Essence Metal Glam TE Gold Topper

Gold Topper 01 Steel-ing the Scene is a part of the Metal Glam trend edition by Essence. It contains gold flakes and enough of them, so there is no need for countless number of coats. 

I am not much of a glitter person, not just because it's so bloody difficult to remove, but also because I don't find it that pretty. However, I do really like this one. My pictures are a bit rubbish, I think it looks a lot better in person, but that's the best I can give you with my camera.

It was 2.19€ in DM.

Have a great day!

New In #7

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107

Dark berry or oxblood lips were all the rage last autumn and it looks they'll be pretty popular this one as well, so I finally ordered Rimmel's 107 on Asos, but mostly because it was 30% off. I quite like the colour on me.

Plastic Lipstick and Makeup Holder

This is my second one so far. The other one is a lipstick holder only and holds 9 of them, while this one is much bigger with space for 12 lipsticks and additional different sized spaces for other makeup. It was 11€ in Műller. I have the pictures of the small one here.

My purchases from iHerb. I'll do individual reviews for all the products:

Queen Helene The Original Mint Julep Masque

A basic clay mask, but seriously the tube is just massive. Must be one of the best value face masks on the market since it was less than 3€ for 226g.

Physician's Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Rose

The packaging is much more flimsy than I expected, thought the product itself is a beautiful blush. I took so many pictures of it, so expect a picture heavy post. Price: 8.6€.

Badger Cuticle Care

The packaging is cute, but the scent is something I'll have to get used to. Price: 4€ for 21g.

Nubian Heritage African Black Soap Bar

First off I love the scent. It smells similar to Aussie conditioner, so like bubble gum. I'm using it in the mornings, so I'll report in time how I get on with it. Priced 2.5 € for 141g.

 Urban Decay Naked Basics palette

When I saw the offer for 20% off on Look Fantastic, I jumped at the chance and bought Naked Basics palette. I paid about 19.50€ for it. I love it - it's just perfect for me. I prefer matte shades and these completely suit my needs, since it's a collection of such shades I tend to wear every day, but in a palette form.   

 The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter

I got this from eBay without smelling it beforehand. I plan to do a honey inspired post next with a full review of this, but for those that are curious about the scent: it is indeed very freshly floral, especially when you smell it in the pot. Applied on the skin, the proper honey note finally appears, but it is still mixed with a fresh wildflowers scent. This is not a warm, fuzzy scent, but a fresher and very floral honey scent. 

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter 

I got a sample of this with the Honeymania body butter. Unfortunately 8 ml was far to little for my hair (which reach end of my back now), so I can't give you a proper review. The scent was unpleasant for me, strange, a bit like being in a forest, but more exotic. The texture is more on the thicker side, however, average for a hair masks. Since the amount was to little, my hair was still dry after using it. Ingredients here.

 Lush Honey I Washed the Kids  

It smells exactly like Honey Bee bath bomb, Ma-Bar bubble bar and Soft Coeur massage bar which all have a caramel/toffee scent. 9€ for 200 g.

L'Occitane Amande Delicious Hands Hand Cream

Is the name odd or what? Why would my hands need to be delicious? Anyway, I wanted the honey version, which was LE, but I was too late. So I quickly grabbed this one because I only had a minute and I couldn't find the original Shea Butter one. This is just the Almond Milk Concentrate in a hand cream packaging (that super luxurious cream that comes in a glass pot). It's feels and smells exactly the same. It sinks into the skin literally in seconds, which is just perfect for me since I avoid hand creams because I can't stand touching things with greasy hands. It's moisturising enough for me, though my hands aren't particularity dry. It was 7.60€ for 30 ml.

Balea Duschöl 

(shower oil)

I got this for my brother who has been complaining about itchy, dry skin (I suspect the lingering effect of acne medicine Roaccutane). I tried it myself of course, and it's quite nice. Similar to L'Occitane Almond Shower oil, but not as luxurious and thinner. It works the same - an oil which turns to a milky consistency (it emulsifies) with water. The scent is medicinal and not too strong. I believe it was about 2€. 

Dove Maximum Protection deodorant 

This is in a cream/mousse form and has a similar applicator as Secret deodorants (twist and the product comes through mini holes). The scent is very lovely and powdery, though not strong. The effect is supposed to last 48 hours, but I haven't tested it for so long since I always apply it once a day. I'm not much of a sweater so I can't really give a good review, but it works fine for me. It was about 3€ in DM.

