Shade: I have this is the second shade and it's swatches even darker than the foundation and also more on the orange side, yet just like the foundation it kind of blends in. I don't know what kind of magic this is, but for some reason it doesn't look obviously dark when blended out. Still I'd like to have this in the lightest shade too. This also comes in orange, violet and green, while there are 5 regular shades. 

Scent: Unlike the foundation this doesn't have a scent.

The heart stamp is not my style, but it works. Sometimes you don’t get perfectly filled heart and if you press harder, you get a partial or full ring outside. This exist also with a star and symbol for women/Bronx logo stamp.

Price: € 11.50

Texture: As far as matte liquid lipsticks go, which you know I've tested my fair share of, this is one of the driest ones. It sets into a matte finish fast and it feels like a tight layer on (dry) lips, so while it may look pretty, it's definitely not for dry lips. Formula is most similar to Sleek Matte Matte Me and Essence's Stay 8h Matte Liquid Lipstick, so if you can't handle those, you won't like this either

Shade: Shade Naked is a light beige pinky-mauve that's very similar to Sleek's Birthday Suit. This is one of the new shades and there are 18 in total.  

Staying power: is not particularly impressive, which is not common for such a formula. Unlike a lot of other matte liquid lipsticks this doesn't survive eating or drinking all that well. 

Scent: It has no scent.

Packaging: A square tube, shorter than most and with a doe foot applicator that's slightly curved and works ok.

Price: 7.99 €

I don't really do anything with my eyebrows, so my review will be a rubbish one because I can't compare it with a lot of other products. I can only really do the front of my eyebrows with this because the rest is too thick. I think this formula is a bit too soft, though I wouldn't say it has a full colour payoff, still the colour quickly ends up looking too solid on the brows also because of the shape of the tip. I’d prefer a more precise one, with a waxier and harder texture, so you can draw with a greater precision, but I don't have much experience nor do I know what people generally use. It's possible the heat is causing the formula to be too creamy right now. The shape is nothing new, at least Revlon & L’Oreal have a similar one, but that’s where my research ended. The brush is more unique, I think. It’s very dense and it takes a lot of the colour away unless you use a very light hand. 

Shade Auburn is a medium reddish brown, what else can you expect from the name and it's far from my fit, but it could be ok for redheads. For natural-cool brunettes or even those with chocolate-golden tones this will be too reddish. There are 6 shades of these. 

Price: € 10.95

Texture: Like I said above, from the start the formula didn't look very tightly packed, so there was a lot of loose powder kicked up when I swiped the brush, but it looks like I've gone through that top layer and the one bellow is much smoother. It now also blend considerably better than when new, it's actually very easy to apply now. It's not quite as lovely as L.O.V. blushes, but also not that far behind. 

Shade: I got the shade 03 Cassis Sunburst, which looked a mauve-pink shade on Essence's pictures, but this is actually peachy pink shade, so not very unique, yet probably the most "safe colour". All the rest looked peachy-orange or brown, so I’m missing a neutral-cool pink-mauve shade in this range, but I've grown to really like this shade. Shimmer size in this is perfect. It's super fine, just like in L.O.V. blushes, so when light hits the cheeks, they don't look textured, it just looks like a lovely glow. It's more on the natural side and that's precisely why I love it. I still use a separate highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones for an extra glow, but for the cheeks the perfect amount of it on its own. Pigmentation is ok, but I suspect people with a darker skin tone will have to layer this one a lot, though at times I get almost too much pigment. It has to do with the fact that only the left side is properly "blushy" and the other is mostly just a highlight, so it matters from which side you swipe the brush when picking up the colour and it's can be difficult to get the balance just right.

Staying power: I haven't noticed anything special about this one. It neither disappears to fast, nor last terribly long, so it's kind of average. 

Packaging: This has a simple clear packaging that's nicely thin, which I appreciate and so far it's closing ok. These clear Essence packaging tend to break quickly either on the hinges or the front closing system, so we'll see if this one is any better. 

