Products worth the splurge #3

URBAN DECAY Naked and Naked Basic Palettes

The famous Naked palettes. Even though I don't really talk often about eyeshadows or palettes, I'm sure you're probably sick of hearing about these two, but they are so worth it. I pretty much wear just these two palettes  all the time (and that L'Oreal eyeshadow plus a few Mac shades), especially the Naked Basics one. The quality is spectacular, they are properly pigmented, have a lovely buttery texture (even the matte ones!) and the colours are so beautiful, the perfect neutrals.

I've tried several budget palettes lately and honestly, I'd rather save up and buy one of the Naked palettes instead.

SHISEIDO The Makeup Eyelash Curler

Eyelash curler is a tool I find essential in my makeup arsenal. As you could see in the How to Curl Stubborn lashes post, my lashes, although they are very long, are very straight, so to avoid it looking like I have no lashes or a lazy eye when looking from the front, I need to curl them. There are two eyelash curlers I like, one are from Tana and the second are these Shiseido one. I find that Shiseido's fits my eye shape a bit better and really creates a nice, not-crimped curl. I also like these because it's easy to get replacement pads. I've tried several budget eyelash curlers and all were rubbish because they pinched, but these a fantastic.

CLARINS Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner

This a very gentle, chemical exfoliator with glycolic acid and my skin loves this. It keeps my skin in good condition by removing the dead skin cells, so my skin is clear and smooth. I've noticed the biggest improvement in my forehead area, it's pretty much baby smooth all the time now. Despite being an AHA product, it's still moisturising, so it feels more like a lotion and it's super gentle (doesn't sting one bit, even if I have a small wound). 

L'OCCITANE Almond Cleansing and Soothing Shower Oil

My adoration for this shower oil has been persisting for years and this is my ultimate pamper product. It's an amazing, super-luxurious feeling shower oil that smells divine and transforms into this thick, rich foam when water is added. It's a great product for those who suffer from dry skin and can be used instead of a shaving gel as well. As I've said before I buy 500 ml eco-refills, but there is a travel size of this available for those, who just want to try it first.

JOICO K-Pak Intense Hydrator

I'm an advocate of investing in a few more euros into hair care, even though most people don't even remotely care about their locks as much as me. K-Pack Intense Hydrator is not budget product, though it's not too expensive either if you know where to look, but it is a superb product that injects some serious moisture to the hair and transforms even the driest tresses into decent hair. It makes my hair super hydrated, silky and soft as well as it has keratin and protein in it, so it also helps strengthen the hair. If you have more demanding hair like me, I highly recommend you check it out.

Have a great day!

Products worth the splurge #2

 DIOR Diorskin Nude BB Creme

I am a fan of bases that give that skin-like finish and Dior's BB does exactly that. The coverage is light and it looks like you have no foundation on your skin, but it still blurs imperfections as well as somewhat diminishes the circles. My favourite bit is that it's immediately dry to the touch meaning it sets super fast to a semi-matte finish. It goes on so smoothly and blends so well that it's one of the best products to apply in hurry. Rather surprisingly the lightest colour is actually pale enough for me, which is a rarity especially when it comes to shades selection in my country, although 001 is pink toned. Basically, this just is the best BB I've tried.

 NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Snow Whites like me know how ridiculously hard it is to find pale shades of foundation and concealers. Chantilly is the lightest shade I ever found and it's actually neutral, so it fits me perfectly when I'm at my palest. The formula is super creamy and the coverage is almost full, so it can be used under the eyes as well as on spots. It's no wonder it's one of my favourite concealers.

BALANCE ME Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

Whatever is in this stuff is just amazing, since out of all cleansers I've tried so far, this is the one that makes my skin look its best. Since I started using it, I had zero dry patches and before they were my perpetual nemesis. It's a balm cleanser, but one with small oatmeal scrub particles that provide gentle exfoliation, and it removes all but "industrial strength" waterproof mascara while leaving my skin feeling clean yet moisturised.  I'm currently trying some more affordable cleansers and I'm already missing this one.

 OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir

This was the first silicone-oil that I tried and despite trying loads of the competition, it still remains firmly at the top of my favourites. What I love about it is that the texture is quite thick, which really works well for my thick, dry, coarse hair and I need to use only a small amount, so the bottle lasts me ages. I use it on damp as well as on dry hair and it tames flyaways, gives shine and in general makes the hair more manageable. It also smells bloody amazing, I'd describe it as a rich oriental vanilla-amber scent, but I have notes of the fragrance posted in my original review.

 THE BODY SHOP Body Butters

My love for TBS body butters began at 16 when I visited the shop for the first time during my stay in Berlin. I remember feeling very overwhelmed at the bountiful selection of differently scented products and I quickly grabbed one of the premade gifts for Christmas that included bits from the Shea butter line. Since then I may have developed a sort of an addiction and I've tried quite a few scents. They really are so good. I haven't come across a scent I wouldn't like, the texture of them is so lovely (though it depends on the version) and they are so moisturising. My favourite is Vineyard Peach, which I bang on about all the time. Also currently in my stash is the one from the Honeymania collection, which has a spectacular texture. I highly recommend you try one the next time you're around their shop.

Have a great day!

Products Worth the Splurge #1

I've had brainwave and decided to do yet another series of posts, so just like with Forever Repurchased, I have several posts ready that I'll post sporadically. They will feature products that are high-end(-ish), but nonetheless worth spending your pennies on them.

 Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara in Waterproof Formula

Regular and Star version

I know most people, even if they use a lot of high-end make up, still stick only to drugstore mascaras and how I wish I could as well, but my incredibly stubborn lashes are not just difficult to curl, they also refuse to stay that way if I don't use an amazing waterproof formula. Hypnôse absolutely delivers when it comes to holding curl and it lasts pretty much all day, though this means it's a pain to remove. It gives plenty of length to my lashes as well as some volume, basically it just does all I want from a mascara.
You can see both versions I own in action in my How to Curl Stubborn and Difficult-to-Curl Lashes post.

 L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream

I've used many different moisturisers through the years and this one comes close to perfection as far as the needs of my skin are concerned (combination-normal type). It's a light, yet intensely hydrating cream that sinks in fast and leaves a smooth velvety finish, which makes it perfect to use under foundation. It really suits my skin and keeps it in top shape. The fact it's in a pot is not ideal and it would be better if it were in a tube, but it's what's inside that counts.
L'Occitane is generous with samples, so I suggest you drop by the nearest shop and ask for a few if you're interested.

 Xen-Tan Dark Lotion

It's tanning season and since my skin can produce any significant tan to speak about, I use one from the bottle. Xen-Tan has been my first choice for the past two years or so. With one application it gives me a nice, natural tan that lasts about a week. I really suggest you get a mitt since it makes everything much easier. As far as the scent is concerned, straight from the bottle it's a sweet marzipan scent, but after a few hours on the skin, a faint selftan scent appears. However, I should say that the older the bottle, the stronger the scent.
If you're wondering whether paying more for fake tan makes much of difference, the answer is yes. The scent is not so obvious and they last a lot longer without fading patchy. I like both St.Tropez Bronzing Mousse and this one, but I repurchase Xen-Tan due to a less drying formula. Both have their pluses and minuses which I discussed in my review.

 Kérastase Nutritive Line

BEST.HAIR.PRODUCTS.EVER. Yes, the caps are necessary. I have very dry, rebellious hair and nothing works on it as well as these. They are expensive and I use them only on special occasions when my hair needs to look its best (which is a bit sad because I want to use them all the time). Bain Oleo-Relax puts all other shampoos to shame and they feel like you're using a bar soap compared to this. Masqueintense Epais-Thick makes my hair feel like normal people's hair and Nectar Thermique is perfect for those who suffer from dry hair that needs heat styling to look decent. These work amazing on dry hair and are worth the investment if you have problematic hair like me, but if your hair is any other type, you don't need them.
I cheekily added the Elixir Ultimate, which is very, very expensive and there are plenty other silicone-oils on the market that do the same job (lets be honest, right). But I love it. It smells absolutely divine (I want a fragrance with that scent) and its light texture is great for taming the frizz and giving shine. I keep a travel size in my bag.

Which high-end products do you love?

Have a great day!