Seche Vite Top Coat

My favourite top coat and I have been using it for years. The nail polish is dry to the touch in about 30 seconds, which is perfect for a girl like me who has zero patience (I still don't touch stuff for a few minutes just to be sure, even though I probably could). Also my manicure lasts ages with no chipping, but keep in mind that I have very strong and healthy nails. I got it off eBay for 9€.

Balea Tropische Früchte Badezauber
(tropical fruit bath "magic")
I just got it today, so I haven't used it yet. It smells just like the Pina Colada shower gel by Balea - a pineapple/pina colada scent. There is also a citrus and vanilla version, though I haven't seen the latter yet in our DMs. It was 1.65€ for 500 ml.

Essence Metal Glam TE Gold Topper
Another product I just got today, but I used it on one nail and it looks so beautiful. I'll do a post with swatches in the next days since it's a LE. It was 2.19€

Balea Verwöhndusche Lavendel & Honig 

(mini "spoiling" shower gel Lavender and Honey)

Such an amazing scent of lavender with a hint of honey. Basically, it's a regular Balea shower gel, but they only sell these small packet (25 ml) for 0.55€. I hope they release a full size, I would buy it in a heartbeat. There is also a "lavender & vanilla" version available.

Yves Rocher samples of Un Matin Au Jardin scents
(A Morning in the Garden)

I really liked all of the scents, but they have poor staying power. None lasted more than a hour.

Lilas Mauve eau de toilete (Lilac) - a spot-on scent of lilac. I used to walk past a lilac tree every day and this evokes many memories. 

Rose Fraiche eau de toilete (Fresh Rose) - I usually dislike anything with a rose scent, but surprisingly I liked this one. It's a sweet rose scent - fresher and younger than rose scents tend to be. 

Agrumes en Fleurs eau de toilete (Citrus flowers) - Quite a sugary citrus scent and my favourite out of the three.

Muguet en Fleurs eau de toilete (Lily of the valley) - Smells exactly like lily of the valley. A great scent for spring.

There will be full reviews for Lush Honey I Washed the Kids, The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter, Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107, Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and all four things from iHerb. If you would like to see any of them first or have any quick questions, you can tell me in the comments (keep in mind I have to test the skin care stuff thoroughly for a proper review), otherwise I'll just post them in a random order, but starting with the gold topper from Essence. 

Have a great day!

September Favourites

(coloured text are links to original reviews)

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner

I just did a review about it in my last post, so I keep it short. It turns out the hype around it is justified. It makes my hair feel quite silky and it's moisturising enough to keep my ends in shape. The bubble gums scent is fantastic as well. It's a great drugstore find, even though the price is too high in this part of Europe compared to what the pay for it in the USA. 

Balea Dusche & Creme Cocos & Nectarine

The peach bubble gum scent of this shower gel is just amazing. It's become one of my favourite shower products ever. 

Coconut Oil

The key word is versatility when it comes to oils. The fact it's solid at room temperature is something I consider a plus since it makes it easier to use, at least for me. I use it as a makeup remover, face and body moisturiser, pre-wash treatment for my hair as well as for treating dry ends. And it smells so good. 

Refan n.22 - Imitation of Boss Nuit Pour Femme (Hugo Boss)

Such a lovely everyday scent - grown up and yes, a bit generic (just a typical Hugo Boss fragrance). It starts with a fantastic proper peach bust and then the scent evolves into a more flowery fragrance (white flowers) with some sandalwood. It ends up smelling a bit like fabric softener, but an expensive kind. I'd describe it as the perfect everyday, office scent. Not offensive, doesn't really stand out, but it's really nice. Gaga's Fame and this are my absolute favourite scents right now.
It's a spot on dupe for the original (I checked) as all Refan fragrances I've tried so far. The lasting power is fantastic such a scent with no strong base note like vanilla or amber and it's neither too strong nor too weak, but just right.

Essie Cute as a Button

Colour-wise it's nothing new in my collection, though the colour is one of my favourites: a beautiful pink-coral. What impressed me most is the formula which is such a pleasure to use. I wish every nail polish were like that.

Essence Home Sweet Home LE Berry Me Home

Autumn is a great time for dark lipstick colours and a deep berry shade like Berry Me Home is just perfect for this time of year. The formula is one of the best in my collection, too bad it was a LE, but I did just purchase Rimmel's matte lipstick in 107, which is in the same colour family. 

Mac Wedge Eyeshadow

I neglect this little gem far too much. It's the perfect what I call an "imitating shadow" colour for contouring. However, I just use all over the lid with Maybelline Color Tatoo in Permanent Taupe underneath and it's the perfect everyday look. I wore this combo on my thesis presentation. By the way, it's a very similar colour to the shade Naked in UD's Naked Palette.

