October Favourites

I'm digging the dark lips look at the moment and I wore this burgundy lip colour either as a stain, full-on or something in between on most days since I got it. It's quite a statement shade, but I think it really suits my colouring and more importantly it makes me feel that little bit better when I wear it. It has one of the most comfortable matte formulas I've tried, though the staying power could be a bit better. I still need to find a lip liner that works with this shade because it is a difficult colour to apply straight from the tube.

Urban Decay Naked Basics palette
I'm not much of an eyeshadow person, but I used it every single day since I got it and I actually use every colour in this palette which is unheard of for a two-tops-eyeshadow-girl like me. It's such a gorgeous combination of matte shades that are great quality and can be used for natural, everyday look or a more intense, smokey eye. If I would be allowed to own only one eyeshadow palette, this would be it. I haven't posted a full review yet, but it should be up soon.

This is one of the best body butters I've tried in terms of texture: it's properly buttery, not too hard, easy to apply, not too greasy and deeply moisturising. The scent is an interesting and nicely blended mix of soft honey note with a fresh wildflowers scent, which at times I absolutely love and then sometimes I'm less enthusiastic about it, but the quality of the body butter is undeniably fantastic.

I've gushed enough about this shade and Essence's lip creams in my product of the week post, but in short: it's super pigmented, lasts amazingly well on the lips, smells nice and the colour is gorgeous. Pure love.

Bourjois Cream Blush 01 Nude Velvet
Quite a recent addition, but it's pretty damn good. My favourite cream blush so far was Maybelline's Dream Touch blush and Bourjois version feels very, very similar, but slightly more siliconey and in a more practical packaging. Full review will follow.

It's one of my favourite concealers, especially for the under eye area. It's been in my collection for a while and I admit I've been neglecting it since I discovered Maybelline's the Eraser. Though it might not be as good as Maybeline's, I still rate it very high, especially because it has quite a lot of coverage and is slightly illuminating.


This is such a sweet syrupy scent, yet so cozy and warm. Can Can is like a more grown up version of Fantasy that is still girly, but without notes of vanilla or chocolate. I love wearing this is the autumn, it just fits into this season so well. If you like sweet scents that don't break the bank, give it a sniff (it's not available in Slovenia as far as I know).

Have a great day and happy Halloween!
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Nubian Heritage African Black Soap

African Black Soap has supposedly been used for centuries to treat eczema, blemishes, psoriasis ans oily skin. I don't really suffer from any of those "ailments", but there is a little hype behind this soap and since it's really affordable, I decided to get one for myself and use it as a morning face wash.

It looks like a regular bar soap, but bigger, black and with bits of oats. The scent is fantastic - it smells like fruity bubble gum.  It is the creamiest bar soap I've ever tried, lathers so well and forms a thick, velvety and soft foam that feels so good to massage into the skin. And it's all rainbows and unicorns until you need to wash it off. Then that awful squeaky clean feeling appears - my pet peeve. Also, if the tiniest drop of soap gets in the eye, it hurts like a *insert bad word here*. Though it's black, the foam is not that dark and washes off completely with no residue. Surprisingly, my skin doesn't scream for a moisturiser afterwards. Actually it feels quite comfortable and I had no dry patches since I started using it (Dove sensitive soap caused dry patches with one use). As I said, my skin isn't acne prone, it's more combination dry, but I do get an occasional spot. This soap didn't help prevent any new spots nor treat them or help the skin heal faster. In short, it's just an average non-drying cleanser with no special bonus advantages. Its makeup removing abilities are also limited.


It's a nice bar soap, but maybe more suited as a body wash, mostly because of the eye hurting part. It's not drying, smells great and is quite cheap for a big bar of soap. It's nothing revolutionary, but still worth trying out. I got mine on iHerb for 2.5 € (141 g).

Have a great day! 
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Badger Cuticle Care

Cuticle Care is my first product from Badger and such product in general. I've never ventured into specialised nail care as I never had any particular concerns about my nails and cuticles, and I was quite happy using regular body/hand creams or just a regular chapstick. I have very healthy and hard nails, but about a month ago my cuticles became painfully dry, so I decided to give Badger's little helper a go. 

