I haven't done a skin care post in years and the reason it that I'm never really happy with my skin care, so I'm always trying new stuff and I never find my current routines worthy of a proper post. I'm of course still sticking to Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, my staple in routine for a good six years now, but as far as the rest is concerned, I keep trying to find things that like Nuxe I could consider a holy grail. I have favourites in every category, but they are either too expensive to repurchase on a regular basis or they're good, just not "I can't live without it" amazing. 

I'm doing this post just as I'm about to make changes again, I'll be exploring Korean skin care to see if I find anything that will convince me, but right now I have so many skin care items that I'd just love to get rid off and have a clean slate with just my basic faves. By the way, I should mention that I do have a fall back routine, so when my skin is misbehaving I have a combo that helps get it back to a more normal state - it's a Balance Me Cleansing Balm and Nuxe oil, plus Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair when I allow myself to buy it. Another cleanser my skin loves is Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser, but I only used up one tube, while I've used up several of the before mentioned. 

CLEANSERS

MICELLAR WATERS

BIOBAZA Beauty Micellar Water Mix with Chamomile and Cucumber - I just got this recently, it was sent to me, but not for this blog. Just about every review I read was negative, which honestly made me kind of scared to be the one positive review because I feel no one will believe me, but I really think it's fine. A normal micellar water that isn't the strongest, but it works and it doesnt irritate my skin. It's almost completely natural and feels like water just as regular micellars. The smells is a bit funny, but I love the packaging.

Favourites: 

GARNIER Biophase Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil - my favourite micellar water, though this one is more like a mix between a regular one and a duo-phase remover, so it's actually stronger, but it's not as light as other micellar's. I love the scent of it, it doesn't leave a strange filter, instead it makes my skin feel soft. I prefer it to the their regular one.

GREEN LINE Clear Active Micellar Cleansing Water - my favourite "traditional" micellar water. I find it's the strongest drugstore one, though it's not that big of a difference and I'm not going to say it's as good as Bioderma, still it's really good. I disliked the old packaging, but the new one is great. By the way, unlike most micellars, it's quite scented.

OIL MAKEUP REMOVERS 

AFRODITA Clean Phase Eye-Makeup Remover and GREEN LINE Clear Active Eye Make-up Remover - Both of these are nothing special, but they work. They are simple duo-phase eye makeup removers, neither are the strongest and neither make my vision too foggy. I don't use Green Line's much because I have it for pictures (on their Facebook), but it's in a better packaging. When I use up Afrodita's, I'm not repurchasing it. So far I liked Maybelline's out of the cheap ones most. 

L'OCCITANE Shea Cleansing Oil - Rare cleansing oils work for my skin and this one is likeable, but from L'Occitane I prefer Immortelle because it makes my skin nicer. It removes makeup and cleans the skin without drying it out. I was going to repurchase the Immortelle version until I found a new favourite mentioned bellow.

BALEA Reinigungs Öl - I already had this in my disappointments posts. Compared to L'Occitane's is thinner and I need to use way too much. I just want to get rid of it.

TRILOGY Make-Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm - the current balm I'm using and it works for me, but it's not amazing and I won't repurchase it when I use up the last bits. My favourite so far is from Balance Me, however every tube I owned had a different texture, so I didn't repurchase it.

Favourite: BIOBAZA Face Cleansing Micellar Oil - my favourite oil so far. I only have a sample, but I will buy full size. It emulsifies into a thick foam and it doesn't mess up my skin, not to mention it's a lot cheaper than L'Occitane. I just hope I find it in drugstores.

BASIC CLEANSERS

INELL Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante - On no makeup days I use this foam. I avoid using gel cleansers and foams too often because they cause dry patches on me, but this one is so gentle. It's like whipped cream, so super fun too. I'm not sure it's sold anymore, I stocked up, but it cost under 2 €.

SOAP & GLORY The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser - I'm not a fan of this one and want to get rid of it as fast as a I can. However, I can't use it often because it doesn't cooperate with my skin well, the biggest problem is that it's drying. It's a cream cleanser that you remove with a cloth, but it doesn't remove makeup well.

EXFOLIATORS

L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime 2 in 1 Perfecting Scrub - I didn't know where to put this because it's a kind-of a gel, an oil and a scrub. It can remove makeup and it's not the harshest scrub, so it's a nice mix. I don't consider it an essential, but I like it.

FIRST AID BEAUTY Exfoliating Pads - I got these from Nadja, who loves them (she has great skin care recommendations if you need them), but I find the pads too weak. They are chemical exfoliators and nice to use, also probably good for sensitive skin, but apparently my thick, farmer-girl skin needs something stronger.

