THEBALM Nude'Dude Eyeshadow Palette

My birthday gift. I tried this one time on their stand in Ljubljana and fell in love with it immediately. My friends of course picked up on all my hinting and got it for me (thank you). I have Nude'Tude from before and this is its more coppery-purple sister, a lot of the shades here are definitely less traditional neutrals, but it's again a very wearable neutral palette. Admittedly this one feels a bit less pigmented than Nude'Tude, a discovery that was a massive surprise to me, since the one I tested in the shop had amazing pigmentation and the eyeshadows were so incredibly creamy. Maybe I need to dig though the top layer at this one, I don't know. The shades are again very smooth and blend beautifully, they also last the longest out of all eyeshadows I've tried so far and fade the nicest.

Salma, 30.55 €

THEBALM Meet Matt(e) Hughes

Adoring

I wanted these so much and I'm so happy my friends got it for me. I love matte liquid lipsticks and these are some of the latest to come on market, in spite being new, they already received an overwhelming positive feedback. Trying this shade, I can definitely see why. My shade, Adoring, is a deep burgundy shade and if you check other liquid lipsticks in such dark shades, they mostly seem to be a bit patchy/uneven, but this one is perfect in one coat. The formula is a liquid cream that isn't too oily, nor too thick and it takes about five-ten minutes to set to a velvet matte finish. It still transfers a bit, but it's definitely one of the most comfortable matte liquid lipsticks I've tried. It also smells amazing, like After Eight. I'd like to get more shades of these. I already featured this shade in my monthly favourites.

Salma, 15.59 €

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Nude Wear Glowing Nude Powder

Light

 Last year I fell in love with Physicians Formula. They have some amazing products that come in the cutest packaging, so I wanted to try some more of their products. I watched a review about the entire Nude Wear line as well as checked other reviews online and this powder has a very positive feedback, so it was at the top of my wishlist. It's a radiance boosting powder, something along the lines of Hourglass Ambient powders and Bourjois' Java powder, but it's multi-coloured, so it should also enhance natural skin tone, at least that's what they say. It's a mix of four warm shades and the shimmery writing is just an overspray. I've only worn it a couple of times, but so far I really like it. I hate powders because, even though they look nice when applied, when the makeup starts wearing off, it looks cakey. This one looks very light on the skin, like there is nothing on, but it reduces the oily shine and gives a bit of radiance back, so it's not flat looking. For now it has some larger chunks of shimmer, but it's just from the overspray. I need to test it with more foundations to see how well it performs and then I'll do a review when I make my mind about it, but so far I like it. The packaging is the same as at the blush, which I reviewed a while ago, so a faux leather design with a rose gold bow, which is just super adorable. 

iHerb, $13.63

I ordered this a few weeks before my birthday and I even paid more for shipping so that it will arrive on time. Of course it took five weeks, not two. A bit miffed at iHerb to me honest.

BOURJOIS Radiance Reveal Concealer 

01 Ivory 

The very sudden launch of Bourjois City Radiance foundation and this concealer caused quite a buzz in Slovene beauty community. I think it's safe to say most of us like at least one of their foundations and a lot, including me,  might say that Bourjois does some of the best foundations in the drugstores. They nailed it with Healthy Mix and subsequent Serum version in all aspects including the shades, but I was deeply disappointed with the colour range in their latest release. The foundation shades are way, way too dark for me and the concealer looked no better when I swatched it first. But I heard so many very positive reviews that I went back I got it despite my shade related concerns. The concealer does look a bit too peachy-orange when I apply it on the skin, but it blends out very well and matches me just fine. I freaking love this concealer! I think I love it as much as Maybelline's the Eraser. I've been wearing almost every day for about three weeks and because it's so beautiful on the skin, I started using it as a foundation. I think it looks better than all the foundations I currently own. It's quite a light consistency, most similar to Maybelline's Fit Me and it looks so natural on the skin, it just sort of melts in. It covers about medium with one coat, I do two on more problematic areas and it covers it well enough, not like Collections', but decently. I like any concealer that looks like skin, so this one gets two thumbs up from me. I would love to try the foundation too, but those darn dark shades!

Müller, 8.69 €

REVLON Colorstay Concealer

2 Light

I actually am still hooked on Bourjois Radiance Reveal, but Revlon had a 25% discount last week on all products and I've been thinking about trying this concealer because I really love the foundation (I think I might love it more than Sheer Glow). I got the lightest shade on our stand, 2 Light, which looked ok in the shop. I swatched it next to Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum 51 in the shop and it looked light enough for me so I took it. And it all looked fine, I mean it looked a bit more yellow than my other concealers, but when I was editing pictures for my before/after, half of my face looks like a bloody Simpson. This is crazy yellow for me. But I'll make it work, I'll just use it under foundation, maybe it will neutralize redness. It's quite thick, the texture is similar to Collection's, but almost like it's a bit more gel like (more silicones maybe) and the coverage is medium-full. The finish is more on the dewy side on me and it needs time to set. I like it, but I'm not a fan of the shade. 

Müller, 8.59 € 

*L'OREAL False Lash Superstar Mascara 

L'Oréal launched yet another mascara, I'm sure you're seen the heavy advertisement with J.Lo. It's nothing new actually, it's the same double mascara design they've had for at least a decade, but I've never had a mascara with a primer before. There is the white primer coat that gives volume and a black fibre mascara on the other side. I pretty much hated this the first couple of weeks. Not just that it's a regular formula, which never works for me, but it also made my lashes messy looking, not clumpy, but undefined. It definitely improved a lot since then. The white primer part gives a ton of volume and in combination with the black side, my lashes are huge. Mind you, they are completely straight, so no one can see them looking straight at me, but it's one of the best volumising mascaras I've tried. The lashes aren't as unruly as before, but it's still not the best at separating and defining the lashes. I do have a massive pet peeve at this mascara - since my lashes are straight and long they always hit my glasses and this mascara is almost like it's a bit oily because I need to clean my glasses constantly. I'm sure I'm the only one with this problem. Also it's a fibre mascara and they did fall into my eyes a couple of times which was uncomfortable.

15.65 €

*L'OREAL Superstar Super Slim Eyeliner

The eyeliner is a completely different story than the mascara. I've tried a lot of felt tip eyeliners, I have four at the moment (two I bought, two I got) but this one has definitely the most unique tip out of all I tried. It's like a spade or spear design and it's one of the largest of the slim ones I've seen. The clipped base makes the nib bendy, so it feels more comfortable to use than a regular stiff felt tip applicator. The line I get with this is thicker than I usually wear, but it's still fine. In terms of formula, it's the same as their Super Liner Perfect Slim, which remains one of my favourites. It's black, smooth and lasts nicely on my normal lids. It's a bit expensive, but this is the eyeliner I would pick in our drugstores, which has quite a limited selection of decent liners. 

10.19 €

ESSENCE The Gel Nail Polish

37 Serendipity 

I've had this on my wishlist for the longest time, which is just ridiculous considering it costs so little and I don't have anything like it. It's a mix of pastel violet and grey, but leaning more to violet on me. It's a gel formula that is quite thick and needs one-two coats for an even finish. On my nails here.

