Showing posts with label Empties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Empties. Show all posts

Empties #15


This is an illuminating concealer, so it doesn't conceal in a regular way of adding coverage, but instead it has these light reflecting particles that brighten the skin. It's subtle, but it does work and helps counteract shadows. It's really expensive for the quantity you get and I actually didn't even use it that often, instead I saved it only for special occasions, but it ran out so fast.
Repurchase: Yes.


I love this, truly, but there is this one little thing - it breaks me out. It's a wonderful cleansing oil that removes makeup well and it's not too expensive, plus it also smells absolutely divine to me. I ended up using it as a shaving oil and it worked so great, especially because it emulsifies when water is added and washes off completely (so no greasy razors). This orange version isn't sold here, instead there is a gold version sold in Műller.
Repurchase: I would, purely for the scent.

Waterproof makeup remover
Hated this, apart from the packaging. It's not effective enough and felt odd around the eyes (and nothing ever irritates my eyes or skin). I was glad when I finished this and I had to really hold back to not just throw it away.
Repurchase: No.

CADEA VERA Hautverfeinernde Clear-up Strips
These are one of those nose strips that pull the blackheads out of your skin and they were ok. They worked decently, but weren't miraculous. I like that there is quite a few of them in one pack.
Repurchase: I'll try something else first, but maybe.


I adore this. I always rave about that Kérastase mask, well, this is the second treatment that I treasure just as much. While Kérastase one does the whole deal, this is the product that excels at nourishment. When my hair is super dry, coarse and drab, this works like magic in restoring it. 
Repurchase: Already did.

I had such high hopes for this. As someone who's been suffering from dandruff for years, I always wish that the next treatment will cure it, but unfortunately this one didn't work at all. I love Kérastase, it's my favourite hair brand, but this was a disappointment. It's a nice idea - a shampoo with exfoliating particles and an applicator with a nozzle that makes sure the product is deposited on the scalp, but it didn't manage to remove my dandruff nor cure it or prevent it. Baking soda mixed with any regular shampoo removes dandruff much more effective than this. It wasn't even a particularly nourishing shampoo, so this was an expensive fail.
Repurchase: No.


I've told this a few times before, but this is basically a dry shampoo for those who hate dry shampoos. It's not as effective as the real deal, but that doesn't matter to me as my hair pretty much never gets greasy and I just need something to refresh it and give it back some volume. It feels like a can of nicely smelling air, but it actually manages to give back a bit of volume without being an actual texturizing spray, so there is no powder residue or a hairspray feel. It sounds like it's nothing special and it really isn't, but for some reason I just really like this. By the way, it smells like raspberries.
Repurchase: Already did.

BALEA Trend It Up Dry Shampoo
Lovely Berries
This is a limited edition item, they basically just released a new scent of their regular dry shampoo. It was not my favourite as it was very white and it didn't really make my hair as fresh as Batiste. It's decent, but nothing special. The scent was of strawberry candy.
Repurchase: It was a LE, but I probably won't be buying a regular version.

A standard, but a lovely heat protectant. It's in a form of a silicone serum with small shimmer that actually makes your hair look more shiny. I liked it because I could use it on dry or wet hair and on dry hair, it also acted as a taming product. I don't find it heavy at all, but it is a thick serum, almost like Orofluido, so I can't be certain that it won't weight down thin hair, but when I used it on other people's hair, it always worked just fine. I also love the packaging with a pump. 
Repurchase: Yes.


A very liquid shower gel, but it still foamed ok. The scent was similar to Milka chocolate with strawberries, though this one had an artificial note in it, so it's not as good as the body butter's. I much prefer their new Orange and Rhubarb version.
Repurchase: No.

It's so ironic that they called it a cream because this is basically liquid and as such it's very difficult to use. It doesn't foam at all unless you use a mesh, but at least it smells nice - not exactly like honey, but it's a nice warm, sweet scent.
Repurchase: No.

REXONA Dry Deo Stick
Clear Aqua
My standard deodorant and the only one that actually didn't stop working before I had a chance to use it up. This was the first time I got Clear Aqua version and it smells like Nivea/just clean. I have the pink version now and I like the scent more.
Repurchase: Already did.


