NAJ OLEARI Absolute Stay Eyeshadow 04 Golden Brown & 05 Pearly Taupe

Naj Oleari is an Italian brand that has existed for decades, but I've never heard of it until a stand appeared in my local Müller some years back. For a long time I didn't try anything from this brand, mainly because no one (here) talks about it, prices are quite high and I had no idea what's good, but I tested these cream eyeshadows when I was trying to find new cream eyeshadows to replace my old ones and this formula instantly impressed me.

Formula is very creamy, yet no too soft and it has instant opaque colour payoff. I can get enough colour on my eyelids quickly and when I blend it, it's easy to make a soft transition and blending doesn't take away much intensity, so there's no need to build it up and repeat the process as with many cheap cream eyeshadows. They are basically Kiko's dupes, which is nice to know that I have something like that in a local drugstore. Overall the Golden Brown is a better quality. It contains very small shimmer and doesn't crease on me, while Pearl Taupe is less reliable. The latter has larger glitter particles and colour tends to gather around those sparkles, so it can crease, but it never such a tragedy as Catrice's eyeshadows and colour doesn't fade much by the end of the day.

Golden Brown is a classic bronze shade many brands have and I had many dupes or at least similar shades (Kiko's even has the same name). Pearly Taupe is a greyish-brown with gold shimmer. Kiko's Golden Taupe is very similar.

Golden Brown just swiped on the eyelids and blended with a Zoeva 227 Luxe Soft Definer brush.

These are vey good. To be fair they are very similar to Kiko's which are cheaper, but I don't remember Kiko's blending quite as nicely as these. I'm interested in one of the lighter shades - they have a matte one that looks like a base and two shimmery ones, one pink and the other champagne. I got these when they were 20% off, which actually happens relatively often at this brand (I ordered on Douglas.si on Black Friday)

Have a great day!

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MAYBELLINE SuperStay Vitamin C Skin Tint Serum

I have been struggling with this foundation since I got it months ago. My first impression was disappointment because I expected a lot given that I love their Fit Me Matte + Poreless and Dream Urban Cover foundations, so I was really looking forward to this launch. I've been trying this with different bases and in different conditions and we continue to have our ups and down - well, decent days and not so good days. It's one of the new serum foundations, so those formulas that are meant to be very lightweight and contain skin care ingredients. This one has a small amount of Ascorbyl Glucoside, a stable version of vitamin C, but that's about it. What's unique about it is the tiny shimmer that you can see in the packaging, however, it doesn't make the skin look sparkly in any light.

Texture: It's a light liquid foundation formula, similar to their Fit Me Matte + Poreless, so quite thin. I've tried applying it with different methods and I prefer my usual dry sponge with it. This foundation has often made my skin look much more textured than it is without foundation. It can sink into pores, emphasizing them, as well as making the lines appear deeper. Something similar happens to me with most such serum foundations (most notably both Catrice such liquid formulas, HD Coverage and Skin Tint). Maybelline's Fit Me Matte + Poreless is nicer as it manages to create a smoother look over pores. Superstay also doesn't work well with thick coats of SPF, exception I found so far is Biore which has a velvet-primer like finish. Over SPFs I've experienced it becoming flaky at application, peeling in places.

Coverage and finish: Coverage is low. With one layer it's more like a tinted moisturiser and just evens out the skin. I need an extra layer or a separate concealer under my eyes and the sides of my nose - most of my freckles are also visible. It can be built up easily. Finish is unique, as it sets matte on me (dry skin), but the formula contains extra fine shimmer, so the skin is matte, yet glowy from that highlighter in it. From far away it looks great, but from close up you can see the texture. 

Staying power: It lasts ok, which isn't surprisingly for a matte foundation on a dry skin. Since the coverage isn't amazing, it's also hard to see when it disappears from the skin. It wears evenly on me.

Shade: The lightest shade we have in local drugstore is 03, which is similar to Fit Me Matte + Poreless 110 (a touch too dark for me). Naturally I assumed Shade 02 that I found online is lighter than 03, but it's not a great match for me. The difference between my neck and face is visible at this foundation, not as much because of depth, but also because of the undertone which pulls to peachy-orange. At Maybelline their Dream Urban in 095 is a perfect match for me.  

Scent: It has no scent.

Packaging: This foundation has a big opening and no stopper, so the neck can become messy very quickly. I've tried a few such foundation with a pipette and this is the first at which is works.