SOAP & GLORY Greatest Scrub Of All - a manual exfoliator that I got based on rave reviews, but to me it's more or less a "meh" product. It's got a ton of small polishing particles and it smells like a laundry detergent, but my problem with it is that I just don't notice a difference when I use it. My skin isn't smooth with it.

REVIVA LABS 5% Glycolic Acid Cream - I got this as a cheaper replacement of REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate, except that this should be much stronger. I don't get any tingling sensation when I use it (only once when I forgot I used a manual scrub before the clay mask), so I'm starting to think there is something very wrong with me and I should start applying battery acid for any effect. I don't notice my skin being smoother, brighter or any happier, but it did fade my old blemish marks faster. It's a slightly sticky face cream that doesn't sink in.

Surprisingly I did feel tingling when I used Andalou Naturals Instant Brightening, Pumpkin & Honey Face Mask which is weaker, but I felt it left my skin nicer, so I might buy a pot of that one instead, though it still wasn't as good as I hoped.

TONERS

GREEN LINE Clear Active Refreshing Toner and Clarifying Tonic - I don't really use toners, though I try to convince myself every now and then that they make a difference, but I mostly don't want to waste an additional cotton pad. I have two, both from Green Line which I like, they are very nice basic toners that are good for any skin type, even the Clarifying Toner that mattifies a bit. I should maybe move them to a spray bottle, so I'll use them more.

SERUMS

BALEA Beauty Effect Eye & Lip Serum - I bought this the moment I noticed my smile lines appearing (I don't deserve them, I rarely smile) and I hoped they are just dehydration lines, but this didn't help at all despite the hyaluronic acid. I know I'm a bit naive, but at least I felt like I was doing something. Now I'm just trying to use this up and be done with it. It's a light gel that leaves a sticky coat.

Favourite: ESTEE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair serum - like Nuxe, this is a product that helps to keep my skin in check, but there is one problem. Because it's so expensive, I save it too much and therefore I don't really see that much effect since everything else is messing it up. I might get Missha's Time Revolution "cheaper" replacement and see if I can use that one without seeing euros disappearing in front of my eyes.

OILS

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil - I don't use this one often because I love Nuxe so much, but I need to use it up soon because it might already be too old. I used it when my skin was very dry since it's thicker than Nuxe, but it also takes much longer to sink in. 

Favourite: NUXE Huile Prodigieuse - Should I even say any more about it? I always say the same things. I've been using this basically daily since May 2011, the only time I don't use it is when I'm testing other things or I'm trying to use something up, but this is my staple. It takes a lot less time than other oils to absorb and it leaves my skin moisturised as well as healthy looking. I've gone through many bottles and this one is a special black one that was a LE a while ago (I had it in stock). I use two pumps a day, so it lasts me ages. 

MOISTURIZERS

BALEA Multitalent Creme-Gel & Maske - I bought this because it smells like peach, but it somehow became my primary moisturiser when I actually use it. It's very light and it doesn't work as a mask, so I use it as a moisturiser under foundation, but it's sometimes not the best. I'll use it up and that's it.

MONU Firming Moisturiser - I only have a sample of this that has been in my stash for over a year, but it's my only thick cream and it's saving me when my skin is very dry. Full size is about 30 €, which to me is expensive, so I won't buy it, but it's likeable, except for the Pritt stick smell.

GREEN LINE HydroMineral Light Moisturising Cream for mixed and oily skin - another product I have for pictures, so I try not to use it, though I really like it. It's a good basic moisturiser that I actually think would work for most skin types (it works for any stage of mine) and it's neither too greasy and neither too light (though they have two more versions). Another similar basic moisturiser I liked was Creatures De Monoi Face Cream, but now I want something more, either with hyaluronic acid or vitamin C.

MASKS

GREEN LINE Natural Clear Cleansing Cream + Scrub + Mask + Antibacterial Effect - I like this much more as a scrub, but it's a decent clay mask too. It's a harsh scrub, so the way I like it, but that might not make it the best for sensitive skin. As a mask it's one of those that doesn't dry, so it's more comfortable than traditional clay masks, but you don't get the same type of clearing out the pores effect. It contains zinc, so it's good for skin with blemishes and redness.

L'OREAL Pure Clay Purify Mask, Exfo Mask and Glow Mask - I got all three of these and I think they all work the same as clay masks. Exfo Mask contains scrub bits, making it like Green Line's and I use it most often. The other two are classic clay masks that dry to that tight feeling. All are fine, but none make my skin absolutely amazing as I feel the next day my skin doesn't look that much better, though immediate "bright, clear skin" results are visible.

The one mask that I liked recently is one of those bag ones by Afrodita, the Why Mask SOS Calming. My skin doesn't need calming, but I like how it leaves my skin, very fresh.

