Showing posts with label Drugstore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drugstore. Show all posts

My Guest Post on Taya My Little Beauty World: 6 Drugstore Treats under 6 €


I just wanted to alert you that I did a very drugstore inspired guest post on the lovely Taya's blog for the occasion of her fifth blog anniversary. We've been following each other for years and she's one of my favourite bloggers, so check out her blog if you haven't yet. You can find my post about 6 Drugstore Treats under 6 € here.

Have a great day!
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10 Current Drugstore Picks #2

(read my previous Current Drustore Picks here)

It's no secret that I love this concealer, I have, after all, been raving about it for years now. I particularly like this as an under-eye concealer, because due to the light texture, it looks so natural on the skin. The coverage is about medium, so it won't cover super dark circles, but I find it works for me and my under-eye redness, It even manages to cover some small blemishes and it doesn't look like a caked-up patch on the spot. The unique sponge applicator, as unhygienic as it might look, is actually brilliant as I find that very little additional blending is needed after application. I use the shade called Fair, which pink-toned and probably closest to NW 15 for a reference. 
DM (not available in Slovenia), 9.95 €.

I had very little faith in primers before discovering this. Most made my skin so terribly flaky, but this leaves a perfect, matte smooth surface ready for an application of foundation. It's not so super siliconey that it might feel greasy, instead it's instantly dry to the touch and it feels like nothing on the skin, though I'd still recommend thin layers, since like that you get most benefits of any primer. This really prolongs the staying power of makeup, so it's perfect to use under all those new-age dewy foundations that just disappear in the middle of the day. I also love using this as an eye primer because it intensifies the colour of the eyeshadows and makes them last a lot longer.
Müller, 12.99 €.


This converted me into a powder person again. For years I dared no apply powder as it would just make my foundation look cakey and noticeable. But this kind of just blurs the skin a tiny bit, so it makes the foundation look better and less obvious, even a bit radiant, but it still keeps oil at bay (though my skin isn't particularly oily, just on my T-zone a bit). There are some pretty intimidating glitter particles in it, but if you keep your application very moderate, it's completely transparent. 
Boots International, £9.99.

BOURJOIS Cream Blush
I'm a big fan of cream blushes as I find them so easy to apply with fingers when in a hurry as well as I use them as a base under a powder blush to prolong its staying power. Bourjois are my absolute favourite due to a velvet texture, so they are not as "greasy feeling" as others, rather they are dry to the touch once applied and therefore when I apply a powder blush on top, it doesn't stick to the wet patches. The finish of these is a lovely matte, so they look a lot more natural on the skin than most. Nude Velvet is my absolute favourite cream blush, though admittedly it looks very boring in the pan, it gives an adorable peachy flush to the skin.
Feel Unique, 10.39 €.


You don't see a matte eyeshadow in the drugstore often, especially one that is actually good. L'Oreal's isn't just good, it's brilliant. Somehow they managed to make a pigmented, soft matte shade that doesn't have some strange fall-out, doesn't look patchy on the skin and blends like a dream. I'm bloody impressed. The colour is a complete winner as well, Breaking Nude is a beautiful taupe shade that is totally up my alley. It's expensive for drugstore, but totally worth it.
Műller, 8.99 €


Give an award to the inventor of these felt tip eyeliners. L'Oreal's and (surprisingly) Kardashian Beauty's are my two absolute favourite. The sharp nib allows to draw super thin and precise lines including the flicks. If you're a beginner when it comes to liners or you're just having a hard time making liner work for you due to your eye shape (like me), give these a go. They make all the difference to the eye makeup because they make the eyes look more awake, defined and noticeable.
L'Oreal: Feel Unique,  9.09 €, Salma (SLO) 5.60 €
Kardashian Beauty: Feel Unique, 15.54 €


It's be a small crime not to mention this beauty in an October post. Burgundies are all the rage every autumn and this is such a classic, yet inexpensive shade. On me it looks more purple than on most, but it's a deep red-purple shade, which looks killer with a nice neutral eye and subtle blush. The formula is matte, which is what I personally prefer when it comes to darker lip colour, but it's not so matte that it would be terribly drying. I would recommend you get a lip liner for this shade.
Feel Unique, 7.14 €

Such an amazing lip gloss. The pigmentation is lovely, it feels very comfortably creamy on the lips and much to my delight it smells like peaches (which is only my favourite scent of products ever). I have a beautiful warm pink shade called Rose Symphony that I really love as I think it makes my eyes appear more blue. Luckily these finally reached our drugstores, though the price tag is not so easy to swallow - still it's total worth it.
Müller, 13€


