(Besedilo v slovenščini je na dnu objave.) 

I'm a fan of L'Occitane skin care since my teens, particularly their skin care ranges that are suited for combination/oily skin (currently it's Angelica, but it used to be Red Rice and Lavender) and last year I also found my favourite ever moisturiser in their Angelica line. The latter appears to have been reformulated and I haven't tried the new version yet (a few ingredients are missing, but it very similar from what I call tell), but when I first tried Pivoine Sublime (Peony) Perfecting Cream, the similarities between my favourite and this one didn't escape me. Indeed the texture and finish it leaves is very similar, however, visually Pivoine Sublime moisturiser is outstandingly beautiful and it doesn't end there, the scent is divine as well, quite possibly my favourite ever skin care scent.

The texture is like a classic cream, but closer to one of those gel-cream hybrids one, so it feels very moisturising, yet it sinks into the skin within a minute and it leaves a dry to the touch velvet-satin finish, which to me makes it an excellent base for makeup just like the Angelica one. This is the type of cream that could work for so many skin types, maybe just not for very dry skin, as I'd at least put an additional hydrating serum or oil under it. I should also mention that both the Angelica Hydra Vital and the Pivoine Sublime creams have silicones, but the Angelica one has less of them.

As I said times before the scent  is amazing. It's such a lovely floral scent - it smells of peonies, of course - I just adore it and it makes the morning and night routine such a pleasant experience. There is also a fragrance available with this scent, which I promptly put on my wishlist.

Usually I'm not a fan of creams in pots for hygiene reasons, but this pot so beautiful. I keep it as decoration on my shelves. Unlike the Angelica version, it has a metal foil protector, while the former had a plastic one which turned out to work a bit better I think.

Now for the most pressing question - is it as good for my skin as the (old) Angelica one? I said in my review for the latter that it makes my skin look healthier. I've been using the Peony version for about a month now and so far I don't find that it works quite as well for my skin, despite the similarities, but I did stop using acids, so the conditions aren't the same. It's close enough though, especially if my favourite has gone under a significant reformulation and it's firmly at the second place of my all time favourite moisturisers, and yes, despite the steep price (the scent sells it to me, to be honest). L'Occitane is usually very generous with samples, so if I are considering trying moisturisers from Peony and Angelica lines, I'd get a sample of both. Both are priced about the same and both are excellent moisturisers, so it really depends on the individual preferences which one to choose. 

Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Moisturiser costs 38.10 €. You can find more information about the Pivoine Sublime line as well as my review and swatches of the lip balm from this line here.

L'Occitane sem odkrila v mojih najstniških letih in ena izmed prvih stvari, ki sem si jih privoščila, je bil sivkin matirajoči losion, ki je bil izjemen. Danes tega losiona ni več, saj ga je zamenjal Angelikin, ampak L'Occitanovi izdelki za nego za obraza so ostali eni izmed moji najljubših in tisti, ki jim še najbolj zaupam (čeprav mi cene niso najbolj všeč). Lani sem se popolnoma zaljubila v Angelikino kremo za obraz, ki je daleč najboljša krema kar sem jo uporabljala, ampak izgleda da so zadnje čase nekaj menjavali sestavo, nove pa še nisem preizkusila. Ko sem prvič preizkusila novo kremo iz Potonikine linije, sem opazila izjemno podobnost med staro Angelikino in to. Mi je pa lonček Potonikine kreme precej lepši (prava dekoracija v kopalnici ali mizi) in pa tudi vonj je izjemen, prav verjetno moj najljubši vonj kreme od vseh, ki sem jih imela možnost preizkusiti.

Tekstura kreme je dokaj klasična, ampak je ena izmed teh "modernih" tekstur, ki je skoraj nekako kot hibrid med gelom in kremo, posledično se hitro vpije v kožo in ne pusti mastnega sloja na koži. Mojo mešano kožo dovolj nahrani in pusti na koži satenast finiš, koža je tudi zelo hitro suha na dotik. Meni so take kreme še najbolj všeč za pod puder. Obe Angelikina (nova in stara) in tale vsebujeta silikone, ampak Potonikina jih ima višjo koncentracijo in ti so odgovorni za žametni občutek na koži. Krema se mi zdi primerna za večino tipov kože, saj odlično deluje na moji (z)mešani koži, le za suho kožo bo premalo in bo potrebno uporabiti še kakšen vlažilni serum ali pa olje.

