I had this mascara years ago and I even raved about in on this blog (I had the Extra-Black version with the black tube and gold cap), however, given that's it's 13 € I never repurchased it, especially since the much cheaper Essence mascaras are very impressive. Even though it was nice to be reunited with this one, it was not smooth sailing from the start and I was confused as why I liked this mascara years back, but after about a week it became that mascara I remember. 

Wand: Million Lashes has a plastic wand that's one of the softest and most bendy I've tried so far. Due to that it's also one of the most gentle mascara brushes on the eyes especially among the ones with a plastic wand. It's got densely packed soft bristles that come in two lengths and those bristles catch every lash. I actually kept the wands of my old Million Lashes mascaras for years because they are wonderful for combing the lashes when another mascara is too clumpy. 

Formula: This is one of those mascaras that needs time to get good, however, it's also one of those that gives a lot of volume from the moment you open it, meaning it deposits a lot of formula on the lashes. Length is its true forte and it's a mascara that creates the illusion of much longer lashes. When I opened it, though it's not a heavy formula, as soon as I started applying more than one layers, it kept sticking lashes together and didn't fan them out nicely. In about a week it dried up enough to stop doing that and it now catches every lash, creating a nicer effect. But it has one big minus for me,  which was also the reason I got the waterproof version instead years ago and that is that it drops my lashes. Formula is actually one of those that can leave the lashes feeling hard, but despite that hold my lashes don't stay curled for longer than a minute with this one. I remember the waterproof version being a lot better. This mascara is fragranced, which I quite like. 

Price and availability: Million Lashes costs 13.99 € and is sold in most drugstores.

After the initial hype years ago, I think we all forgot about this mascara. Not because it's bad, but because there have been so many launches since and frankly Paradise Extatic or Lash Paradise in the US is better. Million Lashes is a mascara you at which have to wait for a week to become good, but after that it's a top performer when it comes to length and separation of lashes and it's also good in terms of volume, it's just not as good as Paradise Extatic. My main complaint is that it drops my lashes, but that not an issue for most.

Have a great day!

*PR product

Oriflame launched a new or renewed collection of makeup products that they described as an explosion of colours. I think this is the successor of the Colourbox line, but I'm not sure whether that one was discontinued or not. In any case it's the same price range and consists of trendy shades. I usually do individual reviews, but not this time, so it's going to be a long post.

 Power Up Foundation

Texture: It's a light and creamy formula similar to tinted moisturisers. It's easy to apply and blend with any method.

Coverage and finish: The foundation has a light coverage and it doesn't look well covered in person, but for some reason it looks very good on camera. Finish is dewy-shiny, so powder will be a must for most people and I don't think this is the best foundation for oily or combination skin. Overall it's not very impressive other that the fact it looks very natural on the skin and you can't tell you're wearing makeup apart from the shine that can be mistaken for a moisturizer.

Shades: This foundation comes in 4 shades and I got 2, 38805 Light Porcelain and 38807 Natural Beige, the first is the lightest is the range. Both shades are way too dark for me and I have to use lightening drops to use them, which is disappointing because their Giordani Gold MasterCreation in Rose Cool Porcelain is a good match for me and I expected Oriflame has light shades across their foundation ranges.

Staying power: I have never experienced a makeup meltdown like I did with Oriflame. This foundation never sets and the rest of the makeup was just smudging during the day, which doesn't happen on my normal-dry skin.

Packaging: These come in regular tubes with a screw lid.

Price: Regular price is 9.90 €, but Oriflame often has discounts.

Perfecting Concealer Stick

Texture: This formula is surprisingly not that hard, waxy stuff that put me off such formulas years ago, but it is summer, so maybe this has an effect. It glides with ease on the skin, but it's not a soft creamy formula that I experienced at Makeup Revolution Fast Base Stick.

Coverage and finish: It's hasn't got a lot of coverage as it doesn't have the best pigmentation and you have to build it up. Maybe that's what's saving it from looking heavy and cakey, but the level of coverage doesn't go above medium and my dark circles tend to peak though this formula. 