S Budget Tights in Skin 20 Den

Ok, I admit it's a bit random and also odd to put in a post, but I genuinely love them. I finally found the perfect colour of tights for me, they literally completely match my skin (I'm super pale, about NC 15). My mom even though I'm not wearing anything and that my legs just look that good. I don't like wearing darker tights (tan colour) than my natural skintone because it looks weird, so I just wear black ones, but these are perfect. Best part is that they are so cheap, about 1.5€ for two pairs. But the sizes are so hard to find, they only had bigger sizes, but it was still fine, even though I'm super petite. They are sold in Spars and Interspars.

Have a great day!

Worth the Hype? Aussie and Macadamia

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner and Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair mask are both highly recommended by so many. As a hair care junkie, I first became familiar with the famous Aussie 3 Minute Miracle through Makeup Alley, where it's been holding an impressive total score for ages. Macadamia became popular in the past couple of years and it's a favourite of many bloggers. After trying both and having them for several months, I can say I've been impressed by one and sadly disappointed by the other. 

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle is very popular abroad, particularly USA where it's already sold in a new purple packaging. The first time I used it, I wasn't impressed at all. I even expressed my disappointment in this post, so I put in on a shelf and didn't use it for a while. But I gave it another shot and this time I was quite impressed. It left my hair feeling really soft and nourished, it was a similar result as if using a high-end mask. I don't know why it didn't work the first time, but now I really like it. The packaging is quite awesome, no screw off or flip lids, just squeeze and the product comes out. The scent is amazing and quite strong - it smells like Hubba-Bubba fruit fantasy bubble gum tape. The texture is quite unique as well, medium thickness gel-cream hybrid. Honestly, I find 3 minutes a bit ambitious, so I leave it on for about an hour as any other conditioner/mask before rinsing it off (but that's just me). The scent lasts well even on my hair, the effect of the conditioner lasts a few days and my ends looked surprisingly well for quite a while. I've been using it most out of my conditioners in the past month (and I have a lot of them, so that tells something). I got Aussie a few months ago from Croatia  for 9 €/70 kn, which is expensive compared to how little it costs in the USA.
By the way, still no sign Aussie will be available in Slovenia. I guess they're using the same stupid excuse as for not selling Bourjouis creme blushes. I've been told by my reader they stated that apparently cream blushes "don't sell well in our country".

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair mask 

I've done a detailed review on Macadamia mask months ago (here) and even then I expressed my dissatisfaction with it. Yet, I kept trying to like it and used it every now and then to see if it finally works for me. But last week, when I used it again, the state it left my hair in was the last drop. My ends were ridiculous dry and straw like, so I'm done with it. I gave it to my other family members to use it, maybe one of them will like it. I'm quite angry because it's not exactly cheap (I got 250 ml size for about 22€). It might just be my hair, since it's odd that so many people would rave about it for no reason, but in my opinion it's not worth the hype. The Healing oil from this brand is great, though.


Have a great day!

Coral Nail Polishes

Something for the nail polish lovers today - a comparison of three coral shades: Bourjois 10 Days in 25, Essie Cute as a Button and Catrice 20 Meet me at Coral Island. Cute as a Button was on my wishlist for ages, but I felt reluctant paying 10€ for a nail polish in a local drugstore (and there is a nail polish shipping ban for airmail). I was told these three were dupes, so I first picked up Bourjois 25 and later because I wasn't impressed by the formula, I bought Meet me at Coral Island. Since none of the two's formulas knocked my socks off, I finally took the plunge and bought Essie. Honestly, I should have just gone for it first.

Colour: Compared to Cute as a Button, Bourjois 25 is close, but pinker and less vibrant. Meet me at Coral Island is more coral.

This is the best representation of all shades, at least on my Samsung screen. I had such difficulties taking this picture, they all looked the same in most pictures and it took a while to find the right lighting:

However, unless you look closely, you won't see much difference, especially between Cute as a Button and 25 when indoors, while Catrice is a more orange coral and therefore my least favourite.

Formula: Essie wins hands down. It's such a pleasure use, one coat is almost enough for full coverage, no streaks and it has the best brush. Bourjois and Catrice both have a more annoying formula to work with, need two coats because of the gaps and streaks and I dislike the brush of Bourjois.

