Mateja's Beauty Blog: Kiko

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow 05 Rosy Brown

This is my third shade of these sticks and it's so far my favourite, which is ironic considering it's the one neutral I didn't want to get because I don't trust rosy shades. The other two that are in my collection are 38 Golden Taupe (name really says it all) and 06 Golden Bronze (same goes for this one). Both I wear a lot, since I use these also as eyeshadow bases, though I admit I find Essence's even a bit better, mostly because they are less shimmery, but Kiko's are brilliant because they still tick all the boxes.

Texture: I've talked about these before and this one has the same creamy formula that even with age doesn't get dry and consequently become more difficult to use. It just glides on the eyes, it's incredibly pigmented and very easy to blend. Once it sets it doesn't move on my normal (meaning not oily) eyelids.

Colour: 05 Rosy Brown is my favourite shade out of the ones I have. I avoided it for a long time because it's a pinkish shade and those can make you look tired or sick, but it's certainly not the case at this one. Again the name is pretty self-explanatory, it's a rosy-violet bronze brown shade with a metallic sheen - very wearable, either alone or as a base and great for especially green eyes, but it also really wakes up my grey ones. The shimmer could be smaller for my taste, but it's not such a big deal. I just love wearing this one for a simple makeup with just some mascara.

Staying power: The reason I love these so much is because they last so well on the lids. There's no smudging or moving, even the shimmer doesn't migrate that much, which is often a problem at such shades. It's not uncommon that I get a full day of wear with these, but I have normal eyelids.

Packaging: As practical as these slim tubes are, at my 06 shade the stick broke, so not all are reliable, but it's a good packaging nonetheless since I can still use it with no problem.

Price and availability: I bought mine in Kiko, Villenesse Italy for 6.90 €

Have a great day!

torek, april 18, 2017
4 Comments

Kiko Smart Nail Lacquer 129

ponedeljek, februar 20, 2017
6 Comments

New in #52

BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Serum

51 Light Vanilla

I didn't even notice my bottle was almost empty because the bottle looked so perfect, but as soon as I did, I was running to repurchase this. Till this day, it's the only foundation I can rely on looking good on my skin. Everything else I own currently looks so weird, but this is my knight in shining armour. It's a light-medium coverage foundation with a natural looking finish that doesn't emphasise the uneven texture of the skin, nor pores and neither lines. I have a full review about it here.
But I have to address the rising prices because it's getting ridiculous. I think that both Bourjois and L'Occitane are going bonkers and apparently assume we are too stupid to notice a bump in prices. When I started buying these in 2011, they costed just shy of 15 €. Luckily, it costs less online.

Müller, 16.49 €

AVON True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick

Ravishing Rose

The moment this touched my lips, I thought - Milani Moisturising Matte. They have the same type of texture that is somewhat silicone creamy and features a great matte finish. I've been wanting to try these for a while, actually ever since Petra made that amazing review of these and she actually gifted me this one because she knew I'd love to have this shade (thank you!). It's a pinky-red type of magenta shade, a summery shade and a great shade for brunettes. Sara, who also made a fantastic review of these, compared this shade to All Fired Up by Mac, which I like but only have a sample of and they are indeed almost the same. Another dupe I found in my stash is Kiko's Smart lip pencil in Magenta.

Avon, regular price 8.50 €, but it's often much cheaper.

KIKO Smart Nail Lacquer

129

Another thing Petra gave me and she nailed it on the shade. I can't believe myself that I missed this when I was in Kiko, maybe I should just send Petra to buy things instead of me since I'm clearly useless. It's a beautiful pastel nude mauve shade, similar to my beloved Deborah Gel Effect in 01. I wasn't too thrilled with the formula when I was applying it because it ended up streaky/see-through on patches with two thick coats, but since it's a light shade, it wasn't that visible and Seche Vite helped a bit too. I wears nice though and after several days, I got no chips.

Kiko, 2.50 €

WET N WILD 1 Step Wonder Gel

Stay Classy

This is a very my type of nude colour, though it is darker than my other such shades and maybe a bit too cool toned. It's a darker muted rosy nude with a gel formula. Like most gel nail polishes it's very smooth and very pigmented, so a dream to apply. It's meaningless for me to mention the staying power because everything lasts more than a week on my nails, however, this one lasted so well and even when I removed it after a week and a half because I was bored, the only noticeable wear was on the tips, but I did of course use Seche Vite.

Click2chic, 2.99 €

L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime 2 in 1 Perfecting Scrub

I've had this on my wishlist, since its launch because I adore the scent of the moisturiser from the same line. I don't think I'd ever truly treat myself to it since it's expensive and Immortelle oil would have the priority, so I'm overjoyed I got it as a gift from my cousin. I wasn't sure quite what to expect, though I read very positive reviews, but it's similar to Clarins Melting gel cleanser except it's also a scrub. It's an oil with scrubby bits, but it's actually not that greasy. You apply it on dry skin, rub it in and add water. It doesn't emulsify much, but what I didn't expect and it pleasantly surprised me is that it actually removes makeup decently,while I expected it'll just smear the makeup like gel cleansers. The only thing that is slightly disappointing to me is that the scent is so weak and it's not much like the moisturiser, but it's a great product.

