One of the new products. It can be removed with just warm water, which is why I got it. It's a mascara that needs some time to become volumising as when it's new the formula is too thin to create significant volume. Once it dries a bit, it becomes a more typical Catrice mascara, one that creates let's say a medium amount of volume with two coats. I always get it on the skin around the eyes, which either has to do with the brush or my clumsiness. There was some smudging due to sunscreen and I think maybe a BB cream, it can also crumble if there's tears and you rub your eyes. 

I bought this after Catrice's one didn't really wow me and this was recommended to me. It's another new product for spring and there are several versions of Lashes Without Limits mascaras, not all are tubing ones. The brush is a silicone one with a pretty basic design. It's more volumising when new than Catrice's version and the formula is not as thin. The volume doesn't reach the levels of some of their popular formulas such as Lash Princess and for a mascara that boasts with adding length I notice nothing special. As far as smudging and flaking goes - it the same as at Catrice; it can smudge in contact with something oily and flakes at times. It's easily removed with warm water and no remover is needed - that's the biggest plus for me, even if I don't find it that amazing in terms of effect. It doesn't hold my lashes up.

I have this one in my bag and Catrice in makeup table, so I use them interchangeably. Essence wins. I've had both for months, I use them all the time and Essence's has a more impressive effect in terms of volume. 

These are designed to be matte semi-opaque lip colours that look blurred. I haven't tried a lipstick like it, but it reminds me Revlon's Cloud liquid lipstick. Neutral colours look very natural in terms of texture on the lips, but at vivid shades on my lips they catch on ridges, leaving somewhat uneven look - to be fair I think it can only be seen from close up. 010 Mochi Mauve and 020 Raspberry Rush look very similar on me and very natural, like my lips-but-better. 060 Brown Butter is also very similar, just deeper. 030 Peach Blush adds a touch of a peachy hue and again is more on the neutral no-make-look side. 040 Cashmere Cherry is the only shade that has some vibrancy and creates a nice soft red lips look. Formula is very lightweight, it needs several layers for good opacity and isn't the type of formula that's particularly hydrating, but it's also no drying. Staying power isn't the best even at the red shade.

A creamy collection of liners. Pigmentation isn't fully opaque with one stroke, but they are more intense than the Blur lipsticks. The tip is cut diagonally instead of having a sharp tip, so I didn't get a crisp line, it ends up thick on me. These have a twist up system and don't feel so fragile they might break like quite a lot of such liners do. Staying power is better than at the lipsticks. These can easily be applied all over the lips. 020 Mauve Mesh is a great shade that gives my lips some more depth.

So far I've been loving wearing combination of 020 Mauve Mesh with Blur lipstick 010 Mochi Mauve for a neutral lip. 

A repurchase - finally. I don't know why DM doesn't carry this basic clear version, I don't like the tinted ones (I had the pink and purple one). I use this as a basic lip balm because it's a great soft, nourishing formula. The gloss level is decent too, but the scent could be better. The product doesn't twist back in the tube - a safeguard because the formula is so soft.

A replacement for my usual red nail polish, which thickened. I got a cheaper version this time since I've never tried a red that would be bad regardless its price. This is a basic neutral red with a pigmented, smooth formula that can be fully opaque with one coat. Staying power is good on me.

I grabbed the wrong colour, so this was a miss from the start. I wanted the clear version, since they didn’t have Essence’s Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balm Coconut and I picked this formula instead. Compared to Essence’s Juicys the texture isn’t as soft and doesn’t feel quite as moisturising, though it’s pleasant enough. This has plenty of small glitter, which feels somewhat gritty when I press my lips together. Pigmentation is sheer, but with several coats it can be built up to light tint on the lips. This shade looks warm on me, leaning to peach. Shimmer ends up everywhere. There’s so scent. These had a discount in the drugstores, so it looks like they were discontinued.

I used to have this, disliked it, forgot about it and bought it again because it was cheap and apparently it's a best-seller. I fail to see why because it's got a hard texture that doesn't feel very moisturising, instead it feels like there is just a protective layer on the lips. Many like it, but I'm still not one of them. Lip Smackers and other softer balms are more my thing. Scent is of calendula ointment and not strong.

First time trying Carmex and it works for me. I've been using Melem since I got it once as a gift with purchase and though the texture feels so buttery, rich and soft, I realised that my lips just reverted back to its dry, chapped state as soon as it was gone from my lips. Carmex feels different. It's not as rich, the layer you can apply is thinner and it's a much harder formula than I usually like, but it works and my lips stay hydrated for much longer. I got the Berry version which has a fruity scent. I was reluctant to buy the original version because I hear it tingles.

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

A repurchase. This is my upgrade from Geek & Gorgeous A Game 10 (they have 20, but this was more convenient to repurchase) and at first I noticed a very mild burning, but my skin got used to it very fast. As far as results go - I never see any results as retinols or retinals. The texture is the same as Geek & Gorgeous one, a bright yellow lotion that sits on the skin for a while. The bottle has only 15 ml.

