MATRIX Total Results The Re-Bond 2 Pre-Conditioner & The Re-Bond 3 Conditioner

These two really impressed me. Re-Bond line is Matrixes intended of version of Olaplex, though only Olaplex has the ingredient that actually rebuilds the broken bonds and it's still unique in hair care world. Matrix, which is a L'Oreal brand, has its own system of three products, shampoo with citric acid that from what I can say based on ingredients is just a clarifying shampoo, step 2 is their intense treatment with malic acid which is applied on the hair first and left for 5 minutes, while step 3 is a conditioner with taurine that's applied on top of number 2. Honestly, I kinda didn't expect much from this and the reason for that is that I don't see any visible difference after using Olaplex and so far I've only seen results from protein treatments such as Joico K-Pack Reconstructor. This made my hair feel like I used the discontinued Kerastase NutritiveMasquintense Thick mask before bleaching. For some reason when I was blow-drying my hair it didn't inspire confidence in me because my hair looked frizzy (I ran out of Sexy Healthy Hair leave-in conditioner which helps with this) and I wasn't super impressed, but like always I tied my hair in a tight bun when it was still warm from the hair dryer (I do this to diminish frizz and to fix the puffy look because I have a lot of volume) and when I woke up my hair felt and looked so good. It got it's "flowyness" back (before it still felt a bit stiff and didn't fall nicely), it felt silky and there was definitely more shine than before. I didn't use it as directed, I never do when it comes to hair treatments. Instructions say to wash the hair with step 1 (which I don't have), then apply step 2 for 5 minutes, then apply step 3 and rinse. Since I know for my hair 5 minutes is a joke due my thick texture, I left it on for hours, wore a shower cap and wrapped it in a warm scarf to increase temperature (I do that with Olapex and Joico too). I washed my hair with Pantene shampoo, then applied coat of Step 2, left it on for about an hour (or 1 episode of random TV), then applied step 3 on top and left it on for a couple more hours. When I was rinsing it off my hair felt super silky, which usually indicates for me that the effect is going to be great and I was right. And the results lasted for the next washings too when I used a different hair mask. The price for both of these in not outrageous online, though it's not drugstore prices, but you get 200 ml of Step 2 and 300 ml of Step 3, both have the types of formulas that are easy to spread even in smaller amounts. I'm so glad I gave these a try, my hair feels a lot more normal now.

 JOICO K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor

This is a leave-in light version of the Reconstructor which is one of my favourite products. I haven't used it on its own, but together with other K-Pack products it's has amazing results and it makes me feel better that I have Joico's Quadramine Complex is a leave-in version too because it's quicker to use and I can use it in-between intense treatments with Reconstructor. I've also tried it on dry ends in between washes then added Nuxe oil on top and my ends stayed moisturised much, much longer than usual, as even if I dip my hair in oil, my ends absorb it like a sponge fast, but the combination of these two lasted a least a day. The bottle is massive with 300 ml of product which should last me a while. It's a light milky liquid that doesn't weight down the hair, make it greasy or sticky, so it should fit fine damaged hair like Joico says.

MAYBELLINE  Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation

110 

I know I mention this one a lot as my favourite foundation, but it just works for my skin and it deserves the praise. I wore this after about two months of not being able to wear makeup and it made my skin look so good. It looks very natural and smooth, so like my skin, but 10x better. Coverage is light-medium which suits me, as I'm not a fan of high coverage and it's available in shades that suit me.

DEBORAH Fluid Velvet Mat Lipstick

02 

This remains as one of the two favourite formulas of matte liquid lipsticks available in my local drugstores, the other one is Rimmel, but that one doesn't have such a pretty shade as this one. It's fully opaque, properly matte, not terribly drying and lasts well on the lips. 02 is a wearable light-medium muted pink that's suits any occasion, but this is the only shade I like in that selection.  

MAYBELLINE Tattoo Liner

I've started wearing eyeliner in my waterline again and this one is just the best. So black, so intense in the waterline and it lasts all day. 

ESSENCE Soft Contouring Lipliner

08 Big Proposal

This is such a great natural shade that I can use to shape my lips and give them just a bit of a darker/more defining colour. I wore this as a sort of base and then a coat of Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, which gives an intense glossy look and it stays on the lips for hours.

BALEA Handcreme Urea

I immediately liked this. This is seriously good just like reviews say and yes I’m aware I’m probably the last person trying this. It’s not as fast absorbing as Nivea Anti-age, Aveo Med with 10% Urea or L’Occitane creams, but it leaves my skin softer and smoother than those, instead of just nourished. 

 NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

Florale

I still use this every day for my face and since it's not the cheapest, I stick to using it just for that, but like I already mentioned above at the Joico Reconstructor, recently I started using it occasionally for hair too. I use a lot of oils in my hair care routine, daily actually, mostly coconut and Createurs de Monoi oil. Those two are heavier, while this is a dry oil and looks less greasy when applied, plus it's heavily scented, so it makes my hair smell nice for hours unlike coconut oil which starts to smell strange in time. 

UPDATES

 THE ORDINARY Retinol 1% in Squalane

I'm losing hope with this one and about three weeks ago I gave myself a break from it after 3 months of frequent use (applied every 2nd or 3rd day). I don't see any positive results from this and yes I'm very aware it's still too early, but I went through "retinol uglies" almost from the first day and I just couldn't handle it. My skin didn't look bad without makeup, it just felt dry on the tops of my cheekbones, but overall ok with no visible flakes, except I kept breaking out on my chin, however, every single foundation and makeup in general looked horrific - obvious, flaky, uneven - it really bummed me out, so I stopped, at least for a while. I know you're supposed to be very patient with retinol, but I have this awful feeling I'll continue to be disappointed by this, just like with AHAs. I switched back to Eucerin's vitamin C and my skin again looks and feels ok, apart from annoying breakouts on my chin, which for some reason persist. 

