Garnier Fructis Wunder Öl

I'm a huge fan of hair silicone-oils, but I've only been using high-end ones, with Orofuido being my absolute favourite. It's not hard to justify paying high prices for these silicone-oils, since even with my long hair one bottle can lasts years, but I just wanted to check how the drugstore brands are doing in that department. I checked so many oils and most had completely disappointing ingredients mainly due to high alcohol content or just too many silicones instead of proper oils. Garnier Fructis' one appeared to be the best in the quite a big selection, so I chose the regular version, but there is also a version with added heat protection. 

I must say I was quite disappointed when I saw the texture of this. Considering that argan oil in on the third place among ingredients, this is very light and runny. It's closest in texture to Elixir Ultime, which I never considered to be amazing for dry hair, but good for quick fixes like taming the frizz a bit. Due to lightness if you use it on damp hair, it doesn't help tame the hair much when it's blow-dried, in fact it doesn't do much of anything if used like that apart from perhaps creating a layer of protection from the heat due to silicones. On dry hair it makes the hair sleeker and shinier just like any other oil, but on coarse hair it can't quite manage to tame it for very long, plus you need to use several pumps of it. Of course I think that people with thin hair will most likely love this product because it is so light that it doesn't weight down the hair much (quantity is the key here).

The scent is so blah to me. It's like Nivea with a slight fruity twist or some baby cosmetics, so nothing like the rich scents of other oils I've tried. Even after almost a year, I'm not a fan of it and I consider scents in hair products important because my hair is long and everywhere, therefore also close to my nose. 

The packaging is a plastic one with a good pump. There is 150 ml of product there, which is a huge amount. However, due to lightness it won't last long if you have thick hair as you'll have to use quite a few pumps, but if your hair is thin this should last you ages. 

I used it here on my mother's hair (in internet years an ancient Instagram picture), who has about the same hair texture as me and as you can see it does it's job of making the hair appear healthy and shiny, but as I said it's not the best for dry hair or at least we prefer thicker ones.

I may have expected too much from it. In the mountain of drugstore hair silicone-oils, judging purely from ingredients, absolutely none apart from this one and one other whose brand name I don't recall looked anything particularly special when I was in the shop. Given that the argan oil is supposedly not only in trace amounts since it's placed third on the INCI list, I presumed it was pretty much as good as the professional salon brands ones. It is not. I may be thoroughly spoiled by Orofluido and the likes (I've tried most of the popular high-end ones, which you can read in my Hair Oils Series), but yes, there is a difference between high-end and drugstore treatments that I guess most people won't notice on their hair, but on my dry hair there just is. I consider these silicone-oils more like styling products than care, but thicker ones still manage to keep the hair look nourished longer. This one isn't the best for thick, coarse hair, but those are afraid of these type of products and fear it might make it greasy, might like it a lot.

One "drugstore" oil did impress me. It's Avon's Advanced Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil and that one is close in texture to Orofluido, so it manages to tame thick hair a lot better. Petra, who also suffers from dry hair, gifted me that oil and she loves it as well. If you have a chance to try that one, it's definitely worth checking it out.

I got this oil in Müller for about 10 €. By the way, I saw a different Garnier oil recently and it was much cheaper.

How many of you have tried this and love/like it? Have a great day!

Kérastase Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant Anti-Dandruff Moisturising Shampoo

Man, have I been let down by two high-end hair products in a span of a few months, and one of them is from my favourite hair brand, Kérastase, which I truly trust, so that's a bit painful (the other is Bumble and Bumble's Invisible Oil Primer). I must sound like a broken record by now, but I've been suffering from dandruff, flaky, dry and itchy scalp since I was 11 and nothing even helped for long, but I persist and try new treatments ever so often and Kérastase one is the latest. A lot of these treatments or shampoos, this one included, contain salicylic acid to remove the layer of dead skin on the scalp, however, this one also has beads in it to provide manual exfoliation. It's not a new idea as Fructis has a similar product in their line, but it is a nice step forward as the layer of dead skin on the scalp is very difficult to remove (pretty much impossible really, I've tried everything. Baking soda works best).

