URBAN DECAY Naked Palette

The forgotten gem in many of our makeup stashes. I used it pretty much every day this month and almost every time in exactly the same combination: the pale shimmery pink Sin on the lids, a mix of matte medium browns Naked and Buck in my non-existent crease and the dark brown Darkhorse just in the outer corner which created the most basic neutral eye look. I still very much enjoy the shades and the quality of the palette, even though it's been ages since the hype and every company under the sun released their neutral palette.

MAYBELLINE Lash Sensational Mascara

I've been using two PR mascaras I got in the lasts months and though they are fine, I checked one day if there is some life in left this Maybelline one and my word it is a thousand times better that those two. It makes the prettiest lashes ever - perfectly defined, gives enough volume and creates a bit of a lift, which is something those two other mascaras (Catrice Lashes to Kill Pro and Max Factor Dark Magic) do not. I really need to repurchase this.

BOURJOIS Rouge Velvet the Lipstick

02 Flaming Rose

I finally got the shade I wanted, so I can wear this amazing formula in combination with the looks I tend to wear daily. These have great matte finish, don't feel drying, they are so light on the lips and they last well too. Flaming Rose looks like a neutral-to-cool pink on me, but I suspect on others it looks more warm. It's a simple light pink shade that is just easy to wear. 

ZOEVA Rose Golden Complete Eye Set Vol. 2

I use these almost every day, but rarely speak of them on the blog, though they are in many of my Instagram pictures. These are without a doubt the best brush investment I made. All are amazing quality and there are some great shapes of brushes for my eye shape that I could not get at other brands, especially 231 Luxe Petite Crease was just made for me. 

The four brushes I use most and I would get individually if my set got lost or destroyed: 232 Luxe Classic Shader, 235 Contour Shader, 231 Luxe Petite Crease and 227 Luxe Soft Definer.

THE FACE SHOP The Solution Mask

Madecassoside

I've gone through almost all of these Solution masks so far, I only have Ceramide left to try and Madecassoside impressed me just as much as Pearl did. Madecassoside is derived from Centella asiatica and research links it to promoting skin's healing, reduction of inflammation and it supposedly works anti-ageing as it stimulates the synthesis of collagen. It's definitely great at helping with inflammation and promoting healing. It helped heal an inflamed breakout I had and it just in general made the skin look so good. It reminded me a lot of how Etude House Snail masks works one me, so I really should stock up on this one and Pearl.

AVON Mesmerize Black

This has to be one of the most underrated fragrances ever. I'm so sure if this had some fancy brand name slapped on it, it'd be so much more popular, but since it's only Avon, most people tend to miss it. It's an incredible warm and cosy scent with a strong oriental vibe, but without boring vanilla or patchouli (that really started to annoy me by now and it's in almost every fragrance). Mesmerize Black is pretty much just smooth sandalwood that envelops you like a warm blanket. Other notes include jasmine and mandarin, but I can't detect them, especially the citrus note. Every time I wear this I get compliments. It's loud without being obnoxious by either being super a sugary girly concoction or vanilla-patchouli-sweet notes combo in the ranks of Angel. It's dirt cheap online, so you're really getting a great fragrance for an affordable price.

CREATURES DE MONOI Oil

My hair been insanely dry ever since I tried this one Vichy anti-dandruff shampoo and I'm desperately trying to fix the situation, but it's proving to be a challenge. Especially the top part of my hair feels like all life was sucked out of it. I was sent some of the Creatures products for a review I was writing for another blog (you might remember that I really enjoyed the moisturiser a couple of years ago) and this oil came at just the right time because my stash has thinned. I used it on most days this month before going to bed, and my hair absorbed this like a sponge by the morning. It definitely helped it be a lot less dry and since my hair is so parched, it didn't leave it greasy and lank. It contains a combination of jojoba and coconut oil, both fantastic for hair care as they can enter the centre of hair more effectively than other oils. This oil also smells great and strong, something I always like, but it's not a coconut type of scent, it's very floral. This oil is not easy to get if you're not from Slovenia or Croatia, but if your hair is very dry, you can create your own mix with coconut and jojoba oil, it just won't smell as pretty as this one.