MOISTURISING MASK

BALEA Beauty Effect Power Maske -  My weapon against dryness. It's a light masks, but it really packs a punch and injects some serious moisture back to the skin. When I have very dry, rough and flaky skin, this always helps. My tube is old and  the product changed colour, so I'm trying to use it up fast, but I will probably buy it again, though I bought one of those Korean sleeping packs and a few sheet masks that may replace it (for a while).

SUNSCREENS

SUN DANCE Mattierendes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 - I repurchased this one last summer, but it's like they changed the formula because this made my eyes water like crazy and it's so much shinier now. I'll use it up on my neck and arms.

FARMONA Sun Face Cream SPF 50 - I got this last year after an intense search for a very cheap sun screen and this one was under 2 €. I guess it's ok. It's a typical thick sunscreen, also one with not much silicones, so you need to work fast and it also is prone to leaving white marks. It sets on the skin better than Sundance's, almost to the point of being dry, but it is still slightly shiny. I want something else, something I'll want to use every day, not be annoyed by it.

PATCHES & SPOT TREATMENT 

AFRODITA Young & Pure Remove Spots Spot-Drying Gel - I got this when I had nothing else in my stash and I had no idea what's actually good in our drugstores. It doesn't do much, so I don't care for it. 

BALEA Clear-up Strips - The first time I used these I got no effect, but the second time they worked pretty well. They are fickly, but not the worst. 

LIP CARE

LIP SMACKER Frozen Ice Cube Lip Balm Olaf - I bought this recently and I reach for it a lot. It's not as good as Palmer's, but it's still moisturising and it sticks well on the lips. The scent sadly isn't peachy, but I love the packaging and the shape of the balm.

Favourites:

PALMER'S swivel stick - Like Nuxe this is my staple. It's my main lip balm and the one I use most, though it's not exactly a lip balm, it's one of those balms for all dry spots, so when I have for example a cold and tissues wreck my nose, I use this to heal it. It's not as waxy as most lip balms, so it feels more nourishing to me and not just like a layer on the lips. 

PALMER'S Flip Balm Ripe Mango - Since I'm a swivel stick fan, I was bound to like this too. It's a bit lighter and my version smells like chocolate coated bananas or fruity pralines. I love the packaging of this one because it's so easy to open. 

I'm also quickly mentioning the cotton pads I'm using. I've been using Ebelin's for a decade and I still do. However, I recently picked up Inell's coton duo which are the larger disk ones and I'm just loving the a lot more. I've tried Ebelin's similar ones, but I found them too stiff, but these Inell's are so soft. Inell is a brand sold in Leclerc.

Things that are staying (+ all Green Line)

• BIOBAZA Face Cleansing Micellar Oil 

• GARNIER Biophase Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil 

• INELL Mousse Nettoyante Hydratante 

• L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime 2 in 1 Perfecting Scrub 

• REVIVA LABS 5% Glycolic Acid Cream 

• ESTEE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair serum

• NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

• L'OREAL Pure Clay Purify Mask, Exfo Mask and Glow Mask

• All lip balms

The rest I want gone as soon as possible and I already made orders for some Korean Skin Care bits: COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch, TonyMoly Panda Sleeping Pack, Elizavecca Milky Piggy Hell Pore Clean Up Mask, Etude House Laugh Lines Care Patch, TonyMoly and Secret Key Sheet Masks. 

And what are you using? Any recommendations? Have a great day!

BeYu has quite a selection of shades in their lipstick ranges, but this one is classified as a matte finish and these lipstick don't have a separate place on the stand in my local DM, they are just mixed with the regular lipsticks. And honestly I wouldn't even notice a difference if it didn't state on the box it's a matte finish. I already reviewed two regular formula shades that were also in the Be Vintage Autumn collection and they look exactly the same on the lips.

Texture: It's the same thick, but easy to apply formula as at the regular lipsticks and it's one that is more noticeable on the lips than most of the new lipstick formulas which tend to be very lightweight. The finish isn't matte, especially compared to their Color Biggie Matte (I'll have a full review), instead it's a satin finish that has a slight sheen before it sets. It's completely opaque in one coat and feels comfortable on the lips despite the thickness. 

Colour: Plum Secret is surprisingly a plum shade. Yes, that was sarcasm. It's a deep warm violet shade that like Mac's Rebel will look more pink/fuchsia on darker skin tones. Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy, Rebel's dupe, is similar, but Plum Secret is a bit more violet and less bright. It's not a dupe, but if you wanted something that's more purple, this is a good choice.

Scent: it has a vanilla scent.

Staying power: All three shades I owned are able to cling a bit longer than regular creamier formulas. I'd say at least 5 hours, but it depends what you're doing as it does transfer like any normal lipstick. 

Packaging: The tube is a heavier metal one that will surely last forever. 

Price and availability: It costs 13.99 € in Slovene DMs.