Shades: This comes in only two shades, 39914 Natural Beige and 39913 Light Ivory, both are light, so not a lot will find a match here. Unlike the foundation the lightest shade fits me, but the other one isn't that much darker either. 

Staying power: Like I said at foundation, there a meltdown happening at this entire line. Everything is so smudgy, but this concealer tends to last longest.

Packaging: A classic wind up lip balm tube, cheaply made, but it holds.

Price: Regular price is 6.50 €.

Power Face Powder

Texture and finish: This feels finely milled and doesn't look dusty/powdery on the skin no matter how much I apply it. I got the shade 38801 Medium Beige, which is the darkest of the two (other is Light Porcelain), but it is transparent anyway. Since the foundation is so dewy and moisturising, I hoped this would set the makeup, but it did not prevent the meltdown and smudging. I don't use powders in my regular routine and definitely not mattifying ones, so I'm not the best judge or these products, but I was not impressed with this. I tried a brush and a sponge, but nothing worked as I expected. On the plus side it didn't look cakey or did it start to flake my foundation like powders tend to do on me.

Packaging is fairly small and you can a puff with it which isn't the best quality. I also miss a mirror, it's almost a must at powders.

Price: 9.90 €

Big Lash Mascara

Brush: It's got a classic defining plastic brush with two lengths of bristles and it defines ok, though it could fan out the lashes better.

Formula and effect: It's not the best volumising mascara and it's better at just adding a bit of length, but it's nothing impressive. Due to being a regular formula it also doesn't hold my lashes up, so I'm not a fan of this one. It's just average and I prefer their The One Eyes Wide Open & Awake mascara even though that one also doesn't hold the lashes. 

Perfect Duo Pencil

Texture: A majority of shades is quite hard, though they transfer, you just have to go over the line a few times. The deep brown shade is by far the best performing, soft and most pigmented. They transfer to the waterline, but you have to go over the line several times. It's hard to get used to this quality after using Maybelline's Tattoo for a few months.

Shades: 5 shades of these are available and I got three combinations:

- 36088 Mocha & Rosegold which is a dark brown and light brown-gold-ish combination

- 36089 Blue & Sapphire, a medium blue and dark blue combination

- 36090 Green & Turquoise, a mossy green and turquoise that leans more to blue combination

Staying power: Honestly, these are the most infuriating product in the selection. A few seconds after I apply them on my upper eyelid they transfer to my crease, I deliberately didn't want to clean it up for the pictures because doing that is futile with these as they immediately transfer again. Even with a ton of powder under it, I get the same result and my eyelids aren't at all oily. They perform much better in the waterline and surprisingly don't last only an hour, so if you're getting these, stick to the waterline.

Creamy Lipstick

Texture: These are run-of the-mill regular creamy lipstick with a shiny finish and semi-opaque to full pigmentation. They glide with ease on the lips and feels almost like a lip balm, so they are great for those with dry lips, just get a light shade because they can get messy and need frequent reapplication. 

Shades: There are 20 shades in this range. 

38742 Blush Nude 

Shade Blush Nude is gorgeous, it's a lovely nude and it's a shame about the staying power, but it's actually very similar to Oriflame's The One lipstick in Pink Flair which is better quality.

38775 Clover Lilac

38750 Deep Red 

Deep Red is a classic burgundy and a messy one at that. After eating I ended up with lipstick on my nose and I still don't know how exactly that happened. Stick with the light shades at this formula and go for the The One Colour Stylist for the dark ones.

Staying power is their weakness, especially at the lightest shade which is gone in an hour, but ever Deep Red is not that much more impressive. I got about three or four hours with Deep Red, but it wasn't in the best state. 

Packaging is cheap, but it works and the cap holds. 

Regular price is 6.50 €.

Nail Polish

Formula: These are the best products in the OnColour line and so lovely to use. They don't state they are gel nail polishes, regardless they behave similarly and they are very smooth to apply. One coat is enough, even at the darkest Deep Plum shade and I don't think I have any such shades that wouldn't be sheer with the first coat. 