SUBRINA Shower Gels

Perfume Drops & Cherry Blossom

I can't believe I've been keeping these two gems buried in my "work drawer". I've used up a few of these over the years and liked all so far (Rose Garden is amazing and I don't even like rose scents, Pina Colada is nice too and they unfortunately discontinued Cuba Libre, which I loved) and for the past year I've had all of these nicely kept in my work stuff so I don't ruin/damage/lose any them, plus I always had some other shower products to use up anyway, but I felt a bit bored this month with the stash I have, so I started exploring the scents of these I haven't tried properly yet, so in the shower where scents tend to be different than from the bottle. Perfume Drops is smells divine. It's like a proper high end fragrance, closest I can described it is an oriental type of scent with possibly some pepper and something warm, maybe amber. It's just such a great combination. Cherry Blossom (I bought this one myself) is a lot more neutral and to me smells just like baby powder, which makes it such a comforting scent. I actually like most of the scents, only Sensual Vanilla is a bit boring for me and Jasmine is basic too, but particularly Rose Garden and Mango Heaven are so nice. 

WISHLIST

COLOURPOP Fame Pressed Powder Palette - Colourpop finally released something that isn't very warm, though this one still has some warmer shades, but at least they aren't orangey-reddish. It's the first palette I would consider buying, but I still feel they went overboard with the number of skintone shades and there aren't enough lid shades, that's the only thing holding me back so far. // COLOURPOP Super Shock Blush Between the Sheets - a neutral muted rosy-brown, so the type of shade I tend to wear. // MILANI Rose Blush Trio Palette 01 Flowers of Love - a new release by Milani. I have the single rose blushes and they are amazing, so I'm sure this is great too, plus it's so pretty. Swatches. // AVON Luck La Vie (notes)- I've been into woody fragrances lately and this is described as a strawberry cedar combination, which sounds intriguing. I like the original Luck too (notes), which is a red berries sandalwood combination and I wouldn't mind owning one of those pretty bottles too.

Have a great day!

Melt Cosmetics has come out with a new palette, the first of which is not in stack form.

And I won't be buying.

To be completely honest, I did not think I was going to make this post. Because I really, really want the buy this palette. In fact, until last night, I had fully committed to the idea that I was going to purchase this palette, and I was perfectly okay with that because this is the kind of palette (I thought) I had been waiting for.

It's completely different from the majority of releases, and it's got a great color scheme that is also pretty neutral. At least that was what I was telling myself.

As I'm sure you've noticed, I have not been too active on the blog recently, and there are a number of reasons for that. The major highlights are that I've been working on some things for the blog behind the scenes, I've recently moved and my world has been in a certain amout of disarray, and I've been experiencing some health issues. But more than anything else, there just haven't been many releases that I've felt inclined to write about.

Many YouTube personalities have recently launched their own brands, and I am so far interested in none of them. Colourpop is coming out with more of the same; Urban Decay is pumping out a ton of products that I'm not interested in and can't even keep up with; and Too Faced is literally launching the third version of packaging on their same boring neutral palettes.

So there just hasn't been a lot for me to write about.

But then Melt announced the Gemini palette, and I became excited about makeup for the first time in months.

Let's look at it:

If you've been a longtime reader of my blog, you'll know that I am a huge lover of the Melt Rust Stack. This one stack replaced every single neutral matte palette in my collection because none could compare to it. I have also owned the Love Sick Stack, but ended up only keeping the color Love Sick. I really love Melt's matte shades, and while the shimmers aren't awful, I just don't like them nearly as much. 

Gemini is Melt's first palette not in stack form, and I think that makes a lot of sense from a practical standpoint. The stacks are truthfully a pain, and they are so delicate that it makes traveling with them difficult. Additionally, the stack format really only allows for four or five shadows, so having a typical palette format allows the brand to come out with something with 10 shadows. 

Most longtime readers will also know that I am a complete sucker for a good mustard shadow. My favorite mustard is Bobbi Brown Camel, but Melt Rubbish is a close second. So you can only imagine my joy when I saw that Melt has created yet another mustard with a much stronger yellow base. And that was the starting point of my brief love affair with Gemini. 

Let's look at the shadows as pigments:

Typically, I use images like this as a tool to show me how much I don't actually like or need a palette. However, in this case, this photo just reinforced how much I wanted this palette. It is perfect, I thought, and I am definitely going to buy it. 

But I'm not going to. Mainly because of the price. 