I don't know how this ended up in the back of my drawer because I've always used it a lot, but my stash got bigger in autumn and Maybelline's Dream SPF 50 is now my most worn one due to SPF. After I "rediscovered it" in my stash, I immediately started wearing it again. I like the natural look this creates, it's a low coverage formula, so it never looks too "done", plus this shade fits me well and I especially appreciate that it's cheap and easily accessible in our drugstores.

This has been my favourite formula for ages and after having to make do with two shades that didn't match me well for years, I've finally found my perfect match last year - and in my local drugstore no less. I don't wear a full face makeup often now and this is the only concealer than I can just apply where needed and it won't look like a patch of obvious makeup even without a foundation under it. With all other concealers I need a foundation as a base so they blend in better, but this can go straight on the skin (Bourjois Radiance Reveal is similar, but the shade doesn't match me perfectly). It'll will cover what needs to be covered and it blends seamlessly into my skin both due to the light, non-matte natural texture and the shade. The sponge is also really helpful because at most times I don't need anything else to blend (unless there is a lot of product on the sponge). 

I was not very happy with this from the start. For one the colour was completely different than I imagined after seeing it online, I felt it's not glowy much and the formula was dusty, however, this became a much better formula with use and also the shade grew on me. It's become one of my favourite cheek products, in fact, I've worn L.O.V. blushes interchangeably and honestly, this is pretty much the same on the cheeks. Essence's has such refined shimmer which gives a wonderful healthy glow on the cheeks just like at L.O.V.'s blushes. Any other shimmery blush in my collection tends to make the skin look textured, but not these two formulas and Essence is very easily accessible here, so it's great to see a decent replacement for L.O.V. which is not easy to get since they removed the stands. Let's just hope these last a while in Essence's product lines, we all know how the love to discontinue things. 03 Cassis Sunburst is a very basic peachy-pink shade, perhaps a bit boring, but also flattering on many skin tones. It might be too light for anything darker than medium skin tones, but the glow will still be visible. 

This is holding on strong, which is a not common feature of such felt tip liners. I think I got this in February and it's still very pigmented, it's actually not much different from when it was new, even the tip is still in great condition. Formula is a deep black and it lasts all day on my normal eyelids with no base - the only thing I will complain now that I wear Lavozon sunscreen daily: it can on occasion transfer in the crease, but I think that has more to do with Lavozon being a greasier formula. The applicator is small, smooth, very precise and it's also softer than some other ones I've tried, so it feels very comfortable to use. After all this time, I'm still impressed. 

I've been mostly wearing the Honey Lacquer version, but that one started to smell very plasticky, so I dug out this one from my collection. It's another fabulous formula from Max Factor. They make some of the most cushiony, comfortable formulas that are a pleasure to apply and wear. The formula is thinner than Honey Lacquer, so the shade is sheerer and I actually appreciate this as this shade. I want natural looking colours and this is a pretty pinky-peach that isn't too bright. 

I did not appreciate this shade fully as a dark brunette. I felt it looked too pink and I prefered Cami from the same brand, but as a blonde I like such a shades a lot more. I don't know if this shade is still sold, but the official description is very accurate: a matte dusty mauve pink. I think this is a Matte formula, which I don't love as much as Matte X, but it's still one of my favourites. It's one of the most pigmented ones I've ever tried, finish is nicely matte (but Matte X has a similar finish to a matte liquid lipstick) and it's comfortable on the lips

These are both discontinued, but there were several of these in the discontinued bin when I checked. They aren't the same shade, so wearing these together doesn't work best, so I either wear one or the other. The lipstick is a like a shade lighter Lumiere, so a dusty mauve pink. It's not matte, as it has a creamy shine and it doesn't last terribly long, which is a shame, but I paid 0.99 € for it, so I won't complain too much. The lipliner is a peachier version of the lipstick and it's got a matte finish. Formula is a bit heavy on the lips and it feels like a layer from the beginning, but it's not uncomfortable and it's creamy enough to be applied all over the lips without dragging. It also doesn't last long, but a bit better than the lipstick. 