WISHLIST

BUXOM Wanderlust™ Primer-Infused Blush - I heard some great things about these blushes, everywhere I checked they have a high feedback. I'm not sure which shade I'd get yet, Dolly seems to be the most my typical colour, but since I have lighter hair I gravitate towards pink blushes such as Havana.

GUERLAIN Meteorites - These are such a luxury, but I'm so tempted because I'm not 100% happy with Hourglass Ambient powder and I have hopes this is better (though to be fair I got Hourglass at the worst possible time as you can read under TO's Retinol). Reviews have me conflicted though, as some say they are outstanding and then some say they do nothing at all. 

CLARINS One Minute Make Up Heroes Travel Kit - This is a feelunique exclusive and I want it because it had 4 products I'm interested in, the Instant Smooth primer which I heard great things about, the SOS primer that someone recommended to me on IG, Instant Lip Perfector that I used to have, but lost it and the lip oil which I tried in the shop and liked the formula of it. But the samples are so small for the price, it's hard to justify buying this one.

MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner Dusty Rose - I was checking some interesting lip liner shades in the shops and this dirty medium pink caught my attention. It looks like a nice wearable shade, I just hope it's not too dark on me for what I consider every day appropriate. 

DEBORAH 24h Velvet Matte Lipstick - These are completely new and as usually anything with the name matte appeals to me immediately. I did some quick hand swatches and I'm torn between two light shades, 02 and 07. 

MAYBELLINE Superstay Matte Ink Crayon Lipstick - another matte formula in a pen form. Texture looks very promising and I like the look of the shade 15.

MOROCCANOIL Glimmer shine - Click2Chic stopped selling my favourite spray oil from Createur de Monoi, so I'm looking for a replacement because I keep saving that one too much. I choosing between this and Macadamia Natural oil one, but Moroccanoil appeals to me more due to the scent, as Macadamia is just a bit too masculine scented for me. It's just silicones + oil in a spray form, but I love such products for adding some moisture and shine on days between washing when my hair gets very dry. 

MATRIX Total Results Color Obsessed - I got a glowing recommendation for this on IG. Since I'm so impressed by the re-bond, this is definitely on the list too to try and Matrix is somewhat decently priced for salon quality products, which is an extra plus. 

JOICO Blonde Life Brightening Shampoo - I really love the look of ingredients of this - no sulphates which wash off my toner/colours too fast, it's got coconut oil and two versions of keratin, plus reviews are quite good. It's really expensive for what I usually pay for a shampoo, but I might try it one day. 

KÉRASTASE Nutritive Masque Magistral and Resistance Masque Thérapiste - Chronologiste is a big disappointment in my books, so I'd like to try Magistral which I'm hoping is just a repackaged Masquintense Thick, which was flipping fabulous (I'm still confused whether it's discontinued or not, but it's not in online shops anymore) and I'd like to try the Resistance one too for damaged hair.

MOROCCANOIL Restorative Mask - I'm running out of Intense Hydrating mask which is one of the best ever mask and I need to repurchase that one, but I'd also like to try this one for damaged hair. Everything I've tried from Moroccanoil impressed me, so I have high hopes for this mask, though I'll probably get the small version first since it's quite expensive.

Have a great day!

This is the latest foundation launch at Rimmel and I think it replaced their Stay Matte foundation, which isn't on the website anymore. It's part of their Lasting Matte collection, which also includes a primer and a concealer, but I haven't seen them here. I was sent a too dark shade and my skin currently is too unstable for testing, so I didn't give this one more than a few tries, so this is more of an early impressions type of review.

Texture: This is such a thick formula it's hard to squeeze it out of the tube, but it's one of those whipped/mousse-y textures so it feels thick, yet it's lightweight on the skin because it's dry to the touch immediately like a silicone primer. It's not easy to blend and you have to do it in sections, still I ended up with a patchy application which was more obvious due to not a perfect shade match. So far I find only fingers work with this on because it need some warmth to spread better.

Coverage and finish: Coverage is definitely not full, it's more light-medium, but closer to the latter. Finish is the promised matte one and not a heavy one like at foundations such as Deborah Extra Cover because it's so silicone-y feeling. I've tried this when my skin was normal and when it was dry. On normal skin I really liked it. It was a fresh looking matte finish that didn't look too much like makeup, it wasn't cakey, it filled out the pores, however, it looked terrible on lines. I might kept it if my skin stayed that way and the shade was right. However, as soon as my skin got dry, this was useless - it highlighted every dry patch, it did not blend into the skin and the application looked so uneven. So this is foundation only for oily to normal skin, but if you have any dry areas stay away from this.

Staying power and wear: I only wore it once the whole day and on that day it held up well, but it was not exceptional. My forehead stayed matte all day, but I don't have very oily areas. 

Packaging: This comes in regular tube and normally I love them, but this formula is so thick I'd prefer it were in a pot, though so might find it unhygienic in that case.

Price and availability: It costs about 7.50 € in DM. 

Performance really depends on the skin type, it has the potential to look good and to look terrible. It's not full coverage as promised, but it is lasting matte on me without looking heavy. On dry skin it of course completely fails as expected, but on oily skin this will likely work a lot better, as on normal skin it ends up looking quite nice. I read very mixed reviews about this and I can see why. It's not easy to blend, you need a perfect match and it looks terrible on lines, but as pluses it keeps the skin matte and it hides pores, so it's a foundation that can go either way on different skin types.

Have a great day! 

*PR product.

BALEA Erfrischendes Wasch Gel

A gel cleanser I use for second cleansing after oil. It's cheap and it does the job. I've recently tried Cerave Hydrating Cleanser which is better, but this is so easily accessible compared to that one.

Repurchase: Done.