Gemini retails for $58. Melt only offers free shipping on orders over $75, which means that if you buy any of their stacks or this palette, you still won't qualify for free shipping. Shipping is $7 domestically and $10 internationally, which makes Gemini $65 to $68 before tax. 

When you compare the cost of Gemini to other Melt Stacks, it actually seems like a great deal. (The Rust Stack is also $58 before tax and shipping and only has five shadows.) However, Gemini looks to come in cardboard packaging, which is considerably less expensive than the stack packaging. Gemini also doesn't have the "gimmick" factor of the stack packaging, so it puts the palette in direct competition with other brands that make similarly sized palettes. When compared to those palettes, Gemini is pretty overpriced. 

For me, the price was especially too high because when I really looked Gemini, I was most attracted to the four shadows on the right. When I considered the rest of the palette, I realized:

• I hardly ever use black shadows
• I have plenty of brow bone/transition shadows
• I have a ton of warm browns, oranges, and dark browns

So, really, I just wanted the shimmery green, forrest green, olive, and mustard. 

Buying Gemini for only four shadows would mean that I have not learned any of the lessons I have discussed on this blog, especially (and here's the kicker) when I own all four of these shades already. 

Yep. There you have it. I was lusting after a palette for four shades that I already own. 

Upon this realization, I thought about why I didn't see that I already owned these shadows when that's usually the first thing I notice in other palettes. And I think it's because this is a palette that has a somewhat unique color scheme (as you will see further in this post it is really not that unique at all), and my brain just hasn't been trained yet to see that even these "unique" palettes are still filled with shades I already own. 

Let's look at swatches:

When I first saw these swatches, it felt like the air had been let out of my "I must buy this palette" mentality. There was absolutely no denying at this point that I already owned these shadows, and, frankly, that they just weren't as special as I thought they were by looking at promotional photos. 

Gemini is Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture:

And the Bad Habit dupe of Subculture, Retro Love:

It's Lime Crime Venus II:

Those greens I was lusting after are in Viseart Dark Matte:

Gemini also looks a lot like Jeffree Star Androgyny:

And Zoeva Matte Spectrum:

And Makeup Revolution Reloaded Iconic Division: 

Really, Gemini is not especially unique. In fact, I think the biggest audience for it are people who wanted Subculture but decided not to buy because of the horrendous reviews. 

As for me, I once owned Venus II but decluttered it years ago because I was not in a place with my makeup preferences to really appreciate those tones. I've owned Viseart Dark Matte for years and absolutely love that palette. And if that's not enough, before I moved, I was gifted Subculture (though I am still undecided if I want to keep it). And that's not even counting all of my single shadows. 

For the exception of Viseart Dark Matte, all of these palettes are considerably less expensive than Gemini, which will cost you upwards of $70 with tax and shipping. And I think $7 per shadow is too high. 

I know I made this post mainly about me, but I did so to demonstrate that being more conscious about consumerism and training your brain to think more critically about purchases is a constant work in progress and something that takes time. Despite everything that I have learned and all the time I have devoted to thinking critically about why I'm not going to buy products, I still had a moment of "Pretty! Different! I'm gonna buy!" And had I purchased Gemini, I would have applied the shadows to my lids and had the sinking realization that these shades were not, in fact, different from what I already owned. 

Looking at the promotional photos of Gemini, I still think it's a gorgeous palette. And I'm glad to see more brands branching out from the boring and overdone neutrals and shades that are only geared toward light skin tones. It's exciting to see something different, especially something that is still cohesive and what most people would consider "wearable." But that doesn't mean that I need to spend $70 on a palette full of colors that I already own. 

The best way I can describe this feeling is to share a story about some palettes that I have recently purchased. I received a few requests to test some "dupe" palettes and form an opinion on the quality of the shadows. Traditionally speaking, I'm not a huge fan of brands that "dupe" popular palettes because I do think that it is an infringement on one's creative and intellectual property. But due to the requests, I did purchase some palettes from Hush to test. When the palettes arrived, I was drawn to these beautiful (but familiar) color schemes and was excited to work with the palettes. And do you know what happened? With every single look that I created (even though these were "new" palettes), I found myself so bored because they were looks that I've created a dozen times over with a dozen different palettes. 