This is not how I remember it from, granted, a long time ago and it's not the coconuty-beachy scent I was looking for, but I like it, even though it's so unconventional to me. This is going to sound stupid, but it just smells so homely to me, like a walk in the forest in spring. It's the strong bergamot that makes it smell very unisex to me, but the base is somewhat warm. I said that it also smells like high end makeup or a mix of fragrance when you step into a drugstore - that's the base of this fragrance on me. I'm still looking for a perfect beachy scent, but I'll wear this a lot. It lasts reasonably well for such a scent, a few hours and even longer on clothes where I usually spray it, but obviously such scent can't last all day. For a beachy-ish scent I'm still sticking to BBW Oahu Coconut Sunset even though it's a bit too syrupy and heavy for summer days, while Yves Rocher's Eau de Vahines didn't not impress me than much, though it's the most "beachy" in the selection because it smells like tanning oil.   

I did not expect to like this much, but I think it'll end up as my permanent replacement for Balea Waschgel (though I still have one full bottle in stock and I will start using that one once this is finished). My skin got incredibly dry last autumn and though it's stabilised since then, I had this rough area around my nose that wasn't improving, so I had a brainwave that Waschgel might not be best for me at the moment and it looks like it was the reason, because that dry area is now under control. Such foams are not my favourite as they tend to be very watery, but this one is fluffier than a lot such formulas. 

While I'm not as impressed by this as with the conditioner, it's become my favourite leave-in moisturising conditioner when I use any other treatment apart from Cantu (together they leave my hair nourished, but tangled). I've mentioned several times before that no treatment or conditioner can keep my ends moisturised for longer than a couple of days, but this gives me the same effect as the regular conditioner when I use it on damp hair after washing so my hair doesn't get dry for a week. The only thing this doesn't do is make my hair silky, meaning I have to combine it with silicone product or my hair get very tangled. On dry hair I use it when my ends are very dry and it fixes it most effectively, but like I said this doesn't leave the hair smooth and it's hard to even run my fingers through the hair. As overnight treatment without washing it off like they recommend also doesn't work for me, so I stick to using this one as a leave-in conditioner mostly on damp hair and it limits the amount of oil/leave-ins I need to maintain my ends.

I rave about these two frequently, so I won't say anything new. Cantu is my moisturising treatment that intensely nourishes, so my hair isn't dry as fast as usual, but these two are my protein (+ moisturising) duo that fix the extra coarseness which appears after a while, especially when I'm trying to use up my cheap conditioners. I've been using Intense Hydrator on its own for years and it's one of my favourite treatments ever, but together with Reconstructor they are a power couple. I don't like to use Reconstuctor on its own because while it makes the hair stronger, due to being a protein rich treatment it can leave the hair hard to the touch, but Intense Hydrator provides the perfect balance in extra hydration, leaving the hair feeling smooth and softer than usual. For my coloured hair these are a must. 

While I have been using this every day for three weeks or maybe a month now, I won't place it among the "proper favourites" because it's still too early to say it's doing something in terms of brightening, but nonetheless I like this a lot. It appears it doesn't have such a fast brightening effect as my favourite vitamin C Eucerin 10% (that one worked in 2-3 weeks), but this has vitamin C in a less powerful form 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, so I'm going to have to report back on that, still my skin is looking pretty good. I love how light this is, so I can easily include it in my routine and I use this in the morning under sunscreen. This also has hyaluronic acid high on the list, which doesn't break me out, so I'm glad I found another such a product. Serum is tinted pink and contains tiny silver shimmer, which isn't as intense as in Catrice's Glow & Care Primer or Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, but I noticed on my hands where I applied it to one that this has a had this very subtle, natural radiance to it with no shimmer particles. On my face I don't notice the glow as much, but it has more to do that my skin actually got its natural glow back with Lee Jiham Propolis Ampoule anyway, but I suspect this might have something to do with too (along with the niacinamide-rich Balea Vital Konzentract Gegen Pigment Flecken that I've been using in my night routine). One more big plus at this one - I can use it without the fear of the weird scent that develops on my hands after applying products with a lot of ascorbic acid. I've actually resorted to applying The Ordinary 23% vitamin C with gloves, but it's not a foolproof technique since I touch my face a lot and I really can't stand that weird smell - if I have to use weaker forms of vitamin C, so be it, I don't get results from TO anyway, not like with Eucerin. 

