March Favourites

 NARS blush Deep Throat
When it comes to Nars blushes, there are two colours that are probably most popular, one being Orgasm and the second Deep Throat (try not to chuckle at the names). I've had both for ages and though they are both peachy-pink shades, Orgasm looks darker in the pan, while on the cheeks Deep Throat is the one with stronger pigmentation and is less shimmery. It's a very flattering shade on so many different skin tones. I love it on super pale skin and this is the blush I use on other people most often (this looks so cute on someone that wears Healthy Mix 52-53 (NC20-25) - a peachy-baby pink).

I've never been much of an eyeshadow wearer, but I'm striving to use them more. Patina is a very old favourite of mine. It's a neutral shade that I believe is very popular, but when it comes to describing the colour you realize how difficult it is. It's somewhere along the lines of a light antiqued gold that has this cool taupe tones in it. I know, complicated, but what's important is how great it looks as an all over wash on the lids. It's not particularly pigmented and it takes a bit of effort to get it properly build up even on my Snow White complexion, so it's not the eyeshadow you'd slap on in a hurry, but the final look is so pretty.

I loved this in combination with Patina. It's a dark warm chocolate brown, similar to L'Oreal's Infallible Endless Chocolat, but less shimmery. It's a another lovely shade for those who like neutrals. 

I'm more of a Naked Basic kind of girl, but I've dusted off the queen of neutral palettes and vowed to used it more. My favourite combinations are Sin all over the lid with Naked and Buck in the crease and for a more smoky look I like Smog all over the lid with Darkhorse in the corner. 

I'm not the one to wear a bright, fuchsia shade on my lips as I find them too cool for my skintone, but I really like this shade on me. The formula is a pleasant surprise - it like a very pigmented lip gloss-lip stain hybrid which just from definition I should dislike, but in this product it just works so well.

This has one of the most perfect matte finishes ever. The formula is hard to work with due to a strange mousse-like texture, but the final result is amazing. The colour is such a beauty and it's the prettiest deep red ever. Just to give you an indication of how great the staying power is I should tell you that people were really surprised when I came home from a diner at a restaurant with my lip colour almost intact. 
My hair is drier at the moment due to a product I've been testing (you'll learn more about it in an upcoming review) and this oil has been saving the current situation. It's a multi-purpose dry oil with stunning gold shimmer that can be used on the body or hair. It's light enough that is doesn't weigh down my thick hair, but still moisturisers it well, helps the dryness and tames it. It also gives this wonderful shine to the hair because of the shimmer. Used in the body, it's quite a stunning highlighter that even gives a very subtle tan to my ghostly pale skin. 

Just a classic medium red that I've been enjoying wearing this month. A colour you can't go wrong with.

I'm ashamed to admit that since I bought it over a year ago, I only wore it once, which is ridiculous because that's one of the prettiest pink nail polishes I own. It's bright pink that has the tiniest hint of coral in it, so it's a nice warm shade that goes well with my skintone.
Have a great day!
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O Twist Elastics and Giveaway

First of, I'm sorry to all my international readers, but this will be in Slovene and the giveaway is meant only for people residing in Slovenia. But you can still enjoy the pictures and my hair ideas on how to use these elastics.

Če ste med tistimi, ki sledijo mojemu blogu že več kot leto, potem se morda spomnite, da sem enkrat že pisala o takih elastikah za lase. Sama sploh ne nosim več drugačnih elastik, saj so te zelo udobne za nošnjo in nežne do las, ampak še vedno dovolj močne da dobro držijo in še lepe so. Po mojih izkušnjah vam lahko povem, da res dolgo zdržijo, mislim, da še vedno imam prvo, ki sem jo naredila in celo nisem izgubila še nobene, saj so kot mehke zapestnice in jih imam vedno na zapestju če ne že v laseh. Sicer se čez nekaj časa raztegnejo in niso tako lepe, ampak popolnoma uničijo se pa ne, za razliko od naprimer DM-ovih, ki sem jih uporabljala prej. Barv teh elastik je na voljo ogromno, od živih do bolj naravnih, sama jih kombiniram z oblačili, tako da z rdečo obleko gre ponavadi tudi rdeča elastika.