L'Occitane, 25.40 €

L'OCCITANE Neroli Orchidee Hand Cream

I fell in love with this when I tried it at my cousin. Obviously it's the scent that got me, which is somewhat a typical L'Occitane scent that just always smell amazing. The name says it all really, the warm, bright neroli and the softer orchid scent - oh, just go smell it. It's one of L'Occitane's lightest creams and it sinks in in under a minute, which is exactly what I need.

L'Occitane, 8.10 €

L'OCCITANE Almond Shower Oil

This is just a sample, but I have the full size as well, I've actually haven't been without one is almost ten years, though it's been a while since I bought one (I buy those refills) and I keep the last bits only for pamper days because it's so expensive. The price rose a lot in ten years (about 20%), so I think I'll stop buying it because of it, even though I still adore it. Anyway, it smells divine and it's such a pleasant oil to use. I use it when my skin is visibly dry and it always helps.

L'Occitane, full size 18.80 €

LIP SMACKER Frozen Ice Cube Lip Balm

Olaf (Peach Flavour)

It's very rare that I buy a lip balm, but this looked so cute in the shop and it said it smells like peach, so I couldn't resist. I like Lip Smacker lip balms, I think they are some of the best, especially for very dry lips because they are less waxy as well as greasier than most and actually now that I think about it, every one I have is Frozen. It's not even that good of a cartoon. The scent was a disappointment, it's the most artificial boring peach ever. However, I love the quality of it. It's nicely moisturising and it sticks on the lips for quite a long time. I also really love the shape of it, not only is it interesting and cute, but I also like how it applies. It looks so small that I sure you get a half of a normal lip balm, but it's actually about the same, 4,2 g.

E.Leclerc, 3.5 €

DOVE Purely Pampering Nourishing Shower gel

Coconut Milk

I adore this shower gel, it's probably my favourite ever but I completely forgot it existed until it magically materialised in the bathroom. It's probably from those gift sets everyone is giving and I forgot about it, since I've been buried in Yummy Shower gels for the past year, but up until now I never bought any of these myself, I've just been taking them for granted. So to make sure I have enough of these, I bought my first one, plus I found a hand soap to go with it. These pampering shower gels, which frankly should be called creams, are very thick and excellent for dry skin. The soap are in my opinion the only hard soaps worth buying because they don't leave that awful squeaky clean feeling. I can't properly describe the scent to you, but it's definitely not coconut at all. It's a warm creamy clean scent and I just love it.

E.Leclerc, 2 €

BALEA Regenbogen Dusche

I fell for it. I admit. But come on, how can I resist such an adorable packaging? It was all over social media, taunting me and even though I knew the scent will be boring (come on, it's Balea), I just wanted it. They describe the scent in the most fairytale like fashion - apparently it smells like stars and clouds. Well, I didn't know stars and clouds smell of boring vanilla. You know the one in car fresheners. Oh, so very heavenly. I'm not saying it's a bad scent, but it could be more exciting, not just recycling Balea old ones. It smells better straight from the bottle (kind of like marshmallows and vanilla) than in the shower. It terms of texture is just a classic Balea shower gel, again nothing exciting.

DM, 0.99 €

GARNIER Olia After Colour Care

Petra says this is the best conditioner ever and I think it's pretty good as well. Actually it's very nice for a drugstore product and comparable in terms of effect to some salon brands. It's a conditioner that you get in Olia hair colours, but they also sell these mini tubes for when you want to refresh your colour, which is brilliant. It nourished my currently very dry hair and that's quite an achievement. It doesn't feel very heavy, so it should be fine on less dry hair than mine.

Sold in Müller, price on Boots about 2 €

I already have reviews for REVLON Ultra HD Matte Lipcolour 600 Devotion and BEAUTY & CHIC Contouring Brush.

BIOBAZA Face Cleansing Micellar Oil

Finally a new cleansing oil in the drugstores and so far, it's my favourite ever. It's not the cheapest, but almost half the price of L'Occitane and it find it better. This is another one of those oils that you apply on dry skin, massage it in, add water so it emulsifiers and remove it with a cloth. This emulsifies into such a gorgeous thick emulsion - if you ever used L'Occitane Almond Shower oil, it's the same thing. It removes makeup really well, there is a bit of mascara left mostly because I don't want to be too harsh with a flannel around the eyes, but the rest of the makeup is completely gone. I only had a sample, but it lasted me so long because you don't need to use much and it didn't cause me any additional spots, though my skin isn't completely clear, but usually with oils my skin goes haywire. I will get a full size for sure. It smells nicely floral. By the way, it claims it's suitable for sensitive skin.