Despite the label, this isn't a matte shade, but just another in their regular, satin-creamy line of lipsticks. You'll still get a nice staying power, the lipstick doesn't move a lot on the lips due to thickness and it's very pigmented. It's not the most lightweight lip colour and it reminds me more of the old formulas. The colour isn't me, but if you're looking for a more violet version of Mac's Rebel or WnW's Sugar Plum Fairy, give this one a swatch. If you want a proper matte finish pick one of BeYu Biggies in a matte formula.

*PR product.

Liners are some of  my favourite products to try because I wear them daily and though I've found many good ones, none yet is "the one" for me. From BeYu I got two types of liners I've never tried, I've always stuck more to classic nib shapes, but here we have a super tiny applicator and the big, highlighter pen like one. After a few of months of use, I've found myself surprisingly reaching more for the latter one, though none are my favourite.

Liquid Fine Liner

First up is the precise one. The applicator is super small, making great for making tiny strokes, mini fixes and baby eyeliner wings, but it takes a lot longer to do the base line along the lashes, especially if you want it thick. You can get right to the base of the lashes and make a super fine line, but for me it was very hard to get it even, so I started fixing it and ended up with a line three times as thick as I originally wanted. Probably happens to 99% of us. The main problem of this liner is that due to the small shape of the applicator, it doesn't hold much product and it quickly loses too much colour, so doing both eyes is often not possible, The formula also isn't as black as I'm used to from L'Oreal's Superstar and others, though it's still enough black that it looks normal on the eyes. Staying power is good, it lasts the usual all day on my normal lids with the exception of the flick which wipes off. However, I already featured this in the disappointing products post and the reason is that it's already dry. I didn't have it that long (about 2-3 months), but right now I can only get occasional bursts of ink, but mostly it's just a sheer swipe of colour. 

I like the concept, but it should last longer. It costs 8.99 €.

Statement Eyeliner

These highlighter sharpie-like eyeliners never looked to me like a particularly useful eyeliner form, but now that I have one, I realised it's not actually as clumsy as it looks. While a very precise line with a sharp tip isn't the easiest thing to do, the main line is actually quite easy and fast if you turn it in a way that you are drawing with the thinnest point. It is of course still much thicker than at classic types of applicator. This is a liner for those who like bold lines and aren't complete beginners. 

The formula is blacker than in the Fine version, but it's not as intense as for example L'Oreal's formula. Staying power on my normal lids in good, though the flick disappears by the end of the day. This one still works after 4 months.

It costs 10.99 € in DM's.

I'm sticking to more traditional applicator shapes, I'm just more used to it. The Fine line is very precise and is primarily a tool to fix uneven lines as well as drawing small flick, however, I was disappointed at how little time it worked. The Statement liner was the one I used most, daily for a while, but the lines it creates are a bit bolder than I'm used to. However, it is surprisingly quite simple to use. The formula of both could be blacker, but the staying power is good.

*PR products.

Since I discovered that the main reason I had recurring dry patches in the past was because I was using gel cleansers, which made me switch to balms and oils, I've been trying some of the offerings on the market, though there aren't as common as I would have hoped and mostly they are very expensive. Oil cleansers are easier to come by, but a majority doesn't cooperate well with my skin, while balm cleansers tend to work much better and as a bonus don't make my vision as foggy. So far I've had Balm Balm's Frankincense one (loved everything apart from the scent), Balance Me (my all-time favourite) and Emma Hardie (fantastic texture, but it doesn't like my skin). I only spotted Trilogy when I was trying to find something different than my usual Balance Me because the last tube was so thick, I struggled to get the product out and this was about the same price, which is among the cheapest, plus I liked that is has coconut oil in it.

Texture: This is the thickest balm I've had so far. It's not at as pleasantly creamy as Emma's or Balm Balm's, nor is it as nice as Balance Me. It's more solid, feels almost waxy, but it still melts under the warmth of the fingers, though there are some mini beads of product remaining. The melted thick oil is easy to apply on the skin, though it's not quite as pleasant to massage in as others, yet it still gets the job done. 

Cleaning Effect: Lately I've been noticing that no cleanser actually gets my eye makeup completely clean and this one doesn't either. In the morning I still wake up with panda eyes, even though I put extra effort in removal. The rest of the makeup is removed well, even long-lasting high coverage foundations and liquid lipsticks. The cloth provided is nice and soft, made from a simple, but thinner towel cotton material, but nothing beats Emma's Hardie's for me.

When I started using it, I wasn't happy with the state of my skin in the first few weeks. It was constantly sort of congested, not like I had massive blemishes, it's just that the skin texture wasn't as smooth like it was with my other combinations of skin care and I noticed no benefits of the coconut oil, which usually works well for me. Then I switched to Ultimelt by Soap & Glory, which made my skin drier, so I stopped using that one as well and went back to this one, but used only Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse as a moisturiser (my most trusted product and the cornerstone of my routine) and my skin got a lot better. It was clearer, healthier and nourished. Now I've been using it for four months, with a month long pause using a sample of Biobaza oil and I can safely say that my skin has been behaving with this cleanser. My pot has about a fifth left now, so I also can't say it's a cleanser you use very little of.

