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.

This is one of those mascaras with a transforming 2-step mascara brush. It's very similar to the Deborah Double Effect Volume & Length Mascara and Bourjois Twist Up Mascara, and all feature a silicone brush that swaps between a lengthening and volumising type. This is the Midnight Black version, while the regular black has a silver tube.

The brush design switches from a classic long design with parallel rows of bristles to a short one with a swirly positioning of bristles. They don't mention which step they recommend first, but I find the long first, then short is best. The long brush is meant for separating and lengthening the lashes and shortening it concentrates the formula, so it starts building more volume. It's an ok mascara, I don't know what else to say. It creates big lashes, but it doesn't stand out considering I've tried dozens of regular formulas. The long brush creates a natural look and creates length by darkening the lashes, while the shorter brush quickly builds up the volume, but can start sticking the lashes together. It's a regular formula with not much hold, so it doesn't keep my lashes curled. Removal is easy enough with a cleansing oil. I still prefer their 2000 Calorie.

 

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Max Factor's first refillable mascara. The outer rose gold casing holds a basic black tube. It has a hourglass silicone brush that's very similar to Milani's Anti Gravity mascara. After a month of being open this is still quite a wet formula that has a tendency to stick the lashes together if you don't wait enough between coats or apply too much of it. It creates a lot of volume + length, and it's one of those formulas that creates a more dramatic big lash effect than a natural one. It doesn't hold the lashes curled, which is typical for regular formulas on me, but it's difficult to remove for a washable formula, in this respect it's more like a waterproof formula, meaning it needs oil to get it off. My normally great performance cleanser Nuxe oil struggles with it, so a good dual-phase oil remover is needed. It runs in contact with tears and it irritated my eyes on a couple of occasions. It's also somewhat oily, so my glass lenses are constantly smudged. The refill pops out easily and replacement is not difficult.

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I don't remember a concealer ruining my day quite so much as this one, nor one that would make me run to buy a bunch of anti-ageing skin care, but this concealer makes me look so old. It emphasizes every small wrinkle I had no idea I had. It's so dry under my eyes and it cracks. They describe this as a hydrating formula with a glowy, natural finish and medium coverage. It's an odd formula that's glowy, but at the same time drying, flat and obvious under my eyes. This doesn't feel hydrating on my skin. Formula is medium thick, easy to blend with a sponge, but it dries a bit quick for blending with fingers, thought it'll get the job done, it just won't be as nice as with a sponge (on dry skin, of course). Coverage is quite high, medium-full, though I tried covering my freckles and they are still visible. Staying power is really good even without powder. Most of it was on my skin at the end of the day, just very dry, flat and unlikeable on my dry skin. Shade 002N looks yellow on me and obviously off, but it was the lightest shade on the stand.

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The colour of the packaging has nothing to do with the actual shade of this. It's much darker on the lips, a medium-deep berry on me, so don't buy without testing. It's like using a sharpie. It's very precise and it's got excellent pigmentation, but the lighteight formula is still a stain, so I never managed to apply this evenly and it tints the dry parts of the lips darker than the rest. Essence is the only company that managed to make probably close to 20 different products featuring the same pH-reacting lip tint that I'm so fed up with because it's in stuff you don't even expect it in. This again has that same bright magenta tint that stick to the dry parts of the lips and it's impossible to get off for a couple of days. Formula is the lightest I ever tried, basically like a sharpie. That also means it's not at all moisturising and this quickly sets, then it can't be wiped off. There's no transfer anywhere, except on paper straws. If you enjoy that pH reacting tint and don't mind this looking uneven, you might like it, especially since it's very long lasting, but bare in my that if you slip during application, this won't come off easy.

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I made an instant stupid mistake with this - I twisted the base like I was using a normal lip balm because I didn't know this doesn't retract back in. I had to put the excess lip balm in a separate pot so the cap would close again. You have to twist up only a small amount if you don't want a mess. This is super glossy, close to a proper lip gloss. It's nicely nourishing and feels very comfortable - I was checking other shades and they need some light nude-pink because I really like this formula for dry lips (I still haven't managed to find an untouched clear one to pair with a lip liner). Shade Pitaya is very pigmented with one swipe, you get a semi-opaque look that doesn't need much building up. It's a medium neutral-cool pink, I think it doesn't suit my skin tone best. In typical Essence style I think they added their trademark pH reacting tint to it, as when the lip balm disappears from the lips, my lips are still tinted pink. I wish they stopped doing that so often. I tried this on the cheeks too and it looks quite nice.

