This came out in the last Essence line update and it's available in four shades. I'm a sucker for glowy blushes, with L.O.V. being my favourites and Essence is made by the same company, so we already know they are experts at making luminous formulas without the look of chunky shimmer. And indeed as far as the size of the shimmer goes Essence nailed it. Shimmer is very fine and gives a very natural looking radiance, however, it's not very strong and for extra glow I still use a separate highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones. Pigmentation is good, but I suspect people with a darker skin tone will have to layer this one a lot, though at times I get almost too much pigment. It has to do with the fact that only the left side is properly "blushy" and the other is mostly just a highlight, so it matters from which side you swipe the brush when picking up the colour and it's can be difficult to get the balance just right for pale skin. Formula is not very tightly packed, meaning it's quite a dusty, at least now that's new. It doesn't blend as smoothly as L.O.V. blushes, so it needs some extra time. The formula overall is nice, though it's not the best blush you can get, but if you’re looking for something like L.O.V. blushes in terms of how it looks on the skin, this a good one for the price. I'm not sold on the shade, though. I expected a mauve-pink shade based on what I've seen online, but this is actually peachy pink shade, so not very unique. All the rest looked peachy-orange or brown, so I’m missing a neutral-cool pink-mauve shade in this range.

Müller, 4.29 €

I originally went to the drugstore to get Clarins' Lip Oil, but since the stands are empty and I have no idea how things work now plus I didn't want to bother the SA, I abandoned that plan and got this instead. I wanted a thick, balmy lip gloss that would last a long time on the lips and nourish at the same time, so I remembered I liked the feel of the Clarins tester I once tried. Reviews for this are mixed with people who love it and some who find it sticky and gloopy, I'm more neutral about it, though I'm more one the "like side". It's thicker than an average lip gloss, yet not sticky. It feels nourishing on the lips and after most is gone, there is a nice layer of it left, however, I expected it to last longer, since it's thicker. It adds good level of a glass shine on the lips, but I don't like it's only available in a clear version. For one it's already cloudy looking in the bottle after a couple of weeks of use and my lips are not pretty enough for just a clear gloss, I need something to even them out. It’s got a chemical sweet scent.

Müller, 5.09 €

CV has a new range of these small Beauty Shot products in 15 ml bottles. One is for oily skin, this one is for calming, there one with vitamin C and one is anti-age. I bought this purely because of ingredients because it has glycerine and niacinamide as the first on the list after water, plus centellia asiatica which my skin likes. This is an pastel green emulsion and it's meant to counteract redness, however, I don't find it effective and I don't even have a lot of redness, so don't count on this working in terms of neutralising ruddy cheeks. The emulsion is not something you'd apply in second because you need extra time to blend it in otherwise you're left with streaks. For a product for sensitive skin, I also find it odd they included fragrance, even though it is nice to my nose. It's not particularly hydrating on my skin, as when I apply this on its own, it sinks in fast, then after 15 minutes my skin feels tight and I need to add extra layers of skincare, so this won't replace any hydrating serums, but maybe it’s enough for combination/oily skin. Packaging has a pipette and it's just useless for such a thick formula, so scrape the product of it instead. In terms of effects, it’s too early to say and I can’t tell you if it works for its original purpose or sensitive skin. 

Ingredients.

Müller, 4.59 €

Another product I picked up because it has niacinamide high on the list, but it also has a small amount of a version of vitamin C (ascorbyl  tetraisopalmitate) and pinolumin which reduces redness, calms down the skin and fades age spots. Reviews for this are not great, but based on what managed to gather is that people expected this to fade pigmentation marks fast and personally I don't expect miracles from any product. It's a small bottle with only 20 ml of product and this is not a very light, serum type of product, meaning you don't only use a little at once, so this might not last long. The texture is like a medium thick cream, so a type of product I'd use as one of the last, but mostly as the actual last step in my routine. I have been using just this in the evening for a week and my skin just started to look a bit better in terms of texture, but I can’t say much more about it in terms of results. I can't review this in terms of how it fades age spots, but my blemish marks are fading somewhat faster than usual, so maybe it's actually working.

Ingredients.

DM, 3.99 €

I knew this was a gamble, but glowing reviews swayed me even though I have successfully managed to avoid the hype for many years because I knew exactly what's going to happen. I had such a product before from Garnier and it ended up the same. This is the type of a tinted moisturiser that contains colour in mini beads and those burst when you rub them into the skin and release the colour. Garnier's was too dark and though I was sure this has the same tint inside, there were a few reviews that said they were very pale and this works for them. It's a medium thick cream that starts of slightly grey and you have to rub it in quite a lot for the colour to start to appear. The tint is very sheer, so coverage so low, I don't even notice that much of a difference in redness or unevenness. Colour is too dark for my pale skin tone, so even though it's sheer, this looks like a poor match on me. I could use it as a sort of a all over liquid bronzer, but it all fall apart on my neck and we also come to the second problem: When I try to blend this in nicely so I would have an even application, I just can't get it right and it makes me look like I have dirt on my face - maybe it's my skin or the fact need extra blending due to the mismatched shade, but I've tried it with an extra base and on completely clean skin, but I can't get this to work for me. I can see what it's popular and I know it works for less pale skins than mine, just check the reviews on meindm.at and disregard mine, but this was sadly a miss purchase for me and it wasn't that cheap for Balea.   