The balm is solid, actually very hard from the beginning and becomes much softer once the top layer is gone. Under the heat of fingertips it melts into an oil, but it's a thick oil that doesn't absorb quickly, so I prefer to apply it before going to sleep. I wasn't blown away by results. Honestly, TBS Honeymania body butter helped a lot more with dryness, which has now thankfully gone. Badger's Cuticle Care did leave my hands more moisturised, but it wasn't quite enough for my cuticles no matter the amount I used and it didn't help prevent any hangnails. I do, however, like it a lot for dry elbows and even more for my very dry soles. But the scent, oh the weird scent, is the thing that makes me dislike it. It's a strong lemongrass herbal scent (rosemary? Other reviewers say ginger), exactly the type of scent I genuinely dislike.


The product is packed in a small metal tin, which holds 21g of product and is a nice size to throw in a bag. It's quite a difficult packaging to operate with when your fingers are greasy from the balm. I've had it for a few months and I've used about 1/4 or 1/3 of the product (every day use).


It's a cuticle care product that could easily be called a multi purpose balm. I like the idea, but with a different, more pleasant scent. I'll used it up, but won't repurchase. It costs about 4€ on iHerb.

Have a great day!
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OPI Malaga Wine


This was actually my very first red nail polish years ago. It's an interesting red because I notice it changes colour depending on the light. Under artificial (indoor) yellow lighting it looks deep wine-burgundy with more purple hues (leaning to vampy territory, but still not too dark), while under natural light it's a more medium cherry red. It used to be my most worn nail polish, but my bottle is ancient by now so the consistency has changed. From the beginning the formula was a pleasure to use, despite that it needed two coats for full coverage (it has a more jelly finish). The brush is wide, but still comfortable to use on my narrow nails.  

Have you ever tried this shade? Have a great day!
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Empties #2


One of the best self tanners I've tried. It's a very natural looking tan that is quite deep with the first application and lasts about 4-6 days. The lotion has a sweet marzipan scent, however, the older the product gets the more it gets that typical self tanner scent. I like that it's a lotion and quite moisturising, though this means the skin remains tacky for a while. I did an in depth review and comparison with St. Tropez mousse here. 
Repurchase: Yes and already did.

A thick body moisturiser that smells a bit like chocolate cake. It sinks in fast, however, I noticed that  sometimes it start to flake off the skin. My only real complaint though, is the annoying packaging. It gets really difficult to get the product out towards the end, however, I have seen that they sell the pump version as well.
Repurchase: I'm not sure. It's a good product, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me. I prefer Dove's moisturiser.

Balea Shaving Gel Caribbean Dream and Milk'n'Peach
 I've been buying these since forever because they are really good and affordable. Caribbean Dream is a current LE which has an artificial coconut scent and I believe Milk n' Peach has been discontinued, but it had a sour pear scent. Both were not my favourite scents.
Repurchase: Yes, but not these two scents. This time I went for the original.

 Balea Dry Shampoo
I genuinely dislike this dry shampoo. It didn't make my hair fresh at all, it left a white powdery residue and had a very sharp scent which left me coughing for a few minutes and I always needed to open a window after using it. I much prefer Batiste and Sysos.
Repurchase: No chance.

Pyhto Pyhtopolléine universal elixir
I honestly loved this scalp treatment. I raved about it a few months ago because it was the only thing that ever worked on my stupid dandruff and completely purified my scalp. Unfortunately, it stopped working. I'm really bummed about that, however, it still makes the hair look really healthy and moisturised. It's really expensive for such a small bottle, but it was fantastic and I was prepared to pay more for it.
Repurchase: Not sure. I would in a heartbeat if it hadn't stopped working for me. Maybe I just need a break from it? 

Alverde Häaröl Mandel Argan
I raved a lot about this silicone free oil. I used it every time my hair felt dry (which I am happy to report is happening far less frequently since I started using Sexy Healthy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner - wonderful stuff I tell you). Its forte is helping with the dryness, but it also tames frizz and give shine. It's lighter than other oils (coconut or olive oil for example), but it is better suited for those with dry hair.
Repurchase: Yes, however, there is still one bottle somewhere in the house plus I have the big coconut body version, which works the same and it comes cheaper per ml.

