I always like to try new felt tip eyeliners and last time I was ordering from Boots I noticed how highly rated this liner is as well it's inexpensive, so I added it to my shopping cart. To be fair, I do not get what all the raves are about. It's not by any means a bad liner, but it's certainly not amazing. It's kind of average, but in a good way and nice for the price.

The nib is quite big or maybe I should say thick, especially compared to most other eyeliners I've tried. The material used is that classic felt that is used in sharpies and it's the same kind than at Essence. It's a hard nib and doesn't bend, which would allow a more comfortable and precise application, but you can still get a nice line with it. You'll see that the line with this liner is thicker that at others I've swatched, that's the consequence of the larger nib. The formula isn't as black as most I tried, not even as Essence's. It's not as intense, though on the lids it's hard to tell. It's easy to create a flick, but it's not as precise when it comes to making an even line mostly because it doesn't bend, so it takes a lot more patience.

Staying power is better than I expected based on the fact it's not as pigmented as the others, but it can get through the day on my normal lids. The wings rub off, but the main line remains.

I'm not in love with it and I actually think that even Essence's is better, so I don't get rave reviews, but it's a decent liner for the price, mostly due to nice staying power. In the strangest twist of events ever, after posting a rather harsh review of ArtDeco's liner (to be fair it was fully justified if I judge its performance from only the first few months), I've been reaching after it far more that the Collection's one. The nib is softer and more precise, so it's easier to use. Collection's one is nice if you're on a budget, but it's not the best one out there.

I had a spontaneous trip to Kiko in Palmanova last Saturday. It was actually the first time I was there for more than a few seconds and I relished every moment of it. Actually Rebel Romantic collection initially sort of passed me by. I almost subconsciously dismiss all limited editions for a few reasons: what if I like it and I can't repurchase it and also as a blogger it sucks to talk about limited editions because they are only current for a short time and you need to hurry with reviews (kinda late with this one as well, sorry). First Sara teased me with this collection, but it wasn't enough yet to make me properly ready-to-buy-now interested. It was actually Ana who really nudged me in a proper direction and I finally started checking the products in their online shop more seriously. I actually had it in my cart for a few times, but I was always short of 50 € that would entitle me to 2 € of shipping costs instead of 8.90 € (they're crazy!). I happened to end up in Nova Gorica for some very trivial thing and it's only 20 or so minutes from there to Palmanova. I didn't expect to see a lot of Rebel Romantic products, but I was shocked to see the entire collection fully stocked, same goes for Midnight Siren. And that was last Saturday, so there is still hope you'll find most of the products there. I'm glad to see not every brand is so intensely exclusive with their limited editions (looking at you Essence and Catrice).  

The whole collection is stunning. The main feature is the expensive-looking rose gold packaging and it's actually really well made for a budget brand. Even the cardboard packaging is beautiful, especially the one of the mirror. I just love that shade of pastel peachy-pink.

Intensely Lavish Lipsticks

There were six shades available and I took two, 01 Lusty Peony and 04 Mild Sangria. I heard nothing but praise about these and they so deserve it. These are some of the best, if not the actual best lipsticks I've tried so far and you've seen my lipstick collection a few months ago. The formula is outstanding. They are incredibly creamy, apply like a dream and feel so comfortable on the lips. They have a creamy finish, though they do settle a bit later to a more matte finish. The staying power is nice as well for a creamy lipstick and Lusty Peony actually survived a meal, which I didn't expect given the creamy nature of the texture. These have no scent which I think will be another plus for a lot of people. The only little thing is that these are already so creamy that it's hard to apply them precisely. I regret not buying the matching lip liners.

The packaging of these is unreal. The tubes are made from metal and have a magnetic closing system, not the mention that they are in a modern rose gold shade. These lipsticks could easily pass as 30 €+ products, but they only cost 7 €. This just begs the question what exactly are we paying for at high-end lipsticks? If you get one product from this collection, get the lipstick. 