EBELINE Nagellack-Entferner
I just love these pot nail polish removers. This one is one of the cheapest one around here and I like that it's a bit shorter than Bourjois' as well as the foam is softer. There is a regular remover inside it, so there are no greasy fingers like at Bourjois', but this also means that it can be a bit drying. It also gets dirty far, far quicker, but I still like it.
Repurchase: Already did.

ESSENCE Studio Nails 4in1 Profi File
I don't fuss about my nails at all, so I just buy this nail file because it's cheapest and I'm used to it. It has four different textures that vary in roughness and it's good enough for me.
Repurchase: Already did.


Yves Rocher Hydra Végétal 24h Intense Hydrating Gel Cream
This is good. I compared it with L'Occitane's Pivoin Sublime Perfecting Creme side by side and they are similar in terms of that velvet finish they leave behind, though YR's is a bit greasier and doesn't feel quite as high quality as L'Occitane's, but for an average user they are very close. It's has a similar medium thickness consistency, it sinks in fast into the skin and leaves a velvet finish, but it's not as dry to the touch as L'Occitane's. This is a great base for makeup. As all YR stuff it smells so lovely - this one has a nice floral scent similar to lillies of the valey.
12.11 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: Yes. It's my favourite product out of these samples.

Yves Rocher Sebo Végétal Mattifying Gel Cream
The texture of this is a sort of a mix between a serum and lotion consistency that goes on quite wet/moisturising at first, but then after a minute it turns into a more satin-matte finish. It's not as good as L'Occitane versions of mattifying lotions because those contain either more or better powder particles and silicones. This one also contains alcohol on the fourth place, but I got no dry patches during the day, which is a good sign. The scent is great, just like freshly picked apples.
10.39 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: No.


Yves Rocher Nutritive Végétal Creamy Repair Mask
A super thick mask that is actually way thicker than Origins Drink Up or Balea Power Maske, but promises the same. It's like a very thick moisturiser that you're supposed to apply in a thick coat, leave for 5 minutes and then take the excess off with a cotton pad. I never do it like that, but I just apply a thicker coat and leave it on overnight. This product should work great for dry and dehydrated skin. The scent is strange - it has that fresh fruitiness like the rest of the product, but it's overshadowed by a stale, musky scent, so it's like walking into a cellar where the apples are kept.
 12.11 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: No. I might consider it if my skin was very dry and nothing else helped.

Yves Rocher Anti-Age Global Complete Anti-Aging Care Eye
A thick and very moisturising eye cream, which I'm surprised it comes in a tube since it's so thick, but I'm sure it works. It doesn't just sit on the skin, but most of it manages to sink in quite fast and it nourishes the under eye area well. It smells like margarine which is fine to me.
32.37 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: I really like it, but the price is too much for me.

Yves Rocher Sérum Végétal Wrinkles & Firmness Ultra-Plumping Serum
A light milky serum that sinks in fast, yet manages to hydrate the skin well even without any additional care afterwards. I had a few samples, but I could already see some positive effects on my skin, not in terms of wrinkles, but just in general of how my skin looks. It also works well as a base for makeup. It smells great - comfortingly professional, like walking into a salon. There is alcohol on the 8th place among the ingredients, but this is low enough for me and you can't smell it at all.
27.50 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: I would love to have it, but it's expensive.


Yves Rocher Sublime Skin BB Cream
Light
This is just a horrible BB cream. It reminds me so much of those cheap tinted moisturizers from 00's. It looks patchy/blotchy on the skin, no matter how much you try to blend it or what moisturiser you use under it. And when you start to blend it in more, it starts to flake off this little rolls. The coverage is really minimal, so it's not even worth putting it on. The only pleasant surprise is the shade. I just automatically assume that the lightest shade is ridiculously dark, but this one would easily fit someone who wears Healthy Mix 51 or NW 15-20. It's very pink toned, but I like that because it brightens up the skin a bit. It has that classic makeup scent which you'll recognize if you bought any makeup in the 90's.
15.92 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: No. 

Yves Rocher Serum Végétal Wrinkes & Lifting V Shaping Care
A very thick cream, similar in texture to the Creamy Repair Mask, however, it takes even more time to absorb. It's sits on the skin, so I would use this as a night moisturiser only, but it should be great for dry skin. It has a pleasant powdery YR-cream-like scent.
27.50 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: No. 


Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9 Youth Energy Day Care
A light moisturiser with a gel-lotion texture that sinks in fast and leaves a velvet finish on the skin. It's lighter than intense Hydra Végétal 24h Intense Hydrating Gel Cream, but has a very similar effect, except it's a bit more sticky after application. It has another one of those high-end-ish slightly fruity scent that reminds me of apples.
28.95 €, ingredients here.
Purchase: I liked it, but the Hydra Végétal cream is cheaper.

Yves Rocher Muguet en Fleurs eau de toilette
Lilly of the Valley
 Smells exactly like lilies of the valley. It's a great scent for spring, but it has such poor staying power. 
20.79 €
Purchase: No.

Yves Rocher Cerisier en Fleurs eau de toilette
Cherry Bloom
The cherry trees were blooming here when I tested this, but as far as our trees go, the blossoms have no scent. However, when I tried this, it was instantly recognizable as the cherry blossom scent. It's a very gentle floral cherry scent that I find so delightful, but the projection is minimal and so is the lasting power. I give it an A+ for the actual blend of notes, but a D for longevity and strength.
20.79 €
Purchase: No. 

In general I'm very impressed by Yves Rocher skin care. I've never tried their face creams before, but they feel so nice, they all smell lovely and just feel like they are expensive. Thanks to Katja for hooking me up with so many samples.

  
Have a great day!
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Empties #14


MAKEUP

This is my favourite liquid eyeliner and the more liners I try, the more I stand by that claim. Due to a lovely formula, it glides on the eyes like a dream and flicks were super easy to do. It lasted all day without smudging or flaking, basically it was just perfect. The only thing that I can point out as a negative is that it dries out a lot quicker than L'Oreal's Super Slim and that the brush applicator frays in time.
Repurchase: Yes.

1 Fair
This is a very similar concealer to Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, especially when it comes to coverage. I have the whole side by side comparison in my review, but I'll say again that I don't notice much difference between the two, except that Nars has a far better shade range for us Snow Whites. The coverage is pretty much full and it has excellent staying power. It can look cakey under the eyes after a while if you use tons, but it's better than anything we have in Slovene drugstores when it comes to full coverage.
Repurchase: Already did.

SKINCARE

I think that out of all the drugstore micellar waters I've tried, this one is the most effective one, especially now that I've used up most of them. However, the packaging is stupid. The screw cap is positively medieval and the design of the top part of the bottle prevents you from getting the last drop out. I would buy this again, but I would move it to another bottle. Unlike most micellar waters, this one is scented.
Repurchase: Probably.

EBELINE Ultra Sensitive 20 Feuchte Washlappen
I just used these for taking of swatches or fixing mistakes, but even so these didn't leave me with a lasting impression. They could be softer considering they are meant for sensitive skin.
Repurchase: Only if they are the cheapest option when I'll be buying a new pack.


Lavender Hydrolate
I originally got this because I hoped it would smell like lavender and I could use it as a fragrance mist, but it smells horrible, like lavender vinegar - yuck. I used it as a face mist and I think it worked well on my skin. The effects were nothing drastic, but my skin did look better when I used it. Lavender oil has anti-bacterial properties and it helps regulate sebum, so maybe that's why. 
Repurchase: I will get something similar.

BODY

One of my favourite shower gel because of the gorgeous peach bubble gum scent. I have a few in my stash.
Repurchase: Yes.

BALEA Totes Meer Salz Dusche Pfirsich - Mango
Though this is marketed as being for dry skin, I find it's just a classic Balea shower gel. They don't dry out my skin, but I know many dislike Balea shower gels because they are just too basic. To me this was a pleasant shower gel with a nice mango tropical scent (candy version), but not much peach.
Repurchase: It's likely.

BALEA Rasiergel
Summer Garden
A staple in my bathroom and I always have a spare because you never really now when exactly it will run out. This was by far my favourite limited edition version and it features a candy tropical scent.
Repurchase: Already did.


