Someone who has a similar skin tone recommended this to me on IG, since the lightest shade is so pale. Coverage is surprisingly good and buildable. Currently I have a slow-healing red mark from an old blemish and this covers it. It also covers my under eye circles, but some of my freckles are still visible. I've had it look too powdery and nicely "meshed" with my skin, so it's not always natural looking, but it can look really nice on the skin when I combine it with enough skin care. It takes away greasy shine from heavy moisturisers and SPFs, yet it doesn't look flat matte. This needs moisture or oils too look better on dry skin, so assume it should work well with oily-combination skin that gets oils through the day, while I compensate for that with skin care on my dry skin. I've had it for about two weeks and I like it, but it also reminded me how messy these mineral powders are to apply, as the powder flies everywhere and the process is slower than a liquid foundation (mostly because of the packaging). Shade is nicely pale and once it's blended on my skin, it matches my neck.

Notino 10,20 €

This is the only shade that escaped Benefit's blush shakeup, where they discontinued all of their existing shades and released a bunch of new ones. I bought Shellie and Willa, which impressed me with their quality, so I got Dandelion too, since considering it's existed for so long, is worth exploring. It’s a light baby pink shade in the box, but that's not the shade I get on my cheeks. It ends up more peachy on me and in one or two layers, it’s like my skin was just deepened a couple of shades, while when I build it up, I get more pink, but more of a peachy-pink. I expected it to look more pink on me, but the shade is so light it doesn't overpower your natural skin tone enough to show what's in the pan. Maybe that's why it's so popular in the first place. Formula is not nearly as pigmented as the other two, as I only need to touch Willa and Shellie with a brush to get enough for my pale skin, while this shade I need to build for intensity.   

A brownish rosy shade that's in the 90's style of lip colours. It's a part of five nude shades collection and this is the deepest one, as well as the only reddish one. Formula is not quite as smooth as Vegan Collagen Matt Lipstick and it doesn't glide with such an ease as those, but it's close and still a nice quality formula with a good colour payoff. 

I talked about this in August favourites and I got a backup. I'm a fan of this shade that I wear all-over the lips on its own. It's a natural warm pink shade that almost matches my natural lip colour. Formula soft and easy to apply all over the lips, plus you get a sharpener on the other side so you can keep it always precise. 

Essence's newest mascara. There's also a regular formula in a metal pink-purple tube. I bought this before I got that PR parcel which I reviewed separately, so I included the review already there. I can just say that after two weeks it hasn't improved and I still miss better definition. 

A repurchase. This is one of the two of my favourite mascaras, the second being Essence I <3 Extreme waterproof. Formulas are similar, as both hold the lashes curled and create enough volume, Revlon's just has a more manageable brush, since it's smaller. It's not quite as defining and multiplying as Essence's or even Revlon's So Fierce! Big Bad Lash (which I only tried the regular version, though waterproof one exists too), but it creates enough volume and length. I was told on IG that this formula suits sensitive eyes if that helps anyone. 

I got this months ago and already featured it in August favourites. It's a new range of nail polishes that's plant based and vegan. Formula isn't as smooth or nice as gel formulas, but three coats get me an even application that isn't streaky or looking too thick. Colour is a beautiful shade of mint green that leans to light blue. I've only worn it with Seche Vite so far it and it survived work around the house just fine, like regular nail polishes usually do. 

Newly updated Essence nail polish formula that I also got months ago and despite my initial concerns about it being a poorly performing formula because reviews are pretty bad on their website, this shade turned out to be just fine. It's a typical thick gel formula that applies evenly with one coat and evens its self out, so there's not streaks. It's mostly opaque in one coat. I've worn it a lot since I got it because the colour is a great nude for my skin tone - a pale rosy nude that reminds me of my favourite Anny 300 Makeup shade. 

I got backups of my favourite and the only top coat I’ve been using for many years. I’m not a patient woman when it comes to painting nails and this dries the nail polish in a minute. That’s the only thing that matters to me. It’s hard to find in recent years (a seller that ships to Slovenia), but I got these on eBay from Poland. Formula thickens before you can use it up, so I have Seche Restore drops too. Before I found this, I was using Essie’s Good to Go, which is similar, but Seche is quicker. 

I've always liked Lip Smacker formulas, they are great for dry lips and aren't too waxy feeling. All are also very sweet smelling and have a candy taste, so more for a younger crowd. This one has a berry type of scent that is very similar to one of their Frozen balms, I believe it was Sven, so they tend to repeat their scents. Packaging is a little girls dream come true.

So Unicorn one was taken from me by a child (entirely unexpected given how it looks), so I went to repurchase it and it was out of stock, so I grabbed this one, which was on my wishlist anyway. It's even better. It smells like The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin body butter, so a delectable vanilla almond combination. 

As cute as these look, they are not terribly impressive tinted lip balms, neither in terms of colour payoff nor the nourishing abilities. They are very sheer with barely any visible change to the lips and in comparison Labello/Nivea balms are better. Formula is more on the hard side for a lip balm, though still ok. Essence has better products for dry lips, like their Cranberry Lip Oil and Booster Lip Butter with coconut oil.

One of the three shades of new Labello/Nivea lip balms (one is red and one is nude or beige). It’s almost exactly the same as their Dragonfruit version that I had many years ago - the same shade of pink and scent, which is tropical fruity, closest to melon or watermelon. This shade can be built up to a pretty intense colour, so it’s like a creamy-glossy lipstick. Formula is more hydrating than Essence balms, but not as soft and balmy as Lip Smackers. 

This is a washable nail polish for kids that's easily removed with soap. There are several shades to pick, all pastel, but first try revealed this is a clear/ lightly milky off-white shade with shimmer. It can't really be built up to this pretty shade that's seen in the bottle, but luckily kids don't care. It washes of easily and dries fully on the nails (but it takes a while), so it has the look of a nail polish. 