Obviously in this example these are "dupe" palettes, so the entire idea is to be similar to existing ones, but there is also only so much that you can do with an entirely red-toned or orange-toned palette. And even if a palette is new, the look is not. And if you're able to create that exact look from shadows you already have in your collection, what's the point? 

I think I'm just at a place where the "new factor" isn't enough anymore. I need a product to actually be different, not just new. And Gemini would not be different for me. 

If you're someone who has considerably less makeup than I do (first of all, good for you!), have nothing like these colors in your collection, and are very drawn to this palette, Gemini may actually be a great purchase for you. I still think it is overpriced compared to other palettes of similar size and quality (especially since Melt is an online brand and you can't try the products in-store), but if this is the exact color scheme you want, I can see it being a good purchase. If you're like me and own at least one of the above palettes as well as singles, it may be a good idea to take a step back and think about why you're really lusting after this particular palette and evaluate what, if any, value it will add to what you already own. If you're drawn to only a few colors, I would also recommend instead buying some single shadows from brands like Colourpop and Makeup Geek.  

Personally, I think that I may need to accept that I have almost every single possible shade (that I would want) already in my collection. There may be no new product that my collection can't duplicate. And that's okay. Because I can still love makeup and participate in the hobby without buying every new product.

Gemini, while beautiful, is just not something I need to add to my collection. It doesn't bring anything new to me, and it's very expensive to be the same as what I already have. I absolutely don't need Gemini, and I won't be buying.

Supersizer is one of the two mascaras I got in a swap from Canada, this one is in waterproof version. We don't have this brand here, but I believe it's a sister brand of Max Factor and many products share remarkable similarities, but there isn't an equivalent for this mascara. It features a quite unique brush with very short bristles and it's quite a volumizing mascara.

The brush is thin with super short bristles and some slightly longer ones at the tip. This wasn't the best idea based on my experience because it's barely capable of combing the lashes, though mostly it doesn't, so it just deposits a lot of product, especially since the formula itself is very thick. I end up with a lot of product and volume, but very messy lashes, also the more you apply it, the higher the chance it starts to clump the lashes and creating clusters. It's bad at fanning out the lashes and corner lashes pose a particular problem as it can't reach them well. It's a type of mascara at which you need to dedicate a lot of time for a neat application.

Unfortunate brush aside, I think the formula is a great waterproof one, except for the fact it's one of the hardest to remove. It's the type of formula that makes quite an impact and it's very waterproof, so it survives a lot, as well as holds the lashes perfectly curled all day.

Price on Ulta is $6.99.

While it's a good waterproof formula, the brush isn't capable of any significant definition and you can quickly end up with spidery lashes. It think it's best you either use it in combination with another mascara wand that's better at defining and combing the lashes.

Have a great day!

BIOBAZA Face Cleansing Micellar Oil 

This was my second bottle and I'm three quarters into my latest one. I've been using this for a year or two and by now I've developed a love-hate relationship. I hate that it's too weak to remove mascara and I still can't forgive that the sample which wowed me was completely different than what's in the full-size version. I don't like it's so thin and that it doesn't emulsify much, but I appreciate that it washes off completely and I definitely love it for the way it works with my skin. Oil cleansers tend to break me out, but with this my skin is completely clear. Until I find something better in the same or lower price range, I'm sticking to this, however, L'Occitane's Immortelle is my favourite if I want the job done properly.

Repurchase: Done.

BALEA Erfrischendes Waschgel

My standard second cleanser, I've gone through several tubes of this and I wasn't thinking about switching it anytime soon, but I was in two DMs and they didn't have it in stock which concerns me. It's gentle, pH friendly and does the job, plus it's affordable, so I really like it. I think a similar gel exists in the sensitive range, so if I can't find this one, I'll try that one. I just hope it's  merely out of stock or being repackaged.

Repurchase: Yes.

L'OREAL Pure Clay Purify Mask

This is the first one I used up out of four I own (one is still unopened). I had only one version of this formula, while I still have the grey and red version and actually the more I use these, the less I see a difference between them, apart from the Exfoliating one because of the beads, but it works the same with something extra. These are classic clay masks that I use when I need to detox my skin, so during breakouts or when my skin feels a bit blah, like it needs an intense clear out. I like these a lot, more than other clay masks I've tried and it's for various reasons, though they work similar to all clay masks. This one is meant for oily skin with imperfections and it has a lovely spa scent. 

Repurchase: I have plenty more, but yes.

