Showing posts with label Nanshy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nanshy. Show all posts

Nanshy Marvel Makeup Sponge


Using makeup sponges for applying foundation never truly won my heart. I find it time consuming and I'm not a fan of how much foundation is wasted due to absorption, but so many people love these sponges because they create a natural, non-cakey finish and there is no denying that they don't do that well. My brief history with makeup sponges is a rocky one. About two years ago I tried the Cosmopolitan's version, which has a nice rating on Makeup Alley, but much to my disappointment, it tore during first washing. I also was not terribly trilled about the fact I needed to use twice as much foundation to get the same level of coverage as with fingers or a brush. But I haven't given up on sponges completely and I still use them on occasion to make the foundation look less fake after applying it with any other method. I've never heard of Nanshy Marvel sponge before, but I was intrigued because of the shape of it, so I agreed to give it a test.


First thing that got me is the colour of it. Yes, I'm shallow like that, but I'm slightly (I can already hear my brother laughing hysterically) obsessed with mint green. Second thing I noticed is how much softer it is when it's dry compared to Cosmopolitan's. It has a combination of shapes - the slight hourglass design like the Cosmopolitan's and the angled cut top like the Real Techniques sponge. 


When it's wet it's bigger than Cosmopolitan's but in terms of softness and squishiness they the same. Both have a similar surface as well. The angled top is super convenient for the under eye area, so I like it more than Cosmopolitan's, however, I still need to use twice as much foundation, which to me is a huge waste. I find that sponges are better if you use them with foundations with a higher level of coverage because if you use it with a sheerer foundation or a BB cream, it barely covers anything since it "drinks up" so much product. I used my worst performing foundation to see if applying it with a sponge will make it look more decent on the skin. I initially liked it a lot, it looked very fresh, natural and it didn't make my pores look like huge craters, which is so much better than at application with a brush or fingers when it comes to this particular foundation. But after a while the foundation set and I again noticed that fake, ageing effect of it, which is completely the foundation's fault and the mere fact that the sponge made it look great a least for little time after application is an achievement. 


When it comes to washing, I find that because it's such a light colour, I can't really get it to be completely clean. I use a bar soap as it is more effective than liquid ones, but even like that there is always a little patch of foundation left on the sponge.

Given that I'm still not a fan of sponges, I can still say that this one a nice one. It's very soft, it does its job and it appears to be of a better quality as the Cosmopolitan's, since it didn't tear once during over a dozen washings. The top did get a bit frayed, but nothing major. It's quite a big sponge once it wet, but the cut shape is really useful for blending under the eyes as it reaches the corners well. 

The sponge costs £5.95 on the official Nanshy site.


Gobice za nanašanje podlage me niso nikoli res prepričale, namreč meni se zdi nanos z njimi preveč zamuden, pa še preveč pudra popijejo, kar meni ni niti malo všeč. Ampak te gobice so izjemno priljubljene saj ustvarijo zelo naraven videz in pomagajo, da podlaga ne izgleda očitna na obrazu. Pred to sem preizkusila samo Cosmopolitanovo gobico, ki me je kar razočarala, saj se je že pri prvem pranju raztrgala. Kljub temu jo še vedno občasno uporabljam po nanosu pudra s čopičem ali prsti, da popravim kakšne čudne predele kjer podlaga ni lepo nanešena. Preden sem dobila to gobico, za znamko Nanshy še nisem slišala, ampak me je oblika gobice pritegnila, da sem se jo odločila preizkusiti.