I found this in the toy department in Müller. Remember when Catrice had peel off glitter nail polishes, which were so much easier to remove than proper glitter shades? This feels exactly the same. It's like a thick glue with glitter. It can be peeled off, but the nail polish coat needs to be thick. It dries quite slowly, but it does eventually. Glitter is bigger than was in Catrice's version and more sparse.

IT'S SKIN 10 Power Formula Propolis Serum  

A repurchase. This used to be in DM, but they suddenly and without warning stopped selling it, which I found out too late and didn't get any spare bottles. These got a new packaging and I think new bottles were in DM, though now I can't find them on the website - they didn't have the new Propolis version, so it doesn't matter. I found it online on Notino, but they had the picture of the old bottle, while they sent me the new one. I haven't opened it to see how it compares to the old one, as I still have a few drops left, but I was told by someone who was as big a fan as me that the formula is now thinner and not as effective - hopefully the new formula works for me, but formulation has changed for the worse. There's no more honey extract nor niacinamide, and propolis has been delegated to a lower position on the INCI list. Old formula just worked well with my skin and made it look better. Propolis products tend to make my skin look more healthy with a nice glow. 

Old formula: Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Sea Water, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/​Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA

New formula: Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Propolis extract, Panthenol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Pyrus Communis (Pear) Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Disodium EDTA, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf/Stem Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil

A repurchase. This is one of the products I use every day almost without fail and I've used up several bottles so far (one actually lasts me a long time). This is another product that just works for me. It improved the texture of my skin, my pores don't look as bad as they did and my makeup applies so much more smoothly since I started using this. It's not a miraculous product, but it's a lovely thicker toner-like product that I trust. It has 95% galactomyces ferment, while the rest is combination of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and a couple more ingredients.  

Another repurchase and my favourite clay mask that I use only in emergencies when my skin is spotty or behaving odd. I didn't have a full size pot yet as I realised one small lasts a while considering my needs. Besides full size is just insultingly expensive. Glow Supermud combines AHAs (six of them), clay and charcoal, so it's an exfoliating cleansing clay mask. It has a liquid type of texture and I find you need a thin application, as it just works better than way. It's so far the best clay mask I've tried, including the original black version of Glam Glow and it makes my skin look better, fresher. When I have a spot, this is more effective than L'Oreal's Glow Clay masks I still have in my cupboard. I don't get any tingling from AHAs when using this, but my skin looks maybe a bit brighter after. I can also see how it sucks the stuff (mostly sebum) from my pores, though I can't say they look any better after and I still have blackheads. 

A pack of 5 sheet masks with nice ingredients - niacinamide high on the list, vitamin C in a stable form and hyaluronic acid. I wasn't not very impressed by these and it has mostly to do with the material and shape of the mask. It's thick, so it doesn't feel as saturated with product and the shape is ill-fitted, as the forehead is the smallest I've seen at such masks and it also doesn't have proper cut-outs, so there are flaps hanging under the eyes, which with the thick material feels even more uncomfortable. If this were one of those 0,2 mm masks like Etude House or Papa Recipe, I'd likely like it a lot more. Formula was nothing special, a simple essence. I didn't see a glow from these like I do at Papa Recipe, but my skin was hydrated. 

This has been out for a few months and while this boldly claims it has retinol, it’s actually retinyl palmitate, so this is not a proper retinol product in my books and it’s a very mild product, but I wanted it for the 2% of Bakuchiol. I’ve had a couple products with this ingredient, but with a weaker concentration. It's a rich moisturiser, so I used it as the last step in my routine. I haven't noticed anything special from this and now I switched to Afrodita Professional, so I'll keep this bottle for some time later. The formula is the type that doesn't absorb for a very long time and I prefer lighter formulas, but it may come handy when my skin is drier. 

After the first three Shots that I believe all became best sellers (or at least the vitamin C one), Afrodita Professional added two more using currently the most sought after ingredients: Vitamin A and Bakuchiol. Instead of using actual retinol, which can be very irritating albeit very effective, they went with the "newbie" in the retinoid family, HPR Retinoid or Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate. Internet tells me it’s a retinoic acid ester, so directly related to retinoic acid aka tretinoin. From what I can gather, it’s something like retinal, so a gentler version that causes less or no irritation. Still Afrodita says to include this into the routine gradually. My skin is used to retinal (which never caused any reaction unlike retinol), but I did feel something when I used it for the first time (but not later). It was that sensation of almost burning if you know what I mean, but it disappeared in about 10 minutes and there was no visible reaction. As per instructions, I’ll include this in my routine gradually and let you know how it goes in time. Aside from 0.1 % HPR Retinoid, this also contains Urea, Panthenol, Squalane, Ceramides, Cholesterol, Beta-Glucan, amino acid Glycine, Lactic Acid and Niacinamide.

This contains 2% Bakuchiol and a bunch of the same ingredients as the Retinol Shot (Panthenol, Squalane, Beta-Glucan, Ceramides, Cholesterol, Urea, Niacinamide,...). Bakuchiol is a plant based alternative to retinol and it’s much gentler with no irritations. Their instructions say start using Bakuchiol only after about a month of use of Retinol Shot when the skin gets used to it, so that’s what I’ll do. They recommend to use this in the mornings and on days when you don’t apply Retinol Shot. I heard, though, that the ingredients work together really well, as bakuchiol stabilises retinol, but that goes for the actual retinol, not the version that’s used here - for this one I don’t know. Both Shots have a milky light lotion texture, similar to their vitamin C Shot. Bakuchiol is suitable for those who find retinoids to much for their skin (despite the retinol in the name of this product, this contains no retinol).