Müller, 1.69€

ESSENCE Thermo Nail Polish 

05 The Ice Is Melting 

This is another nail polish I wanted for ages, not for the colour changing thermo effect, but for the shade. It's a medium, slightly taupe grey and it's supposed to change colour to a darker or lighter shade of grey depending on the temperature. I tried it with cold and hot water, and surprise, surprise it doesn't work, but I don't care. Formula is thin, so at least three coats are needed for fully opaque finish, but I actually love this one more than Serendipity.

Müller, 1.49 € 

ESSENCE French Manicure Tip Guides

I got these just in case. I needed to do a french manicure recently and it's very hard to do when the only thing you have is sticky tape. There are 30 stickers in a pack.

Müller, 1.19 €

ESSECE Nail Art Duo Stylist

I wanted to create a polka dot design for a really long time and I could just do the whole pencil-plus-pin-hack, but I just decided to get a proper tool, since it might come in handy in the future. It has two sides: a rounder, larger dot maker and a thin, more precise side with which you can draw lines. I tried the polka dot thing and I still need more practice, but it makes nice dots. 

Müller, 2.29 € 

ESSENCE Studio Nails Nail Polish Corrector Pen

I used to have one of these when they first appeared in the Essence standard line-up almost ten years ago, but I wasn't too impressed since the tip gets dirty really fast. I do so many embarrassing messy nail polish swatches and cotton buds are just too large for me that I just decide to get it again. It does a really good job, they must have improved it and it comes with spare tips. It also smells like cherry candy. The price threw me off a bit, though.

Müller, 2.99 €

L'OREAL Elvital Tonerde Absolue Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

I don't even really know why I bought this, but it was partly because it was mint green and that's just a horrible reason to get a shampoo. My dandruff issues continue to plague me and I don't have any other anti-dandruff shampoo, so I thought, why not try something new, though to be fair, I had little faith it will work. This one is actually for oily hair with dry ends and I got it on purpose because I hoped it would work a bit more aggressively and at least for a short time rid me of that persistent layer of dandruff that sticks to my scalp like nobody's business. This performs like a really good shampoo for dry hair. I'm not kidding. There is none of the squeaky clean feeling, I am able to comb my hair with no problem and there aren't many tangles. My hair feels clean and light, but not dry. It removed dandruff like any other regular shampoo, so only a small portion and it did not help prevent it from forming again. It's not a fail, but it's not an anti-dandruff shampoo nor do I think it's nice for oily hair. I actually like it, L'Oréal does some pretty good shampoos.

Müller, 2.69 €

I've tried the following anti-dandruff shampoos and treatments:  

- KÉRASTASE Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant Anti-Dandruff Moisturising Shampoo

- FRUCTIS Anti-dandruff shampoo Sensitiv

- LA ROCHE POSAY Kerium for dry hair 

- PHYTO Phytosquam Intense

- PHYTO Phytheol Intense 

- VICHY Dercos Anti-Dandruff Sensitive Treatment Shampoo

- MA PROVENCE Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

- VICHY Dercos for dry dandruff

- LAVERA Cornflower

- ORONAZOL healing shampoo

- FITOVAL Dandruff and itchy scalp shampoo

- DUCRAY Selegel for dry dandruff

- PHILIP KINGSLEY Exfoliating Scalp Mask

- HEAD & SHOULDERS Classic Clean, Extra Volume and Ocean Lift

- Baking soda

- Coconut oil

So far nothing helped apart from Vichy, but only the first bottle and a combination of Phytheol Intense with Phytopolleine gave me a temporary relief. I've done the whole no sulphate &, silicones things too for a couple of years and it only got worse. I've been to the dermatologist and she didn't want to give me anything. If you have any recommendations for something that works, please let me know.

SAUBÄR Bubble Bath Honey and Almond

Schaumbad Honig und Mandeln

I loved the scent of this in the shop. I'm a nutter for proper honey scents and this one seemed so promising, but unfortunately outside the bottle it does not wow me. It not warm and sweet enough, it's just very generic. Texture is the same as at all of these SauBär bubble bath, which is very liquid and bare, but gentle. I only used it as a shower gel and it's very thin, so it doesn't foam all that well, but I have yet to try it in a bath and I don't know how much foam it produces.

DM, 1.99 €

*URIAGE Thermal Micellar Water Combination/Oily Skin

Termalna micelarna voda za čiščenje mešane do mastne kože

Uriage is a French pharmacy brand and as you know they take their skin care seriously, so you're bound to get a high quality product, but I've never actually tried anything from this brand yet, so these are my first pair of products that were selected for me to try by the Slovene online shop Mediforma. This is a micellar water for combination/oily skin, they have a version for sensitive as well, and it a standard feels-like-water texture. It takes me two, sometimes three cotton pads to remove all the makeup, but I wore regular mascara on those days, it of course won't touch waterproof one just like all micellar waters (only oil removes waterproof mascara). This one is scented with a lovely floral fragrance. The bottle is quite hard, which makes it harder to squeeze, but it does drip out fast.

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 5.20 € (100 ml)

*URIAGE Hyséac R Restructruing Skin-Care

Obnavljajoča in pomirjevalna emulzija

This is a moisturiser that was designed for skin that has undergone a medication treatment for acne (such as Accutane/ Roaccuane for example). I have a family member that was on Roaccutane for a while and I can say it's pretty brutal on the skin. It dries up like crazy and these effect do linger in a milder form for years, but you truly are left with completely clear skin. I wish this existed back then because we had the hardest time finding a suitable moisturiser (oil was the first choice). Cerasterol -2F helps rebuild and reinforce the cutaneous barrier, while TLR2-Regul acts on blemishes and reinforces the skin's protective barrier function. It's quite nourishing, but it doesn't sit on the skin, instead it sinks in very fast. It can be used under makeup because of that. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and it's ok. I hoped it might help heal some of those pesky blemish marks that seem to last forever, but I haven't seen much improvement. It's a nice daily moisturiser.

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 13.75 € (40 ml)

*PHYTO Phytovolume Volumising Shampoo

This is pretty much the exact opposite formula of what my hair needs, but I gave it a shot anyway. My hair is very dry and I don't need much help in the volume department, but I need a lot of nourishment, which this shampoo doesn't provide. As a volumising shampoo, it's of course very light, focusing mostly on getting the hair as clean as it can get and making it light and airy. Just as the rest of Phyto shampoos, it's very liquid, though it still foams decently on my hair, especially for a sulphate free shampoo, but the metal packaging with a big gaping hole as the dispenser mechanism, isn't the best. It left my hair stripped and feeling dry, so I wasn't a fan of it to be honest, but I do have good experience with their anti-dandruff shampoos. If your hair is thin and oily, you might like this.