Ingredients.

DM, 5.49 €

This has mostly great reviews with some saying it works fantastically, but there are a few that say it does nothing and some scary reviews even say it made their lashes fall out. I hope the latter doesn't happen to me. I wanted to try the Etude House serum, but I'm not risking ordering online now and the price of Dermaluxe makes my eyes water, so this gets the first go. The only other lash serum I tried was from Mavala and it did nothing. Honestly I don't expect much from this, but I remain hopeful it will have some effect. I've done the before pictures with a measuring tool (not included) and I'll report back maybe when the bottle is finished or before if I see something. This is a gel type of product that feels like nothing on the lashes. I was concerned this will be obnoxious to use, but it's very easy to apply with the eyeliner-like brush and doesn't affect my vision. 

UPDATE after a bit over two months: Disappointed. There was no difference in length, maybe a bit in thickness, but nothing to write home about. At least I didn't notice anything in person. I'm not a fan of this for two reasons:

1. Almost as soon as I started using this, my lashes became impossible to curl and even with a waterproof mascara the lashes wouldn't hold up on my left eye. It was infuriating. Since I stopped using this, my lashes returned to normal after a month.

2. They've become even more messily dishevelled, very hard to fan out nicely with any mascara. 

DM, 6.99 €

This has - you guessed it - niacinamide high on the list. I'm so full of surprises. But it also has allantoin, camelia extract plus some glycolic and malic acid albeit only in the middle of the list, so it's not a strong exfoliator. I loved the results of this one.

Sheet: A proper, non-stiff hydrogel mask in two parts and of course super slippery as you might expect, but as it warms up/start to dissolve, it clings better to the face and even shrinks. It was too large for my face, especially the top part, but like I said it shrank. It’s transparent.

Essence: There’s plenty of it and it’s a light, non-sticky formula.

Scent: a strong chemical scent that is noticeable all the time it’s on the face. It didn’t bother me much, but it might some. 

Effect: This had an immediate effect of more even and just nicer looking skin. It’s pretty much what you get with brightening Asian sheet masks, so I’ll definitely be repurchasing this one despite the price. My lines were less obvious and the skin had a healthy radiance to it. The essence absorbs completely and fast after the mask is removed. I need some extra moisturising care after this one for my dry skin because it’s not enough on its own.

Ingredients.

Müller, 2.95 €

The reason I got this was peptides, which are on a decent position on the ingredients list. I didn’t expect an amazing result, only some decent nourishment and it’s alright in that respect. It’s like a regular semi-thick moisturiser, but more slippery feeling and it’s clear on the face like such products are. It’s heavily scented with a scent that some might find calming, but to me it’s a bit too spicy, like of like mixing lavender and patchouli, but I don’t think it’s this combination. I applied this in a thick layer (used about a half of one compartment at once) and by morning it was mostly absorbed with a layer of moisturiser still left. Afrodita mentions a visible reduction in lines, but mine stayed the same. It’s fine for the price, but nothing special. For visible results I preferred the Schaebens Hydrogel mask. 

Ingredients.

DM, 1.59 €

I had this already, but I have no idea where mine went. For a basic lip balm with a high SPF this is very nice. Formula is not overly waxy and feels nicely nourishing on the lips, plus there's no bad taste. It manages to cling on for a while too. 

DM, 1.69 €

I wanted cheap, very easily accessible sunscreen that I can use when I'm at home where it doesn't matter if I'm shiny or if I have white streaks. Lavazon has a few and I picked this one because it has no alcohol. Of course this is nowhere near as elegant as my A'Pieu sunscreen, neither is it as nice as Nivea's Mattifying version which costs more than twice as much, however, it definitely beats Nivea's Anti-Age Q10 version that's sitting in my drawer and I'm reluctant to use it use because it's not kind to my eyes (the greasiness I could get over, but that thing shifts all over the place). It's not light, more like a classic sunscreen and when you start to rub it in, it's very white, but that goes away with some extra blending. It's shiny, not even remotely matte, but I have seen worse, still I don't think this is a choice for those with any oiliness in the skin as even I have to powder it, but as great pluses I can say that it stays in its place, it doesn't feel greasy on the skin and it doesn't appear to be bothering my eyes. It's not the nicest sunscreen, but the price is acceptable and it's perfectly fine for me to wear at home.

Ingredients.