Dove Oil Care hair mask
I was not impressed by this version of Oil Care mask. It's not as moisturising as the one in the tube (Dove Hair Therapy Oil Care Nährpflege 1 Minute Kur-Spűllung a.k.a. Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner), which is one of my  favourite drugstore hair treatments and I've used up at least a dozen tubes of it.
Repurchase: Nope, the tube version is much better.

Garnier Fruity Passion shampoo
I didn't like it as a shampoo because it was too drying on my hair, but the scent is divine. It's a proper sweet passion fruit scent and one of my favourite summery scents. I used it as a shower gel. Ingredients here.
Repurchase: Yes, but I will use it as a shower gel.

My staple waterproof mascara remover. It's oil based, so I use another oil-free remover or wash afterwards. I don't even know how many bottle of this I've used up (or Bioderma. Both are my essentials). 
Repurchase: Yes and already did.

This is great for someone who is lazy like me. It's so fast and easy - no cotton pads, just a pot with a big sponge soaked in nail polish remover. It smells nice, like fruit and vanilla, also it leaves your fingers and nails quite moisturised, so it is better than your run-oft-the-mill nail polish remover.Regular price is exaggerated, however, I found a discount so I immediately put it in my shopping cart. I was hoping that more cheap knock offs would be available by now, but there is a tutorial on how to make one yourself on Pinterest.
Repurchase: Yes and already did, however, only when it has a discount.

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. However, by the end of the bottle this get incredibly thick, so  had to throw the rest away and buy a new one.
Repurchase: Yes and already did.

 It's an essential item in my bathroom and I use for so many things - body, hair, as a makeup remover and for shaving. It smells like a coconut creamy dessert or a coconut muffin, basically a mix of coconut and vanilla, but not too heavy or excessively sweet.
Repurchase: Yes and already did.

Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Soufflé Face Mask
It's been a while since I used it, but I wasn't impressed by this moisturising mask. There was no noticeable effect apart for sparkles, which were stuck on my face after I rinsed it off. And I don't want to look like flippin' Edward Cullen. It did smell nice, like strawberry candy. There were some mini beads in it, but those had no particular effect.
Repurchase: No.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
I liked this cleanser, it's my second favourite so far. It's a rich, thick cream that feels quite luxurious, smells like Airways gums 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 like it but it's expensive, mostly due to high shipping costs.
Purchase full size: I might.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Creme
Oh, I like this a lot. It's such a lovely, rich and thick moisturiser, but not greasy and sinks in fast. Fantastic for really dry skin. The scent is also really lovely.
Purchase full size: I'll probably pamper myself to a full size one day.

L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate
A light, very siliconey body moisturiser. It leaves quite a velvety feeling on the skin and smells so nice, but not as nice as the shower oil.
Purchase full size: Nah, I already had a travel size. I like both oils from the Almond line better.

Essence Sun Club Oil Control Paper
An essential even though my skin isn't particularly oily. These oil absorbing sheets aren't anything special, but they work fine and are cheap. I've been buying them for years.
Repurchase: Yes and already did.

Have a great day!
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Product of the Week #15 and Some Pictures from my Trip to an Amusement Park

Get ready for me gushing about Essence Stay Matte Lip Cream again. I'm a massive fan of these, in fact, they are my absolute favourite formula of any lip product. But this week, one of them, Smooth Berry, passed the ultimate test with flying colours. I went on an all day trip to an amusement park (anyone from this part of Europe will know which, Gardaland), wearing this lip colour. It survived all day, with barely any need for retouching. This includes 10 hours of driving, me chatting (mostly to get through the at times awkward silence of a long drive), sightseeing, going on rides, eating and drinking. I reapplied it on two occasions, even though there really was no need to because most of the colour was still there except in the corners. It was more just to refresh the colour. Yes, I was very impressed, especially since these cost a reasonable 2.19€. I never felt like my lips were dry, nor did I use a chapstick. I think this colour works so well for me, but I would still love to see Essence bringing more colours to the range. There are only four and Smooth Berry is a dark rose-magenta shade. You can find the original review here (though this is a better swatch of itˇ).


And some pictures from that day taken with two different phones, not exactly top notch pictures, but they're have to do. The scenery is just stunning, especially the Aladin Palace, Fuga da Atlantide and Abu Simbel replica (Ramses: Il Risveglio).

 And me wearing my fun Halloween handband with "scary" pumpkins. They are super bouncy.

