Empties

Hello,

we are again embracing the end of another month. I love March because of the Spring awakening but this year it looks like we will have to wait a little longer. It is freezing outside and occasionally snowing so Winter here is in full swing but I still hope the weather will change at least towards the end of the month when my birthday will take place so we could have party outside on the sun, lets cross our fingers.

First is Essence instant matt fixing spray. It sprays a fine mist and if my skin is already a bit dry it can feel a little uncomfortable after it dries (I imagine spraying hair spray would do the same, kind off pull the skin so it would feel like the skin on face is too tight) but I solve it with a little spritz of toner afterwards and it is fine. I think my make-up lasts longer and looks better when I use it so I already have a new bottle in my bathroom.

Next is another spray but this time from Avon Advance Techniques Supreme oils line and it is a duo oil (you have to shake it well before spraying it onto the hair). I love the scent that they have in the AT line but this one smells slightly different and for me even better. At first I didn't know how to use it because if I sprayed it on my tips it did nothing, I had to be careful not to use too much otherwise it would make my hair greasy so I only used it to make my hair smell great, one or two spritzes but a couple of months ago I started to blow dry my hair and I was so scared that hot air would dry them out. I remembered that I have this and now I use it on damp hair and then blow dry them, my hair look amazing. They are shiny, healthy looking, bouncy and smell great. I really think that adding oil on my hair before blow drying helps and I already repurchase it (probably some other oil would work just as fine but since I adore the scent on this particular one I will use this one).

Avon Clearskin gel purifying face cleanser is already a repurchase but this time it is housed in 'new' packaging. Almost jelly consistency had some green small balls in there which dissolved after massaging it. I think it cleansed my skin well and witch hazel help calming my skin down. At the moment I have plenty of face washes at my disposal but after they are all gone I just might repurchase it again.

Huh, this Batiste dry shampoo in Blush scent totally spin me around. First I was using the tinted ones that smelled like old socks and then they came out with scented ones and I wanted to try them for so long but I held myself back because I knew just how many bottles from other brands I had and I needed to go through them first. The first time I used this one I knew this is it. The scent is divine and I would use it as a perfume, it does have some white cast but my dirty (I hate to use that word to describe my hair color but it seems legit) light brown hair with natural blond highlights camouflage it well just as long as I run my fingers though a little. It is very strong, a little goes a long way so this big 200 ml can lasts me for a long time and they regularly reduce the price so I can get them for really cheap.

Almost there, just a couple of lip products. These two are Avon Ultra Color Indulgent lipsticks in Pink Blossom (coral-pink) and Petal Pink (cool toned pink). I remember that I order them right when they came out so I didn't quite know how the shades looks like. I actually purchase three (Tawny Rose is still my favorite) and these two rarely get on my lips. I tried them just recently and I'm not in these brights anymore and since they are over three years old and I really can't see myself using them I thought I would just toss them if I will feel the need to use bright pink I still have a couple in my collection that aren't as old and I can use them.

The very last item is Burt's Bees tinted lip balm in the shade Petunia. I have seen that they changed the packaging, colors and names so this one is no longer available and I'm fine with it. The color was a nice baby pink but when my lips were dry the pigment made it even more obvious and that happened all the time. I would use it all day long and my lips got dry and chapped. I don't care if the product is natural, organic or vegan if it doesn't do its job, in this case moisturize, then I don't like it. I still have another shade and I'm seriously thinking of tossing it away. Life is too short to use crappy lip balms that don't work, right?





Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Project Polish

Hello,

last month I didn't post anything under my project polish because I had nothing to show you but I'm still loving the challenge so I wanted to continue with knocking bottles out of my stash ether by using them up or tossing oldies that I never use.

This time there are six 'solders', none of them is completely used up but there are other reasons why I decided to part with them.

First we have Essence Yes, we pop! TE nail polish in the shade Grab this Hype. It started to separate and crack inside the bottle so it is unusable but such a shame because I love this bright and cheerful color. I need to find something similar in the store.

Next is another love but this time from Catrice and it is called Purplelized. This purple with shimmer screams Autumn in my opinion but sadly it is completely dry and therefore unusable. You can see this beauty here. If I could repurchase it I would in a heartbeat.

Next we have another TE from Essence and it is from Hidden Stories collection in the shade Enter Wonderland. I wanted almost white polish and this one was almost perfect because it is not stark white but matte formula makes it so very hard to apply that I probably only used it once and never again. It started to separate so I'm tossing it.

This is my only Models Own bottle and it was part of a swap. It is in the shade Utopia, light lilac but pastels are so hard to apply and this one is not an exception. I also probably only used it once and never again, it is just too much of a hassle for me.

