Last 2016 empties ~ porabljeni izdelki!

So here we are. December is almost upon us and it was time to do a proper clean out of my bathroom cabinets before the packages from Black Friday start rolling in. This is going to be a long post so without further ado, let's jump straight into it!

Pa smo tu! December je tik pred vrati in resnično je bil čas, da pospravim svoje omarice, preden prispejo paketi z vsem, kar sem kupila na Črni petek. Ker bo objava dolga, predlagam, da kar začneva!

Movember! (collaboration with The Beauty of Nail Polish blog)

 During the month of November, the streets are crowded with  bearded and unshaven men. They proudly show off their facial hair (or lack of it) and I think they are enjoying the fact that they don't have to shave for a month and nobody is judging them because of that. But I also think that many of them don't know what Movember really stands for.

 

Meseca novembra se na cestah po svetu kar naenkrat pojavi ogromno bradatih, neobritih moških. Ponosno razkazujejo svoje bolj ali manj goste in dolge dlake in po mojem mnenju kar uživajo, ker se jim cel mesec ni treba obriti in jih zato nihče ne obsoja. Mislim pa, da jih v resnici kar veliko ne ve, kaj v resnici Movember sploh je.

The word originates from the words Mo (Mustache) and November. Long beards and mustache are supposed to draw attention to various issues that can trouble men but don't get spoken about that often. Among these we can mention prostate cancer, testicular cancer (which is most common among young men!) and also psychological issues with special attention to suicide prevention.

Beseda izvira iz besed Mo (Mustache, torej brki) in November. Dolge brade in brki naj bi opozarjali na najrazličnejše težave, ki lahko pestijo moške, pa o njih ne govorimo pogosto - med njimi lahko omenimo raka prostate, raka na modih (ki je najpogostejši prav med mladimi moškimi!), pa tudi psihične težave, pri čemer se posebej poudarja preprečevanje samomorov. 

Autumn favorites **** Jesenski favoriti

It's been quite a while since I last wrote a post about my favorite products. I'll admit that some months, there simply aren't any that I would want to write about and I don't want the products to repeat themselves. But I've had quite a few favorites this fall and it's only right that I say a few words about them. 

Že kar nekaj časa je minilo, odkar sem napisala kakšno objavo o mojih najljubših izdelkih. Priznam, vsak mesec se jih pač ne nabere dovolj, da bi o njih želela pisati, prav tako pa ne želim, da bi se izdelki preveč ponavljali. Ampak to jesen se jih je nabralo kar nekaj, zato je edino prav, da o njih spregovorim nekaj besed.

Let me start with Melvita rose hip oil. I got to choose this oil at the Beautiful Bloggers conference (*click* to read more about that) and I've been using it for well over a month now. At night, I apply a couple of drops to a clean face and follow up with my night moisturizer. I must say that the effect has been amazing - the skin feel tighter, but even more importantly it feels softer and well nourished. Rose Hip oil is meant for the first lines, but Melvita offers a whole range of oils so you can surely find the one that will suit you the best.

Začela bom z Melvitinim šipkovim oljem. To olje sem si lahko izbrala na Beautiful Bloggers konferenci (*klik* če želiš prebrati kaj več) in ga zvesto uporabljam že več kot en mesec. Zvečer ga nekaj kapljic nanesem na očiščen obraz in potem uporabim svojo nočno vlažilno kremo. Moram reči, da je učinek prav neverjeten - koža se mi zdi bolj napeta, predvsem pa mehkejša in bolje nahranjena. Šipkovo olje je mišljeno za prve gubice, Melvita pa ponuja cel nabor drugih, tako da lahko gotovo najdeš najbolj primerno tudi zase.

I apply La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Unifiant every morning after my morning routine. The cream has only slight coverage so it cannot act as a liquid foundation for me personally, but I feel it evens out my complexion nicely, covers up a bit of hyper-pigmentation I have remaining from my pregnancy and gives the skin a nice glow. It's definitely a product that makes me feel a bit more put together during everyday work and playing with my son.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Unifiant vsak dan uporabim zjutraj po osnovni negi obraza. Gre za res rahlo prekriven izdelek, ki vsaj meni osebno ne more nadomestiti tekoče podlage, vendar pa se mi zdi, da prav lepo poenoti polt, malo zakrije hiperpigmentacijo, ki mi je ostala od nosečnosti in da koži zdrav sijaj. Vsekakor izdelek, zaradi katerega se počutim malo bolj urejena tudi med vsakdanjimi domačimi opravili in igro z mojim sinčkom.

Ebelin Gel Eyeliner brush turned out to be a really nice surprise. My previous brush lost all shape and I realized it's time to get a new one. Not being able to find an alternative at the drugstore, I settled for Ebelin (DM brand) and I must admit that I wasn't expecting a whole lot. I was in for a pleasant surprise - the brush does its job well being compact enough and at the same time not too stiff so it glides along the eye nicely. It's also thin enough to create a nice wing. I would definitely recommend it and I'll also have a closer look at other Ebelin brushes.