Here are Essie Cute as a Button and Catrice 20 Meet me at Coral Island individually:

You obviously don't need all three unless you really like corals. In my experience Essie is best, with best formula and brush, so don't be sorry to spend a bit more because it is a pleasure to use. All three are close, but not quite dupes in my opinion, especially Meet me at Coral Island.
Catrice Meet me at Coral Island 2.69 €, Bourjois 10 Days 25 6.49 €, Essie Cute as a Button 9.95 €.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day!

Cleansers Comparison: Balance Me, Clarins, L'Occitane, Liz Earle and Dove

It's all about cleansers today. I have a selection of five that I've been using/testing in the past months, so this post was long in the making. You can find a review of another lovely cleanser that didn't include because the post would be too long here -> L'Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil. 

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

Texture: Pure Melt has such a unique texture that starts off as a thick gel which when massaged into the skin turns into a thick oil and when water is added it emulsifies. You can see all three steps on the picture. The concept is a bit similar to the L'Oreal's Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil, but Clarins Pure Melt is much, much thicker.

Performance: It does the best job at removing make up, especially when it comes to waterproof mascara (it is an oil based cleanser after all). There is a slight filter left when just rinsed off with water, so I prefer using a washcloth to completely remove it. As most oil-based cleansers it makes my vision very cloudy.

Scent: A nice pharmacy type of scent and very pleasant.

Price: My 50 ml tube was 12€ on eBay. The price of full size (125 ml) on Clarins' website is 33$ (24€).

Verdict: I like it because it removes makeup very well and has a unique texture, however, my skin didn't look as good as when I used other cleansers and my forehead became bumpy again. The cloudy vision bothers me a bit as well.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Texture: A rich, thick cream that is easy to massage into the skin.

Performance: It removes most of the makeup, even waterproof mascara, but only if I'm not wearing a lot of it. Thicker coats of mascara just pose to much of a challenge for it. The muslin cloth that comes with it is a much better quality than the one with Balance Me cleansers, but I still prefer washcloths.

Scent: Minty and very similar to Airways bubble gums. Not particularly strong, but noticeable.

Price: 100 ml starter kit 17.75€ on Liz Earle site (plus delivery for Europe 7.25€, rest of the world a whooping 22€. Seriously, why? Though, I hear they have excellent service, include generous samples and super pretty bags).

Verdict: This is my second favourite so far. It feels luxurious and removes makeup nicely (I still use a separate eye makeup remover), however, my skin doesn't look as nice as when I use Balance Me. I love the mint green packaging.

L'Occitane Brightening Cleansing Foam

Texture: I generally dislike foams, because they feel so watery and leave my skin dry, but this one was a pleasant surprise. It's so soft and almost creamy, quite a luxury to use. Ingredients here.

Performance: It's quite a gentle and comfortable cleanser. It doesn't take off all of the makeup, but I find it nice for the morning cleanse. It leaves my skin nice and fresh without getting tight after a few minutes.

Scent: Strong floral, like wildflowers. I'm not a massive fan of it, but it's not unpleasant.

Price: 50 ml 9.20€, full size 150 ml about 20€, eco refill 300ml 28.50€

Verdict: Nice for mornings (or nights after you've removed the makeup), but the scent is too strong and even after months I haven't got used to it. Still, it is my favourite foam cleanser and I would consider repurchasing it to continue using it as a morning cleanser.

Dove Pure & Sensitive Beauty Cream Bar 

Texture: The same creamy bar feel of the regular Dove soap. These are my favourite bar soaps.

Performance: This is pretty hyped up on MUA, so when I saw this version in DM I didn't hesitate to buy it. It's so easy to use, gentle, doesn't irritate my eyes and doesn't leave my skin too stripped, however, the next day I noticed a dry patch on my nose. I used it a few more times, but then stopped, because it turned out to be too drying for my skin. I also noticed my skin started getting oilier.

Scent: Unscented, but if I really put my nose to it an almost non-existent typical Dove scent

Price: 1-2€

Verdict: Really easy to use, but too drying for my skin. I like that it's unscented and really cheap. I'll use it for the rest of my body where my skin doesn't tend to get dry.

Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

Full review here.

Texture: A liquidy balm with small oatmeal scrub particles. It's meant to be applied on dry skin, massaging it for 30 seconds, then water is added with makes it smoother, but it doesn't emulsify. The scrub particles aren't abrasive at all. It comes with a muslin cloth, which is absolute rubbish and I use a washcloth to remove it.

Performance: It's similar in performance to the Liz Earle one. It removes most of the makeup, except heavy layers of waterproof mascara. It doesn't sting my eyes and doesn't make my vision cloudy.

Scent: Sweet, similar to Kiki candy. The smell of childhood.

