A type of a solid primer that's not really a balm, instead it's more lightweight, Milani describes it as whipped. It promises intense hydration, instant blurring, creating a soft-focus effect, smoothing and a refreshing feeling on the skin. It has 5% glycerine and 3% niacinamide plus hyaluronic acid. At application it feels wet and cooling, yet the texture doesn't match this feeling, as it's a solid, silicone-feeling primer that creates a smooth, velvety base. Usually such primers feel dry and create a matte finish that can feel dry on such skin as mine, but this one feels hydrating like they promise. It's not a primer you can apply quickly, as you need to drag it in one direction for a smooth application otherwise it may look flaky. I can't say I a difference after application in the mirror. Maybe if it had a skin-like tint if might "fill in the pores" better, but I can see in before and after pictures there is some difference in the appearance of pores, so at least it looks good in photos. I used Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation over it and it retained its signature glow.  

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A primer for lashes that don’t hold a curl. It isn't anything ground-breaking. It's just a waterproof formula that's got a sheer black tint. On its own it looks like a very natural-looking mascara and it holds the lashes curled. I used a Revlon ColorStay Xtensionnaire over it, which is a regular formula and my lashes stayed curled all day. It works, but it's even more difficult to remove that waterproof mascaras and even my Maybelline dual-phase remover struggles to get it off. I wear it on its own because I like the natural look at the moment. 

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I wanted to repurchase the coconut version, which I used up, but it's sold out everywhere I checked. The formula of these is soft and buttery, which makes them a great lip balm, but the shade range is not my cup of tea. I already bought the pink one which is too magenta for every day. The other choices are a peachy-orange, green and brown, so I got this one hoping it's not very tinted. Due to the soft formula that deposits a thick coat, it’s quite purple on the lips, which is not my shade. At least the scent is nicer than the coconut one, a fruity candy one. 

A nail polish that cracks while drying, which happens quickly, so it's fun to watch. Essence had a black version, which I owned, this time I believe only this light blue shade is available. Best results are when a thin coat is applied over another nail polish.

Like all these Essence lip glosses the formula is nothing special, quite thin compared to many other formulas. Shade is sheer with small pink shimmer. It smells like vanilla cake. 

There are two shades of these jelly blushes. They don't have any “bounce”, just a jelly see-through formula. It’s hard to work with, especially compared to their creamier stick blushes, as the formula is thin and hard. While the colour pay-off is good, it lacks the creaminess that would help blend it evenly. It's not that big of a problem when combined with a hydrating, glowy foundation, but when I tried it with a matte formula blending was difficult. On the lips I can only get an uneven, sheer application, plus it's not a hydrating product, so not ideal for dry lips. On my cheeks it looks similar to peachy-pink shades, while on the lips it’s a warm, sheer red. Staying power is great on the cheeks, this lasted all day over Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless foundation. 

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The next “upgrade” of the makeup sponge - this one has two flat sides covered with a special foil that mimics fingerprints. It's a new twist to the silicone sponges that were popular a few years ago, except here you still get the classic porous, bouncy texture combined with a non-absorbing surface. You save foundation, since it's not absorbed into the foil part of the sponge, but it also takes a bit longer to blend it. The result doesn't differ from using a regular sponge, however, the sides of the nose are a bit challenging and I had to press it firmly to get it to reach there. I got a seamless blend everywhere else. It's very easy to clean since pretty much all of the foundation ends up on your face anyway. The rest can be wiped or washed off. It's an interesting innovation.  

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Nowhere on the front of the box or in description does this mention it has retinal, which is weird because it's on the ingredients list and it's kind of a big selling point. I haven't been able to find what's the percentage, but given that the colour of it is not yellow, like at other retinal product I've used, it's maybe not a lot. In any case it's a rare product in drugstores here with it. It has 3% Tranexamic Acid, 2% N-Acetyl Glucosamine and 5% Niacinamide - all brightening ingredients. Texture is a liquid light lotion that almost feels like a serum, but it has some oiliness to it.  On my dry skin most of it absorbs quickly, but a layer of it remains. It has no particular scent. I haven't included it into my routine yet, but it will get its turn eventually. 

A repurchase. I use this as hair and scalp oil, and I've used up at least a couple of these so far. Formula is light and not overly greasy. It has a gentle vanillary bland scent. Ingredients include canola oil, shea butter ethyl esters, vitamin E, coconut oil, sunflower oil and almond oil + some fragrances.

This launched years ago and by now just about everyone already forgot about it, I think. It's meant to be used in the shower after using a cleansing gel and is designed to replace regular moisturisers. I'm terrible when it comes to regular use of moisturisers, but my skin is quite dry in the winter. I don't use this as intended because I feel that by applying a generous coat of it only to wash it off is wasting product. This feels no different than their regular body milk. I apply it on damp skin before drying off with a towel or even after - it doesn't matter, just that I do it in the shower, since it's conveniently there. But I could just buy their regular moisturizer or from any other brand and it would be the same. 

A repurchase. I've used up many bottles of these. It's a liquid that emulsifies with water and massaging, turning into quite a nourishing formula that leaves a silky coat on the hair. It just so convenient and quick to use. 