My favourite mascara for many years now. I actually had three empty tubes of this to throw out. It's one of rare mascaras that does what I want - first and foremost keeps my lashes curled all day, but also it's a mascara that has a multiplying effect because it can separate and catch every lash, it's lengthening and doesn't create a clumpy result even with several coats. Only minus is that it doesn't fan out the lashes as nicely as some other mascaras, so they look kinda dishevelled and I also always make a bit of a mess due to the big brush. 

This could be the most perfect mascara ever. It catches every single lash creating an effect of tons of lashes and it fans them out beautifully. However, for a waterproof mascara it's not good at holding up the lashes, which is such a shame. But since most don't have such problems like me, this might work great for you.

A very decent formula for a regular one because it didn't drop my lashes completely like most do. It also has a very volumising and dramatic effect, making it perfect for those who love big lashes. But it's such a pain to remove and needs a special remover just like the waterproof formulas, so this makes it not worth it for me - I put up with lengthy removal only if the mascara does what I want, so keep my lashes perfectly curled.  

This might just be the longest surviving product in Essence lines that has successfully evaded their discontinuing frenzies for years. I bought this ages ago and now I'm just throwing it out after not even using it a lot. I didn't get this for the original purpose (taming brows), instead I got it to tame the frizz on my hair and it wasn't averaged at that, so I rarely used it. I've recently found the Got2B Bye Bye Babyhaar frizz taming mascara, which was specifically designed for the job and it's really good.  

This is an amazing product for my skin and sadly it only exists in a 15 ml size, so I saved it a lot, which I really shouldn't have. You might remember that I wrote about how my skin has been impossible to handle since september last year when I started using more The Ordinary products, hoping I'll finally see results, which I didn't despite persisting until March. So I went back to my basic routine, which stabilised my skin and then decided to finally finish this bottle and the results were amazing. Within a few uses my skin got back it's glow it had before The Ordinary and it just looked so much better. It looks like propolis really works for me.

Repurchase: Yes, though it's difficult now. I might get Tosoowong instead because it's 100 ml, but I don't remember if that one broke me out or not. I'm exploring other brands too (Skinfood, It's Skin, iUNIK, Beauty of Joseon,...). 

I used this up on my hair. It has gold flakes inside that did nothing apart from look pretty in the bottle when you shook it. It's a light oil and I didn't particularly like it on the face as much as my other oils, though there was nothing wrong with it, but I just felt others leave my skin in better condition. I used it instead of a silicone-oil hair seruma because it's light and didn't leave my hair too greasy looking like coconut oil does, so it my "morning choice" for a hair care product when my ends were dry. Nuxe Huile Prodigeouse is a better version, this I merely tried to use up.

So far the best mask I was able to find in local drugstores. It has about the same effect as brightening Asian masks, meaning it evens out the skin tone and makes the skin look more healthy. Only minus is the chemical scent, which is noticeable the entire time it's on the face, but it's not terrible. 

INEBRYA Ice Cream No Yellow Shampoo 

This is one of the strongest purple shampoos I've tried and it works really well on light blonde hair of level 10-9. It's an intensely pigmented indigo (deep purple-blue) shampoo that neutralises yellow tones and creates an ice blonde shade. It's so strong that if you have very pale hair, you have to be careful because it can tint the hair violet, but my hair was never so light that that would happen to me. Formula was never drying on my hair, so I enjoyed using it, though it's not a nourishing formula. It smells like grape, which was pleasant enough. This is quite expensive in my local drugstore, over 10 € and though it took me a long time for finish the bottle, I found a cheaper dupe by L'Oreal. This is much cheaper online and it exists in a jumbo size, still L'Oreal wins for me because it's easily accessible. 

Repurchase: Yes, but only if I can't find L'Oreal's purple shampoo.