I'm always happy to try a new matte liquid lipstick, as they are some of my favourite type of products, but this is a lip stain masquerading as a liquid lipstick. You'll like it if you want a semi-opaque colour, a stain looking effect and great staying power.

Formula: This is very different from most matte liquid lipstick, since it doesn't have that creamy full-coverage texture, instead it's more of a stain, meaning more of a liquid product with a semi-opaque pigmentation that is opaque with two coats. It is almost exactly the same as some discontinued Catrice liquid stain lipstick called Made to stay Smoothing Lip Polish. It's got a kind of a glossy finish from the start and in some time as its wearing off it becomes matte or better said it gets a "natural" lip texture.

Shade: I got shade 114 Represent which looks deceptively red in the tube, however, it's a bright fuchsia. It's also one of those shades that leave that magenta stain which persists for ages on the lips (Colourpop liquid lipsticks in various shades have it too) and it's very difficult to scrub off. I went to check their other shades and their pale mauve pink leaves the same tint. Personally I hate that tint, but some love it because it lasts ages.

Staying power: Once you apply this one the lips, you can't change your mind unless you're prepared to scrub it off with a lot of waterproof makeup remover and even then you'll be left with tinted bits of dry skin. It will last through everything, at least as a tint if not opaque. On the left on the picture bellow I've tried to remove the swatch with a micellar water and you can see how intense the stain is. It took two showers to get these lines off.

Attempt of removal only with micellar water. 

Scent: It's got a chemical sweet somewhat alcoholic scent.

Packaging: The tube is very nice with the matte finish and a heart shaped applicator. 

Price and availability: These cost 13.49 €. I've seen seven colours in Müller.

This is not my cup of tea, but I'm sure many will like it. I don't like that annoying hot pink that I can't get rid of for days, but it's the thing that makes this product one of the most long-lasting lipsticks. I don't find it drying, however, it's not a moisturising product. It's a light stain type of formula, so if your lips are dry, it might not be for you without the use of an extra lip balm over it. The shade selection didn't wow me, as they are quite bright shades, but if they had this is a nice pale colour without the magenta tint, I might consider getting an extra shade as I enjoy the natural texture it gets after a while.

Have a great day!

*PR product.

 MAYBELLINE Instant Anti-age Eraser Multi-use Concealer

 00 Ivory

This has been my favourite formula for so many years, but shade 03 Fair I have was not the best match for my pale skin, so I was overjoyed when I discovered Maybelline's new shade 00 Ivory. It's the best shade in drugstores I've found so far. It's very light and the undertone is not strong, so it fits my neutral skin tone best out of all concealers in my collection (along with the slightly darker Look by Bipa). This formula has medium coverage, which is enough because I don't like to completely cover my skin even if some imperfections shine though and this concealer is one of those that looks like skin, not makeup. The sponge is really helpful because at most times I don't need anything else to blend (unless there is a lot of product on the sponge), actually using this really feels like an eraser due to the applicator. Discovering this shade just made my year and I can get it easily at my local drugstore.

CATRICE Blush Box Glow + Multicolour

020 It's Wine O'Clock

Catrice almost always has brilliant quality of blushes, I've only ever been disappointed with their palettes, but their individual blushes are a delight to use. This formula is very pigmented, actually too much for my pale skin, so I need to use a light touch with it. Just like at their other illuminating/glowy formulas I've tried so far, I don't get that highlighter-meets-blush effect on my cheeks and it looks matte on me, but I don't mind because this shade is very pretty, giving me the look of fresh, baby doll cheeks that pairs beautifully with a light pink lip. Of course this formula does not beat my all-time favourites L.O.V. blushes, but it's a good change after six months of constantly wearing those. 