The last two are a complete disappointments from the professional brand LCN. The green one is named New York Beat and the grey is Tokyo Expression. In general nice cream colors but they don't dry, well I only tried them in April in 2016 and then I never touched them again. Two years later I decided that it is time to let them go... into the trash bin.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Peach-Party! and Dare to go Nude

Hello,

I just decided to continue with Essence products that are leaving us so I won't have a guilty conscience because I already purchase some new products from the brand.

I already have a couple of Essence must haves and so I knew that they are definitely worth purchasing at the full price (around 1.30 €) but I got these two for just 0,99 € per item.

First is eye shadow in Peach-Party! and second is lip powder in Dare to go Nude. I tried one of their lip powders and I don't like the feel of powder on my lips so I'm using it as an eye shadow and it works great.

Shades are quite similar to each other but the finish is different. Peach-Party! has a lot of shimmer and it is great for the lid because it makes my look shinier and more fun.
The Dare to go Nude shade is almost matte, if you look closer you can definitely see some shimmer but it is not as loud as the first color. I like to place it all over the lid and blend it up in my crease. There is no surprise if I tell you that I wear them together and it is such a simple look but I'm loving it so very much.

Here you might see the glow on Peach-Party! a little better. It won me over when I was still in the store so I bought one for my sister and she reported back to me that she is also in love with that sparkly little number.

They might look small and cheap but the price is super low and I would highly suggest everyone to give them a go. I swear you won't be disappointed.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Love and Care/Time for Romance

Hello,

I haven't done this type of post in a really long time. I'm still painting my nails regularly but I just never find the time or the right light to take photos. I decided to use this Essence nail polish that is getting out of production just to show you how lovely it is and that it is worth grabbing it before it is gone.

Last year Essence came out with this Glow & Care line and I received one shade, Love and Care. It is not my favorite shade but it pairs so well with my favorite glitter top coat, Time for Romance, that I don't care. Sadly they already discontinued this one long time ago but if you have it play with it because it is gorgeous (if you are wondering how the hell this could be my favorite one if there is barely any usage seen, I have used up one bottle of it already and this is my backup).

I think they pair so well together no matter if I cover the base color with the glitter completely or try the gradient as I did on my ring finger (the first on the photo).
I love the formula of the Glow & Care nail varnish and when I saw all of the shades being on sale I had to take a look but none of the shades appeal to me so I left them in the store. I already have way too many bottles so I try to be picky.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Nobody is perfect, but I'm not nobody!

Hello,

for today's cloudy day I decided to talk about a product that was sent to me but regardless of that I think I would purchase it anyways. My skin is oily, now when the weather is cooler I start the day with almost dry or at least normal skin but through the day I start to be shiny and a powder is almost a must for me. I liked the Essence matte powder but I have found the Catrice matte one that I think it works even better so I wanted to put this limited edition one to the test to see which one is better for me.

Essence has this TE out right now and it is called For Boys and Girls and I think that the packaging is super cool. This is their mattifying & fixing powder in Nobody is perfect, but I'm not nobody! (they only have one pale shade).

Inside there is a nice mirror (so very convenient for on the go) and a puff which really packs the product on and it pushes it into the skin so the face looks airbrushed but if you have lumps and bumps like I do then it kind of defeats the purpose.
The shade is very light and a little yellow toned, I tried to swatch it but it doesn't show on my pale skin tone, however when I would use the complementary puff and press it in some of the powder would stick to my small facial hair aka. peach fuzz and make it even more obvious so I had to use brush to dust it away (all of a sudden not so practical).
For me this powder is a heavy lifter, it instantly removes all the oils and makes my skin extra matte but it also has its downsides. It looks unnatural and cakey when I put it on, after an hour or so when my natural oils are trying to break free my make-up started to crack really badly. I don't mind if the powder doesn't keep me oil free all day if I can reapply and it will look fresh, then I think it's okay. This looked to heavy on my skin when I would apply it and even after a while it didn't start to look better but rather worst.
I wanted to like it so badly, not only because it was sent to me but also because Essence powders works for me and the packaging looks so stunning. Unfortunately I have to report that I will declutter it and I will rather use my beloved Catrice one.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Vitamin lips

Hello,

lip products are some of my favorite and definitely hard to resist. I had my eyes on these probably ever since they came out. I love gloss and the fact that they promoted them as treatments made me want them even more.

So, Catrice made these Vitamin lip treatments in four different shades but I picked up 'only' three. The second shade looked very pastel peach and I had a feeling that it will be too pale for me and so I passed it.