Scent: It's got a very boring scent, all I can say it has a classic balm scent, so the scent that most regular heals-everything-balms have, which is waxy-herbal.

Packaging: I like the pot of this balm. It's matte plastic, so it feels light, but at the same time it's actually quite stylish. It opens and closest easily and nothing leaks.

Price and availability: I got mine on Look Fantastic, where is currently costs 24.95 €, while I bough it with a discount. 

I'm not sure I love it as much as my other two favourites. Not that it's bad, it's actually quite nice and it keeps my dry patches at bay, but it's not as nice to use as the other two because it feels waxier. It could also be a stronger makeup remover, especially considering the name is Make-Up Be Gone, though I can't claim Balance Me and Balm Balm's are any better. I'm not sure I'd repurchase it and I'm currently liking the Biobaza oil more than this.

NARS Sheer Glow Siberia and BOURJOIS 123 Perfect CC Cream 31 Ivory

Since I finally used up a foundation I hate (Rimmel), I started mixing Bourjois CC cream, which is too dark for me, with Nars' Sheer Glow and it proved a lovely combination. It combines the best of both worlds - high coverage from Sheer Glow, while the CC cream makes it more natural looking on the skin as well as makes it less dry for the season, so it ends up wearing quite nice too. This combo also gives me a nice healthy glow, but it doesn't look greasy with time. 

ALIEXPRESS Big Oval Makeup Brush 

First I have to say that while I was washing this brush, the handle just snapped, but I fixed it with superglue and some tape for extra security and regardless of that, I still freaking adore this brush. It's so incredibly soft, dense, it blends so well and fast, it even manages to make some of the bad foundations work. So far it's my favourite ever foundation brush, well oval brushes in general are just brilliant and it's 3$ so I can deal with a broken handle. Still I'll get a backup.

JEMMA KIDD Dewy Glow Radiance Creme

Ice Gold

Before anyone starts screaming at their screen: "Are you crazy? This is what, five years old?" - I know. And yes, I'm crazy, but it hasn't changed the texture, colour or smell, it doesn't affect my skin, so it's fine. I've dedicated myself to use it up because I've been saving it for far too long and used it on special occasions, but this is the most beautiful highlighter ever. It gives the most natural looking glow, but I mean that in a way that it's still a strong glow, but it looks like it's your skin glowing and there no shimmer. It's been discontinued years ago, so I'd like to find a dupe when I use it up. Suggestions?

TREND IT UP Powder Blush 

050

I've just ended up using this every single day, partly also because I was lazy and I just had a box of makeup that I used daily (most things are in the post). It's a blush that goes with everything and is good for any occasion, it also has a satin glow that's great for winter time. The colour is a bit more mauve than my other favourite Milani's Romantic Rose.

REVLON Ultra HD Matte Lipcolour 

600 Devotion 

I wore this daily the first part of the month because it's so comfortable on the lips and I just love applying it because it smells so nice too. Devotion is a warm pink shade, wearable, though already a bright shade for me.

COLOURPOP Lippie Stix 

Cami

I'll say it again, this is the best lipstick I've tried so far. I love the light, but very pigmented formula and the matte finish is just amazing. The colour is so me, a beautiful rosy-brown shade that is so easy to wear.

BIOBAZA Exclusive Micellar Oil

I've already talked a lot about this in both my wishlist post and the new it, but in short, it's my favourite cleansing oil. With water it transforms into a thick emulsion, it removes makeup really well and it doesn't cause my skin any problems. I'd really like a full size when I use up my stash.

BALEA Beauty Effect Power Maske 

My skin has suffered a bout of crazy dryness, my cheeks could be used as sand paper I'm even not joking. I used Physicians Formula argan oil and Monu Firming moisturiser which are both thick and nourishing, but they just couldn't handle it. I was almost sure this won't help either because it's much lighter in texture, but a generous coat of this every day before going to bed finally started fixing it. My skin is much better now, but it's still drier than usual.

DOVE Nourishing Shower Gel

Coconut Milk with Jasmine Petals

This is such an underrated shower gel, even I forgot it existed until I found it in the bathroom and it reminded me how much I love it. In terms of texture it's by far my favourite shower gel because it's so creamy and lovely to use, but I also love this version of the scent, though I smell no coconut, but it's a nice creamy clean floral scent.