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 15.00 € (200 ml)

*PHYTO Phytovolume Actif Volumising Spray 

Another volumising product. Phytovolume Actif supposedly envelops the hair with keratin and in this way expands the circumference of each hair. It's a very light spray with quite a lot of alcohol, which is noticeable at application. I used it on damp hair before hair drying and it worked like a classic volusing products by giving the hair texture, which on my hair means frizz and unmanageability, but I can see it working on fine hair. My hair also felt a bit sticky (could be from the shampoo), which I wasn't thrilled about, but I did get some extra volume, just not a manageable one, so this unfortunately wasn't a product for my type of hair. It has mixed reviews on Makeup Alley and Sephora, but I believe these was some sort of a hype about this. 

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 20.00 € (125 ml);  Set with 50 ml shampoo, 50 ml Phytobaume Volume mask and 50 ml spray, 14.18 € 

*PHYTO PhytoBaume Reparateur Express Conditioner 

Sample 

I had only a sample that contained 12 ml and since my hair is thick, not to mention very long, I use almost three times as much, hence why I can't give a valid review about this. I tried it, it's somewhat medium consistency and smells so lovely (creamy floral), but as I expected it felt like I haven't used anything because it was just not enough product for my hair. It doesn't contain any silicones. Reviews on Sephora here.

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 20 € (150 ml) 

*PHYTO Phyto 7  

Hydrating Day Cream for Dry Hair 

Sample 

I had Phyto 9, which I'm sorry to say was not my favourite hair product, but this is its lighter sister. It's more liquid, less face-moisturiser like and I prefer it to Phyto 9. It doesn't feel greasy, but it does make your hair look wet at application, though it dries soon and it just smooths the hair similarly to silicone serums or oils. It's silicone free and like 9, it smells like hay. This has rave reviews on Makeup Alley and Sephora. 

Ingredients.

Mediforma, 19.00 € 

 *WET'N WILD Max Volume Plus Mascara 

A regular formula mascara with a plastic wand that has a tapered design similar to L'Oreal's Intenza mascara. The formula is thin and at first use it only tinted my lashes, so I left it open for a few hours to speed up the thickening process, it then performed much better, giving me a defined, voluminous lashes with three coats. It doesn't keep my lashes curled.  

Click2Chic, 5.49 € 

*WET'N WILD Cover All Concealer Palette 

A palette that contains three colour correcting shades and a highlighter. The warm pink shade is for brightening, green for neutralizing redness, peachy-orange skin tone shade is for counteracting blue and violet circles, while the highlighter has a strong white-ish silver pearly sheen. The colour shades are creamy, but waxy, so thick like concealers in such forms usually are. The highlighter has more silicones, so it's smoother, but with an almost cream-to-powder effect. The brightening shade is actually already a concealer for me, since it's only slightly pinkish, but very light. The green has quite a bit of pigmentation as does the peachy orange skin tones shade, but the latter is so dark, it doesn't work on fair skin tones. I have a Slovene review with swatches on the other blog I write. 

Click2Chic, 4.99 €  

*WET'N WILD Eyeshadow Palette  

Comfort Zone 

Megalast lipsticks and this palette are top recommendations when it comes to this brand on all review sites or blogs and I totally get why. Comfort  Zone contains eight eyeshadows, so you get a lot for your money and they split into two colour schemes: a neutral brown one and a green one. I'm so blown away by the pigmentation of these. The eyeshadows are so smooth and blend nicely, I'm a huge eyeshadow snob and mostly use just my high-end palettes because I have little patience building up the colour, but these are comparable to Urban Decay, TheBalm and Too Faced. They are a bit more crumbly when you place the brush on the eyeshadows, but I haven't experienced any fall out. The shade range is more neutral that green, since the two shades on the right are only deceptively green. The green looking one at the bottom right is a dupe for MAC's Club, which is a duo chrome eyeshadow, so it actually blends out reddish brown and the top one is a classic highlight shade with zero green tones. I have a Slovene review with swatches on the other blog I write. 

Click2Chic, 5.99 € 

*WET'N WILD Eyeshadow Trio  

Silent Treatment 

This trio has a selection of shades that I reach for most. It's a pretty simple colour combination: a classic shimmery pale peachy-pink base shade, a gorgeous taupe shade with a satin finish and a dark shade that looks reddish brown in the pan, but it's almost smoky black on the skin. The quality is not quite as good as at Comfort Zone, but very, very close. The difference is only that this one isn't as creamy, but the pigmentation is nonetheless very impressive.  

I have a Slovene review with swatches on the other blog I write. 

Click2Chic, 3.99 € 

*WET'N WILD Megalast Lipsticks 

Bare it All, Just Peachy, Purty Persimmon, Sugar Plum Fairy, Ravin' Rasin and Cherry Bomb 

Megalast lipsticks are some of the most popular budget lip products and have been for many years now. I heard some find them dry and impossible to apply nicely, but I've had zero problems with these, in fact they apply evenly in one swipe, especially the lighter two shades. Maybe it's because they are stored in a warm room, I don't know, but they work perfectly for me. They are thick and have that slightly sticky texture on the lips, so you can feel them, but they wear off nicely, especially Sugar Plum Fairy wears off into such a gorgeous, even stain. The packaging is very cheap and I'm constantly afraid that I'll break them, since the cap is so tight and I have to use considerable force to open them and they get messy fast. The packaging get a minus from me. So on to shades: 

Bare it All is a beige nude shade that is a supposed dupe for Mac's Velvet Teddy. Very wearable and even I can pull it off, despite the brown tones. Comparison swatch with Velvet Teddy here

Just Peachy is a beautiful peachy pink shade. I was very worried about this one looking orange, but it's seriously so pretty. It's not too white based looking on me and it's my favourite in the bunch.

Purty Persimmon is an orange red and a very similar shade to Mac's Lady Danger. The pigmentation is a bit sheerer than at others and it has a more shiny finish, but it's easy to get a fully opaque coat of colour. I have a side by side comparison with Lady Danger in my review on the other blog.

Ravin' Rasin is a medium cool greyish purple shade. I'm not feeling this one on me, it's simply too purple, but I can see it looking more mauve on medium skin tones. 

Sugar Plum Fairy is a dark purple pink and similar to Mac's Rebel (side by side here). This one stains the lips, but in a very nice even way. 

Cherry Bomb is a dark vampy burgundy red and very similar to Mac's Diva, only even a bit darker. Side by side is here.  

I'll have a review here as well including full face pics.

Click2Chic, 2.99 € 

Have a great day!

*products were sent to me. Wet n Wild products are for my Click2Chic reviews and I'm not required to post them here as well.

I posted the first part of empties yesterday and here is all the rest.

PRINZESSIN STERNENZAUBER Märchenhaftes 2 in 1 Shampoo + Spülung

2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner

This fails as a shampoo and conditioner for me because I feel it doesn't clean well, but it's great as a shower gel. It smells like peach sweets so I loved it.

Repurchase: Yes

YVES ROCHER Pear Caramel Shower Cream

I actually won this in a giveaway hosted by YR - the first time I won anything in a proper giveaway. I loved this. It was so creamy and it foamed well plus it smelled so good, like real pears. Yummy! The only thing I didn't like was that the is no nozzle or a pump on this, so it ran out way too quickly. The cap also broke very quickly.