01 Lusty Peony

01 Lusty Peony is a medium powder pink shade with brown tones on me. It's a very 90's inspired shade and it's simple to wear, but makes an impact. I've been wearing tons since I got it and I really like this shade on me. I hear it's close to Soar lip liner, but I suspect it's lighter. It's a shade lighter than Essence's Lovely Frappuccino, which is said to be a close enough dupe for Soar. I assume it looks nude pink on medium skin tones, but you should ask Ana that, she's much tanner than me. 

By the way I took pictures of these three times because once the weather was all wrong and the second I ran out of light, the third I wore black for the first time with a new camera and it was a mistake. I'm not totally happy with the colour accuracy, but at least the first one is dead on and I fixed the others well enough. 

04 Mild Sangria

04 Mild Sangria a dirty rose-red shade. It's like a less intense version of a proper red, but it also has that bit of a pink hue to it. It's quite an interesting shade and one I have no dupes for, nor any similar colours. I am glad that I stepped out of my box and got two shades that I have nothing similar in my collection.

These cost 6.90 € and are so worth it. They should make them permanent, the gorgeous packaging included.

Rebel Bouncy Blush

03 Treasure Rose

Four shades of blushes were made for this collection. I initially considered taking a peachy shade 01, but I thought that Bourjois' Nude Velvet is too similar and I wanted to get something I don't have yet. Treasure Rose is a rose-retro red mix that translates into a pink-red flush on the cheeks. It's a dark and pigmented shade, so very appropriate for medium skin tones. 

The texture is described as bouncy and you might remember Maybelline has a similarly named range of blushes. I never tried those, so I can't compared them, but this one reminds me of another formula - E.l.f.'s Studio Cream Blush. It's a very dry texture and it reminds me of play-doh. It lacks some more creaminess in my opinion, especially since this is such a dark shade, so it would blend a bit easier, but you can still blend it in well, better if you use a more dewy foundation. The finish on the cheeks is matte. 

The packaging is plastic, again in a rose gold shade and it contains a mirror. The blushes cost 9.90 €.

Rebel Romantic Mirror

Apart from the lipsticks this is my absolute favourite item from RR collection. It's so gorgeous and it even comes with a pouch, so the rose gold metal coat won't get scratched off to fast. It has two mirrors, a classic one and a magnifying one, but even the shiny outer layer works as a mirror. So happy I have this.

 The mirror cost 4.90 €, which is a total bargain considering the quality you get.

I'm completely besotted with this collection. I actually have the pictures on it as my screensaver. The packaging is gorgeous, the formula of the lipsticks is amazing (I love the Lusty Peony shade), truly this LE beats many high-end brands. The blush isn't the best to work with, that would be my only little complaint, but it's very pigmented and lasts well on the cheeks. The mirror is stunning as well and it's already got its place in my bag. A part of the collection is still available online, but I think you might have a better chance if you visit one of the shops. It is though almost two months since it was launched.

Did you get anything from this collection?

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Intensely Lavish Lipstick

01 Lusty Peony and 04 Mild Sangria

So I died and went to heaven when I first visited Kiko Milano shop (for real this time) and saw a full Rebel Romantic collection. Sara from Passing Fancy and Ana from Beautysaur both talked about it weeks/months ago, so I had little hope I would get anything, but I got everything I wanted *cheers*. Lipsticks were the priority, I planned on getting 01 and 02, but 04 convinced me more in person. The packaging of these is unreal. Not only is it super pretty, but these actually feel like 30 € lipsticks. Heavy rose gold metal tubes with a magnet closing system - Kiko shows us you can make an absolutely fantastic lipstick for 7 €. The formula is outstanding as well, sooo creamy and lovely to apply. Honestly, these are probably the best lipsticks I've tried so far. They have a creamy finish from the start, but they do dry down a bit after a while to a more matte finish. If you get one product from this collection, get the lipstick. I have the shade 01, which is a medium powder pink shade with brown tones (apparently similar to Soar and it does have that 90's vibe on me), and 04 which is a dirty rose-red shade. I'll post swatches in my next post.