Müller, 3.99 €

A repurchase. This is one of my favourite hydrating hair treatments, it's actually very similar in terms of effect to (I think discontinued) Kerastase Masquintense Thick, meaning it makes my hair feel silky and soft unlike other treatments (my hair is never soft like an average person's due to a thick texture, I mention this often). This has argan oil high on the list, so it's not somewhere down below the first 5 ingredients like at most who brag with some ingredients then you find them in the middle or even at the end of the ingredient list. I was planning on getting the 500 ml version, which is still my dream because I really don't want to save this one so much like I did the last one, but even with a discount this is so expensive.

Click2chic, 34.29 €

I imagined this so differently - that's why it's so important when people review this to mention texture, it tells everything. I though this is a medium thick type of cream with that silicone feel that can be used on dry hair too without leaving the hair wet. This is actually quite liquid, so better suited to be used on damp hair right after rinsing off the conditioner to add an extra boost of moisture. Due to being so liquid I can't really use this to tame the frizz like I planned, instead it just some extra hydration, so pretty much the more creamy equivalent of Sexy Healthy Hair Soy Three Wheat leave-in (though that one has a tiny bit of protein too). I can use it on dry hair and it sinks in fast, but once it's gone, there's none of that silicone smooth feeling like at Olaplex n.6 or discontinued Dove Super Quench Crème Serum. I use this on damp hair as one of my first steps (I apply a lot of leave ins and it's still not enough). When I'm drying my hair this feels strangely slightly sticky and at first I was sure this was going to be a disaster because I want my hair silky smooth, but once it's dry that feeling is luckily gone. I'm not sure how I feel about this one yet. I think I'll have to go through the whole tube to make up my mind about it, but I expected a more impressive result.

Click2Chic, 11.10 € for 75 ml

After I bought the Moroccanoil Hydrating Cream, I tried to recall a product that would have a similar silicone crème texture of Olaplex n.6 that I'm looking for, but it's cheaper and I remembered - Tigi After Party. It was one of my first ever hair products and I've never repurchased it because there was always so many other things to try (plus I got tired of it because one tube lasted me years and that damned packaging drives you crazy). I found this one randomly while checking Spletična - it's After Party with gold glitter. Texture is the same, as is the scent, they just changed the name, colour of the packaging and added tiny shimmer (original After Party still exists. I got this because it was what they had on Spletična and I was just ordering a birthday gift). It's got exactly the texture I like, so a silicone cream that I can use on damp hair and dry hair because it doesn't leave the hair wet and it effective at taming frizz. Oils like Orofluido do a similar job, so normal people don't need more stuff, but I'm not normal and I find these types cream and sometimes be more effective at taming the frizz for longer. It's tinted yellow, but it's not showing on my very blonde hair, but also the shimmer isn't that visible on me, though this gives shine just like other similar products. The packaging is equally terrible as at AP. It's got a pump, but the vacuum pull does not work best, when I got it got stuck a few times and you couldn't get out anything. I resorted to pushing it manually from the bottom and it fixed it, but man did it stir up memories. Plus it's so ugly, but that's my opinion. The product is lovely, so it's a shame about the packaging. So far it was only problematic for the first uses and it's been working ok since. 

Spletična, 12.20 €

Like all the rest of DM product, I found this on their website, where it has a high rating and it also has surprising nice ingredients. This has hydrolysed proteins high on the list, so it's basically something along the lines of a poor man's Joico K-Pack line or Redken's Anti-Snap, but scaled down at least compared to Joico with it's Quadramine complex. I'm in no short supply of protein treatments at the moment (well, I only have Joico stuff, but several products), still I picked this up because I was curious if it's any good - who wouldn't want to know about an very affordable protein treatment and if it's any good. It's a silicone free formula with glycerine as one of the first ingredients, so it combines some moisturising action too with the protein. All proteins are in hydrolysed version which is the most effective version of protein and they are quite high on the list. There also hyaluronic acid which benefits the scalp and supposedly hair too. Formula is like a thin gel-like formula and it's a leave-in product. It can be applied on damp or dry hair, but on dry hair it's similar to Moroccanoil Cream, so it sinks in and it feels like nothing. II don't notice it makes my hair any smoother and it dries into my usual super frizzy mess if I don't use any extra products. I've been using it for a few weeks and I can't say I see a visible improvement, still it's a nice way to add proteins because it's very light and it doesn't interfere with other products. 

Ingredients.

DM, 3-4 €

A repurchase. This is my favourite drugstore conditioner (currently seriously rivalled by Cantu mentioned below). Since I've discovered it last year, I've gone through a few tubes already and I've tried several other products, which just consolidated my belief that this is the very affordable best brand I can get in our drugstores. I buy the 300 ml tubes they have in DM and Interspar, while Müller only has 200 ml ones. 

Interspar, 3.49 €

Another repurchase. Both Repair and this one are so good. Superfood is even thicker than Repair, but they end up working the same on me, though this give me this faux feeling it's better because it's richer. 