Repurchase: It was a LE, but if it's released again during Christmas time, then I would.

THE BODY SHOP Honeymania Body Butter

One of the best body butters I've tried, even among TBS ones. The texture was just perfect, thick, but not too much and it was very moisturising. The scent didn't really resemble honey, it was more like wild flowers, but I still liked it.

Repurchase: Yes, in a different scent. Maybe Shea Butter or Satsuma.

BALEA Pflegecreme

50's Forever

I actually used two of these, but I already repurposed the tin, so the other, the Golden Twenties version, is missing from the picture. I adore these and I currently have four others. I use them as hand creams because they are super moisturising, but sink in quickly (I really hate greasy hands). They don't have this version any more, but it smelled like cherry candy. The Golden Twenties one smelled creamy with notes of lavender and honey. I love the packaging of these, it's so cute.

Repurchase: I have four, including one back-up of this version

HAIR

L'OREAL Elvital Glatt-Intense

By far my favourite drugstore shampoo. It's perfect for my dry hair because it nourishes it, not just cleans it. By the way the Extraordinary version is pretty much the same, except for the scent (I think it serves as a replacement for this one). It's like a bit of conditioner was added to the shampoo, but it doesn't weight my hair down, just smooths it a bit. When I'm rinsing it off, there is none of that annoying squeaky clean, dry, my-hair-I'll-be-a-tangly-mess feeling and the hair can be combed a lot easier than at a lot of other shampoos. If you have really dry hair like me, give it a go, it's very affordable anyway, but if your hair tends to get greasy fast, there may be a chance it'll build-up on your hair (it doesn't on mine, but bear in mind this was made for dry hair). 

Repurchase: I have a 400 ml bottle in my stash, but yes.

KÉRASTASE Nutritive Bain Satin 1 Shampoo

This grew on me. Initially I wasn't that impressed because even though it's meant for dry hair, it felt too light for me. But when I started using it regularly, my hair got better. It's a product that shows its effect with long-term use and I think people whose hair tends to get greasy fast, but have dry ends, might like this a lot (though I again can't assess if it builds up on the hair.) It's expensive, but if your hair is dry and you like the squeaky clean feeling, this might work well for you.

Repurchase: I still prefer Oleo-Relax, though this one is nice too.

PHYTO Phytosquam Intense

I like the concept of this, but unfortunately it did not help me with my dandruff. This is like a pre-wash treatment and shampoo in one. You apply it on dry scalp, leave it on for 7 minutes, then emulsify the product under water and it behaves like a normal shampoo, so it lathers well and cleans the hair. It left my hair feeling a bit striped, but I didn't mind that and it smells like burnt rubber, though it wasn't terrible. The packaging leaked, so I had to use a cap that I got from another product and by the end it was hard to get the last bits out because the tube is metal.  

Repurchase: No.

SEXY HEALTHY HAIR Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner

This is my absolute favourite leave-in conditioner. It nourishes my hair, keeps it hydrated noticeably longer, reduces frizz and it has made my hair a lot more healthy since I started using it. I use it after every wash on damp hair and one bottle lasts me about a year. Because it's light, I think that a majority of people can use this with no problems. I can't be without it.

Repurchase: Already did.

L'OREAL Total Repair 5 Hair Mask

A great drugstore treatment for dry hair. I don't often find treatments that are nourishing enough for my hair and this one is. I've seen the effect of it on other people (because they nicked mine) and the result was amazingly shiny, less frizzy hair. 

Repurchase: I repurchased it immediately when the pot was empty. 

FRAGRANCE

ESCADA Marine Groove edt

A limited edition from 2009, this was the only absolute love at first smell out of all my fragrances. I got it for my birthday and treasured it dearly, of course in my typical manner saved it like crazy, so it's actually gone off (I am laughable). This was my favourite Escada's LE. It smelled fresh and sweet like passionfruit. I think they have this version in Refan as a dupe and there are probably still bottles of this sold in some online shops.

Repurchase: It's was a LE, but I might get the Refan's dupe version

ESCADA Taj Sunset edt

Another ancient limited edition, actually only a year younger than Marine Groove. It smelled like super sweet mango and had typical short lasting power of these LE Escada's. It's another one that I had for way too long and it's gone off, but that's a standard for me. This one may also sold be in Refan and in some online shops.

Repurchase: It's was a LE, but no.

BEYONCE Pulse

Another fragrance that I felt was about to go off, so I dedicated myself to use it up. It had a lovely orange candy scent that later turns into a more powdery-floral one. I absolutely loved the modern bottle, but as it turns out, even though it's supposed to be kept upside-down, this appears to have broken the pump, so it leaked and sprayed in weird directions.

Repurchase: Yes, but not straight away.

REFAN fragrances

You may know I used to have tons of these. I think they are really good, they smell and behave just as the originals, but for a fraction of the price. The only thing is that they do go off in about two years, so if you suspect you won't use them often, get the smallest 15 ml size.

N.034  (Imitation of Lancôme La Vie Est Belle)

A super sweet, gourmand scent. This one smells to me like an expensive box of pralines with a fruity filling (black currant and pear), but not completely gourmand because of the floral notes (iris, orange blossom, jasmine) and patchouli. Staying power was great.

N.001 Miss Dior Cherie 

A super girly scent, but in a very sophisticated way. The sweet fruity notes of strawberry and cherry are mixed with sticky caramel and cotton candy which are then rounded by patchouli to give it a more grown up feel. This is the only fragrance I notice the difference from the original and even that only in silage. The Refan version is fainter, however, I owned Dior Cherie years ago and swapped it due to it being absolutely too strong (it felt so suffocating to me at the time), so I actually prefer this one. 

N.177 Burberry Body

It smells like roses, but not like a grandma type of rose. Normally I dislike rose scents with passion, but not in this composition. There are other notes that temper the rose scent, which makes it smell more fresh, creamy and powdery. Basically, it's a clean skin scent. There is supposed to be peach in it, but I don't smell any fruity notes at all.

Repurchase: Not these scents, but definitely yes.

TRIBUTES8 01 Molecule 01 Iso E Super

This was such a waste of money. You know that fragrance Molecule One from Escentic Molecules that so many bloggers rave about? Well that famous molecule is called Iso E Super and it's not spectacularly rare or so exceptional that it might justify a hefty price tag. There are a lot of these Molecule 01 dupes on eBay, which are just a dilution of Iso E Super in perfumer's alcohol. I didn't quite know what to expect as it's a fragrance that's supposed to smell different on each individual and you yourself can't smell it, but it should smells nice to other people. Except that is doesn't. Well, it doesn't smell of anything to be honest. It's such a weak scent that smells like water, earth and wood, like walking in a forest or similar to the oris root note in Britney Spears' The Naughty Remix, but super gentle and it lasts just a few seconds. It's just lame. It just felt like I was spraying water on me. I tried mixing it with other scents to maybe give them something extra, but this did nothing.

Repurchase: No. 