Kika je ustanovila slovensko spletno trgovino z ročno izdelanimi O Twist elastikami, ki jo lahko najdete tukaj - Elastike.si, facebook stran lahko najdete tukaj in seznam prodajnih mest kjer tudi lahko dobiš O Twist elastike tukaj. Na so voljo so elastike v skoraj štiridesetih barvah in dveh velikostih, poleg tega pa še trakovi za lase, elastike s kristali in vezalke. Kika mi je poslala ogromno njenih ročno narejenih elastik, ki sem jih v napadu inspiracije ne samo poslikala, ampak še pokazala kako jih nosim jaz.      

Ste pripravljeni na en kup slik? Na koncu objave vas čaka še rafflecopter obrazec za nagradno igro.
1. Svetleče O twist elastike: zlata, srebrna in črna (te so manj raztegljive kot tiste navadne zaradi teh bleščic)/ 2. Svetleča zlata O twist elastika 3. Svetleča srebrna / 4. Kolekcija Tanja, svetleče elastike, vijola, neon roza, črna s kristalnim dodatkom in obroča za lase.
1. Elastika z logotipom / 2. Neon zelena mala elastika (primerna za tanke lase) /3. Roza obroč in elastika z logotipom.
1. Kolekcija Tanja / 2. Srednja modra elastika iz kolekcije Tanja / 3. Vijola elastika 4 . Bela, črna s kristalnim dodatkom, vijola in roza elastika.
 1. Najsvetlejša modra iz kolekcije Tanja / 2. in 3. Črna s kristalnim dodatkom / 4. Vijola obroč za lase

Kika je za giveaway nagrado prijazno ponudila dva obroča, 6 običajnih elastik in 4 majhne elastike. Izžreban bo en zmagovalec. Sodelujejo lahko prebivalci Slovenije. Nagradna igra bo trajala dva tedna in in se zaključi 12.04.2014 ob 12.00. Nagrajenca bom kontaktirala preko e-pošte in nato njegove podatke posredovala elastike.si, da mu pošljejo nagrado.
For residents of Slovenia only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Veliko sreče in imejte lep dan!
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Empties #7

 L'Occitane repairing shampoo
dry and damaged hair
 I bought this after a very positive experience with a sample and I never posted an actual review for this, so here we go. I had a 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, but surprisingly it didn't last me nearly as long as I would have wanted. It's a sulphate, silicone and paraben free shampoo and a lovely one at that, but the lack of soap shows in terms that I needed to use at least five pumps of product to get it to lather. It also didn't help that the pump doesn't dispense much product in the first place, so I ended up using over 10 pumps per wash for my hair that is lower-back-length. The product itself is very liquid and light, it cleans the hair well, leaves it very light and fresh. However, I felt at times it wasn't moisturising enough, I don't want to say it's stripping, but it doesn't have that creaminess like most shampoos for dry hair do. Actually, I would say it's appropriate for all types of hair, even oily. It was very gentle on my scalp and I particularly loved using it in combination with baking soda as a sort of a cleansing shampoo to get that dandruff and flakes that are stuck on my scalp off at least temporarily.The scent is something I never got used to. It's the second L'Occitane product I've had with this particular strong herbal, slightly sharp scent and I honestly don't like it at all.  It's a lovely gentle shampoo and one of the best out of SLS free ones, but my two gripes are that you need to use a lot of product and the scent. 
Repurchase: No.

A lighter sister of my beloved Oil Care treatment. I have really dry hair and due to coarseness and thickness of it, the only way most (drugstore) products work for me is if I use a lot and I leave it on for about 20-30 minutes to get the maximum effect (for someone with thin hair 5-10 minutes is enough). Used in this way it leaves my hair sufficiently moisturised and feeling nice, however, I once left it on for only 15 minutes and the effect was minimal, moreover my ends were still dry. I'll stick with Oil Care version, but it's a nice treatment for moderately dry, thin hair. 
Repurchase: Probably not.

Balea Power Volume Hairspray
This is just bad. It has no hold whatsoever, especially for a hairspray that claims to be extra strong. The mousse from this line is good, though.The scent is nice, a bit fruity, but that's the only positive thing about it.
Purchase: No.

My favourite hairspray so far. It has a nice hold without feeling crunchy, in fact I can't even feel it on the hair. It's similar to Elnett, but with a more tolerable scent, even thought this one has a pretty strong oriental scent itself. By the way, I noticed that on thin hair, this has a tendency to make it feel stiff, but again this is not the case on my thick hair.
Purchase: Already bought the full size version.

