L'Occitane Pivoine Sublime Tinted Lip Balm in Rose Nude

The whole Pivoine Sublime collection looks to die for (the press pictures are perfection), but I think these lip balms generated most interest. The thing is that they look similar to the famous Fresh lip balms, though in my opinion they are even prettier. There are four shades available: Transparent, Rose Nude, Plum and Rose Amber. These have SPF 25.

I got the shade Rose Nude, which looks red in the tube, while on the lips it's gentle rose shade. It's a very cute colour for those who don't like to wear a lot of colour or want a natural look and it would be the perfect shade for a "no makeup" makeup look. Pigmentation is decent and I needed a few coats for the intensity on my pictures, though the lip balm is still quite new. In terms of nourishment they remind me of Labello (Nivea) lip balms, however, these feel smoother and less "wet" on the lips. These won't heal very chapped lips, but for me they are moisturising enough.

It smells divine, just as the moisturiser. It's a sweet floral scent, which is genuinely lovely and every time I either open the jar of the moisturiser or apply this lip balm on the lips, I thoroughly enjoy the experience. I should probably go check out their Peony fragrance next time I'm in L'Occitane. 

 

The packaging looks so glamorous. It's a metal tube, which has special closing system to prevent it from opening itself in the bag. This is the packaging you'll love to display on your office/school desk.

These are expensive at 16.30 €, but you know how I say, it's your money and you can spend it the way you want, either for this fancy tube or a cheaper tinted lip balm. It think these are cool and very luxurious looking, even though they're just tinted moisturisers. 

I also got Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream which is housed in one of the most stunning packagings I've ever seen. I've been using it for the past few days and so far I love it. I'll do a review when enough time will have passed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poleg obarvanega balzama sem dobila še izboljševalno kremo za obraz Popolna potonika, ki jo uporabljam zadnjih nekaj dni. Za zdaj mi je izjemno všeč, ampak bom spisala objavo o njej ko se mi bo zdelo, da sem jo že dosti dobro stestirala.

*Obarvani balzam za ustnice Popolna potonika SPF 25, 4 g. Naravno rožnati odtenek

Prepustite L'Occitanu, da naredi vizualno izjemno lepo kolekcijo, ampak Popolna Potonika je pa zame res popolna. V njej je kar nekaj novosti, se mi pa zdi, da so balzami za ustnice pritegnili največ pozornosti. Izgledajo kot v tujini zelo popularni Fresh balzami, s tem da meni L'Occitanovi še lepši. Na voljo so štiri odtenki: prosojen, naravno rožnati odtenek, jantarni in temnorožnati odtenek. Balzami imajo zaščitni faktor 25.

Sama imam naravno rožnati odtenek (Nude Rose), ki v stiku izgleda rdeč, vendar ima na ustnicah še malo roza pridiha. Je tak prikupen odtenek, sploh za tiste, ki niso navajeni nositi živih barv, ker se da intenzivnost odtenka počasi nadgrajevati. Za tak odtenek kot ga imam na slikah je bilo potrebno nekaj slojev, je pa balzam še nov, tako da bo morda, ko bom porabila zgornji sloj, še bolj pigmentiran. Kar se tiče hranilnosti me spominja na Labelle, ampak je občutek na ustnicah bolj gladek in ni tako "moker" (težko je drugače razložiti). Ne bo ravno pozdravil razpokane ustnice, ampak za povprečnega uporabnika je dovolj vlažilen.

Diši prekrasno sladko cvetlično. Odkar imajo parfum Potonika ga nisem še nikoli preizkusila in mi je zdaj zelo žal, ker če diši tako kot ta balzam in krema iz te linije, je to najboljši cvetličen vonj kar sem ga preizkusila, pa sploh nisem neka ljubiteljica cvetličnih vonjev. Embalaža izgleda preprosto elegantno. Je iz kovine in ima dober sistem zapiranja, ki preprečuje, da bi se sama odprla v globinah ženskih torbic. 