What I really like about this shampoo is the applicator and that's what differentiates it from the Fructis version. The precise nozzle allows for the shampoo with the beads to get right close to the scalp, so you get the maximum effect and the beads don't get "tangled" and lost into the rest of the length of the hair. But honestly that's about all I love about this shampoo. As much as the idea of beads is genius, they fail to properly do the job and most of the dandruff remains firmly stuck on my scalp (yes, it is as delightful as it sounds). The shampoo formula is creamy and foams very well, which is something I appreciate, however, I'm used to exceptional quality of Kérastase shampoos when it comes to leaving the hair nourished and tangle-free, but this leaves my hair a bit stripped, so it performs like an average, cheap drugstore shampoo. Actually, there are some drugstore shampoos that are way better (I'm currently using L'Oreal's Elvive and I love it). The beads wash off completely. Other ingredients include zinc pyrithione (it's fungistatic and  bacteriostatic) and glycerol. You can find the rest of the ingredients here.

Since I already mentioned the Fructis version, I might as well do a quick comparison/review. These two are very similar in terms of texture, so both have a thick-ish creamy formula with small blue beads. Fructis version also foams well, but it's even less effective than Kérastase and very average in general. It's not bad and I did use up one bottle (this is the second one), but it's just standing there in the bathroom mostly unused because no one really likes it (also the beads dissolved already). As far as Fructis shampoos go, I really like their Oil Repair 3 one, but's not designed to treat dandruff, just dry hair. Ingredients of Fructis Anti-dandruff shampoo here.

Kérastase Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant costs currently 18.36 € on Look Fantastic, while Fructis one is sold in Müllers for about 2-3 €. I like neither, but if you want to try if they'll work on you, they might be worth a go.

Have a great day!

New In #15

Did you know that Boots started shipping to Slovenia and some other European countries? We can finally get Collection 2000 concealer, Seventeen's Mirror Shine lipsticks, Origins, aerosols and all the light shades of foundations importers refuse to sell on our market. I jumped at the chance when they were running the famous 3 for 2 offer and placed my first order there. They accept Paypal and shipping is expensive at 10€, but it's through the DPD service so packages are tracked. My order arrived in four days and I'm really happy with my purchase as well as Boot's service. 

Real Techniques Blush Brush

It took me way too long to buy this considering it's such an essential tool. It's a fantastic brush - a really fluffy tapered brush that is not too big, which I'll use for pigmented blushes, bronzer and powder. 

£9.99 (12 €) in Boots.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm 210 Unapologetic

Unapologetic is one of the many shades that are not sold in Slovenia and the only shade I wanted from the matte range (we have five shades. Disappointing). It's a super bright pink with coral undertones. I just got it, so I haven't worn it yet, but there will be a full review.

 £7.99 (10 €) in Boots.

Bourjois Java Rice Loose powder 

I got this based on a recommendation from Sara (Passing Fancy). I was looking for it in our drugstores, but I guess it was sold here only for a limited time. I heard it's a lovely, illuminating setting powder that is a bit similar to the Hourglass Ambient powder. There will be a full review once I thoroughly test it out. 

 £9.99 (12 €) in Boots.

Essie Nail Polishes Spin the Bottle

I've official found the most perfect nude nail polish for my skin tone and the formula is not too difficult to work with. If you're in the market for a nude nail polish, go check it out soon because it's a LE. Post with swatches will follow within the next couple of days.

 9.90 € in DM. 

Panasonic EH2351AC Heated Eyelash Curling Wand

I finally got it. It actually didn't take that long to arrive from Korea, only two weeks. First impressions are all right - it's not that hot that it would burn the eyelids and as I read from all the reviews, it really only works after the lashes have already been curled and mascara was applied, so it only makes a slightly better curl and makes it last longer. If you want I can do a more in-depth review.

18 € on eBay from this seller.

Shiseido The Makeup Eyelash Curler

I wanted to try a high-end lash curler to see how it compares to my Tana's (which I can't find in Müller any more, so I guess they no longer sell it). This one is almost as popular as Shu Uemura. I need some more time to really test it, but so far I can say it's good, I'm just no convinced it's that much better than Tana's which is/was half the price. However, both are miles better than Manhattan's or other cheaper versions and are best I've tried. I'll do a comparison one day. 

Regular price 24 € on Feel Unique.