I absolutely adore the mask from Smooth line, but it's insanely expensive, so it occurred to me that maybe I should invest in a cheaper conditioner to see if it's smooths the hair like the mask. I only got a mini to try to see if it's worth getting a full size and boy is it! It’s one of the best conditioners I’ve tried and it works very similarly as the mask. My hair dries so smoothly with it and frizz is significantly diminished. It’s much lighter than the mask, which is almost balmy, yet it’s nourishing enough. I really want a full size bottle. I still need to try the Smoothing Lotion, which is on my wishlist. 

I have a full version for dark hair from the days I had my natural hair colour. The latter is pretty light, so I occasionally use it in a large amount on the roots to hide dark growth. That shade has a warm tone to it, which can show when I apply a lot of it, so I got the Light version, since it also has purple tones to tone out yellow. It turned out too white for hiding roots (you have to apply a lot for the white to show, as it's almost clear in smaller amount). It's not what I hoped it would be, but better than L'Oreal's Magic Retouch, which is yellow and suits me when my hair is a shade or two darker. This is my favourite formula of dry shampoos, though I don't use them for their original purpose as my hair never gets oily, just a lot drier, but this formula is so fine and silky, it doesn't leave that gritty feeling where you need to wash the hair the same day you used the dry shampoo. It also smells amazing. 

This has some fancy new insanely expensive hair peptide-based technology, which is hailed as the new Olaplex or even better. It's so expensive I only got the 5 ml tube, which I knew won't be enough for my hair. But actually a little goes a very long way with this one and I managed with only 4 ml of product. It's not a mask and you're just supposed to wash the hair with shampoo, then just apply this leave-in. It promises to reverse some serious amount of damage, specifically from bleaching, but I wasn't nearly as impressed by it than by Joico K-Pak line or Olaplex n.8. The main thing that bothered me was that my hair missed hydration and there was so much frizz, like I didn't use anything else but a basic shampoo. So I had to use heat tools to look presentable, while these days with my regular routine I only need to use my Remington round drier. Maybe I used to little, but for that amount of money per ml, I expected to be very impressed. If I had more left, I'd give it another go with combination of hydrating leave-ins, but I'm not getting another tube, since this is too expensive per use.  

This is severely overhyped online and I fell for it like a little idiot. Reviews describe it in glowing terms and compared it to some other overhyped fragrance Bacarat Rouge. The shelf with this fragrance has been empty in my local Muller for months and I stupidly ordered it without trying it - which I do all the time and in most cases it ends up fine. It's so bland. I get no notes other describe. It's weak, it almost smells like nothing apart from something chemical - when I put my nose to it, there is a faint sweet smell, but it goes away. I don't know if this scent just doesn't work with my chemistry, but I just don't find it anything special. Still given that it's so popular, don't feel discouraged by my experience to try it, as people say it's really something special.  

Sandra gave me a sample of the body cream a while ago and I liked it, but always found it so overpriced. Now decided to treat myself to this set of minis I found on Notino. The scent is nothing beachy to me, instead it almost Christmasy with heavy notes of nuts and vanilla - it definitely something for cool months for my taste and closest to The Body Shop's Pumpkin Vanilla (they aren't dupes, just in the same fragrance category). Cream has the nicest scent of the three and sadly they didn’t capture it in the mist. The latter is sharper, not as creamy nutty and not as unique as the body cream, but it's very strong and lasts well for a body mist. My clothes still smell of it days later. Shower gel is nice and creamy, while Bum Bum Cream leaves a lingering scent (you can easily skip owing a body mist or separate perfume and just use the cream), though I remember it as being thicker, more nourishing.

Top notes: Whipped cream, Pear and Black Currant 

Middle notes: Frangipani, Red Fruits and Jasmine 

Base notes: Vanilla, Musk and Oak.

A soft fruity-musky scent. It's a simple "shampoo" scent, feminine and easy to wear for any occasion. I can't point out any of the fruity notes, it just smells sweet fruity and there's some jasmine. From the base I only get musk. 

I love these mini sizes for my bag and they are actual sprays, which is so much better than roll-ons. 

Top notes: Blackberry, Pear and Pink Pepper 

Middle notes: Musk, Black Orchid and Jasmine

Base notes: Amber, Madagascar Vanilla, Praline and Labdanum.

Another soft scent, though this one almost purely vanilla. Fruity notes are barely noticeable in this and I can't really point anything out it this, but it kind of smells like a new car to me due to the basic vanilla note. It's another scent that's easy to wear, though neither of these are strong and I prefer Avon's Today.

LE shower gels. Jungle Breeze smells like peaches, but with an orange flower note that cuts though the juicy freshness. That last note bothers me. Flower Shower smells like Haribo raspberry sweets in a plastic way, so neither of the two are Balea's best scents. I'm trying to use them up soon.

There's a very old, affordable and popular line of shampoos in Slovenia that are more known by their version names than their brand - Breza (Birch), Kopriva (Nettle), Kamilica (Chamomile) and Česen (Garlic). They are basic, but beloved by all generations. So now Ilirija launched a line of shower gels, each with a different skin caring ingredients and scent. 

Ameriški slamnik /  Echinacea with hyaluronic acid and a gentle floral scent. 

Šipek / Rose hip with saccharides and a rich floral scent.

Ognjič /Marigold with panthenol and a sweet floral scent.

Oves / Oat with lipids and a gentle creamy scent (this one is my favourite).

Breza / Birch with urea and a fresh woody scent.

Unlike the shampoos these have a flip top lid. Formulas are vegan. 

Click2Chic, 2,20 € 

A regular repurchase. I love the authentic apricot scent of this. Formula is not as nice as Dove, but better than cheap gels from Balea or Aveo.

DM brings this back every summer. It's thin, but a bit oily and it lathers up ok. Scent is difficult to describe, but in the "solar category" without smelling typical of coconut or tiare flower. 

I'm a fan of Nivea's Souffle formula, but I don't love either of the scents they offer (coconut/tiare and cherry blossom). I got this in the hopes it's similar and it is. It's another rich formula that absorbs quickly and feels properly nourishing. I trust Nivea most for the best lasting hydration effect. Scent is the typical Nivea cream one. I got two of these. 

