New in #66

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Butter Blush

Plum Rose

I got this as a gift for my birthday after it has been on my wishlist for a year. Bronzer from this line is a massive drugstore hit and it's universally praised for its silky, butter texture, so I expected some amazing formula at this blush too. Mine is still new and I only had a chance to try it twice, but the formula is nothing special for a powdery product, though maybe I need to get thought the top layer. It's a classic firm texture with a silky smooth formula. My shade Plum Rose looks just as bland in real life as you can see it on my pictures, I don't even know how to describe this colour, maybe muted pinky-taupe. When I swatched it I was so disappointed because it barely shows up on my NC10 skin tone, but when I tried it on the cheeks it shows up, though it's very subtle. The shade is completely unique in my collection and it sort of just defines the cheeks a bit, giving a hint of a natural, slightly peachy, muted taupe-ish flush. It smells like sunscreen and coconuts, but it's not as strong as some report and it's just a nice addition. I'll report back how I get on with it in the future, but you can see it on my cheeks in a Instagram Story that I highlighted on my profile.

BRITNEY SPEARS Fantasy Intimate Edition

My other part of the birthday gift. This was a recent addition on my wishlist after I did some exploring on Fragrantica. I've had a few Fantasy fragrances: the original one (the old one, not the new reformulated version), Midnight Fantasy and the Naughty Remix, but I haven't had a bottle in a long time since I've outgrown the original scent. Fantasy Intimate it's the most non-cupcake version, in fact I can't detect much vanilla or sugary notes in this. It opens with the classic Fantasy tropical fruity burst, so the sweet and fresh note of litchi. Then the clean smelling musk almost completely overtakes the fragrance and it's the strongest note in this. If I really put my nose to it, there is a tiny hint of sugar, but this is mostly a musky fragrance, meaning close to the clean skin scent with just a touch of sweetness. I have to say I miss something warm in this fragrance, something that would make it smell more cosy. If not vanilla, then amber, sandalwood or wood notes, but this just lacks something. It's the only Fantasy that I think could even be unisex. Staying power is nowhere close to the silage monster that was the original Fantasy, as it lasts only a few hours on the skin. Bottle is beautiful and I'm really digging the white-rose gold combo.

MISSLYN Pretty Mermaid Rainbow Highlighter

Nowadays it's either unicorn or mermaid theme when it comes to limited editions, both of course featuring the rainbow highlighter, and though it's becoming a bit tiring, Misslyn's collection looks pretty nice. There are three highlighters, four eyeliners and a mermaid themed brushes (same that you get on AliExpress for a euro or two. They cost 6 € in this collection.) I had my eyes set on the highlighters and I was almost sure I was going to take the pinky cream one until I actually tried it in the shop and it was neither glowy enough nor cream-to-powder. The powder golden one looked fantastic and so much better than the golden one that's in the regular line, the latter swatches too powdery, so I avoided buying it. However, it was the last one that convinced me to get it as a birthday gift for myself even though I'm fed up with the rainbow trend. Unlike my other rainbow highlighter it swatches with a pink tone and the shimmer is very finely milled, so it has a lovely glow that's pretty strong, but not too much. The powder feels silky and not chalky, so overall great quality. This is great highlighter for the price and the packaging is adorable too. 

Müller, 7.99 €

RIMMEL Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick

500 Fire Starter

We have only five shades of this in our drugstores and not the shade I wanted (Blush), though this one was on my wishlist too despite being warm, but I wanted to test this formula, since I love matte liquid lipsticks so much. I originally said the formula is something between theBalm and Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream, but after wearing it a bit more, I noticed it's not in the "possibly ok for dry lips too" category, as there is some tightness present when it dries, but nothing like Sleek. It's one of the creamier formulas, or more like a mousse and it has good pigmentation like most liquid lipsticks. It dries completely matte in a few minutes and it doesn't transfer at all. The one thing that I think this lags behind some of its competition like Maybelline is the staying power.

