Empties

Hello,

my vacation is coming and I would like to finish up as much as possible. This time I don't have much but I split it into face and body care even though at the first glance it might not look like that...

Mixa soothing toner optimal tolerance for reactive and sensitive skin was with me for a really long time. The big 200 ml bottle lasted me for months and I haven't notice anything special about it. I liked the pump but the products itself was nothing to talk about. I'm already using something new and I don't miss it.

L'oreal micellar water has become a staple. This is the 'new' bottle, previous one was squared and this one is round and much bigger (400 ml) so it also just like the toner, last for a long time. I liked it because it effectively removed all of the remains of my make-up but right now I'm using a different brand because I wanted a change but most probably I will repurchase it.

The third product is Avon foot works Vanilla Berry exfoliating scrub which is meant for feet but I always use them on my face. I get the LE scented ones so they make my routine a bit different. This one smells nice of berries but the formula is different. They usually are packed with rough particles which effectively removes all dead skin but this one felt like the particles are more round and more gentle which is good in theory so that way I'm not damaging my skin too much but the negative side is that it felt like rubbing my skin with moisturizer. I used it up pretty fast and I'm about to use a Coconut scented one and I hope that the formula is the 'old' one.

The tube is Avon naturals sensational Wild Berries and Pomegranate creamy yoghurt scrub. The scent really reminds me of fruity youghurt and the texture is rich and creamy with actual seed irregular shapes and sizes so they look real and I do believe they come from the actual fruit mentioned before. It really is a nice product but I still prefer my big 'horse' brush (it is round and has a strap to put your hand through, just like the ones people use brushing their horses with) which leaves no residue in my shower ;) but I will have to get the lotion in the same scent because it is so very good.

Avon after sun soothing body butter is the very last item finished this month and even though I haven't been on a vacation and wasn't exposing my pale body to the almighty Sun I used it at night to nourish my body and give me that real Summer feeling (right now it is raining outside and all in all we are having a crappy Summer so far). I liked it but it was a bit thick which probably isn't the best in the hot climate but thankfully we are having pretty cold weather so I wasn't bothered by it. The scent remind me of raw Cocoa butter with a fake Coconut scent but it wasn't to bad, very tropical and happy.

I hope that the temperatures will rise again and we will be able to enjoy in the real Summer and use up some sun lotions with high SPF ;)




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Iconic Indigo & Clean Slate

Hello,

I wanted to do something fun and using two different nail polishes within the same color family seemed just what I was looking for.

L.O.V. Iconic Indigo is a deep blue which can look black in certain light and H&M Clean Slate looked like the 'perfect' dusty periwinkle blue that I was looking for.

I have already removed both and they wore lovely, even removing them wasn't too messy. Sometimes blues can be tricky like that but fortunately these two weren't. Clean Slate might look like a Spring shade and Iconic Indigo might gives you Winter vibes but I'm always in the mood for something blue no matter the season.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

My happy place

Hello,

I know, I know. I'm a bit late with this collection but I was so very excited to see it in my store that I grabbed both products that I wanted and then it took me a while but they are so beautiful that I had to show it here.

It is Essence Adventure Awaits bronzer in the lighter toner My happy place.

Print on it is beautiful but I have to keep in my head that it will rub off the more I use it so I can't go and buy products just because I like the print. Fortunately I also liked the colors even though there were no samples available.

First swatch was made using only the outer lighter part and the second is the 'pyramid' part.
They are both shimmery, the highlighter part is more sparkly but nothing in here is matte. I don't mind it because I like some glow on my cheeks.

My favorite way is to just mix them and apply them on my cheeks. It is very pigmented so I have to be careful not to apply too much (it is not hard to overdue it) plus it is on the warm side. I hope that this Summer I will get some tan because then this one will be gorgeous.
I will still use it but I will take my time to properly blend it out. For me the finish saves it, if it would be matte I would probably pass it on.




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Radiant Ruby

Hello,

painting my nails has become a must for me like breathing. Nice polished tips with shiny color is what I like. Last year I tried bright red nail varnish for the first time in my life (I always preferred deep red) and I loved it but my sister loved it even more so I gave it to her (she doesn't have such an extensive collection of nail polish bottles like I do) but I have been missing bright hue so when I saw this baby on display I had to grab it.

L.O.V. Radiant Ruby stole my heart the moment I saw it. Elegant bottle design with wide brush combined with great formula... perfection.

