New In #34


ESSENCE I Love Extremes Volume Mascara Waterproof
I was very impressed by the Lash Mania waterproof mascara that I bought a couple of months ago, but just as I found my favourite drugstore mascara, Essence discontinued it. This one appears to be a sort of a replacement for that one and I just had to try it. I loved the volumising effect of the non-waterproof version, but my lashes do not hold a curl with a normal formula, so I'm delighted they came out with a waterproof version. I flipping love this mascara! It gives tons of volume, doesn't clump up the lashes even though it's new, it gives tons of length, holds the curl all day, doesn't flake or smudge - it's near perfect. 
DM, 2.99 €

CATRICE Nail Lacquer 
18 Bloody Mary To Go
I had an idea for a reds inspired post and I when I went through my stash for the products, I realised I don't even have the most classic, cool toned red nail polish. I never even had one. I have Essie's Really Red, but that one is already brighter and warmer. I compared a ton of nail polishes that looked almost the same, but I choose this one because that's what others picked from the ones I showed them and I'm quoting the reason :"Because that bottle looks the biggest". Classic. I had this nail polish on my wishlist eons ago, but for the longest time I was sure it was discontinued. I guess it's back on popular demand. It's a lovely classic red with a good formula. I'll can see myself wearing it loads. 
DM, 2.59 €


EBELINE Concealer Ei 
Concealer Eggs
These were so darn cute, so I really wanted to have them, but I did ask around before if they are any good. Even dry, these are very soft and bouncy, way more than any sponge I tried. I like the size of these because I just feel that all those big sponges are too much for my small face even if they have a pointy tip. They expand to about 30%, fit perfectly and blend well enough, but I've never been a huge fan of sponges anyway. They drink up some of the concealer and foundation, but it's not that bad. I like this for the finishing touches as it creates a much more natural look, which comes handy at high coverage stuff. They wash ok, I use regular bar soap as with everything, though it's hard to get them completely clean. 
DM, 2.95 €


MAC Lipstick Samples
Diva, Rebel, D is for Danger, All Fired Up and Patisserie
Boy have these become expensive! I have tons of them already, but I haven't ordered any new ones for a really long time. At first because they switched to pots instead of tubes and then because the prices grew. But they had 40 % off and the prices were finally a lot more reasonable. I got a deep vampy red Diva, the purple Rebel, the perfect red-purple D is for Danger, the warm pink All Fired Up and the classic "wedding" nude Patisserie. I really wanted Brave, but apparently they don't sell it. I was most looking forward to Rebel because I hoped it's the perfect warm purple, but as I suspected it's very violet purple on me, however D for Danger turned out to be all that I ever wanted. All Fired Up is amazing as well. I'll post a proper review post, but you can see swatches on my hand here with D for Danger on the lips and here are the two previous posts of these TBN samples: 1 & 2
The Body Needs, $4.99 in a tube


MAYBELLINE The Eraser Concealer
03 Fair
Thanks to Petra (Adjusting Beauty) I got a back-up of my favourite concealer. I just properly reviewed it a couple of weeks ago after nattering about it relentlessly for three or four years and this is actually my fourth or fifth tube. For those who haven't read any of my dozens of posts where I mentioned this - it's a medium coverage concealer that looks incredibly natural on the skin and has a sponge that does most of the blending for you already. 
DM Austria, 10.45 € (one of my readers tells me that it's a lot cheaper in Italy, where it's 8.5 €)

In the spirit of buying back-ups, I got another one of these, which I once described as my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". It's a very, very rich pre-wash treatment that transforms my dry mop into decent hair. Wonderful stuff. 
E.Leclerc, 6 €


AUSSIE 3 Miracle Oil Reconstructor
I saw this on some German girl's Instagram and I never dreamed this will be sold here. But it is! I'm still astonished. I didn't hesitate before putting it in my basket, especially since we ran out of our "household serum/oil", but I of course checked the ingredients first. It's a classic silicone serum with oils, just like Moroccaoil, Orofluido and others. First two ingredients are silicones, which are then followed by fragrance (not the best thing), jojoba, avocado and macadamia oil. It doesn't smell typically Aussie, but it's a sweet fragrance that it reminds me of a mix of vanilla and strawberry ice cream with a bit of bubble gum. The formula is light, similar to Kerastase Elixir Ultime, so it should work for most hair types, but don't expect extra special nourishment. It's pretty basic as far as serums go, but nice. I've used it on both dry and wet hair, and so far I like it. It's not Orofluido, but decent, especially for the price and I like it way more than Garnier's. The packaging has a handy pump, however, the cap won't stay on for some reason.
Műller, 8.99 € (100 ml)