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This was marked -50%, so I guess it's being discontinued. Shade is terrible, so I'm not surprised. I can't pull of sheer black, my pale skin tone just makes me look like a Disney villain even though this is sheer, but it's makes my lips look grey and dead. Formula is pleasant, it's a nice lip oil, but surprisingly not as nice as their discontinued Cranberry Oil. Formula is thick, nicely glossy, nourishing and it sticks on the lips well. Still, I think Catrice's version is better. This one has a soapy scent that makes me feel like I have a bad taste in my mouth, so it's not the best. I've only had this for about a month or two, but it's more than half empty, since there's only 4 ml and the applicator is big, so it get a lot of product on at once.

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This is quite strongly tinted red. It's a bit more than semi-opaque, but I haven't been able to build it up to full coverage. Formula is typically for Labello nourishing at first, but the moisturising feeling doesn't last and the lips become flaky in time. I tried this one the cheeks too and it's ok, it's not as smooth looking as Essence's Baby got blush Stick or even Melem's balms. It has SPF and like some such lip balms it has that bitter, unplesant taste.

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I guess it was time for a nail polish bottle update. Shade 004 is quite thin for a gel formula. One coat gives a good level of opacity, but two are needed so everything evens out. Colour is quite pale, more of an off white than a nude. 031 is almost opaque with one coat with a smooth formula, but it's best to apply two. Electric Turquoise is a "Tiffany" green-blue and it stains the nails like crazy without a base.

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Catrice's Quick Dry Top Coat is quite good, so I tried the slightly cheaper Essence's to compare. Formula is lighter than Catrice's, but maybe it will thicken like such top coats normally do. I tested it after the promised 45 seconds over two coats of Catrice's Gel Affair and it's dry to the touch, but still very prone to dings or smudges. It takes a while for the nails to be completely dry. So far every time I used this I ruined my manicure, even if I waited for 5-10 minutes after application, so I find it a frustrating top coat and I'm going to stick the better Catrice one.

This is quite good. It's thicker than Laneige lip mask and I sometimes prefer it because it sticks on the lips better and for longer (Laneige is still better for soothing flaky dry lips). It’s nicely nourishing and it has the scent of Kiki candy (soft taffy candy scent). It’s tinted and gives the lips a nice light shade of pink. I use the silicone applicator from the Laneige mask, I think this product is missing such a tool, I don’t like dipping my fingers into lip balm pots.

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A repurchase. I bought this years ago when micellar waters first came out. Since then I've tried many and because there's always something new, I never repurchased it. Currently I'm using Cerave, which is my favourite, but I have to order online and I wanted something cheap. This comes in a travel size 100 ml, which is just what I wanted. It's as good as I remember, though it says new formula, but I don't notice anything different. It feels like water and removes all regular makeup. It's not scented.

One of the thickest, greasiest cleansing oils I've tried and it smells like cooking oil that's been used for fries. It doesn't emulsify and wash off with water, so a second foamy cleanser is a must. It's fairly effective as a makeup remover, though it can't remove a red liquid matte lipstick even with a second cleanse. It doesn't irritate my eyes. Balea's, the new Hautsache (from DM) and CV Rose (Műller) cleansing oils are all lighter. They are a bit better at removing makeup, but I'm not impressed by these cheap offerings in my local drugstores, so I'll keep using my favourite Nuxe Very Rose one. I also noticed Alverde breaks me out (just like all cheap oils).

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Unlike The Ordinary's version this is a thick gel that's clear. It's a wash-off AHA mask and you're supposed to leave it on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Just like as The Ordinary version despite the high percentage of glycolic acid I don't feel this on the skin at all. I get no stinging or burning, but my skin is far from sensitive. My skin felt a bit softer after use, but not like when I use Skin Food Black Sugar scrub (a harsh, mechanical scrub that the only thing makes me feel like my skin is actually exfoliated, but I use it very, very rarely). This has no scent.

I'm a fan of the 5-minute lamination and the serum from this line, so I shelled for the overpriced for drugstore shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo is like pretty much all L'Oreal shampoos I've tried - great. I have no complaints. It foams well on the first wash, produces enough foam, it cleans well and doesn't feel drying at all on my very dry hair. They could have picked a nicer scent for this line.

This trend of small conditioner tubes must end. This has merely 150 ml of product which won't last me many uses. Formula is quite rich, but easy to spread on the hair. I left it on for about half an hour and then followed with the lamination product. I didn't use my usual hair oil and Moroccanoil All in One Leave in, I just used the serum from this line, so I could see how nourishing this line is and it's on the light side for me, meaning I need leave-ins to make this work better for me. As far as shine goes - the thing is this has zero frizz control and frizzy hair does not shine. My hair needed some extra help of overnight rollers and serums to become straighter, then I noticed a decent level of shine, but not the "glass hair" effect.