Cena obarvanih balzamov bo 16,30 € kar ni poceni, ampak odločitev ali si to ceno zaslužijo je vaša. Meni so zelo lepi in kar luksuzni, pa čeprav so le obarvani balzami (ampak njihovi drugi balzami za ustnice v tubicah so pol cenejši, okrog 8 €).

Kolekcija Popolna Potonika bo na voljo od 23.4.2015.

Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Essence

Izboljševalna esenca za obraz Popolna potonika

30 ml,  44.70 €

Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream

Izboljševalna krema za obraz Popolna potonika

50 ml, 38.10 €

Pivoine Sublime CC Skin Tone Perfecting Cream SPF20

Available in light and medium.

Izboljševalna CC krema Popolna potonika SPF 20

Na voljo v nevtralnem in srednjem odtenku 

30 ml, 28.50 €

Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Mist

Izboljševalna meglica za obraz Popolna potonika

100 ml, 13,70 €

Pivoine Sublime Tinted Lip Balm Rose Amber SPF25

Transparent, Rose Nude, Rose Amber and Plum.

Balzam za ustnice Popolna potonika SPF 25 

Prosojen, Naravno rožnati odtenek, Jantarni odtenek in Temnorožnati odtenek

4 g, 16,30 €

Have a great day!

*I was send this lip balm, but no conditions were set.

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow 38 Golden Taupe

When I was planning to order from Kiko, these eyeshadows were at the top of my list to buy. The hype surrounding these is impossible to ignore, especially since they have been dubbed as the dupe for By Terry Ombre Black Star eyeshadows. Eyeshadows in stick form were one of my first eyeshadows ever, but back then they were dry and tugged on the lids, so I haven't bought one since. This is completely different and find it nothing short of amazing, so believe me when I say that the hype is justified.

The texture is so creamy and in reminds me of Maybelline's Color Tattoo, just in a more convenient stick form. It just glides in the eyes, without tugging or dragging and you don't have to go over the line a  million times for an opaque and even finish. This shade is very pigmented, but of course as you blend the intensity diminishes, so you have to build up the colour if you want a nicely blended look with the intense colour on the lid. It blends so well and with any blending brush I've tried, from the classic MAC's 217 to the inexpensive synthetic eBay one. 

Once it sets it doesn't move for ages. It only creases at the end of the day and even then it's not in any way tragic (I have normal lids). Their claim about an 8 hour no-transfer eyeshadow is not exaggerated as far as my experience goes. For a cream eyeshadow to perform so well, is quite an achievement.

38 Golden Taupe is a neutral taupe shade with an equal mix of brown and grey, so a type of shade I love wearing and in the same colour family as Satin Taupe, which pairs excellently with Golden Taupe. It has quite large, but sparse chunks of gold-green shimmer, which to me looks out of place, especially when the eyeshadow is blended out, but it's not too distracting and it's still a nice everyday shade.

This is one of the most impressive eyeshadow formulas I've tried so far and if you love Maybelline's Tattoos you'll love this as well. I wouldn't mind having some more shades in my collection, especially after seeing shade 06 that my fellow Slovene bloggers, Petra and Sandra ordered. I also like shade 04 Golden Chocolate that Nadja swatched here.

These cost 6.90 € and they are so worth it.

Have you tried these? Have a great day!

Models Own Gel Eyeliner

Before I received this in the mail, it's been a while since I've used a gel eyeliner. Since I found felt tip eyeliners, all others seem too fussy to use. My particular pet peeve is cleaning the brush after each use if I want a nice result. I used to own Essence's and Mac's gel eyeliner, and when I first tried this Models Own one, the dry texture of it surprised me and not in a good way.