Price: 22-23€ on Look Fantastic and Naturisimo.

Verdict: My favourite cleanser so far. My skin looks and behaves best when I use it.

So Balance Me wins in my books (my skin looks really good since I started using it) and I like the L'Occitane foam for mornings, but I'll still test a few more cleansers. There are still some on my list to try and I already have Nubian Heritage African Black Soap coming my way.

I hope this was helpful and have a great day!

Wishlist #5

 1. Lush Honey I Washed the Kids

So many people rave about the HIWTK soap, particularly about its caramel-honey scent, so I might buy a bar next time I'm near Lush, though I never actually smelled it (because the shop itself has such a strong fragrance, you can't really smell anything and I rarely go there because I genuinely dislike the pushy service).

2. The Body Shop Honeymania

My heart skipped a beat when I heard the news of Body Shop launching a honey scented collection. There will be a lot of products in this LE line, but I'm mostly interested in the body butter and fragrance. First reviews describe the scent as a mix of floral notes and honey. If only we had the Body Shop in Slovenia! I'll try to find this collection on eBay or if that fails go to Gradz. It hasn't launched (in all countries) yet, but I hear it should sometime this month.
 Ever since I saw the Honeymania collection, I've had this craving for honey scented products. I've tested a few in the shops, but liked none of them (yay for testers! But seriously Burt's Bees scents were such a disappointment). The only one I ever really liked is from L'Occitane, which had such an amazing honey line, but it's discontinued/was LE. I have high hopes for this collection and Lush HIWTK soap.

3. Bourjois Cream Blush

These intrigued me ever since I saw the first post about them. So many people love them and speak highly of its formula, but I'm losing hope that these blushes will ever reach our drugstores. So I'll have to get them from Asos, but I'm not sure about the shade. I would really like to see them in person before buying.

4. Urban Decay Naked Basics palette

I'm not much of an eyeshadow person, but recently I've put more of an effort into wearing some. I prefer matte shades, yet I don't have many in my collection. Maja's review convinced me that this might be a nice palette for me. It's got a nice selection of skin-toned shades that I wear most and I really like that taupe shade. Basically it's a compact version of all the shades I normally wear.

5. Maybelline Fit Me foundation

They started selling these on Fragrance Direct and they stock the lightest shade (110), which is supposedly very pale. I also heard the formula is quite light with a skin-like finish and I'd love to try it.

6. The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil and Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Another novelty by the Body Shop. I would love to try the cleansing butter, it's probably the cheapest such product, but the oil sounds nice as well. I already found the oil on eBay, but not the butter.

7. L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream

I have been using very generous samples of this cream for a couple of months now and I absolutely love it. I've already done a short review in one of my favourites, but in short: it's the best base for make up and currently my absolute favourite face moisturiser. 

I have ordered a few things on iHerb and I'm waiting for the package to arrive. I hope it arrives safely and soon, but I expect it will take a couple of weeks. I bought the following four things.

1. Queen Helene The Original Mint Julep Masque

Just a basic clay mask with a mint scent. Apparently it's a cult favourite and it has a ton of positive reviews on MUA plus Maja loves it as well. It is super cheap, less than 3€ for 226g.

2. Physician's Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Rose

I got it because it's so pretty, I'm shallow like that. Price: 8.6€

3. Nubian Heritage African Black Soap Bar

Again another product that has a lot of positive reviews on MUA. People use it as face wash and I intend to use it in the mornings when I can't be bothered with balms/oils/and the likes. Though I suspect it might be too drying for me, I'm willing to give it a go, but if that happens I'll just use it in some other way. Priced 2.5 € for 141g

4. Badger Cuticle Care
I asked Jana for recommendations what to get from iHerb (if anyone knows, it's her) and she mentioned the Badger brand, which looked so damn cute. I never owned a cuticle cream/balm, because I just don't care about how they look, but they feel a bit painfully dry at the moment and I don't want to keep using my chapstick to moisturise them. 4€ for 21g


Just a few more things. Balea frequently posts on their facebook page about new products and these are the ones that caught my attention recently:

1. Balea Bodybutter Kakao
I'm not sure, but it could just be a repackaged old version of it. The pot looks pretty.
2. Balea Dusch Sorbet Sunny Peach
Peaches! Yum.
3. Balea Beauty Öl
A more affordable approximate of Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil maybe? But the ingredients differ a lot.

Badezauber frische Orange, exotische Vanille and tropische Früchte
I've only seen the orange version in our DM's and it's quite a big bottle. I'm hoping all of these bath products will be sold here.

Have a great day!