Garnier Miracle Cream

This was on my wishlist since British Beauty Blogger raved about it and later I heard that this is a dupe for Origins Vitazing. It's a white face cream that releases a sheer tint when rubbed into the skin. I've only tried it on the hand and it starts of looking scarily almost orange, but sheers out and gives a natural looking touch of colour/tan. It also has SPF 20. There will be a review once I test it out.

11.99 € in Müller. 

SunDance Getöntes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 
Tinted sun protecting fluid

After the last year's mattifying version, which I really like, Sun Dance made a tinted version. The shade of it is actually quite light and the tint is sheer, so the shade doesn't matter much, but it does mean there is not fear of leaving a white cast. I also liked it because this version is alcohol free and it felt light when I tried it on the hand. Haven't tried in on the face yet, but there will be a review one day. 

3.69 € in DM.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor 

I ran out of 3 Minute Miracle and I immediately repurchased it. I love this, probably more than the Dove's Oil Care one that I always rave about. You know I'm really fussy about conditioners because my hair needs more than average person's do and this one is a drugstore gem. It gives great results on my super dry hair and it smells amazing like bubble gum. 

 £4.99 (6 €) in Boots.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Wild

My massive 400 ml can of Tropical version is running out and I wanted to try a different scent of Batiste since there are so many. I picked up Wild because I heard it has a nice oriental scent. I'd describe the scent as chocolate-vanilla-musk-woody one in a perfume version, not the gourmand kind. Lovely! The closest scent I can think of is Black Star by Avril Lavigne once it develops if I remember that scent correctly.

 £2.99 (3.6 €) in Boots

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray 

I picked this up quite randomly, though I did hear some good things about it. It's supposed to give texture and body to the hair. I've literally just tried it and I can say that this is how I imagined texturising sprays to be (very different from the L'Oreal's #TXT and far better). I'll report back when I use it a few times.  

 £3.79 (4.7€) in Boots.

Garnier Fructis Oil Repair 3 Shampoo

Damn, this is good! I didn't expect anything much since it's a drugstore shampoo, but Garnier meant business with this one. It looks like an average Fructis shampoo that has that lovely, typical Fructis apple scent, however, the formula is fabulous. It transforms into a dense, creamy rich foam and leaves the hair nourished, while still cleansing very well. After rinsing it off there is no dryness or that awful über squeaky clean feeling that I hate, however, it's only small fault is that the hair is left a bit tangly. If you have dry hair and you want something on a budget, this is a great shampoo to try.

Ingredients here.

2-3€ in Müller.

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo

Since I love the 3 Minute Miracle, I decided to try one of Aussie's shampoos as well. I'll do a separate review once I've had enough time using it. It smells divine, just like 3 Minute Miracle, so that yummy bubble gum scent.

6.10€ on Feel Unique.

Balea Rasiergel Summer Garden 

Mango scent

This is my favourite version of Balea's shaving gel ever. It's smells like candy in mango flavour. Yummy! And it's teal, one of my favourite colours. The quality is again excellent. I should stock up on this version because it's LE. Balea make it permanent please!

 1.99 € in DM.

Tesore d' Orientare Orchidea deodorant

I randomly grabbed this when I needed a new deodorant. It smells like soap - very clean and a bit floral (I just read on Fragrantica it's supposed to smell like J.Lo Miami Glow. Really?!). I'm not loving the scent, but it's not annoying either (yet). It performs like your average spray deodorant, so it's more about preventing/covering body odour than stopping the sweat.

 3€ in Interspar.

Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil Beauty Scrub 

This is new on the market, but I already heard a few raves about it. I've only used it once and I already love it, but I'll report back when I use it a few more times. It smells the same as the Body Ultimate Beauty Oil.
4.99 € in Müller. 

Riffi Body Brush

Another blogger inspired purchase, this time by Jana from Small Bits of Loveliness. I've been planning on buying this for ages, but always forgot. I bought the smallest one I could find to fit into my hand and I really like this one. The bristles are just prefect - soft, but not too soft. This dry body brushing business feels really nice and I've been doing it before almost all my showers (it only takes a few minutes). It's kind of addictive. It exfoliates the skin, assists in improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, but you should google it you want to read more about it because that is all I know. 

5.49 € in Müller.