A repurchase, though Pantene changes things up so often this may or may not be the same Repair mask I used in the past. Pantene's hair products in general suit my super dry hair a lot and this one is fine, though surprisingly I after trying it, prefer the Bond Repair Conditioner. This one nourished my hair ok, but my top layer of the hair quickly became coarse as it usually does when I use drugstore products. Still, it's a good affordable option.

A repurchase, though it looks like they changed the packaging to an opaque white tube instead of partly clear one. Together with the shampoo from this line they make properly nourished, it feels silky and the ends feel better.

This is apparently a best-seller among masks in DM - at least in Slovenia. I didn't have much expectations, especially since it's silicone-free, but it's a very decent protein mask for the price. Texture is quite rich, it didn't feel like I'm using a mask without silicones and my hair was moisturised enough. It's better when it comes to frizz than L'Oreal's Glycolic Gloss set, but my hair still dried with some frizz and not smooth, so I had to use a serum and rollers overnight for smooth hair. With some extra leave-ins this mask should do just fine. I'll likely try the Oil Repair too.

DM finally came out with a proper shine spray. I have a bunch of them and Schwarzkopfs (from their brands Gliss and got2B) are my favourite. This one is not quite as shiny as Schwarzkopf's, but it is a bit less greasy, which some may appreciate (I want more oil, not less).

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I expected I would like this, but it's effect is nothing special on my hair. As I was rinsing it off, I missed that silky feeling you should get from a conditioner, so I added a lot of leave-ins to make sure my hair wouldn't be tangled and dry. I'm not impressed by this one. Texture is thick for a conditioner.

A repurchase. This a tinted hair mask in a cool dark brown shade that matches my natural hair colour perfectly, so it hides my bleached ends. Formula is nourishing enough for my hair (together with Moroccanoil All in One leave-in that I always use, of course). It's messy so I colour in the shower.

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I wanted a cheap body oil that comes in quite a large packaging and isn't just sunflower oil with smaller amounts of other "fancier" oils. This was supposed to be mostly almond oil, but it looks like they recently made changes that aren't on DM's website yet, as this new version has mostly rapeseed oil with some almond oil. The packaging is not good, as the oil always spills on the side of the bottle, so the bottle is always greasy and the label is half peeled off already. Texture is rich and feels very nourishing. It takes quite some time to absorb. It smells unsurprisingly of rapeseed oil. I've been using this daily for my dry skin and it's fine for the price, but next time I'll probably try to find something else.

Moisturising socks with urea, panthenol, avocado oil, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, squalane and ceramides. These are very big and fit large sizes of feet. The sticker that holds this wrapped didn't hold well, so I had to improvise and I also wore my regular socks over it, so it was a better fit. Without socks over it, this can get slippery when walking. My feet were very dry before I used it, I already had some small cracks forming on my heels and this fixed it. I used an electric foot file before for a better effect and my heels felt much softer after use, something I didn't manage to achieve with moisturisers and oils. But the effect lasted about 2-3 days. I'll likely buy this again for an ocassional treat.

I liked the hand mask version from this line too, which surprisingly wasn't annoying to use. The gloves didn't stop me from doing my usual stuff, including using my phone. It also improved my dry cuticles and hangnails situation, as much as a single use mask can.

A repurchase. I like this scent and it lingers on the skin. It's not a tropical scent in my book, more of an almost powdery, cosy one with some fruity touch, but it's difficult to describe it. In my small way it reminds me of scent like Yankee Candle Soft Blanket.

A repurchase. I buy this when my skin is very dry because it's the cheapest shower oil and very decent for the price. But the scent is so bland and I don't like it at all. They had this product for over a decade probably and the newer came out with a nice scented version. Formula is an oil that emulsifies with water. It's not as rich as L'Occitane's, but it's great for dry skin that's flaky.

A new line of antiperspirants and a deodorant - you might know the hand cream from brand 48 or the disinfectants. I have all versions of roll-ons, but I bought another (Fresh) as a gift for someone. The science behind these is that they have probiotics, which support natural microbiom and help prevent bad scents by encouraging good bacteria to grow (instead of those that cause bad smells when breaking down the molecules of sweat). Two, Fresh and Clear are anti-perspirants with aluminium and Sensitive version is aluminium-free. All have very neutral, unisex fragrances, I like Sensitive’s the most, but all are nice. They come in soft tubes that can be squeezed, but have a classic roll-on ball.

A repurchase. I always buy deodorant in advance and since I bought this backup, Borotalco sadly stopped working on me. I'll switch and then go back to it in time. It was very reliable up until now and it has a pleasant, sort of retro powdery scent.