(Oil-licious Triple Oil Dry Oil Mist)
Since I have dry hair, I love using hair oils and Öl-la-la is one of the most innovative as well as fastest to apply. It's a light silicon based product with argan oil in a spray form that gives tons of shine, helps fight frizz and doesn't weight down the hair. Often when I do a hairstyle, especially curls, I prefer to not touch it much as I find that curls can drop too much that way, so I spray some of this instead of using a liquid oil like Orofluido or Elixir Ultime. Basically this spray is healthy looking hair in a can and I'd even recommend it to those, who are afraid of silicone-oils because they find them too heavy since if used in moderation, this is super light. 
Müller, 6.99 €.

Texturising spray were more or less designed to inject volume and texture to thin, limp hair, so considering my coarse, thick type of hair, you'd think it'd be the last styling product I'd ever like. However, I really like it just after curling the hair as it just makes the curls look a bit better. It's like a dry shampoo on steroids, meaning it gives a lot of grip and a bit of hold, so it's like a dry shampoo-light hairspray hybrid or a dry version of a salt spray (it does have sea salt in it).
Boots International, 4.7 €.


Have a great day!
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Best Buys Under 5 €


It's actually not that easy to find a good product that is under 5 € and I admit I struggled to get a nice bunch of products for this post. I have loads of products that I love which are just above the price mark (literally a few cents more), but I won't cheat and I plan to show them in a another drugstore favourites post. I selected 11 products that are available either in drustores or online or even in larger supermarkets and all are nice cheap thrills. So here is my selection.


2.89 €.
Yes, I could select a lot of products from Essence for this post, but you know what - I don't find them that thrilling and I much, much prefer Catrice, especially when it comes to quality. Although L'Oreal's eyeshadows are my uncontested favourites in the drugstore ranks, Catrice's are a close second. I love the colour range, there are some gorgeous neutral shades as well as a few brighter colours and you can create a selection that rivals any combination in the popular neutral palettes. The pigmentation of these is great and they blend really well, even the matte shades are excellent quality. If you're looking for some inexpensive fun products I highly recommend you check them out. My favourite is a taupe shade called 350 Starlight Expresso.
By the way, I just quickly swatched the new velvet matte eyeshadows by Catrice and they are fabulous as well. 

3.79 €.
I just can't shut up about these blushes. The formula of these won my heart - it's just perfect - smooth and pigmented, these blend so well, but foremost they actually manage to stay put on my cheeks a lot longer than any other blush I tried, except Benefit's Coralista. My favourite shade is Rose Royce which is an amazing rosy-neutral shade that goes with everything. 


4.95 € (might be more expensive depending on where you buy them).
These really are so good! They boast with a lovely creamy texture that is super pigmented, blends well and once it sets stays put for hours. I tend to use them for a quick eyeshadow look or, my preferred way, as a base. There are a lot of shades to choose from, but Permanent Taupe, a matte taupe, is without a doubt my favourite cream eyeshadow as well as one my favourite colours in general.


1.85 €.
These could easily be described as the most convenient product to satisfy the craving for a cheap trill. Everyone needs lip balm, you use it all the time and they are usually in every grocery shop at the registers. Fruity Shines are one of the most fun ones with is a nice selection of tinted balms with juicy scents. My favourite is peach and I find it has one of the best peach scents out there as well as a lovely natural peach tint. These aren't the most moisturising lip balms, but they are nice for everyday use. 


2.95 € , only in DM (not in Slovenia, sorry).
I never expected such a brilliant brush for such an affordable price. It's an excellent super soft blending brush that I use also for applying a gentle wash of colour in the crease or on the lids. Basically, I can do almost an entire eye makeup with it, though due to its softness it's more for subtle looks and it performs best with high quality eyeshadows. 

£3.75 (4.7 €), E.l.f. website.
I love how dense, yet still soft this brush is and it's just feels so well made. I use it for so many things from blending concealer, applying setting powder under the eyes and around the nose, applying a base eyeshadow colour all-over the lid, blending and even contouring. Truly a versatile brush.


2.29 €, only in E.Leclerc.
Micellar waters are a part of my everyday routine when I'm removing makeup, so I use a lot of them. This one is incredibly affordable and just as good as the rest drugstore versions. As most micellar waters it feels super light - like water and it removes makeup effectively, leaving the skin clean and refreshed. 