DOVE Style+Care Frizz Free Cream Serum 

I've been trying to use up some of my bad hair stuff this month, so I skipped a few washes of using this - big, massive, colossal mistake. My hair felt so bad, dry, unruly and I needed barrels of Orofluido to make it remotely manageable for at least a day. Dove makes such a difference in my hair care routine. It makes my hair silky, smooth and a lot less frizzy, with it my hair just looks so much better. I love this stuff. Why isn't it sold here, damn it!

AVON Mesmerize Black

(not on the pictures)
I also spoke about this in both my wishlist and New in, but I just feel in love with the scent. It's a warm, cosy scent without vanilla and that's so rare among the affordable scents. It's almost pure sandalwood. I only had samples which I already used up because I loved it so much, but I hope to get a full size soon.

BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Serum

51 Light Vanilla

I didn't even notice my bottle was almost empty because the bottle looked so perfect, but as soon as I did, I was running to repurchase this. Till this day, it's the only foundation I can rely on looking good on my skin. Everything else I own currently looks so weird, but this is my knight in shining armour. It's a light-medium coverage foundation with a natural looking finish that doesn't emphasise the uneven texture of the skin, nor pores and neither lines. I have a full review about it here.
But I have to address the rising prices because it's getting ridiculous. I think that both Bourjois and L'Occitane are going bonkers and apparently assume we are too stupid to notice a bump in prices. When I started buying these in 2011, they costed just shy of 15 €. Luckily, it costs less online.

Müller, 16.49 €

AVON True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick

Ravishing Rose

The moment this touched my lips, I thought - Milani Moisturising Matte. They have the same type of texture that is somewhat silicone creamy and features a great matte finish. I've been wanting to try these for a while, actually ever since Petra made that amazing review of these and she actually gifted me this one because she knew I'd love to have this shade (thank you!). It's a pinky-red type of magenta shade, a summery shade and a great shade for brunettes. Sara, who also made a fantastic review of these, compared this shade to All Fired Up by Mac, which I like but only have a sample of and they are indeed almost the same. Another dupe I found in my stash is Kiko's Smart lip pencil in Magenta.

Avon, regular price 8.50 €, but it's often much cheaper.

KIKO Smart Nail Lacquer 

129

Another thing Petra gave me and she nailed it on the shade. I can't believe myself that I missed this when I was in Kiko, maybe I should just send Petra to buy things instead of me since I'm clearly useless. It's a beautiful pastel nude mauve shade, similar to my beloved Deborah Gel Effect in 01. I wasn't too thrilled with the formula when I was applying it because it ended up streaky/see-through on patches with two thick coats, but since it's a light shade, it wasn't that visible and Seche Vite helped a bit too. I wears nice though and after several days, I got no chips.

Kiko, 2.50 €

WET N WILD 1 Step Wonder Gel

Stay Classy

This is a very my type of nude colour, though it is darker than my other such shades and maybe a bit too cool toned. It's a darker muted rosy nude with a gel formula. Like most gel nail polishes it's very smooth and very pigmented, so a dream to apply. It's meaningless for me to mention the staying power because everything lasts more than a week on my nails, however, this one lasted so well and even when I removed it after a week and a half because I was bored, the only noticeable wear was on the tips, but I did of course use Seche Vite.

Click2chic, 2.99 €

L'OCCITANE Pivoine Sublime 2 in 1 Perfecting Scrub

I've had this on my wishlist, since its launch because I adore the scent of the moisturiser from the same line. I don't think I'd ever truly treat myself to it since it's expensive and Immortelle oil would have the priority, so I'm overjoyed I got it as a gift from my cousin. I wasn't sure quite what to expect, though I read very positive reviews, but it's similar to Clarins Melting gel cleanser except it's also a scrub. It's an oil with scrubby bits, but it's actually not that greasy. You apply it on dry skin, rub it in and add water. It doesn't emulsify much, but what I didn't expect and it pleasantly surprised me is that it actually removes makeup decently,while I expected it'll just smear the makeup like gel cleansers. The only thing that is slightly disappointing to me is that the scent is so weak and it's not much like the moisturiser, but it's a great product. 

L'Occitane, 25.40 €

L'OCCITANE Neroli Orchidee Hand Cream

I fell in love with this when I tried it at my cousin. Obviously it's the scent that got me, which is somewhat a typical L'Occitane scent that just always smell amazing. The name says it all really, the warm, bright neroli and the softer orchid scent - oh, just go smell it. It's one of L'Occitane's lightest creams and it sinks in in under a minute, which is exactly what I need.

L'Occitane, 8.10 €

L'OCCITANE Almond Shower Oil 

This is just a sample, but I have the full size as well, I've actually haven't been without one is almost ten years, though it's been a while since I bought one (I buy those refills) and I keep the last bits only for pamper days because it's so expensive. The price rose a lot in ten years (about 20%), so I think I'll stop buying it because of it, even though I still adore it. Anyway, it smells divine and it's such a pleasant oil to use. I use it when my skin is visibly dry and it always helps.