L'Oreal Elnett Extra Strong
A very decent hairspray that doesn't feel crunchy at all and has a nice hold, but it's not extra strong, actually I'd say it's closer to medium. I know a lot of people hate the strong granny scent of it, I find it a bit like a more annoying version of Chanel n°5, but I don't find it horrible, just too strong and sometimes suffocating. 
Purchase: Not sure, but probably not.

A nice, thick shower gel with lots of glitter which washes off. I believe it's the same thing as their regular vanilla shower gel and this was only a glittery limited edition version for Christmas. The scent is like vanilla extract for baking, great for those who like gourmand scents.
Repurchase: Maybe.

One of the more whipped and creamy body butters, yet still deeply moisturising. The heavier texture means it takes a bit more time to sink in, so I preferred to use it right before going to bed. It smells like Miss Dior Cherie, so the same super sugary, but sophisticated young lady-like scent. Great product for colder months.
Repurchase: Yes, if we had Soap and Glory around. Currently, I have no desire to track it down on eBay again.

Aveo nail polish removing pads
(Nagellack-Entferner-Pads)
Hated these. They removed nothing as the remover is disappointingly weak. They feel moisturising due to some oil inside and they smell lovely, like a classic tropical fruit scent they put in cheap products. Honestly, don't bother with these.
Repurchase: No.

I really liked this. It's nice even for dry skin due to a lovely creamy texture, the ingredients are nice (SLS free, has glycerine and loads of extracts) and it smells lovely, like apples. I don't know if you can get this without joining their programme, which I not wiling to do anyway.
Purchase: I can't, beside even though it's good, it's not worth tracking it down.

Yes, I know it's pointless to put a shower gel that is not available any more here.
This smelled amazing like Nesquick cocoa and I really wish it were they'd make it permanent.
Repurchase: it was a LE, but I would if I could.

A super nice shower gel that is very cheap. It's creamy and similar to Dove versions that are three times the price. The scent is generic, but nice for something that cheap. It's sold in Lidl.
Repurchase: Yes.

A nice peach scented shower gel. Though marketed as hydrating shower gel for dry skin, I find the runny gel texture too light for dry skin.
Repurchase: I don't know, but most likely not.

Have a great day!
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Empties #6

It's been only a month since my last empties post and again I managed to accumulate a double post worth of products. Again this will be in two parts otherwise I might lose your attention somewhere in the middle. As always blue text are links to either original reviews, additional information like prices, ingredients, more pictures and swatches.
I had the shade number #2 which was a bit too dark for me if I wasn't self-tanning. This is a very rich and thick BB with medium to full coverage that is fantastic on dry skin. If you're the one with parched skin and dry patches, this is great. Applied with a big buffing brush such as E.l.f. Powder brush it makes your skin look flawless. The staying power of this BB is really good, it pretty much lasts all day, in this respect it's bested only by Estee Lauder Maximum Cover in my stash of foundations. It also has a mini beautiful cream coral blush in the lid and a mini mirror. I like light-feeling foundations and I dislike ones that take more than a minute to dry/set like this one, so that was my main complaint. I did like it because of the coverage, staying power and it was great in colder months, but tackiness is a turn off.
Repurchase: Perhaps.

I used up both tubes of my absolute favourite concealer for under the eyes. It feels light and looks like skin while still covering enough to hide my under eye redness. Some may not like it because it has more of a medium coverage or they may find it too creamy, but I truly love every bit of it. I even love the sponge because it really cuts down the blending time.
Repurchase: Yes. I already went to Croatia in search of it only to find they don't sell it there any more, so I'll have to resort to eBay. 

Normally I don't like cleansing foams at all, but this one is seriously good. It feels so soft and it's absolutely lovely to use, however, the floral scent is too strong for my liking. So far this is my preferred choice for a morning cleanser, however, I'd like to find something cheaper and better smelling.
Repurchase: Perhaps.

Wonderful product. My skin loves this cleanser. It's gentle and feels rich, it cleanses the skin while leaving it really balanced. The texture is perfect as far as my preferences go, my complaints are that it only comes in a 30 ml version and the frankincense-churchy scent mixed with D&G Light Blue, but scents are subjective and my cousin informed me I was out of my mind and that it smells fine.
Repuchase: I would, but I get more bang for my buck if I buy Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm.