New products by Subrina, so currently still only on Click2chic and in drogerija Ilirija, but I expect them in drugstore and supermarkets. Shampoo is an intense purple shade, the same as L'Oreal's and Olaplex n.4P, while Mask is a lavender shade, meaning a lot less strong than their Colour Refresh Mask, which I can mix using a small amount with desired mask or conditioner. I tried both and given that usually Subrina hair care falls a bit short for my very dry hair, this made my hair feel quite nice. Shampoo is not at all that drying formula that would leave the hair too squeakily clean, neither does it leave any residue that would bother those with thin, lifeless hair. Mask is also light, yet surprisingly enough for my hair - well for a day, like most drugstore stuff. I find shampoo overall better because it's so intense (if you want only one product), but the mask nicely completes it without being so strong it would already overtone. If you need an intense toning mask, try Colour Refresh in Diamond Blonde or the super strong Subrina Professional Colour Silver Mask. Formulas are vegan.

Click2Chic, Shampoo is 3,99 € and mask 4,79 €

I'm a fan of the conditioner and mask from this line. I had the regular shampoo and it's nice, though not as much as L'Oreal's Extraordinary oil, but good for dry hair. This one claims it's all in one, but I see it as a regular shampoo, so I wouldn't skip on conditioner, since my hair is so dry, but this is nourishing enough for those with normal-moderately dry hair to use it on its own. I quite like it, but it won't replace my Joico Defy Damage + Olaplex n.4 combination. 

I already have one of these that I haven't finished yet, as although I loved it from the start, it quickly stopped working on me. I went back to Dove and also discovered Borotalco. I got this as a gift from someone who didn't know about my history with it. 

This is just a mini size. Borotalco products sure are very strongly fragranced, so more for us who like intense scents. It works as well as their stick deodorant and the scent of this one is a nice clean powdery one that is different than the original. 

This is called a marmalade in Slovene, so it's a tanning jam, but this one is without SPF unlike the Afrodita Professional's one (not that SPF 10 means anything to me). It contains Melastim Tech, which stimulates melanin and ensures a fast and long-lasting tan. It's mostly mineral oil, but it also has almond oil and shea butter. This is a balm that turns to oil, so it leaves a nice sheen on the skin, but it's not very greasy feeling. It's heavily scented with a scent that reminds me of L'Occitane Vanilla & Orchid solid fragrance I've had for ages (it's discontinued). Pupa says this can be used on the hair after sunbathing, as a pre-wash treatment to neutralize harmful effects of salt water - I used it for hair myself, as it reminds me of that Palmer's balm I've showed you in one of the favourites that I use it for taming the hair - Pupa's smells nicer. I gave this to someone else to test it for me on a holiday and all three products got glowing reviews. I was told it did help the skin become tan quicker. 

I think this is another tanning jam, but it says it works even when there no sun (it's not a self-tanner, as it's DHA free). It says "when applied daily in the period before sun exposure, it prepares the skin for tanning, evening the complexion. When applied under sunscreen, it accelerates and intensifies melanin production, for an even and intense colour in less time. When applied daily after sun exposure, it maintains the melanin, fixing and prolonging the tan." It's got a classic creamy texture that absorbs fast enough and has an orange scent. Just as the jam, it was reported back to me it does what it promises. 

A fast absorbing face cream for after sunbathing. It's cooling and refreshing at application, though not in a tingly way (it has no peppermint or similar ingredients). It's leaves a nice silky feeling on the skin and it's nicely hydrating. It contains an active ingredient Sun Optimizer that ensures that the stays longer. This was the favourite product of those I gave it to test, highly praised.

These are new at Revlon. 21 shades exist, but we got 7 here, mostly natural shades and two bright ones. Formula changes during wear time - it starts glossy, then slowly set to a satin finish that's not dry, but also doesn't transfer (though there can be some small traces), but it's generally mask-proof especially after it fully sets. You can also speed up dry time to satin by just applying one layer on one of the lips and press them together, so you have a lighter layer of product, which is still fully opaque because these have a strong pigmentation, though the darker two 019 My Own Boss and 012 Seal the Deal are a bit sheerer than the rest. These also change colour as the dry, especially 009 Speak up goes from a light-ish mauve-nude to a medium mauve. The only two that don't really change are magenta 012 Seal the Deal and red 019 My Own Boss. Once these are on, they are on, that means they don't budge - they don't smudge, bleed, crack or peel and at the end of the day when I take off my makeup, which for me is about 12 h after application they still look great. They last through drinking, eating messy fruit like soft peaches and other things, though I haven't eaten anything super greasy, which will likely start to break them up. This also means that you need an oily remover at the end of the day to get all off. But I'm not surprised to see such great staying power at Revlon, since Overtime liquid lipsticks last just as well as these. Though they are glossy at the start and then dry-to-the-touch, they never felt drying or tight to me, so they are more comfortable than matte liquid lipstick and you still get that same super staying power. My pick is 007 Partner in Crime which I wear when I want something that lasts through everything and I don't have to check on it during the day because I know at the end it'll be there.  

Click2Chic and drugstores, 12,19 €

New lipsticks at Oriflame and when I saw the name, I was almost certain I won't like them, but these turned out to be so good. They are most similar to Revlon Kiss Cushions, except here I can get a gorgeous every day shade. These have a soft, plush applicator and the formula is so amazingly comfortable, as it's pleasantly creamy on  the lips and feels like an good lip balm. Pigmentation is good, but you need to have a saturated applicator for fully opacity, otherwise you get more of a stain look, which is great too. The very first thing I noticed at this is a lovely sweet cocoa scent, but it's only present at application. These leave a stain on the lips, especially the red shade, so they have a longer staying power than a lot of lipstick/gloss hybrids. I love these, but one things that worries me is how much it's in these pen/twist up packaging, since in my experience there isn't much similar products. Luscious Taupe is wrongly named, since it's not a brownish-grey shade, but a lovely natural pinky-mauve that is in the same colour group as Revlon's Birthday Suit. Magnetic Red is a neutral-cool red.