BALEA Vital 3 in 1 Wet Wipes

I already featured these in a disappointing products post and they still sit at the top of my "most useless wet wipes" list. They were some of the weakest wipes I've tried and a lot of rubbing was needed for them to remove any makeup. They also dried very fast and even as dry the cloth material was nothing special.

Repurchase: No.

YES TO Carrots Gentle Cleansing Wipes

Another pack of rather useless wipes. Though they were stronger than Vital, but only marginally, they had this awful barfy scent. I hear their Cucumber version is much better.

Repurchase: No.

SULWHASOO Capsulized Ginseng Fortifying Serum

This has an obscene 150$ price tag if you buy the full size, so I got a pack of five 8 ml samples, which I've been using for a year now. I used it every day in the first months, but lately I've only been using it occasionally and I really want to say that I see something when I use this because it's so crazy expensive, but I can't say that I do. I bought it because I heard it help with the elasticity of the skin, so it has more bounce which my skin was lacking up until I started K-Beauty, but this wasn't the product that fixed it, it was Banila Serum (now discontinued) that did and now a combination of other much cheaper products. I still have one bottle left and I'll use it up, but I'm not sure I would buy it again. This has a strong ginseng scent that really grew on me.

Repurchase: I'm not sure, I prefer other products, but this might be beneficial long-term.

AVEO MED Milde Pflege Dusche

I've gone through a couple of these and I'll keep buying it because it's a great gentle and pH friendly shower gel that smells like camomile.

Repurchase: Yes.

BALEA Duschshaum 

Fresh & Fruity

Fantastic shower foam. It's super fluffy, but firm and it smells so refreshing like grapefruits. I spent years avoiding buying these because I was convinced they last a few uses at most, but this lasted longer than shower gels. I bought it in August or September and been using it two or three times a week, maybe more, but I switch my shower products a lot and it was empty in the middle of February, so impressive.

Repurchase: Yes and I already have in a different scent.

AVEO Intensive Care Duschöl

I bought this because it was the cheapest oil I could find in our drugstores. My hands became really dry this winter, which is unusual for me and I first resorted to regular body oil to lock in the moisture, then it hit me, it might be best to use an oil cleanser too and I was right. With long-term use the condition of my skin improved drastically. It's also easy to use because I simply pour some oil without the need to squeeze the bottle, it emulsifies quickly and into a thick milky, I only need to rinse it a bit longer. The scent it annoying because it's like no one bothered fixing that part.

Repurchase: Done and yes.

L'OCCITANE Almond Shower Oil

This has been a staple in my bathroom since 2006 and I've never been without it, but I use it so little, just as an occasional treat because it's too expensive and the price definitely rose since my first purchase, so I think this was my last bottle for a while, unless someone gets it for me as a gift. It's the best shower oil I've tried because it emulsifies into a thick milk and it smells amazing, I really think everyone should try it at least once (they have sample sizes too), but it's too expensive for as a regular shower product. 

Repurchase: Maybe.

SOAP & GLORY Orangeasm Super Rich Body Butter

I loved this. The texture is one of the medium thick body butters, so it took a bit longer to sink in, which I like because it makes me feel like it's doing more than those light body lotions. It's got some red beads in it which are filled with shea butter and those burst when you were rubbing it in. The scent is great, one of the best citrusy scents, as it smelled like an orange peel, so quite a bitter & fresh orange (mixed with lemon) scent.

Repurchase: Yes, but realistically S&G is now really hard to get and we just got TBS in Slovenia, so it's not likely I'll buy it again.

SOAP & GLORY Sugar Crush Body Scrub

I've liked all of S&G scrubs I've tried so far and this is no exception. The smell isn't as harsh cleaning supply lemony as in the Hand Cleansing Gel, though it's still not the best lemon scent. However, the texture is far more important here and I can deal with the scent. It's one of the harsh scrubs, so just the way I like them and it's one that's washes off completely, leaving no oily filter behind, plus it's not drying at all. 

Repurchase: Yes, but Flake Away is still my favourite.

L'OREAL PROFESSIONNEL Absolut Repair Lipidium Instant Resurfacing Masque

This massive pot lasted me about a year and it was the mask I used 95% of the time. It's a thick treatment for very dry hair and one of rare ones that is enough for my hair, though when my hair was completely dried up, it wasn't that effective. After using it for a year almost exclusively I wish it left my hair a bit more silky and soft, but I repurchased it anyway.