THE ORDINARY Argireline Solution 10%

I've used this religiously for several months if not over a year, but I saw zero result, which sucks because I read only good reviews before buying it. There was no reduction in lines nor did it prevent them from getting deeper. As a plus I can say that it feels like water and it's very easy include it in any type of routine. 

Repurchase: No.

ROHTO Melano CC Intensive Anti-Spot Essence 

I finished this a while ago and have since moved to other vitamin C products, however, this was my first such product and I did everything wrong with this one, so it's hard for me to say it's bad. I was using it wrong for a long time (didn't apply it first or after AHA/BHA and I didn't wait for at least 15-20 minutes before applying other products) and after I realised my mistakes, it was already old. I got it because I heard it lightens old spot marks, which nothing helps me with including strong AHAs and despite consistent use this did nothing. But it is a nice vitamin C because it's like a dry oil that's not heavy or greasy on the skin. It's also more affordable than a lot of other vitamin C products.

Repurchase: Not sure yet, I like Eucerin's a lot more, but this is more affordable and maybe I should give it another shot, the right way this time.

NIVEA Sun UV Face Shine Control Cream SPF50

I just breezed through this one and was shocked to see it was empty because the packaging is consistently dispensing the desired amount, so I had no indication it's running low. It's so far the best sunscreen I've found in our drugstores for still an affordable price (not that I've tried many), though at 10 € it's not that cheap. It's better suited for normal-dry skin because it's a heavy, rich formula when you apply it, but it sets in about 5 minutes to a decent dry to the touch finish. I could apply a lot of it and it was not greasy, nor did it pile. It's not as nice as Asian sunscreens which are much lighter and fast-absorbing, but it's easily accessible (just not in winter apparently, when they sell the rubbish anti-age version instead).

Repurchase: Yes.

MIXA Cica-Cream

First I was using this for my elbows and feet where I have very dry, rough skin and it worked well on my elbows, but it wasn't enough for my feet. In recent months I've started using it on my face because my skin became so dry and flaky, nothing helped and everything else absorbed in minutes leaving my skin dry again. For a couple of days I was applying this in a very thick coat, then reapplied every two hours after it fully absorbed and it really helped a lot. My skin is currently still dry, but not nearly as much as in those couple of days and I still use it when my cheeks are rough as the last step in my night routine. I hate the packaging though, it doesn't feel full even when new and it gets really hard to get the product out later. When I cut it, I still had a ton left. 

Repurchase: Yes, I have an extra tube that I'm already using.

ARTNATURALS Retinol Serum

This boasts with the 2.5% retinol content and though I found it suspicious it caused no reaction on me considering I just went straight to high percentages from almost nothing, I assumed my skin is more hardly than others because I can't even feel 30% AHA for example. But when after using up the 10 ml bottle of Artnaturals, I switched to the weaker The Ordinary 1% in Squalane and saw my skin got drier and flaky, the only conclusion I can draw is that this doesn't have the percentage of retinol stated, at least not in this form. Obviously I have no idea if it's true and reviews of this are generally so good, but I can't explain it any other way or at least I'm not knowledgeable enough. It's a light serum that would fit any skin type, it's not sticky, it doesn't pill when you apply other skin care over it, so the texture is nice, but it was like I was using nothing.

Purchase: I don't know. Great reviews for this are confusing to me now.

INSTANATURAL Retinol Serum

On paper this is a great all-in-one because it contains a form of vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate), hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinol and Q10. I liked the texture of this, it's a very light orange serum that absorbs fast (under a minute), so it's great for layering and it has a nice orange-ish scent. I only had it for a week or two (this is a sample, 5 ml), so I didn't see any results.

Purchase: I still don't know.

INSTANATURAL Retinol Moisturizer

A light moisturiser that I think would suit oily skin too, since it's more like a lotion-cream consistency. One sample didn't last me nearly as long as the serum did, so I can't say much. It contains retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, safflower oil and green tea extract.

Purchase: Probably not, I prefer Beauty of Joseon.

SOAP & GLORY Scrub 'em and Leave 'em

S&G's scrubs are my favourite because most are quite harsh and that's the way I like them. I don't like this one as much as Flake Away, but it was another great one. It has the same fragrance as Mist me Madly spray, which has a type of vintage scent that won't appeal to just anyone, but from reviews I gather it's overall quite liked.

Repurchase: I'll stick to Flake Away, but these are so hard to get now that Boots International is gone.

L'OCCITANE 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream

Vanilla Bouquet

I loved this one because it's almost as rich as the original and it smells like their discontinued L'Occitane Vanilla fragrance (the old-old one from 2007-8). L'Occitane's 20% shea butter creams are the best thing I found for truly dry hands.

Neroli & Orchidée

This smelled amazing, like the name says it's a neroli scent, while I'm not sure I spotted any orchid, but it was a great rich floral scent. The formula is one of L'Occitane's light version which isn't as impressive as the 20% shea butter ones, but these are still nice for the scent alone.

Repurchase: Maybe Vanilla Bouquet, but I'm mostly sticking to the original.

BATH & BODY WORKS PocketBac

Pumpkin Cranberry Cider

This is a very old LE, though BBW tends to repeat their scents a lot every season. BBW has the best anti-bacterial gels for my liking, I love it when they are heavily scented almost like a perfume and these are exactly like that. This one has a fruity cinnamon scent and unlike 99% of cinnamon stuff here, this actually smelled like the real deal.

Repurchase: If only these weren't so hard to get for a reasonable price for us outside USA, but yes.

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo

My all-time favourite because it's the only drugstore shampoo that leaves my hair like I just used some conditioner. It leaves that silicone smooth feeling that my tangy, dry hair really needs. I've gone through many bottles.

Repurchase: Done.

PANTENE Intensive Repair Shampoo

My second favourite shampoo. It's doesn't leave my hair quite as smooth as L'Oreal, but it's close. An excellent formula for dry hair.