It's been quite a while since I promised some of you that I'll review this and honestly, I've been avoiding it. The reasons are that first it's a hair care item, which not a lot of people are interested in and the second that this just didn't do its job. It's a new dandruff treatment by Phyto that is quite unique as far as my experiences with anti-dandruff products go. I've tried most of Phyto anti-dandruff treatments before and so far they were the best ones, however, didn't completely help me get rid of the problem, just alleviated it. Funnily enough I had a sample of Phytosquam and it was very, very promising, but the full size product didn't deliver. 

I love the idea of this - it's a product that you apply on dry scalp, section by section, massage it in and leave it on for 5-7 minutes. It's only then that you add water and use it as a normal shampoo. The product has a handy nozzle applicator that makes it easy to apply the product on the scalp, the only problem is that it leaks, so I added a cap from a different product to avoid losing product. Unlike their anti-dandruff shampoos, which are very liquid, Phytosquam is an actual gel, so it feels closer to a normal shampoo. It has a strange scent that reminds me of burnt rubber, but it's not hard to put up with it. When it is on my scalp, I don't feel anything, so no tingling or anything similar. Once I add water, it emulsifies well, like a normal shampoo, which is surprising since Phyto's shampoos, don't foam well and when I rinse it off, it leaves my hair squeaky clean, which is not something I'm terribly fond off, but how else should it remove all the dandruff. Though it worked ok from the start, meaning that it removed most of the dandruff if I applied a thick coat of it, it started losing its effect on my scalp. What's more, not only did that coat of dandruff reappear the next day, now that I'm nearing the end of the tube, it doesn't even remove the dandruff any more. The only thing that I do notice a difference is that there is less itching going on, but it's not gone. 

I did exactly as the instructions said - used it for about two weeks every other day, which was a lot of washing for me since I have dry hair, but after I saw that the treatment didn't work, I started using it only every few washes so I'll use it up. I even started leaving it on for a lot longer than those 5 minutes and it still didn't work as expected. The tube has only 100 ml of product in it and it's almost gone now, but it did last those two weeks of thick applications, which I actually was worried that it won't. 

Though I must say I sail the beauty products waters quite successfully and rarely purchase a product that performs poorly, I still have a few laying around. I'm a type person that extensively researches almost every product I buy and I rarely buy something impulsively, yet actually a lot of these product were bought either based on previous good experience with a similar product from the same brand or they just grabbed my attention and I bought them on the spot. To avoid making this post too negative, I'll put a link to a favourable review of each product, so you can more critically assess whether the product might still work for you.

BeautyUK Eden Palette

How gorgeous is this to look at, am I right? This is without a doubt my favourite collection of colours in a palette out of the ones I own (which aren't that many to be honest) and I am gutted it turned out to be such a dud product. The pigmentation of this is so poor, especially of the prettiest matte shades. Those shimmery shades don't perform much better, they do show up, but they all look the same on the lids when blended. This palette completely turned me off cheap "dupe" palettes. I'd rather pay more for a high end one and have eyeshadows that are of actual good quality. I don't care if this was only 6 €, it was still precious pennies wasted on a rubbish product.

Positive review: Bean's Beauty Blog. 

MODELS OWN Gel Eyeliner

I was sent this, but that doesn't inspire mercy from me. At the end of the day I'm still left with a liner that isn't performing the way it should and I hate having such products taking up my space in my makeup collection. The formula of this is simply too dry, so a nice even line is hard to do as mostly it turns out to be a diffused and soft type of line, the same I can achieve with an eyeshadow. Gel eyeliners should be fluid enough and not almost dried up when new.

Positive review: Temporary Secretary

L'OREAL Super Liner So Couture

I got not one, but two completely dry ones, which can only mean I have either the worst luck in the world (believable) or this is just a rubbish formula. I couldn't even do a proper review with pictures of this on the eyes because I couldn't even do a line. I think that the swatch picture says everything there is to know about this liner and I'm still pissed I paid 10 € for it.

Positive review: Meteo Beauty 

ARTDECO High Precision Liquid Liner

This liner is infuriating. The worst flip flopper I owned. If you've read my review, I've seen the problem with it - the formula is simply drying too fast for a decent application. Most of the time I get barely anything out of it and then on rare occasions it works almost perfectly. It was very expensive, so despite its occasional good behaviour, it deserves a place in this post.

Positive review: Anaviglam

L'OREAL Studio Line #TXT Excess Volume Texturising Spray

For a time this was the only such product available in Slovenia, but now I've seen a few new interesting ones. When this first came out, I've heard some great reviews about it, later also a few bad ones and my experience falls into the latter group. It's a strange product that on my hair either does nothing when used in moderation and when I increase the amount, I get a very sticky, my-hair-hasn't-been-washed-in-ages result that doesn't terribly please me. This is like a very weak, sticky hair spray that just doesn't work for my hair. I much prefer the VO5's one as well as the Charles Worthington's.

Positive review: Katie's Beauty Blog.

GOT2B Volumania Volumising Hairspray

When I discovered that my favourite hairspray apparently isn't sold in Slovenia any more, I decided to give this one a try because I love the mousse and the styling spray from this line. I hated this from the first spray. I was so spoiled from the Lee Stafford one, which feels like nothing on the hair that having a sticky, wet residue after application was a bit of a shock to me. It also didn't perform in the hold department, certainly not on the level of Lee Stafford's one. For me this felt just too noticeable on the hair and technology has come far enough to leave such 90's feeling hairsprays in the past. 

Positive review: Chérie 

GOT2B Sprüh Kleber a.k.a Freeze Haispray

I got this because I wanted something that would hold my natural/heatless curls that I love so much, but they drop within a half an hour (such a shame). It didn't perform as I expected. This has a very high rating on Makeup Alley and people said this holds like nobody's business. Apparently just not on my hair. I saw no difference in terms of hold between Lee Stafford's one, however, this is very sticky as well as heavy. I don't like noticeable hair sprays, so this isn't for me. That being said, when I do hair on other people, they almost always request this hair spray because they like to feel that there is something on the hair, I guess they are so used to the idea that the hairspray must be sticky to hold. I used this on a girl with very thin hair when I curled her hair for a special occasion and she said her hair drops really fast - as far as I'm concerned this hairspray  didn't perform all that well because she came home with her hair almost flat.

Positive Review: I Covet Thee

PHILLIP KINGSLEY Elasticizer

This was one of the biggest hair disappointment for me. Glowing reviews convinced me to shell out for a 75 ml size that I knew won't last many uses on my long hair. It's a pre-wash treatment that you apply either for 20 minutes or overnight on slightly damp hair. This didn't pretty much nothing, certainly nothing comparable to other expensive hair treatments like Masquintense or Intense Hydrator. Money down the drain this was, nothing else. 