NIVEA  3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water
I heard tons of good things about this, but also some bad, anyway it had a nice discount, so I decided to try it. I've tried a lot of drugstore micellar waters and this one didn't blow me away. It doesn't stand out in any way. It again feels like water, doesn't have a scent and it removes non-waterproof makeup ok enough, but mascaras seem to be an issue with this. Some say this is the best drugstore version micellar water they tried, but to me it's just one more on the market. It takes three cotton pads for my face to be clean of makeup and that's average. I kind regret not buying the Green Line one or just finally getting Bioderma again.
DM, 3.99 €


*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro 32 Jewels and Riches Collection Eyeshadow Palette
When it comes to Makeup Revolution and MUA, I don't really follow current events, even though I follow them on all social media, so I missed this launch as usual. Freedom Makeup is apparently a sister brand to both of these and I have to say that my eyes nearly rolled out of my scull because, I mean come on, it looks exactly the same as MR. The quality is the same as is the packaging, so what is the point of creating yet another brand, but just calling it professional. Rant over, I know I'm a super grumpy annoying person, but this palette is basically any MR palette, which means that the quality of eyeshadows varies, but they are mostly nicely pigmented and soft, the matte eyeshadows can be a bit chalky, but I've tried far worse. The range of eyeshadows is good, though that's not so hard to do when you have 32 places to fill. You get some nice neutrals and some bold shades. For the price this is a pretty decent palette and I've been using it quite a lot, which I didn't expect to.
Ličila.si, 10.95 €

*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro Blush Palette 
Pink and Baked
My first ever blush palette and the first time I've tried these "cheapy" blushes. Again the quality varies, but all in all, these are not bad at all. Some are very creamy and pigmented, like the bottom left (peachy-pink) and bottom two right ones (peach and plum-pink), but the second on the left (fuchsia) is the most disappointing as it's the lightest on the skin. The highlighter is waaaay too shiny and I think that even the most hard-core glow lovers will find this only appropriate for a sci-fi cosplay. I swatched all the shades here
Ličila.si, 8.95 €

*FREEDOM MAKEUP Pro Lipstick 
Pro Red 108 Expression
I'm still not impressed by these cheap lipsticks. This one swatches quite sheer and surprisingly pink, but on the lips is a cool toned red. It needs a few layers for full coverage, which is not a big deal and it's more on the glossy side. It's nice if you want to try a cheap red for the first time, but reds enthusiasts will find it's not the best. 
Ličila.si, 1.95 €
 

 *BORN PRETTY Bottom Eyelash Mascara
I wasn't planning on getting anything from BP, but when I saw this, I just so wanted to try it. Clinique's version is so expensive and I always manage to mess up my lower lashes with all those clumsy huge wands (is it just me, or are they getting bigger with each new launch), so I'm glad a cheaper version exists, though this one isn't super cheap if we're honest. The brush is indeed super tiny and it catches every lash. It doesn't deposit a lot of product, but it's more of a mascara that adds colour, so the lashes stand out more. It claims it's waterproof, but my test revealed otherwise. It wasn't running, but it also wasn't completely clean under the eyes. I've been using it daily, since I got it, but I don't consider it as an essential item. I adore the polka dot packaging, it's so cute.
Born Pretty, $7.15 (currently 4.99 $)


*SAPPHIRE 8 in 1 Complete Curling Wand
I never except anything so expensive for a review, let alone a product from outside of EU due to insane custom changes (I had to pay 40 €!), I've actually written so many rejection e-mails that I have a pre-written form, but I was sooo excited about this curling wand. It has eight different barrels, so it's super versatile and it's a huge step up from my old Remington curler. I've been using it for the past 3-4 weeks and I reached a point where I'm basically completely in love with it. I hate to say that about a product that is so flipping expensive, but I do and I feel stupid for not having something similar before, but to be fair you can't get anything like in Slovenia (I think). It shows in real time the wand is heating up (it can be set to both °F and °C) and it's so much lighter than my Remington, plus there is no annoying clamp (such a useless thing). The temperatures can be set as well, from 180° to 210°, I use 200° as always and my curls last for days (proof here, last day of these same curls is here). Even though it's an US product, it has dual voltage, so you can use it in the EU, but you'll either need an adapter or like I did, change the plug.
I've made a big deal out of the review, even going as far to show you the results of five barrels, so if you're interested make sure you don't miss it. As another preview, here I used the pearl and the 3.8 cm one and here are third day curls with the spiral one on the first look, but it isn't my favourite and again the 3.8 cm on the last look: 

Life Update
From September you can read me on another blog because I became a blogger for a Slovene online shop Click2Chic. I write in Slovene there, but you can still check out the pictures. I'll get a lot a products to swatch plus do a short basic review of, and it's a completely separate thing from my blog, so I'm not paid for posting here, but I'm allowed to post about them here if I choose to. I've been holding back this past months and didn't include anything from my job here, which was so hard as I actually love a few products, but I don't want it to look like I'm being sponsored by them and I want you to understand that they have zero influence over what I post here. I was thinking of doing these kinds of New Ins and posting reviews of only the things that I loved or just feel that you'd be interested in. But if you don't want me talking about those products here, I won't do it and reviews in Slovene will be on that blog anyway. Just please let me know what you think about this in the comments. It's important to me that we keep our trust. You can check what brands they have here, but they sell stuff like Milani, Physicians Formula, Revlon, BH Cosmetics, Models Own,…  so that's what you can expect from future reviews. These next things are all from C2C, but next time I don't plan to talk about every single thing I get. 
By the way, I don't post just reviews there, but also "Pinterest inspired" tips, such as this post about concealers, which I just so enjoyed making. However, not all posts there are mine. 