Repurchase: Done.

GOT2B Ől-la-la Styling Oil Spray

This is the best shine spray/healthy hair maker/faker because it's silicone-oil based and not full of alcohol as most shine products are. Apart from great shine, it also tames the hair and makes it look a lot more polished, but it's so light, I think it shouldn't weight down the hair to anyone. Unfortunately, this is very hard to get in Slovenia now, but luckily I have a spare. Got2b newest product called Näturlich Nude Glanzleistung ől spray (Naturally nude shine feather-light oil spray) has similar ingredients and is worth checking out.

Repurchase: Done and yes.

KHADI Ayurvedic Hail Oil Balsam

I had this for quite a while and I kept giving it chances, but it's so disappointing. It's meant for healing dandruff and itchiness, which in theory should work since my scalp is very dry and need nourishment. Unfortunately this didn't fix anything and what's more, even as a regular pre-wash treatment, despite using a ton (a half a bottle once), it didn't nourish my hair and it was like I didn't use anything. Well apart from the smell, which could stun a horse and lingers in the hair. It's a very strong deep herbal scent., which is not disgusting, just insanely strong, as it literally fills the house.

Repurchase: No.

AQUALINA Pink Sugar

This is not an easy scent to wear and it's one I really need to be in the mood for because it's so strong, so sugary and so vanillary. It's like burned sugar and cotton candy on steroids, but it has its moments when it smells so comforting and nice. It's a fragrance I wore only in cold weather which is why it took me so long to use it up. It's a scent I bought back when I loved such ultra sugary fragrances, but now I'm more of an Olympea/Hugo Boss kinda girl and for my comforting/warm needs I have BBW Twilight Woods.

Repurchase: Probably not. 

LADY SPEED STICK 27/7 Gel Anti-perspirant

Invisible

I used to use this in high school and I remember liking it, but this time it didn't impress me that much. It didn't work that well on me, plus the gel needs extra time to dry, which isn't convenient when you need to get dressed quickly in the morning. It's also not invisible, as especially as it ages the gel turns white.

Repurchase: No.

REXONA Motion Sense Anti-Perspirant

Invisible

My standard deodorant for many years, but this is the one that stopped working one me, at least in stressful situations, which sucks because I could always rely on this one. I'm currently giving it a break with Dove's stick version, which is fine, but not as impressive as this one was.

Repurchase: In time, yes.

AVEO Nail Polish Remover Professional

A basic remover that I got because of the packaging, since it has a pump. It's quite a weak remover, so I wasn't happy with it, but I think I repurchased the same one, even though mine has a different label (blue with a more obviously stated "professional"), so that was not terribly smart of me.

Repurchase: Done apparently.

BALEA Hygiene Handgel

I've had this for ages, but I forgot about it because I had so many other much more impressive versions. The formula is more liquid than others, plus it left a bit of a filter behind, so I never really liked using it much, but it's decent if there's nothing else in the drugstores. I much prefer the Soap & Glory versions and the BBW ones.

Repurchase: I've seen some fruity versions, so maybe, as S&G and BBW are too hard to get.

SOAP & GLORY Hand Maid and Sugar Crush Hand Cleansing Gel

Hand Maid is my favourite disinfectant so far because it ticks all the boxes of not leaving a trace after I use it, it isn't drying and it smells like candy (505 for local readers). I got Sugar Crush because I love the Hand Maid version, but I did not like the scent as it smells like toilet cleaner. It's that intense lemon chemical scent - I just hated it. I'm sticking only to Hand Maid

Repurchase: I have two Hand Maid versions in stock, while I won't buy the Sugar Crush any more. 

SAMPLES

HOURGLASS Mineral Veil Primer

This is crazy expensive (54$) and also very highly rated, but I was quite disappointed by it. It's a regular matte primer that was way too drying for me and I had to use a ton of hydrating skin care after I took off my makeup. I didn't notice it making my skin more perfected, so my foundation application didn't look better, nor did I notice anything particularly in terms of it prolonging staying power of makeup. I don't get what the fuss is about.

Purchase: No.