1.51 €, only in E.Leclerc.
This is such a wonderful, gentle cleanser that is also really fun to use. It looks like those whipped creams in a can and the mousse actually resembles whipped cream a bit due to the super dense texture. It also smells so lovely and it really makes the morning cleanse an enjoyable experience.


DOVE Nourishing Shower Gel
2-3 €.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was another version of this lying somewhere in the house - I think our house might be the fan central of Dove Nourishing shower gels. These are seriously so good - incredibly creamy and luxurious feeling due to a thicker formula, they are especially loved in my household because they are nourishing and don't leave the skin feeling dry or itchy. I love the scent of these, all three actually: the classic original Dove scent, the sensuous coconut milk with jasmine one and the sweet almond with hibiscus one. If your skin is dry, give them a go.


£2.99 (3.7 €), online on Boots International and Asos.
Though my hair is far from greasy, I don't shy away from dry shampoo on days between the washing. I've tried a few so far and Batiste is my favourite. It properly refreshes the hair, giving it more life and body as well as makes it smell nice, it's like an additional fragrance. When it comes to dry shampoo, for me the most important features are that it doesn't leave the hair white and that it smells nice. My hair is dark brown and Batiste can leave a white cast if I spray too close, but it's easy to blend it in. However, what I really appreciate is the large selection of scents and Wild is my current favourite. It has a lovely oriental scent, I smell notes of chocolate, vanilla, musk and wood that combine into a nice perfume version of a scent rather than gourmand one, like the Tropical version has.


3.08 €, eBay this seller.
These are so awesome. I could never find decent sectioning clips for a reasonable price here, so I ordered these from eBay and they are so good. They feel so professional and well made with the matte rubberised texture, you'd never think they were so cheap. I use them all the time when I blow-dry my hair to clip the hair out of the way or to create volume or curls - just brilliant stuff. 


Do you have any recommendation for great affordable products? Have a great day!
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10 Current Drugstore Picks

Are you feeling uninspired and want some cheap trills? I've got you covered. I selected 10 products from the drugstore range that I find fabulous at the moment and worth checking out. 

Tinted Sunscreen
My favourite sunscreen for the face that is so light, not at all sticky and literally feels like nothing on your skin. It's also lightly tinted which means there is none of that ghastly white cast. I'm in love with it at the moment.
3.69 € in DM.

I find this perfect for warmer months because it has a light formula with a matte-satin finish. It has a nice level of coverage despite the thin consistency and it makes the skin look better without being obvious you're wearing make up.
14 € in DM/Müller/Asos/Boots.

I know, I keep banging on about this being my favourite highlighter, but I can't help myself. I'm a fan of a natural looking glow and this delivers. It's a warm toned liquid highlighter which gives a subtle radiance to the skin that won't make people ask you why there is shimmer on your face (which has happened to me, I'm afraid). It can be used as a primer under make up, mixed with foundation or on top of make up on the high points of your face. The formula is very light, not greasy and also a bit mattifying in a sense that it blocks natural oils and the only dewyness is from the product.
About 10 € in Müller/DM/Boots.

 Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet
08 Grand Cru. I haven't done a review for 02 Frambourjoise yet, but Taja swatched Pink Pong, Petra from Adjusting Beauty did 01 Personne ne rouge and Sanja from Sparkle with laughter 07 Nude-ist.
When it comes to dark or bright shades, I say go matte or go home and Bourjois has got you covered. These have the best matte finish and are not at all drying. They need a bit more work because the first layer isn't fully opaque, but the final result is stunning once it dries. My favourite at the moment is Frambourjois, a gorgeous rose-red-pink that is a perfect mix between a fun and a glamorous colour (why does nobody talk about this shade? I know it looks boring in the tube, but on the lips it's fantastic). I plan to get more of these (Olé flamingo, you will be mine!).
12.99 € in Müller/DM/Asos/Boots.

Lets be honest, it could be any RT brush here, but I am absolutely in love with this one at the moment. I never liked finishing powders because they made my foundation look so cakey and obvious, but this brush is so soft and fluffy that it deposits the perfect thin veil of product. I just can't stop brushing it on my face, it's so lovely! It also works great for applying a touch of bronzer (especially if you're pale and fear you'll over-apply) and pigmented blushes.
Prices vary, but you can get it cheapest for 9$ on iHerb, Slovenes can get it on Moja Drogerija for 12.95 € (currently 15% off code: 12000).