Click2chic, full size 12.94 €

MOROCCANOIL Moisture Repair Shampoo

I expected this to be good and I wasn't disappointed. It's an excellent shampoo for very dry hair, it cleans well, but doesn't leave that dreadful squeaky clean feeling us with dry hair despise, but at the same time it's not heavy and the hair still feels light when washed. However, to me L'Oreal Extraordinaire shampoo does the same thing for a fraction of the price, but if you love Moroccanoil and have the budget, this is a great shampoo.

Full size 20 €

BOMB COSMETICS Night Out

I've tried many Bomb Cosmetics bath bombs and they are just as good as Lush, though they don't tend to have multicolour effects, but some do have great glitters. This one smells strongly of baby powder and I'm really enjoying the scent, so I kind of don't want to use it yet, but I think it should turn the water violet.

Click2chic, other bath bombs 2.99 €

LADY SPEED STICK invisible

My trusted ally for many years Rexona sticks stopped working on me. We had a good run, but I knew it was going to happen. So I started a search for a replacement, a proper anti-perspirant, none of that useless natural or whatever stuff is popular now, so at the bottom of the shelves in DM, I found my very first favourite deodorant that I wore in primary school. It's a gel, so it's truly invisible, but you have to wait for it to dry. So far it's working, but we'll see how long it lasts. It smells like a man's cologne though, but one of those clean skin ones, so it's not so bad, but I swear I had something floral smelling all those years ago.

NIVEA Deodorant Protect & Care

I actually deliberately tracked this down after seeing it on social media. I've always loved the "boring" classic Nivea scent, so I'm glad they are expanding their collection of products. However, I was so sure this was an anti-perspirant and only at home discovered it's just a deodorant (I had like 5 minutes in the shop and a long list), which I've never been a fan of because they do nothing. This one again doesn't manage to keep me fresh long and yes, of course I know it won't stop sweating, but I mean in a sense than it doesn't keep me smelling fresh long. The scent is nothing special, just clean and not as nice as the lotion. How ironic that the last thing I bought in 2016 was another disappointment too.

Müller, 2.89 €

NIVEA Anti-Perspirant Pearl & Beauty

Holy cow did I have a hard time finding this! I've been faithful to it for many year and now I had to go to several shops to find them. Please don't tell me they are being discontinued, I don't want to start experimenting with deodorants again. 90% of them suck. I love the smell of this one, it's so feminine, but my favourite bit is that is actually works the way it should. I combine it with a stick deodorant for best effect.

DM, 2.99€

AVEO Nail Polish Removers Professional

With a sponge and with a pump

I just got these because they were cheapest and I was in Müller. I know I should explore removers more since most dry my nails, so if you have any suggestions for something good and cheap, go ahead. I have the pump version from Ebeline and these pumps, though they are still somewhat clumsy (accidental spritzing and stuff) have a plus in the fact you use a lot less product. This one is effective enough, it doesn't need a ton of rubbing, but it's not the strongest. Actually it's exactly the same as Ebelins, it just smells better, like a floral fragrance.

I used a lot of versions with a sponge and I still find the original Bourjois' the best ever, but unreasonably pricey, so I buy the cheap ones. The sponge of this one is one of the softest and the remover is the same as in the other packaging, so it's again the same as Ebelines.

Müller, 1.99-2.99 €

EBELIN Polishing File
Polierfeile

I've bought a few of these polishing files so far. They're cheap and do their job. I use them for both polishing the nail enamel and for finishing the tips. It has three types of surfaces, none are rough and you can get quite a nice glossy polish with it.

DM, 2 €

EBELIN Glassfile
Glasfeile

I've never had a glass file before so I got one of the cheap ones. This one works just fine. It's neither super rough and neither too gentle. It doesn't leave strange, rough edges so I quite like it.

EBELIN Microfibre Glove

Mikrofaser Reinigungs Handschuh
This is one of those cloths that promises to remove the makeup with no additional use of any remover or water. I've had one of these before many years ago and it's the same material than in Emma Hardie cloths, so super soft and comfy, plus they last much better though washing than regular towels. In terms of the original claim of removing makeup I find it's not the most effective thing. It won't do much about mascara and there's still foundation left, plus I get flakes if I use it dry. But anyway I didn't buy it for that reason, I got it because it feels like Emma Hardie's one and I use it the same way, I wet it with warm water and remove balm/oil with it. I like that it's shaped as a glove, though it's small.

DM, 2.99 €

AVON Mesmerize and Mesmerize Black

I only have samples that Petra kindly sent me, but the bottles for both of these are beautiful. Mesmerize Black is more to my taste and it's basically almost pure sandalwood, so warm and woody with no cheap vanilla, which I'm so fed up with. There's a little bit of jasmine, but barely noticeable. I actually love it so much that I'm really lemming a bottle.

I actually had high hopes for Mesmerize because of the peach note. While it is the most obvious note, it's not the juicy version we get in TBS Vineyard Peach or even Hugo Boss the Scent. Instead it's artificial, very sweet peach and to me very reminiscent to the smell of S Budget peach yogurt, which I suggest you don't buy because it tastes like a perfumed yogurt believe it or not (terrible, terrible thing). Mesmerize is basically artificial peach and aldehydes.