BANILA CC brightening moisturising / cover base It radiant cover

I love the shade of this as it's really pale, about NC10, with not a particularly strong undertone - big thumbs up for that. Coverage is light-medium and this has a very dewy finish, so it's also quite a moisturising product and remains a bit tacky for a while, so this is a good choice for those with dry skin. It looks like skin, meaning it has a very natural finish, so you would be able to see it's makeup, only the dewy shine reveals there' product on the skin. It doesn't slip into pores for a long time, though at the end of the day it doesn't look as pretty there as it did from the start. It doesn't make the lines look more terrible and it smells like Nivea. Overall I like it despite the dewiness, but I rate it high mostly due to the shade.

Purchase: It's likeable, so I would consider it.

TONY MOLY Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream

This feels less than a moisturising BB cream and more like a regular foundation with a thin, liquid formula and  light-medium coverage. It's got a satin finish on the skin, but with a radiant look and again looks natural, looks very nice over pores, though it doesn't hide lines. It's not sticky and actually sets quite fast. Shade is about NC/W20, so too dark for me, but I like the formula of this.

Purchase: I would, if it weren't for the shade.

LIOELE Dollish Veil BB Spf 25/PA++

This was a surprise because I didn't know anything about it and expected a regular BB cream, but this is similar to Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint release, meaning it's an off-white (in this case greyish violet) cream which when you rub it into skin turns a tinted cream, in this case to about NC20, it didn't match me. It's not tacky or dewy like Korean BB's usually rare, instead sets quickly to a satin-matte finish (though it doesn't hold back oil). Coverage it light and this is quite scented with a floral fragrance. I had some problems with flaking.

Purchase: No.

MISA Cho Bo Yang BB Cream SPF30/PA++

Such a thick formula, this was hard to blend in. Coverage was medium, but it wore off quickly, so it looked more like light-medium. Finish was satin-matte. Shade 21 was about NC20-25.

Purchase: No.

INNISFREE Green Tea Balancing Cleansing Oil

I liked this in terms of texture, but I think it sadly broke me out. The smell of this is so lovely, just pleasantly calming like a cup of green tea. It's a thicker oil than TFS Rice oil rich or Biobaza that I normally use, but it emulsifies into the same thin milky emulsion. It removed about 75% of makeup, I had some panda eyes with this, but unlike with TFS, most of the remaining makeup came off with the second gel cleanser. The skin felt really nice and soft after use, that's was the main thing that made me think I like this more than Biobaza, though it's not ideal like L'Occitane. Too bad for the spots, otherwise I'd buy the full size.

Purchase: Sadly no.

INNISFREE Green Tea Serum

A light serum that actually doesn't sink in completely or at least super quick, but it's still light on the skin. It's got a pleasant green tea scent. It left my skin looking healthy and fresh, but it's nothing special in terms of K-Beauty products.

Purchase: No.

FA BELLA Cleansing Gel

I don't even know where to buy this except on Amazon and I think it's only sold in a box with 50 of these sample packs, which is so wasteful. That confusion aside, this takes foam to a whole new level. It produces the thickest, most creamy and luxurious foam ever, it's pretty much like shaving gels. My skin was left completely clean, but in about five minutes it started to feel a bit tight. It has an old school cosmetic powdery floral scent.

Purchase: No.

THE FACE SHOP DR. Belmeur Panthenol Soothing Gel-Cream

A thick gel that reminds me of Kamagel ointment (a camomile based gel for soothing inflammations) which was simply too thick and heavy-feeling for my liking. If you have sensitive skin or it needs healing, it's worth a try, but only if you like heavy textures than need time to sink in. The scent was fresh.

Purchase: No.

TONYMOLY The Fresh Phytoncide Pore Gel-Cream

A gel type of serum-cream that even though it's not light should only fit oily skin because my skin became so tight about 10 minutes after application that I had to use a lot of hydrating skin care to soothe it. I noticed no difference in the state of my pores. 

Purchase: No.

INNISFREE Eco Science Recover Spot Essence

A classic gel for spots which had absolutely zero effect on spots when I tried it. COSRX Master Patches FTW.

Purchase: No.

LANEIGE Eye Sleeping Mask

This comes in a fancy bottle packaging with a special applicator, so basing a review on a sample bag won't deal with every aspect of the product. It feels light, like a serum and it's refreshing under the eyes. It doesn't take long to sink in even in a thick coat. It smells herbal, similar to old Scheller Zitrone Mellise gel (lemon balm). I don't get puffy eyes ever and I can't say I saw much of a difference in the morning in how my under eye area looked. It neither looked more rested or plumped up, though maybe it looked a bit better, but not amazing.