First is Innocent Rose and has a barely there pink hue even though here it looks a bit more peachy.
Second swatch is Bohemian Raspberry, a bright pink that ads some fresh fuchsia touch to my lips.
Born to be Wildberry is represented on the last swatch and it looks red-ish/berry and that one is my favourite since it is close to my natural lip color it just makes it a bit brighter and more even in terms of tone.

They all smell delicious, like honey dew and it is a nice transition from your typical caramel/toffee scent. They are very glossy and shiny without any shimmer which is another thing that I like, the longevity is about average, 1,5 h after that the reapplication is needed but I'm not mad about that.
They promote them to be kind of good for your lips, all that 80% vitamin formula (it contains Q10, Vitamin C and more that 80% of Vitamin E), I thought that they will be little miracles (they only hold 3,5 ml of product) but I was wrong. After a couple of hours of wearing them my lips got dry and chapped even with regular reapplication. I think they look nice but they are not the most nourishing or the best glosses/treatments on the market. I like their lip oils much better and I hope they will bring them back.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Fade to Black

Hello,

I know, I know, I'm late to the game but this beautiful product deserves some light on here and if you are lucky you can maybe still find it in some remote stores.

It is Trend it Up Fade to Black multi blush in the shade 020 (to me it is more of a bronzer and the other shade was more 'typical' blush with rose stripes).

Maybe on the first glance it doesn't look so bronze-y but wait for the swatch photos below.

First two shades are more cool toned and the bottom ones are warmer plus the bottom one has some almost chunky glitter that made me worry.

Here they are swatched, all four in a row.

First white has shimmer and is very strong, think of a inner corner highlighter.

Second more cool toned and light grey has sateen finish.

Third is warmer and has similar sateen finish.
Fourth is at least for my skin tone very dark and extra glittery, it made me worry if it won't be too much for the cheeks but...
The last swatch shows all three shades mixed together and the shade is perfect. It is dark enough to define but not too dark to look unnatural. Glitter and intense shimmer disappear but instead all I can see is a beautiful sheen.

If you compare it to the last individual shade the mixed one has more subtle shine and looks very lovely. Not too warm and definitely not orange. That one makes one of my favorite bronzer shades in my collection.

If I swirl my big cheek brush in there I have to be careful to mix all the shades together to get that beautiful uniform shade on both sides but it also has a major powder kick off and if I'm not being careful it can fly all over me. The shades are so very soft that you have to use the softest brush ever and even then the powder will fly away. The other way is to use it as an eye shadows and when I do that I make sure that I use flat brush and just swipe it and that creates the least amount of kick off.

This product is not ideal but the shades are so pretty, individually or together that I don't mind. I will use it a lot.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

Hello,

it is already the middle of this shorter month and it is time for my empties.

I will start with Afrodota's Cosmetics Hydra Patch eye cream. I wanted to get the Hydra Thermal one that I had before but I couldn't find it so I thought that this one is the replacement but it isn't. It had that 'normal' cream consistency which absorbed fast enough but the Hydra Thermal was more of a gel consistency and had a pump. It also worked much better, my skin around my eyes felt plumped and little lines weren't as visible but when I was using this one in a tube, my skin looked the same. I haven't noticed any difference so I won't repurchase it again.

Another Afrodita's Cosmetics product is this grape seed hand cream. I don't like their hand cream formula as they are too greasy for me but this scent is divine and I have one backup left. I used this one at work with a little help from my coworkers.

Fruttini made this gorgeous Ginger and Passion fruit body lotion, the consistency was milky and it absorbed fast. It was moisturizing but nothing too spectacular but the scent is a whole new level. I loved this strong, rich and very authentic passion fruit scent and I already miss it. I went to the store only to discover that they repackaged their products and this scent isn't available anymore  :(

Bright red gloss in a tube is Avon Ultra Shiny Tubes in Apple Red lip gloss. They are some of my favorite glosses ever but this one is so very old that it went bad. This is my sixth one and I have one more left (it isn't that old but I will make a point in using it up this  year). This shade is still available in the new Mark packaging and I assume it still looks the same. It is very pigmented and juicy red gloss, you have to be careful not to apply too much 'cuz it can start dripping otherwise it looks amazing on the lips.

Avon Care gentle moisture body wash with oatmeal and chamomile extract. It smelled like warm cream if that makes sense. Very unisex and I think a lot of people would find it relaxing and comforting, it was a proper cream texture but I think it managed to wash my body nicely and afterward my skin didn't feel tight but I'm just so used to apply some kind of moisturizer that I couldn't test its nourishing properties properly. Would I repurchase it again? I don't know, it was nice but nothing exceptional.