Oriflame, 13,90 € | currently 9,99 €

I mentioned this in the wishlist part of my monthly favourites, updates & wishlist post. Anny has testers on the stands, so I had the chance to try the shades before buying and this was the closest match to my skin tone. I'm very pleased with this nail polish - everything, the colour, how it applies and how much it survives. It was worth the higher price. Colour is a nude powdery pink, very close to my skin tone in depth, just in a more pink version of it. Application is super smooth and easy, it needs two coats for an opaque look. It survives washing a large amount of dishes intact, but I've said a million times that my nail are naturally strong, so that might not just be the nail polish formula that's so resilient alone. Anny has a big selection of shades, so I might get a shade more.

Müller, 10,49 €

CATRICE ICONAILS Gel Lacquer 

*I realized this is discontinued now* I was on a hunt for new nude nail polish (I got this before Anny) and I had something quite light on the nails when I was shopping, so I grabbed this one, thinking it's going to be a good match, but it's too light for my liking. First application was a nightmare, formula appeared too thick and I needed three coats for a an even look. Second application was better, more smooth, though the formula is still quite thick. Compared to taupe shade 112 I reviewed in last New in, this one doesn't feel like a smooth gel formula, but closer to old school pastels.  It lasts like all nail polishes, so over a week on me. Shade is similar to Essie Fiji, the latter is a bit lighter and less pink, but on a darker skin tone than mine they likely look the same. 

Müller, 2,89 €

Balea's latest (probably LE?) hydrogel eye patches. These have caffeine right after water and glycerine on the ingredient list, plus hyaluronic acid, cactus water and Irish moss powder. I haven't tried them yet, but all of these hydrogel patches work about the same - cooling & refreshing on tired eyes with the added benefit of hydration. High content of caffeine might help with the puffiness if you're troubled with that (I'm not) and hyaluronic + cactus water hydrate.   

DM, 0,99 €

A regular repurchase. I've been using this for a few years every day and I credit it as the product that helped fix the texture of my skin. Before I was unhappy with almost all foundations or other base makeup, but after this most look good. It's a light toner-serum product with 95% ferments (galactomyces) and rest are niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, allantoin, adenosine and a handful of fillers. 

Notino, 22,50 €

Another repurchase. My previous bottle ran out so unexpectedly, since there's not much indication how much it's inside and I went to pick a new one in DM the very next day because I don't want to be without this for long. I had a mini break from this just for some health related reason and my skin didn't look as good then as when I was using this regularly. Propolis products tend to make my skin look more healthy with a nice glow. This is a light serum that absorbs quickly and is easy to layer over.

DM, 18,99 €

Something new from Afrodita Professional line, which is sold online and is used & sold in beauty salons, so these are Afrodita's high end products. Multiactive Beauty Filler Shots have a high concentration of active ingredients and promise fast results. They are suitable for all skin types and ages, and they can be used with device based treatments. 

An intense hydrating concentrate for dehydrated, tired skin, though every type of skin will benefit from this one. It contains low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (20-50 kDA), which is capable of getting deeper into the skin. This also has panthenol for calming & repairing the skin, urea, glycine (amino acid), niacinamide,... Texture is like a light serum and is quickly absorbed into the skin, but leaves a slight layer on the skin. 

Afrodita web shop, 34,90 €

A vitamin C concentrate with 10% Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. It promises to even out skin, brighten, reduce pigmentation (age spots) and pairs well with SPF creams to increase protection. Texture is a light milky serum-lotion and leaves a slight oily layer on the skin, but on my cheeks it's absorbed fast. From the three I started using this first, but it hasn't been that long, so I can't report about the result yet, only that my skin is currently in nice condition. I prefer vitamin C products with Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate because in my experience I've had good results with it, while I've had more rare success with ascorbic acid. Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate is more stable, but needs more time to work. Afrodita also launched a vitamin C serum with the same version of the vitamin, but with a smaller concentration. That serum will be/is sold in drugstores and supermarkets, and will also be much cheaper. By the way, the vitamin C used in these products originates from Japan.

Afrodita web shop, 59,90 €

A power shot with pure oxygen that boosts collagen production, energy and improves texture of the skin. This is something so new to me that I don't recognize a lot of ingredients, but it contains (a complex?) Fiflow BB61 that acts as a dermal filler, gas carrier (gets oxygen to the cell) and an anti-aging agent. One of the ingredients is perfluorodecalin, which is used in wound healing products because application of oxygen can “activate the inflammatory cells of the immune system that help healing.” (Reference: ScienceDaily.) It also has the same peptide carnosine as is in their Protective Serum SPF 30. Formula is the most liquid of the three, it's almost like toner, but like the Hyaluron it leaves a slight layer on the skin. There are a lot of tiny bubbles in the formula, but on the skin it doesn't feel any different than a regular serum.  

Afrodita web shop, 34,90 €

Afrodita sent me most of the Young & Pure line meant for unclear skin, but I see it as a nice set of products for most skin types. I already have this mask, it was actually the first product from this line I tried and I've raved about it. It's described as a cleansing gel, scrub and mask in one, but I mostly use it as a mask. It has no scrubby bits worth mentioning and as a cleansing gel it's best for second wash or when the skin is bare. As a mask I leave it on for a while, usually an hour and since it's clear I can go about my business without looking like a green/white/random clay colour weirdo (that's why also boys/men with unclear skin might be more ready to use it). I have very few breakouts, but those couple of times I did since I got this, this helped heal them faster. 