Purchase: No.

BIOBAZA Body Mlijeko za tijelo s ružom i geranijem

Body milk with rose and geranium.

This has such a strong rose scent, I'm really not a fan, but the formula is really nice. I don't know why they named it milk because this is a cream consistency and it absorbs relatively fast for such a formula, though not immediately like a milk would. It's a nice nourishing body moisturiser, I think it's good, except the scent. This claims to have 98% of ingredients of natural origin, second ingredient is shea butter, followed by almond oil, cocoa butter and sesame oil, so ingredients-wise this is very good.

Purchase: they have a coconut and lavender version which sound tempting, but I would get them only if the formula is exactly the same.

BIOBAZA Feet 3u1 Balzam za njegu stopala i peta

3-in-1 balm for feet and heels

The smell of this is ridiculously strong, I mean it fills the house. It's a strong eucalyptus scent, so if you have a cold, there's a cream for you, but I think Biobaza took the concept of fresh smelling feet a little too far. Formula is like a body milk, so not a balm and not even remotely moisturising enough for my dry feet, though it moisturises somewhat decently. Most of it sinks in fast, but some remains in that trying-to-be-powdery non-slippy layer. 

Purchase: No.

ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND Hydro Booster Intenziv Konzetrat

The first thing that hit me was an alcohol scent, since this has alcohol on 2nd place, It's a very light serum that absorbs fast. I wouldn't use it because of the alcohol, but otherwise it's just a simple hydrating serum, like many others.

Purchase: No.

ANNEMARIE BÖRLING Body Line

Beauty Balm -  a rich thick moisturiser

Body Cream - lighter than the Balm, but still nourishing cream consistency

Body Lotion - very light like a milk and it has an alcoholic scent.

All had a creamy, but slightly odd scent. These were nothing special

Purchase: No.

Magnetic nail polish trend has been gone for a few years now, but I've only recently tried my first one. I must say it's fun, but they won't sway me from my classic creamy finishes. I got this one in a swap from Canada.

The magnet is included in the cap, the latter is actually in two parts, so you're applying the polish with a brush that has a smaller cap. The magnet has a build in guide that you rest on you cuticles and avoid touching the nail. You're supposed to apply one layer on all nails and let it dry completely, then apply a second thick one on one nail and quickly use the magnet before it dries. It works fast and sometimes you can see how it pulls the colours apart.

My shade is 906 Ionic Indigo. It applies greyish blue-teal, but when you use the magnet, the base colour is revealed as a dark blue violet. The magnet creates a wavy design with the original colour and it works really well. I was afraid it won't because I remember hearing a lot of these magnets are too weak, but this one is good. I have thin and smaller nails than most, so the effect isn't as apparent as it could be, but I also had some problems with larger nails as the magnet didn't work on the whole nail, but just the middle, leaving the outer corners unaffected.

 1 coat before using the magnet.

Magnet was used in different alignments. 

This is one of those very rare nail polishes that even I notice doesn't have quite the same staying power as others. But's it's a nice gimmick, I'll give it that.

These are about 4€ on eBay. Mine is from Canada and I assume these are sold in drugstores there.

Have a great day!

Essence has a certain type of mascara formula that's in most of their mascaras and I'm referring to that wet, thick formula that is very volumizing and creates big lashes. This isn't it. It's the most atypical mascara I've tried from Essence and instead of volume, it's definition and natural look that's its forte.

Unusually for Essence, the formula is very thin and not a lot is deposited on the lashes in one coat. It's also not a smudgy, messy mascara, nor does it create a clumpy effect. A couple of coats result in fanned out and perfectly defined lashes, but they still look natural, like there isn't much product there. I've had mine for a few months now and it didn't thicken.

The brush is a plastic one with a combination of short and long bristles. It's a very rigid and hard one, so it can be harsh and I poked my eye with it a few times.

This is a simple, inexpensive mascara that creates a natural, defined effect. If you're into that, you'll like this. I still find Essence I <3 Extreme waterproof their best mascara, closely followed by Volume Stylist Curl & Hold.

Volume Hero mascara costs 3.29 €.

Have a great day!

*PR product