Repurchase: Done.

PANTENE Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Intensive Repair

Every Pantene conditioner I've tried so far has been great, this is no exception. To me it's the same as the Intensive Repair conditioner in the white tube. It leaves my hair nourished, feeling smooth and somewhat softer.

Repurchase: Yes if it's cheaper than the conditioner.

JOICO K-PACK Intense Hydrator

One of my favourite ever treatments. This is a hydrating conditioner/mask that I've been using for years now and I can always rely on it when it comes to nourishing my very thick, coarse, dry hair. In last year I rediscovered the Reconstructor from this line and together they are like magic for bleached, coloured, coarse-feeling (protein deficient) hair.

Repurchase: Done.

SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL Blondme Keratin Restore Intense Care Bonding Potion

A protein treatment that you use under the Bonding mask. I always used this right after bleaching my hair. At first I thought that it works the same as Joico K-Pack Reconstructor, but it not as amazing when it comes to truly coarse hair that has zero softness. Still I enjoyed using it together with the mask when my hair wasn't in a very dire state. The annoying thing about it is that I have no idea how much it's still in the packaging and of course it ran out exactly a day after I made a big hair care order.

Repurchase: Yes.

SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL Blondme Tone Enchancing Bonding Mask

A violet mask for counteracting yellow tones, but it's much weaker than Subrina Colour Refresh in Diamond Blonde, therefore only appropriate for very light blondes. However, it didn't deal with yellow tones not even with my lightest hair, which granted still aren't super blonde. The formula is a nice one, enough for my thick hair even though it doesn't feel thick or heavy.

Repurchase: Yes.

PHILIP KINGSLEY Elasticizer

This was my second try of the famed Elasticizer. The first time I was very disappointed by it, especially considering the price. The second try was better, my hair did feel a bit healthier, still it's not that special compared to Joico K-Pack. It's mostly castor oil, which is said to promote hair growth, though I don't know if the science supports it. It's a very popular product, but I'm still not completely sold on it.

Purchase: Probably not.

GARNIER FRUCTIS Banana Hair Food

Before discovering Pantene I'd say this is an ok hair mask, one of better ones in the drugstores for dry hair, but post-Pantene, this has nothing on it and it's more expensive. Positive side about this treatment is that you can use it on dry hair as a leave-in conditioner and it's actually very decent, albeit the results don't last very long on my hair. It smells like Casali bananas or some other candy bananas, which is not my favourite scent, but I know it's the type people love.

Repurchase: No. I might try the macadamia one, but I doubt it's as good as Pantene.

PANTENE Pro-V Intensive Repair Mask

This is richer than the conditioner, though the overall result on my hair is still very similar, but for someone with less thick hair, the conditioner and 3 Minute Miracle versions are maybe a better choice.

Repurchase: Yes.

KERASTASE Nutritive Masquintense Thick

My all-time favourite moisturising mask, though Moroccanoil Intense Hydration is similarly brilliant. This is sadly discontinued, but there are some new masks in the Nutritive line. This mask made my hair feel like "normal people hair". I know it sound strange, but the thing is that my hair has this thick, less pliable, non-soft texture and Kerastase Nutritive products were the only one that gave my hair that silky, light, flowy feel. Obviously if your hair has that average soft, thin texture you really don't even need to think about this mask because you'll get the same effect from a cheap Pantene conditioner, sadly I need to spend more if I want people to not describe my hair as prickly or like I always have a ton of hair spray on.

Repurchase: It's discontinued, but I'd really love to try the new Magistral version for thick hair.

REDKEN Extreme Anti-Snap Treatment

I've been using this protein treatment for many years with some pauses. I usually start using it right after cutting my ends and it keeps them fresh longer as well as less prone to breaking, so I can go without a haircut longer. It just works, but not immediately and it doesn't reverse damage (nothing does, obviously). This is a product that gives long-term results, as it makes the hair stronger, so it doesn't snap off at the ends, which is the reason people complain their hair just doesn't grow. This kind of gives you a feeling the hair grows faster and you get the desired length faster. It's a light lotion that to me feels like nothing, so it's a product I can use in my routine that's full of layering.

Repurchase: Yes.

BALEA Beautiful Long Wunder Serum

This was my favourite cheap thermal protection. It's a silicone serum like any other, so it tames the hair and gives shine, but it was lighter than Orofluido, Moroccaoil and the likes. I liked that it was so cheap and easily accessible.

Repurchase: It's sadly discontinued, as a replacement I have Langhaar Mädchen which is cheap and similar enough, but this was better.

MOROCCANOIL Color Complete Protect & Prevent Spray (mini)

This is a great multipurpose product that prevents blonde colour from turning brassy/yellow (protects any colour from fading), plus it acts as heat protection, UV shield and it's hydrating, so a leave-in conditioner. It's very light, I'd prefer if it felt a bit oily, but I think it would fit most hair types.

Purchase: I don't know, I'd prefer their other products, several of which I have high on my wishlist.

SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask

Diamond Blonde

I've tried most of the shades from this (Red, Orange, Purple and Magenta, the two left are Warm Brown and Cool Brown), but I've used this shade most. It's a classic purple mask for neutralising yellow tones, but this one is much stronger than others I've tried, so better suited for me since I'm a dark brunette going blonde, however, since it's purple it can't deal as effectively on orange tones, obviously, but it's not useless like other shampoos and masks I've tried. It's so strong though that you have to be very careful on very light hair because it can tint it blue-grey in seconds when used straight from the tube without diluting the shade with a clear mask. 

Repurchase: Done.