Interspar, 3.49 €

This brand is fairly new here and so far it's also the only one for natural hair we have, so one designed for curly, wavy hair or coils which tend to be a lot drier than straight, fine hair. As you might now my hair is very dry and coarse since forever (since I was 12 when my hair suddenly got curly and way before all the colouring) and few products actually nourish my hair for more than a day, so I had hopes that one for natural hair will finally be enough for me. After one use I can say this is pretty much HG miracle, but also not quite as great as I hoped - I'll explain. In terms of actual nourishment this worked astonishingly well. My ends on which lately even deep treatments didn't work despite having a haircut, finally feel like I used something. They feel nourished and finally not dry straight after a wash - and I'm writing this on day three. Just for that this will stay in my cupboard probably forever (provided it continues to work as effective in the next washes). However, this leaves the feeling of heaviness after rinsing it off, like the product hasn't been washed off properly (I know I did. Kerastase Chonologiste and Joico Moisture Recovery do the same), so I wouldn't recommend this to those with thin hair, even though that feeling actually went away completely by the next morning, leaving my hair surprisingly soft and it's stayed like that until I washed a week later. Lately only Olaplex overnight managed to do that. However, rubbish when it comes to taming the hair and leaving it silky, that's because it has no silicones which my hair needs to look normal (I've been through a yearlong silicone-free phase once and it's not for me). My hair dried very puffy, with a ton of volume and it was just all over the place, plus the feeling of heaviness and I didn't use any of my other leave-ins I normally use to get a more sleek look, so when I went to bed I was sure my hair is going to be a mess in the morning. But I just put in a tight bun like I always do and my the morning my hair had a fresh blow-out look with little frizz. There was no dryness and like I said it was soft, but it lacked the silkiness, still I'm super happy with this. I also didn't have to smoother my hair in extra leave-ins in the morning, which is unheard of and in the next days I only added small amount of leave ins, some Joico K-Pack serum and Balea's oil mentioned below. The packaging has 400 ml, which is superb and it smells strongly of Pina colada. It's not a super thick conditioner so it's easy to apply, it's similar to Pantene in that respect. I will get the Leave-in Cream from this brand. 

Müller, 8.99 €

Normally I don't get excited by Gliss masks, as while they are good, in fact brilliant for most, they more on the average side for my hair. However, the 4-in-1 claim made it sound similar to Fructis Hair Food mask which can be used on dry hair as a leave-in conditioner as well. That one was nice, but not as nourishing as I hoped (I had Banana), this on the other hand has cocoa butter high on the list, so I thought it might be better. It turns out you can use this as a leave-in on damp hair, while it's not silicone-y to be smooth enough for dry hair.  The 4 uses are as a pre-wash treatment, mask, conditioner and leave-in, so basically it's just a hair mask that can double as a leave-in treatment, why differentiate between mask and conditioner is just beyond me. Texture of this of average thickness for a mask, it's not super thick like the purple one with Omegaplex, so it's much easier to apply. I used this as a mask and leave-in conditioner. My hair was drying so slow with this on, but unlike with Cantu conditioner, it dried straight and frizzy free, however, by the morning, my hair was curly-ish, frizzy and nor soft, so basically it performs like an average drugstore mask on me and I'm not super impressed by this. It’s probably amazing on those who have normal hair with some dryness, but I need more. I love the colour of the packaging, it’s so me. The scent is creamy with a bit spice or something. 

DM, 6.99 €

BALEA Schönheits Geheimnisse Reichhaltiges Cocosöl 

I got this because it's silicone free. This means it's more nourishing and heavier than silicone-oils, it also means it makes the hair lank and feeling dirty just like all natural oils when you use them every day, but such oils are the only way I can deal with the excessive dryness of my ends. Silicone-oils are more temporary and foremost a staying product for me, but I use coconut oil on most days and I just can't stand the smell of it anymore. This surprised me a lot. Based on ingredients I thought this will be lighter, but it's nicely rich, yet not too heavy and it doesn't leave the hair looking overly greasy like coconut oil does. Actually I thought this was a light oil in a spray, but this has a pump and I'm much happier that it turned out that way. The scent is the same as in their Langhaar Mädchen Haaröl, which I use as heat protection, so a vanilla-coconut scent that's super basic, but way better than coconut oil to me. I hope they keep this and it's not just a summery limited edition because I intend to continue buying it.

Ingredients.

DM, 2.99 €

Dove used to be one of my absolute favourite hair brand, but now we only have two sets of shampoos and conditioners here. What happened to their hair care? When I was checking ingredients on Müller's online shop, this has argan oil high enough on the list, so I just picked up a bottle not even bothering to check if ingredients on the ones we have are match. They don't. Argan oil is at the very bottom on the list on my version. Still it's not bad if you don't have extremely dry hair. It reminded me of their old mask formulation, which I was using for years. It left the hair detangled, so with enough slip and sufficiently nourished, but on me just for a day like most cheap conditioners. Then I had to use a ton of leave-ins & oils. For any average user with dry hair, this is just fine, but it's not as good as Pantente.