ESSENCE Draw the Line Instant Colour Lipliner

07 Eternal Beauty

This isn't the best formula, even though it is Essence's most long lasting, however, it is thick, slightly sticky and these dry out fast becoming useless. Despite that it's easy to apply it all over the lips, it's not drying and this particular shade is such a beauty. 07 Eternal Beauty is a light-medium muted pink, definitely a colour for my skin tone and one I've been wearing every day since I got it. This and Essence's Soft Contouring formula in shade 08 Big Proposal are some of my favourite shades ever. (If you're interested in the Draw the Line formula, I have a full review of shade 05 here)

 PANTENE Pro V Intensive Repair/ Repair & Care line

Why, oh why did I not know about this line sooner? It's an absolute drugstore gem that rivals many much more expensive products. I'm especially blown away by the effect of the conditioner and the mask, which are some of the very rare ones that provide enough nourishment for my dry hair, plus they even manage to make it somewhat softer, which at my thick texture is a miracle in itself and they some add shine. For a shampoo with no silicones this is surprisingly good, as similarly to L'Oreal's it almost feels like there is a bit of conditioner in there. It's not quite as good, but it's a solid second favourite in my books. The leave-in conditioner is another silicone-free product, so something I prefer to use on damp hair after washing too add an extra boost of moisture and preventing my hair from feeling dry again on the second day, but I do have to add something with silicones after, otherwise my hair tangles. This whole line will actually save me a lot of money that I kept spending on more expensive products over the years. Only thing it needs is an alcohol-free rich silicone-hair oil, then it'd be a perfect set.

BEAUTY UPDATES

ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara Waterproof and CATRICE Eyeconista Lash Millionizer Volume Mascara Waterproof

The two waterproof mascaras I've been using recently, but none are my favourite (yet maybe?), still given that they were an important part of my daily routine they deserve to be featured in this part of the post. I did a comparison test for a few days with one on each eye (changing the order daily because my lashes on one side are horribly unruly and make any mascara appear the worse performer). They are very similar with the main difference between these two being the wetness of the formula as Essence's has the same drier formula as I <3 Extreme and Catrice's is quite wet for a waterproof mascara, which doesn't work in its favour. Neither keep my lashes as perfectly curled as I expect, but they are averagely performing in this department, enough to say they are still worthy considering the purchase. Both are exceptional volumising and lengthening mascaras that are capable of creating big, very black, noticeable lashes. Neither smudge on me or run, but they are also such a pain to remove, which I'm not a fan of because I <3 Extreme is not quite a stubborn. The latter in general feels lighter and creates a more feathery look, but these two get you that volume much faster. I'm not super happy with the brushes of either as Lash Princess could be more defining and Eyeconista could be larger (the brush is very small compared to most mascaras).

CATRICE Ten!Sational 10 in 1 Dream Primer

Since I ran out of Max Factor's Face Finity All Day Primer I haven't had anything that truly convinced me in my stash, though I haven't picked any of those myself, while this one was on my wishlist due to ingredients, as it has glycerine 3th and niacinamide 5th on the list after water and it doesn't sound like a typical silicone primer that be too dry and flakey on my dry skin. It's definitely a primer a lot more suited for normal-dry skin than oily-combination as it leaves a slightly tacky feeling and it's not matte at all. The ambitious 10 in 1 claim is mildly put an exaggeration, especially when it comes to pore minimising, blurring imperfections and evening out the skin tone, but it is a hydrating primer with a natural glow that is not over the top like at usual illuminating primers which tend to emphasise the texture of the skin. It has two minuses which are the reason this still isn't my proper replacement for MF's primer and that is the tint, which is too dark for me, though it's sheer and blends in better than Catrice's 1 Minute Primer. The second is the SPF 15, which is just not enough.