L'OREAL Excellence Crème

03 Ultra Light Ash Blond, 9.1 Natural Light Ash Blonde and 8.1 Light Ash Blonde

Another batch of these. I've already talked about 9.1 and 8.1 extensively before, but 03 is a new shade to me. I used it for toning my lightest hair, which still isn't quite level 10, but close. I tested four shades on individual strands before colouring and this was the second strongest light shade when it came to dealing with yellow tones, but it was beaten by Subrina. All three are the renewed version, so they don't come with the serum anymore, but with a shampoo, which is a change I'm not fond off. Formula is still great since it leaves my hair in nice condition.

Repurchase: Yes to 9.1 and 8.1, I still have some spares, for 03 Subrina's shade 80/8 or 1080 is better.

SCHWARZKOPF PALETTE Deluxe Oil-Care Color

218 Silver Blond

I gave this so many tries, every time I bleached my hair I did a strand test if this will tone. It fails miserably compared to L'Oreal 03 and Subrina 1080, all are meant for the same level hair (10). I think I'll just throw it away. Ironically I got it because reviews praised it as a shade that tones any yellow and brassy tones.

Repurchase: No.

SUBRINA Butter Colour

1080 Ice Blonde

Subrina is praised for their cool blonde shades, in particular 80/8 or 1080. I had this in my stash for years, but only now gave it a go because I finally reached a decently light blonde shade, though I'm still very golden under it instead of pale yellow. It's the strongest toning shade I've tried and it can deal with level 9 yellow hues as well as golden on level 8 to a degree, but not orange. So if you're looking that will give you a very cool looking blonde shade, based on my experience so far Subrina appears to be strongest. Formula of this is like a very thick, rich hair mask, it truly feels buttery as the name says, but it didn't leave me with the same feeling as L'Oreal does, maybe it lacks some extra proteins, though my hair was pretty coarse even before I coloured, so disregard my review of the formula, especially since overall feedback from other users has been that it leaves the hair very soft and nourished.

Repurchase: Yes, I'm also going to try something else from my huge stash.

Butter Colour 1080 on the lower 2/3 (it's meant for much lighter hair though), L'Oreal 9.1 on top. This isn't the best picture because the lighting conditions were terrible and my background created a green cast. I didn't feel I taking better pictures yet. The back is super orange because I couldn't reach well and it's neither well bleached nor coloured, but right now I'm don't feel like fixing it, since this already took me a week to do (together with hair care routine of course, overnight oil treatments).

ARTIST Professional Colorcreme

Yeeha Lila

I'd detailed my experience with this and posted results in the latest new it. Basically I had to bleach this one out. The colour was warmer out of the tube than the back of the box indicated, but results looked nice regardless. There were several things that pissed me off about this one, but intense staining of everything is definitely at the top.

Repurchase: No.

ETUDE HOUSE Missing U Hand Cream

This was nothing special, a light and fast absorbing hand cream for when my skin wasn't very dry. The packaging is adorable and it smelled nicely like peaches.

Repurchase: No.

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

The only spot product that works for me apart from The Ordinary Salicylic Acid. They aren't miraculous, at least most of the time, but they can help diminish the spot and prevent it from becoming a raging volcano that would normally take days to heal. My spot healing routine includes these, COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and Etude House sheet mask Snail.

Repurchase: Done.

SHEET MASKS

THE FACE SHOP The Solution Mask Sheet Madecassoside has been a godsend when my skin was insanely dry, as was PAPA RECIPE Bombee Whitening Honey Mask. Both are intensely nourishing and the Bombee one brightest too as an extra bonus. I've used several of ETUDE HOUSE 0.2 Therapy Air Mask Snail recently when my skin was not just dry, but also spotty and I use this to heal & tone down inflamed spot - works like a treat. MY BEAUTY DIARY Natural Key Series Facial Mask Black Pearl is another of my favourites, it's lighter than the rest, but still moisturising and its main plus is the brightening effect. HADA LABO TOKYO Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask was a decent moisturising mask, in fact it's the best we can get in our drugstores. I've just recently posted about YEAUTY Eye Pad Mask Deep Hydration, which also impressed me for something that's available in our drugstores. A detailed review of THE BODY SHOP Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Peel-off Mask is here, but overall I did not like it. TONYMOLY Earth Beauty Bubble Mask Sheet is black mask just for the lower part of the face and it produced a very fluffy, yet rich foam. It didn't do anything to help clear out my pores, but that foam was such a delight to use.

Repurchase: Yes to The Face Shop (though Etude House Madecassoside is almost the same), Papa Recipe, Etude House Snail, My Beauty Diary Black Peral, Hada Labo Tokyo and Yeauty. 

CERAVE Moisturising Cream

I did not expected this to be so thick based on reading the ingredients list, but it's like Nivea or similar cream and it was perfect for my very dry skin. It's the thickest face moisturiser I know, thicker even that Mixa Cica, but that one proved to be more effective, still this came in very handy when I most needed a rich moisturiser.

Purchase: I'm tempted, but at the same time I have no idea if it was this that also broke me out or was it something else. 

Have a great day!

*MAX FACTOR Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Primer Concealer Foundation SPF20

10 Fair Porcelain

Max Factor became the second brand to send me a foundation that's actually pale. In fact they sent me the lightest shade I've ever tried and I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's a bit too light even for me, which is a totally new experience. Facefinity All Day Flawless has an impressive shade range 40 shades, sadly we only get a portion here since our stands are so narrow, but luckily there are online shops. I'm not sure if any other affordable drugstore brand has such a pale shade, but it's lighter than Essence's #insta perfect 10 #cool porcelain which was previously lightest in my collection. The shade matches my neck, but my face is darker, so my best match is closer to Essence and Maybelline Dream Cover 095 if I don't want to look a bit odd, but this will come so handy to mix with darker foundations. If you're looking for something truly pale, Max Factor has got you covered and the shade is neutral. The formula appears nice too. It's my type of foundation, so a feather-light formula with light-medium coverage. Sadly I haven't been able to wear foundation in months now (sucks so much), so can't give it a proper test because everything I put on my face now looks flaky, cakey and just in general awful (Bourjois Healthy Mix fares best, still I'm having the worst skin days of my life so I don't wear anything on most days or just Maybelline Eraser concealer). I hope it passes soon as I'll get to test this properly, as it looks very promising. I had the primer in the same packaging and I remember it was thicker. It's been a while since I used up my bottle, but it was (possibly still is?) my favourite. Max Factor also generously provided me with samples of other shades that I think are sold here (shade 10 very likely isn't), so I could do comparison swatches.