Müller, 2.99 €

This is a moisturiser for the scalp and I was immediately intrigued because I've been suffering from dandruff and dry scalp most of my life and I've tried everything to fix it. It has a very handy long and precise nozzle, which helps at application, but it's still very hard getting it all over the scalp, impossible really because this isn't liquid, it's a medium thick cream and I just give up before I manage to get it all over. There definitely less dandruff when I use it, but I use it in combination with the conditioner, however, my scalp is still itchy at times. I'll continue using it, as so far this line is very promising. This is also meant for the ends since it has some keratin, but it feels like nothing on my ends and I won't waste it for that. 

DM, 2.49 €

This isn't meant just for the scalp, but I will only combine it with a more nourishing treatment for the bottom part of my hair. It's creamy, yet light for a conditioner, still with my length and thickness it takes some time and acrobatics with flipping my hair around to get this on most parts of the scalp. I doesn't leave my hair greasy or heavy, in fact I have plenty of volume left, but you know I can't say if it's going to be the same on oily scalp. Just like the balm, this is very promising when it comes to my scalp condition. I'll report back when the tube is empty.  

DM, 1.79 €

I got two more of these developers. Since my hair is bleached and coloured, I swap the developers in the box colours with this one which is more gentle. I used this with Subrina Spectra Demi-permanent colours, specifically shade 8/10 Ice Blonde and Garnier's Color Naturals 9.1. 

DM, 1.29 €

I got this a day after I did my roots, so I don't know if it works on dark hair yet. I missed with the shade. The light blonde one looked too yellow for my ashy colour and I compared a strand of my hair with the picture on the bottle, which perfectly matched, but this is a shade or two too dark. At least it's an natural to ashy looking colour, so I might be able to create an shadow roots look. If not I'll go pick up the light blonde one too, because so far I like the formula. It's natural looking on the hair, it's not like a hair spray or a dry shampoo that it could feel like something on the hair and it doesn't come off on bedding. We'll see in a week or two how it deals with the roots, mine come in blazingly fast.

DM, 6.19 €

Makeup

COLLECTION Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer

I think this is still one of the best drugstore concealers, especially when it comes to high coverage. I've used up a few of these, though they aren't easy to get. I have the shade Fair which is appropriately light and fits me ok. It covers a lot, so I use this one for spots, stronger redness and under the eyes when I feel I look extra tired. But it can look obvious on dry skin that's one of its rare minuses. The packaging is a minus too because while I like the doe foot applicator, the cap breaks every time.

Repurchase: Yes.

BOURJOIS 123 Perfect CC Cream

The best BB/CC cream I found, though this is basically a classic foundation and it's very similar to my favourite Healthy Mix Serum. They both have light-medium coverage and an great natural no-makeup makeup finish, the main difference is that this one has a more satin finish, while Serum is more dewy. The only minus for me is the shade range which tragically overlooks very pale skin tones, so I couldn't use it on its own, instead I ended up mixing in with lighter foundations and recently with lightening drops by TBS. It has one more mini minus and that is that if you store it in a way that the applicator points down, once you open it, the product just starts to spill out and refuses to stop no matter how you turn it. If you're looking for a great drugstore base, I recommend you check this one out. 

Repurchase: I would love to, but all the shades are too dark for me. Maybe I will.

CATRICE Beautifying Lip Smoother

One of the most comfortable lip products ever. It's like a pillow for the lips. I liked it a lot, but I very rarely wear lip glosses so this has gone bad before I had a chance to use it up.

Repurchase: This shade isn't sold any more, but still I won't be buying new shades. I know I'd end up not using it again.

Skincare

QUEEN HELENE The Original Mint Julep Masque

I bought this massive tube a few years ago based on rave reviews on Makeup Alley. It's a great, simple clay mask in a traditional scary green shade and it really does work in getting your pores clean, but it's not a miracle worker. I heard some people say it works on their blackheads, but it doesn't on mine, it just makes the skin look more fresh and healthy. It's great for oily to combination skin, but I wouldn't use this on dry skin because this becomes very tight and removes all oils. My biggest complaint about this is that it's so thick, I could not get it out of the tube once I used up about a half. I literally had to jump on the tube to get a few centimetres out and I just do not have patience for that.

Repurchase: Maybe.

BALEA Beauty Effect Eye & Lip Serum 

This serum didn't do much. I didn't find it very hydrating and it left a sticky coat on the skin that was still there in the morning, then it even started to flake. I regret spending money for this, but the Power Maske from this line is really good.

Repurchase: No.

URIAGE Thermal Micellar Water Combination/Oily Skin 

This was just another micellar water in my seemingly endless stash and it didn't stand out. Average, but good performance in terms of removing makeup, only mascara occasionally posed a challenge, it feels like water and isn't irritating. It's meant for combination/oily skin, but I didn't notice a difference between other micellar waters.

Repurchase: No.

FIRST AID BEAUTY Exfoliating Pads 

I already spoke about these in my skin care post where I said that they are too gentle for me, so I didn't see any effect, but I hear these work with sensitive skin if you need something with AHA. 

Repurchase: No.