I actually already have one of these that I bought myself a while ago and I post it quite regularly where I want the picture to look pretty. I wasn't happy with the pigmentation from the start, but once the top layer is gone, it gets a lot better (you'll see it on my cheeks, how pigmented it is now). The flush it gives is a classic warm pink, so that I-just-came-from-the-cold one and gives you those cute cheeks. Apparently it has a: "Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress." *rolls eyes*  I trust you're smart enough not to fall for this, though admittedly it does make me happy when I look at this gorgeous beauty. I remember it had a floral scent, but it's all gone now (I didn't open the new one). It has an added compartment under the blush that hides a handy mirror and a brush - You'll see this is a recurring thing in PH blushes and it's a brilliant idea, though the brushes aren't the best. My packaging is still broken and the blush part just flaps around, which is super annoying, but I saw on the Argan bronzer, which has the same type of packaging that there the closing mechanism works, so it must just be my Booster that’s broken. 
Click2Chic, 15.90 €

*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Super BB All-in-1 Cheek & Lip Beauty Balm
Berry Pink
They made an EOS inspired sphere blush in lip colour - not bad. Again this one promises all sorts of things apart from making you coffee in the morning, but all the exaggerating aside, it's medium neutral pink cream blush. I'm reluctant to call it a lipstick, not because it doesn't work, but as usually when they try to do both, as a lip colour it ends up a bit drying. The colour is pretty, girly and a light almost Barbie pink on the lips that is semi-transparent, but I'd use a chapstick under it. On the cheeks in performs better and creates those bubble gum pink cheeks. The sphere packaging is so cute and great for travelling. 
Click2Chic, 8.91 €

*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Nude Wear Glowing Nude Blush
Rose
Sweet Jesus lawd, this is so gorgeous in person! I was actually going to order something from Nude Wear myself just because those things are so pretty and then I got the news, I'll be testing this out, but I had no idea it's actually so well made. The packaging is beige faux leather in inside it's a pink satin, while on the other side it's again a nicely sized mirror and a brush. And the final touch - a rose gold bow. The definition of perfect packaging people. The blush itself is made out of fours shades, two are warm and two are cool, there is a silver overspray on the letters, but it goes away with one as and the letters disappears soon as well. The texture of this blush is medium soft, but I'm still at the top layer. The colours are all light and mixed together create a cool toned, almost violet-pink shade that's more on the sheer side, but shows up well on my porcelain complexion. If you like blushes like Essence's Adorable, which is more for people who are scared of wearing too much or are very pale, this will work for you. 
Click2Chic, 15.90 €


*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil
This is 100 % argan oil and that's basically it. I've used argan oil before in my skincare and it saved my skin when I had the worst case of dryness in my life (my cheeks were rough like sandpaper). I also used it on my hair as a pre-wash treatment as it's great for really dry hair. Basically you can use it almost everywhere. The packaging has a dropper with which you can precisely administer the desired amount. I guess the selling point of this exact one would be that it's completely scent free, which is the first such oil I've tried, since argan oil does not have the most pleasant scent. 
Click2Chic, 19.90 €

*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Bronzer
Light Bronzer
A bronzer that's infused with argan oil and is just stunning to look at. It is a mix of three tan colours and the gold glitter bits are again just an overspray. It has a very strong oriental scent that I could smell even before I unwrapped it, but I really like it as I just love scented stuff, however, if you don't like scented makeup, this really isn't for you. It doesn't smell on the face, just in the packaging. The texture is a lot softer than at Happy Booster and Nude wear, I'd almost describe it as buttery, which also means that the pattern will be quickly worn off. I was really concerned about this one because it swatches golden yellow with a sheen and from the start with huge gold glitter particles due to the overspray. Yup, totally unexpected. But it actually works one me, well at least once the huge glitter chunks are gone. I don't know what kind of sorcery this is, but I think I really like it, not as much as my Estee Lauder one, but considering I hate most bronzers, liking this one is surprising. However, I have strong doubts this would work on many people because for one, it's very light for a bronzer, it's also shimmery-glowy and it's very yellow toned. Maybe people with darker skin tones could use it as a highlighter. 
Click2Chic, 17.90 €