Positive review: Amelia Liana 

PHYTO 9

Another product I got based on highly praising reviews on Makeup Alley and one I disliked from the first use. My hair is very dry, especially in the days after washing, so I had hoped this would be a nice silicone-free nourishing leave-in to fix my hair. This is such an odd product, it's like applying a face moisturiser on the hair and it leaves these white dust-like dots on the hair, which is not attractive when you have dark hair like mine. But the greatest disappointment was the fact that it didn't even work. I noticed no significant nourishment, certainly nothing comparable to Orofluido Sahara, which is one of the best quick-fix products to treat dryness that I found. 

Positive review: Makeup and more

ARGAN OIL Hydrating Hair Mask

This is utter, total crap. By far the worst product in this selection. It ruined my hair by making it look and feel like straw, people genuinely couldn't believe that a masks could do this when they touched my hair. I saw this whilst exploring the never ending treasure that is Leclerc's beauty department. It caught my eye because it's very cheap and the ingredients looked decent (argan oil on 7th place plus even a bit of keratin). Though it's a thick mask, it has zero moisturising properties, my hair felt awful when I was rinsing it off and I couldn't even run my fingers through my hair when it was dry, that's how tangly it was. Horrible, horrible stuff. If you see this in Leclerc, just ignore it. 

I can't find a positive review about this and I'm not surprised.

I LOVE… Honey Almond Shower Gel

Yeah.. this is basically liquid. You know when a shower gel or liquid soap is running out and you can't get the last bit out, so you pour water in the bottle to get it out. Well, this is like it. A diluted soap. It's impossible to wash with or least make foam without a mesh sponge. It smells nice, but that's it. 

Positive review: Parokeets

BALEA Fantastique 5-Klingen Rasierer

I bought a female razor after possibly 7 years or more. I used to have a Venus one, but I completely switched to male razors because if it's good for someone's face, it's good enough for me. Sweet lord are female razors rubbish compared to male ones! What's with the annoying, bulky strips that prevent you from reaching places. They make it so clumsy. I already have a good shaving gel and an oil, why do I need a moisturising strip as well? Also I think it kind of broke after first use because it bent 90°degrees and stayed like that. Odd little thing. In all years of shaving, I don't recall many occasions when I cut myself, but with this one, I was shocked to see bloody shins when I came out of the shower. And I don't mean on one single occasion, I mean every time I used it. Once I had four cuts on one leg alone. I'm sticking to my Gillette Fusion Proglide. Yes, the replacement blades are so expensive, but the razor does its job the way it's supposed to, plus it has an additional blade in the back. Male razors rule, people. Just saying.

Positive review: Julia's Beauty Blog 

Any big disappointments you encountered recently? Have a great day!

MAKEUP

MAX FACTOR Excess Shimmer 

Bronze

I've heard some raves about these eyeshadows, but I find them so expensive, so I waited for a discount. This was one of the two shades I found appealing, however, the other shimmery taupe-light brown shade was out of stock. Bronze is a medium-deep warm brown shade with some bronze tones in it, so it's definitely more of a smoky eye colour. The texture is so soft, almost like a cross between a mousse and liquid eyeshadow, plus it's very pigmented, so I only need to touch the surface very lightly or I end up with too much product. It's not as easy to use as Maybelline's Tattoos mostly because it's messier, though it still blends easily. I noticed this only after I was taking pictures for the review, but it doesn't look nice when I close the eyes. It looks uneven, so it's better if you put an eyeshadow on top. It also creases.

DM, 9.99 €

L'OREAL Les Blancs Nail Polish

858 Ocean Porcelaine

I wanted a proper pastel blue nail polish for a long time, but always forgot to check which ones we actually have here. This one is without a doubt the prettiest one in my eyes, as it's a white base with a touch of sky blue in it. It looks so pretty on the nails, I just can't stop looking at them. The formula is quite a sheer and light for a pastel nail polish, so I need three coats for a nice even opaque finish. The bottle contains only 5 ml, which is very little for the price, but I adore the colour.  

DM, 5.19 €

ESSENCE Longlasting Lipliner

03 Yummy Berry

These are all over the blogs I follow, and though I am not a fan of Essence lip liners, I gave them a try. The colour of Yummy Berry surprised me because I expected a warmer, redder shade, but it's a cool toned fuchsia on me, which is a very different shade than I'm used to and it makes my face look paler, but I think it's a nice colour. Formula is nothing special, just as I suspected. They are less creamy than their old lip liners, but better than Catrice's when it comes to comfort because those are a bit sticky and thick.

Müller 1.59 €

NAIL POLISH

ESSENCE Effect Nail Polish

32 The Black Cat

I got this solely to fix scuff marks on bags. Compared to their Black is Back nail polish, this has a thinner formula and yet just like at that one, two coats were enough for full opacity. It takes a longer time to dry and it ends up with a what I can only describe as latex finish, so like medicinal gloves, but in black matte way.

Müller, 1.49 €

ESSENCE The Gel Nail Polish

13 Forgive Me

This looked like a dusty pink in the shop, but at home I realized it's Miss Piggy pink colour. I don't think I ever even owned such a pink nail polish, but it's cute. It's darker on the nails than in the bottle, so it has a very Barbie vibe. The formula is a nice one, two coats was enough for full opacity and it's very smooth. I applied this with no base or top coat and it survived a rigorous firewood collecting/stacking (well, two. Oh, the glamorous life I live) intact except for a barely noticeable chip on the tip of my left index finger.

Müller, 1.69 €

SKINCARE

Inell Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante

I repurchased this even though I haven't run out of my can yet, but Leclec isn't exactly in my backyard, so I seize every opportunity I get. This is my favourite morning cleanser and there is nothing I dislike about it. It's a dense mousse that's comes in what resembles a whipped cream can, so it's super fun to use and it's also gentle, does its job and smells nice. Plus did you see the price of this thing? It's almost cheaper than bread.

E. Leclerc, 1.51 €

CADEAVERA Peel Off Maske

I don't know who was it, but someone said: "I forgot how great these peel off masks feel" and it just got stuck in my head. I remember using one that I got as a sample a million years ago (yes I'm that old. I did my driver's licence on a dinosaur), but I probably used it wrong because I was even a bigger idiot back then than now. So gave them another try and just grabbed the cheapest one in Müller. There is a ton of alcohol in it, but I'll only use it a few times. It's like a thick glue when you're applying it on the skin and though it says to apply it in a thin coat, I remembered from first time that was a bad idea. It smells strongly of some sort of herbal schnapps, so sharp and alcoholic. You're supposed to leave it for 10-15 minutes and it starts getting tighter at about 10 minute mark, but I left it on for 15 to be save. Much to my surprise and contrary to expectation, I pulled it off remarkably easy, which is a complete difference from torturefest I remember from the first time. The pain was minimal, only at the edges where there's more hair. Did it do anything? I'm not sure. The pores looked about the same and there wasn't anything on the dried up mask, but the skin did look clearer.

Ingredients.