Body

SOAP & GLORY Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub

I really loved the texture of this one. It's a sugar and salt scrub, so it'll be harsh for those more sensitive, but I like my scrubs to be strong. It was nicely balmy, so my skin wasn't dry after a shower and it completely rinsed off. But as much as I love the texture, I'm not fond of the scent. It was barely passable to me from the beginning when it smelled like maple syrup, but the older it got the more it started to smell like a mix of coffee with a self-tanner, and I'm not a fan of either. I have two more S&G scrubs in my stash, Sugar Crush and Flake Away, both are lovely.

Repurchase: No, but yes to other S&G scrubs.

AFRODITA 100% Spa Sugar Scrub

Good for scrubbing, but this is just way too greasy to deal with. A thick layer of slippery oil just sticks to your skin and you need either a stripping shower gel or a bar soap to get it off. It's a hazard to use this in the bath.

Repurchase: No.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or

I'm embarrassed to say I had this since 2012, but it only recently started to just smell a bit off, so I quickly used it up. I adore the original version and I've gone through several bottles, but a product with glitter is harder to use up. It's a drier oil than the original, it's hardly greasy on the skin and it has a ton of tiny shimmer plus even a bit of a bronze tint that did make my skin a bit darker. It's a product that it's mostly for summer, but I realised I don't like shimmer on my skin because it's emphasises my imperfections, plus the shimmer always ends up everywhere, regardless what type of the product it is. I used this mostly on my hair when it was very, very dry. 

Repurchase: No, I'm sticking to the original only.

BALEA Rasiergel

Frische Kick

A boring empty, I bought so many of these in a row. This one had a lemon cake scent and the one I have currently has a strange coconut scent. 

Repurchase: Yes

KNEIPP Herbal Bath Pure Bliss

This looked like blood when I poured it out the bottle. It was a thick, dark red liquid and it turned the water into a light shade of pink. It has a strong scent that for me was a type that I liked and didn't like because it was to me an unfamiliar warm floral scent that was a bit strange.

Repurchase: No.

Hair

TIGI S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray Heat Defender

I swore by this in the past when my hair wasn't in such good condition as it's now, or at least until I found products that are great defrizzers (Dove, Potion 9, Percy & Reed). It's basically an light oil, similar to Orofluido Sahara and it protects against heat tools, plus gives tons of shine, it makes the hair look healthier and it even feels a bit nourishing. Now I don't need that much extra on my hair (most thanks to Dove), so I can afford to buy something cheaper (Balea) and save some pennies. If you have very dry hair, I really recommend this.

Repurchase: Yes.

KÉRASTASE Forme Fatale Voluptuous Blow-Dry Gel

This was a miss purchase for my hair type. I just got too into the idea that since it's from Kérastase it'll surely be a less drying volumising product, but you can't have one without the other. This made my hair both too dry and too frizzy, but it gave a ton of volume when blow-dried with a round brush. I used it on very thin hair, quickly greasy hair and it worked so much better. There was no frizz, just a good amount of volume.

Repurchase: No.

EBELIN Polishing Nail File

I bought a few of these in a row. They are cheap and do their job. It has three sides that aren't that rough, one is completely smooth and it meant to polish the nail, which gives it a great shine.

Repurchase: Yes.

ESSENCE Nail File

A file with four sides varying in roughness. Again a product that I've bought several in a row, though this time I bought a crystal file by Ebelin as well.

Repurchase: Yes.

Samples

L'OCCITANE Divine Youth Oil - This smells like real floral honey, I love it. It's a light oil that needs time to sink it, but my skin liked it. Too bad it cost such a ridiculous amount of money. Full price 90.50 €, ingredients. Purchase: No, too expensive for the ingredients it has.

L'OCCITANE Shea Ultra Rich Comforting Cream - A very thick moisturiser that feels the same as their 20% Shea body lotion and hand cream. My skin got a bit less clear when I used this, but it could have been hormonal. Full price 30.50 €, ingredients. Purchase: No

AFRODITA Why Mask S.O.S - a mask meant for skin that needs calming, but based on ingredients it looks to me as a good mask for spotty skin (contains zink and clay). I've tried a few Afrodita's masks and this one is the only one that stands out. It's a mask that doesn't dry on the skin, but it's still a wash-off mask and it contains a good amount of niacinamide which brightens the skin and that's precisely what I noticed. The skin just looked more healthy and glowy. Very likeable. Repurchase: I might.

L'OCCITANE Almond Milk Concentrate - I've had this before, in a pot as well. It's a light, but very velvet feeling moisturiser with a lovely milky almond scent. It's popular for a reason. Full price 43.70 €, ingredients. Purchase: No

L'OCCITANE Shea Ultra Rich Body Lotion - Another thing I had before and I liked. A super rich body moisturiser with a nice neutral nutty scent. Full price 25.40 €, ingredients. Purchase: Maybe, it's really good.

L'OREAL Lumi Magique Concealer

This is an illuminating concealer, so it doesn't conceal in a regular way of adding coverage, but instead it has these light reflecting particles that brighten the skin. It's subtle, but it does work and helps counteract shadows. It's really expensive for the quantity you get and I actually didn't even use it that often, instead I saved it only for special occasions, but it ran out so fast.