I don't quite understand why they decided to make the formula so dry. It's very strange actually how when you swipe some product from the pot and it reveals the moist layer below and by the next day that part is dry again. I'm not terribly fond of that as I have a feeling it will dry out really fast. The thick formula and consequential lack of fluidity means that's it's more difficult to do a sharp line. It's not impossible as you'll see from the pictures, but you end up with a much thicker line because you have to fix it a lot. I'm especially having problems with creating a sharp flick. Because it's so dry, a lot of the pigmentation is lost. I need to go over the line a few times to get a proper opaque line, which means sharp edges are challenging to do. Thin lines end up looking softer because of the diffused edges, so it's a similar effect to using an eyeshadow. 

 

The one thing that did impress me was the staying power as it lasts very well on the lids. Sometimes flicks stay all day, sometimes they don't, but the main line survives the day well on my normal lids.

 Thin line attempt.

A crisper, but thick line.

I'm not a fan of the added brush. I dislike the shape of it and it very difficult to do a flick with it. It would need to be at least cut at an angle. For the two looks above I used Alverde's and Essence's gel eyeliner brushes.

I just think this is too dry. It's not useless, but very difficult to work with and I don't have the patience for it. It should be a lot more fluid to be able to create more precise lines, but at least the staying power is nice. I much prefer using felt tip liners because I can create thin lines and they are so much easier to use. 

Models Own is sold on their website and Asos. Gel eyeliner costs £4.99.

Gel eyeliner so mi poslali iz Click2Chic. Izdelke Models Own lahko najdete tukaj, moj najljubši eyeliner pa je tukaj. 

Have a great day!

Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 1

As far as hair care goes, I'm aware that I am very fussy and demanding, but I want only the best for my hair and that's because my hair isn't the easiest to deal with due to the dry, coarse and fizzy condition of it, so it requires a lot more care than average hair. Kérastase Nutrive line contains some of the by far best hair products I've tried so far, with Oleo-Relax shampoo being my favourite shampoo of all time. Bain Satin 1 is another shampoo in that line, but one designed for normal to slightly dry hair. There is also Bain Satin 2 which is meant for dry, sensitized hair.

Bain Satin 1 has a creamy formula and not a gel one like Oleo Relax. Despite that I find it less nourishing and it doesn't leave my hair so magnificently silky as Oleo-Relax, but also doesn't leave my hair stripped. While Oleo-Relax feels like a 2-in-1 product, so like there is also some conditioner added, Bain Satin 1 rinses of completely without leaving that silky layer on the hair. That's why it might appeal more to those who have moderately dry hair and avoid shampoos that could weigh down the hair. It foams very well, cleans the hair well, almost to a squeaky clean point, but doesn't make the hair feel like straw and it smells very classically clean, so similar to Nivea and the likes.

The one thing that kind of does bothers the spoiled side of me is the absence of a flip lid. It's all very old school with the screw off lid. 

I much prefer Oleo-Relax for my hair type and it's still my favourite ever shampoo. Bain Satin is better suited for those with normal/moderately dry hair or even hair with dry ends that gets greasy fast (but don't quote me on that) as it leaves nothing behind, but clean hair. If it's in your budget and fits your hair type, give it a try as it's a lovely shampoo, but for super dry, frizzy hair I'd still go with Oleo-Relax.

Kérastase is sold in hair salons (for example Simple in Slovenia) and in online shops. It costs around 20 €.

Have a great day! 

The Make Up Memory Lane Tag

I've been planning doing such a post for about a year, even had a whole folder ready, but I never got round to it. Then I saw this tag and I just had to do it. It was created by Laura from Buy now/blog later after watching Anna's video. So let's dig into my memory.

First makeup item ever purchased?

It was a L'Oreal Color Riche lipstick. I was 13 and I really wanted a proper lipstick instead of those horrid frosty-white Labello lip balms (those were the only ones available here that actually left any colour on the lips). I don't know which shade it was, but it's was a very wearable colour, a my-lips-but-better rosy-pink. Unfortunately someone must have nicked it, which left me devastated.

The shade on the upper picture is called S100 Satin Pink. 