Vonj je izjemen, o tem trobim že cel mesec v več objavah in še parfum iz te linije sem takoj dala na listo želja. Krema seveda diši po potonikah, torej ima prijeten cvetlični vonj. Meni je vonj izdelkov, ki jih uporabljam zelo pomemben in tale krema mi res polepša vsakodnevno rutino.

Običajno nisem ljubiteljica krem v lončkih zaradi higienskih razlogov, ampak lonček te kreme je čista umetnina, pravzaprav je celotna Potonikina linija paša za oči. Krema je poleg kovinskega pokrovčka zaprta še z aluminijasto folijo, ki sem jo jaz kar obdržala, ampak Angelikina krema ima dodatni plastični pokrov, ki se izkazal za malo bolj praktičnega.

Pa mi je Potonikina krema tako všeč kot stara Angelikina? Po pravici povedano sploh ne vem. Obe sta tako podobni, sploh kar se tiče teksture in finiša, mi je pa seveda vizualno Potonikina krema veliko lepša, da o vonju sploh ne govorim. Vseeno se mi zdi, da je bila moja koža ko sem uporabljala Angelikino verzijo malo lepša, je pa res, da sem trenutno prenehala z uporabo izdelkov s kislinami tako da pogoji niso popolnoma enaki. L'Occitane je običajno zelo radodaren s testerji (izjemno pohvalno. So redki v Sloveniji), poleg tega imajo zelo dobre prodajalce, ki radi pomagajo, tako da preizkusite obe kremi in se sami odločite katera vam bolje ustreza.

Izboljševalna krema za obraz Popolna potonika stane 38.10 €. Več informacij o celotni liniji Popolna Potonika in objava od balzamu za ustnice iz te linije najdete tukaj. Kolikor sem gledala po tujih L'Occitanovih straneh sem samo pri nas našla komplet minijev, ki vsebuje tudi 8 ml lonček kreme, samo ga na spletni strani ni več na zalogi, je pa zagotovo še v kakšni trgovini. Meni je padel v oči predvsem zaradi mini parfuma in mini kreme, ker so mi take stvari izjemno prikupne.

1. STILA Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Intense Black

I've had a streak of bad luck with felt tip eyeliners this year, though I'm currently finally very happy with that Born Pretty "panda liner", but even before I got that one, I've had this Stila one on my wishlist for quite a while. I've heard so many good things about it and also Nadja recommended that I should try it, so I really wish to give it a go. Also Emily from Beauty with Emily Fox says that it supposedly lasts about a year which sounds amazing. It's quite expensive, but with my discount code that I've been saving, the price should be more reasonable.

Feel Unique, 17.81 €.

2. L'OCCITANE Pivoine Flora eau de parfum

I am head over heels in love with the scent of the Pivoine Sublime moisturiser, seriously the application is so enjoyable and I quickly put this fragrance on my wishlist, even though I'm not even sure that it's the exact same scent. I'm not a fan of floral scents, but the moisturiser smells so amazing, just like fresh flowers. There are both the eau de parfum and eau de toillete available, either of which I wouldn't mind owning, however, the price is quite steep, so I don't see that happening very soon (maybe for my birthday).

L'Occitane, 49.80 € (50 ml).

3. MAKEUP REVOLUTION  Salvation Velvet Matte Lip Lacquer 

Rebel

I never got the hype around MAC's Rebel lipstick because it just looked too purple and dark for my taste, but I suddenly changed my mind and started investigating this very autumnal shade now in the spring. I'm a fan of that warm purple-rose colour like Essie's nail polish in Bahama Mama and the likes, so I'd love to have such a shade for the lips as well. This shade by Makeup Revolution looks like what I'm looking for, though I must say that their lip gloss packaging is terrible, but I'm willing to overlook that for this colour. 

Ličila.si, 4.95 €; Makeup Revolution, £3.00.

4. WET N'WILD Mega Last Matte Lipstick

Sugar Plum Fairy

This is another one of the Rebel-like shades and for me it will be an either or situation, meaning I'll get either Sugar Plum Fairy or MR's Rebel, whichever is cheaper and more accessible. This is a super popular shade and I've heard so many good things about it, but I never gave it a closer look. I've actually seen these in Croatian DM's and I didn't pick one which I regret now.
I am worried though that this colour will look completely purple on me.

Destination Pretty, 3.95 €; DM Hrvatska, 23 kn (list of DM's in Croatia that sell Wet n' Wild).