Afrodita Cosmetics web shop and drugstores, 4,79 €

Another cleansing mask, but again not a typical clay one (their Why Mask SOS Calming, which I used to buy is their clay mask that also has zinc oxide and niacinamide - another good buy for blemishes). This one contain charcoal, which is popular now in products for unclear skin. It's called a black and white mask because after you start massaging it in on dry skin, the charcoal granules activate and it turns from white to black. I haven't tried it yet.

A simple toner with niacinamide 2nd on the list, witch hazel and no alcohol, which is even nowadays not that common in those for unclear skin. It's hydrating and light, absorbs almost instantly on my skin. I can't say I've noticed anything special after using this, but from the stuff in our drugstores, this is one of the best offerings, whether you're on a budget or not.

 Afrodita Cosmetics web shop and drugstores, 5,39 €

Another product with lots of niacinamide. It has a thick gel type of consistency, yet it's very light and on my skin sinks in fast. I was concerned it might peel when I apply SPF on top, but skin care can be layered over it with no problems. A nice moisturiser for oily-combination skin.  

Afrodita Cosmetics web shop and drugstores, 5,39 €

A spot gel that has no alcohol, so true rarity, instead it focuses again on the power of niacinamide and witch hazel. I haven't had spots, so I couldn't test this yet. 

Three versions of this exists, aside from Extraordinary Oil also Dream Length (or Dream Long) and Color Protect (or Color Vive/Color Glanz, L'Oreal has different names on various markets). I picked this one for dry hair. These formulas are essentially L'Oreal trying to pass the 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner concept as something new, though I will say that it does indeed feel like something new, as such formulas tend to be very much like regular shampoos, so liquid, while this feels more like their cleansing conditioner, except it has SLS as the first ingredient. Texture is as thick as a conditioner, it also feels like that at application despite the soap, so it's not easy to get it all over the hair like regular shampoos and I use up a lot at once on my long hair. It doesn't foam on the first wash and barely on the second, so I find it doesn't clean the scalp as well as a traditional shampoo, but my hair is clean. It leaves my hair less silky when I'm rinsing it off compared to my favourite Extraordinary Oil classic shampoo or even Aveo Totes Meer one, but it's a similar effect to other shampoos for dry hair. I prefer the classic Extraordinary shampoo which actually feels "more than a shampoo", like a conditioner was added to the formula, but I'll use this up regardless. 

Müller, 5.99 €

My regular repurchase and I always have one in stock, but when I opened my last bottle, it didn't feel the same and it didn't leave me with as much silky feeling. I went to check ingredients and compared it with my old one, and it's the same, plus both say New formula, so maybe I just didn't notice the last one was different too, since always mixed it with L'Oreal's purple shampoo. Or my hair got drier and I need something even richer, I don't know.

DM, 3.29 €

I already raved about this in my August favourites. It's one of the best drugstore hair masks I've tried, on the same level as Cantu conditioner. I loved it so much that I went get a backup after using this twice and I got two because these pots are quite small for my amount of hair. It leaves my hair feeling silky, detangled and it's nourishing enough for my very dry hair. It also works quickly, since I've also used it just for a minute after a conditioner that left my hair not as silky as I want. In combination with Moroccanoil All in One leave-in, my ends don't dry out for several days, which is an achievement for a drugstore formula. Though I feel a bit cheated they have only have these in 160 ml pots, as their Repair mask has 300 ml. 

Müller, 3.39 € 

A repurchase. This is a life saviour when a random lame conditioner I'm trying to use up messes my hair. They tend to leave it so tangled it's snapping when I'm combing through it and drying, but an generous amount of this adds that necessary slip. It also gives shine, nourishes and tames. It's just an excellent product for dry hair.

Müller, 7.19 € 

An enzyme scrub for the scalp from a new Müller brand. It's meant for scalps that get oily, but it's not often you see such a product, so I gave it a try. Before this I've only had scrubs with particles, either salt/sugar or something else. This didn't work as effectively as I hoped. It worked similarly to a basic cleansing shampoo, but it didn't have a lasting effect and I didn't get any expected tingling, which led to believe it's too weak to have a good enzyme peeling effect (though I in general rarely feel enzymes, acids or similar peelings). But the main issue is that this is a rich lotion type of texture, not a liquid, which means it's hard to apply on the scalp despite the nozzle and you use up a lot at once, I think for me it was 1/4 or 1/3 of bottle for one use. Maybe it will work on someone who finds acids/enzymes more effective on their skin.

Müller, 5-7 €

I wanted to explore more of the Miracle line and I saw Pantene has their first purple shampoo. I was expecting a lot considering I love the mask, but this is merely ok. It's not as rich as the shampoo from the Repair line and the tint is paler than L'Oreal's, so it's not really strong enough for me, or at least for the not fully lightened part of my hair. It foams enough, doesn't feel drying, but it's not nourishing, formula is actually similar to L'Oreal's except more gel like when you squeezed it out. I'm sticking to L'Oreal. 

Müller, 4.75 €

This was the second Miracles product and I expected more. For one, it's not an oil, it's a basic leave-in conditioner, so it's not like a silicone-oil such as La Croa Protect spray as I expected based on the name (though the ingredients list should have clued me in). It's a very light leave-in that on my hair feels like nothing and does nothing. I was hoping the silicones might help smooth my hair, but this is too light, made for thin hair that is weighed down fast. It's a nice light heat protectant though.

Müller, 4.99 €

I've been buying Extraordinary version for many years, but tried almost no other version of L'Oreal shampoos. This was the only mini in Müller, I guess is the most popular one. The scent of this reminds me of the 90's or 00's shampoo and suspect this is an old or original formula - I like it, it's a classic. This produces a very rich foam and like most shampoos it cleans well - what else - and it doesn't leave a residue behind. It's not like Extraordinary (was), so especially suited for dry hair and it doesn't leave the hair as silky, it's just a regular non-drying shampoo. It's ok, but I won't buy full size.