Price and availability: I ordered online for about 10 €. In local drugstores it's 16 €.

I like the matte dry-to-the-touch yet glowy finish it has, but it makes my skin look textured. I've been trying to make it work, but so far this is not as good as Matte + Poreless. 

Have a great day!

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Best Beauty Finds in 2023

ORIFLAME Giordani Gold Pure Uforia Foundation

Porcelain

A foundation I wore most this year, in fact it's become my go-to formula, particularly when my skin is dry. The shade matches me perfectly, so that's a big plus on its own. It's a foundation for those that like low coverage and it's a light-feeling formula with a glowy-dewy finish. It's one of the more hydrating formulas I own and it has an SPF 35+.

 

MAX FACTOR Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Primer, Concealer & Foundation

C40 Light Ivory

This is a big improvement upon the previous formula and it's one of the nicest looking foundations I've tried, especially on pictures. It looks flawless and fresh on the skin - however, it's not ideal for dry skin, so I need to make sure it's properly hydrated before I apply it. Coverage is about medium, finish is matte on my dry skin and despite the thick, creamy texture it blends seamlessly, especially with the help of the Real Techniques sponge. C40 Light Ivory surprisingly fits me.

 

ESSENCE Baby Got Blush

01 Tickle me pink

Currently my favourite blush, especially because of the shade. Pinks tend to look too warm on me, so they end up looking peachy, but this one is a true pink, which makes it a rarity in my collection. It creates a proper baby doll flush. Though it is in stick form, which means you can just swipe it on the cheeks if you wish, I find it's better to use to brush, as formula is more on the hard side and it can shift the foundation. It smells like watermelon.

MELEM lip & Cheek

Dreamy Rose & Fresh Magnolia

A lip balm/lipstick-blush hybrids. I often use lipsticks as blushes when I'm on the way or in a hurry and usually they aren't easy to blend - these Melem formulas work well on lips and cheeks. They blend easily and don't feel greasy, despite being nourishing lips balms. On the lips the colour payoff is like from a classic moisturising lipstick. Though both have a great pigmentation, Fresh Magnolia is more intense and while I need two big swipes on the cheeks of Dreamy Rose, I need to be careful with Fresh Magnolia not to overdo it because it can look too much quickly. These are great for keeping in the bag or a pocket.

CATRICE Holiday Skin Bronze & Glow Palette

010 Out of Office

Both powders are great quality in this palette. The bronzer side is matte, has a great smooth formula that blends out easily and is a good shade that's not orange, so it suits me as a contour (although it's not cool or ashy like popular shades for contouring pale skin). The highlighter is a classic champagne shade with fine shimmer that looks natural. I've been mostly using the highlighter, as it has such a nice healthy-looking effect. 

CATRICE Cheek Lover Marbled Blush 

10 Dahlia Blossom

One of the best drugstore blushes I've tried, very similar to the discontinued L.O.V. blushes and better than Milani's Baked Blushes. Pigmentation is intense, so on my pale skin I need a light layer of it. Formula blends smoothly. Shade, which is currently the only one that exists, is a type of peachy-pink that's a lot more pink than peach. It has tiny shimmer in it that adds a glow, but since it's so pigmented and I need to apply little of it, the shimmer/highlighter effect isn't that intense on me - it should be nicely glowy on deeper skin tones (I apply Catrice's fantastic Glow Lover Oil-Infused Highlighter over it for more glow). 

BOURJOIS Little Round Pot Blusher 

34 Rose D'or

I've never liked Bourjois blushes, but this shade changed my mind. It's not very pigmented and I need to apply a lot of it with a dense brush, but the effect is lovely. It's a pink shade with that shimmery glow that makes the skin look so fresh. It's one of the most long lasting formulas on the cheeks. When it was new it had a gorgeous floral powdery fragrance, but it's gone now. 

NAJ OLEARI Lovely Cheek Blush 

02 Petal Pink

A high quality formula. It's very smooth on the cheeks, has good pigmentation and it lasts well on the skin. The shade is a pretty basic peachy pink, but these types of shades are universal and suit so many skin tones. It has a slight glow to it with tiny shimmer. The packaging is gorgeous, a high-end looking rose gold and it comes with a velvet pouch and a brush.  