I don't think I can go without it in my skincare. It's a toner with glycolic acid that keeps my skin, mostly forehead, smooth and clear. Even at the "delightful holy women's days" (can you detect the sarcasm?) my skin is pretty much always clear. It feels moisturising despite the high alcohol content due to the glycerine in it. This has become a staple in my skin care routine.
Repurchase: Already did.

I love this moisturiser, this was my third tube so far. It's light, yet really hydrating, it sinks in fast and it's a great base for makeup. The scent is very gentle, a typical pharmacy cream one. 
Repurchase: Of course.

Quite an attractive sight, isn't it? This massive 400 ml pot only lasted me two "sessions". I love the idea of a wax that hardens and you just rip off, but unfortunately this isn't very effective. Ever if I went through the same area several times, it only removed about 1/3 of hair. Also there could be more spatulas included. The scent is a bit weird burnt-plastic-like, but nothing too annoying.
Repurchase: No. I'm wondering if there are better versions or is this as good as it gets?

Part 2 a.k.a. Empties #7 will follow soon.
Have a great day!
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L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream

Meet my favourite moisturiser. Last summer the lovely sales assistant at L'Occitane treated me to a generous sample (generous even by their standards) of this moisturiser, which she put in a mini pot. It lasted me quite a while, so I had a good chance of testing it out and I feel absolutely in love with it. I've been very loyal to Eucerin's Aquaporin Active Light moisturiser, but this one is even better. Due to the eye-watering price, this persisted on my wishlist since that summer, but my birthday came along a couple of months ago and I finally got my hands on it.

Texture and effect: I adore this moisturiser - it's so light yet really hydrating. It feels like a standard cream with a lighter texture. I think it should work for almost any skin type, even oily, only really dry skin might need something more. It sinks in the skin in under a minute and leaves a smooth, semi-matte finish and the skin feels almost velvety to the touch. Due to that it's the best moisturiser I've found for wearing under makeup. The skin looks so healthy after using this and in general the skin improves over time in terms of hydration levels.  

Scent: I've really grown fond of the scent. It's a herbal fresh scent that is not too strong. I don't know why, but it reminds me of summer, though it's not a summer scent. 

Ingredients: 

Packaging: That's my only real gripe. Sure the pot is really pretty and looks expensive, but I would prefer a squeezable tube since it's annoying to put fingers inside the pot and then the moisturiser is stuck under the nails, something I don't like. The pot is made of heavy, matte glass and the lid is metal. 

Price and availability: At 37€ per pot in L'Occitane it's definitely not the cheapest moisturiser around, but I truly love it. However, if you want a cheaper alternative try Eucerin Aquaporin Active Light (15€), which is also absolutely brilliant.

This is my favourite moisturiser so far for my normal/combination skin. I love everything about it, from texture, effect and scent, my only complaint is the unpractical packaging, but I can live with it. I suggest you try a sample first, they are ever so generous at L'Occitane if you ask them and I have found some brilliant products due to that.
By the way, if your skin is very oily and you need something mattifying in the morning, I also love their Angelica Ultra Matte Fluid of which I spoke here.

Have a great day!
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Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree


I must admit, I've never heard of this brush tree before a week ago. I knew some sort of brush drying stations existed, but not ones that are as cool as this one. I always used to just lay down brushes on a desk or shelf after washing them, but keeping them on the edge so the bristles were in the air. I'm aware that's not the best for brushes because you should keep the water out of the ferrule otherwise the glue might dissolve and the bristles can fall out, but that was the best I could do. Enter Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree. It protects the brushes and it's bristles by drying brushes vertically because the water can drain out. 

Moram priznati, da preden sem dobila tole stojalo sploh nisem vedela, da kaj takega obstaja. Vem, da obstajajo podobna stojala za sušenje čopičev, ampak nisem vedela obstajajo tako dobre verzije. Preden mi je v roke prišlo tole stojalo, sem oprane čopiče enostavno zložila nekam na rob mize ali police s tem da so ščetine bile v zraku, čeprav vem, da to ni ravno najboljši način, saj lahko v ročaju zastane voda, ki potem uniči lepilo in posledično izpadejo dlake čopiča.  Benjabelle Daisy stojalo za sušenje čopičev je kar malo revoluciarno pri meni doma. Ker so čopiči postavljeni vertikano, voda zlahka odteče in bojazni, da bi se čopiči prehitro uničili ni več.