AVON Foot Works Intensive Callus and Corn Cream with AHA Acids

I completely forgot this existed, but it's exactly what I need and I actually think there's no such products in drugstores. I have quite thick skin on my soles, so I need to have frequent at home pedicures, which are just such a chore. AHA's should help with some exfoliation (I noticed some minor peeling so far), plus this cream is actually quite greasy, so good for my dryness, but by the morning it's completely gone. It smells strongly of peppermint.

Have a great day!

petek, januar 27, 2017
25 Comments

New in #51

COLOURPOP Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

Clueless, Sollow, Bianca and More Better

Review and swatches here.
There were a couple of opportunities where I had a chance for a much more affordable shipping costs from Colourpop, so I took the plunge. In my first order I got four shades, so I could avoid custom charges (I don't mind the 22% tax that much, but the unreasonable additional "handling" changes are an insult), but I regretted not getting more, so when the next offer came along for free shipping, I got more shades. I researched the shades extensively, however swatches on truly pale girls like me are almost non-existent (or the internet doesn't want to find them), so I risked it and hoped everything will be fine. Most shades turned out to be a lot different than on swatches, but actually some more beautiful than I imagined. I was told the formula is very dry - to me it's fine, but you know my lips are never dry. It dries completely perfectly matte and in a short time, so I actually think these will be drying to a lot of people, they also set to a layer on the lips that you can feel. Most of these oxidise to a much more different shade than they appear freshly applied and are completely different than in the tubes.

Clueless is a medium muted pink mauve that oxidises to quite a dark shade on me.

Bianca is a brown slightly mauve shade. Completely different than I imagined and I think it's too brown for me, though wearable.

Sollow is a light muted peachy pink shade, but in the tube it looks completely different, a true peach. It's my favourite light one that I got. I'm wearing it here.

More Better is a gorgeous, rich deep berry, basically my dream shade. It's very similar to Mac's D for Danger, my all-time fave, but more berry.

I'll do comparisons with my other shades and swatch everything like I normally do, so you'll have an example of how they look on really pale skin, NC10. By the way, staying power is excellent, only a very greasy, bacon-filled meal destroys them

Colourpop, 6$

COLOURPOP Ultra Satin Liquid Lipstick

Littlestitious, Alyssa and Dopey

Ultra Satins are supposed to be the more comfortable version of the liquid lipstick formula, however, they still dry matte on the lips, but much slower and are equally long lasting. If you're picking between Satin or Matte, Satins aren't that much different, but they might be a bit more comfortable - still don't expect any care from them.

Littlestitious is an greyish mauve-pink-lavender. I imagined it a lot warmer based on swatches. It applies almost too pale for me, but oxidises to a shade that's about two tones darker.

Alyssa is a muted peachy nude shade and it's the best out of the three that I usually described as similar, so Littlestitious and Bianca.

Dopey is a grey mauve brown shade. It's a greyer mauve version of Bianca. Again completely different than in the tube or swatches I've seen after it oxidises on me.

Colourpop, 6$

COLOURPOP Lippie Stix

Cami

I didn't order any of these in the first parcel, but one of my followers on Instagram Nika (tsumi_nyaa) did a little first impression for me and said these are the best out of the things she ordered (she also said Ultra Matte are very dry to her). It is perfect! As soon as I applied this, I knew this is my new absolute favourite lipstick formula. It's so light, almost weightless, but so intensely pigmented and the finish is a perfect matte one (it's one of the Matte ones). I'm in love and yes I like these more than Milani's. I need more shades, though Cami is so perfect. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's a stunning rosy brownish shade. It's on my lips at the end of the post on the brushes picture.

Colourpop, 5$

SEPHORA Cream Lip Stain

03 Strawberry Kissed and 13 Marvelous Mauve

I've wanted these for ages, especially Strawberry Pink because I love such colours on me. I also picked up Marvellous Mauve because I heard it's a dupe for Stila's Patina, which is also on my wishlist since forever. They are classic liquid matte lipsticks, so creamy and very pigmented at application, they start to set very fast, in a couple of minutes to a proper matte finish. It's difficult for me to say whether they are drying since nothing dries my lips, but as I said they are properly matte, yet don't dry to a layer like Colourpop's. The packaging feels kind of cheap, they have a strange scent of an abandoned office (I'm weird, I know. It just smells musty and like old paper, but most say it smells like vanilla cake to them) and I noticed these aren't as long lasting as some others I've tried, they are also easier to get off the lips. Strawberry Kissed is a stunning warm pinky red, while Marvellous Mauve is a medium pinky-mauve shade that I prefer to all such Colourpop shades (I have nothing similar in my old stash). I adore both of these shades.