  14.69 €

MAYBELLINE Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder

090 Translucent

Since I'm a fan of foundation with the same name and I like their Fit Me Loose powder, I wanted to try this too, thought it wasn't my first choice, as a version for dry skin exists too, it's just not sold in Slovenia (this is the only Maybelline powder we have). Reviews for this are fantastic and I was most intrigued by the promise of blurring pores. Like I said above I'm currently really struggling testing and wearing makeup because my skin is alternating between ok-ish and very dry with flakes + spots. When my skin is normal it looks like a great powder, smooth, a tiny bit blurring (but not as good as Fit Me Loose version) and velvety matte. On dry days it, of course, creates the appearance of a thousand dry patches like everything I put on, but I won't hold this against it because it looks like a nice powder when used on normal skin with an oily forehead. I think this one might be a bit more effective than Rimmel's Stay Mat when it comes to holding back oil, but it's hard to say for me in winter. We have four shades here, I got translucent since I so pale and it leaves no white cast. There is a sponge and a mirror in the bottom compartment. 

Müller, 5.89 €

CATRICE Prime & Fine Poreless Blur Primer Goodbye Pores

I got this despite the more dry looking texture of the tester compared to Revlon's Photoready 002, which I wanted more, but it's very expensive for drugstore. I actually got it a few days before my skin became mega dry - I just can't believe my luck - so I've only used a couple of times "normal" skin. It's a whipped balm type of texture, which doesn't make much sense, but it's a typical high silicone content primer like Clinique's Pore Minimizer and the likes. On good skin days it glides smoothly on the skin, though to prevent it piling and shifting too much during application I find it's best to tap this one in. The finish is completely matte. On bad days it flakes like crazy, so if your skin is dehydrated, flaky and/or dry, stay away from this one. It's not terribly effective when it comes to its primary task, so hiding/blurring pores, at least when looking close up, while it tends to look better in the pictures. Pores don't look much different after application and it's not as good a Revlon's which I tried a couple of times, plus foundation over it looks more cakey on some areas like the sides of my nose. I'm just not impressed by this one.

Picture can be enlarged like all in this post. 

Müller, 5.39 €

*CATRICE Glow & Care Primer

I've been checking this one out in the drugstores for a while because I liked it has glycerine so high on the list, so I hoped it's nice for dry skin and because the texture looked so smooth when blended. I didn't see much glow in the shop, but it definitely has it. It's got the same level of glow as Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter and to me they are so similar, I don't want to say dupes, but on my skin they look almost the same side by side. CT has a bit of coverage and Catrice has a faint peachy tint, the textures are different since CT is annoyingly thick and Catrice is an easy to blend liquid, but the biggest difference is that the shimmer in CT is all equally super fine, invisible, but in Catrice's there are some larger shimmer particles visible under strong light. To some this is a difference worth 32 € and to some it won't be, but they are definitely very similar. I prefer Catrice's version now when my skin is very dry, as it doesn't make the makeup over it cakey unlike CT, but again my skin is so weird right now, I feel it's pointless to even write about these products right now.

 5.39 €

L'OREAL Glow Mon Amour Highlighting Drops

01 Sparkling Love

This is one of the strongest liquid highlighters I've tried and it's the reason I wanted it. We have three shades here, this pale champagne one and a coral-rosy one, I'm not sure if there are more shades of these. The glow is pretty strong and wet looking, but not full metallic, so it's not going overboard. You only need a tiny dot of the product on the cheekbone, while applying more tends to not layer well, it just spreads the product on a larger area. It wish this were more dry to the touch, but it's more oily, which makes it easy to blend, but it also shifts on the skin. It's not perfect, but I like it because the glow is lovely, not glittery, instead it has a fine shimmer. I hate the packaging, though. It's got a dropper which is ok, but there's no stopper/scraper, so there's always so much product on the dropper and it's easy to get the bottle very messy. 

 Müller,  10.99 €

*WET N WILD Megaglo Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter

Halo, Goodbye

I got this sent after I bought L'Oreal and neither feel perfect to me. I prefer the champagne shade of L'Oreal, but the formula of this feels nicer. It's not as oily feeling, so it doesn't shift as much at application. The strength of the glow is comparable, yet L'Oreal's looks a bit better. Shimmer is fine, so it looks like a natural enough highlighter and the shade is somewhere between warm and cool, with a warm-ish base, but some cool looking particles among shimmer. It suits my skin tone just fine. The big applicator feels nice to use, but I don't like the packaging overall because it feels like tester and not a full size product.

 5.99 $

*CATRICE Glitterholic LE Eyeshadow Palette

C02 So Vain

There are two versions of these, both are a collection of different types of finishes, but the centre stage is the glitter. There's a few mattes and satin shimmers, all are more pigmented than is usual for Catrice and you can get a great colour payoff. The copper glitter shade is a cream texture with big shimmer particles suspended in a clear base. It swatches so intense, but it's very hard to apply it evenly and it does not stay put. It landed everywhere a couple of hours in, so it ended up looking absolutely abysmal both times I've worn it. The regular eyeshadows are nice, great even though the palette doesn't feel complete to me in terms of shades, but the glitter needs something to stick too and it's just very messy. 