Seveda sem gobico takoj primerjala s Cosmopolitanovo in opazila, da ko je suha je veliko mehkejša. Nanshy gobica kombinira obliko stisnjeno peščene ure, ki jo ima tudi Cosmopolitanova in pa prirezan vrh, ki je podoben kot pri gobici od Real Techniques. Ko je mokra je večja od Cosmopolitanove, ampak kar se tiče mehkobe se ne razlikujeta. Tudi material je zelo podoben. Prirezan vrh se res obnese pri nanosu in zabrisovanju pod očmi, saj doseže tudi kot med očmi in nosom, torej je boljša od Cosmopolitanove, vseeno pa še vedno porabim dvakrat več podlage, kar je zame velika izguba. Te gobice se bolje obnesejo s podlagami z visoko prekrivnostjo, medtem ko se pri lažjih pudrih in BB kremah komaj kaj izdelka prenese na kožo, ker ga gobica toliko vpije. Nanshy gobico sem preizkusila tudi s svojim najslabšim tekočim pudrom, saj me je zanimalo če vsaj tak način nanosa pomaga, da ne bi izgledal tako čudno na koži. Takoj po nanosu mi je bil izgled podlage res všeč, saj je koža izgledala zelo sveže, naravno in izdelek se ni usedel v pore, ampak na žalost je puder čez nekaj časa postal zelo očiten na koži kar pa je sicer slaba lastnost pudra in ne gobice. Že to, da je tako slab puder izgledal veliko bolje po nanosu kot običajno je dovolj dobro zame.

Barva gobice mi je bila seveda takoj všeč, saj sem malenkost (že slišim mojega brata kako se smeje) obsedena z mentolno zeleno. Ker je gobica tako svetle barve, mi je do zdaj še ni uspelo popolnoma oprati, namreč kljub temu, da uporabljam trdo milo, ki je veliko bolj učinkovito kot tekoče, na gobici vedno ostane malo pudra.

Glede na to, da še vedno nisem neka velika ljubiteljica gobic, lahko še vedno rečem, da je tale čisto v redu. Je zelo mehka in dobro opravi svoje delo, poleg tega pa mi izgleda da je bolj kvalitetna od Cosmopolitanove, saj se po mnogih pranju ni raztrgala, čeprav konica ni več popolnoma ostra, ampak res ni nič hujšega. Je kar velika gobica ko je vlažna, ampak ta prirezana konica je odlična za nanos pod očmi.  

Nanshy gobico lahko kupite na Click2Chic za 7,49 €.

Have a great day!

* I was sent this product / Izdelek so mi poslali iz Click2Chic.

New in #28


BOURJOIS Rouge Edition Velvet 
07 Nude-ist
I've treated myself to another Velvet, bringing the total number to four in my collection. My enthusiasm for these matte lip creams persist and Nude-ist is my latest obsession. When these first came out, Nude-ist was the shade I instantly brushed off as not being my type of shade and granted swatched on the back of the hand it doesn't look like much, but on the lips is where the magic happens. It's a beautiful natural-rosy shade. Actually it's exactly the natural tone of my lips, however, a shade or two darker, making it look quite natural on my lips, but just giving that definition to my pale face. This is definitely a winner. There will a review with full face swatches, but I already posted a quick sneak peek on my Instagram
Müller, 12.99 €.

ESSENCE Lip Liner 
06 Satin Mauve 
Since in the last months there has been a torrent of the 90's lip trend posts in the beauty community, I caved under peer pressure and decided to at least test it out if it suits me.  As much as I dislike the too soft texture of Essence lip liners, Satin Mauve is the shade I've heard quite a few people mentioning as their favourite at the moment, so at that price I just gave it a shot. I'm genuinely not a fan of this look 90's look on me at all. Like most such shades, mauvy-natural types, the violet tone is again more pronounced against my skin tone giving me that drained, tired look. You'll see it in the full review, but this is not my favourite shade. I much prefer Nude-ist, which brings some life to my face because it's a warm, rosy shade. I still don't like the formula of these, the pencils are just too soft for creating a defined look, but at least they aren't drying, though they don't last long on the lips. There is a swatch of this on Instagram as well.
Müller, 1.19 €.


 *L'OREAL False Lash Wings Intenza
L'Oreal released a new mascara, a spin-off to their original False Lash Wings (Butterfly or Flutter mascara in some countries) and this version has the "butterfly wing shape" on both sides of the wand. Mine is a regular formula, but I think a waterproof version exists as well. I have to say I quite like it. It reminds me of their Million Lashes that I used for years and it gives a similar effect. It gives a lot of length and definition, but not that much volume despite the fibres, which I can't even see. Volume is not my priority anyway, but I really appreciate the defined look it gives to my lashes and how every individual lash is coated with mascara. You can see it in action here.
Price 15.49 € in drugstores (their mascaras are getting more and more expensive).