Sephora, 10.90 €

TOO FACED Melted Kisses & Sweet Cheeks Gift Set

Mini Melted Lipstick in Peony and Mini Love Flush Blush in Justify my Love

Those who are regular readers on my blog might find it odd I've picked such colours for myself, since I literally never wear them. It was the only set and I was just so curious how these two products perform, so I settled on Barbie pink, I don't have any such shades anyway. The Melted Lipstick is very pigmented and starts with a creamy shine finish, then later settles into a satin one. The shade is a classic Barbie pink on me, a bubble gum 80's shade.

Blush is again not in my desired shade (I wanted Baby Love), but for testing if these a worth it, it's fine. The size of the mini is like an eyeshadow, it's got a strong pigmentation, but it swatches a bit chalky, still it applies smoothly and lasts amazingly well on my cheeks. I think I should invest in a bigger size. Colour is like nothing I have in my collection, but it's quite a bright medium pink, a Mary Antoinette colour.

Sephora, 12.50 €

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow

05 Rosy Brown

I adore these sticks, they are so easy to apply, to blend and they last forever. I already got 38 and 06 in my collection, and this time I picked 05 at an old recommendation from Nadja from Memento Mori. The name says it all really, it's a rosy-mauve bronze brown shade with a metallic sheen and I think it's my favourite out of the three.

Kiko, 6.90 €

*L'OREAL Pure Clay

Purify Mask, Exfo Mask and Glow Mask

I really wanted to try these and if I actually managed to get to a drugstore I'd buy the Glow Mask myself because it has the highest rating of the three on Boots where I read reviews. It might be stupid to mention the packaging first, but as soon as you open the box it hits you how high end these look. They are just so Instagram worthy with the heavy glass pot and a glossy cap. I wondered how they planned to keep these fresh because it's an open container and these are mostly made of clay, and the solution is they included and additional cover that you can find it some more high-end products. All of these are suitable for all skin types, though I wouldn't advise these to dry skin. All contain 3 pure clays and then each individually caters to a different skin concern.

- Glow Mask: contains charcoal, gives glow. I tried this one first since it was on my wishlist. It's a thick texture, but easy to apply if you stick to a bit thicker coat. I left it on for about 10 minutes in which only about a half dried (I hear it's good if it doesn't dry completely), but it became classically tight on the skin. Once I rinsed it off, my skin looked brighter, pores looked diminished and the skin was in general more clear. It did what such masks usually do. It's got a strong vintage cosmetic-floral scent that is present all the time, I actually enjoyed it.
- Exfo Mask: contains red algae, exfoliates. This one is thickest out of the three and has exfoliating particles in it that some might find harsh, but I like them and it actually reminds me a lot of GlamGlow Supermud, though I'm not saying they are dupes. Each one has a different scent and this one is quite strong, also the type not everyone will love. It's a fruity-spicy scent, I think clove or maybe cardamom, in any case it's not something you'd like to smell in the heat. The effect were exactly the same as with the other two - it's a classic clay mask, just this one is a scrub-and-mask in one. I use this one the most because my skin texture is uneven.
- Purify mask: contains eucalyptus and it promises to mattify. This one is green and least thick, but again the result are the same on my skin as with the glow mask, which also mattifies. The scent is lovely and my favourite. It's a bit like eucalyptus, but in general a spa type of scent.

I'm really enjoying these and they are a refreshing change from the rock hard Queen Helene mask. However, I should mention I've heard complaints about the size - these are 50 ml which to me it's more than enough, otherwise that clay mask lies in my cupboard for years (no, I still haven't use up Queen Helene tube. It's been many years). It says on the box these last 10 applications, but applying 5 ml of product on my face is an achievement, so these will last much longer to me.

Drugstores and larger supermarkets, price around 6 €.

BALEA Bath Bomb with Lavender

I saw these on Instagram, but there are two versions, one has a white heart. I was going to pick that one up because the lavender bits on this one just won't look good in a bath, but I didn't see it (that one smells like raspberries I think). This one smells exactly like the My Golden Twenties Pflegecreme Balea had in the beginning of 2015, so it's a more sophisticated type of lavender scent. I haven't used it yet, but when I do, I'll post about it on Facebook.

DM, 1.99 €

BALEA Pflegecreme für Dich

With peach and papaya scent

I wanted this the moment I spotted it on Instagram or Facebook, but I had to wait for it to reach Slovenia. Ina from Hysteria of Decay told me it smells like Bibita, an old Slovenia fizzy drink with a refreshing tropical scent, and it totally smells just like it. It's not much of a peach scent, it's more about papaya and as I said it's a very fresh fruity tropical scent, I love it. Texture is the same as all its predecessors, so a light cream for a universal type, not like Nivea, but much lighter, however, still firm. I use these as hand creams because they sink in so fast. One thing about these is that they tend to get glassy after about 6+ months, so you need to use them fast.