NIVEA products

This month I got this weird desire to explore Nivea products, a brand that I've largely neglected up until I tried their great mattifying face sunscreen. I went to their website and I'm sure if they didn't have the ingredients list there, my wishlist would stay intact, but I went through all of their products and picked those that primarily had Coenzyme 10/Ubiquinone highest on the list. Why Q10? Well, based on my limited knowledge there are a few ingredients than have been scientifically proven to diminish signs of aging: vitamin A/retinol/retinoids, vitamin C, peptides, Coenzyme 10/Ubiquinone and niacinamide/vitamin B3 (this list could be wrong, though. I got it of Reddit) - I had no Q10 products in my routine, so I wanted to include such products (for peptides I'm checking out Olay/Olaz, for vitamin A The Ordinary and Avon). I picked Q10 Plus C Anti-wrinkle + Energy Skin Sleep Cream as a potential replacement for my two vitamin C products. It combines ascorbic acid and Q10, but it doesn't state the percentage of vitamin C. I only used twice so far once because I want to use up Melano CC first, but I'm hoping for the best for this one because it's still reasonably priced and very easily accessible to me (it's 12.5 € for 40 ml, which is much cheaper than my favourite Eucerin's version which is 17 € for 7.5 ml, though that one will be really hard to beat. Good thing about Nivea is also that it's sold in supermarkets, so I can use those 25% discounts some have). In terms of texture it's like a regular thick cream and it sits on the skin for a long time, but not in an annoying way. Next I got the itty bitty 6.5 ml bottle of Q10 Power Deep Wrinkle + Firming Treatment which Nivea says has the highest concentration of Q10 in their products. It's supposed to last 10 days, but despite the thick texture, I already went past that mark. I can't report on any fascinating results though. The third face product I got were the Q10 Power Replenishing Pearls. It has Q10 6th place after water, which is not as high as I'd want, but it also contains hyaluronic acid and creatine right after. Despite the to me deceiving appearance of a possible light serum texture, these pearl are like a thick cream or even a balm. It's too early to tell if it's doing anything, but it's very nourishing and on the first day my skin had a healthy glow to it. For body I picked my first Nivea body milk Firming Q10 + Vitamin C. The latter is in a a form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a stable form of vitamin C, but it's not terribly high on the list, regardless I wanted to try it. It's the lightest formula in my collection (I like my body moisturisers heavy and thick), however, it takes a long time to absorb, in fact I can still feel it's on my skin in the morning. I've been using it every day for a week and while I can't report any firming results, but my skin has been nicely nourished and it actually finally got rid of some persistently dry patches I've had for years now. I also picked up a Hand Cream Anti-age Q10 and very unexpectedly I really like it. I thought I won't because I'm very spoiled by L'Occitane's hand creams, however, this quite nice. It's light, yet moisturising enough and though it takes longer to absorb than L'Occitane, it's absorbs completely in a few minutes. Formula feels almost silky which I like a lot and the scent is a typical Nivea. It's nowhere near as nourishing as L'Occitane, but I'm enjoying using this. Last thing I grabbed was their new Curl Forming Spray which is an alcohol free hair spray with oil - that last oil bit got me and I had to try it. I expected a mix between that got2b #Oh My Nude Tame it Softly Dry Lightweight Oil Mist I love and a hair spray, but it's more a like a light-medium flexible hold hair spray that indeed isn't drying, but not nourishing and I can apply a ton of this on dry hair, yet it never feel heavy. On damp hair before drying it's another story as the hair feels slightly sticky and textured like using a mousse. I put my hair in a bun after using a hair dryer and I woke up with my usual curls, but tighter and the sticky, heavy feeling was gone. So far I prefer it on dry hair.

My current collection of vitamin C products. Favourite of course is the amazing Eucerin Hyaluron Filler Vitamin C Booster which impressed me with both the lovely texture and its results. I'm currently trying to use up Melano CC Vitamin C Essence which sadly never provided me with any visible results, but the dry oil texture is nice. I've already mentioned that Nivea's Q10 plus C just got it's turn, so I don't know if it's effective yet, but the insect repellent scent is not my favourite. I've been avoiding using up Tiam's C Source despite the highest ascorbic acid content (20 %) because it's just a pain too use - too drying for my skin, sticky and difficult to layer over, plus I saw no results and nothing comparable to Eucerin. 

DISAPPOINTMENTS

 LVLY by Paola Maria Cleansing Oil

This was the biggest disappointment in the last month. I was so hoping I finally found a decent, cheaper replacement for Biobaza Micellar Cleansing Oil that I've been using for a couple of years now. While this forms the riches, thickest emulsion out of all oil cleansers I've tried, it is impossible to rinse off completely. It leaves a filter of product on the skin and it doesn't even remove mascara well, ether waterproof or regular. It's such a shame because it's one of very rare cleansing oils we can get in our drugstores and it's one of only two cheap ones. 

WISHLIST