Second to last item is my beloved Essence all about matt fixing powder. I went through countless of pots and I thought that I will never find anything better or cheaper but I did. It is from Catrice and it is also a matte powder but it costs slightly more but on the other hand it is not so powdery and I think it will last me longer so I'm replacing this Essence one with Catrice powder.

The very last one is from Isadora and it is their Toffee moisturizing lip gloss. I had a little sample of it and it was lovely. When I saw they had fifty percent off I snatched it and kept it sealed for at least four years and when I started to use it not so long ago it felt weird and the taste was plastic-y so I think it is gone. It is such a shame because I have never spent that much on a gloss (I don't remember the exact price but I know I payed more than 10 € for it, lesson learned). This year will be the year of glosses for me, I will try to go through as many as possible and at the same time buy as little as I can.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Winter Dreamin'

Hello,

a while ago Essence surprised me with this little gem. How did they know that my heart skipped a beat when I saw it?

It is from their Winter Dreamin' collection and it is a 2 in 1 highlighter and blush duo in the shade December to remember.
Blush is hiding underneath but don't worry I took some photos of it. 

On top is a highlighter that on the first glance looks like a blush, judging by the color but on the skin the base color don't show up that much.

Lovely peach shade shows a lot of sparkle which creates beautiful shimmery glow on the skin.

The blush underneath is more of a red toned shade and almost matte, in the pan you can see some random sparkle but I would classify it as a matte one.

It is a shade that I'm very attracted to it but rarely wear it. I think this type of blush looks really nice with my pale complexion and it is especially appropriate in the winter because I get that flushed look like I just got from the cold.

First swatch shows you the beauty of the highlighter and you can only get a hint of peachy base.
I can wear it alone on my cheeks and it doesn't look out of place because the peach tone isn't really visible but it does adds some warmth to the otherwise almost white sheen.

Here you might see the reflex better and it does look stunning on the cheeks. I love to wear it alone or with other blushes, I think it matches with everything.

The blush is on the matte side and it compliments the highlighter well. I also love the color that they choose since I have a 'thing' for such blushes even though I compared some and figured out that this is more red toned than anything in my extensive collection (at the moment I own 30 blushes).
I only have one warning about the blush and that is also the reason why I don't wear it whole lot, it is because it is very pigmented and therefore harder to work with. I prefer shades that are buildable but for this beauty I can make it work and I go pass that.

Thank you Essence for making and sending me this lovely product.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Catrice single eye shadows

Hello,

back in November I purchased four 'new' Catrice single shadows. I think they reformulated them in September but there aren't a whole lot of swatches or reviews available so I just tried them in the store and four shades convinced me to take them home with me.

They are easy to pop out of their clear sleeves and you can separately purchase a four pan palette to put them in. I wasn't to keen on it, the only good thing about it is mirror but that wasn't big enough reason to buy it.
I actually really like single shadows because I can some up with endless combinations unlike with palettes. I feel pressure to only use colors available within the same palette and that limits me more than I want.

If I start with the first on the left (the bronzier) is Mademoiselle Chic, then on top is Like and Subscribe (in the process of discontinuing), my favorite Chocolate Cake by the Ocean and on the bottom there is the one that is a part of highlighting range (three highlighting shades available, you can use them on cheeks for some glow or on the eyes) and is named Metallic Lights.

Mademoiselle Chic single eye shadow is very bronze and warm with a lot of orange in it and it makes my blue/grey eyes appear more blue that any other. I like how it looks in the pan but it is very strong and against my pale complexion it looks too strong for my taste. I prefer eye shadows that are closer to my skin color and don't stand out that much. Some people like bold and pigmented shadows, I prefer lighter and shimmery ones. I was honest with myself and realized that I won't use it that much so I gave it to my sister and I hope she will get more use out of it.

The Like and Subscribe shade is in the process of being discontinued but I grabbed it before it was announced. It is light grey with a pink shift but on the photos you really can't see it. For a couple of years now I prefered my shadows to be warm gold or brown but last year I started to slowly transition into cooler browns, taupes and grey shades. I blame Essence & the lovely little things palette for that change, however this one is a nice addition to my collection as I reach often for it. Sometimes I put it all over my lid and it is a great stand alone shade or I just lightly dab it in the center of my lid over some matte grey.

Chocolate Cake by the Ocean is the only color I wanted to pick up (the rest were more or less impulse purchases). It has this beautiful intense finish, on the skin it looks like it is a cream product and shines without too much sparkle (the M. Chic shade has very similar finish and feel) but what really got me was the neutral brown shade. It might look like something basic but I always love how my eye look turn out whenever I use it.