Look with no glitter and the glitter look after a few hours. You can see it freshly applied in the L'Oreal Mon Amour picture above. On the left I'm also wearing Glitterholic LE Highlighter Palette, middle shade.

*CATRICE Glitterholic LE Highlighter Palette

By now I'm used to Catrice launching excellent highlighters. This is basically L.O.V. GLOWrious palette with the third shade that's actually useful. The first is a classic neutral-warm champagne shade, then the second is the rose gold and the last a peachy glow. All super wearable, all have fine shimmer and a good level of glow. Excellently done. I've been wearing this one instead of Colourpop Flexiterian, thought that one is still my all-time favourite.

BALEA Erfrishendes Waschgel

My standard gel cleanser that I've been using as a second cleanser for years. I took the last one and I haven't seen new stock in a while. I know there's a lot of complaints that this new version is way worse than before, which I disagree, but maybe they decided to bring those back? We'll see.

DM, 1.99 €

BALEA MED Ultra Sensitive Intensivcreme Urea

I recently read how underrated urea is for repairing the barrier and since I had none such products I got one from Balea to include in my routine which already features ceramides and other great things. 7% is maybe a bit high as urea in high concentrations also acts as an exfoliator and Balea has 5% version as well. It's nice moisturiser, I've been using it for the last month and though it's not as effective on dry skin as Mixa's 5% panthenol or Cerave Moisturising Cream, I appreciate that's it's not a thick balmy texture, instead it's a like a regular cream that sinks in eventually. 

DM, 3.95 €

YEAUTY Eye Pad Mask

Deep Hydration

There are two versions of these in my local Müller, aside from this one is a gold set of patches which I think are anti-ageing, but they were out of stock so I didn't check the ingredients. I got this because like liked it has glycerine, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E as the first ingredients after collagen. These are just like K-Beauty hydrogels. There's plenty of extra fluid that you can use all over the face and it smells faintly like cucumber. I can't say these did a miraculous job, but they feel nice under tired eyes.

Ingredients.

Müller, 0.99 €

 

PANTENE Hair Biology Grey & Glowing Illuminating Mask

This is my third out of three and I'll just say it - they are all exactly the same. Same texture, same scent and same effect. All of course brilliant for my dry hair, but no different than the cheaper Repair conditioner. Based on the description I expected a purple mask because it's meant for grey hair which tends to turn yellow, but this is a regular clear mask. So I just mixed some Subrina Colour Refresh Diamond Blonde and got the added toning effect. The last I have to try is the Reconstruct version, but I'm sure it won't be any different.

ARTIST Professional Colorcreme 

Yeeha Lila

My hate for this could not be deeper. Subrina Colour Refresh introduced me into the world of temporary colour, so I've been experimenting a lot in the last months which was so easy because those always washed off completely. Since Subrina sadly doesn't have a lavender shade, I picked up this one from a Müller brand. Had I known it's be such an obnoxious colour, I'd stay away from it, however, it has some good characteristics, it's just not what it claims to be - a temporary colour. It wasn't washing off, not even with my trusted & foolproof technique chelating, so I had to bleach it out (bleach bath with a mix of bleach 6% developer and shampoo) and it still didn't get it all out from a couple of strands, so if you're looking for temporary, this is not it, at least not on a bleached base. Now granted, maybe my hair is so porous that is took in the colour too well (a very likely explanation as I haven't done any protein treatments in a while before using this) and I suspect the result on natural blond hair would not be the same, but I'm still unhappy about it because so far I've only had great experience with temporary colours. If you're looking for something that won't wash off fast, which I think most people look for, this is it. Ironically when I first posted about it on IG, I got a message that the pink version of these washes off with one wash, so I guess it depends on the shade. Formula is not nice. It more liquid than regular colours and has no care capabilities at all. My hair was very dry after use and I had to use a lot of leave-ins + coconut oil to make it feel less coarse and dry, though I suppose most people won't have such problems, since my hair is just naturally so very dry. This stains like a MOFO. It immediately tints skin or furniture, so you have no time to wipe it off and get it off easy, instead I had to use bleach on my bathroom furniture (I had it protected with paper, but with this being such a messy product, I couldn't avoid smudges) and I could not get if off my skin for days. As expected the colour is a much darker purple than on the front of the box and to achieve that shade you have to mix it with a conditioner and the base hair colour should be much lighter than mine, however, it's also a lot warmer. It's not the cool purple shade I expected, instead it's a reddish purple, similar to Subrina's Violet, yet not quite as pink. I liked the overall result, even though I used it undiluted on my darkest parts and partly diluted on my ends. You can see it created a look of purple highlights, but also the rest of my hair got a mix of cool brown (it toned out some of the orange parts) and on some it just went more orange-red. The colour was pretty, even though I expected a much cooler result and also better coverage. This is supposed to be applied on dry hair, which makes the application less even and slower compared to Subrina, you also use more. I left it on for 15-20 minutes, I don't know exactly because I was freaking out about the staining of the bathroom and looking for a cleaning supply that would work, but it was around that time. Unlike Subrina's Colour Refresh which start washing off with water alone, this needs shampoo. Regardless of a lot of shampooing and chelating, like I said the colour just wasn't going off, which I actually kind of expected as soon as I saw the staining. This left me with a lot of work and fixing up. I'm sticking to Subrina.

Base colour was this one, so a medium-dark blonde. Obviously for a proper violet shade the hair need to be lighter, but I got much better colour result with red and magenta from Subrina and I used a weaker mix with conditioner. 

Müller, 3.49 €

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo

My standard shampoo. It's not the only one I use, but this is my all-time favourite because it's the only one that leaves my hair like I just used some conditioner. It leaves that silicone smooth feeling that my tangy, dry hair really needs. It's only for thick, dry hair and not best on fine hair because it can weight it down (based on feedback I got from some), but I love it and have gone through many bottles. 