My camera seems to hate bright red because I could not capture the true essence of it even though I took nearly one hundred photos.

Here it looks a bit too bright and warm but in real life is true red. Two coats are all I need, wide brush makes everything really easy and even removing it (I already wore it twice) doesn't cause too much of a hassle (red stained skin) like some other red varnishes do.

For now this is my only bright red polish and honestly I don't think I need more at least until I don't empty it  ;)




Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Devoted to Nudes

Hello,

I'm still not done with L.O.V. products and I have quite a few more to show. For today's post I decided to pick the eye shadow palette. First of all it is the very unique packaging. It is rubbery and if you like to pick shadows with your fingers this packaging will tell but at the same time it is easy to clean so we are good.

L.O.V. Eyevolution Luxurious eye shadow palette in Devoted to Nudes color scheme.
From far it almost looks like an animal print but this unfinished circle is their emblem so I think it is very nice how they implemented it into the packaging.

There are more color options to choose from (some of them are online exclusives) and I think I picked up the safest option but hey, I know I will wear it.

Lately I have been digging murky green shades (I don't wear them that often but I still love them) and this one is a great one. A little cooler but still light enough so it looks day time appropriate.

Shade next to it I think is the most unique. It is so hard to describe and even photos don't do it enough of justice. It is a mix of green and silver, not too silvery and cool maybe a little taupe thrown in there. This one is definitely my favorite but all the others come close second.

The middle shade is peachy/pink and something a year ago I wouldn't touch but since I started experimenting more I figure it out that if this type of shade is shimmery and close to my skin tone it makes my eyes just a pinch more blue without looking to obviously. If I layer it over darker browns (like the last shade in the palette) it stands out more but if I use it alone it just gives a little bit of a twinkle on more casual days.

Second to last is a warm bronze shade which has a lot of orange in it. I do love my bronzes but I prefer them to be more neutral or almost cool toned for that reason it is fairly unique in my stash. It is the kind of color that makes green or blue eyes stand out even more but I noticed if you are as pale as me it can look a bit harsh against milk white skin but I learned to put a softer brown down as a base and then I just pop a little bit of this one in the center of the lid (a soft halo eye) and I still get that focus and bright blue eye without being too harsh or being too much.

The very last shade is a deep and neutral brown, it also has a different finish. All the other shades are very shimmery while this one is closer to the matte territory but still not completely matte. It is also very pigmented (bronze shade is also very intense) and I have to be careful not to apply too much.

You don't get any unnecessary brushes but you do get a big mirror. I'm not 100% if my mirror is fine, I can't even explain it but whenever I check myself in it my face looks weird like in one of those mirror optical illusions but it is not so extreme. I don't even know what it does but it does something, I think it is more obviously when I try to capture my whole face in it. It doesn't obviously distort my features but something looks off. Again I don't know if all of the mirrors are like that or I just got a weirdo.

Now on to some swatches. They are all very shimmery just the last one is a little less glowy but still on the shimmery side.

The first green shade isn't as green as I was expecting it to be. I still think it is pretty and maybe like that it is even more wearable. I definitely noticed that I reach for it more often than some other greens.

Second taupey silver shade looks a bit pale here but in real life it is gorgeous. I do like my eye shadows to be close to my skin so they aren't too obvious especially with this type of finish because when the light hits it they sparkle like second sun.

Next peachy/pink shade is almost lost on my arm but trust me it is there. It is great for some of those barely there make-up looks when I use something lighter in my inner corners and then just this one all over the lid and plenty of mascara. If I would show you this palette after one year of use I bet this third shade would be the most used one in the entire palette.

All of the colors are very pigmented no matter if I use them with my fingers or brushes.
This palette costs 15 € but I bought it on sale for 10 € and that is not a bad price for five shadows (when you break it down like that this palette is cheaper than five Catrice singles) plus I like all of the shades which is something rare. I know I will use the first three the most but the last two aren't to shabby and I can make beautiful looks mix  and matching all of them together.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

Hello,

maybe a little late but nonetheless some empty packaging galore is in front of you.

Let's start with Balea Aqua serum which is very praised. I liked the pump system and light consistency which absorbed quickly but I don't think it was anything special. Maybe I should try it in the Winter time when my skin is dryer and use it under my regular face cream so maybe I will repurchase it again.