This is the most authentic gourmand vanilla scent. It literally smells like vanilla extract for baking. It's quite an intense scent and because it's a one note fragrance, it's nice for mixing with other scents.
Repurchase: I'm tired of vanilla scents at the moment, but someday I might.


Probably my favourite body skin care item ever. It smells AMAZING and I aspire to have the whole collection. The texture is really moisturising and thick, which is how I like my body butters.
Repurchase: I already have another and yes, I would.

I loved the smell of this as it smells like strawberry chocolate or strawberry yoghurt, though I did get tired of the scent after a while. The texture was nice, somewhere between a cream and body butter, so it was nice for everyday use, but wasn't quite enough for super dry skin on my soles and elbows. 
Repurchase: No or maybe in a different scent.

HAIR

My absolute favourite hair treatment in the world. This makes my coarse, dry mane feel like normal hair. Time and time again I'm astonished at how well this works for me. I use it primarily for special occasions because it's quite expensive, but so worth keeping in the stash.
Repurchase: Already did.

REDKEN All Soft Heavy Cream
I can't say I was impressed by this. It's good, but not 20 € per pot good. In fact it reminded me of the conditioner in the same line. It actually has the same effect on my hair and the conditioner is cheaper than the mask. It made my hair more nourished than an average drugstore treatment, but the margin was rather small. It was so unremarkable, I never even properly reviewed it, even though I had the pictures ready. It has quite a heavy sweet deep scent. This should probably work better on someone whose hair isn't as dry as mine.
Repurchase: I'm not sure, probably not.

While this was a very nourishing mask, I never felt like it does all it should for my hair. I mostly missed the silkiness that conditioners and masks usually leave, which is important if you have such coarse hair like me (it's silicone free). I ended up always mixing it with some other silicone based conditioner. The masks smells lovely, like honey. 
Repurchase: No.


This disappointed me from the start. I expected a smooth, nourishing cream-serum-oil, but it turned out to be like I'm applying an actual face moisturiser to my hair. I never felt like it really fixed my dry ends whether I used it on dry or wet hair, but what bothered me most was that it leaves white bits in the hair, like the cream never completely melts, which on my dark hair looked like dust and as if my hair was dirty. I ended up mixing it with Nuxe shimmery oil for a better effect.
Repurchase: No.

TIGI Bed Head Urban Anti-Dotes Conditioner 
Damage Level 2
A nice conditioner, but not ground-breaking. Most people with moderately dry and damaged hair will like it because it not heavy, yet it moisturises well. It smells typically Tigi-ish, tropically sweet, like a mix of pineapple juice with Kiki sweeties.
Repurchase: No.


This was a massive disappointment for the price. I expected a lot because of the ton of raving reviews and because it's supposedly a cult favourite, but this doesn't hold a candle to Kérastase Masquintense. It's a pre-wash treatment that you apply on damp hair and leave on for 20 minutes (or overnight if your hair is really damaged). Apart from the hair feeling silky when I was rinsing it off before shampooing, I noticed no particular effect on my hair. It wasn't more manageable, or shiny, it really didn't do anything special.
Repurchase: No.


My favourite hairspray by far. It's super light on the hair, not sticky or stiff, but it holds very well. The scent is annoying, but worth putting up with.
Repurchase: Already did.

I don't have any kind words about this apart from that it smells nicely clean. It didn't do squat for my hair and I ended up using it instead of a shaving gel.
Repurchase: No.


PHYTO Phytosquam Intense
Sample
A new dandruff treatment by Phyto that is quite unique as far as my experiences with anti-dandruff products go. I've tried all of Phyto treatments before and so far they were the best ones, however, didn't completely help me get rid of the problem, just alleviated it. This product is one that you apply on dry scalp, leave for 5-7 minutes, then add water to emulsify it and rinse off. Regular Phyto's shampoos are very runny, but this is closer to how average shampoos are like in terms of texture. It's a thick gel that I had a hard time distributing evenly on my hair, simply because I was working with a sample bag, but also because I have very thick, long hair, so it's not easy getting product on the scalp. The full size has a nozzle, so that should work a lot better. One bag had a lot of product inside, 12 ml, but I used up all and I still could have a few ml more to completely cover my scalp. When it was on my scalp, I didn't feel anything, so no tingling or anything similar. Once I added water it emulsified well, like a normal shampoo, which is surprising since Phyto's shampoos, don't foam well. Once I rinsed it off, my hair felt super squeaky clean, which is not something I'm terribly fond off, but that's just because I have dry hair. Where I managed to get on a thick coat of the treatment, it did remove most of the dandruff that is stuck on my scalp (about 85 %), while where I only had a light coat, a lot of the dandruff was still left, which leads me to believe this is a product that would be empty very fast. But results are promising. It removed the persistent layer of dandruff and let my scalp breathe a bit. The itching was still a problem, but for the first day there was significantly less of it. Impressed by the sample, I purchased a full size.
Purchase: I did a few days ago (Leposana 20.50 €).