Müller, 1.49 €

A repurchase. The whole Joico brand has a new look now. This in combination with K-Pak Reconstructor does miracles right after my hair was coloured, restoring it to its more normal state. But this alone is an amazing product, it makes my hair feel great, it's full of proteins and aminoacids, so great for damaged hair. 

Notino, 18,50 € 

Amazing mask, though I expected this given my experience with Kérastase and the exorbitant prices. My hair is so dry and never really soft due to its thick texture, but this makes it feel so silky, softer and just genuinely incredible. I was a tiny bit worried it might not be enough, due to one review that said for dry hair Magistral is better, however, it's definitely nourishing enough and I didn't even have to use a lot. My hair feels like new with this, though I'm not impressed with its ability to control frizz, but that's work for leave-ins and styling at every mask when it comes to my hair. This contains maleic acid, creatine (both care for hair bonds) and ceramides. 

Notino, 30,50 €

My favourite mask so far was Kerastase Masqueintense Thick, which I repurchased a few times, but this is the new version of Nutritive masks made for severely dried-out  hair and it's been on my list to try for a long time. It's another amazing mask, Kerastase masks transform my thick, dry hair into something more light, airy and silky to the touch, but I don't find Magistral is any better than Masqueintense Thick or even Resistance. To me they feel they all feel same, which isn't a bad thing, though I expected Magistral to be a bit richer. Like Resistance I'm not impressed by its ability of frizz control, but my hair is admittedly a tough challenge. 

Notino, 32,50 € 

KÉRASTASE Resistance Serum Thérapiste 

A repairing hair serum for weak, over-processed and damaged hair that is at the same time also a heat protectant. It's in two parts and when you squeeze the pump, you get the same amount of a clear serum and some milky serum-lotion. This is somewhat similar in texture to Olaplex n.6 or Tigi After Party/Blow-Out Cream, or at least something like if you mixed those two with a silicone serum, so it's also a styling product that tames frizz, makes the hair look more polished and shiny. On damp hair after washing, I was hoping for more frizz control, but it can't cut it on my hair, so I prefer to use this on dry hair as a taming product. My hair is less brittle in the first days after washing, then like always it gets too dry and it's breaking again. It's a light, "dry" type of a product, so suitable for all hair types. This contains ceramides, aminoacids (Glycine, Arginine, Proline, Tyrosine, Glutamic Acid, Serine) and Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, so it's got a lot of good stuff. It's not revolutionary, as Olaplex n.6 and a few other protein leave-in do the same job, but I like the texture of it.

 Notino, 29 €

An overnight beauty sleep nourishing hair serum for dry hair that Kerastase promises works overnight in 8H. This is incredibly expensive (full price is even more expensive than for what I got it) and reviews are so positive, so I expected a miracle product. But I'm just not sure. Either my hair is too much of a challenge or I just haven't found the best way to use it, but on my hair a few days after washing when my hair is very dry, this just isn't quite enough. It was the main reason I got this, for those days, but I prefer Lazartique Nourishing Dry Oil for such situations. Texture is a light lotion, I was expecting a more silicone-y consistency that would work better with my tangle-prone hair. Kerastase says to apply one pump and it is easy to spread even on dry hair, but I need several pumps for my hair. So far I like this best as a leave-in conditioner after washing my hair. In such a case it makes it feel like I used a Kerastase mask even if I used a cheaper mask/conditioner. 

Notino, 37,90 €

I've had my eye on this for a while. I love Subrina Colour Refresh and they are my favourite way to temporary colour my hair, but their violet shade is more on the pink side, while I really wanted a proper lavender shade. This is just a mini 30 ml, but they have tubes with 200 ml. I haven't tried it yet because I have huge roots and I want to use this once my colour is more even and pretty. I hope this is as pigmented as Subrina, so I can use only a small amount mixed with a conditioner for a nice pastel. Ingredients of this are great like all Moroccanoil stuff, I'm a big fan of the brand and have several products 

Click2Chic, 7 €

I got one of the new cool Excellence shades. I usually get 8.1, but though this one looks almost scary grey, it might be more effective (I mean more long-lasting) on my hair that I can't really lighten to a pale yellow in one go. I love Revlon's Colorsilk 70, but I couldn't get it this time (wasn't in stock). Unlike the regular Excellence Crème this one contains a purple shampoo and mask, which base on my experience with their Purple line, I'm sure it's great. I'm kinda bummed they don't have 9.11 because I love the shade 9.1, but it's a bit too light for covering my golden yellow (there's a 9.12 in Preference line, which is sooo expensive and I don't like the formula). I haven't used it yet because I'm giving my hair a longer break from colouring and am sporting massive roots, but I'll report back when I do.

Spar, full price is 7 €. I only buy these with a discount.

Fragrance family: floral-watery citrus aromatic

Top notes: Green marine accord, wild rosemary, grapefruit

Heart: Water jasmine, sweet cicely, lily-of-the-valley

Base: Tonka bean, musk, patchouli

There are two scents in this collection, the other one, Blazing Warm, is a floral (golden button flowers), citrusy-woody scent. Wild Hearts smells like a unisex fragrance to me from the start. It's aquatic, herbal, fresh and clean. I get strong herbs from the start (rosemary and cicely), which then fade and it becomes a more feminine fragrance. It's still a clean and fresh scent, but softer, more musky and floral. It's a typical non-sweet, summer fragrance to me, something for fans of scents like L'Eau par Kenzo. Strength is moderate, as is the staying power. Bottle is made from recycled glass. 