Catrice Defining Blush
I'm calling it - these are the best powder blushes I've ever tried. The texture is perfect, so smooth and not at all chalky (though they swatch chalky, but they don't look like that on the cheeks). They are so easy to apply and blend, the pigmentation is superb and they actually last on my cheeks. My favourite shade is Rose Royce which is an amazing rosy-neutral shade that goes with everything. I just wish the shade range was bigger.
3.79 € in Müller.

Dubbed as the Bioderma dupe, but only in texture since I find that when it comes to how effective it is, it isn't quite there. At the moment I like using this in the morning before applying a moisturiser, but I also use it as a make up remover at the end of the day. It feels like water and leaves a clean feeling on the skin, though, I hear it irritates some people's eyes. It's a big 400 ml bottle for a super affordable price.
5.29€ in DM/Müller.

This has been a staple in my skin care routine since the long gone year of 2007. It's a clay based cleanser-face mask with salicylic acid that I use mainly as a face mask when my skin feels congested and spotty. It's one of the rare clay masks that doesn't dry out my skin, but still manages to clear up my pores and make my skin look that bit better. I love that it comes is a big tube and it lasts a long time.
Price revolves around the 5 € mark in DM.

Not so much a proper scrub, but more of an every day wash and a very luxurious feeling one at that. It's so nourishing and the foam is so creamy that there is no need for a lotion afterwards, though it pairs wonderfully with the corresponding Ultimate Beauty Oil. The scrub particles are too sparse for my liking, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't do its job.
4.99 € in Müller; 5.59 € in DM; currently £4.77 in Boots; 9.3 € on Feel Unique.

Drugstore hair treatments rarely get so good as this one. A favourite of many for years, but a new-ish discovery by me, it has fantastic results on my super dry hair and has an effect that rivals much more expensive products. The lovely bubble gum scent only adds to the brilliance of this treatment. 
About 8 € in DM, Croatia; £4.77 in Boots.

I'm actually thinking of doing a series of such posts because honesty, I have more than 10 favourites. I might do them every few months or something. Fancy that?

Have you got any cheap trills recommendations for me?
Have a great day!
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What Makeup Would I Buy at a Drugstore with 50€

I did a little interview/guest post for The Budget Diary blog. The lovely Megan contacted me and asked me to do a selection of drugstore products I'd buy with 50 € if I had no makeup. She plans to do a whole series with other bloggers, so subscribe to her if you want to see more of these. I'll post just a recap post here, but the original post is here if you want to learn more about the products. As always coloured text are links to original reviews.

1. Bourjois Healthy Serum (14 €)

2. Maybelline's Instant Anti-Age the Eraser Eye (8-10 €)

3. Maybelline Dream Touch blush (8.11 €)

4. MUA Matte 16 eyeshadow (1.2 €)

5. NYX Black eyeshadow (3 €)

6. Max Factor Khol Pencil in Natural Glaze (5 €)

7. Maybelline Colour Tattoo Permanent Taupe (4.95 €)

8. Essence get BIG lashes waterproof (2.69 €)

9. Essence Stay Matte Lip Cream (2.19 €)
Total: 49.14 €

So this is my selection and it contains my favourite drugstore choices, however, I'd still like to recommend a few alternatives:
For those who don't want a waterproof maskara: I <3 Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara  (2.69 €)
For those who want a powder blush: Catrice Defining blush (3.79 €)
                              - higher coverage concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer (4.19 £ in UK, try eBay)
                              - an eyeliner instead of a black eyeshadow: Max Factor Liquid Effect Pencil (about 5 €)
                       - powder eyeshadow instead of a cream one: Catrice Eye Colour Mono (2.89 €) (350 Starlight Expresso is a lighter version of Permanent Taupe) 
                             - a lipstick: Catrice Ultimate Colour (4.19 €)
                             - a lip gloss: Essence Stay with me (about 2 €)

What are your favourite drugstore makeup products? Have a great day!
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Drugstore Guide to Brands Available in Slovenia

Slovenia is not known for it's great selection of (drugstore) make up. By my count we have about 12 brands that are available in most drugstores, but it is getting better. It's about the same range of brands as is all countries of central Europe (the influence of Műller and DM is really dominant here), also in other European countries. Of course we have less brands and even those carry limited ranges (I'll explain more in individual descriptions).  I set on doing a post that features the products I own from individual brands, my experiences in general with the brands and maybe to help some make up addicts who intend to visit our little country and are interested in what our drugstores have to offer. There are three mayor drugstores: Müller (the biggest), DM (most common) and Tuš Drogerije (I actually only been in the one in Kočevje, so I don't know what brands they carry, if someone can fill me in it'd be much appreciated). E.Leclerc also carries some brands, as does Boutique (Maximarket), Limoni, Nama, Ilirija and some bigger Interspars and Mercators. I'm not sure what happened to Douglas. I did a post about favourite drugstore products here and here is a post on drugstore disappoitments.