L'Occitane, full size 18.80 €

LIP SMACKER Frozen Ice Cube Lip Balm

Olaf (Peach Flavour)

It's very rare that I buy a lip balm, but this looked so cute in the shop and it said it smells like peach, so I couldn't resist. I like Lip Smacker lip balms, I think they are some of the best, especially for very dry lips because they are less waxy as well as greasier than most and actually now that I think about it, every one I have is Frozen. It's not even that good of a cartoon. The scent was a disappointment, it's the most artificial boring peach ever. However, I love the quality of it. It's nicely moisturising and it sticks on the lips for quite a long time. I also really love the shape of it, not only is it interesting and cute, but I also like how it applies. It looks so small that I sure you get a half of a normal lip balm, but it's actually about the same, 4,2 g.

E.Leclerc, 3.5 €

DOVE Purely Pampering Nourishing Shower gel

Coconut Milk

I adore this shower gel, it's probably my favourite ever but I completely forgot it existed until it magically materialised in the bathroom. It's probably from those gift sets everyone is giving and I forgot about it, since I've been buried in Yummy Shower gels for the past year, but up until now I never bought any of these myself, I've just been taking them for granted. So to make sure I have enough of these, I bought my first one, plus I found a hand soap to go with it. These pampering shower gels, which frankly should be called creams, are very thick and excellent for dry skin. The soap are in my opinion the only hard soaps worth buying because they don't leave that awful squeaky clean feeling. I can't properly describe the scent to you, but it's definitely not coconut at all. It's a warm creamy clean scent and I just love it.

E.Leclerc, 2 €

BALEA Regenbogen Dusche

I fell for it. I admit. But come on, how can I resist such an adorable packaging? It was all over social media, taunting me and even though I knew the scent will be boring (come on, it's Balea), I just wanted it. They describe the scent in the most fairytale like fashion - apparently it smells like stars and clouds. Well, I didn't know stars and clouds smell of boring vanilla. You know the one in car fresheners. Oh, so very heavenly. I'm not saying it's a bad scent, but it could be more exciting, not just recycling Balea old ones. It smells better straight from the bottle (kind of like marshmallows and vanilla) than in the shower. It terms of texture is just a classic Balea shower gel, again nothing exciting.

DM, 0.99 € 

GARNIER Olia After Colour Care

Petra says this is the best conditioner ever and I think it's pretty good as well. Actually it's very nice for a drugstore product and comparable in terms of effect to some salon brands. It's a conditioner that you get in Olia hair colours, but they also sell these mini tubes for when you want to refresh your colour, which is brilliant. It nourished my currently very dry hair and that's quite an achievement. It doesn't feel very heavy, so it should be fine on less dry hair than mine. 

Sold in Müller, price on Boots about 2 €

I already have reviews for REVLON Ultra HD Matte Lipcolour 600 Devotion and BEAUTY & CHIC Contouring Brush. 

BIOBAZA Face Cleansing Micellar Oil

Finally a new cleansing oil in the drugstores and so far, it's my favourite ever. It's not the cheapest, but almost half the price of L'Occitane and it find it better. This is another one of those oils that you apply on dry skin, massage it in, add water so it emulsifiers and remove it with a cloth. This emulsifies into such a gorgeous thick emulsion - if you ever used L'Occitane Almond Shower oil, it's the same thing. It removes makeup really well, there is a bit of mascara left mostly because I don't want to be too harsh with a flannel around the eyes, but the rest of the makeup is completely gone. I only had a sample, but it lasted me so long because you don't need to use much and it didn't cause me any additional spots, though my skin isn't completely clear, but usually with oils my skin goes haywire. I will get a full size for sure. It smells nicely floral. By the way, it claims it's suitable for sensitive skin.

Click2chic, full size 12.94 €

MOROCCANOIL Moisture Repair Shampoo

I expected this to be good and I wasn't disappointed. It's an excellent shampoo for very dry hair, it cleans well, but doesn't leave that dreadful squeaky clean feeling us with dry hair despise, but at the same time it's not heavy and the hair still feels light when washed. However, to me L'Oreal Extraordinaire shampoo does the same thing for a fraction of the price, but if you love Moroccanoil and have the budget, this is a great shampoo.

Full size 20 €

BOMB COSMETICS Night Out

I've tried many Bomb Cosmetics bath bombs and they are just as good as Lush, though they don't tend to have multicolour effects, but some do have great glitters. This one smells strongly of baby powder and I'm really enjoying the scent, so I kind of don't want to use it yet, but I think it should turn the water violet.