 *PHYSICIANS FORMULA Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Blush
Rose
This looks a thousand times better in really life than in any picture I've seen. The packaging is on point - red satin covered with black fishnets, it's just perfect burlesque-inspired box. It never convinced me when I was looking online, but now that I've seen it in person, it'd be my first choice also because of the shade, not just the packaging as at Nude Wear. The blush is a mix of two shades - a shimmery pinky-peachy colour and a shimmery hot pink that is in the centre (it's not just an overspray). It's my favourite product in this Physicians bunch because it has the glow and I mean a proper one, not like Max Factor's Lavish Mauve, but the real deal, like Benefit's Coralista. It actually showed up on my pictures, which is unheard of. The fine shimmer in it is ice gold colour, so it doesn't end up looking too cool or too gold. It's lightly scented of vanilla and it again has a mirror plus a brush in the back. 
Click2Chic, 15.90 €

*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Sexy Booster Va Va Voom Volume Mascara
This is without a doubt the most gorgeous packaging of a mascara I've owned. It's similar to Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen Sexy Blacks as both have lace details, but not in other respects. It has one of those big plastic brushes, like Max Factor's False Lash Effect and Cover Girl Lash Blast and surprisingly I like it more that the Instant Lash Extension kit below. It's not waterproof, so it doesn't hold a curl on me, but that's not important to you, however, it creates a lot of volume for such a mascara, especially considering it's new. The first coat is a bit shy, but the second and third give you nice voluminous lashes. If you like mascaras such a MF False Lash Effect (original), you'll like this as well.
Click2Chic, 14,90 €

*PHYSICIANS FORMULA Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit
Hmm… this is a mascara that I feel needs a very long review with every aspect explained in detail because it's a bloody hard mascara to use. I've had fibre mascaras, but this is nothing like I've tried before. The fibres actually come separate and they are dry, so it is vital that you first apply a thick and wet coat of mascara, then quickly apply the fibres so they stick to the lashes and then seal them with another coat of mascara. Using this mascara has been a trial and error, I've got a horrendous result and I got a nice one, basically it's a mascara that you have to learn to use. I read reviews about it and they are very polarised, but it seems to me that mostly girls with short, stubbly lashes like this and I get why. To get the important question out of the way - does it work? Yes, it does, you get a lot of fibres on there, but if you're not very careful you'll get clumpy, spidery lashes. You are applying something a lot more substantial than just mascara, plus a very wet, thick mascara on which the fibres stick, so it can get messy. I’d also suggest you stick to just one coat of fibres, I did two once and it was just like spiders are crawling out of my eyes. So don't do that, I do stupid things like that, so you don't have to. The fibres go everywhere if they don't stick on a wet enough coat of mascara and they can get in the eye, which isn't terribly pleasant (contact wearers don't use this. I made this mistake just once in my life). But once you master the application, you get some nice results. The formula also promises to make your lashes longer and fuller in time. 
Click2Chic, 23.90 € 


 *ESSENCE Sheer & Shine Lipsticks
01 My First Love, 04 Hidden Secret and 07 Sparkling Miracle 
Essence discontinued their original line of lipsticks which have been around since the beginning and upgraded them to these. As the name suggests they are sheer and with a shiny finish, so they are those lip balm/lipstick-lip gloss hybrids and I think they are better than the one before, which didn't really set the bar that high. I got three shades: 01 is super nude when you build it up and I'm just not feeling it on me, concealer nude years are thankfully gone. 07 is the darkest and it's a cool toned fuchsia that I also don't dig on me, but 04 is such a flattering nude. It looks ugly brown in the tube and I'd never pick it up, but on the lips it looks pretty and a great office/school/everyday shade. They again don't last long on the lips. 
Click2Chic, 2.20 €

*ESSENCE Liquid Lipstick
04 Show Off!
Essence's version of those liquid lipstick-lipgloss hybrids. They are the thickest version I've tried, but luckily not sticky, they are very pigmented and have a high shine finish. The shade is a pretty bright coral-red. I don't like it as much as L'Oreal's because those are sooo comfortable to wear, but these definitely pack a punch and they are of course a third or fourth of the price, so go for it if you want.
Click2Chic, 2.79 €


*REVLON Matte Balm
255 Enchanting
I'm actually not supposed to talk about this yet, but it's coming soon on the virtual shelves of Click2Chic. I already have Unapologetic and I love the formula of these. This is one of the brand new shades for Fall 2015 and if you'd like I can post a review of it here once it's posted on the other blog. 
Click2Chic, 10.89 €