ARTDECO High Precision Liquid Liner
01
*a sigh of relief* Finally, I have a decent eyeliner again. It felt like ages, I tell you. This reminds me a lot of the Kardashian one. The nib is very similar in terms of the shape and the material it's made of, which is not the same felt tip as at L'Oreal's, but more like a very smooth brush. The shape of the nib is great, it's the right size and shape for my preferences. I'll report back in a month or so in a full review because I'd like to see how fast it's drying out. But I have to say that it is quite an expensive liner and it will really need to perform spectacularly for me to keep buying it.
Müller, 16.99 €.


*MODELS OWN HyperGel Gel Effect Polish
Midsummer Mauve
When I first saw this nail polish, I squealed from excitement because the colour is just something I was thinking of getting soon. I'm in the mood for these greyish-taupe-light violet nail colours at the moment because they look so chic on the nails. This looks gorgeous swatched on the nail wheel, but again my skin tone makes it more purple, which bothers me a bit, but I like it nonetheless (most likely this won't happen to any of you anyway). The formula is one of those new age "faking gel manicure" type and it's quite thick, but it still evens out nicely with a second coat, plus it has a high shine finish.
Tega odtenka sicer še ni na Click2Chic, ampak naj bi bil v prihodnosti. Ostali odtenki stanejo 5,95 €.
Models Own, £4.99. 


 *MODELS OWN Gel Eyeliner
I'm sorry but I can't bring myself to like this. Since I discovered that felt tip liners got a billion times better since the 00's, other versions of eyeliners don't appeal to me any-more, but that's not the main reason I'm not a fan of this. It's because the texture is so dry. Why did they make it so dry? The lack of fluidity means it's harder to do a nice, crisp line. Actually so far I've only been able to do more of a smudgy line, you know the one with the diffused edge that you usually create with an eyeshadow, which is a nice look as well because it looks more soft and natural, but I'm kind of a fan of sharp lines. The added brush is not my favourite either, sorry.
To je še en bodoči izdelek, ki naj bi se prodajal na Click2Chic. Sama bi veliko raje izbrala Kardashian Beauty eyeliner. 
Models Own, £4.99.


 *NANSHY Marvel Makeup Sponge
Can we just enjoy for a moment at how beautiful this sponge looks? I love mint green. I've only had one makeup sponge so far and it was from Cosmopolitan, which disappointed me when it tore after the first wash. This one already proved be better quality, since it's still whole, even though I've been using it for about two-three weeks and I wash it after every foundation application. I'll just put it out there and say that unlike a lot of people in the beauty community, these sponges aren't my favourite method of applying foundation because I can get the same result on my skin with a brush and it's a lot faster. But I get the appeal, these sponges do blend the foundation in very well. One thing that struck me when I first dampened the sponge is how big it is compared to Cosmopolitan's one, but it's similarly soft and has the same texture. One giant plus is that this sponge has a cut top, which is super, super handy for blending concealer under the eyes. But it again absorbs too much foundation for my liking (I don't like to waste things) and it takes a lot of time to blend the foundation into the skin, but that's my problem with all sponges anyway. As far as sponges go, this is a nice one.
Click2Chic, 7,49 € ; Official Nanshy site,  €8.28.


 *BOCASSY Paris Serum
When I was offered to try their products, Bocassy was a completely new brand to me. I quickly checked the reviews and the serum's ingredients caught my attention, so I agreed to give it a go. It was the mention of vitamin A that got me, though it also contains vitamin E, d-panthenol, olive oil, shea butter and comfrey root extract. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now plus the L'Occitane cleansing oil I'll mention later and my skin just looks so healthy. I've been quite unhappy with how my skin texture looked recently, which made my foundation look weird, but now there have been quite a few occasion when I felt like I don't even need anything other than a bit of concealer under my eyes, around the nose and on one blemish scar on my chin that persist for years. I've just been using a bit of concealer well blended in and that's it. Also when I do decide to wear foundation, it applies so much nicer, even that horrid Rimmel one. I have no idea whether it's this serum or the oil or perhaps a combo of both, but I'm very happy with my skin at the moment. I'll do a full review after a while, but if you have any questions now, just ask.
Ingredients here.
Na voljo v poslovalnicah Müller BTC, Rudnik, Čopova, Koper, Celje in Maribor Europark. Cena približno 23 € (spet predvidevam). Bocassy Slovenija Facebook stran tukaj.
In Croatia it's also sold in DM's. Serum costs 180 kn. Bocassy Hrvatska Facebook page here