Müller, 0.69 €

BATH AND BODY

BALEA Bodybutter Nuss

This was on my wishlist for ages, but I refrained from buying it until I used one of mine up. Sara from Passing Fancy teased us with the description that this smells like Monte, our childhood essential, so naturally the huge sweet tooth I am, I knew I needed this in my life. Turns out Sara was completely spot on, this smells exactly like our beloved dessert. It's an intense chocolate hazelnut scent and when I was applying this, I once got so confused that started looking around if I left a chocolate on my bed. For some reason when I gave other people to smells this, they disliked it. Those people have the same sweet tooth like me, so they must have their head examined. The texture is very, very thick, if you had their Cocoa version, this is the same. It sits on the skin for a long time, but moisturises the driest of skins and is great for emergencies with dry patches and the likes.    

Ingredients.

DM, 2.99 €

REXONA Invisible Pure Anti-Perspirant

I don't know which repurchase of this deodorant in a row is this, though this one has a different label than my usual one, but I'm sure the content is the same. So far it's still working well, which is a minor miracle as far as my deodorant history goes and it's only downside are white marks.

DM, 2.99 €

BALEA Pflegecreme Sail Away

With raspberry scent

This is the newest version of these small universal creams. I must say Balea outdid themselves with these, they are so adorable, you could just stare at their cute retro designs for hours and the texture is amazing as well. This one smells like raspberry fragrance, so it's a soapy version of the scent rather that sweets. I mostly use these as hand cream because they sink in so fast, but they can be used for a lot of purposes and are great for emergencies to carry in the bag.

DM, 1.19 €

BALEA Pflegecreme 50's Forever

I got the "old" version as well, just because I really like it and I'm worried it might disappear from the shelves, but I still have my old one left. This one smells like cherry candy.

DM, 0.99 €

SAUBÄR Badestern

Honig LE

Bath star with honey scent

This smells amazing in the packaging, like some proper honey stuff, just as L'Occitane makes them. It's shaped as a star, so it looks cute as well, however, in the bath is boring. It fizzes gently, the honey scent is not present any more and it turns the water lime green. The latter part is the most interesting one. It contains some jojoba oil and indeed my skin wasn't flaky on my legs as usual after a bath. 

Ingredients.

0.99 €

YVES ROCHER Raspberry Fizzy Bath Cube

I'm trying different bath bombs on a budget because a couple of months ago I had absolutely nothing to put in my bath water and that had to change. I haven't used either of these Yves Rocher ones yet, but through the packaging I can smell a raspberry tea fragrance. I'm planning to do a collective post about these budget baths.

Yves Rocher, 1.40 €

YVES ROCHER Strawberry Fizzy Bath Cube

This one smells like strawberry sweets through the packaging.

Yves Rocher, 1.40 €

HAIR CARE

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinaire Oil Nourishing Shampoo

This was already in my monthly favourites because I've been using it for a month now and there's 1/3 of it gone already. Since I can't find my beloved Glat-Intense version anywhere (why?! Just why?!), I've decided to try if this new version I've been seeing everywhere compares. The texture looks exactly the same and it foams the same, the major difference is the scent, which is a bit cinnamon like. As far as result go they are indeed very similar. It's again a fantastic shampoo, which cleans well and isn't at all stripping. This shares it's first place with the Glat-Intense version as my favourite drugstore shampoo.

Ingredients.

Interspar, 3 €

DOVE Pure Pflege Schwerelos Ől Spűlung

Quench Absolute Conditioner

I've been using the other version for years, but haven't had the chance to try the ones in the new packaging. I've used it twice and the first time I hated it as it left my hair dry and at the same time it didn't felt like it hasn't rinsed off completely. The second time I used baking soda as a cleansing shampoo before and this worked a lot better. It's still an average conditioner with a medium thickness texture and a surprisingly non-Dove scent (it's still a clean, albeit a bit sharp scent). It works ok, but I find it's not as good as their old version. I need to use it more to tell you how I truly feel about it.

Ingredients.

Müller, 4.95 €

PHYTO Phytosquam Intense

I already talked about this in latest empties, so this is an one week of use update. After initially being pleased with the effects of this shampoo, especially when it comes to removing that stubborn layer of dandruff that is stuck on my scalp, I noticed that on the second day after washing, there is a new layer of dandruff again. I've been using it every second day as recommended, which is much more often than I'm used to washing my hair and I don't see much improvement. I'll try to use a thicker layer of it on dry scalp and leave it for a bit longer because as far as long term effects go, the way it's suggested to be used, doesn't appear to be working. The nozzle is super handy, but it is leaking if it's turned down or the tube is lying on its side. The shampoo foams well for a natural one and it smells a bit like burned rubber.  I will update you with results at the end of the treatment.

Ingredients.

Leposana, 20.50 €

L'OREAL Studio Line Hot & Go Thermo-Föhn Spray

This must be new because I've never seen it anywhere before and I literally just grabbed it without any prior research. I liked the idea of an aerosol heat protectant because most such products make your hair wet and you can't use heat tools immediately. I am unsure about this product. It works ok on damp hair, however, it's nothing spectacular, it just works as a basic heat protection that doesn't weight down the hair and it super easy to distribute due to the aerosol form. But I got this to use on dry hair before curling and it's wetter than I expected. Also on random strands it felt a touch sticky, but what bothered me most was that it has a hairspray feel to it. It does have a tendency to make the hair a bit stiff, which is not necessarily a bad thing if your hair is limp and fine as it will give you texture and therefore some extra hold, but on my hair that effect is drying, which doesn't terribly please me. It smells somewhat like a classic hairspray.

I used it on this picture here. This is third day hair without a hair spray or texturizing spray that I usually use. I also used Phytosquam and Dove conditioner.

Müller, 4.89 €

L'OREAL Elvital Ől Magique Nährende Balsam-Maske

Elseve Extraordinary Oil Hair Mask 

If the German name confuses you, it's because I got it in Müller and they sell stock meant for German markets, while Interspar and the likes have products with English names, but it's from the same line as the shampoo. I got this after liking the shampoo and I'm unsure about it. The texture is thicker than that of Total Repair 5, yet it does less for my hair than the latter. On my hair it didn't feel enough and I expected it to work great in combination with the shampoo. It has a similar scent as the shampoo, but a bit different. I'll find me so weird for saying this, but it smells like when you go to Croatian seaside in one of their apartments when they've been just cleaned. Maybe there's a cleaning product with this scent or I'm just plain weird. As with Dove conditioner, I need to use this more before I say my final words about it.

Müller, 5.99 €

ARGAN OIL Hydrating Hair Mask

This is utter, total crap. It ruined my hair by making it look and feel like straw, people genuinely couldn't believe that a masks could do this when they touched my hair. I saw this whilst exploring the never-ending treasure that is Leclerc's beauty department. It caught my eye because it's very cheap and the ingredients looked decent (argan oil on 7th place plus even a bit of keratin). Though it's a thick mask, it has zero moisturising properties. My hair felt awful when I was rinsing it off and I couldn't even run my fingers through my hair when it was dry, that's how tangly it was. Horrible, horrible stuff. If you see this in Leclerc, just ignore it. There was also a shampoo and heat protection spray in this line,  both for a bit over 2 €, but I sure won't be trying those.