5. L'OREAL Mattifying Infallible Foundation

10 Porcelain

Almost every British blogger raves or at least talks favourably about this foundation and I need to try it. I'm concerned about the lightest shade (as always), but I swatched the shade Porcelain from the "regular" Infallible foundations and it looked very promising (but the price was the off putting factor that made me not buy it). It's supposedly a medium-high coverage foundation with a nice, non cakey matte finish. This will be mine. 

Boots International, £6.99; Feel Unique, €12.32.

6. THE LIBRARY OF FRAGRANCE Sunshine 

In the USA these are called Demeter fragrances and I've had my eye on them for a couple of years now, since I started exploring Fragrantica. They have an impressive collection of interesting scents, ranging from one note fragrances like Peach, Green Tea and Lime to some very unique scents like Baby's Head, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Storm and even Pizza - their creativity appears to have no limits. Boots got them a few months ago, for some reason under a different name and I so want to try at least one, even though I now they most likely have a very weak staying power. I have my heart set on Sunshine because I love that word and I presume it smells fresh and warm as well as citrusy.

Boots International, £15.00.

7. & 8. BALEA Luxury Red Love Line

Pampering shower gel & pampering bath

I recently found the bath salt from this line, which intrigued me from the first time I saw it on their Instagram, since it says it smells like peach and coconut. You know I can't walk past peach scented products. I was so excited about the bath salt that I quickly opened it up to see how it smells and the wonderful aroma stayed in my nostrils quite a while. The scent of this is to die for! I mostly smell peach and a tiny bit of coconut, but in a super sexy way. It's similar to their discontinued Nectarine shower gel, but kind of darker and warmer. I love it! I hope we get the rest of the line here in Slovenia.
There is also a gold version that smells like vanilla and patchouli.

DM, the bath salt costs 0.79 €.

9. BALEA Rasiergel Pink Grapefruit

This is the latest edition of Balea's amazing shave gels and I'll be sure to try this one once it reaches our DM's. Pink Grapefruit scented product  usually have such an uplifting fresh, but sweet scent, so I have high hopes for this. 

DM,  1.99 € (presumably)

I also want to thank you for reaching 1000 followers on Bloglovin' today (unless someone unsubscribes in the next couple of days, then this will just sound stupid). Thank you for reading my little rambles, for every comment and save/like on social media. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I love writing them.

Have a great day!

Forgive Me is one of the completely new shades by Essence and a part of their The Gel Nail Polish line. Just one of the improvements that these gel formulas brought are much better performing pastels and this is precisely such a shade.

Forgive Me is pastel Miss Piggy/Barbie light warm pink. It looks a bit darker on the nails than in the bottle, so I wouldn't put it in the nude category, also because it does a have a level brightness to it against my pale skin. This is one of those super girly colours, but appropriate to be worn for so many different occasions.

I can now say that the formula is a "classic" gel one. If you ever tried nail polishes like Deborah Smalto Gel Effect, this is very similar. It's a thick, but smooth formula that is very opaque, almost to the point of being a one coater, but it mostly needs another one for a perfect even finish. Just as all such gel formulas, it has a strong shine, which lasts quite well, several days at least. The brush is one of those wide ones and performs so well despite the narrowness of my nails.

Staying power and drying time are both impressive. I used it twice with no base or top coat and I noticed no difference in staying power if I would. These nail polishes are certainly fantastic for the price.

I got mine in Müller for a very affordable 1.69 €.

Have a great day!

Based on your comments under my latest New in post, this matte lip cream generated most interest, so here it is. It has a series of complicated names, both on the tube and on the Born Pretty website, so I shall just call it Born Pretty Matte Lip Cream. Born Pretty sells 12 shades of these and they are all swatched on their website. Now that I'm looking at it again, I'm surprised at myself hat I didn't choose a different shade as I like most of them, but this is a lovely colour any way, just a bit bright.

Colour: This is so bright! But when I asked others they said that it's nothing different from what I usually wear. #36 is a bright fuchsia shade, which looks like a warm shade in the tube, but on my lips it more neutral/leaning to cool. It's similar to Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet in Olé Flamingo and Catrice's Mission Pinkpossible as the closest comparisons I own. This is a shade for the brave, also because the lasting power is insane and when you decide to wear this, there is no going back unless you're prepared to spend quite some time with an oil based remover rubbing this off. It dries into that nice matte finish that I'm a huge fan off, though looking at it closely, it does have a tiny bit of the shine and also the thickness of application determines how fast it will turn matte. In case of a thin coat that happens almost immediately.