 *L'OCCITANE Immortelle Oil Make-up Remover
After the Shea Butter cleansing oil (review by Passing Fancy here), L'Occitane added another one to their more premium Immortelle range. I've had a few oils so far, which for some reason all broke me out a bit after an extended use, but this doesn't appear to be the case with this one. It's a light oil that is very similar in terms of texture to the Body Shop one or L'Oreal one, so they all emulsify a bit when water is added, but I find that this one rinses off more effectively than those two. In terms of makeup removing capabilities, this removes everything in one go, even my super stubborn Hypnose Waterproof mascara, however, it takes quite a long massaging between the lashes to completely dissolve the mascara (but not when you're removing a regular formula mascara). It's bad side is the same one as at all oily cleansers, super foggy eyesight after use, so I use it strictly before going to bed. It has the same scent as the rest of the Immortelle line, which is a wild flower scent. I like this oil a lot, it's the best such cleanser I've tried so far, but the foggy eyesight is a nuisance again (I'm probably the only one complaining).
L'Occitane, 22.40 €.


BALEA Rasier Gel
Summer Garden
A repurchase and I'm so happy these are still on the shelves. I think it's meant as a LE, so don't waste any time if you want it (let's face it everything from DM brands is a LE in the long run, lol. It's like the Essence of skin care). 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, plus the quality is again excellent.
DM, 1.99 €.

BALEA Beauty Effect Power Maske
For the life of me I can't remember whose review I read about this being pretty awesome, but anyway it landed in my basket. It claims to intensely moisturise the skin, therefore making the wrinkles less noticeable. Though I have a couple wrinkles which my foundation always emphasizes tenfold, the main reason I got this was that it contains hyaluronic acid - the gold of the beauty world. If I glance through ingredients fast I see very moisturising ingredients (glycerine, shea butter, olive oil) and hyaluronic acid, which is granted more at the end of the list, but all in all it's a nice ingredient list for such a budget product. It's a thick, but easy to apply mask/moisturiser that smells nice, like baby cosmetics. You're supposed to apply and leave it on for 5-10 minutes, then remove the rest with a cotton pad. I've used it just once so far and I had nothing left to remove that's how thirsty my skin was. I think it's a great product for dry and dehydrated skin when it needs a bit of a boost of moisture or is suffering from dry patches, but it does nothing to the wrinkles (which I didn't expect anyway). I think it's a great budget version of for example Origins Drink Up Mask.
Ingredients here.
DM, 4-5 €.


 BALEA Balea Badewürfel Vanille Honig
Honey and Vanilla Bath Cube
I talked about this cube a long time ago, but I only recently found it in our DM's. I haven't used it yet and I'll keep this for those rare occasions I actually do a proper bath, so I'll have to report back in an empties post with more details. But I can say that it feels a bit greasy to the touch, so it's an oil based product, which means it's probably very moisturising. I smells a bit disappointingly like generic soap (you can smell it in the shop), but at least it doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Lush ones.
DM 1-2 €.


 LITAMIN Welness Salze Goldrausch
Welness salt Goldrush
I think this is a bath salt that turns the water gold. I'm not sure because my German isn't what it used to be and they are being quite elusive with the description, but I sure hope it's true. I'll report back in an empties or maybe even in a proper post if it impresses me, but I am excited to try it.
Ingredients here.
Müller, 1.25 €.


DRESDNER ESSENZ Pflegebad Schokolade/Cranberry
Bath salt with a chocolate and cranberry scent
I saw on Sunnivah's blog that she likes the orange/cinnamon/clove version (Winterbad) of these bath salts, but when I saw the chocolate one next to it, it was all I could look at. I mean it's chocolate, I can't resist that, I'm only human. It has the scratch-and-sniff sticker in the top right corner, which indicates that this smells really nice, like a fruitier version of Nesquick cocoa. 
Ingredients here.
Müller, 1.29 €.

Have a great day!

*products marked with this symbol are PR samples.