DM, 6.19 €

*CATRICE California in a Box Bronze & Blush Palette

010 Malibu Beach Collection

A new product by Catrice for Spring 2018 and I'll just say it frankly that I don't like this. I'm used to great quality powders by Catrice and this is a combination of products that are too powdery and not that silky, so they can apply patchy, except the highlighter which I like quite a lot. There are two blushes: the coral one is the more pigmented of the two and it contains gold shimmer. The second blush is again more of a coral or peachy pink shade despite that it looks like a muted pink in the pan. It's matte and lacks pigmentation. The two bronzers are both warm, one has a yellow undertone and it's the lighter of the two and the second one has a reddish tone, which I prefer, but both don't apply as smoothly as I'd wish. The highlighter is a metallic gold champagne shade, which is very creamy and pigmented, so it's a great one for those who love the glow. I was excited when I saw this the first time, but trying it on my cheeks left me cold. Swatches are in the Instagram Story highlighted on my profile as are for a lot of the products here. I need to mention that my fellow bloggers are delighted by the quality of the palette, so maybe don't listen to me this time.

10.49 €

*CATRICE Instant Glam Eyeshadow Palette

010 It's a Match

This is a funny one. Remember those pre-made eyeshadow "tattoos" for one use? Well this is a kind of a spin-off. You get a big sponge applicator that fits the pans and you're supposed to grab both of the shades at once and apply it in a straight line with the dark shade close to the lashes and the light one on the top. Of course it doesn't work or at least it works to about half the lid, then you run out of colour and when you dip it again and try to continue the application it all messes up. So that idea is ridiculous, plus it also looks ways too weird on the eyes, however the eyeshadows itself are surprisingly nice. Not all perform the same, but the brown/vanilla combo is quite creamy and the grey one next to it is quite pigmented and ends up taupe on the eyes. The "satin taupe"purple taupe/light pink one bellow is lighter than the rest, but ends up nice on the lids, while the last purple/lightpink one is matte and more firm/less buttery, however it applies beautifully and lasts all day. They should have just made a classic palette with separate shades because it'd be easier to use, since due to thin strips it's hard to pick one colour with a brush.

7.29 €

*CATRICE Lashes to Kill Pro Instant Volume Mascara

010 Ultra Black

I don't know which Lashes to Kill version is this so far, but I had the original many years ago and I didn't not like it. I can only provide a review of the freshly opened mascara and like a lot of mascaras it's very wet for now, so I'm sure it hasn't reached its full potential yet (it took three months for L.O.V. LashSeduction to become decent and this behaves a lot like it). It's a volumizing mascara that deposits a lot of product, but since it's still so wet, applying more layers can very quickly result in a clumpy application and at me it also weighs down the lashes, but the there is quite a lot of volume, so when it dries and thickens a bit, I predict it'll be a great high impact mascara. The brush is similar to L.O.V.'s, meaning classic with thick bristles, but it's a bit bent, which I quite like. A waterproof version of this formula exists too and it was reviewed by my fellow blogger Beautysaur.

5.29 €

*CATRICE HD Liquid Coverage Precision Concealer

010 Light Beige

I'm not sure if Catrice is the first to utilise the pinpoint concealer idea, but great job. The formula is the same as in the Liquid Camouflage, so high coverage with a matte finish, but more liquid than Collection, Look, Nars and the Saem formulas. The applicator is a silicone thin tip that can be very precise and there is enough product on it for several applications. The concept itself is great, just apply a dot of concealer just on the spot where needed and then tap it in with a finger for a more natural looking effect, however Catrice has the least lasting formula of the high coverage concealers I mentioned before, so without powder it disappeared from my spots a bit too quickly, to be more specific in about five hours (Look outlasts it by several hours). I have the lightest shade which is similar to the 005 in the HD Liquid Camouflage, while two more darker shades exist in this line.

3.79 €

*L.O.V COSMETICS BLUSHLiason Dewy Gel Blush Stick

010 Daring Pink

This is L.O.V.s first attempt at a cream blush. It's a semi-sheer formula that's more on a "creamy-greasy" side instead of that cream-to-powder silicone one. You simply swipe it on the cheeks and then you should blend it with the brush on the other side, however the latter is completely wrong for this type of formula as it just removes it/shifts it to another place without blending, so I much prefer blending and tapping this in with fingers which creates a nice flush with a skin-like finish, not dewy. My colour is a bright bubble gum pink which gives that classic baby doll effect. Staying power depends a lot of the base, but on its own it's not impressing and it lasts much better is there is a long-lasting base under it. The brush is a like a mini cut kabuki, so more suited for thicker formulas or even foundations/concealers. Another shade exists called 020 Alluring Peach.