ESSENCE Lash Like a Boss Mascara Waterproof

This didn't impress me when it was freshly opened, but with time it became a top performer. Waterproof mascaras often have dry formulas that don't create much volume, but this one rivals regular formulas. It adds plenty of volume, even more length and defines the lashes, though when it was new it was definition where it performed poorly. It holds my lashes curled well. It's actually very similar to my favourite Essence's I <3 Extreme formula, but the brush is smaller.   

MILANI COSMETICS Stay Put Eyeliner

I thought Maybelline's Tattoo eyeliner is unbeatable, but this is even better. It's the blackest, most intense pencil eyeliner I've tried so far. It's such a deep black and it manages to stay in the waterline even at the end of the day and it's only somewhat faded. It's not as creamy as Maybelline's, so it doesn't glide quite as smoothly on the top lash line, but the line it creates is intense and it stays put.

ETUDE HOUSE Tear Eye Liner

01 White

A liquid glittery eyeliner with about medium density shimmer. Colour is kind of holographic with shimmer that reflects different colours, though base colour is silver. It looks so pretty in the inner corners and it adds something extra to the look. I don't need to build it up much, as you get plenty of shimmer with one swipe and it tends to last long, though I'm not very careful about rubbing my eyes and I manage to remove it. The applicator is a thin brush that's precise.

REVLON Colorstay Suede Ink Lipstick

My favourite lipsticks. Oriflame's The One Unlimited Ultra Fix Lipstick formula, my previous faves, are very similar, but Revlon's lipsticks are more opaque and available in prettier shades. They are a one-swipe lip colour and once they set on the lips, they don't wipe off or smudge, they just stay in their place like a liquid matte lipstick. Formula is thin and matte, so don't expect any nourishment from these. I can handle them fine and don't find them drying, but some may want to use a lip balm under or over them. I'm a big fan of 001 Gut Instinct, which is a colour similar to my natural lips. It looks more peachy in the tube, but on the lips it's more neutral. I also really like 002 No Rules, which is a deeper nude and 008 That Girl, a light pink shade. 005 Hot Girl is also a nice shade, despite looking so warm in the tube.

BOURJOIS Velvet The Pencil

I have all five shades that are sold here, but 03 In Mauve Again is a big favourite of mine. It's the perfect neutral pink. These are one-swipe lip colours, so well pigmented, also very creamy and don't drag on the lips. They are matte, but not dry/fully matte, so they feel comfortable, however, they aren't nourishing/moisturising. I wouldn't say they are transfer-proof, like Revlon's, but they last on the lips well.

CATRICE Glossin' Glow Tinted Lip Oil

Now these are glosses in a proper sense of the word. They are very thick and rich, not sticky, they feel nourishing, they stay on for a long time, have a great level of glossy shine and feel like an oily gloss. The shine lasts better than at many glosses. There are several shades, on the pic is 010 Keep it Juicy, a midly pH reacting shade.

CATRICE Plump it Up Lip Booster 

I'm more of a fan of the 040 shade (left), but the formula of both is lovely. They are a bit richer and thicker than glosses usually are, but they are not sticky. The shine level is intense and these manage to hold on for a while, by that I mean longer than an average lip gloss (not like Glossin's Glow, but good). It's a Catrice formula that tingles, like many do, but it's not strong and it doesn't last - it's more cooling than tingling. 040 is a beautiful my-lips-but-better colour that is quite opaque. 

REAL TECHNIQUES Miracle Complexion Sponge

This really is a good as everyone says. I've used cheaper sponges for years and this is better. It's very soft and I find the large flat area especially useful for blending foundation. It doesn't absorb too much foundation, even when used dry and it makes the foundation look so flawless, by that I mean looking natural. It's a little bit better when used wet, but it works dry as well. 

A'PIEU Madecassoside Fluid 2x

This replaced Geek & Gorgeous Stress Less Serum in my routine, which was my skin barrier repairing product and I still love it. Just like the latter it contains Madecassoside and Beta-Glucan, but also 30% of centella asiatica leaf water, ceramides, panthenol, aloe vera and several extracts. The packaging has a generous 300 ml, so that's a big plus compared to the G&G serum. Formula feels similar to the Cosrx Propolis toner in a sense that it's richer than a watery toner, so it instantly alleviates the tight feeling when my skin feels thirsty. 

COSRX Full Fit Toner Propolis Synergy

This is just a mini because I didn't want to commit to a full size, but 50 ml has lasted me a long time. It's a toner that contains 72.6% of Black bee Propolis extract and 10% Honey extract. The texture is nice - thicker than toner, but not as thick as a serum. My skin likes propolis products, as they keep it looking good and add a healthy glow. 