A shampoo that says it's for dry scalp, which is why I bought it, but it feels drying on my hair. It's the type that strips too much from the scalp and hair. I was impress by it at the first wash as it worked a treat. My scalp was clean of dandruff and it itched less. However, by now it does nothing for me. It has about the same scent as Ilirija 1908 Kopriva (Nettle) shampoo, an unidentifiable cosmetic vintage one

A gentle formula that doesn't feel drying and it foams well. It’s highly praised on DM’s website for removing dandruff. This one doesn't work for me. It doesn't remove dandruff or help alleviate it. On to the next one I guess.  

A mask and leave-in treatment in one. It's a thick, rich product that feels like a heavy face moisturiser when you're applying it. Ingredients look great, it has shea butter high on the list and several other oils. When I was rinsing this off, my hair didn't have that silky feeling and it was like I didn't use a conditioner, but once I used my regular leave-ins and dried my hair, it felt nourished, but the top layer of my hair still felt rough. The tube is small for my liking and I probably used close to a 1/4 or even a 1/3 for one use on my long, thick hair. Winter Protect is similar, actually better and you get more. Traum Locken has a typically scent of this line, a version of a cosmetic scent, nothing fruity or floral.

This is only available during the winter and I've missed it for the past several years. I finally tried it mainly because I like the Keratin one and because it has shea butter high on the ingredients list. My hair has been very, very dry in the winter and it became coarse - this conditioner/mask impressed me so much, I stocked up since they are not available for most of the year once stock is gone. It's not very thick, but feels a bit balmy and it's richer than the Keratin one. It properly nourished my very dry hair and the effect lasted for days, even on my ends. To me it's better than the Keratin and Repair version, but my hair is very thick and dry. It has a basic cosmetic scent, something like Nivea and similar creams.

A repurchase. It reminds me of Pantene, as it leaves that slippery feeling on the hair that I like, plus it's nourishing enough. It's silicone free. 

Syoss’ version of a glossing product, similar to L'Oreal's Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination. Instructions don't say it, but I think this should be used after a conditioner (from the same line). I used it on its own despite knowing it's wrong and it was very wrong. My hair felt so dry and even leave-ins couldn't rescue it. My hair didn't have more shine, nor did it dry smoother with my round hair dryer. I had to wash my hair again the next day, I needed hydration. Formula is similar to L'Oreal's version, a thin lotion, but L’Oreal’s is more hydrating.

A shine spray that acts as heat protection. I think this is the actual product to buy if you want shine. It's the same thing as Shchwarzkopf's other shine products in an aerosol (Got2B, Gliss), still I bought it because apparently I can't resist a shine spray. The shine is intense and this works as a taming product as well, since it reduces frizz. 

A rich mask with aloe vera as the first ingredient instead of water, shea butter, coconut oil and others. My dry hair liked it, it's very nourishing, but Balea's Winter Protect is similar and cheaper.

Balea’s version of glossing rinses and like L’Oreal’s has glycolic acid. Unlike Syoss' one I tried this one only in combination with other masks. Texture is very light, similar to Sysos and L'Oreal Glycolic Gloss. I noticed no increased shine or smoothness after using this. Apparently nothing beats the overly expensive, but always reliable Moroccanoil Frizz Control line (lotion and spray).

A repurchase. I use this after every hair wash and it's so far the best leave-in conditioner I've found. It's true to the claim of long lasting hydration, it leaves my hair somewhat softer and it dries smoother.

A repurchase. I buy this when my skin is very dry because it's the cheapest shower oil and decent for the price. It doesn't have the richest emulsion and the scent is bland, but I buy it every winter and use it instead of regular shower gels.

I remember these being better. It's not a butter, it's a standard cream, meaning lighter than I expected. It needs some effort to get the white streaks to go away. Scent is barely peachy. I regretted taking this instead of Balea's Urea cream in a tube the moment I opened this.

A repurchase after a few years. Since I wasn't that happy with that peach Fussbutter from Balea, I picked up this cream which is quite light in terms of texture, but it's better at nourishing, though I'm still looking for a formula that will truly wow me. I tried all Balea's formulas that they have in their regular lines and this is the one I like most. It absorbs in a matter of minutes, which is good in some respects, though my feel are always so dry, I gravitate to heavy formulas that stay on the skin for hours (I have silicone socks to help absorption). It's decent at hydrating-nourishing, but effect isn't long-lasting on me. It's an ok cheapie, just like the body cream from this line.

This is very praised on DM's website for smelling great. I find it a bit boring as most of the time it has a dusty vanilla scent, but every once in a while I can smell the pistachios and it turns into a pistachio-vanilla pudding scent. Balea launched other products with this scent as well.

The only bar soar that doesn't leave the skin stripped of everything. It's as gentle as using a regular shower gel and it smells great.

DM Sun Dance finally made a perfume with their signature sunscreen scent. It doesn't smell exactly the same as their sun lotion, instead it starts more citrusy and develops to a softer version of the scent, more powdery - but it's still very close, it's just the basic difference between a perfume and cream format. It's moderately strong when I spray it, but becomes a skin scent after, so it's weak. Nivea Sun and La Rive Solare are not dupes for this, just in the same European sun lotion scent family. Only 30 ml version exists and it's a limited edition. It's about 6 € - I found it among perfumes, not sunscreens.

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

| video |

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

Review and swatches are here.

| video |

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

| video |

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

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

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

| video |

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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