It holds 14 brushes in total - 2 large,  4 medium and 8 small ones. I tried every brush I own with this and they all fit, even the humongous Ecotools Bronzer brush. The thinnest brushes tend to go a bit sideways, but they don't fall out. I have to say that this feels very well made. It's a hard plastic material that is shiny and tends to gather dust and fingerprints, which doesn't bother me, but it will some people. There is also a pink version and maybe there this isn't such a problem. The silicone grippers are soft, so they don't damage the brushes, but strong enough to keep the brushes firmly in place. It's collapsible and you receive it in a small box that contains three parts which you easily and quickly assemble together. It doesn't take a lot of space and you can keep it stored in a drawer or some place else. 

Stojalo ima prostor za 14 čopičev, in sicer za 2 velika, 4 srednje velikosti in 8 manjših čopičev. Preizkusila sem ga z vsemi čopiči, ki jih imam in prav vsi se prilegajo v te silikonske luknje v stojalu, tudi gromozanski Ecootolsov čopič za bronzer. Manjši čopiči sicer stojijo malo postrani, ampak ne padajo ven. Stojalo je res kvalitetno narejeno. Ogrodje je iz trde plastike, ki sicer zaradi svetlečega zgornjega sloja privlači prah in prstne odtise, kar mene osebno ne moti, vem pa da koga bi. Obstaja še roza verzija in predvidevam, da se na njej prah ne vidi tako. Silikonske prijemalke so mehke tako da ne poškodujejo čopičev obenem pa so dovolj močne, da čopiči trdno stojijo v stojalu in ne padajo ven. Stojalo je sestavljivo, namreč v paketu so trije deli, ki se enostavno zložijo skupaj. Razstavljen ne zavzame veliko prostora, tako da ga lahko pospraviš v kakšen predal ali kamor koli želiš.


I really love this - it's so easy to use, easy to store and feels well made. I can see myself using this a lot.

Tole stojalo mi je res všeč. Je enostavno za uporabo, super kvalitete in pospravljeno ne zavzame veliko prostora. Bo stalnica pri vsakem pranju čopičev.


Stojalo Benjabelle Daisy lahko kupite tukaj v spletni trgovini Glossy in obstaja tudi roza verzija. Glossy ima tudi svojo facebook stran, če želite biti obveščeni o trenutnih ponudbah.


*I was sent this for review/ izdelek mi je bil poslan v oceno.

Have a great day!
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L'Oreal Studio Line #TXT Excess Volume Texturizing Spray


I am in no need of extra texture or volume, actually it's exactly the opposite and I'm striving to make my hair look as sleek as possible by eliminating the perpetually annoying frizz and still keeping that bit of natural volume I have. But these texturising sprays exploded in the blogging world and normally I would disregard this trend even though I'm a hair junkie, but to my surprise I found the newest addition to L'Oreal's Studio Line called #TXT Excess Volume Texturizing Spray in Müller and curiosity got the best of me. I've read here that it's a drugstore version (won't say dupe) of a much more hyped Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish and if we're already talking about (overhyped) texturing spray, the obvious one comes to mind - the shockingly expensive Oribe Dry Texturising Spray. So how did the L'Oreal's version and I get along? Very badly, I'm afraid.

Texture: This feels different than I expected which was something that might be like a dry shampoo and volumising powder in one, but one that perhaps has some actual hold unlike got2b Volumania Volume Refreshing Styling Powder which literary feels like a can of nice smelling air. However, what you actually get here is a sticky hairspray-ish type of product with a very light hold. It even feels wet when you spray it a bit too liberally and it can make your hair sticky after use. 

Effect: It says you should divide dry hair in four sections an spray each one or just turn your head upside down and spray the hair, then create volume with your hands.  Sounds simple enough. And then the problems start. This feels like nothing on the hair - there is no hold and no "texture" as people call it. It doesn't even hold the natural volume I have after washing my hair. Similarly to got2b Styling Powder, this feels like an empty can of air, or so it feels on the first use except that it leaves your hands sticky. Of course I tried to actually achieve something by spraying more and suddenly my hair started to feel unbearably dirty and even a bit sticky. Don't even think about using this on dirty hair (like a few days after washing) because it will make it feel even worse. This is not in way similar to a dry shampoo and it doesn't absorb oils. So there are only two options at this spray: either it does nothing and feels like there is nothing in your hair, or if you use too much, it will make your hair feel dirty.  
Some of you may be thinking: Ok, but you have long, thick, wavy, dry, coarse hair and mine is completely different. True. So I have tried it on a girl with very thin, poker straight hair that gets greasy fast and it was just as rubbish. Any dry shampoo does the job a lot better, but that's just my humble opinion. 