A'PIEU Honey & Milk Lip Oil

A thick lip gloss that isn't sticky and it just lasts on the lips for ages - it can survive overnight and it nourishes the lips. It's nicely glossy, though like all glosses the shine eventually fades, but there's plenty of product left to care for the lips. It has no scent and the applicator is a big doe foot. Overall this is similar to the Catrice Glossin' Glow, but less glossy. 

REDKEN Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo

This has such a lovely rich and thick formula. It produces a dense foam and doesn't feel like a sulphate-free formula - it's a joy to use. Redken says that it reinforces weakened bonds, but it's not a miraculous product, at least on my hair. I just like that it doesn't leave my hair stripped or tangled - I don't think I can expect much more on my thick hair from a shampoo that's washed off quickly, but I enjoy using this formula and it probably does help prevent some breakage (since the hair isn't tangled after use), adjusts pH and leaves the hair somewhat conditioned. 

MOROCCANOIL Color Deposing Mask 

Cocoa

I've spend a bit part of the year colouring my bleached blonde hair with temporary colours to match my dark roots and to give my hair a break from proper colours. Most masks I've tried are made for hair that isn't that demanding in terms of nourishing, so they left my hair stiff and it became dry quickly. This finally made my hair feel normal and it was so worth splurging on. It leaves my hair feeling soft and silky, it's shinier than with other colour masks and manageable. Colour is quite deep and looks warm, but it washes off towards purple and grey, so it's not the nicest and I prefer colour results I got from other brands, but I add some warm orange or red colour as the colour is washing off. Colour lasts about 6 washes, but due to grey tones, I was itching to dye it again after a third wash - it's not ideal for covering for example blonde bayalage, but it will hide red tones that appear as brown shades are washing off. 

MOROCCANOIL Smoothing Lotion

Moroccanoil has the best products for frizzy hair. Before I tried this, I was already a fan of the Smoothing Mask, Conditioner and Concentrate. It's a cream product that doesn't feel heavy and it makes my hair feel so silky. Together with the Smoothing Conditioner my hair dries frizz free and softer. This is a travel size, while the full size comes in a 300 ml bottle with a pump. 

MOROCCANOIL Frizz Shield Spray

Another great anti-frizz product by Moroccanoil. This one need to be activated by heat and it helps me achieve a smoother blowout. It's like as water, yet it hydrates my very dry hair well and it leaves it softer. The best thing about this spray is that it helps protect against humidity (up to 90%). I've been caught in a rain several times by now and my hair didn't go all puffy, nor did my curls drop. 

NIVEA Care & Hold Soft Touch Caring Mousse

A game changer. This literary feels like nothing is on the hair. I don't know how they managed to do that, but it holds volume all day - actually days. Curls made with a blow dryer last as long too and without a mousse they are gone within minutes that's why I always preferred using curling wands that use more heat. In the next days, the hair feels normal, it's not any dryer, more stiff or anything, it's like it's easily brushed out of the hair. I'm genuinely impressed. Plus it has heat protection. I use this at every hair wash now. My overnight curls now actually last and I can "redo them" over the week without having to wash my hair. 

CERAVE Reparative Hand Cream

Best hand cream I've tried so far.  It's got lovely simple ingredients the skin needs - ceramides, cholesterol and hyaluronic acid - while the formula is nicely thick and rich, yet it absorbs fast, so there's no greasy residue on the skin.

CERAVE SA Renewing Foot Cream

This is meant for extremely dry, rough and bumpy skin. It claims to exfoliate too, not just moisturise and it contains 3 essential ceramides, salicylic acid and ammonium lactate (AHA). Formula is very similar to their hand cream - it's thick and rich, yet it absorbs quite fast. It's so far the best foot cream I've tried, however, I don't notice the exfoliating effect, just that it moisturises really well and my skin feels smoother after application. 

LA RIVE Solare

This is summer in a bottle to me. It smells just like (European) sunscreens, so along the lines of Nivea and Sun Dance. This is 10 €, so a cheap fragrance that loses much of its strength quickly, but I can smell the developed sweeter fainter version of the scent hours after application. 

Limited editions:

MAKEUP OBSESSION Tiffany Illumin_arty Kaleidoscopic Dream s Palette - excellent quality payoff with bright colours. 