But my first proper "haul" experience was with Oriflame. I got a couple of stick eyeshadows (gold and pink), an eyeshadow duo (lilac-pink), a stick concealer and a tinted moisturizer all from their Visions line (now renamed and repackaged. My tinted mosturiser was in a clear tube). I also got their fragrance called Sun and their Silk body lotion. 

First MAC item? 

Mac Myth lipstick. It was my first purchase on eBay when I was 18 and I still have it. Since I'm so pale, Myth actually looks decent on me, like a nice peachy nude, so I wore it a lot. A few months later I went to London and got eyeshadows in Wedge, Graphology and Contrast.

First MAC/other brand collection?

I don't have anything from MAC collections and I've never been fan of LE's (what's the point of buying something that you can't repurchase if you like it), but I bought several items from Alverde's Rose Garden collection (along with this eyeshadow, I got a blush and a lip gloss). It was beautiful because it had exactly my type of shades: mint greens and deep roses. Wonderful.

First high end make up splurge?

Oh, there have been many splurges when I was very young. Drugstore makeup was of a much poorer quality back then and it was far less exciting. Those were the years when Essence wasn't around here yet, but when it came their stuff was not as good as today. 

I think I had at least one item from each of the high-end brands available in Slovenia. My first splurge might have been either a Chanel nail polish in Fantastic or Chanel's Inimitable mascara or Lancome's Color Ideal foundation (which was the only choice for me because there were no other light shades for me in Slovenia. I loved that foundation, though).

First makeover experience?

Honestly, I've never had a makeover experience. I'm not comfortable around other people in general, let alone with someone applying my makeup. I've also never been to a cosmetic salon or had a professional manicure. I scarcely go to the hairdressers. People are usually quite surprised to hear that.

I even did my own "prom" makeup and it wasn't horrible considering there weren't many makeup tutorials back then. I wore Lancome's Color Ideal foundation, Diorkiss lip gloss in Cotton Candy (man, was the shiniest and prettiest lip gloss ever), Nars Orgasm blush, Revlon's Eyeshadow quad in Sultry Smoke and Dior Iconic mascara. I was all high-end back in the days. I miss that. But to be fair, drugstore makeup was rubbish in those days (that Revlon palette isn't particularly good and Revlon's eyeshadows were considered to be excellent in those days). My only regret is that I wish I knew that trick about waterproof mascara keeping the lashes actually curled as it would have looked better.

First makeup brush?

It was a pack of Coastal Scents brushes and I still use every single one of them. They are seriously good. I've never found a better crease brush for my eye shape than the Italian Badger Round Crease brush.

First eyeshadow? 

I got it as a freebie in a magazine and it was Manhattan's Wet or Dry Eyeshadow in 17 Caramel. The quality of it is fantastic and I still have it. It's just a simple skin tone colour with shimmer. The first eyeshadow I bought was from Maybelline and it was one of those in roller ball form (yes, those existed as well). It was pink, but on the lids it just looked like a ton of shimmer.

First skincare "investment"?

When I first discovered the beauty community I got the complete set of skin care based on the best recommendations (before I wasn't using anything). Everything was based on how good the ingredients are as well as good reviews, so I'm really happy I had such a good skincare experience from the start. I was a part of a Slovene forum called Čudovita.si and those girls gave great recommendations (are any of you my readers?) I got the Scheller cleansing gel, Garnier Essentials toner, Garnier Total Fresh cream and Neutrogena 2 in 1 cleanser/mask, I use the latter to this day. I later invested into Clinique's Dramatically Different Gel and L'Occitane's Lavender Matte lotion (which was beyond brilliant. The new Angelica is pretty much the same thing). It was in my teens that I feel in love with L'Occitane's skin care, particularly their ranges for young, blemish prone skin (Lavender and Red Rice). Oh, and I patiently waited for every new collection because I was addicted to their lip balm/lip glosses. I still find L'Occitane's skin care suits me very well. 