Repurchase: Yes.

L'OREAL Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil

I love this, truly, but there is this one little thing - it breaks me out. It's a wonderful cleansing oil that removes makeup well and it's not too expensive, plus it also smells absolutely divine to me. I ended up using it as a shaving oil and it worked so great, especially because it emulsifies when water is added and washes off completely (so no greasy razors). This orange version isn't sold here, instead there is a gold version sold in Műller.

Repurchase: I would, purely for the scent.

INELL Démaquillant Yeux Spécial Waterproof

Waterproof makeup remover

Hated this, apart from the packaging. It's not effective enough and felt odd around the eyes (and nothing ever irritates my eyes or skin). I was glad when I finished this and I had to really hold back to not just throw it away.

Repurchase: No.

CADEA VERA Hautverfeinernde Clear-up Strips

These are one of those nose strips that pull the blackheads out of your skin and they were ok. They worked decently, but weren't miraculous. I like that there is quite a few of them in one pack.

Repurchase: I'll try something else first, but maybe.

JOICO K-Pack Intense Hydrator

I adore this. I always rave about that Kérastase mask, well, this is the second treatment that I treasure just as much. While Kérastase one does the whole deal, this is the product that excels at nourishment. When my hair is super dry, coarse and drab, this works like magic in restoring it. 

Repurchase: Already did.

KÉRASTASE Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant Shampoo

I had such high hopes for this. As someone who's been suffering from dandruff for years, I always wish that the next treatment will cure it, but unfortunately this one didn't work at all. I love Kérastase, it's my favourite hair brand, but this was a disappointment. It's a nice idea - a shampoo with exfoliating particles and an applicator with a nozzle that makes sure the product is deposited on the scalp, but it didn't manage to remove my dandruff nor cure it or prevent it. Baking soda mixed with any regular shampoo removes dandruff much more effective than this. It wasn't even a particularly nourishing shampoo, so this was an expensive fail.

Repurchase: No.

GOT2B Volumania Styling Powder

I've told this a few times before, but this is basically a dry shampoo for those who hate dry shampoos. It's not as effective as the real deal, but that doesn't matter to me as my hair pretty much never gets greasy and I just need something to refresh it and give it back some volume. It feels like a can of nicely smelling air, but it actually manages to give back a bit of volume without being an actual texturizing spray, so there is no powder residue or a hairspray feel. It sounds like it's nothing special and it really isn't, but for some reason I just really like this. By the way, it smells like raspberries.

Repurchase: Already did.

BALEA Trend It Up Dry Shampoo

Lovely Berries

This is a limited edition item, they basically just released a new scent of their regular dry shampoo. It was not my favourite as it was very white and it didn't really make my hair as fresh as Batiste. It's decent, but nothing special. The scent was of strawberry candy.

Repurchase: It was a LE, but I probably won't be buying a regular version.

TIGI Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm

A standard, but a lovely heat protectant. It's in a form of a silicone serum with small shimmer that actually makes your hair look more shiny. I liked it because I could use it on dry or wet hair and on dry hair, it also acted as a taming product. I don't find it heavy at all, but it is a thick serum, almost like Orofluido, so I can't be certain that it won't weight down thin hair, but when I used it on other people's hair, it always worked just fine. I also love the packaging with a pump. 

Repurchase: Yes.

YUMMY Strawberry Shower Gel

A very liquid shower gel, but it still foamed ok. The scent was similar to Milka chocolate with strawberries, though this one had an artificial note in it, so it's not as good as the body butter's. I much prefer their new Orange and Rhubarb version.

Repurchase: No.

I LOVE… Honey Almond Nourishing Shower Cream

It's so ironic that they called it a cream because this is basically liquid and as such it's very difficult to use. It doesn't foam at all unless you use a mesh, but at least it smells nice - not exactly like honey, but it's a nice warm, sweet scent.

Repurchase: No.

REXONA Dry Deo Stick

Clear Aqua

My standard deodorant and the only one that actually didn't stop working before I had a chance to use it up. This was the first time I got Clear Aqua version and it smells like Nivea/just clean. I have the pink version now and I like the scent more.

Repurchase: Already did.

EBELINE Nagellack-Entferner

I just love these pot nail polish removers. This one is one of the cheapest one around here and I like that it's a bit shorter than Bourjois' as well as the foam is softer. There is a regular remover inside it, so there are no greasy fingers like at Bourjois', but this also means that it can be a bit drying. It also gets dirty far, far quicker, but I still like it.

Repurchase: Already did.

ESSENCE Studio Nails 4in1 Profi File

I don't fuss about my nails at all, so I just buy this nail file because it's cheapest and I'm used to it. It has four different textures that vary in roughness and it's good enough for me.

Repurchase: Already did.