Ulala! Detangler Hair Brush

I've had my Tangle Teezer for about 7 years and it still serves me well, but it is falling apart. I wanted something with a handle because I have small hands and TT is a bit big to hold, but instead of buying something online I just took one in DM. This is just a generic version that I've seen in several places, only someone put their name on it (Beauty Bay has pretty much the same version). The bristles aren't quite as soft as at TT, but that doesn't really matter on my thick hair, though it might on fine hair (I'd get a TT in that case. Macadamia's version is nice as well I hear).

8.75 € in DM. There is also a pink/black version.

essence show your feet super soft shoe insoles
EU 36-38

I've been looking for these for a while and they finally arrived in our neck of the woods. These are padded insoles that you can put in any shoes to make them more comfortable and have a sticker on the bottom so they won't slide out. I'm a size 36/3(UK)/5(US) and these fit perfectly in all my shoes. They feel nice and soft, however, they make the shoe 1/2 or 1 size smaller, so these are nice if you have shoes that run just a bit big, but if they fit well, it can get a bit pinchy. There is a violet or pink version that is bigger (fits 39-41).

2.99 € in Müller.

Have a great day!

Empties #2

Xen-Tan Dark Lotion

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.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula

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.

Maybelline Eye Makeup Remover Waterproof

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.

Bourjois Nail Polish Remover 1 Second

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.

Seche Vite Top Coat

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

Alverde Aroma Oil Kokos

 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!

Tropical

I have a great weakness for tropical scents. My heart trembles when I see a new product with words like passion fruit or mango on them. Anything that smells like a fruity cocktail is right up my alley. Strangely enough no one around me loves tropical scents as much as I do (or at all) and I've received a lot of eye-rolling when I dragged something new home from the drugstore. I have a lot of tropical scented products and I put them all in this post to share with fellow exotic scents enthusiasts. I'll focus on the scents rather than reviewing products because I've already done that for most products.

Tigi Bed Head Masterpiece - I've been using this hairspray for many years and if you're familiar with Tigi products, they rarely disappoint with their scents. This one smells like pineapple and the (old) Dumb Blonde line had a similar scent.

Batiste Tropical dry shampoo - It smells like sweet coconut, but it's quite a faint scent. Review here.

Balea Hawaii deospray (2012/13 LE)  - A candy papaya and frangipani scent. Balea recently released two new tropical inspired deodorants, Brazil Mango and Cocos & Nectarine (more here), obviously, I'd love to have both.

Victoria's Secret Love Spell body spray - A tropical fruit mix. The scent is described as cherry blossom and peach, but to me it smells very tropical, sweet but still fresh. I already compared it to the discontinued blue Bibita (a fizzy drink), but US based reviewers compare it to Hawaiian Punch. Review here.

Garnier Fructis Fruity Passion shampoo - this has my favourite passion fruit scent in any product. It's the perfect mix of sweetness and fruityness. More here.

Balea Brazil Mango shower gel (2013 LE) - smells like tropical candy. I'll be very specific - the white Haribo gummy bear in the gold packaging (I always eat those first, I believe it's pineapple flavour). Balea has a great tropical inspired LE that is available right now in DM's. I wrote a bit about it here.

Balea Hawaii Pineapple shower gel (2013 LE) - smells exactly like Pina Colada, so a mix of pineapple and coconut.

Victoria's Secret Love Spell body butter - The same tropical scent as in body spray. Review here.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration hair mask - A heavenly tropical paradise scent. It's a fruity, coconuty candy scent that lasts for a really long time on the hair. Review here.

Benefit Coralista - The prettiest blush ever and one of the rare ones that actually lasts on the skin. It has a tropical scent that I can't define, but I really like it. It not as intense as it was from the beginning though. More pictures here.

Yves Rocher Noix de coco - A straight up coconut scent. It's very affordable, not too sweet or artficial smelling and has great staying power. More here

Yves Rocher mango passion fruit edt (2012/13 LE) - It was last year's LE, but I read somewhere it will also be available this year. It's a simple refreshing mango scent. More here.

I can't do a proper post on tropical scents without including yearly Escada's LEs. They are the definition of tropical, cocktail, summery scents! There have been so many over the years and in the spirit of a true fan girl, I can boast with a nice, albeit small collection of them. Most are mini 4 ml travel bottles that I got on eBay and I own a 30 ml size of Taj Sunset and 50 ml bottle of Marine Groove. Their only weakness is the weak staying power. The notes (in italic) are copied from Fragrantica, check the reviews there if you want to learn more.