Texture: It's a lip cream, but very different from what I'm used to. It's thicker than for example Nyx's version and not a mousse-cream hybrid like Bourjois' version. I suggest applying a thin coat and avoiding layering it because once it's on the lips, it dries into this uniform matte layer and the thicker the coat is, the more prone it is to cracks and flaking after hours of wear. Because it dries into this layer, the first minutes or even a hour, you'll definitely feel it on your lips, not necessarily as a dryness, but more as tightness. This feeling disappears over time. The one issue I have with this is the stickiness, not when you press your lips to a glass or test it with fingers, but mostly just when you press your lips together. This stickiness is quite strong and is occasionally the cause of minor flaking, so this is not a product to wear when you know might be talking a lot right after application (unless you avoid letters p,b and m, but I don't how how that would work out for you). Like the tightness, the stickiness also disappears in time and it behaves like a regular matte lip cream.

Staying power: Due to the stickiness you can guess yourself that this sticks on like a glue, except if you're so unlucky (or you applied it too thick) that a part might flake off. It lasts through meals and drinking, although it still transfers a bit. I can't say that this wears off particularly nicely. It disappears from the inner corners first, especially after a meal that includes oils, but the main bulk of the colour stays put for a long time. At the end of the day (meaning after at least 10 hours), it looks patchy, with the colour concentrating on the edges of the lips, but all the lips are still stained. Due to that strong stain action, I also have to warn you to be careful not to get this anywhere else than the lips because it's a pain to scrub off.

Packaging: It's a long tube in a design that is nothing new to me, since Manhattan had something similar four or five years ago. Apart from stickiness, which I can handle because I'm not much of a talker, I don't get along with the applicator. The sponge it fine, but the length of the wand is seriously impeding the ability to do a nice application. If only it were a centimetre or two shorter, it would make it so much easier.  

Scent: This has a paint like scent, which is not particularly noticeable.

Price and availability: These cost 2.99 $ on the Born Pretty website, which makes them some of the most affordable matte lip creams, especially if you consider that the shipping is free as well. All twelve colours cost 18 $.

I got a code to that gives you 10% off your order MKOH10, which is also in the sidebar (it's a direct link to the website).

All the name confusion aside, this is a nice and very long lasting matte lip cream for a very affordable price. The wand is a nuisance as it the initial stickiness, but these are not massive downsides. For the price these are lovely and I'm really digging the shade range.

Have a great day!

*I was send this by Born Pretty.

There was much talk about these a few months ago, though I feel that the hype had subsided by now, these remained in the back of my mind as being a nice drugstore buy. When I first saw the full price of these, I swiftly recoiled and focused on the rest of the Max Factor stand, but when I got a not so shy discount coupon, this eyeshadow was the first to land in my shopping basket. There were four shades available here and two caught my attention. The lighter taupe-champagne shade called Copper and this one called Bronze. Since the former was out of stock, I got this, which was my first choice anyway.

Bronze is a medium-deep warm brown shade with some bronze tones in it and gold shimmer. I think this would be a great shade on all eye colours, especially blue as it would emphasize it. It's quite a dark shade, so it's better for smoky eyes, though if you decide to wear only a sheer wash, it could be an everyday shade for those who are comfortable with such a look. 

The texture is very soft, almost like a cross between a mousse and a liquid eyeshadow, so the lightest touch of the surface with a finger leaves you with tons of colour. I would advise to apply this gradually, with lots of blending between applications to get a nice soft focus blend at the edges. It's difficult to apply in such a way that the lid is covered with an opaque coat of eyeshadow as firstly you need a lot of layers if you want a nicely blended look and secondly this creases. You'll see on my eyes how remarkably beautiful it looks when my eyes are open, but it looks patchy once they're closed. It doesn't look like that at first and I was quite disappointed to see all my blending work, which wasn't easy, erased by tiny creases that appear after about a minute. It all depends on the thickness of the eyeshadow coat, so light layers work a lot better, but I just wanted that nice liquid metal effect and with this it doesn't really work. I do love it as a nice wash of colour though and I still think this is a product that works best as a base rather than an individual eyeshadow.

Staying power is difficult to determine because it depends on how you perceive durability. Do you mean how long does the eyeshadow look intact, so with no creases or do you just care how long any colour remains on the lids? If you care about the latter, then it lasts long enough to get you through the day, but it won't look pretty. As I said before, I'd definitely put an eyeshadow over it because in that case you'll get a nice intense eyeshadow look paired with nice staying power.