Yves Rocher Hydra Végétal 24h Intense Hydrating Gel Cream

This is good. I compared it with L'Occitane's Pivoin Sublime Perfecting Creme side by side and they are similar in terms of that velvet finish they leave behind, though YR's is a bit greasier and doesn't feel quite as high quality as L'Occitane's, but for an average user they are very close. It's has a similar medium thickness consistency, it sinks in fast into the skin and leaves a velvet finish, but it's not as dry to the touch as L'Occitane's. This is a great base for makeup. As all YR stuff it smells so lovely - this one has a nice floral scent similar to lillies of the valey.

12.11 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: Yes. It's my favourite product out of these samples.

Yves Rocher Sebo Végétal Mattifying Gel Cream

The texture of this is a sort of a mix between a serum and lotion consistency that goes on quite wet/moisturising at first, but then after a minute it turns into a more satin-matte finish. It's not as good as L'Occitane versions of mattifying lotions because those contain either more or better powder particles and silicones. This one also contains alcohol on the fourth place, but I got no dry patches during the day, which is a good sign. The scent is great, just like freshly picked apples.

10.39 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: No.

Yves Rocher Nutritive Végétal Creamy Repair Mask

A super thick mask that is actually way thicker than Origins Drink Up or Balea Power Maske, but promises the same. It's like a very thick moisturiser that you're supposed to apply in a thick coat, leave for 5 minutes and then take the excess off with a cotton pad. I never do it like that, but I just apply a thicker coat and leave it on overnight. This product should work great for dry and dehydrated skin. The scent is strange - it has that fresh fruitiness like the rest of the product, but it's overshadowed by a stale, musky scent, so it's like walking into a cellar where the apples are kept.

 12.11 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: No. I might consider it if my skin was very dry and nothing else helped.

Yves Rocher Anti-Age Global Complete Anti-Aging Care Eye

A thick and very moisturising eye cream, which I'm surprised it comes in a tube since it's so thick, but I'm sure it works. It doesn't just sit on the skin, but most of it manages to sink in quite fast and it nourishes the under eye area well. It smells like margarine which is fine to me.

32.37 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: I really like it, but the price is too much for me.

Yves Rocher Sérum Végétal Wrinkles & Firmness Ultra-Plumping Serum

A light milky serum that sinks in fast, yet manages to hydrate the skin well even without any additional care afterwards. I had a few samples, but I could already see some positive effects on my skin, not in terms of wrinkles, but just in general of how my skin looks. It also works well as a base for makeup. It smells great - comfortingly professional, like walking into a salon. There is alcohol on the 8th place among the ingredients, but this is low enough for me and you can't smell it at all.

27.50 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: I would love to have it, but it's expensive.

Yves Rocher Sublime Skin BB Cream

Light

This is just a horrible BB cream. It reminds me so much of those cheap tinted moisturizers from 00's. It looks patchy/blotchy on the skin, no matter how much you try to blend it or what moisturiser you use under it. And when you start to blend it in more, it starts to flake off this little rolls. The coverage is really minimal, so it's not even worth putting it on. The only pleasant surprise is the shade. I just automatically assume that the lightest shade is ridiculously dark, but this one would easily fit someone who wears Healthy Mix 51 or NW 15-20. It's very pink toned, but I like that because it brightens up the skin a bit. It has that classic makeup scent which you'll recognize if you bought any makeup in the 90's.

15.92 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: No. 

Yves Rocher Serum Végétal Wrinkes & Lifting V Shaping Care

A very thick cream, similar in texture to the Creamy Repair Mask, however, it takes even more time to absorb. It's sits on the skin, so I would use this as a night moisturiser only, but it should be great for dry skin. It has a pleasant powdery YR-cream-like scent.

27.50 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: No. 

Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9 Youth Energy Day Care

A light moisturiser with a gel-lotion texture that sinks in fast and leaves a velvet finish on the skin. It's lighter than intense Hydra Végétal 24h Intense Hydrating Gel Cream, but has a very similar effect, except it's a bit more sticky after application. It has another one of those high-end-ish slightly fruity scent that reminds me of apples.

28.95 €, ingredients here.

Purchase: I liked it, but the Hydra Végétal cream is cheaper.

Yves Rocher Muguet en Fleurs eau de toilette

Lilly of the Valley

 Smells exactly like lilies of the valley. It's a great scent for spring, but it has such poor staying power. 

20.79 €

Purchase: No.

Yves Rocher Cerisier en Fleurs eau de toilette

Cherry Bloom

The cherry trees were blooming here when I tested this, but as far as our trees go, the blossoms have no scent. However, when I tried this, it was instantly recognizable as the cherry blossom scent. It's a very gentle floral cherry scent that I find so delightful, but the projection is minimal and so is the lasting power. I give it an A+ for the actual blend of notes, but a D for longevity and strength.

20.79 €

Purchase: No. 

In general I'm very impressed by Yves Rocher skin care. I've never tried their face creams before, but they feel so nice, they all smell lovely and just feel like they are expensive. Thanks to Katja for hooking me up with so many samples.

  

Have a great day!