DM, 1.19 €

CATRICE Victorian Poetry LE Nail Polish

05 Royal LavenERA

Promotional pictures painted this collection as the most mesmerising this year and yet when I was standing in front of the stand, I felt a bit underwhelmed. Not that is wasn't pretty, it just wasn't all that. For one the nail polishes didn't quite look like in the pictures, so I only picked one item from this collection and even that because it's a colour I don't have yet. Royal LavenEra is a pale pastel violet with silver frost and a satin finish. It reminded me of the already discontinued Les Blancs collection by L'Oreal, which was one of my favourites, but it's a completely unique colour in my collection. Normally such matte/stain nail polishes chip fast from my tips, but this one lasted several days without a base or top coat, my only tiny complaint is that it's hard to remove for some reason. The packaging is adorable and innovative, since it can double as a Christmas tree decoration.

DM, 3.29 €

L.O.V. Cosmetics LOVIconyx Eyeshadow and Contouring Palette

820 A Glass of Wine with Liz

I just got this (along with a gorgeous rose gold Spell on Me bracelet), so I only got to wear it today and I can't say much about it. I've been eyeing these in the shop since the brand appeared in Slovenia, but I haven't seen any reviews yet. It's just stunning to look at, isn't it? All shades are satin-shimmery, though the last violet one is least reflective. All shades appear to be combining well and all are wearable, though the last violet one stands out a bit. It's a collection of a hazelnut brown, satin vanilla, light peachy beige, light mauve and a burgundy. I've only used them lightly because I don't want to destroy the pattern just yet, but they appeared nicely pigmented when used with a brush, while surprisingly they swatch a bit weak.

14.99 €

*BEAUTY & CHIC Contourilicious Oval Brush Set

I've actually been using these, well a pink gold version of the set, for a few months now, but I had to keep it a secret because I was merely testing it if it's worth it. It was hard for me not to mention it because it's become a part of my everyday routine, at least the biggest brush in the set which I haven't put down since I got it. I haven't used any other brush or tool to apply foundation that's how much I love it and I was one of those who was completely sure these oval brushes are as gimmicky as they can get. Actually when I first showed these to no-makeup people they asked me what do I plan to do with these toothbrushes/dish scrubbers - Am I the only one who looks at these and thinks of those vintage fancy hair brushes? These are primary base brushes, at any other tasks like eyes or lips application they kind of fail for me and as the name itself indicates, they are mainly for contouring, which I rarely do, hence why I mostly only use the big brush.

Biggest 5x4cm brush is by far best for foundation, other tasks like possible powder applications don't suit it well. It blends the foundation so quickly and perfectly, plus it's such a joy to use. It's very thick, but still soft enough, actually the softest in this set. I'm so enjoying this one.

Medium brush 3x2cm is already much thicker than the bigger one and I wish it weren't. Still it excels at blending out contour, it's just perfect for it. For application of blush it's a bit too thick for my taste, but it can be done.

Thin brush is probably the most multitask one, but mainly for jobs I rarely do. It creates a precise contour below the cheekbone, which I then blend with the medium size brush, but it's perfect job is nose contouring. It can be used on brows for basic powder/gel application and combing, again a job I never do, also it can be used in the crease if you're in a pinch for a clean brush, but it must be done gently.

Small round brush is admittedly my least favourite and one I'd switch in this set for something else, but it's still a useful brush. I like it most for applying highlighter in the inner corners of the eyes, while it can also be used for spot concealing and lip colour application.

The handles are sturdy and these really feel well made, I appreciate that they have a rubberised handle because otherwise they would slip from the hands.

Click2Chic, 24.90 €

BEAUTY & CHIC Contouring Brush

I've only started noticing these shapes of brushes recently, but I've always liked these type of thin brushes. For contouring I find it a bit too wide for my face, but I'm so digging this for blush application. It sort of fits into contour/curve of the cheeks and it's super soft, much softer than the oval brushes because it's not as dense.

Click2Chic, 3.90 €

FIRST AID BEAUTY Exfoliating Pads

Nadja gave these to me to test, so I could see if they are worth splurging on a whole pot. I cut them in two, so they will last longer, but I have to say these are so incredibly gentle, it makes me wonder if they have any significant amount of acid in them, though I'm aware they are meant to be for fine for sensitive skin. I've been using these for a while, but my skin is still has uneven texture on my nose and a few dry patches around my eyebrows. But then that 5% gycolic acid isn't working on me either.

Full size (60 pads) €26.95 on Look Fantastic.

L'OCCITANE Peony Hand Cream

I've always been a fan of L'Occitane hand creams, though I love the original Shea Butter most because it's thickest and most moisturising. Peony is like the Almond version, so very light and absorbs quickly, something I always like at a hand cream and it's just right for me, but for very dry hand Shea is better.