Kiko, 6.90 €

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Rebel Bouncy Blush

03 Treasure Rose

Again I got a shade that I wasn't planning to, 01 was on the top of my list, but this one looked better in person, which is incidentally the same shade that Sara has. The texture is described as something new and unique, but it's the same dry-to-the-touch, play-doh-like texture that E.l.f. Studio cream blushes have. It looked better in the shop, at home when I tried it on the cheeks I wasn't as impressed. It's very dry and it lacks a touch more slip, so it's a bit hard to blend, especially since I got a dark shade. The colour is a rose-retro red mix that translates into a pink-red flush on the cheeks. It's a colour I don't have yet, so that's a good thing, but I think the formula leaves something to be desired.

Kiko, 9.90 €

KIKO Midnight Siren LE Matte Muse Lipstick

03 Enthrall Pink

And another product I got a different shade that I originally intended too (this trip just proved to me that seeing things in person is everything). I actually liked all the colours, they really made a lovely selection of shades, but I went to the peachy-pink 03 and I'm really liking my choice. I assume that the applicator didn't escape your notice, but look who decided to copy Essence. There were actually some of my favourite shapes of applicators, however this one isn't as soft as the old Essence's, it's also a bit smaller, but it still works ok. The lipstick is very pigmented and fully opaque, just as almost all such products and it dries to a matte finish after about 15 minutes. These aren't the best matte liquid lipsticks I've tried, but also not bad. It's a bit sticky on the lips and it can feel drying. I like the interesting packaging, but they should work a bit more on the formula.

Kiko, 6.90 €

KIKO Rebel Romantic LE Mirror

Apart from the lipsticks this is my absolute favourite item from RR collection. It's pure luxury for a fiver. The mirror is rose gold and it comes in a pouch, so it's protected from the evil sharp unidentified objects in your bag. It has two mirrors, a classic one and a magnifying one. Such a gorgeous item.

Kiko, 4.90 €

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow

06 Golden Brown

I already have the shade 38, which made me fall in love with these. They are the most amazing cream eyeshadows I've tried. So smooth, so pigmented, they blend nicely and once they set they don't budge. I swatched them in the shop and didn't have a makeup wipe - they didn't budge a micrometre with a dry tissue. I had to use a remover when I got home. Golden Brown is a bronze shade that is very similar to Maybelline's On and on Bronze, but it's a bit darker and cooler. I regret not getting shade 04 as well.

Kiko, 4.90 €

KIKO Nail Lacquer

375 Bois de Rose

I wanted another shade called Pink Sand, but was met with disappointment when I saw how little of the tons of shades they actually had in Palmanova's shop. I got the one I thought was closest, I just wanted a nice greyish powder pink, but this one is already darker and brighter. I still really like it and Kiko's nail polishes are so lovely that I'm sure I'll use it a lot. 

Kiko, 1.90 €

MISSLYN Nail Polish

610 Night Club

I've been on quest to find a dupe for the discontinued Essence's Deep Blue Sea for a while. Barry M's Navy was evading me for far too long, it just wasn't meant to be I guess, but I stumbled upon this shade that someone left away from its usual place, which was a real stroke of luck. I remember checking all the stands for a dupe, but the cheeky buggers hid this one really well (it's right at the back and barely noticeable). It's good dupe for it, a navy blue with blue shimmer, just as my old dried-up favourite. So glad I found this. The formula isn't terribly impressive though, as it's kind of on the dry side.

Müller, 4.99 €

ESSENCE Lipliner

11 In the Nude

I got this because I heard it's a dupe for Velvet Teddy. I don't have the latter, so I can't make a comparison like I did at the Wish Me a Rose shade, but Andria did that admirably anyway. They changed the packaging, in case you haven't noticed yet. The silver caps are gone and I strongly suspect they tampered with the formula, just as one of my readers told me. It could just be this shade, but the formula isn't nearly as creamy as the other Essence lipliners I own. Personally, I don't mind, but there might be riots in the beauty community. In the nude is an unexpectedly flattering and lovely warm nude shade that actually doesn't look terrible on me. 

Müller, 1.19 €

ESSENCE Eyeshadow Brush

So I go on this rant in my last Wishlist post about how I need to buy more quality brushes and the next week I buy another cheap Essence one. I have no words for myself. Anyway, this one looked interesting to me because it looks similar to MAC 239 and I only have one such decent brush, which is not enough. The cute shade of peach also appealed to me, but i really just wanted to see if it's any good. It's a bit stiff, but picks up colour well and does its job. It's not the best though.