*REVLON Photoready Prime + Anti-Shine
You might have seen the adverts for this already, but it's a primer in form of a balm. They decided to put it in a compact, so it's easier to carry with you for any touch ups, which is not a bad idea, except that's you'll be applying it over existing makeup, but since it's clear it should be fine. It promises to reduce pores, combat shine and prolong makeup. It's very light and feels very silicone-y, so creates that velvety layer on the skin and it mattifies very well, that's a plus, but does only a half of the job of disguising pores (compared to Infallible foundation), though the foundation does look better over it. So far I like it, but I don't think it'll knock my trusted Max Factor off its throne, however, people with oily skin will probably prefer the Revlon one.
Click2Chic, 13.59 €

*REVLON Photoready Kajal
350 Matte Expresso
I'm really digging this pencil. It's soft, it transfers well on the waterline, it's not harsh at all when you're drawing with it on the eyes and can be easily smudged if you want to. The staying power is insane. I applied it at 11 am in the waterline and checked again at 11 pm and it was still there. You don't want to know when took my makeup off and I went to sleep, but it was still hanging in the waterline. I'd say less than a half was gone, but from far away the effect was still the same, so pretty damn good. The colour is a deep cool toned brown that is a great alternative to black. 
I think this is also new and not yet on the virtual shelves of Click2Chic.


*LIP SMACKER Disney Frozen
Elsa (Cool Vanilla Mint) and Sven (Berry Slush)
I actually had my eye on these for a while because they are so adorable and Elsa was the one I wanted most and the second was Olaf because it supposedly smells like Coconut Slushy, but I'm happy I got Sven nonetheless because Berry Slush sounded great as well. Elsa smells to me like coffee and there is not a trace of mint or vanilla (I really don't like coffee), while Sven smells fruity, like cherry-berry candy and it's mint green which makes me happy. The formula is classic for Lip Smackers, so soft and not as waxy as Labello/Nivea. I get why these are so popular in the USA.
Other scents/tastes: Elsa & Anna (Chilled Cranberry Grape), Anna (Strawberry Shake) and Kristoff (Ice Pop). You can get all in a box or individually.
Click2Chic, škatlica 9.99 €, posamezni (druge verzije) 2.49 €


*DEBORAH Smalto Gel Effect
49, 52, 54 and 58
These are new colours and you may remember how much I adore shade 01. It's the same gel formula that is just so nice to apply. I got four shades to swatch:
49 Peonia Pink is a pastel Barbie/bubble gum pink. Formula isn't as good as at the rest, but good enough considering it's a pastel.
52 Starlette Violet is a Milka chocolate violet. It's a one coater with a very smooth formula.
54 Amaranto is a muted red-vine colour with a retro feel. Needs two coats or even just one if you're lucky on some nails.
58 Cinnamon Suede is an olive green. Needs two coats. 
I don’t' have a single colour that would be similar to any of these. Essence's Forgive me comes kind of close to 49, but it's a warm pink.
Click2Chic, 5,75 €


*CREATEURS DE MONOI Face Cream
Some of you might know of my love for L'Occitane Angelica face cream, but my skin has been enjoying this one just as well. It contains monoi oil, which is basically just coconut oil that had monoi flowers soaking in it for a month, so if you find that coconut oil is blocking your pores, this won't be for you. But my skin loves coconut oil, I use it as makeup remover and it makes my skin look so good. This cream does the same thing. It's quite thick or maybe I should say medium consistency, it takes longer to sink it that L'Occitane's and it also doesn't have silicones as that one, but it still works well under foundation. It has this lovely, indescribable scent that reminds me of Yves Rocher skincare. Does it make my skin smooth? Well, I don't have any dry patches and no spots, so yeah my skin is smooth. I've been using it for over a month now and my skin is in a really nice state, so I kind of really like this.
It's made by the same company as Yummy, so some German company and I don't know where else you can get this. 
Click2Chic, 12 € 
Review (includes ingredients)


*THE SCENT MANUFACTURE Extra Nourishing Body Lotions
Vampire Saga, Cashmere Sensation, Madagascar's Treasure and In Love
These look way more expensive that they are, but they are scented body lotions. They're not lotions in a true sense of the word because they are thankfully thicker and remind me of body creams. Each has a different scent ranging from teenage-y sweet to oriental, so it's a very diverse mix.
Vampire Saga looks like it'll smell the strongest and deep, but surprisingly it smells like candy. Blueberry candy that is, so it ends up smelling similar to Britney Spears's Midnight Fantasy and Escada's Moon Sparkle. If you like Tigi's scents, you'll like this.
Cashmere Sensation is the strongest and deepest scent out of these. It smells like a mix of Sariko shops (oriental spicy) and a nice fabric softener. It's a lot more spicy from the bottle, but on the skin it smells more powdery. It really reminds me of Avon's Herve Leger Femme once it settles. It's so strong I can easily wear it as a fragrance.
Madagascar's Treasure smells like vanilla dessert and caramel sweets. It's good enough to eat.
In Love is the most generic smelling out of these, but still pretty. It smells floral and fresh, there is a hint of fruitiness as well. 
It's another brand made by CPEurope, that German company and I have no idea who else sells these.
Click2Chic, 4.99 € 