10.99 €

*L.O.V. COSMETICS Lipaffair Color & Care Lipstick Brave Nudes

612 Angelina's Belief

L.O.V. added a special collection of four nude shades to their regular LIPaffair line, which is selection of lipsticks with a classic creamy finish. Formula is very pigmented and smooth, plus it's one of those new-age formula that's thin and lightweight. Despite being creamy, it's not a moisturising type of formula which those with dry lips might not like, but it still feels like a high quality formula. My shade is a medium warm rosy brown and it's the most warm such shade I own, leaning closer to a dirty peachy than my other similar shades. Staying power is average with four-five hours on the lips, but it fades evenly.  

9.99 €

*L.O.V. COSMETICS LOVinity Nail Lacquer

264 Devoted Denim and 301 Bridal Bloom

A few more shades were added to my favourite nail polish line LOVinity, I got two, the medium muted mint green and a powdery pink, both shades that were definitely missing in their range. Formula of these is easy to work with and they outlast other nail polishes on me. I'm wearing Bridal Bloom at the moment, which is mostly a one coater with a fantastic formula for a pastel shade, but I applied two coats. Shade is darker on me than in the bottle and a classic pastel warm bubble gum pink.

5.99 €  

JOICO Moisture Recovery hair mask

This is by far the heaviest and most moisturising mask I know, in fact it's too heavy even for me unless I have completely dried up hair. It's a thick balm type of conditioner that intensely nourishes the hair, fixing the worst dryness, even the one pre-wash oil treatment can't. I had a bad experience with an anti-dandruff shampoo that not just turned my hair into a dry, easily tangled mess, but also made it brittle, so it started to break and became weak, so I resorted to this and even the first use did a lot. But this is only for thick hair and do not buy it if you have thin hair, pick the Hydrator from K-Pack line instead which is another brilliant product, but lighter.

Salma, €15.10

L'ORÉAL PROFESSIONEL Série Expert Absolut Repair Lipidium Hair mask

I bought one of these last year, I think only the packaging changed and not the formula, but I still have a bit left even though it's pretty much the only hair mask I've been using the whole year. It's a thick hair mask, meant for dry, damaged hair and it's one of the rare ones I can find that works decent on my hair. It's enough for me, though after one year I can say that I wish it's effects lasted a bit longer, but it's better than drugstore stuff.  

Salma, €19.10

DOVE Advanced Hair Series Regenerate Nourishment Hair Mask

Dove's Advanced Hair Series line has some nice products and it's a shame they disappeared from our drugstores because right now there's no hair product I would actually buy out of the ones we have here and I need to order everything I'm really interested in online. I've tried it once so far and it's one of the good drugstore masks. It's nourishing enough for my dry hair, but the effect doesn't last long, just like at other drugstore masks. Still, I think it'll work brilliantly for most people with moderately dry hair. Formula is similar to L'Oreal Total Repair 5, so not super thick, which those who don't like heavy masks will appreciate. Bad side is that I already used about a 1/4 of the pot for my lower back length hair.

Salma, €2.90

SEXY HAIR HEALTHY Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-in Conditioner 

My regular repurchase. I was without this for a while because was trying to use up one of my miss purchases and the health of my hair went into a decline, so I'm sticking to using this every time I wash my hair. It adds an extra boots of moisture, help the hair from drying out too fast and it also tames it a bit. This latest bottle has a thicker texture than the ones before and the spray doesn't create a nice mist because of that, so I'm not happy with this change.

Salma, €12.30

REDKEN Extreme Anti-Snap

Another repurchase and one I make as soon as I notice too much damage on my hair. It's a protein treatment that helps the hair become stronger, therefore it breaks and splits less. It's a light lotion type of product that doesn't feel heavy, so it's appropriate for most hair types.