Alverde
Is a brand available only in DMs. They pride themselves on offering a range of make up based on natural ingredients. It's fairly cheap, I think I paid 3€ for their baked eyeshadow. Since it is a more natural line, some products contain a lot of denaturised alcohol, like their liquid blushes. This results in quite an odd scent of some products that not everyone would like. I love their eyeliner brush (it cost less that 2€, my favourite brush for gel eyeliner) and their baked eyeshadows. I hated their gel eyeliners, but I believe those were just a part of LE collection. A Müller equivalent of a natural brand is Terra Natura (Thanks Taya) in the same price range. 

Bourjois
Without a doubt one of my favourite drugstore brands. They have amazing foundations (Healthy Mix), lipsticks (Rouge Edition), lip pencils, eye pencils and lip glosses. My cousin loved their mascara Volumizer (with 2 steps). I do, though, dislike their blushes and bronzer, but some people swear by them. It's not the cheapest brand, Healthy Mix foundation costs 14€, but you get what you pay for. It's also one of the rare brands that carries shades of foundations that are appropriate for us Snow Whites. It's available in most DMs and Müllers, also in Leclerc, Nama and Tuš Drogerija.

Catrice
 It's a fairly new brand here, but a great one. I think most were really excited when Müller finally started to carry this brand here (also sold in DM and Tuš Drogerija). They have awesome lipsticks, eyeshadows (cream and powder), nail polishes and those are the products I've tried so far. So far I haven't been disappointed by them, well apart from Lashes to Kill mascara, but it's not bad, just average. Eyeshadows and nail polishes cost around 2-3€, lipsticks are 3-4€.

Deborah
This is the only brand I don't own anything from right now. My mum loves their Atomic lipstick in 09. It's the only lipstick she's repurchased so far and it's the only thing she wears. I used to have their bronzer, but it was too orange and their blush, which was quite nice. Their lipsticks cost around 9-10€. It's available in most DM's and Müllers, also in Nama and Leclerc.

L'Oreal
Is everywhere. It's probably the most intentional brand, closely followed by Maybelline. But we only get a fraction of what's available in the UK or US. It's one of my favourite drugstore brands. I mean it is expensive, but most of their product are really good quality. I love their Infallible eyeshadows, mascaras, Lumi Magique primer/highlighter, lipsticks, Super Liner and there is probably some more. Unfortunately, they don't carry foundations that are light enough for me, so I don't know how they perform.

Essence
A lot can be said about Essence, but to sum it up in a few words: affordable, innovative and colourful. I own a pile of stuff from them, both from regular lines and from numerous trend editions they release. It's one of the most fun brands available. I love their nail polishes (cheap, great range of shades), Stay with Me lipglosses, Stay all Day eyeshadows, gel eyeliners, Sun Club blotting sheets and much more. I did a favourites post here. Their lipstick are more like glossy tinted moisturisers, which are great for those who are afraid of wearing more pigmented lipsticks. I don't like their eyeliners, lipliners (some love them, though), eyeshadows and foundations, also I find their mascaras quite average. It's available in DM, Müller, Tuš Drogerija, Ilirija, Leclerc and larger Mercators.

Manhattan
A brand that doesn't get much attention, but I adore their lip creams. It's the brand I used to buy almost everything from when I was in my early teens. It used to be the cheapest brand here, before essence of course. I bought my first mascara and lipgloss from them, also quite a lot of nail polishes. They have very pigmented lipsticks, good lipglosses, nice single eyeshadows, but bad trio eyeshadows. Lipliners and eyeliners are average. Sold in DM and Tuš Drogerije, it might be sold in some Müllers as well .