A tinted moisturiser that combines a serum and pigment-infused pearls. It can be used on its own or as a base. When I saw this in the shop and it didn't appeal to me when I saw how watery it is, as this is very fluid and when you swatch it and blend the pearls with the serum, it looks odd, like droplets. I was wrong. This looks great on the skin, the most natural base I've tried. It's a proper tinted serum, a no-makeup-like product that feels like a hydrating moisturiser and it just evens out the skin tone in a subtle way. It's excellent for those who don't like the look of makeup or don't want to appear like they are wearing any. It's not a base that you can apply quickly, as it takes quite a while to get the serum to sink in and to get rid of the "wet look". It takes ages with fingers and it can still look a bit unblended in places, but you save foundation with this method. Using a sponge is quicker and more even, but you use more product. Finish is very glowy and fresh, coverage is minimal, but the skin is noticeably better looking. For my taste I'd only add some concealer under the eyes, but otherwise it's enough for me. It doesn't really set, so it's prone to wiping off when you touch the face, it also migrates into lines, so some powder is needed to keep it in place better. Shade 01 Fair fits me perfectly, but this is a low level coverage product, so the shades are forgiving to a degree.   

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A collection of shimmery glosses. They are mostly sheer, though some shades add a semi‐opaque level of colour. Lightest shade Diamond Drama 001 is neutral; Pink Prizma 002, Razz Beamy 009, Rose Glow 008 are cool and the rest, Haute Honey 007, Happy Hour 004 and Bronze Spark 006, are warm toned. Glitter doesn't feel gritty and the shine lasts on the lips longer than other glosses because of that shimmer, but they lack some of that cushy, comfort feeling you get at some of the new lip glosses (that tend to be mostly lip oils - though there is a lip oil version available too, but it's not sold here). Happy Hour has the best shimmery effect if you're looking for something properly sparkly. 

Review and swatches are here.

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These combine a stain-type of lip colour and a lip gloss, some with glitter some without. The "color side" features a marker-like applicator. Formula is a lightweight stain, mostly semi-opaque lip colours, though darker shades are almost full coverage. There is very little transfer from these, they don't wipe off when drinking or eating and they their staying power is almost extreme. These leave a strong stain on the lips, which is impossible to scrub off and if your lips are not perfect, the colour ends up uneven with darker patches. When you decide to wear these, there's no going back - I was honestly struggling swatching these all on the same day and I was not able to the colour off for the next shade. My lips weren't made for such lip stains. I always end up with much darker inner part of the lips despite making sure my lips are hydrated and prepped before and those parts of the lips the tint lasts for days. Most shades apart from the lightest ones, leave that classic strong magenta tint that I'm not sure it's a pH reacting one or just the base colour. The matching glosses are all sheer and are pretty basic ones. They complement the base colour nicely, though they don't mask the unevenness. 

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I have reviewed both products already and featured both in several favourites posts. Foundation is a medium coverage, hydrating and glowy formula that's best suited for dry skin. It's thicker and more glowy than the previous version. I use RT sponge all the time - it blends any foundation so well. 

These two are available in a set - if there are still any left, with the sponge being the freebie. It's available in DM here. 

A repurchase. While this version has a much weaker tint than their dark blue non-Disney versions, I like the gentle reddish tint it gives to the lips. It's add a touch of colour without being very obvious and I like how it works on my skin tone. So I got a backup before these are gone. 

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A repurchase. Since I found this I haven't picked up Seche Vite. It's just as good, for much cheaper and it's easier to get. I'm one that has zero patience when it comes to nail polish drying time, this speeds it up significantly. It's decently dry in about a minute.

A very elegant looking shade. I've never been a fan of sheer shades, but this one has more pigmentation with one coat than all such shades I tried. With two coats it looks perfect for my taste. Staying power in combination with Catrice's Quick Dry Top Coat is excellent. 

 

Quite a thick formula and it needs at least two layers to look not-streaky, but on some nails I needed three. I have tried better gel formulas, this one reminds me too much of the times before gels appeared. Shade is a pale pink-peach. Staying power was a bit disappointing on me, it's not as good as their main competition Essence and Catrice. 

A repurchase. A serum for "visible skin repair and wrinkles". It's a growth factor serum that promises a lot of things concerning visible aging, plus that is hydrates and strengthens skin's barrier. I've used up a whole bottle and decided to repurchase it, though I didn't see any difference. It's a very light serum or maybe more like a toner and easy to layer, so I use it daily as one of the first steps in the morning.  

A toner with Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Niacinamide and a stable form of vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate),  I'm horribly inconsistent when it comes to applying hand creams and body lotions, either I forget or don't want the greasy feeling right at that moment, so I found the most decent-looking spray toner ingredients-wise in DM and this was it. I spray it on my hands and body to alleviate the dryness and it's decent, though I wish DM has some other spray formula that would be a little richer. 

My standard repurchase, though this is the new packaging. I use this every day as a face cleanser. It's gentle and effective. 

I can't find the white Soft Touch version anywhere, which is my favourite and I've been using it for a while now, so I got this one instead, hoping it's similar. Just like at the Soft version I can't feel this on the hair and it gives me hold for my no-heat curls. Another good drugstore find. 

A repurchase. I've been very aloof when it comes to Balea's hair care - to be fair most is too light for my thick, dry hair, but this mask is a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of Pantene, as it leaves that slippery feeling on the hair that I like, plus it's nourishing enough.

Revlon's collection of lip glosses that contain plant-based glitter and light-reflecting pearls. There are 10 shades in total, I'm missing two, one of them is blue. They are mostly sheer, though some shades add a semi‐opaque level of colour. The intensity or amount of shimmer varies per shade and I find Happy Hour is the one true super shimmery one. 

*Paid review by Ilirija d.o.o.