CATRICE My Little Pony Highlighter - it's got a similar effect as the Glow Lover highlighter, meaning with very fine, small shimmer, except this one is stronger. I use it under blushes. 

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New in #135

BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Serum (2023 version)

I'm a fan of the Healthy Mix foundation, even the newly reformulated one (though the old version was better). They discontinued their Serum formula a while ago, a foundation I used for years and now they released a new "serum" version, this time the skin care/foundation hybrid that so many brands launched in the last years. Shade range is lacking, as they have two 51 shades and no 50 that I use at HM foundation, so none of the shades match me. I wear 51,2W as it's less warm toned than 51, but it's still noticeably too dark. Formula is thin, very light and it blends easily without setting too quickly. Coverage is light-medium, finish is glowy from the start, but on my dry skin it eventually becomes matte. Compared to the Foundation, the Serum covers less, but it's not that big of a difference. For me the main difference is that the Serum doesn't make my skin look as smooth as the foundation. Such thin formulas in general don't work well on my skin, I don't know why, though this one looks better than Maybelline's and Catrice's versions. Bourjois has been slowly and sneakily raising their prices over the decade I've been buying HM, so this new foundation is almost 20 € in Slovenia - you can't really call it drugstore anymore. It's 16,5 € in France. 

MAYBELLINE Fit Me concealer

05 

I used to have this and reviewed it too, but it was before they had light shades and even though I liked it, I couldn't wear it, so I gave it away. By now a lot time ago they expanded the shade range and 05 is a great match for me. I'm a long time user of their famous Eraser concealer and I still prefer it to this one. This formula is thicker, it covers more (about medium) and on my skin leans more towards the satin-matte finish, though it's more hydrating than most popular high coverage concealers, which tend to be very matte. 

CATRICE Liquid Eyeliner Matt

010 Dating Joe Black

A standard repurchase. I bought so many over the years. Every now and then I try something new, mostly because I get sent stuff, but this remains a firm and reliable favourite. It's intensely black, it lasts on the eyes all day, it doesn't smudge or run during and the felt tip applicator feels soft on the eyes. It's not as precise as Essence's 24h Ever Ink felt tip eyeliner, but it's more durable. 

CATRICE Highlighting Hero Duo Pencil

020 Daylight

This combines a matte pencil with a shimmery one. The matte side is meant to be used in the waterline and for lifting the eyes (and the face), while the shimmery one is a highlighter, most suited for the inner corners of the eyes. The matte pencil is a similar colour to the discontinued Essence pencil that I've been using for years (I stocked up on several when I learned they're discontinuing them). It's an off-white pink shade that suits my skin tone better than yellow toned pencils and opens up the eyes. The shimmery side is also in a pinky shade and it's disappointing. Given that I bought this pencil mostly for the shimmery shade, I'm not happy about it being a poor performer. Pigmentation is much weaker than the matte side and even with a lot building up, it just doesn't end up looking shimmery enough to bring focus to the eyes. Both sides are creamy and glide nicely, but pigmentation differs a lot between the sides. 

ESSENCE The Mini Nail Buffers

I always buy a different nail file from Essence, a thin four sided one, but the stand in a local Müller looks like it has been robbed and this was the only one the stand. It has the same four surfaces - shorten, shape, buff and smooth. The are shorter, but you get two. It does the job well and I ended up preferring the square shape, though the surfaces are smaller and they won't last as long as at the thin version. 

CATRICE ICOnails Gel Lacquer

161 Stargazing

This is one of the new shades they released in the last update. I'm drawn to all starry sky shades, looking for the perfect mix of dark blue with the right amount of shimmer. This one ended up fairly basic, as I've had at least two identical shades before and the shimmer doesn't look as intense or "starry" as I'd like, but it's a nice deep frosty blue shade. Staying power didn't wow me and usually Catrice nail polishes last well. 

BALEA Beauty Expert Hydration Toner

I find Balea frustrating at times. While I'm glad they are going in the right direction ingredients-wise with their Beauty Expert line, their formulas just miss the mark for me. At every product I've tried, there was something off. Their liquid exfoliator with the salicylic acid feels oily, so it doesn't absorb for ages and their body niacinamide cream is too light (their discontinued retinol serum was also underwhelming). This is again a product that is brilliant on paper. It has 2% panthenol, 0.2% allantoin, betaine, urea, glutamic acid, aminoacids and it's fragrance free. So you'd expect a comfortable, ultra-hydrating product like Cezanne High Moist I've been using for many years (and I need to order online), but this feels so bare, thin and water-like. I put it on and I'm just missing some extra hydration. I will say that it's nice for layering, as it's super light and fast absorbing, but as a stand-alone product, I feel it needs something to make it feel more hydrating. However, I will praise it as a relief product. My scalp was irritated a while back and I put this on because of the panthenol, hoping it will alleviate the irritation and itch. It helped very fast, but it also made my hair feel somewhat dirty, so I had to wash it the same day.  