My favourite skin care investment was Advance Night Repair and I can't tell you how much I miss this in my skin care, but it costs an arm and a leg, plus your unborn child.

First nail polish owned?

My mom loves nail polishes, but she rarely wears them, nonetheless she got me my first nail polish very early and I was one of the first girls in my class to wear nail polish. There were two, both from Rimmel, which was sold in our DM's at that time (yes you read that right. We had Rimmel in Slovene DM's), one was light pink and the other lilac. Really pretty colours. But I mostly wore Manhattan's clear nail polish because I loved how it looked. I only realized after buying the third bottle in a row that I've been using a nail hardener (it was in a different packaging back then and it said it contains vitamins in the front). Maybe that's why my nails are so healthy all the time, who knows.

First fake tan attempt? 

I embrace my paleness and I even like being compared to Snow White, but so many people around me have a problem with me being pale. Even my doctor had me tested for anaemia like a thousand times (bimbo). Slowly that rubbed off on me, so when the first cheap drugstore gradual self-tanners arrived in Slovenia, I got the Nivea version. It smelled horrifying straight from the bottle, so I don't recall ever even using it. I then got the Sun Dance version, which I liked a lot and I was never orange or anything. (I always research things extensively before doing them. That's why people give me the instructions manuals to read first before using their electronics #uberdorkallert). But in general I'm rarely self-tanned in my life because it's a hassle and a little bit out of spite. Despite loving being pale, it means that a lot of my favourite foundations don't really fit me, so I when I self tan it's because of this or because I wan't to hide the damage on my legs. 

More Make up Memories 

First mascara: Manhattan Professional mascara. First waterproof was Maybelline's Sky high Curves and high end was Chanel's Inimitable.

First powder: Givenchy Mattisime Absolute Matte Finish Powder Foundation SPF 20.

First blush: Essence Silky Touch Blush in 10 Adorable, soon followed by Nars Orgasm, which I wore for years.

First red lip colour: Manhattan X-Treme Last Lipliner in 54W. First lipstick was Revlon's Red, but I never wore it because it didn't look good on me, so it quickly got a new home.

First lip gloss: Max Factor Silk Gloss in Mellow Pink. It was so good. Too bad they discontinued it.

First palette: Not including the children's toy I had, Sleek's Original and Storm.

My first fragrance: So...So what…? edt

My favourite fragrances through the years: Puma Woman,  Puma Jamaica, L'Occitane's Vanilla (gutted that's it's discontinued), Paco Rabanne Black XS (my signature scent for years), Escada Marine Groove and Taj Sunset, Calvin Klein Euphoria and Britney Spears Fantasy.

First "fancy" shampoo: Fructis Fortifying Shampoo for normal hair. I got a sample in a magazine when I was younger than 10 and I asked my mom to get it for me. It was the day my life changed. Before my parents were buying shampoos and they sucked at it because they were only buying those cheap 1 litre ones. 

First conditioner: Subrina, what else.

First hair serum: Avon Advanced Techniques Daily Results. Later I also used Klas Revital Silicone with vitamine E and Gliss Kur Haarspitzenfluid.

First hair styling product: Subrina Wax. My hair dresser recommended it to tame the frizz. I don't like it.

First hair care investment: Tigi Oatmeal and Honey conditioner plus Tigi's Curls Rock Amplifier. I used all of these for years.

Even before I was blogging, I posted a lot of pictures on different forums, everything from swatches to new ins. Unfortunately I was saving them on Shrani.si, which apparently deleted them, but I still found these few pictures just for the kicks. I loved displaying my stuff, but this was before I had the whole thing organized like now. Have you spotted Clarins' Instant Lip Perfector? I had it way before the hype started and didn't find it worth the price. I also miss Nivea's Toddies gel like crazy.

I hope you enjoyed my walk down the memory lane. I know I was quite detailed, but I just remember a lot. I won't tag anyone specifically, I just tag all of you if you'd like to dig around your memory. 

Have a great day!