I tend to apply these with fingers, though it's possible to use a brush, however, I just feel that with a brush it's ever messier. I apply the colour with a finger on the lid and then tap outwards, finishing with a blending brush around the edges for I get a nice haze of colour.  

I applied a thicker coat on my pictures, because I presume most would buy this eyeshadow to get that liquid metal effect. If you apply it more as a wash, it doesn't look as creased, but it does crease.

I general, I'm not as impressed by this as with Maybelline's Color Tattoos. They are definitely messier and they crease, but I am completely in love with this shade because I think it compliments my eye colour so well. I've been pairing it with Smog eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked palette, though that one is definitely a more gold shade than this and would really like to find an eyeshadow that would match this one from Max Factor.

These cost 9.99 € in DM. Are they worth it? Only if you really like the shade and you plan to use it as a base. Otherwise I'd go with Maybelline's Tattoos.

Have a great day!

MAKEUP

MAX FACTOR Excess Shimmer 

Bronze

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

DM, 9.99 €

L'OREAL Les Blancs Nail Polish

858 Ocean Porcelaine

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

DM, 5.19 €

ESSENCE Longlasting Lipliner

03 Yummy Berry

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

Müller 1.59 €

NAIL POLISH

ESSENCE Effect Nail Polish

32 The Black Cat

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

Müller, 1.49 €

ESSENCE The Gel Nail Polish

13 Forgive Me

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

Müller, 1.69 €

SKINCARE

Inell Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante

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

E. Leclerc, 1.51 €

CADEAVERA Peel Off Maske

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

Ingredients.

Müller, 0.69 €

BATH AND BODY

BALEA Bodybutter Nuss

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

Ingredients.

DM, 2.99 €

REXONA Invisible Pure Anti-Perspirant

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

DM, 2.99 €

BALEA Pflegecreme Sail Away

With raspberry scent

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

DM, 1.19 €

BALEA Pflegecreme 50's Forever

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

DM, 0.99 €

SAUBÄR Badestern

Honig LE

Bath star with honey scent

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

Ingredients.

0.99 €

YVES ROCHER Raspberry Fizzy Bath Cube

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

Yves Rocher, 1.40 €

YVES ROCHER Strawberry Fizzy Bath Cube

This one smells like strawberry sweets through the packaging.

Yves Rocher, 1.40 €

HAIR CARE

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinaire Oil Nourishing Shampoo

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

Ingredients.

Interspar, 3 €

DOVE Pure Pflege Schwerelos Ől Spűlung

Quench Absolute Conditioner

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

Ingredients.

Müller, 4.95 €

PHYTO Phytosquam Intense

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

Ingredients.

Leposana, 20.50 €

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

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

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

Müller, 4.89 €

L'OREAL Elvital Ől Magique Nährende Balsam-Maske

Elseve Extraordinary Oil Hair Mask 

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

Müller, 5.99 €

ARGAN OIL Hydrating Hair Mask

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

E. Leclerc, 2.19 €

PR PRODUCTS

*ALPSTORIES Bath Salt

Sol za kopel

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

Alpstories, 10.38 €

*ALPSTORIES Organic Shampoo with Aloe Vera

Organski šampon za lase aloe vera

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

Alpstories, 12.96 €

*ALPSTORIES 100 % Pure Damask Rose Floral Water

100% organska cvetna vodica damaščanske vrtnice

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

Alpstories, 10.34 €

*BORN PRETTY Smooth Liquid Eye Liner with a Panda Design

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

Born Pretty, $5.99

*BORN PRETTY Matte Lip Cream

#36

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

Born Pretty, $2.59

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

*L'OCCITANE Pivoin Sublime Créme Perfectrice 

Izboljševalna krema za obraz Popolna potonika, 50 ml

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

L'Occitane, 38.10 €. 

*L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime Tinted Lip Balm

Rose Nude

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

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

L'Occitane, 16.30 €.

*I HEART MAKEUP Black Velvet Eyeshadow Palette

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

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

Ličila.si, 10.95 €

OTHER BITS

YANKEE CANDLE Soft Blanket

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

Műller, 2.49 €

Profissimo Candle Wild Fruits

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

DM, 2.99 €

VEET Easy Strip Wax Strips

for sensitive skin

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

Interspar, 4 €

YVES ROCHER Samples

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

Have a great day!