Maybelline
One of the easiest brands to find, however, and there is a huge however, the range of products available here is severely limited. Most of their, in my opinion, best products never reach our drugstores. For one it's one of my favourite concealers Instant Anti-Age Eye Eraser. It's available in Croatia, but not in Slovenia. What's the deal with that Maybelline? Another example: their Dream Touch blushes, available in most Carrefours in France (something like Interspar here), but not in Slovenia. Bonkers - the only appropriate word for this. Apart from blushes and concealer I also like their mascaras and lipsticks. I didn't like any of their foundations so far, also most of them are too dark.

Max Factor
I believe Max Factor is like an equivalent for Cover Girl, hence the similar products. They have fantastic eyeliners and I liked most of their mascaras (all of the ones with plastic brushes). They have nice lipsticks and foundations (most don't have a shade light enough, though Liquid Illusion has one). It's available almost everywhere. Oh, and if you're looking for their cream blushes, so far I've only seen them in Nama. It's in the Bourjois/L'Oreal price range.

Misslyn
The newest brand available here. I've never heard about it until about a year ago, when it appeared in Müllers. They have an impressive range of products, everything you need from regular things like lipsticks to a wide range of falsies, lash curlers, etc.  So far the only thing I bought from them are individual false eyelashes (size 2, no glue included), which are too short for me. Prices are very affordable, somewhere in the Catrice/Manhattan range.

Revlon
Available in Müller and Illirija, it's finally picked up after a rather odd era of nothing new coming in and now there is actually quite a current selection of their makeup sold here. I used to own their Colorstay foundation, but the lightest shade was too pink, I hated the strong alcohol scent and there was no pump. I love their Luxurious eyeliner in the shade Antiqued Gold and their Lip Butter are nice as well. I used to live next to Illirija  (Vič, Ljubljana, Tržaška cesta, by the factory and next to the petrol station, opposite of Mercator, you can't miss it. Take the number 6 city bus) and there were some awesome deals, eyeliners for a 1€, the lightest shades of Colorstay and Photoready for 2€.

S-he Stylezone 
Is only available in DM and (this is just my opinion) I honestly find it a bit lame. I like their huge nail polishes range, but the rest is just blah. They have a big colour range of lipsticks and almost all of them I find completely unwearable for me (it's like a festival of weird frosty shades. I hate frosty finish). There are a few exceptions, though. I like their mono eyeshadows (great quality), but their liners and quads are terrible. It's in the essence price range.


Müller also carries Isadora, Artdeco and Make up Factory; some Müllers have Pupa, however, they are too expensive to be considered drugstore brands. 

Brands that disappeared from our drugstores are Wet'n'Wild (try nonpareilboutique.com or eBay), Rimmel (but available in every other country. I suggest a visit to Croatia, Austria or Italy, if all fails try feelunique or Asos), Margaret Astor (Austria), Nivea (doesn't exists anymore), Gosh, Miss Sporty (I'm not sure if it's still sold in Tuš Drogerija).

Update December 2013: Limoni has left Slovenia and there is no drugstore department in inside Leclerc any more, but makeup is still sold there in a small shop across it.

I hope this was useful. Thanks for reading!
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Drugstore Make up Disappoitments


Essence Make up to Match Foundation 
I bought it the moment it hit our shelves in Müller. The colour match looked fine, which is rare for us pale girls, so I took it. It has zero pigmentation. I mean zilch, nil, nada. It's not even worthy of a name tinted moisturiser let alone a foundation. It's like applying a moisturiser and not a good one at that. Four euros out of the window.

S-he Stylezone Khol Kajal Eyeliners 
In short: poor pigmentation, impossible even application, lasts about 2 seconds and smudges like crazy. No thank you.

S-he Stylezone Quad Eyeshadows
The chalkiest eyeshadows ever. Pigmentation is poor and they last about a second on the lids. Get their mono eyeshadows instead. Those are pretty good.

E.l.f. Bronzer/Blush Duo 
A lot of people actually really like this duo. It's a supposed dupe for the Nars Orgasm/Laguna duo. Well, I just can't get it to work on me. I own Orgasm and the blushes are not even remotely dupes. Orgasm looks great on me, while this is an odd peachy pink colour with shimmer. The bronzer is the weirdest colour ever. It's way to orange and a really bad colour for pale skins. Also both feel very powdery and just odd.  


Wet'n'wild Mega Glo Illuminating Powder
This was hyped up on one of the sites that has reviews of cosmetic products. I bought it years ago when Wet'n'Wild was still sold in Slovenia. It is rock hard. There was just no colour pay-off whatsoever. The lousiest highlighter I ever had. Went straight to the bin.