The only Highlighting shade that I have is named Metallic Lights and it is a pinky toned cream with some serious shine. I have tried it as a cheek highlighter but for my taste it looks just a bit too shimmery, I prefer more of a glow were you don't see the individual particles but on the eyes it is a stunner and my cup of tea shade. I mostly use it in my inner corners and the brightening effect is real even though I'm pretty pale this shows up and makes a stand. If I use it in such a small area then the pink tone isn't too obvious but if I dab it in the center of the lid over some other color then a little pink sheen can be caught.

Here they are swatched in the same order as before Mademoiselle Chic, Like and Subscribe, Chocolate Cake by the Ocean and Metallic Lights.

All four are super creamy to the touch and have zero powder kick off. They apply very smooth and are pigmented. My favorite way to apply them is with my fingers just because they feel so good.
I'm surprised that I like two shades that shifts pink (not whole lot, on the pictures you can't even see it but in real life Like and Subscribe has noticeable pink shift) because I was always against pink on my eyes, I still don't wear proper pinks and I don't think that will change anytime soon but my make-up is evolving and I'm trying new stuff.

I would highly suggest anyone to try them out the next time you are in the store with Catrice products. They have a lot of colors to choose from and they added some more (I'm already eyeing one or two shades).



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Space Queen

Hello,

Catrice is getting discontinued a lot of products lately and one of them is this baby. I already have one shade so on a whim I decided to take it with me to keep him company.

It is Strobe to Glow highlighter stick in the shade Space Queen Silver Rose. Normally I'm not to into pink cheeks but this one didn't look so very pink but the glow was what convinced me.

It looks so shiny before you use it so I almost didn't but make-up is meant to be used so I dipped my fingers in there and it is beautiful.

I made a heavy swatch to show you that it isn't very pink, more cool toned almost silver and then to the right I tried to blend just how I wear it on my cheeks and it looks even less pink.

The glow you get is amazing, you can go very light or you can pack it on and it will be seen from across the room. If that isn't enough you can even layer it with powder highlighter to get that over the top glow. I'm more into natural looking sheen so one light layer is enough for me. I have been using it non stop ever since I purchase it and the  color goes with pretty much all of my make up looks that I have done recently.

I received some more highlighters to test out so I will have to put it down and try something new but I don't know if I will love them as much as I like this one. I realized that I don't wear a lot of my cream cheek products, they look gorgeous but in the mornings when I'm doing my make-up I rather reach for my powder products this highlighter is an exception. It is so easy to put on and blend, it never looks weird and it is quick. At the moment this really is my favorite highlighter in my collection.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

L.O.V. and Catrice

Hello,

today I will show you another PR package that was sent to me from Slovenian Cosnova team. The bag was full and I honestly didn't expect so many products. I received them last week so I'm already testing some of the products out. All of the items are new and have just arrived on the shelfs in our stores.

First I have a batch of L.O.V. products (two or three weeks ago they had 30%off sale and I purchased quite a lot of products from them and after I will properly test them out I will show you all of the goodies). 

First item in the round pot actually belongs to their new LE called forever brows and it is a staining eye brow cushion in the shade Warm Brown (there is also cool brown shade available). I haven't tried it yet but my brows are black and I use dark grey shadow to fill them in so I don't know if brown will do it for me but I guess I can use it as a eye liner, right?

Next is a simple lipstick bullet with fantastic magnetic closure. They have come out with four new lipaffair color & care lipstick shades and I received Selma's Courage which is a brown shade. 

New to their line are blushliaison dewy gel blush sticks. Mine is in Darling Pink but to me it looks straight up coral which is fine by me because I love coral and peach blushes. 

The last item on the photo is lovillusion holographic highlighter palette which contains three beautiful shades (lavender, green and pink). They are a little out of my comfort zone but that is the best thing when they send me random products. I get to try something I would never purchase myself and often I surprise myself.

The second part are new Catrice products and the first one is Lashes to kill waterproof mascara. At the moment this is the only waterproof mascara that I own and when the weather gets warmer I like to wear them. The wand is not rubbery/plastic so I don't know how we will get along but I'm willing to give it a go and I will report back.
Next are two nail polishes, Liquid Silver lux chrome one is like a silver foil on the nails and Catrice recommends using lux chrome 2 in 1 base and top coat to be worn with it. The base and top coat feels very watery so I might use some ridge filling base coat to prepare my nails for the silver metallic one.
The last item is another highlighter but so very different. It is Dewy wet look stick and it looks like it would be clear with some shimmer. I love their highlighters in these chubby formats (I have two out of three) but we will see how we will get along.

Stay tuned for some more Catrice products that I have purchased and are in the process of getting discontinued.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day