Müller, 1.39 €

MA PROVENCE Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

I've been largely avoiding buying this shampoo because of the price. 8 € for something I might not even like you isn't what I'm willing to pay that easily. Thankfully I spotted it in E. Leclerc for 2 € cheaper than in other places and it sounded much more reasonable. Monika from the Sugarlove blog recommended this to me, saying it helped her with the dandruff issue and I'm always trying to find the miracle product that'll finally do what it promises. 

This. Is. So. Weird. 

I've never tried any Lush solid shampoos, but I'm guessing this is the same. It's so strange massaging a bar of soap on your hair, it truly is an experience (my code for: I'm not feeling it, man). It lathers well enough,  I wish for more and it's not so easy to spread the product all over the hair. It's the damn hole in the middle that just makes it even harder to use. This says that you don't need a conditioner after, a claim to which I laughed for 15 minutes, those people clearly haven't met my hair. My hair does feel stripped after washing and it's very hard to comb though compared to when I use other shampoos. Dandruff-wise, I don't notice any improvement so far, if anything my scalp might even feel a bit itchier, which is just fab, but we'll see how it goes. You get this stick-on handle thing to keep on the soap on and it's crap because doesn't even stick to the surface. The positive sting is that it looks like the bar will last a while as you use up a small amount at a single wash.  

I know Monika will feel bad now and will wish to apologize profusely - don't. Seriously. It's my scalp that's being a douche. Listen to her experience with the product, not mine. I'm super bitchy about hair products.

E.Leclerc, 5.99 €

BALEA Dusche & Creme 

Hibiscus & Nectarine

I haven't quite got over the fact that Balea decided to discontinue their Coconut & Nectarine version, but I had high hopes that they'll make something similar. They went with the hibiscus and nectarine combo, an interesting choice, but when I smelled it in the shop, it did not resemble the old nectarine scent at all. I still grabbed one anyway because I wanted to see if that scent perhaps develops in the shower. It does not. It's a very different scent that is a lot more floral and not as fruity. It's mostly hibiscus at this scent and it also reminds me of their summer limited editions, mango maybe. It's ok, but not repurchase worthy.

DM, 0.79 €

BALEA Pflegecreme Best Wishes

Violet & Freesia scent, Orange & Grapefruit scent

I have quite a few of these because I really love them as hand creams. The texture is light for a universal cream, but very moisturizing and it sinks in super-fast, so no greasy hands touching the keyboard. These do go bad if you don't use them up in about 8 months. Best Wishes are a limited edition created to celebrate 20 years of Balea. Violet & Freesia has a similar scent to Golden Twenties one, but warmer and it reminds me a bit of a less intense version of La Vie est Belle from Lancome. The Orange & Grapefruit one smells really authentically of oranges, but at times it has a strange note to it. I really like these two editions and the packaging is divine. 

DM, 1.09 €

BALEA Rasiergel 

Pink Grapefruit

I had this version on my wishlist for months, but I could never find it. Balea has the best shaving gels for the price, that's the obviously part, so let's concentrate on the scent. I love it. It's citrusy, but a bit bitter - it's grapefruit, there is no better description. I think I may even love it more than the previous mango version. 

DM, 1.99 €

BALEA Badesaltz

Kokos & Cassis

When it comes to coconut and peaches, no Balea's product can evade me and the only thing sure in this world is that it'll eventual tumble into my shopping basket. These new bath salts have a handy sniff sticker in the back, so you can check how it smells. This one has a mostly a clean coconut scent, I can't really make out cassis. I haven't used it in a bath yet, I just checked the colour of the salt - it's crystal lavender colour. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ingredients.
DM, 0.79 €

ESSENCE Happy Girls are Pretty TE Sheer Lip Balm

01 pretty you

You already have a full review of this here. It's an unexpected surprise by Essence. I don't buy their limited editions because what's the point of buying something you can't get any more when it runs out, but in the spirit of expanding my autumnal lip colour collection, I got this rosy-brown shade (mostly because Sanja made me). It's surprisingly lipstick-y for a "sheer lip balm" (someone get Essence a beauty dictionary stat) and it's actually more pigmented than a lot of their lipsticks, but it still has that comfortable and moisturizing feel of a lip balm. Nice product if you can still get this.