GARNIER Skinactive Vitamin C Glow Booster Night Serum

A while ago I used up Afrodita's Vitamin C serum with ascorbly tetraisopalmitate, which I liked, though not as much as the Professional version (which is much more expensive). This time I wanted to try the new Garnier one because it has 10% ascorbic acid (the most potent version of vitamin C, but also least stable), it has no alcohol, it has some salicylic acid and adenosine. It can be opened for just 3 months. It's a light clear liquid with a tiny bit of an oily feel, but that goes away. Products can be applied over it with no problems. I felt nothing when I first applied it, so no burning or tingling, nor did I get a delayed reaction. But I did instantly get that odd smell, like you can at self tanners. I've tried applying it with gloves, but I apparently touch my face a lot, so my hands smell like self tanner all the time. I don't think I noticed anything significant in terms of the condition of my skin, but I'll keep using it.

BODY BOOM Peel-off Rubber Algae Mask

A new brand that's sold in Slovenian drugstores (DM) and like Eveline it's from Poland. Products are said to contain up to 99% of ingredients of natural origin and they are vegan. Here you get a big pot with some lovely-smelling powder and you're supposed to mix it with precisely 30 ml of lukewarm water in the same cup. The mask is meant to be for a single use. I haven't tried it yet, but it's clay mask that sets to a "soft-touch dressing" on the skin and then you're supposed to peel it off. I've tried similar products before and in my experience they don't come off it a single piece, but we'll see how this one ends up. It contains pink clay, aloe vera, calamine (which is soothing and good for calming itchiness), oat  kernel flour (oats tend to be used in products for sensitive skin), algae and blueberries.   

 Ingredients: Diatomaceous Earth, Glucose, Algin, Calcium Sulfate Hydrate, Calamine, Tetrasodium Phyrophosphate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Vaccinium Corymbosum (Blueberry) Seed, Illite (Pink Clay), Kaolin, Montmorillonite, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Salicylate.

FACE BOOM Day/Night Hydro Cream

A moisturiser for sensitive to dry skin. Instead of the classic glycerine, they used trehalose as the main ingredient. It's a sugar which is supposedly an excellent hydrator. Other ingredients include brazil nut seed oil, avocado oil, glycerine, rose oil, pineapple juice, melon juice, banana extract and raspberry extract. So it's more about fruit extracts than the by now classic hyaluronic acid, glutamic acid or ceramides. Formula is light and relatively fast absorbing. It's not too heavy to affect makeup on top. I haven't used it long enough to say anything more, but to me it feels more of a formula for combination/normal skin, as for my dry skin it's on the light side. I don't have sensitive skin, so I can't say if it's gentle enough, but it is quite heavily fragranced (personally I like that).

Aqua (Water), Trehalose, Betaine, Stearyl Alcohol, Bertholletia Excelsa (Brazil Nut) Seed Oil, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Rosa Canina (Fruit) Oil, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Juice, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Juice, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Vegetable Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

BODY BOOM Mattifying and Detoxifying Cream

A moisturiser for combination and oily skin. It promises to normalize sebum production and to reduce the visibility of pores. It's actually very similar to the Day-Night Hydro Cream, as textures are so alike. It doesn’t really feel like a classic mattifying cream, it's more hydrating than the mattifying lotions I used in the past and it's thicker. While it contains rice starch for absorbing oil, it has a higher content of hemp oil and rice oil. There's also green tea extract, black tea extract, lime juice and some ferments. 

Aqua (Water), Trehalose, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Black Tea) Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Juice, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

SORAYA Beauty Alphabet Normalizing Cream+ Vitamin Serum 2 in 1 

B3 + Yeast

A niacinamide lotion with yeast ferment. The ingredients list is short, but it doesn't state the percentage of niacinamide. Formula it's a lotion type of product, so not the lightest niacinamide product and certainly not a serum. Those with oily skin may use this as a moisturiser, as it's rich enough, yet it's not a greasy, heavy formula. I haven't used it long, but it promises a brightening, pore-tightening effect. 