*THE BRAZILIAN ORIGINAL Conditioner
This promises to reduce frizz, but it's too light for my hair. My hair was screaming for moisture on the second day, so it's far better suited for hair that is less dry than mine or even greasy hair. It smells divine, tropically sweet like pineapple and coconut, but not in a pina colada way. They do have an oil in this line, which I think would work way better for me because it has jojoba oil on the second place among ingredients, but the conditioner wasn't enough for me.
Click2Chic, 8.95 € 


*BEAUTY & CHIC Hair Line
Colour, Repair and Hydro Shampoos and Conditioners
Beauty & Chic is a new Slovene brand created by Click2Chic. There are three lines: for Coloured hair (pink), Repair (orange) and Hydro (blue). I was trying the Repair version and I really like the shampoo because I doesn't leave my hair dry, but it actually already nourishes the hair a bit. The conditioner wasn't for me though, because it's too light, but it should work for those who want some nourishment, but without heavy care.
Click2Chic, 5.90 €

Have a great day!

Mateja's Beauty Blog Turns Five (Giveaway)


This is a big one people. Five years. I've been relentlessly babbling about makeup and other trivialities for five years. I remember the day I created my blog and promptly posted several posts right after midnight the next day. I posted 21 reviews in 8 days! I was a blogging machine back then. Just kidding - truth be told, they were just a collection of swatches that I already posted on different forums, so it wasn't that big of a feat. I also remember my first subscriber or should I say subscribers - the pioneers of Slovene beauty blogging Parokeets. How they found me I have no idea because I never mentioned to anyone that I'm planning on creating a beauty blog, but high five to them. My blogging style evolved so much, but it's still based on doing all those detailed reviews that I'm sure some people say "Ain't nobody got time to read all this". That's why I put pictures between the paragraphs and try to separate each thing, so you can pick what you'll read.


I've mentioned this in The Secrets of Blogging Tag, but today it's also my Name day. It's an old, sadly mostly forgotten tradition, but I celebrate it every year and it's like my second birthday (I made a ton of muffins yesterday). Happy Name day to all Matejas (and Matthews, Matjažs as well as every version of the name)!


Top Reads
Want to know what top reads were in all these five years? Here they are:



My favourites
And of course I want to point out my favourites. These are the ones I'm most proud of and pretty much all of them took me ages to do or I just really enjoyed making them. 



I'm going to bore with statistics now. A total of 676 posts were posted in these five years and my dear readers plus me created 8390 comments - boy we had a lot to say. The blog had a mind blowing 1,8 million views and it gets about 65,000 views per month. Most searched keyword was "matejas beauty blog", followed by "manhattan soft mat" and "essence stay with me"



Thank you for every subscription, comment, like, pin, just for reading my posts - thank you for everything. It's been a wonderful five years with all of you and I hope it'll be like that in the future as well.


Giveaway

I promised to myself that when my blog turns five I'll actually make a giveaway. I've made a little bit of money from it, so it's only fair to give some back. I gave it a lot of thought what I'd give away and I decided on a Feel Unique Voucher for 30 € because that is what I'd most love to get and it gives you a chance to clear something from your wishlist. I don't want this to turn into one of those giveaways that just attracts free stuff hunters, so I'm asking you not to share anything and I'll also make you work for it because I want that the prize goes to someone who's actually a subscriber and reading my blog. Ideally it'd be someone who commented here because you just feel that bit closer to the person, however, I'm very aware that there are probably a lot of people, who read me regularly and never comment because I do the same thing to like a hundred bloggers. You have to answer this question correct to be able to participate:

What camera do I use for my blog photography?


I'm sure regular readers know the answer, as a hint I can say that there was series of blog photography posts and also that the answer is literally one click away. Do not write the answer in the comments, write it in the Rafflecoppter box, so you don't diminish your chances. Following me on social media increases your chances, but you don't have to subscribe to everything. Giveaway will last a week, so it ends on 28. September 2015 at 12 PM (CEST) and I'll try to announce the winner as soon as I'll be able to, at the same time they'll get an email from me. If the winner doesn't respond in two days, a new winner will be chosen. The giveaway is international and it's not sponsored.

Best of luck in the giveaway and thank you for reading!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation


Yes, I am very aware I talk about this foundation all the time, but I love it to bits and you know what? After three bottles and four years of love, I finally set out to do a proper review. It's about damn time, right? It just bothered me that every time I mention this I don't have a decent review of this to link and at least you should see the before and after side by side, but I do wear this foundation in a majority of my lipstick and blush posts. This is a foundation that made me fall in love with foundations. Before I had the worst problems with flakes, every foundation made them visible from space, so I avoided applying them all together or at least left out the forehead, where the situation was most dire. But this just glides over patches and it's the first foundation I wore foundation all over the face with no worry and it just looks so natural, radiant and pretty. 