DM, 2.49 €

ESSENCE Happy Girls are Pretty TE Multi Colour Blush

01 you Sweeten my day

Oh, the disappointment. It's not terrible, but after trying their matte blushes in the regular line, I expected they finally got a hang of creating nice blushes. Clearly I was wrong. I like the colour of this, but the pigmentation is extremely weak. Well, at least it looks pretty. Review with swatches here.

DM, 3.29 €

ESSENCE Big Bright Eyes Pencil

01 Highlight it…Nude

You'll laugh at me, but I got a back-up even though there is no heart-stopping news of this being discontinued. But this is Essence we're talking about. They make you fall in love with the product and crush your dreams every autumn and spring (I will never get over the Stay Matte lip creams. Never!). I use this every day in my waterline and it creates that awake, big eyes effect. It's super soft and pigmented, it transfers to the waterline instantly and even sticks in it quite well. The slight pinky hue of it is just perfect for me. I love this. A yellow toned version exist as well. 

Műller, 2.19 €

YANKEE CANDLE Soft Blanket

So I may have been going to Müller to check this candle embarrassingly often, yet I could never justify buying the big or medium candle because of the tear-inducing prices. But last week I confidently walked to the scented candles section and just grabbed myself a medium. Ok, there might have been a fair share of dawdling before, but the point is I finally have it. This is one of my favourite scents ever. I can't really describe it well, but it's like baby powder and fabric softener. It's soft, warm and cosy, it invites images of a warm home and snuggling under a freshly washed blanket. But it is a candle that doesn't give much of a scent when actually burning, their other scents as much more potent. Still, I shall treasure it.

20.99 €

YANKEE CANDLE Turquoise Sky

This was a new scent on the shelves of our Müller. It actually smells exactly the same as Sunshine fragrance from The Library of Fragrance (Demetre Frangrance). It's a very clean scent, like fresh laundry, but also a bit warm. The scent is so powerful. Even wrapped in plastic it made the room smell of its scent.

2.99 €

*THEBALM Frat Body Shadow/Blush

You've probably heard already that TheBalm hit some of our Müllers in Slovenia (and Croatia). I got a few bits to try out, the blushes were a sent as a thanks for me helping them with some things and I'm so chuffed that they surprised me like that (so these are not really PR products to be fair). Frat Boy is a very popular blush from TheBalm and apparently it's THE universal blush that is flattering on almost everyone (check the reviews on Makeupalley). It's a matte peachy-pink matte shade on the cheeks and it has quite a brightening, cute effect . 

Müller, 20 €

*THEBALM Hot Mama Shadow/Blush

Another super popular shade, just check the rating on MUA. Again it's supposedly a universally flattering colour and it has that NARS Orgasm vibe to it. It is however, much more golden-peachy in the pan than NARS' version. On the cheeks it's a golden coral with a lovely glow. I actually like it more than Frat Boy because it reminds me of my favourite Benefit Coralista, but it's a touch pinker.

Müller, 19 €

*THEBALM Nude'tude Eyeshadow Palette

The review of this palette is already up if you're interested. It's such a lovely neutral palette with great quality eyeshadows that are in the same rank as Urban Decay's. They are very smooth, pigmented and blend so well, it's such a joy creating looks with this palette. 

Müller, 35.70 €

*SMOOTH SEXY HAIR Smooth and Shine

You may know that I'm a massive fan of Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Three-Wheat Leave-In conditioner, which didn't go unnoticed, so I was kindly offered to try Smooth and Shine spray. I only have the travel size, which should come very handy. It's an anti-frizz spray that works in a similar way than Lee Staffords Dehumidiffier. Basically it's a light oil in a spray, but it's lighter than got2b Oillicious spray, so people with the type of hair that tends to get greasy fast might like it more. I've used it on dry and wet hair. On dry hair, it had a bit of effect, but not what I hoped for. The results on wet here were already better, but nothing in the rank of Sebastian Professional Potion 9. It's nice and people with greasier hair might like it more, but I need something even stronger.  

*NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or

I was sent this unexpectedly, I guess they don't read my blog and therefore aren't aware I talk about this constantly and that I already have a bottle of it at home. This is the gold version of the "prodigious oil", which means it has tons of gold shimmer as well as a tiny bit of a bronzy tint I already did a review with pictures of it on the skin a while ago, you can read it here. I use this version mostly for my hair because it's an oil that fixes my hair when it very dry, but it doesn't make my hair as greasy as coconut oil would, but it still means that I need to wash my hair the next day, it really is just a one day fix (I'm currently also mixing it with L'Oreal's Extraordinary oil-in-cream). It also gives my hair some shine due to the shimmer. It's drier than the regular version meaning it sinks in faster, but the moisturizing effect is the same. The gold shimmer looks lovely on tanned skin, but it's a bit late for that this year.

50 ml 25.80 €, 100 ml 40.24 € 

*NANSHY Eye Brush Set

That Zoeva Rose Gold set will have to wait for a bit because I have these babies to try out. There are seven brushes in this set: the large shader, eye crease, tapered crease, blending eyeshadow, flat definer, precise bent definer and angled detailer. I've given them a whirl yesterday, creating a classic smoky eye with Nude'tude palette and I liked the quality, but I did miss a couple of brushes. These are synthetic, vegan, cruelty free and antibacterial. The quality and general shape reminds me a bit of Jessup brushes, but these are much smaller and more precise.

Ličila.si, 41.95 €

*My Beauty Box

Slovenia got a new beauty box service and a few of us bloggers got the first box before they open shop. I already showed the contents on my Instagram and got a mixed response. Don't click if you want to be surprised >>click.

 I've written a review of all the products inside, I just need to press post, so expect that in the next days. 

My Beauty Box ima za zdaj samo Instagram, kjer boste izvedeli več informacij o tem kdaj bo trgovina odprta. 

*BELLE MARINE Soothing Serum

I got a new serum to test out. Belle Marine uses sea extracts from different algae and promises a lot from being anti-ageing to protecting against UVA/UVB. It's a light lotion consistency that sinks in fast and leaves a very velvet finish on the skin (it contains silicones), so it almost works as a primer as well. It has a strong scent of Nivea or baby cosmetics.

Click2Chic, 18.00 €

URBAN DECAY Naked Palette

I got another Naked palette as a gift for my cousin, so now all three of us own one. Some things have changed since I got mine years ago. Now you get a brush with it, before we got an eyeliner and a deluxe sample of the original Primer Potion (now you get smaller samples of four versions). 

Feel Unique, €52.06

Ok, I need to vent. It's been almost a year, since I last ordered from FU because they seriously screwed up my last order, I waited for over two months I think and I wowed not to buy from them for a long time, but they had a discount of the Naked palette and it was a good opportunity to finally treat my cousin. I ordered two other things as well - repurchases of two absolute essentials that are on their lasts legs, Healthy Sexy Hair Leave-in and Palmer's Swivel Stick. I immediately found it odd that the order needed to be shipped in two parts with no explanation and then only Naked palette arrived, but not the other two things, even though they have supposedly been shipped the next day. And there is no sign of the package for almost a month now. And their stupid policy that they won't deal with you until a month has passed. So basically they screwed me twice in a row and I'm boiling mad. I don't think I'll be purchasing anything from them for a very, very long time.

PAJOMA Duft-Kerze

Roses & Berries

A cheap candle from Müller that I got just to try it out. It has a strong scent of berry candy, but I detect no rose scent, which a good thing.

Müller, 1.99 €

BOLSIUS Aromatic Candle

Baked Cookies

Another candle I got just because I found it interesting. It smells like Ggngerbread cookies, but our version because we don't put ginger in them here. It's basically just a mix of honey, cinnamon and vanilla, but it doesn't really smell of anything much when it burns.

Müller, 0.99 €

Have a great day!