Essence Sun Club Mat Bronzing Powder Blondes
I bought it when I was on a search for a better bronzer. It is way too light even for someone as pale as me. It's swatched here. Smells nice though, like sunscreen.

Bourjois Blush
These blushes are really popular and most people like them. I hate them with passion. They are rock hard, I can't get any colour on the brush, let alone on my cheeks. It comes with the most useless brush ever.

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder
 My arch nemesis. Oh, how excited I was when I got it. I mean, the thing looks like a chocolate bar. However, first there is almost no pigmentation and second, the colour is too orange for my skin tone. I barely got any colour on my face. I thought that perhaps it's just the top layer that is hard, so I scrapped it off. It didn't help at all. A complete no go product for me.


Manhattan Eyelash Curlers
 Also known as the torturing device from hell. It pinches and rips eyelashes every time you get it near your eyes. Even some no-name curlers from a supermarket were better (though not by much). Just pay a few € more and get Tana instead.

Essence Lip Liner 
These are not the worst pencils in the world. The shades are actually quite cute, they are soft and apply nicely. However, they last about 5 minutes on the lips. I do still wear them sometimes, though.

E.l.f Lipstick
The weirdest texture of a lipstick ever. It feels like you're applying crayon on your lips. It's hard and waxy, it's really difficult to apply nicely. It has a strong, very sweet berry scent. The packaging is horrendous in terms of quality. Essence has better lipsticks for the same price (but those are more like tinted lip balms, though)

Essence I <3 Runway Highlighter
 With huge chunks of glitter it looks miles away from a pretty wearable dewy glow. Personally, I have no desire wearing massive sparkles on my cheeks. Get the their MyBase one instead. You get more product and that one looks actually wearable.

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Drugstore Make up Favourites

FACE PRODUCTS

Foundation 
Bourjois has some of the best foundations among drugstore brands and their Healthy Mix Range is my favourite. We, pale ''Snow Whites'' in Slovenia, are terribly overlooked in the drugstore foundation market. There is a handful of foundations available in shades that are appropriate for (in Mac terms) NC15 or lighter. Bourjois Healthy Mix range is one of those. Shade 51 in both original and serum version is light enough, though perhaps a bit too yellow, but thankfully Bourjois realises that not all pale people have pink undertones. I love both versions. Serum has light to medium coverage, while the original foundation has medium coverage. Both look extremely natural, feel very light on the skin and leave a lovely dewy finish. (I did a review of the serum version here.)

Concealer 
I've already done a post on drugstore concealers (here), but the one that stands out is Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser. It has a light formula, but offers a lot of coverage. It manages to look very natural on the skin and basically undetectable.

Highlighter/Primer
L'Oreal Lumi Magique is definitely my favourite everyday highlighter. It gives a really nice glow without looking too shimmery. I much prefer liquid/cream highlighters and this one comes in a nice sleek packaging with a very precise pump, so you are not wasting any product. Review here.

Blush 
I favour cream formulas over powder ones. They are just easier and faster to apply plus they look more natural to me. Maybelline Dream Touch are really creamy, pigmented and apply like a dream. The shade range is very limited though, there are only four shades in total. I have two, Peach and Berry. There is another, previous version, called Dream Mousse blush, which I think is discontinued, but I love the shade Peach Satin. Review and swatches here and here. 

EYE MAKE UP

Gel eyeliner
 Essence has a great quality gel eyeliner for the price. It's really pigmented, applies nicely and lasts all day without fading or smudging. Honestly, I don't notice any difference between the much more expensive Mac one and this one. Review here. 

Cream eyeshadows 
Essence Stay All day eyeshadows win this category. They are very pigmented, apply nicely without looking patchy and last brilliantly on the lids. Another honourable mention with a similar formula, but just a touch more expensive are the Catrice one's. Reviews of both here and here. 

Eyeshadows 
A definite winner for me is the L'Oreal Color Infaillible range. I already own 6 shades and I want more. They are extremely pigmented and last so long on the lids. At about 9€ a pop they are quite expensive for drugstore eyeshadows, but the pots are big and you get a lot of product. My favourite shades are 21 and 24, which are probably my most worn shades. My preferred method of application is with fingers, then I blend the edges with Mac 217. I only wish there were more shades, preferably some matte. Review and swatches here, here, here and here.
I also can't get pass Catrice mono eyeshadows. They are really cheap (only about 2€), pigmented, lovely quality and have the best colour range in drugstore. There are shades similar to Mac's Copperplate, Satin Taupe, Patina and Retrospeck. I highly recommend you check them out.