FACE BOOM Skin Dopamine Highly Moisturizing Face Cream SPF 50

The most interesting product in the bunch for me, an SPF 50 cream. Currently I have dry skin, so it's not the best time to review it for those that interested in how light or heavy it feels on the face. I wore it only once, the two finger amount. Texture is more on the thin side, but still creamy. I got no white cast, though it took some time to blend in. It doesn't feel heavy or greasy, but it's still maybe doesn't feel as nice for oily-combination skin, as it didn't absorb fully - I'll have to give it a test in the summer, to see how it works. For the current conditions, it feels fine to me. I didn't try wearing makeup over it yet. UV filters are  Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate , Tris-Biphenyl Triazine (nano), Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (nano). It also has babassu oil, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, vitamin E, vitamin C and squalene. 

MOROCCANOIL Hand Wash Fragrance Originale

A thick that forms a rich foam with a small amount. It has a version of the typical Moroccanoil scent (spicy amber with a floral accord), but it's more gentle and more "soapy". Moroccanoil sells shower gels and hand soaps for the same price, but you get a lot more in the hand soap version - plus it has a pump.

 MOROCCANOIL All in One Leave-in Conditioner

A repurchase. I use this after every hair wash and it's so far the best leave-in conditioner I've found. It's true to the claim of long lasting hydration, it leaves my hair somewhat softer and it dries smoother. They changed the pump, but never had problems with the previous version.  

MOROCCANOIL Frizz Shield Spray

I bought a mini not long ago and I still have some left, but since it was on offer I got the full-size. Unlike the Color Wow version, this one actually does something and helps my hair dry smoother with less frizz. It doesn't create the glass hair effect on me, but it's still very effective. It's actually similar to the their Smoothing lotion, but this one also protects the hair from getting frizzy when in contact with humidity. It's very light, but it hydrates and it makes my hair smoother. It needs to be activated by heat. 

NIVEA Care & Hold Soft Touch Caring Mousse

A game changer. I used to use mousses all the time when I was younger and still had natural curls, but I never liked their texture and how sticky/stiff they left the hair, so stopped using any such styling product. I decided to give them another go, since I heard the secret to a long lasting blowout and curls made with a hair dryer (or a Dyson like cheap approximate) is using a mousse with heat protection. This literary feels like nothing is on the hair. I don't know how they managed to do that, but it holds volume all day. Curls made with a blow dryer last as long too and without a mousse they are gone within minutes that's why I always preferred using curling wands that use more heat. In the next days, the hair feels normal, it's not any dryer, more stiff or anything, it's like it's easily brushed out of the hair. I'm genuinely impressed. Plus it has heat protection. I'll try the hair spray too. 

I use this at every hair wash since I got it a month or two ago. My overnight curls now actually last and I can "redo them" over the week without having to wash my hair. 

SCHWARZKOPF Brilliance Gloss Treatment

Chocolate Brown

Another tinted hair mask I'm trying, this one is sold in local drugstores. The colour is a perfect match for my natural colour and there is no line visible between my natural and coloured hair. So it's a very deep, almost black brown shade as well as very cool. On my ends there is a gentle hue of greyness because of that coolness and I could immediately see this will wash off towards grey-blue-green shades on blonde hair - not ideal for me, but if you have red tones appearing as your brown colour is washing off, this one will counter them just like Subrina's Cold Brown shade (that one is lighter, not as deep). Due to being a cool shade, it also means the colour is flat and matte. As much as I'm very pleased I found a perfect match, I would prefer if it were more reddish-golden because of that, so at the next wash I already added some Subrina Colour Refresh in Magenta. Formula is nice, better than Wella and my hair didn't feel stiff and unnourished like it happens to me at Wella.

LA RIVE In Flames Eau de Parfum and Shower Gel

A dupe for Paco Rabanne Olympea. It's been a few years since I used up my Olympea, so I can't compare them side by side, but when I spray this it's definitely smells so similar. Notes of vanilla and salt are most prominent at the start along with hazelnut. Middle notes are more floral, with the strongest note being jasmine, but it's more subtle than in Olympea. Staying power is good considering this costs 10 €. I got this in a set with a shower gel, but the latter doesn't smell like the fragrance. It's a generic, floral-fruity creamy clean scent - nice, but probably those that buy the set would like to see it smells like the fragrance. 

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