L'Occitane, full size 8.10 €

GLAMGLOW Supermud Mask

Things can't get more hyped up that this. Though I'm certain it has a lot to do with their marketing team, reviews still tend to be on a very positive side. It's much, much thinner than the usual clay masks, so you can apply a very thin coat. It smells strongly of green tea, well actually like a spa, and it even has bits of green tea in it. I noticed no tingling that most people describe, but not even 5% glycolic acid tingles on my skin. On the skin it feels like a regular clay mask, meaning it tightens a lot as it dries. When you rinse it off, it has quite harsh exfoliating particles, ground pumice stone actually, which I heard someone say it causes micro tears on the skin, but I swear some people are so… nervous about everything in life. It won't make your face fall off. After use my skin looked so healthy, luminous, pores looked much smaller, so cleaner, but it didn't perform miracles and make me into a supermodel, it just worked like a combo of a exfoliator and a clay mask, so basically like the L'Oreal Exfo Mask I mentioned above.

Full size €47.95 on Look Fantastic.

Have a great day!

torek, december 20, 2016
18 Comments

Best Products in 2015 Part 2

Best makeup products in 2015 and best buys under 5 € got their own posts and now for the rest of the stuff I got in this year that impressed me. If you'd like to read last year's such post, you can find it here.

DEBORAH Smalto Gel Effect

01 Pink Pulse

This is one of the best nude nail polishes ever, certainly as far as the formula is concerned. It's such a pretty nude shade with a cool undertone that makes my hands looks so polished. The formula is one of those new "imitating gel manicure" ones, a discovery of the year to me (pastels got like a million times better), which is so smooth and easy to apply, so there are no streaks even though it's an opaque cream finish nude and it also has a great glossy finish. It's no wonder everyone keeps stealing this one from me.

L'OREAL Les Blancs Nail Polish

858 Ocean Porcelaine

I love my mints that much is true, but this year I wanted to find the perfect light blue nail polish and after some exploring online, I found the one - L'Oreal's Ocean Porcelain. It's so gorgeous, just the right kind of pale blue as it has a white base so it ends up looking almost a bit grey. The formula isn't a typical pastel one because it's much thinner and it needs three coats for full opacity. The bottle only contains 5 ml, so it's not the best value and it's running out fast, but I love the shade so much.

ESSIE Nail Polish

Bahama Mama

Essies tend to land in these type of posts almost every year and it's not just because of the shades, but also because they have some great formulas (except Mint Candy Apple and Fiji. Those are nightmares coming to life). For years I admired Bahama Mama, it's definitely my type of shade, but I wondered if it will look the same on my nails than on Pinterest images and I only took the plunge after I had a 50 % off coupon. It is perfect, just as I imagined it, that perfect mix of warm purple and deep red and it looks so beautiful on the nails. It's my favourite shade out of all Essies.

ESSIE Nail Polish

Summit of Style

This is a very recent addition of mine, you would have only seen it on my Instagram if you follow me there, but I had to include it because this is what I wanted to find for years. I didn't know this nail polish even existed, but it's a part of luxeffects line (I think it's permanent, though I'm not sure) and I haven't seen it in our drugstores, but it was in a beauty box (My Beauty Box Slovenia) and it was love at first sight. It's a glitter nail polish with bronze small glitter particles and large hexagons. It's more of a top coat with medium dense shimmer, which you can built up. Of course, it is the type of nail polish that is excruciatingly hard to remove, but it's worth it.

How it looks on the nails here.

YUMMY Rhubarb and Orange Shower Gel

When it comes to shower gels, I'm a simple girl. The only thing that matters to me is that it smells nice. Yummy shower gels are nothing special when it comes to the formula (like Balea ones), but I adore the scent of this one. It's so refreshing, like a nice glass of tropical fizzy soda. Everyone I asked said it smells like Radenska Ace Tropik (one of those orange multivitamin drinks), so basically it's something like Escada summer edition fragrances.

L'OCCITANE Immortelle Oil Make-up Cleanser

I tried a few cleansers this year, but this one has the best effect on my skin and so far it's my favourite oil cleanser. It's the only one that didn't cause me problems after a longer use, in fact, it keeps my skin in a very decent condition plus it removes my heavy-duty waterproof mascara aside from all the rest of the makeup. I'm not a fan of how foggy it makes my vision, though that is a given at all oil cleansers and it's very expensive, but it's in my top three cleansers so far. I'll try their Shea Butter one next because it's cheaper that this one and I hope it works the same.

CREATEURS DE MONOI Face Cream

This has been my moisturiser for several months now. It's nothing special, just a basic face cream with a medium thick texture and a lovely Yves-Rocher-like scent, but it agrees with my skin and doesn't cause me any problems. It's a good moisturiser to use under foundation as well.

L'OREAL Elvive Extraordinary Oil Oil-in-Cream

This leave-in conditioner is quite unique in terms of texture because it actually feels like a hair oil in a cream form and coconut oil is on the second place among the ingredient, which is completely unexpected for a brand like L'Oreal. This fixes my dry ends without the high silicone content (though there are silicones in it) and without making my hair greasy or limp. It can be used on either dry or wet hair, which is just awesome, plus it smells lovely. I wish this was sold here, but so far I can only get this version on Boots, however, they have the version for normal hair already on Salma. The shampoo from this line is also amazing.