Texture: It's light and runny, and you can blend this very long if you want. Whether you use fingers, brush or a sponge, pretty much any technique works with this, but I like applying with fingers best. You can layer it as much as you want and it won't cake up, but blend in seamlessly.


Coverage: Light to medium. My freckles still shine through and it doesn't cover spots or dark circles well, but I prefer it like that and just spot conceal where needed. I was never a fan of completely covering my skin and why should I? It's not like I'm not happy with its state.


Finish: It has that dewy, healthy glowy finish and it's almost invisible on the skin. There are no tell-tell signs that you're wearing foundation, but the skin looks fresher, perked up and healthy. This is the perfect foundation for dehydrated skin because it just glides over dry patches and doesn't emphasize them at all. However, if your skin is oily, you won't like it. I've never heard of anyone with oily skin praising this.

Colour: I always get the lightest shade 51 Light Vanilla. Bourjois foundations run very yellow, but it is a light shade as far as drugstore foundations go. I swatched it in pretty much every foundation review and I use it as a standard comparison, so it's easier to compare all the different foundations I've reviewed so far.


Find more comparisons in next posts: 

and there are actually more, check under About or Directory for links.

Staying power: Due to the light texture and a dewy finish, it's not the most long-lasting foundation. I don't really check in the mirror during the day and it depends on the day, but it last somewhere in the ballpark of 5, maybe up to 7-8 hours with a primer. The oilier your skin is, the faster it'll slide off.

Scent: It has a lovely fruity scent that I've loved from day one. Some will find it too strong, but I like fragranced stuff.

Ingredients: Someone once asked me if that alcohol content is apparent. Do not worry yourself with that alcohol, it's only on the 14th place. Usually it's only the first five ingredients after water that really matter, so those lychee, pomegranate and goji berry extracts are almost non-existent here - don't fall for the "vitamins-rich fruit therapy" claim on the bottle. 


Packaging: Plastic bottle with a handy pump. It's one of the best foundations for travelling because it's slim and the there is no fear the bottle will break. One of my bottles survived five hotels in as many days, three countries and a lot of travelling. 

Price and availability: Price is going up, which is making me very angry. You just kind of feel betrayed because it's like they are punishing loyal customers. It's currently about 15 €, but on occasions there are some discounts so it pays to wait.

So here it is, my good old trusted friend. We've been through a lot together and I still love it to bits. I wish they had more neutral shades and one that is lighter as well, but 51 is good enough for my skin. The coverage is on the light side, which I know a lot of people don't like, but I've never been a fan of obvious makeup, so I gravitate towards the most invisible bases, that still have coverage. Any of you fans of this foundation? 

Have a great day!

Wishlist #19



1. MILANI Rose Powder Blush
I had my eye on these for so long, but I didn't like the original colours, so I'm happy that they came out with more, though I hear they are LE. There are several shades I'd love to have, but I think that American Beauty Rose and Blossoming Rose look most like my type of colour. Knowing myself I actually think I'd be afraid to use them because I wouldn't want to destroy the gorgeous pattern and I think wouldn't be the only one.
Milani EU, currently 7.73 €; Click2Chic, 10.46 €

2. TOO FACED Love Flush Blush
Another set of blushes that I just find so adorable. The heart shaped design was a stroke of genius, though it's been done before, but these are the first I'd like to try because of the formula. I'm not sure which shade to get yet, maybe something in the peachy-pink range  (How Deep is your Love? or Love Hangover) or something nude (Baby Love). These are quite expensive and I don't even know where to get them yet that they would ship to Slovenia, but there's no hurry.
Too Faced, $26.00

3. HUGO BOSS Ma Vie Pour Femme
EDP
I used up four fragrances in the past month and a half (can I get a high five?), so I deserve a new one. I have three on my priority list, one is L'Occitane's Peony which I cannot get out of my head, but it was in my last wishlist post, the second is Elle L'aime Lolita Lempicka, but that one is very beachy and the third one is Ma Vie, which I also mentioned in one of my wishlists beforeand it's a lovely fruity-floral scent that reminds me of a shampoo, so it's very easy to wear on all occasions.  
Salma, 38.60 € - 47.60 €

4. THE BALM The Manizer Sisters
I was going to include just Mary-Lou here, but then I saw the news of this release and it's just the best idea ever. I have one powder highlighter and even that was gifted to me by the queen of highlighters Petra (thank you again) because she found it too pink for her, so I don't have the best selection of undertones, like something gold. Everyone and their mother is raving about Mary-Lou and though I'm concerned it'd be too gold for me, I want that glow, which is a bit strange coming out of my mouth, but I don't want to do subtle highlighting all the time. The palette contains all three the Balm highlighters, the original Mary-Lou Manizer, the pink and probably more of a blush for me Cindy-Lou Manizer and the bronzy Betty-Lou Manizer. If I won't be able to find this palette anywhere, I'll probably just get Mary-Lou one day.
The Balm, $28