Have a great day!
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Empties #13


This was a nice drugstore makeup remover, however, it's not as good as Bioderma. It feels the same, so like water and it's also unscented, but it just wasn't as effective and I needed to use a lot more of it. But considering the price, it's a great drugstore buy.
Repurchase: Yes.

This was one of the two drugstore creamy cleansers I tried when I was searching for a decent, budget-friendly replacement for Balance Me Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm, but unfortunately this didn't wow me at all. It's a standard creamy cleanser that cleans well and keeps dry patches at bay, but my skin didn't like this as much as the cheaper Good Things one. The strong granny-ish rose scent wasn't appealing either.
Repurchase: No.

I did not like this at all. I picked it up quite a while ago when I couldn't find my regular remover from Maybelline and I was struggling to use it up. It's a classic two-phase oily remover that's meant for removal of waterproof make up, however, the two "phases" wouldn't stay mixed after shaking the bottle for more than a few second. It's not particularly oily and that's probably one of the problems as it proved to be much less effective than my usual one and it required a lot more rubbing to get the mascara off (and even then I wasn't convinced it removed all). There are better drugstore ones.
Repurchase: No.


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. It does a great job of 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 and as most oil-based cleansers it makes my vision very foggy. I liked 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. 
Repurchase: I don't think I will.

My favourite ever moisturiser and I will miss it so much. It's light, yet intensely moisturising, sinks in super fast and leaves a semi-matte, velvet finish on the skin, so it's a perfect choice for under make up. If only it weren't so expensive…
Repurchase: Yes.

This was such a hit and miss. Each of the strips worked differently (there were three). I followed the instructions exactly for the first one meaning I re-wetted the strip before peeling it off, but instead of pulling the blackheads out, it separated and left sticky blue goo on the skin that needed to be washed off.  I used the second one as I'd normally use any other, so just peeled it off after 15 minutes and it worked very well giving the strangest feeling of satisfaction when looking at all that gunk on the strip. The third one again malfunctioned and did a mix of the previous two experience - it worked on some sections, but still left the blue goo on some areas. These smell weird, like that red stick glue everyone had in school (Pritt, I hated it). I'm going to try strips from some other brand. Any recs?
Repurchase: No.


This is my favourite foundation and it has been for years. I love it because it looks incredibly natural on the skin and gives a light-medium coverage. The shade is very yellow, but it still blends well in my skin tone. I'm on my third or fourth bottle.
Repurchase: Already did.

LIP SMACKER Coca Cola Cherry and Coca Cola Vanilla
I found these lying somewhere in the drawers as I must have completely forgotten about them probably due to them being unremarkable or just because of my general indifference to most lip balms. Cherry version smells just like the real stuff in the bottle, so that candy sour-sweet scent, while Vanilla smells close to the original Coca-Cola. The formula is creamy and moisturising, and I can't deny they're not good lip balms, but I barely used them because I always use Palmer's Swivel Stick or Labello Peach.
Repurchase: No.


Average. That's the best way to describe this shampoo. It foams marvellously and it smells great as well, but it's not moisturising, in fact, it stripped my hair a bit, but not dramatically. It's a nice shampoo for those whose hair isn't particularly dry and it might even work for those with oily hair, but I can't be sure. I just really loved the bubble gum smell.
Repurchase: I don't know, maybe.

I often raved about this in the past and it was in my top 5 favourite drugstore hair treatments post. I have very dry, thick hair that demands a lot of moisture and quality products, and this just delivers. The bubble gums scent is a huge plus as is the packaging. I'm happy that they finally started selling these in Slovenia, so I don't have to keep ordering online.
Repurchase: Yes.