LE PETITE MARSEILLIAIS Huile Elixir Karité & Argan

This may just be one the best pre-wash treatments for super dry hair I've ever tried. It's a combination of soy oil, argan oil and shea butter oil, so it's super greasy and heavy, which is what makes it brilliant. I use this every time my hair feels really dry and I apply it generously all over. How long I leave it on depends on how much time I have, it can be just 10-15 minutes, but I get best result if I leave it overnight. This completely transforms my hair back into a normal state and it feels so nourished. So far I've only seen it in Leclerc, which is a bummer, but at least it lasts a while.

By the way, coconut oil works just fine before you go on a frantic chase to find this and you don't have a Leclerk around.

TANGLE TEEZER Compact Styler

Black & Gold

To be fair all such hair brushes are just fine, whether you get the original Tangle Teezer or a cheap knock-off for 5 €. They all do the same job, but the reason I like this one is because it's smaller than most. This won't matter to a majority of you, but if you have small hands like me, it's a big plus. The plastic cover is brilliant and it makes it actually travel friendly plus the gold/black design is very expensive looking. I also feel like it's better made than most such brushes I tried, so I know I'll have it forever considering how careful I'm with all my stuff. The prices for this brush really vary, so don't be one of those who buys it for 20 € because you can get it much cheaper.

SAPPHIRE 8 in 1 Complete Curling Wand

This is a very, very expensive curling iron, but I'm a big fan of it and use it all the time. The set includes eight barrels, so it's a very versatile hair tool. I used Remington's Pro Soft Curls for years, but now I prefer this one, even though I get same results if I use 2.5 cm barrel. Remington's is great if you're looking for something on a budget, but since I have both, it's the little things that make me use Sapphire. It doesn't have the annoying clamp, it's lighter, it heats up way faster, you can see it heating up, and of course there are eight different barrels to choose from, so it offers a ton of variety, though I tend to mostly use the 2.5 mm one.

AQUALINA Pink Sugar

I found this impossibly boring when I first got a sample of it and I chucked it in my purse where I keep emergency samples next to the coins. Then on some random day, which seems ages ago and just reminds me how bloody long this stupid year was, I was sitting in the office getting ready to go grab a bite and me being me, I can't go out without a fragrance "like a total savage", so I dug out my emergency stash and drenched myself with this. I was immediately transported into this fantasy candy land with candy canes, cotton candy and rivers of vanilla essence. This fragrance is seriously so impossibly sweet, but dammit I adore it. I don't know what made this shift, maybe I changed so much, but I got home and ordered this straight away. Unsurprisingly given the notes, it's a proper silage monster and lasts very long on the skin. If you want to smell like a candy store, this is for you.

HUGO BOSS Ma Vie

I used up a considerable chunk on my perfume stash this year. I set myself I goal before I purchased a new fragrance and I've done it. I was dreaming about this fragrance ever since it launched and I'm so chuffed I finally got it. It's such a beautiful, fresh and floral simple scent that just makes you smell nice and elegant. Boss fragrances aren't the most exciting scents, but I love most of them. I also love the bottle and I keep it displayed on my vanity.

BEST COLLECTIONS

KIKO Rebel Romantic

(August 2015 with some bits still available)

I think this is the best limited edition collection in history made by a drugstore-priced brand. They really nailed it with the rose gold and the packaging feels seriously high end, especially the lipsticks. The latter are absolutely amazing in every respect and are the best creamy lipsticks I've ever tried. Kiko should really think about making at least the lipsticks and the mirror permanent.

ESSENCE Merry Berry

(November - December 2015)

Hands down the best collection Essence ever made. It is truly outstanding and people went crazy for it, me included. I got two nail polishes, two lipsticks and a hair fragrance, but there was plenty more. The colour scheme was beautiful, though incorrect on the press release, especially as far as the Red Rocks shades was concerned since it's not at all a red, but a Mac's All Fired Up like magenta, which just made it even more awesome. However, for me the real winner was the 03 pink & perfect nail polish, which is one of my favourite shades ever. The bottles of the nails polishes are outstandingly beautiful and I wish Essence changed their packaging of The Gel Nail Polishes to these. The lipsticks were actually quite nice quality, much better than the regular ones. More of this and less of the average performing products please Essence.

CATRICE Lumination

(July - August 2015)

I'm the person who just walks past limited editions, but this one made me pause. I only have the blush from this collection and it's a complete stunner. I often speak of Illuminating blush in I'm Nuts About You, my favourite blush, which isn't actually illuminating at all, but this one called Flushed-Fiction is about the same shade, yet actually glowy. How I wish they would make permanent! The collection also included some pretty highlighters, a bronzer and a few lipsticks, all in some very attractive shades.

And that concludes my favourites of year 2015. You can find all such posts under the best buys label or at the end of the All-Time Favourites page.
What were the stand-out products for you this year?

Have a great day!

torek, december 29, 2015
16 Comments

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