Next is Dove DermaSpa uplifted satin smooth body oil for improved elasticity and firmness. The scent is amazing, definitely my cup of tea. Fresh and comforting at the same time. I have been using it in combination with other body lotions but at the end I used it on its own. I noticed that it wasn't moisturizing enough so probably I won't spent my money on it again but I will miss the scent.

This big flat Ladybug bottle is Sephora's Cosy Cotton bubble bath and shower gel. I only used it to wash my body with it because I don't have a bath. The scent is another one of my favorites. The cotton flower is a nice and accurate description and so very nice. The texture was nothing special, typical body wash consistency and since we don't have Sephora here I won't get it again.

A while ago I bought two of the Eveline expert C vitamin serum - injections (it was a better deal if you purchased two and I'm a sucker like that). One bottle holds up 18 ml of product and you use the pipette to get the slightly sticky but still watery serum out of it (there is no injections involved). It smells amazing, just like real citruses and I loved putting it on in the evening. I always followed with some cream or oil and I think my hyperpigmentation faded away faster. Now I'm happy that I have another bottle which I'm sure I will use up soon.

Lush Plum Rain body wash was an impulse buy. I went there to buy some specific products but there are always some sale assistants trying to help you out and encourage you to spent more money than you anticipated. This bottle is the result of me caving in. The scent is very fresh and true to the ripe plums, I honestly love it but I know I spent more money on a body wash than normally. If they would have some massage bars in this scent I would totally get some.

Avon lavender cuticle oil is super duper old and so the writing on the bottle is also gone. It is regular oil which you place on your nails and cuticles and massage it in. I liked the lavender scent but the other day I noticed that the scent changed so I'm guessing that it went bad so I'm tossing it even though I haven't finished it up. I have the Essence Hydra nail care serum which serves me well.

Avon Foot works papaya cooling lotion has nothing cooling in it but the texture is gel like so maybe that is what they meant. I had a scrub in the same scent and I loved it, true papaya but I think I had this one a little too long. The texture become a little thicker and the scent is plasticky now. I have used it maybe three times but I will throw it into the garbage bin and try not to stock up again.

This is one of my favorite lipsticks ever and it is Avon Shine Burst Rose lipstick. For swatches check my old post here. I love glossy lipsticks which feel nourishing and glide on with ease. Anyhow I kept this baby for too long and it went bad, now it has a yuck taste but when it was new it had zero scent/taste. Now I can see that they discontinue them and I was seriously thinking of stocking up but at the end I decided not to. I have almost 30 full sized lipsticks and by the time I will use all of them up some will already go bad, it is a vicious circle and the only way to end it is to completely stop buying stuff and just use up what I have. It will be hard but maybe I can at least minimize my purchases...

The little pot is Essence Let's get it started LE lip balm which I won in a giveaway. It was clear and had a very sweet candy scent. At first I liked it but then the scent got a little too much. I still tried to use it as often as possible to finish it up. It wasn't bad I would say it was like any other regular balm. It was on the greasy side and it kept my lips soft and nourished. I know that they have a similar product in their current range but I won't be picking it up.

 The very last item is Essence ultra last Rosewood High lip liner. I still don't know why I had to spent my money on it. Probably the popularity of liners lured me in but I'm just not a lip liner kind of gal. This color is a dusty pink which I don't think looks god on me anyways. The liner slides easily and leaves a lot of color behind which really grips and it is hard to remove. I personally don't like this murky color on myself so I would always tried to put a softer pink lipstick on top but the liner underneath seemed to suck any moisture out of it. I guess that makes it last longer but the feeling to me is unpleasant so I don't think I ever wore out in public.

Huh, 10 products this time. That is a lot and there is even more to come so stay tuned.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Sun - kissed bronze

Hello,

it is finally the time to talk about this bronzer. I had the 'previous version' which was way too orange for me so when I saw that they came out with new and revamped version I jumped on it (that was last year at the end of Summer, so this one has been sitting in my collection for almost one year).

It is Catrice Sun Lover glow bronzing powder in the one and only shade Sun - kissed bronze.

The 'pattern' looks random but all of them were the same so after all it isn't so random ;)
I still find it appealing and marbled design always pulls me in.

It looks much darker and more brown than the older one which was lighter but orange on me. I had such high hopes for it...

It has some shimmer but I think it gives a nice glow, I prefer some shimmer to catch the light anyways but I guess not everyone likes that. On the swatches you can clearly see how orange it pulls one me.