• Taj Sunset (2011 LE) - A warm, sweet and sunny mango fragrance. It's the most long-lasting and sweetest of the Escada's.  Top notes are Alphonso mango, nectarine and blood orange. The heart features aquatic flowers with raspberry and pomarosa or Malay apple. The base consists of coconut, sandalwood and musk.
• Marine Groove (2009 LE) - a musky passion fruit scent. Notes: passionfruit, peony, jasmine and musk
• Rockin' Rio (2005 & 2011 LE) - One of my favourites. A warm, sugary tropical mix. Top notes: pineapple, fresh and sweet mandarin and passionate papaya. The heart is wrapped with juicy peach and sugar candy. The base is dominated by gourmet, warm coconut milk, sandalwood and musk.
• Pacific Paradise (2006 LE) - a more fresh fruity mix, a bit similar to YR mango passion fruit. Notes include banana, apple, coconut, lime, sugar, sandalwood, amber, and musk.
• Sunset Heat (2007 LE) A mango-melon scent. It's my least favourite because of the melon. The top notes create an exotic cocktail: lemon, papaya with pineapple mousse, mango sorbet and refreshing water melon accords. Sandalwood, coconut and hibiscus with its powdery floral notes end the composition.
• Moon Sparkle (2007 LE) A sweet-sour berry scent that is similar to Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy. It opens with notes of strawberry, black currant, citruses and red fruits. Middle notes reveal sweet pea, freesia, jasmine and rose, and this fragrant floral bouquet is followed by raspberry, musk, sandalwood and amber in the base.
• Ocean Lounge (2008 LE) - A sweet strawberry jam scent. Top notes: litchi, plum, pear nectar accord and strawberry meringe accord; middle notes are violet petal sorbet aromas, mimose blossom and jasmine; base notes are amber, sheer vanilla and teak wood.

Do you have any favourite tropical scented products? Have a great day!

New In April

Just a quick post, focused more on pictures because I intend to do full reviews for most of the products.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Permanent Taupe  

Maybelline finally started selling these in Slovenia. I got only one but I have On and on bronze on my wishlist (it's much more stunning in person than on swatches). I'll post a full review on Permanent Taupe soon. 

Catrice Ultimate Color Matt About Pink 

A stunning peachy pink lipstick. I already have the pictures and I'll post a review probably sometime next week.

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Plus

My first Japanese mascara. I got it because I heard that it holds curl well. I got it two days ago and I can say the claims are true, but I need some time to get used to the brush. I'm not sure when I'll post a review, I want to test it thoroughly first.

Essence Frame 4 Fame lash glue 

The cheapest lash glue I could find. I don't wear false lashes often, but I have Misslyn's individual lashes and I just ordered Ardell's Demi Wispies from lookfantastic, both don't have the lash adhesive included. I could splurge for Duo, but for now this is ok. It's too liquidy and I can't get much of product on the false lashes, but it holds very well. I've only tried it with individual lashes so far and none fell off before I took my make up off. Edit: I tried it with Ardell's Demi Wispies and it held well for about 8 hours, but then the lashes started to pop up on both corners, however it held in the middle until I took my make up off. So in short, it ok for individual lashes, but I would get something else for strip eyelashes.

Balea Young Zucker Schnute Deo Roll-on

 I needed a new deodorant and this one was the cheapest, so I just put it in my basket. I really don't like it. Considering it has sugar in the name, the sugary part of the scent is very faint. It smells like a generic deodorant scent with a hint of lemon sweets. It works though.

Balea Hawai Pineapple shower gel

Smells like pina colada and fresh pineapple. Review here.

Balea Mango Brazil Shower gel 

Smells like the white Haribo gummy bear. Review here.

Batiste Tropical dry shampoo 

I got the absolutely huge can (400 ml) from Asos. Review soon.

This is an old picture of my purchase from Cheeryculture, but I didn't want it to go to waste. Reviews for Nyx blushes and Milani eyeliner will be published first so keep your eyes peeled.

