly, but most recently launched lipsticks do, so that's not an achievement anymore.

Scent: They have that sweet fruity vanilla scent that's common in a lot of their lipsticks and it's quite strong. 

Packaging: I love the went rose gold with the tube, but the white cap was a big miss because it gets dirty in seconds. It closes well and there's not fear it will open on its own.

Price and availability: These cost 2.59 €.

 ESSENCE This is Me Gel Nail Polish

Essence knows how to make a great nail polish formula and these are no exception. These two are some of the nicest nail polishes I've tried so far. Both are one coaters, so very pigmented and also so much smoother than regular nail polishes, there's no ridges with this formula and the first coat is even enough. They are just a pleasure to use. 

01 Freaky 

Freaky is a muted peachy nude with a slight rose touch. I was not a fan of it when I tried it first on one nail, but I've since fallen in love with this colour. It's different from the lipstick, as it's more rosy and I think it would suit so many. On the nails this looks so good. 

05 Crazy 

05 is a medium-dark muted rosy-mauve. It's much darker than the lipsticks and leaning to classic burgundy shades.

Price and availability: These cost a few affordable 1.69 €.

This is a well done collection by Essence and nail polishes are definitely worth a try if you find a shade you like and your collection isn't bursting at the seams. The formula of these is just a pleasure to use and you can be done with one coat if you want. The lipstick are nicely quality too for the price, though they could be a bit more long-lasting, but you can't have everything and they are an improvement on their predecessors. 

Have a great day!

*PR products.