Click2chic, other bath bombs 2.99 €

LADY SPEED STICK invisible

My trusted ally for many years Rexona sticks stopped working on me. We had a good run, but I knew it was going to happen. So I started a search for a replacement, a proper anti-perspirant, none of that useless natural or whatever stuff is popular now, so at the bottom of the shelves in DM, I found my very first favourite deodorant that I wore in primary school. It's a gel, so it's truly invisible, but you have to wait for it to dry. So far it's working, but we'll see how long it lasts. It smells like a man's cologne though, but one of those clean skin ones, so it's not so bad, but I swear I had something floral smelling all those years ago.

NIVEA Deodorant Protect & Care

I actually deliberately tracked this down after seeing it on social media. I've always loved the "boring" classic Nivea scent, so I'm glad they are expanding their collection of products. However, I was so sure this was an anti-perspirant and only at home discovered it's just a deodorant (I had like 5 minutes in the shop and a long list), which I've never been a fan of because they do nothing. This one again doesn't manage to keep me fresh long and yes, of course I know it won't stop sweating, but I mean in a sense than it doesn't keep me smelling fresh long. The scent is nothing special, just clean and not as nice as the lotion. How ironic that the last thing I bought in 2016 was another disappointment too.

Müller, 2.89 €

NIVEA Anti-Perspirant Pearl & Beauty

Holy cow did I have a hard time finding this! I've been faithful to it for many year and now I had to go to several shops to find them. Please don't tell me they are being discontinued, I don't want to start experimenting with deodorants again. 90% of them suck. I love the smell of this one, it's so feminine, but my favourite bit is that is actually works the way it should. I combine it with a stick deodorant for best effect.

DM, 2.99€

 AVEO Nail Polish Removers Professional

With a sponge and with a pump

I just got these because they were cheapest  and I was in Müller. I know I should explore removers more since most dry my nails, so if you have any suggestions for something good and cheap, go ahead. I have the pump version from Ebeline and these pumps, though they are still somewhat clumsy (accidental spritzing and stuff) have a plus in the fact you use a lot less product. This one is effective enough, it doesn't need a ton of rubbing, but it's not the strongest. Actually it's exactly the same as Ebelins, it just smells better, like a floral fragrance. 

I used a lot of versions with a sponge and I still find the original Bourjois' the best ever, but unreasonably pricey, so I buy the cheap ones. The sponge of this one is one of the softest and the remover is the same as in the other packaging, so it's again the same as Ebelines.

Müller, 1.99-2.99 €

EBELIN Polishing File
Polierfeile

I've bought a few of these polishing files so far. They're cheap and do their job. I use them for both polishing the nail enamel and for finishing the tips. It has three types of surfaces, none are rough and you can get quite a nice glossy polish with it.

DM, 2 €

EBELIN Glassfile
Glasfeile

I've never had a glass file before so I got one of the cheap ones. This one works just fine. It's neither super rough and neither too gentle. It doesn't leave strange, rough edges so I quite like it.

EBELIN Microfibre Glove

Mikrofaser Reinigungs Handschuh
This is one of those cloths that promises to remove the makeup with no additional use of any remover or water. I've had one of these before many years ago and it's the same material than in Emma Hardie cloths, so super soft and comfy, plus they last much better though washing than regular towels. In terms of the original claim of removing makeup I find it's not the most effective thing. It won't do much about mascara and there's still foundation left, plus I get flakes if I use it dry. But anyway I didn't buy it for that reason, I got it because it feels like Emma Hardie's one and I use it the same way, I wet it with warm water and remove balm/oil with it. I like that it's shaped as a glove, though it's small.

DM, 2.99 €

AVON Mesmerize and Mesmerize Black

I only have samples that Petra kindly sent me, but the bottles for both of these are beautiful. Mesmerize Black is more to my taste and it's basically almost pure sandalwood, so warm and woody with no cheap vanilla, which I'm so fed up with. There's a little bit of jasmine, but barely noticeable. I actually love it so much that I'm really lemming a bottle.

I actually had high hopes for Mesmerize because of the peach note. While it is the most obvious note, it's not the juicy version we get in TBS Vineyard Peach or even Hugo Boss the Scent. Instead it's artificial, very sweet peach and to me very reminiscent to the smell of S Budget peach yogurt, which I suggest you don't buy because it tastes like a perfumed yogurt believe it or not (terrible, terrible thing). Mesmerize is basically artificial peach and aldehydes.

AVON Foot Works Intensive Callus and Corn Cream with AHA Acids

I completely forgot this existed, but it's exactly what I need and I actually think there's no such products in drugstores. I have quite thick skin on my soles, so I need to have frequent at home pedicures, which are just such a chore. AHA's should help with some exfoliation (I noticed some minor peeling so far), plus this cream is actually quite greasy, so good for my dryness, but by the morning it's completely gone. It smells strongly of peppermint.

Have a great day!