E. Leclerc, 2.19 €

PR PRODUCTS

*ALPSTORIES Bath Salt

Sol za kopel

When Alpstories contacted me if I'd like some products, I was on the verge of declining, though I have an unwritten rule to help Slovene based companies. I'm not a natural cosmetics enthusiast, but once I saw their customising tab I got so excited. They allowed me to custom mix my own bath salt, which is something I actually really wanted. I absolutely love the idea, so well done Alpstories for this option. I've seen some Youtubers talk about The Bathory doing the same thing, but it's ridiculously expensive. You can also make your own label, which is just the coolest thing ever and I decided on a simple lavender theme with my logo, though the initial draft was mint green (maybe next time). This mix cost 10 € for 400 g, so it would make an excellent gift idea, plus it's so much fun, especially the label part as you can upload your own pictures. You can also create your own body lotion, massage oil, shower gel, liquid soap and face oil. 

Alpstories, 10.38 €

*ALPSTORIES Organic Shampoo with Aloe Vera

Organski šampon za lase aloe vera

They also send me this shampoo, which was a surprise on their part. I've had bad experience with natural shampoos, they just don't work for my hair nor scalp, but I'll give this a go and let you know how I like it. It smells nice, not at all herbal like most such shampoos, but closer to pharmacy shampoos.

Alpstories, 12.96 €

*ALPSTORIES 100 % Pure Damask Rose Floral Water

100% organska cvetna vodica damaščanske vrtnice

So many people rave about Melvita's rose water and this looks so similar, so I'll finally give this rose water hype a try. I'm not a fan of rose scented products and this has the same type of scent than Super Facialist Calming Creamy Cleanser, but slightly sour, so it's not my favourite. I've only been using it a few days and I'm not sure if I see any significant benefits, perhaps they should reveal themselves long term. I do have a complaint about the spray pump as it doesn't spray a fine enough mist.

Alpstories, 10.34 €

*BORN PRETTY Smooth Liquid Eye Liner with a Panda Design

I've been avoiding Born Pretty mails for the last years, but I finally caved to see if they're decent or not. I had to rename this liner because the name sounds like a search engine score in an eBay way (name on the liner is Sweet Pink Smooth Liquid Eye Liner). I didn't expect much from a liner that looks like a toy and is made in China, but man this is good. After a streak of seriously rubbish liners (looking at you Artdeco and L'Oreal), I've finally been able to do a proper thin line with a flick. The formula does remind me a bit of Artdeco in a sense that it dries a bit fast, but contrary to that one it's not useless. It's a nice black, smooth formula and I love the applicator. If this doesn't dry out in weeks, I'll be repurchasing it. I absolutely adore panda the packaging, it's seriously so cute.

Born Pretty, $5.99

*BORN PRETTY Matte Lip Cream

#36

Another thing I decided to rename. The name on the tube is Me Now Generation II Long Lasting Lip Gloss #36 and on their website it's another "search engine" name. I am genuinely scared of wearing this. Not because it's of Chinese origin, but because this lasts until Christmas on the lips. Seriously, the staying power is insane and it stains, so you have to commit yourself to wearing bright pink for the entire day. The colour is not what I expected based on their swatches and I now wish I've chosen a more demure colour, but I got a compliment on it straight away. If you thought Bourjois' Pink Flamingo was bright, this is like the sun compared to it and those who love long lasting brights, you'll love this. This dries matte fast and into that true matte finish that I love, but it dries into an uniform layer, so for the first few minutes it's not that comfortable, but it gets better. 

Born Pretty, $2.59

I got a code to that gives you 10% off your order MKOH10, which is also in the sidebar.

*L'OCCITANE Pivoin Sublime Créme Perfectrice 

Izboljševalna krema za obraz Popolna potonika, 50 ml

Isn't the packaging of this just too die for? And the scent, my word is it amazing as well. I'm a huge fan of L'Occitane skin care, I've been since my teens and my favourite ever moisturiser is their Angelica Hydrating Cream (dreams are made of that stuff). In fact since I used that pot, I've been without a proper moisturiser, so you have no idea how happy I was to receive this in the mail. The texture is very similar to the Angelica one, meaning it's a medium thickness cream and it sinks in fast, so it's great under makeup. I will enjoy using this pot of cream, that's for sure. There will be a full review.

L'Occitane, 38.10 €. 

*L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime Tinted Lip Balm

Rose Nude

Obarvani balzam za ustnice Popolna potonika SPF 25, 4 g. Naravno rožnati odtenek

I already reviewed this here and you can also see there how it looks one the lips. I'm not a huge fan of tinted lip balms, I just prefer wearing proper lipsticks and I didn't expect to wear this a lot either, however, surprisingly I reach for it often. I like that it's not that classic cherry red that pretty much all such tinted lip balms are, but it has this rosy tone to it that looks so pretty. I also love how it smells, but the price is plainly put outrageous for my budget, but there are plenty of people in the world how can easily afford it.

L'Occitane, 16.30 €.

*I HEART MAKEUP Black Velvet Eyeshadow Palette

I just got this so I can't say much about it. I gave it a quick swatch and it's very mixed quality with most of the eyeshadows matte and there are a few satin-shimmery ones. I feel like there is just too many shades that are too similar, though there is a nice mix of interesting neutral shades. That matte purple in the last row seems to be the best shade in the palette and you don't find many good purples. The packaging is dressed in black velvet, which gathers dust like crazy. 

Ličila.si je za vas pripravila posebno kodo za 15 % popust: BRALKABLOGA15. Velja do konca maja, popust pa ne velja za izdelke v akciji, ter znamke Sigma Beauty, Kardashian Beauty in Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Ličila.si, 10.95 €

OTHER BITS

YANKEE CANDLE Soft Blanket

I adore the scent of this. Truly it's one of the most amazing scents ever. But I burned this one and the room didn't smell much which was disappointing. Most candles are terribly disappointing anyway, so I prefer to use essential oils or in YC's case, their melting waxes as they work a lot better

Műller, 2.49 €

Profissimo Candle Wild Fruits

It's rare that I buy candles and I have them mostly for emergencies when the power goes out, but I got this one for two reasons: I wanted the glass pot it comes in, which should be useful for storing makeup and second, I find that a lit candle in the back of the pictures brings some warmth, therefore gets rid of odd colour tinges. This one smells exactly like the pink Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape chewing gum, but like all candles, it doesn't give much fragrance to the room.

DM, 2.99 €

VEET Easy Strip Wax Strips

for sensitive skin

I've decided to give wax strips a go after several years and they are just as rubbish as I remember. This doesn't grab everything it should, so it only does the job half done. The wax residue is easy to remove with oil, plus you get a few wipes as well.

Interspar, 4 €

YVES ROCHER Samples

Thanks to the lovely Katja from Viva La Vida, I got tons of samples of Yves Rocher skin care. I've tried all already and I plan to put these in a future empties post. In general, I'm very pleasantly surprised by their skin care, these are some very good products. The stand out would be Hydra Végétal 24h Intense Hydrating Gel Cream, which is a dead ringer for L'Occitane's Angelica cream, while the BB cream is highly disappointing. 

Have a great day!