Scent: The scent of it is strong, kind of a classical hairspray one and similar to Elnett hairsprays.

Price and availability: I paid 6.29€ in Müller.

I don't even know why I bought it. I have enough texture in my hair even when it's freshly washed. And sure, I can make volume on my hair by messing it up even without any products, but in what universe is that pretty? My definition of volume is sleek, wavy/curly hair with body and not (super) messy hairdos so many seem to be fond of and calling it "bed head" (no offence meant to anybody. Style your hair the way you want it). It's a failed purchase for me and I wish I could return it because I know it will be gathering dust in my cupboard for ages. I'm sticking to dry shampoos.

Have you tried it yet? Have a great day!
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Wishlist #10

1. Balea Summer 2014 Limited Edition 
Carambola Lambada, Mango Mambo & Melon Tango
Balea came up with another great tropical fruit limited edition for this spring/summer (last year's was so great). It includes three shower gels, two body lotions (Mango Mambo & Melon Tango) and a bodyspray Mango Mambo. I can't wait for this to come in our DMs. A picture of all here.

2. Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil
I am a serial cuticle neglecter and I never really cared about my nails as they've always been really strong and healthy (besides I'm not the one to bitch about hangnails. There are worse things). Honestly, I kind of want this just because it supposedly smells like peaches, which is my favourite scent. This might make me use it often and actually care for my cuticles.

3. Bourjois CC cream
I just used up one of my foundations and this one is the next I want. I put a bit of it in a sample pot that I always carry in my bag and tested it at home. It looked fantastic on the skin, even though the lightest shade is a bit dark for me. It's very similar to Bourjois Healthy Mix serum in terms of texture and coverage except it has a satin finish. I already have the concealer from this line and I really like it.

4. Sebastian Professional Potion 9
This is apparently a best seller, but it's the first time I'm hearing about it. It's described as a cross between a leave-in conditioner and styling product, which I really like the sound of. It has a lot of very favourable reviews on Makeup Alley, which I tend to trust the most, however, I haven't seen any blogger talk about it. I'll get the smaller 50 ml size first.

5. Phyto 9 
Nourishing day cream with 9 plants
A day cream for hair? Sounds intriguing. I read some recommendations and as you may know my hair is very dry, so and extra bust of moisture could be beneficial. Though it's expensive for a 50 ml bottle.

6. Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in Bordeaux  
I love the packaging and I love the colour, which looked like a nice burgundy in the shop. These also have a scent when they dry, but I hear it's very strong.

7.Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder
This is an equal part dry shampoo, style extender and volumising powder. This intrigued me from the moment I saw it. I hate volumising powders because they make the hair feel dirty, but I like dry shampoos and I only had those in a can. I've read some great reviews (also a few bad ones) and I really want to try it now.

8. Uniq One Coconut 
All in one hair treatment
I know, all-in-one hair treatment sounds suspiciously like a BB cream equivalent for hair, but I read some favourable reviews on blogs and it holds a high rating on Makeupalley, so maybe it's worth giving it a try. If it's not going to be moisturising enough for my hair, I intend to use it on other people anyway.

What's on your wishlist? If you had any experience with any of these products let me know, I'd love to hear your opinion (you may even save me money, who knows). Have a great day!
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Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur Smoothing Perfecting Primer

When it comes to primers, I'm on the fence. During my teens when my skin was more oily, I was rarely without Clinique's Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector (old formula), since it was the best mattifier I found. However, as soon my skin changed and got drier with lots of flakes, I found that primers only made it worse. After years of being primer-less, I tried Catrice's Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner, which was just horribly greasy, so I swore off drugstore primers. But then Garnier's Perfect Blur was launched and gained some respectable reviews. My cousin raves about it as well and I tried it on my hand when she came round. Since it actually looked nice, I decided to give it a go. I've been using it for over a month now and sadly, I'm no longer impressed. 