(old packaging)
You may know that I'm a huge fan of Kérastase, especially of their Nutritive line which just suits my dry, coarse hair like nothing I've ever tried. Nectar Thermique is my favourite heat protectant because I really notice the difference on my dry hair. It feels more nourished and even silky after blow-drying. When my hair feels especially dry (usually it's in winter), I apply this more generously than usual and it fixes the problem. This is the old packaging and I must say that getting the last bits out was a chore, but I already have a new one, which is in a soft squeeze tube.
Repurchase: I've already got a new one.


I think it's safe to call this my HG and to this day it remains to be the only stick deodorant that I've repurchased (several times now). Every deodorant so far stopped working on me before I used it up, but this one is really doing its job. It keeps me fresh, but keep in mind I don't sweat a lot, the most important thing is that it keeps BO at bay. This with Nivea Pearl & Beauty one are my power combination.
Repurchase: Yes.

I really, really like this deodorant. It smells so lovely - powdery floral and just very feminine. It's far better than any of those Balea deodorants, which are just fragrance because this one has powder in it that absorbs moisture to a certain degree.
Repurchase: Yes.

I enjoyed this a lot. It looks like a cheap scented shower gel, but it actually lathers well and feels expensive. It has the same scent as the fragrance, which sort of reminds me of a vanilla version of Chanel N°5 as I find it has the same soapiness in it, probably from the jasmine note.
Repurchase: Maybe.


When I got this scent, it wasn't like I expected it to be. It's not a Rafaello type of coconut scent, but less sweet and has that touch of artificialness especially from the start. Otherwise it's a lovely coconut scent, in fact the closest to the real thing I found. It has a nice staying power and it's very inexpensive. I liked it especially for mixing with other fragrance to add a coconut note to the scent (vanilla-coconut-amber was a particularly nice combination). I've had this bottle for a really long time, too long in fact and the liquid turned grey, which was my cue to just use it up already.
Repurchase: Maybe.

Loved this. It's one of my favourite scents ever and one of those that could be worn on any occasion. I get a nice burst of peach from the start and then it settles into a nice clean-but-sophisticated/ fabric softener kind of scent. I purchased the La Rive Moon dupe of the same fragrance and it smells pretty much the same.  
Repurchase: Yes.


I will probably always have a bottle of this in my collection, you just cannot ever really let of the scent that was for a time "a signature scent". It's a scent for sweet tooths with a combination of kiwi and lychee notes over an even more gourmand vanilla with white chocolate base. It's the definition of űber girly and yet when someone wearing this walks by me, I can't help myself thinking: ''Man, does she smell great.'' Great fragrance and you can get it for a very reasonable price online.
Repurchase: Yes. I already ordered The Nice Remix version, which is very similar. 

Have a great day!
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Empties: Samples Edition


CLARINS Instant Eye Make-Up Remover
I like this a lot. You may be aware that I wear waterproof mascara to keep my lashes curled all day, so I need a good oil-based remover to get it off. I've been using two pretty rubbish ones for the past several months (they just won't run out!) and using this for the first time was like a choir of angels came singing under a double rainbow with a unicorn flying over it (too much?). It's a duo-phase product as most oil-based removers and it smells really lovely, like roasted chestnuts and linden tea. Unlike most other cheap ones I've tried, when I shake this so the two parts mix, the lighter part actually stays suspended and both fluids are mixed meaning they don't just separate after a second as most do. This removes my eye makeup with such ease and what I really, really appreciate is that it doesn't make my vision foggy like every other duo-phase remover does and it doesn't leave my skin quite as greasy as the others. I'd definitely purchase a full size if it weren't so expensive, though I find I need to use a lot less that other removers. It's on my wishlist.

CLARINS Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover 
Another remover I liked, this one for sensitive eyes. Though I wear contact lenses, my eyes are far from sensitive, so I can't report whether it irritates the eyes of those who are more sensitive to some skin care. However, I can say that it takes of makeup with ease (regular mascara plus eyeliner) and that it smells like a hospital. It doesn't leave a greasy residue behind, but it's not as light as micellar waters. Nice stuff.