2-3 €

PANTENE PRO-V Intensive Repair Shampoo

A repurchase. It's doesn't leave my hair quite as smooth as L'Oreal, as it doesn't have silicones, but it's still very impressive and my second favourite in the drugstores.

2-3 €

SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask

Diamond Blonde

My 4th tube. This is the most reliable quick, non-fussy toner (in a sense there's no need to mix it with a developer), so I use it a lot, even though it's not ideal for orange strands, but it's much stronger than Ice Cream No Yellow shampoo (which is already very strong as some pale blondes report) and Schwarzkopf Professional Blondme Tone Enhancing mask in Cool. On very pale blonde hair it can be tricky to use because it's very strong and it can quickly tint the hair blue-grey. I tend to use it straight from the tube on my darkest parts and mix it with a conditioner for my ends. 

Müller, 4.99 €

 AliExpress knock-off of Revlon One Step Style

Honestly this is nothing revolutionary, simply a non-rotating hair brush with a dryer inside the barrel - I don't know if I saw a non-rotating version from other brands around here, but as much as I'm intrigued by the rotating ones, they kind of scare me too. This basically just eliminates the need of having to hold a hair dryer and a round brush because it does the same thing. It makes it so much easier and faster, especially since the brush is big enough that you can work with large sections of hair at once, but it won't dry the hair close to your scalp, so it's best you let you hair air dry or use a hair drier before until it's 80-90% dry and then just add volume and straighten the hair with this. It's also light and it doesn't feel heavy even when you use it for a long time. It's worth the purchase if you're looking for something easy to used and quick, however, my Moroccanoil round brush 55 mm and ancient Remington hair dryer do a far better job of making the hair sleek than this. I just don't get the same effect that I've seen so many girls get on YouTube - Lucky me. Like I read in reviews low and high are exactly the same speed and medium is lowest, the difference is the heat. On medium it doesn't feel too hot and it's also not terribly loud, but it's comparable to a regular hair dryer. I got the EU plug and so far it works ok, but we'll see how long it last. The box it came in was torn to shreds, but the product was without a scratch or fault, so I guess it can survive a beating even though it feel so light. 

AliExpress, 17.20 $

 *REVOLUTION Feed Your Face Toffee Apple Face Mask 

This is a moisturising mask which interestingly has glycerine on the first place among ingredients, while water is way down. However, I still haven't used it because I see nothing special in it and even though I don't mind fragrance, it's third on the list which is not good. I'll see if I ever try it, reviews look good, so I might give it a go. It smells nice, like caramel. 

Ingredients.

Ličila.si, 10.99 €

*O.W.N. CANDLES Happy Holidays Vegan Wax Melts

This made the whole parcel smell like cinnamon and they are shaped like roses, so they are cute, but when I used one it smelled terrible, like plastic and nothing at all like when solid. The fragrance was strong and it filled the place.

Ličila.si, 3.99 €

*NOELLE Brush

A nice, medium thick and soft brush for foundation. It could be a bit denser, so it would blend faster without having to fix the streaks, but it's decent one and I know I'll use it often.

Ličila.si, I can't find this brush, but they have plenty others.

*GLOV On-The-Go Hydro Cleanser & Quick Treat

This is a glove for removing makeup with no cleanser, just water. I had a similar microfibre cloth many years ago, so it's nothing new, though the material of this one feels better and softer. Cleansing glove is said to contain "refined, star-shaped fibres up to 30 times thinner than a cotton pad, which boast superior electrostatic properties to absorb makeup, dirt and excess oil like a magnet."  In practice its ok, but no magic. It removes most of the makeup while damp, but it fails to completely remove mascara, at least I don't want to be too rough around that area and with this I have to rub quite hard to get everything off. It's not a faster way for me, especially since you have to clean it after every use, so after the first week, I now rarely use it. The Quick Treat is a mini finger version for quick fixes when doing makeup. I also got bunny ears for holding back hair while cleansing and applying skin care. 

I could have taken pictures of removing makeup from one half of the face, but I didn't feel like it, so I made this mess on the arm using all the usual makeup: foundation and concealer as a base and then on top cream eyeshadow + powder eyeshadow over it, eyeliners, mascara, blush, highlighter and lipstick. Mascara was waterproof (Essence I <3 Extremes) & lipstick is Deborah Fluid Velvet 02, so one of those tough-to-remove ones. This took a lot of rubbing, the same as on the face, so it's not like using a cotton pad + a micellar, but for a simple, natural makeup it's enough.

Ličila.si, just the Cleansing glove 12.99 €. I can't find the same set, but a similar one is 19.99 €.

*ORIFLAME Women's Collection Delicate Cherry Blossom Gift Set

This smells so similar to L'Occitane's cherry fragrances, which just about every women I know loves or at least likes a lot. It's the same lovely spring floral that's so easy to wear in any season and is appropriate for almost any occasion. Though it's similar to light body mist that tend to disappear fast, it actually manages to last several hours. It's a really nice one. The body lotion has a more creamy scent, but again like cherry blossoms. 

Oriflame, just the fragrance regular price 22.90 €.

CATRICE Kaviar Gauche Mini Lipstick Set & ESSENCE spread the magic! brush set

I think neither of these are still available as they were both a part of LE (unless there are some leftovers in DMs). The lipsticks are super cute small ones that are perfect to throw in the bag and the formula is as is usual for Catrice great. I got two brushes from a set that might still be sold in some places. I don't use the eyebrow one because I don't touch my brows, but the blush brush is a nice one. It's super soft, a good small-ish size for my face and it picks up colour well for an Essence brush. It's become my primary brush for applying brush and highlighter for those few times I managed to wear makeup in the lasts weeks. 

I'll talk about all those hair products you might have seen on Instagram in my next new in, since I haven't had a chance to use them all. Have a great day!