Eyeliner 
Max Factor has some of the best eyeliners in drugstores, both in terms of quality and shades. It's the only drugstore brand available here in Slovenia that, to my knowledge, carries a flesh toned shade called Glaze. I wear it almost every day. I also own a white and a brown shade from their khol line. Their newest range called Liquid Effect is just amazing. The pencils are so soft and long lasting. I have the shade Brown Blaze, a dark coffee shade, which is the perfect everyday replacement for black. I wear it everyday on the top lash line. Reviews and swatches here and here. 

Mascara 
As far as mascaras go, there are several mascaras I like, but if I'd have to go for one brand, it'd be L'Oreal. I liked most of their mascaras I tried. Volume Million Lashes Carbon Black is fantastic, another great one is Lash Architect 4D False Effect Black Lacquer. Voluminous Carbon Black is also nice. Currently I like Maybelline the Collosal Volumin' Express. I did a drugstore mascaras comparison here, more reviews here and here.

LIP PRODUCTS

Lipgloss 
I don't like wearing lipgloss too much, but the ones I really like are the Essence Stay With Me. I have almost all colours now. They are not too sticky, there is no annoying shimmer, the colour range is beautiful, they smell great and are nicely pigmented. Reviews and swatches here and here.

Liquid lipstick
I know I might be cheating a bit by adding this category, but Manhattan Soft Mat Lipcream and Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream definitely deserve their place in my favourites. They are full coverage matte liquid lipsticks that last exceptionally well on the lips and don't transfer once they dry. I love matte lip colours, so these at the top of my list. Reviews and swatches here, here, here and here.

Lipsticks 
Catrice have great lipsticks in drugstore range, especially for the price. They are really pigmented with a good staying power, apply nicely and they have one of the best colour ranges. I believe there are no annoying mega shimmery, frosty shades in their Ultimate Colour range and there are also some non-shimmery creamy shades in the Ultimate Shine line (like 210 Kiss Kiss Hibiskuss, also a supposed dupe for the famous Mac Impassioned). Swatches here. 
Another line that deserves praise (even though we can only order it online) is the E.l.f. Mineral lipstick range. The two shades I own, Runway Pink and Natural Nymph, are matte and look great on my skin tone. An ancient review and swatches here. BeautyUK is also a brand we can only get online. I own the shade called Passion and it's so pigmented, long lasting and the colour is just gorgeous. Review and swatch here.

NAIL POLISH

Essence Colour & Go line offers a great selection of shades of great quality for an affordable price. They recently revamped this line, the bottles are different, there are new shades and the brush is a bit wider. Swatch and picture of one shade from the new line here. There are also a lot of Trend Edition shades released throughout the year. 
 Catrice and BarryM have inexpensive and really lovely quality nail polishes too.

TOOLS AND RANDOM

Brushes
I use E.l.f. Powder brush for applying and blending foundation. It's so soft, dense and doesn't shed. A really nice and inexpensive brush.
Ecotools range is widely available here in supermarkets. Bronzer brush is fantastic quality, so dense and soft. I use it for applying powder and bronzer. Eyeliner brush is one of my most used eye brushes and the eyeshadow brush, though quite big, is nice for applying eyeshadow all over the lid and also blending. More on my favourite brushes here.

Eyelash curlers 
I can't imagine my make up routine without Tana eyelash curlers. I actually have two, I had one at home and one in Ljubljana. These are the best curlers I ever had. I never pinched myself or got any eyelash ripped out (this happened to me a lot when I had other curlers). I got mine in Műller (they are in a dark blue/white box). Highly recommended.

Lip balm
This is kind of a random category, but since I apply lip balm under lipstick or use tinted lip balm instead of them, I'll do it anyway. My absolute favourite lip balm (which is not technically a lip balm, but a multi-task product) is Palmer's swivel stick. It's the most moisturising and soft lip balm that doesn't feel waxy like a lot of lip balms do. I love it. I also like Rosal Milk and Honey lip balm. It smells nice and moisturises well. Best tinted lip balms are Labello (or Nivea, depends on where you live), in particular the taste/shade/version with dragonfruit. I've bought several in a row.   

So this completes my favourites ramble. There will also be a post about drugstore disappointments and probably one that is going to be a sort of a guide thought drugstore brands in Slovenia and my experience with their products in general (if anyone is interested in reading about that).
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