• Milani Liquif'eye eyeliner in Gold 
• Nyx Black Label lipstick India - I got it for my cousin, but I did take a few pictures and a quick swatch. Pictures will be in an upcoming post.
• Nyx Rouge Cream blush Natural 
• Nyx blush Taupe
• Cherry Culture lip balm chocolate - smells like coffee and I hate the smell of coffee. I got it for free as a gift with purchase.

Garnier Ultra Doux Heritage Provence Apricot and Almond shampoo 

I got it for my family and of course, I tested it myself. It's great for my dry hair as it doesn't dry it out at all. It smells like ice tea (Ledeni čaj brusnica od Sole) and bubble gum. One of the best drugstore shampoos for dry hair. It's paraben and silicone free, you can see the ingredients here.

Fructis Fruity Passion shampoo

Another shampoo I got for my family. The scent is absolutely brilliant, a proper sweet passion fruit scent, I adore it. It did dry my hair out, but I will be using it as a shower gel occasionally, because I love the scent. Ingredients here.

Garnier Ultimate Beauty oil 

Review here.

John Frieda Brilliant brunette moisturising conditioner 

A drugstore conditioner that I repurchased numerous times. This is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smell nice for days, because normally my hair never retains the scent of the conditioner or shampoo I use. It smells amazing, like a mix of coconut and caramel. It's one of the best drugstore conditioners for dry hair. Picture of the ingredients here.

Some more pictures because too much work goes into them to waste them. Click on them to see a larger view:

My Current Hair Care - Part 2

I talked about shampoos and conditioners in the first part (here) and now for the second part, dealing with serums, leave-in conditioners/treatments and styling products. Light green text are links to where you can get these product or to original reviews.

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap is a leave-in treatment that also provides heat protection. If you have dry hair, using a leave-in treatment/conditioner is very important. I apply 2-3 pumps on damp hair after conditioner.This is a protein treatment that helps prevent breakage and split ends. It's a very light lotion consistency with a sort of artificial sweet fruity scent. The bottle is massive, you get 250ml. I've had mine for about 1/2 year and I still haven't used half of it yet (I use it every time I wash my hair). Do I notice my hair being less damaged? Yes. But it's not a dramatic difference. I like it because it's very light, it has heat protection and I noticed my hair is more tamed. I'll probably repurchase, if I don't decide to try the Kerastaste Nectar Thermique and like it more. I bought mine on feelunique.com. Before this, I used John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Shock and I really liked it, but it didn't have heat protection (they changed the name now into Glaze or something).

Orofluido oil is a product I've raved about for years now. I'm actually still using the same bottle, but now I have just a few cm left. This is your basic silicone treatment with argan, linseed and cypress oil, just like all other argan oil treatments which are all the rage now (Morrocan oil, Kerastaste Ultimate oil, L'Oreal Mythic Oil and numerous drugstore replicas including Garnier Fructis, L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary oil , Syoss Beauty Elixir, etc.,...). It help with the frizz, gives amazing shine and keeps it looking more healthy and not dry. What differentiates it from the others is the luxurious oriental vanilla/amber scent that is to die for. Also this is a very thick oil, thicker than most others and you only need 2-3 drops or it might be too much. My only gripe is that it needs a pump, but the bottle is gorgeous. I bought mine in Simple hair saloon, but it also available for Slovene shoppers on StudioMa. Some other online shops where you can get it are feelunique, cheapsmells and eBay.

Alverde Haaröl Mandel und Argan is an exception in the argan oil trend. This one does not contain silicone, just argan, almond, soy and walnut oil with some vitamin E, but works all the same. For a very reasonable price 3€ you get an amazing quality oil. Just read my original review if you want to know more. I use it almost every day and it really helps taming the frizz and more importantly helps with the dryness. I highly recommend it.

Orofluido Sahara is basically a lighter spray version of the original oil. It's a dry oil that protects your hair against sun, wind and dryness. It has UV filters which is great for protecting your hair against the damaging sun, also for helping your hair colour from fading (If you color it, of course). If you ever used dry oils you know how it feels, you can spray a lot of product in your hair and it won't be wet like with spray conditioners.  It's smells amazing, identical as the oil, oriental amber and vanilla. It leaves my hair very shiny and smelling amazing. I use it either before or after I use a hair dryer and every time I want my hair to look a bit more shiny or it feels dry. I got mine from StudioMa (16€), but it's sold everywhere you can get Orofluido products.