5. MAKEUP FACTORY Mat Lip Fluid Longlasting 
61 Velvet Rosewood
I found this randomly once in Műller and it's been on my mind ever since. It's that popular rose-marsala shade that is everywhere this year, but I don't have anything like it. I swatched it next to Bourjois Nude-ist, which is one of my favourite lip colour ever, and it's darker and less pink, but in the same colour family. The formula dried very matte and I love a good mate finish.  
Müller, 11.95 € (price in Germany)

6. ZOEVA Rose Gold Complete Eye Set
I am in a desperate need of new eye brushes. I'm serious. All of mine are those that were a couple of dollars online or euros in drugstores and they are all so old, I'm embarrassed to tell you (bought way before my blog), plus a lot of them started feeling scratchy. Plus I don't' even have a lot of them. I have three"fancy" brushes that are from Mac - 239, 217 and 219, but they are again super old and they aren't enough. I hear a lot of great things about Zoeva and though the prices are way, way too high for what I'd normally be prepared to pay, I might do something totally out of character and get a set of them. These new Rose Gold ones caught my attention because they are drop dead gorgeous and that is that little plus that might make me want to open my wallet more willingly, I just hope that when I finally make up my mind, I won't discover they are gone.  
Zoeva, 65 €; Moja Drogerija, 68.85 €.



7. MILANI Color Statement Lipstick 
Matte Passion
I hear that this is a good dupe for Lady Danger, which I only have a sample of, but I wear it frequently in the summer, so I'd like to have a proper lipstick in this shade. I'm also really interested in what the formula is like as I just love matte finishes.
Milani EU 5.56 €; Click2Chic, 6.83 €

8. HEALTY SEXY HAIR Soy Renewal Creme Oil
I'm a massive fan of the Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In, it's a product I use every time I wash my hair and it really makes a difference in how long my hair stays hydrated. I heard that this is actually an even better product for dry hair like mine, basically it's an upgrade and of course, I'm itching to try it, but it's ridiculously expensive, almost twice as much as the leave-in conditioner. I'm hoping that it'll be cheaper around Christmas.
Beauty Bay, £20.48

9. MA PROVENCE Shampoing solide bio Anti-pelliculaire
solid anti-dandruff shampoo
I'm currently without any anti-dandruff products, so I'm again on the search for something new to try. I'm not a fan of natural shampoos at all, but Monika from Sugarlove blog says this helped her a lot, so it's worth a try. It's a shampoo bar and I never tried one in solid form, so this will be interesting to test, but I do have my concerns about it being drying. It's very expensive for something that I'm not a 100 % sure I'll like or that'll work, so I'm still putting off actually purchasing it.
DM, 8-9 €

10. L'OCCITANE Pivoine Flora Bi-phase Bath Oil
I found this on my recent visit of L'Occitane's online shop, where I like to look at the Peony fragrance and weep in my keyboard about the price, but I had no idea that such a product existed. From what I can gather it's bath oil made out of two phases and it turns milky white in the bath, but I think I can use this as a shower oil, like the almond one. I'm basically interested in it mostly for the gorgeous peony scent.
L'Occitane. 20.30 €

11. BALEA Dushe & Creme Hibiskus & Nectarine
I knew Balea wouldn't just completely stop doing product with nectarine scent as it was to good not to use it somewhere. You might remember the shower gel in the coconut-nectarine combination, so now they swapped coconut with hibiscus. We'll see how this works out.
DM, probably 0.99 €

12. BARRY M Nail Paint 
292 Navy
I asked on Instagram what nail polish would be similar to the long discontinued Essence's Deep Blue Sea, which is one of the most perfect deep blues with blue frost and I got a reply from Katja (Nail2Express) that Barry M's Navy should fit the bill. And she knows her stuff. I tried buying it on Boots International already, but the site was so glitchy or this was actually out of stock, so I couldn't add it to the bag. I will get it one way or another, mark my words.
Boots International, £2.99


BALEA Mizellen Reinigungs Wasser
Micellar Cleansing Water
Picture here.
Two new exciting launches are coming to DMs, I just don't know if also in Slovene ones, but Balea made a micellar water (two versions) and a cleansing oil. I've seen first reviews of the oil and it's supposedly good, but you end up using it a lot. I might give it a try, but I'll definitely try the one of the micellar waters.
DM, price for micellar water to be announced, the oil will cost 2.45€

BALEA Pflegecreme Best Wishes
Picture here.
New versions of Pfelegecreme are already available in Germany. One is with an orange-grapefruit scent and the other with violet-freesia scent. I'd like to get both, but the citrus one is a priority. 
DM, here presumably 1.19 €, but it's 0.95 € in Germany. 

Have a great day!