CLARINS Multi-Active Day 
Early wrinkle correcting lotion
SPF 15
This is a lotion targeted at young women and it promises to guard against UV damage and visibly correct early signs of ageing. It's a light day moisturiser that smells like a man (I'm just getting weirder by the minute, aren't I?). Despite the SPF it doesn't feel greasy on the skin, but it does need a bit of time to completely sink it. It's a lovely moisturiser, just the way I like them, but I can't say much about its "anti-ageing"/repairing properties, since I only had a sample. The full size comes with a pump.

CLARINS Tonic Body Treatment
Apparently this is Clarins' #1 selling body oil. It promises to help firm, tone and improve elasticity of the skin as well as reduce the appearance stretch marks. I don't any have any of those, but I can say that it's quite a thick oil, in fact, it reminds me of the L'Occitane Almond Supple skin oil, so it's intensely moisturising, but it due to being a dry oil, it sinks in quite fast. A little goes a long way, so this small vial lasted me a lot of applications. The only thing I wasn't a fan of, is the strong herbal scent (most prominent I think is rosemary), but that is a completely subjective thing. 


CLARINS BB Skin Perfecting Cream
I received samples of the lightest shade called Fair. Again it's like someone is having a laugh at pale people's expense. This is not by any definition fair. Why is it so bloody hard to comprehend what fair means?! I looked orange with this and that makes me angry more than it should. I'm guessing the shade is close to NC30 or Healthy Mix 54.
Venting and shade aside, it's a classic tinted moisturiser or BB if you want to call it that way. The consistency is like a medium-thick moisturiser and it has light coverage that can be layered to light to medium coverage. On my normal skin the finish is just regular skin-like with a bit of healthy dewiness and you can't tell that you're wearing anything, provided the shade fits you. I love how it doesn't settle into and emphasize pores as most foundations started to do that on me recently. It has an SPF 25 (titanium dioxide). In short: the texture and finish are lovely, this will appeal to those who want to just even out the skin a bit, but the shade is a complete fail.


L'ORÉAL Paris Revitalift Magic Blur 
Instant Lift Smoother
Blurring + Anti-Age Moisturiser
I really like this. It's more on the thicker side, however, feels super light on the skin. There is a huge amount of silicones in it, so it leaves a matte satin-velvet finish and it's immediately dry to the touch. It's a primer-meets-moisturiser type of product making it an excellent base for makeup, though it's not particularly moisturising (neither drying, of course). It's similar to L'Occitane Angelica Ultra Matte Fluid, but less moisturising and cheaper. I don't find it all that blurring, at least it doesn't disguise my pores, though so far I haven't found a primer that would. I think this is a great product for those with oily skin, as it might help keep oil at bay quite well. I might buy full size, I actually just saw it in a local super market for 15 €.

CAUDALIE Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil 
I love using oils on my face, actually I've been using Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse for three years now. First off this Caudalie one smells terrible and it's so strong. It's a weird earthy-herbal scent, I really dislike it, but it's the type of smell that I know some people will really like. This dry oil promises to help tired skin regenerate itself overnight and to detoxify the skin. It's quite a thick oil, so those 6 recommended drops feel a bit to much for me. I've been using it a few days and my skin turned for the worse and when I switched back to Nuxe, it was ok again. I'm afraid my skin doesn't like this very much and neither does my nose, but I have heard some raves about it.

That Beauty Flash Balm and the lip gloss in the first picture will have separate reviews.

 Izdelki Clarins so na voljo v Müller drogerijah, Maximarketu, Nami, Beautique drogerijah in Kompass shop-ih.

Have a great day!

*Clarins samples were gifted to me.
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Empties #11


My favourite scrub so far. I was so frugal with it just so it would last me longer because I can't get this brand anywhere else than on eBay. It's a very harsh sugar scrub, just the way I like it and it has a very moisturising, oily formula meaning there is no need for moisturisers afterwards. It smells like a gentler version of Miss Dior Cherie.
Repurchase: Yes.

Such a wonderful shower product. It's has quite a unique gel-oil texture that transforms into luxurious creamy foam. The scrubby particles aren't too harsh, so I used it as a regular shower gel. It also smells lovely, kind of sweet nutty-floral.  
Repurchase: Yes.