I thought that with a light hand... it doesn't work. The color itself is pretty dark for my light complexion so sheering it out is just not possible. I tried to make it work but I never felt good wearing it.

It was sitting in my collection for way too long and now it is time to part with it. I would't recommend it for pale people but Essence has a lovely one in their collection about which I will talk soon (the Mosaic one).
I decided to give it away to a friend and I think she will be able to rock it.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Tempting Grape

Hello,

a while ago I purchased this lovely gloss (I think it was in the Autumn). I didn't forget about it but I wanted to use some older ones first until I would fully commit to it. I tried it almost immediately and then put it away but not because it would be so bad...

It is L.O.V.  caring volume gloss in the shade Tempting Grape. The color is brighter, warmer pink something I don't have in my collection.
The scent is barely there but nothing sweet or caramel like, maybe it is more plastic and weird but since it is barely noticeable I don't mind it.

It has the 'regular' doe foot applicator that feels nice and deposits enough product for my thinner lips, if you are blessed with fuller set you might want to go back in for more.

This particular shade has some golden shimmer but once it is on the lips I can't notice these little specks. Most of the shades comes without any sparkles so there are some options for shimmer free fans.

It carries volume in the name but if you expect some minty scent or cooling sensation you will be disappointed. I haven't noticed any volumizing properties but maybe they just meant like glosses in general make your lips appear a bit bigger because it reflects light in the center, nothing groundbreaking.

The formula feels nice, maybe slightly thicker but not sticky (I'm looking at you M.A.C.). My lips feel nourished and taken care off even without any balm underneath. I have also noticed that it lasts a little longer than a regular gloss and that makes me love it even more.
The color is a bit brighter than what I'm used to it but it is not so bright that I would need to touch it up every five minutes. I think it makes my face a little happier with just enough juicy color to look healthier and ready for Summer.
I think this line of glosses is becoming my favorite, it rivals my beloved Avon ones but I think L.O.V. put more effort into making them more long lasting (still they don't last for four or five hours) so I have to like them more ;)

P.S. Does this color remind you of grapes? To me it speaks more like Roses, anyone else?

Metal-fusion

Hello,

I'm back with some more L.O.V. love. I still can't get over the fact that this brand is gone but at the same time I'm curious with what they will fill up the empty shelf...

This eye shadow was on my radar as soon as I saw first swatches and I just couldn't wait till we get it and I was more than happy to pay the full price of whooping 10 € for it. It is one of their magnetic loose eye shadows in the Metal-fusion shade.

It comes in a glass pot with protective seal to prevent it from drying out. By no means this is a loose shadow, if you flip it around nothing will fall out but it does look cool with the stripes right? They give you the 3D effect but I swear it is just an optical illusion. I think that is due to the magnetic particles.

 It has some serious sparkles and in person is way more shimmery as it looks here.

All the swatches were made with just one swipe and they immediately tell you how pigmented this magnetic shadow is but the texture is a mistery.

It feels so soft like velvet and mushy like the creamiest mousse. I always apply it with my fingers (I like to use something more matte as a base all over the lid and up in the crease and then I tap this baby on the lid) it feels like a sin if I would use my brushes for it.

Here I tried to make a more 'sheer' swatch and the almost glossy effect that the shimmer gives is even more obvious but I  tried to show you the tone of this brown shade which is far from being boring. It has some purple undertones which is something I'm usually not interested in but combined with this rich chocolate hue it is  gorgeous. Probably one of the reasons why I like it so much is because it is not too overpowering and it only gives a hint of purple richness.

I like it so much that I bought another one while on sale for my sister (in the exact same shade) and she is also in love. The fun zebra pattern, mousse texture, insane shimmer and gorgeous color and all the factors that make this little pot well worth 10 € price tag. I wish they would make more subtle shades... who am I kidding. Now it really doesn't matter if they come out with more 'me' shades but then again, Austria isn't that far away...



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Rosey Glitz

Hello,

for today's post I have the 'new' Essence lipstick which replaced one of my all time favorite lipstick lines from them, the Sheer & Shine ones. I was devastated when I discovered that they will retire them and come out with something new, I hoped that they will be the same thing just in the different packaging but I think they did change the formula and are different.