Texture: It's very whipped and airy, not greasy like the Catrice Prime and Fine, but at the same time not as dry as Clinique's Pore Minimiser. It feels like it's in one solid piece in the tube since mine rattles when shaken, which it's odd. Occasionally clumps of primer just shoot out of the tube when I squeeze it because of the excess air inside. I use the tiniest amount as a little goes a long way and using too much makes the skin feel almost a bit greasy. It applies very smoothly, without flaking off, it sort of coats the skin and makes it really smooth to the touch. It terms of oil control, this didn't impress me at all. I still need to use powder on my T-zone.

The blurring: I'm afraid I notice very minimal blurring on my skin. Honestly, my pores look the same with or without it. I have these two smile lines around my mouth (*sobs*) and this fills them up a bit, but that effect is gone super fast. Essentially, what this primer actually does is create a smooth (feeling) base to work on.
See on the pictures how there's almost no difference between without and with primer? (yay, wierd close up's of my skin!). I'm wearing Rimmel's Match Perfection foundation in 010 Light Porcelain over the primer in the bottom left picture, which looks decent, but it looks about the same also without the primer (there are large enough pictures of how it looks without a primer in the foundation's review). On the bottom right picture, I'm wearing NARS's Radiant Creamy concealer in Chantilly on top and it already felt as though I'm wearing so much on the skin, something that doesn't happen to me without a primer.

Prolonging the make up: I'm not sure if it prolongs the staying power of make up. If it does, it's for a minimal amount of time.

Drying of the skin: It doesn't dry out mine, even though the instruction says it needs a moisturiser underneath, which I admit I do forget to use a lot in the morning and I go straight for foundation. Clinique's Pore Minimiser always reminded me in the evillest possible way with a load of dry patches during the day if I forgot to moisturise, but this one doesn't.

Scent: I detect none.

Ingredients: Primers are essentially just silicones. They don't clog my skin, but they can to other people, so keep that in mind when buying a primer.

Price and availability: It's widely available in drugstores and some larger supermarkets. I paid 6.95 € when it was a part of an introductory promotion, but regular price is 9.95 €.

A decent effort on the part of Garnier, especially for a drugstore brand, however, I still feel it could be better. It's a nice affordable version for someone who wants to try out primers and see what all the fuss is about, but if you're looking for something amazing, you'll have to find something else.

Have a great day!
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Catrice Made to Stay Smoothing Lip Polish 060 Mission PINKpossible


I fully expected I would dislike this, after all it is a stain type of product that I never got along with, but dammit I like it. I didn't even buy it myself. I saw them the day they were released in the shop, swatched them and due to the texture I decided against buying them. But then my cousin bought one and later regretted the decision of picking such a bold colour (which really suits her despite what her other friends might say), so she gave it to me. And I honestly thought I will just review it and then it'll lay forgotten in my stash, but I think this is going to get some wear. 

Texture: It feels like a lip gloss-stain hybrid. It's not as thin as a stain would be, but thicker like a gloss. It applies really evenly which pleasantly surprised me for such a product. The colour doesn't just stick on the driest patches, rather it looks like a regular intense lip gloss. It's slightly sticky from the start, but not any more when it sets/dries.

Colour: A bright fuchsia pink. The finish is glossy and the colour is really intense. The stain it leaves is really strong and it takes some rubbing to get it off.  

Staying power: It says it stays 8 hours. It does. Well, the stain does, but the glossiness disappears in an hour or so. The stain actually lasts way longer on me. This is a picture that I took 12 hours later (the first  one with the actual swatch was taken at 11:32 AM, and the second at 11.29 PM. I didn't do any retouching in the mean time). The stain was still intense by then, though it did leave the drier (flaky) parts of the lips with more colour as all stains do. However, due to the intensity of colour, it actually looked decent enough for me if not looking  from very close. 

Scent: It has a plasticy fruity scent that actually I kinda like. It reminds me of something, I think that some car cleaning stuff. I don't know, I'm weird.

Packaging: A black tube with a doe foot applicator. The applicator has the same kind of "depression" as Rimmel's Apocalips, which means that there is enough colour on the applicator for application.
Price and availability: These are sold in Müller for 5.19 €.

Yup, this gets my seal of approval. While I dismissed them in the shop, I'm glad I had the chance to try one out. I genuinely like it, even though it's lip gloss-like and I like this shade on me. I swatched all the colours in the shop and this was my second favourite colour, my favourite was the colour Petra from Adjusting Beauty did a review of - 040 Let's Red Loud!. I wouldn't mind having it in my collection.  By the way, she said that she felt some stinging of the lips on application, but I feel none.

Have a great day!
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