 Have a great day!
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Refan Fragrances


Are you familiar with imitation fragrances? You know, the ones that are duping famous fragrances for a fraction of the price? There are conflicting opinions about them, but I have been buying them for years. I wrote about individual scents here and there, mostly in my monthly favourites, but it's time for a proper post. I have to admit, I really like them and I notice no difference between the original and imitation, apart from the pretty bottle and, of course, the price. Sure the bottles are really plain, but hey, at least they're cheap. They nozzle sprays a fine and even mist, plus I can easily throw a bottle in my bag without the fear of breaking or any spillage. Though, you do need some sort of a labelling system if you own more than one. Over the years my collection has grown quite a lot and all I own are in the smallest 15 ml bottles. I'm a person that rarely sticks to wearing one fragrance for a longer period of time and at times I switch my fragrances daily, so these fragrances are a nice way for me to own several scents without breaking the bank. 

The list of available fragrances in Slovenia is here (it changes, so check their website for a more current selection. Locations of shops are also on the list).
Currently, I have these in my collection (names are as they are on their list of fragrances):

001 Dior Miss - Dior Cherie
The definition of a girly scent, but for a classy young lady. The sweet fruity notes of strawberry and cherry are mixed with sticky caramel and cotton candy which are then rounded by patchouli to give it a more grown up feel. This is the only fragrance I notice the difference from the original and even that only in silage. The Refan version is fainter, however, I owned Dior Cherie years ago and swapped it due to it being absolutely too strong (it felt so suffocating to me at the time), so I actually prefer this one.

022 H.Boss - Nuit Woman
Gaga's Fame and this are my absolute favourite scents right now. It's 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. The lasting power is fantastic for such a scent with no strong base note like vanilla or amber.

023 Bvlgari - Omnia Coral
Fresh, fruity and green. This is how I imagine a tropical garden with coral hibiscus flowers smelling like. If you like Daisy, you'll like this. As the original, the staying power is very weak.

110 Laura Biagiotti - Venezia (not available anymore)
A creamy, woody fragrance with some vanilla. I hear others notice a strong plum note, but it doesn't develop on me.

127 C. Chanel - Chance
A much fresher and lighter version of Coco Mademoiselle, but without the sweetness. I mostly get pink pepper and patchouli with a hint of citrus and jasmine. 

138 Bruno Banani - Purple Woman
It's actually Bruno Banani Magic Women, I don't know why the name is different. It's a sweet, fruity, yet a more warm scent that has quite a lot of silage. I get strawberries and other berries with some musk and violets. 

166 C. Chanel - Coco Mademoiselle
One of my absolute favourites. To me it smells like camomile tea with honey mixed with patchouli. It's like a toned down and grown up version of Miss Dior Cherie. Actually, I would love to own an original bottle of it, simply because I find the bottle stunning.

177 Burberry - Body 
It smells like roses, but not like a grandma type of rose. Normally, I dislike rose scents with passion, but not in this composition. There are other notes that temper the rose scent, which makes it smell more fresh, creamy and powdery. Basically, it's a clean skin scent. There is supposed to be peach in it, but I don't smell any fruity notes at all.

178 Armani - Emporio Armani for Her
The wood, floral notes and musk combined create a simple, fresh, clean and classic scent that is slightly bitter.

08 L. Lempicka - Lolita Lempicka
This smells like anise and licorice with vanilla. It's spicy, warm and fuzzy, there are clouds of vanilla surrounding the person who uses it. I find it hard to wear as I really need to be in the mood for it, but this is a very wintery scent.

Roberto Cavalli Eau de Parfum
One of my favourites. It's a very heavy, rich, balmy and strong oriental-floral fragrance. This is a scent for those who want to be noticed. It's a fantastic mix of orange blossom, benzoin, vanilla, pink pepper and tonka bean. I got mine from Croatian Refan, but I think it's available in ours as well (n.024).


I owned several other scents, but the one I'll repurchase is Chanel n.5 because it's such a lovely, classic scent. 
I also bought several men fragrances for my family and friends as gifts, in fact I (re)purchased 210 Z.Davidoff Hot Water and 219 Paco Rabanne 1 Million several times (both are brilliant). 


Have you ever bought an imitation fragrance? Do this kind of shops exist in your country? What is your take on them?

Have a great day!
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