A fantastic dry oil in a spray that is so easy to apply. It literally takes seconds and you're done. It has the same scent as the scrub.
Repurchase: Yes.

This is my favourite gradual self tanner. Even from one application I get a decent amount of colour, but it's after three that people start asking where have I been sunbathing. I loved using this for my face because it is more moisturising than the Clarins lotion which I used before. I've actually stopped self tanning or at least I don't do it particularly often, since everyone has made it their mission to inform me of how pale I am, so I like to annoy them by being the human counterpart of Snow White, as it appears they can't wrap their heads around the fact that people with fair skin do exist and they like being pale (in their minds it's almost criminal). Therefore this tan is very old and as it's expected by now it does develop that classic self-tan scent by the morning, but when it was new, the scent was barely detectable and it had a melon-citrus scent upon application.
Repurchase: Yes.

Though it's a creamy cleanser that I had trouble adjusting to, since it doesn't feel quite as luxurious as a balm or cleansing oil, my skin adored this. In those three months that I've been using it, my skin looked so healthy and there wasn't a blemish in sight, even though I skipped AHA products during the summer (I didn't want to risk sun damage, which is ironic considering there were about three sunny days in total this summer). Only Balance Me kept my skin in such good condition. I know I said I find it unremarkable, but now I think it's bloody brilliant. I did use it up quite fast, however, it's inexpensive, so I don't mind.
Repurchase: Yes.

One of my HG items, I pretty much can't be without it for a day, so I always buy a spare well before the previous one runs out. I've been using it as a face moisturiser for three years now and my skin is in such good condition, it looks healthy and is super soft. I adore this stuff and one bottle lasts me ages.
Repurchase: Already did.

A nice shampoo that does its job, but that's it. It leaves the hair "too clean" for my liking, by that I mean too stripped, which is something that an an individual with dry hair don't particularly like. It's ok, but not exceptional enough to justify the price and I much prefer the Oleo-Relax. It smells lovely just like the oil, maybe a bit more masculine.
Repurchase: Not likely.

I've tried quite a few of these salon brands silicone-oils and this one along with Orofluido are my absolute favourites. I find it's the best one for dry hair and has great frizz reducing capabilities. The scent is a love-it-or-hate-it one, to me it smells like my grandfathers cologne, so masculine, but I've heard some say it reminds them of vanilla and sandalwood. I sometimes loved the scent and then sometimes not so much, but it definitely slowly grew on me. 
Repurchase: Yes.


REFAN fragrances 
I used a bunch of Refan fragrances, all 15 ml that I've had for a really long time. I love these, but I just want to warn you that these do go a bit off after three years, which is a period most people use up their fragrances already, but I'm obviously not such a person. By off I mean that the scent changes a bit, mostly it gets more alcohol smelling and more bland from the start, but it develops the same, so clearly the top notes are the first to go. 
A tropical hibiscus scent: floral, clean and a bit juicy. When you smell it, it's like - yeah that's what coral colour would smell like if it had a scent. Actually, it smells similar to Kérastase Chroma Sensitive Cleansing Balm, but it was never my favourite. 
Repurchase: No.

A creamy, woody fragrance with some vanilla. I hear others notice a strong plum note, but it doesn't develop on me. To me it lacked something that would make it special.
Repurchase: I'm not sure they sell it anymore. 

A sweet, fruity, yet a warm scent that has quite a lot of silage. I get strawberries and other berries with some musk and violets. I liked it, but I got bored with it after a while.
Repurchase: I'm not sure.

The wood, floral notes and musk combined create a simple, fresh, clean and classic scent that is slightly bitter and unisex. This is very highly rated on Make up Alley, but I just never really got it. It's not bad, just a bit odd for my liking and no one liked it on me.
Repurchase: No.

I'm a huge fan of peach scents and The Body Shop's version is my favourite, but this YR version doesn't even remotely resemble anything peach. It is quite a strange scent, like it's not even fruity, but completely artificial. I used it as a room scent to get rid of it. If you want to try any of these Les Plaisirs Nature scents, go for coconut or vanilla, because they are awesome and the scents are true to their name.
Repurchase: No.


Have a great day!
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