Essence call them Colour up! Shine on! and when I was venturing into the store and wanted to try one of them I picked this shade but at the end I decided not to take it because I have plenty of lipsticks and I wanted to wait for the reviews to come out. A week later Essence PR team contacted me if I want to try some of their new products (that was back in January) and among the things was also this lipstick in the exact shade I was looking at the store so I said yes. Sometimes the stars align... the shade is Rosey Glitz.

To be honest Rosey Glitz doesn't match to the name in my opinion. The lipstick itself is warm brown and has zero shimmer or glitter. To me it looks a bit too brown in the tube but since the formula is sheer the color doesn't translate so obviously onto the lips.

The shape is uniquely slanted, it was hard to make nice swatches on the back of my hand but the shape hugs the lips perfectly and it is very nice to use.

Here is the blah swatch but I think you get to see the sheer color and how glossy it is. It does remind me of tinted lip balms and that is the formula that I love. It feels so good on my lips, moisturizing (after wearing it all day long without and lip balm my lips still felt taken care of and smooth so I think it has nourishing properties and can completely replace balms).

On the lips it looks modest since it give just a little bit of color (there are more shades to choose from, some are more unique) and plenty of shine. Compared to the older Sheer & Shine line these newer ones are more sheer (judging from the only one that I have but I have three of the S&S ones) and also glossier. The moisturizing properties are similar and they both feel very pleasant on my lips.

So if you are looking for something long lasting and pigmented these of course aren't for you but if you are more easy going and like something more creamy/glossy I would urge you to try these.

The bullet shape is also very interesting and the moment I saw them they reminded me of their nail polishes and somehow I think they look alien like (is it just me?). Cute packaging but a little bulkier than the older S&S line which didn't take any extra space.

The last bit I would like to talk is the scent/taste. They have caramel like scent but also something fruity mixed in, it is hard to explain but I don't think I have any other lip products that would come close to it. It is not very strong and once it is on the lips you can't smell it but you can taste it, I often catch myself licking it because it tastes so good ;)

I don't think I will have any trouble of using it all up since this baby has become one of my favorite, it definitely rivals their cousins from the S&S line and in my opinion Essence did splendid job at formulating these. I will grab some more of them to last me all Summer long and I will have to grab some for my mom and my sister, I know they will both love them as well.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

face palettes

Hello,

for today's post I decided to spice things up and show you something I had for quite a while now but since it still excites me and I love wearing products from both palettes I think they deserve a chance on my blog plus I already took photos of them on the day I purchased them.

They are the Trend It Up face contouring palettes. The first, top one is all matte and second is shimmery, full of highlighters.

The colors look nice, natural and I got them on sale so of course I picked up both, one don't just pass on such a good sale.

Lets start with the original all matte one first.
They made it easy even for the dummies, the names or should I say the purpose of using is imprinted on the actual product.

The half missing pan of contour powder (that happens when you are too excited to take photos and then start using it before you check the pics and you didn't notice that something is missing...) is just perfect. It is cool toned to naturally mimic the shades.
Bronze can be a little tricky since it is very warm but with a light hand it is manageable.
Th highlight shade is yellow toned without and shimmer or sheen but I guess if you have slightly darker skin tone it will look lighter, on my pale complexion it just blends in and I use it as a face powder. A bit of a fail but at least I found some good use for it.
This palette is pigmented but very powdery so I'm guessing with a constant use I will get through the powders rather quickly.

Next is this beautiful shimmery palette with three gorgeous highlighters.

First 'contour' shade is too dark for me but as a bronzer/blush topper is nice or on the eyes it is magical. It is very warm, orange-y bronze with some unique pink reflex which was impossible to capture on the camera, you will just have to trust me.
Glow is 'typical' golden one which isn't too yellow so it can look natural even on lighter skin tones.

The last, highlight shade is my favorite. It is not completely white but natural cream toned even though on the skin it is blinding (not that the other two aren't super reflective).

So here they are all swatched together and the difference between cool toned contour and warm bronzer is obvious.

The matte highlighter here comes very yellow because I packed it on so it becomes visible. I use soft kabuki brush and gently disperse it all over my face so the color doesn't even show.

I think that the shimmery palette steals the show here. They can be applied gently but if you don't slack they are the 'seen from the out of space' kind of highlighters. There are no chunky glitters just beautiful shine also the formula here is different, they aren't powdery but rather feel creamy even though they are powders.

Huh, that was a long one but that happens when you really like something, you just want to talk about it and recommend it to everyone. If you have an option I would urge you try them out the next time you are at the store, you won't regret it.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day