Salma, €17.90

BATH & BODY WORKS Twilight Woods Body Mist

I found this one Salma, but it was discontinued for a while and I think now it's back at BBW (possibly just for a little while). It's my third BBW mist and the most long-lasting one, though it's again not quite like proper fragrance. Based on my exploration on Fragrantica this seems to be one of the most popular BBW scents and it definitely does seem like a crowd pleaser for all of those who love cosy, wintery scent's I can describe it is woody, musky, a tiny bit coconutty and vanillary, but not in a sugary sweet way like Pink Sugar, instead it's a more creamy fragrance. BBW mentions mostly fruity notes, but there's nothing fruity in this. Definitely a lovely scent that I only liked at first try, but now I just crave spraying it on myself when I don't have a bottle around because it's soo good. Recommended for all who love warm, cosy scents.

Salma, €13.10

I got a few samples on Salma like I always do, since I just love trying new fragrances:

Vera Wang Princess 

Why was this so popular in the past? I remember when I was researching teenage Fantasy like scent that this was often mentioned, but I detect only a strong fresh guava note and no chocolate or vanilla that everyone was mentioning. Not a fan. Notes.

Vera Wang Lovestruck

This is a very simple shampoo type of scent. It's a light floral fruity scent with guava as the most easily spotted note, but the rest is more blended together and it really does come off as a Fructis/Herbal Essences/soapy type of scent. I like it and would consider buying it. Notes.

Versace Crystal Noir

I knew how this smells before, but I'm delaying buying a bottle for myself because I'm too cheap, so I got a mini sample to hold me for a while. It's one of the best fabric softener like scent that is quite a warm and spicy clean scent with note of cardamom and pepper present on a more creamy clean base. Coconut is supposedly the strongest note here, but I don't detect it as a classic sunscreen variety, it's more creamy with calming notes of sandalwood toning it down. I think the name is terrible here as it invokes a dark, sultry scent with heavy patchouli and vanilla notes, but this is the opposite of it. Notes.

Valentino Donna

I love the initial burst of this as it smells just like a department stores with its mix of a waxy lipstick scent and a mixture of all the fragrances, but then the annoying strong patchouli kicks in and ruins it. It's like you'd mix a classic lipstick scent (that floral iris scent that Guerlain has) with Paco Rabanne Black xs with an even stronger patchouli note. Without it I'd be brilliant, but it's a no buy for me. Notes.

CADEAVERA Soft Panda Sheet Mask

My first CadeaVera sheet mask to try. Balea recently released both a panda and tiger masks, but since Balea's sheets are so thick and uncomfortable, I'm giving this version a try instead. Based on ingredients it's a simple moisturising mask with almond oil high on the list.
Sheet: feels a lot more like paper than most soft sheet masks and this is quite rigid, especially on the black painted parts. Due to that it doesn't stick to the skin in some places like the ears. It fits ok and it's not too large, it fine around the eyes and mouth.
Essence: is milky, light and mostly non sticky, except when I used the rest of the essence in a thicker application and when it started drying it was a bit sticky. There is plenty of essence left in the bag, but that's because the sheet doesn't absorb that much essence.
Scent: this has a very heavy fragrance, so those sensitive to that you won't like it. It smells like freshly mowed grass or like sorrel (kislica).
Effect: it promises to moisturise and that's what it does. It does the job of a nice moisturiser and I overall liked the results. The sheet is not that comfortable (I took it off after 20 minutes, while I usually keep them on for 40), but it's fun and it does what it promises.

Ingredients.

Müller, 1.95 €

BALEA Duschschaum

Hawaiian Dream

My second version of this lovely shower mousse, the other was Fresh & Fruity. This one surprisingly doesn't smell neither as coconut nor tiare flower. I expected the same scent they have in after sun gels, but this is a gently floral clean scent. I'm like it regardless and the texture is again so lovely with its dense foam.

DM, 1.49 €

AVEO Med Milde Pflege Duche

A repurchase. I just love this both for being a gentle pH friendly shower gel and for smelling like camomile. 

Müller, 1.45 €

ESSENCE Wood You Love Me Makeup Sponges

I've mentioned these in my last favourites, but in short they are brilliant makeup sponges that are just like those in cushion foundations and the blend the foundation/concealer seamlessly. I've been using them every day since I got them. They are a part of the limited edition, but even if you miss it, these sponges are sold on AliExpress and eBay. 

Müller, 2.19€

Have a great day!