Top notes: bergamot, green leaves, peach

Heart notes: aquatic notes, lily of the valley, rose

Base: amber, musk, sandalwood

This is a tester size which my cousin gave to me, but the full-size bottle is very D&G The One inspired. Farmasi sometimes writes in their catalogues, which perfume their stuff is most similar to and this is supposedly like Dior's J'Adore. I don't recall how the real deal smells, since it's been too long since I tested it, but notes are similar, except Farmasi has less of them. It's a clean white floral. In my view a typical office-friendly, fresh scent, very feminine, classic and to me similar to the scent of face creams, shampoos or fabric softeners. It's timeless in my eyes and suitable for all seasons. All I smell is flowers, mostly rose, but it's a lot more complex that and well blended. Quality is great for a cheaper scent. It's strong (for some 1 spray will be enough), it develops nicely and lasts surprisingly well, after about 6-7 hours I can still smell it on my wrist and that was the last time I checked, but I'm sure it lasted longer. 

AVON Pur Bianca and Incandesce 

My cousin also gave me these two more scents. I remember both of these from my first Avon catalogue I got. Pur Blanca is a clean floral that’s fresher than Farmasi, but again a type of face cream scent or more like washing powder/fabric softener. Incandescence is a bright, sweet floral with notes of Orchid, Lily-of-the-Valley, Cyclamen, Tulip and Peony. Both of these are purse sizes with a roll one, but I prefer the new mini sizes they have currently, which are a spray. 

These got a new look, as well as four new scent. Previous packaging was a peachy one and now they got a new colour of the bottle and new labels. Eight are still old scents and those are Juicy Jasmine (floral with some peach), Strawberry Sorbet (like the name says & like those Haribo strawberry softies), Rose Garden (my old fave and one of rare rose scents I like), Cherry Blossom (my and fan favourite, a powdery floral scent), Fresh Elder (perfect summer scent, smells like Hugo drink in candy form, so elder-lime-mint), Perfume Drops (also an old favourite, just a nice perfume-y scent), Moroccan Treasure (oriental-ish with some orange) and Sensual Vanilla (just vanilla, but people love this one). New ones are:

Balance Code - an unisex, fresh basic scent inspired by Mediterranean. Nothing special to me, but something Subrina's collection needed, just something neutral (though Breezy from the Kids collection fits too and I find it more likeable for my taste). Formula is creamy and contains some olive oil.

Carpe Diem - a rich scent of greenery and florals, very much like a garden in bloom. Inspired by the Far East, with matcha tea extract.

Chill Out - an oriental scent that if I remember the scent correctly is very similar to Lush Lust, so a strong jasmine note + more oriental stuff or kind of the smell of Lush shop - it's been a decade since I've been in one, so forgive me if I'm wrong. Formula of this one is oily and applied on dry skin, it forms a rich emulsion, which becomes a lot more watery on damp skin. It contains hemp oil.

Siesta - the only tropical scent now, since Pina Colada, Mango Heaven and Tropical Escape are gone (I'm gonna miss those. Their Pina Colada was so good). It's a passionfruit scent, very similar to those Balea summer LE's that have been gone for a while. It contains coconut oil. 

Drugstores (Tuš, Muller, DM with a limited selection, Ilirija), supermarkets (Interspar, Merkator, Tuš,… ) and click2chic, 1,96 €

A new collection by Balea that in my opinion came about three months too late. Having said that this scent doesn't really remind me much of summer. It says it smells like sea breeze, but I disagree. It's is very floral and it in a way smells typically Balea. I think I smell just tiare flower in here, so it's technically summery, though that type of scent never reminded me of beaches and sunscreen. The scent in Sunny Side is very strong, but it doesn't last on the skin like for example Subrina's do. Formula is thin, typical for Balea. I had several things on my wishlist, since this collection consist of a deodorant, shaving gel, hand sanitizer and more, but I took them of my list. 

DM, 1-2 €

I already wrote about this in August favourites. It's surprisingly good for a deodorant, so not an aluminium based anti-perspirant. It doesn't keep me completely dry when it's hot, though my Dove stick one doesn't either completely and it has aluminium, but it keep me smelling fresher than Dove does at the end of the day. I have it's a roll-on because I've been used to dry sticks since my late teens and I hate that wet feeling, but I got used to it and I'm glad something without aluminium works. There are two versions, this one smells powdery fresh.

DM, 4,19 €

A new version of the pretty much legendary 48 hand cream. If you live here and in countries of Western Balkans, it's likely you've heard about this one, since it's been sold forever and you can buy it everywhere, even the most forsaken hardware shops. Our grandmothers used it and I still hear some occasional raves on Instagram, since it's loved by those with dry hands. Original is quite rich and leaves a layer, since it's a protective hand cream for those who work with different substances and it has a soapy scent. The new one is lighter and absorbs quicker. Unlike the original it contains shea butter and coconut oil, while the antibacterial effect is due to a silver complex and CPC or Cetypirirdinium Chloride. 

Ingredients: aqua, butyrospermum parkii butter, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, sodium cetearyl sulfate, cocos nucifera oil, cetyl alcohol, saccharide isomerate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, panthenol, phenoxyethanol, decylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, cetylpyridinium chloride, silver, bht, parfum, coumarin, alpha-isomethyl ionone

Click2chic, drugstores and some supermarkets, 2,89 €

A new version of 48's spray disinfectant. This one is marketed for kids because of the strawberry fragrance, but it's the same stuff as the regular one, so if you prefer scented stuff this is the one (it's a strawberry candy/vodka type of scent) and for all the rest it's the original, which smells of nothing but alcohol. I always have the regular one in my bag because for a long time it was pretty much the only pocket size spray sanitizer here (now the market is obviously flooded with disinfectants) and it is perfect for spraying surfaces, so shopping cart, door handles, phones and other stuff. It's 50 ml, so a great size for the bag. It has 65% alcohol.

Click2chic, drugstores and some supermarkets, 3,18 €

BALEA Rasiergel 

Just another shaving gel from Balea. I have this scent already and it's a nice coconut one, better than they usually do. 

DM

I usually buy the Aveo (Müller) or Ebelin (DM) one, but was just in Lidl and grabbed this one. It's weak compared to both of the others, so I regret not taking the time to drive to the drugstores. The way I wear nail polish I'll be stuck with it for a while.