This is the richest, heaviest treatment I know in terms of texture. It's like a thick balm and for anyone who doesn't have very thick and dry hair, this is way too much. Even I had to be careful with it not to apply too much leave-in products or it would make my hair feel "heavy", though not greasy. However, it's not as effective as their K-Pack Intense Hydrator despite the thickness. This was second tube and I used it rarely, only when my hair was super dry and honestly, it never helped as much as I hoped it would. 

Repurchase: Maybe, but a lot less likely since I found Cantu conditioner, which is the best thing I found for extremely dry hair.

SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL BC Bonacure Fibre Force Fortifying Primer 

I have to say I don't see any really results from these types of leave-in protein treatments on their own. I got this because I read it's like a liquid Olaplex only better - I don't find it has such a visible result on my hair, but maybe on thinner it's more effective. I see a difference only with proper masks/treatments, while I use these as an extra product. This is very light, so suitable for all hair types. I bought Joico K-Pack instead. I feel the same about that one as this one, so it really doesn't matter to me which one I use. The packaging broke on this one, the pump simply stopped working when I had a 1/2 left, so I had to transfer into another spray. 

Repurchase: I don't know, I'll get whatever is cheaper, though I don't want another spray that's going to break. 

I found this in some dark corner of my cupboard. It's a mini and I've never owned full size despite really liking it, but like always when I like something I start to obsessively save it and I forgot about it like any idiot. In the meantime I got a ton of similar products, however, this is one of the most effective products I've found for smoothing the hair when using a round brush and hair dryer. It's also very liquid and light, so suitable for all types.

Repurchase: It's really nice, but it has alcohol as the second ingredient, so no.

BALEA Fuss Maske 

This felt so promising when I started applying it. It’s very rich, thick and it’s actually like a mask, not just a thick moisturiser, so it stays in a thick layer on the skin. I did a pedicure before with my Balea machine and even used plastic bags to make socks just like in those more expensive masks. I left it on for about an hour, maybe two. Once it all absorbed, my skin wasn’t soft. It was nourished, but not as smooth as it was after a pedicure. It felt like those parts with thick skin (I can't reduce those completely despite using a machine) were even more pronounced now. My skin is very thick and often very dry, so I haven’t found a product that would make my feet soft (that includes those peeling AHA masks) and this sadly isn’t it either. However, I think for an average user it’s likely going to be more than enough. It smelled really nice, just a basic creamy cosmetic scent. 

Repurchase: Probably not, though I liked how thick it was and it did nourish well.

This was nice and it did the job. I like this one most out of the ones I've tried. 

I used to adore this wholeheartedly, but man am I glad it's gone. I just can't smell it any more, possibly because mine changed/has gone off, but all I could smell at the end is a sharp jasmine note and I really don't like jasmine because it gives me a headache. From the start it was a floral vanilla with a sea salt note, quite unique in my eyes. Now I much prefer the flankers, in particular the Intense version and Aqua Legere. 

GARNIER Color Naturals 

I got this a while ago when they changed the packaging of my usual L'Oreal Excellence and I couldn't find shade 9.1 for some time, so I grabbed this one in the same shade. I ended up not using it that time because I stumbled upon L'Oreal a few days later, but so it doesn't just sit in my closet I decided to finally use it up. I was very concerned this will be a drying, terrible formula because it's cheap and this is Garnier's budget range, however, it's actually very decent. It's not as nice as L'Oreal's, but it didn't leave my hair all dried up, stiff, coarse and fried, which is an achievement at my hair texture. As far as the colour goes, I've made a lot of mistakes before and during dyeing, so I didn't get the perfect result that I get with L'Oreal and I won't blame it on this colour, but like I said L'Oreal's performs better even with my screw ups. It neutralised strong yellow tones after bleaching, but despite leaving the bleach on for enough time I was left with orange this time and this obviously can't cover that, so this is a shade for very strong, canary yellow tones only, aside from the natural colours it's recommended for. 

SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask 

One more tube used up. I talk about this mask a lot because it's the strongest such neutralising product I know, which means your need to be very careful with this, but also one rare products that is capable of toning on very intense warm tones. This isn't my picture, but you can see the results here.