Tigi S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray Heat Defender is an absolutely fantastic heat protection with a lovely sweet apple/pear scent. It feels sort of oily so it instantly smooths, gives shine and makes your hair look very healthy. After straitening or curling your hair, it looks so smooth, even your ends look healthy. You get only 125ml which is not a lot for the price (I paid 13,74 € on cheapsmells.com), but still the quality is superb. Anyway, I'm still using the same bottle and I use this a lot, so it's not ''that'' expensive. This is one of my staple products.

Garnier Fructis Surf hair (around 4€) is a product I use when I feel too lazy to blow dry my hair or at least curl/straighten it. I've done a review with pictures here. My hair is naturally curly, but the curls are not defined. This is a great product for defining and amplifying your curls, but it's difficult to get the amount right. Too much means too scrunchy and weird feeling hair, too little means no effect at all. Also despite that the curls look great the first day, on the second day it looks way too frizzy. I don't use it as much as I used to, but the first day effect is great.

Syoss Volume Lift Dry Shampoo (around 4€) is something I use a lot. Not because my hair get greasy, but to get some volume and freshness. This gives amazing volume and the scent is really fresh and strong. My first can had an odd working nozzle and the gas was leaking, but other ones worked fine. I've used a few bottles so far and I still love it as on the first day. I did a mini rave here. 

I rarely use hair spray, but my favourite is L'Oreal Elnett. It has great hold, but doesn't leave your hair scrunchy. I have the travel version, gold-blue one, it's sold in Müller and not DM. I have some voluminising products, but I rarely use them. One is Got2b Powder'ful Volumen Stylin Powder. It's the Osis+ Dust It dupe (Got2b is also from Schwarzkopf). It gives amazing volume, however, it lasts only 10 minutes. I also have travel sizes of  Balea Power Volume Mousse and Hair spray. The hair spray is fine, but not as good as Elnett. The mousse is great for massive volume that lasts.

For combing my hair I have just an ordinary cheap wide tooth comb from Müller and a black Tangle Teezer which is now about 6 years old. 

I never used a hair dryer before this Summer. I hated them because every time my hairdressers completely abused my hair and left them dry as a Sahara (I haven't found one that would actually know how to cut and treat my hair *sigh*. For the same reason I rarely go to the hairdressers.). So I stayed away from hair dryers and let my hair dry naturally. Of course this only resulted in frizziness and an unkempt look, also my hair felt coarse and hard to the touch, like I used too much hair spray. So my Remington Ionic Protect&Shine hair dryer was just collecting dust until I found this youtube guru, who has similar hair to mine. I bought a round ceramic barrel brush by Ebelin (DM), which has a orange line that turns yellow when it gets too hot (9€ at any DM). Thanks to Carlibell55 I finally learned how to properly style my hair with a hair dryer. It just makes my hair look more sleek and soft. This leaves me with straight hair with volume. If I want really sleek hair, I use my ancient Remington hair straightener (It still works great, though. Half on my family has been using it for the last 6 years). But more often I use my Remington Pro Soft curls curler with an 1'' barrel (2,5 cm). I bought it in the Summer and it was around 30€ in Interspar. It gives me lovely soft curls. I also have a curler/straightener with an 1,5'' (3,8 cm) barrel. This one does not make your hair curly, but more wavy with volume (watch this to get the idea of how it looks). I used to use it a lot, before I got Pro Soft curls.

Here is a picture of how I mostly style my hair in the past moths (bare in mind the lighting was horrible, the weather is horrible lately). I used Remington Pro Soft curls for curls like that. My entire care for this look was: Pyhtopolleine oil, La Roche Posay Kerium shampoo, Dove Oil Care gold conditioner, Redken Anti-Snap, I then blow dried it and straightened it with a brush. I put some Tigi heat protection on the ends and curled it using Pro Soft curls. I finished by combing with fingers through the curls and added some Orofluido. It still looks a bit frizzy, but I never really got rid of that. This is my natural hair colour.

This completes my long epic about my hair care. I know it's a lot of products, but as I said my hair is very high maintenance. But anyway, I wash my hair every 4-5 days. I hope this was useful and thanks for reading!