Ebelin čopič za gel eyeliner se je izkazal za prav prijetno presenečenje. Moj prejšnji čopič je izgubil vso obliko in ugotovila sem, da je čas za novega. Ker v drogeriji nisem našla alternative, sem se odločila za Ebelin, ki je DM znamka, pri čemer priznam, da nisem pričakovala preveč. Bila sem prijetno presenečena - čopič odlično opravi svojo nalogo, saj je dovolj kompakten, pa vseeno ne preveč čvrst, da lepo zdrsi ob očesnem loku in dovolj tanek za lepo krilce (wing) ob robu očesa. Vsekakor priporočam, sama si bom ogledala še druge Ebelin čopiče.

Catrice Matt Lip Artist in the shade 020 - Best ROSEbuddies Forever is basically a jumbo lip pencil. It dries quite quickly, the finish really is matte and on my lips it lasts quite a long time (but not as long as some liquid matte lipsticks). It doesn't dry out my lips so that's why I'm giving it an A. My pink shade with red undertone is beautiful and there are quite a few other shades to choose from.

Catrice Matt Lip Artist v odtenku 020 - Best ROSEbuddies Forever je v bistvu jumbo svinčnik za ustnice. Ob nanosu se posuši dokaj hitro, zaključek je bolj kot ne res matiran in na mojih ustnicah zdrži kar nekaj časa (vendar ne toliko, kot kakšna mat tekoča šminka). Mojih ustnic ne izsuši in že zato dobi oceno odlično! Moj rožnat odtenek z rdečimi podtoni je čudovit, na izbiro pa je še kar nekaj drugih.

Last but not least autumn favorite is the Trend It Up Contour&Glide Lipliner in the shade 401. It's a classic lip liner but its main advantages are that it lasts a really long time and its creamy texture. There is a sharpener on one end so you don't have to worry about the tip losing its shape and becoming dull. Shade 401 is pink with a bit of orange undertone and I must say that I've been looking for a lip liner in this shade for quite a while now.

Zadnji, vendar nič manj pomemben jesenski favorit pa je Trend It Up Contour&Glide Lipliner v odtenku 401. Gre za klasično črtalo za ustnice, pri čemer je njegova prednost izjemna obstojnost in kremna tekstura. Na eni strani svinčnika je tudi šilček, tako da ne gre skrbeti, tudi če konica nekoliko izgubi obliko in postane topa. Barva 401 je roza z nekoliko oranžnega podtona in moram reči, da sem črtalo za ustnice v tej barvi iskala kar nekaj časa.

These are my fall favorites - do you have any that I should definitely try out? Let me know in the comments below!

To so moji jesenski favoriti - imaš tudi ti kakšnega, ki bi ga obvezno morala preizkusiti? Svoj namig mi sporoči v komentarju.

Until next time, stay beautiful! ***** Do naslednjič, ostani čudovita!

FRIDAY SUPERSTAR: Bocassy Clean&Tone Tonic

Over the years, I've learned that the less stress and steps I add to my skincare routine, the more likely I'm to follow it, hence also making it more likely for my skin to look good. 

Admittedly, I could blame my recent lack of routine on baby M, but the truth is he sleeps for 12 hours straight throughout the night, making it perfectly easy for me to do the things that need getting done. So here it is - I'm lazy. That's right. After taking off my make-up, I slap on some night cream and call it a day. 

FRIDAY SUPERSTAR: Mirati Face Wash

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – having a small child means that anything that promises you’ll become more refreshed, invigorated, have more energy or anything similar is a sure bestseller. 

Normally, I love soft, creamy shower gels but for the last three months (baby M is exactly 3 months today) I’ve only used ones that give me a boost of freshness in the morning and in the evening.

All of the above are also the reasons that Mirati Face Wash won me over in an instant. It combines Aloe Vera with lemon essential oils, making it both kind to your skin and refreshing at the same time.

SUNDAY SPECIAL: Best of the rest 2015

Last Sunday I wrote about the make-up products that impressed me the most in 2015. This week, I’d like to share the skincare, haircare and nail products that have been my absolute favorites in 2015 (and the months after).

Let’s start with skincare. My favorite moisturizer and face mist both come from the brand Melvita. I wrote an extensive review of both already and you can check it out in this post (click). In short, my face has been mainly clean of imperfection and my skin is feeling well hydrated ever since I’ve started using these products. They are not the cheapest, but I look at it as an investment!

I’ve tried many make-up removers in 2015 and yet I keep returning to the Decleor Aroma Cleanse. This gentle cleansing milk really removes both normal and waterproof make-up off my face and leaves it feeling smooth. The 200ml bottle costs about 20 € - I buy if from my beauty salon. This bottle lasted me about six months, so it’s not overly expensive for the amount you’re getting. 

I am so bad at moisturizing my body in the colder months! Once I get out of the shower, I just want to get dressed as quickly as possible and not stand there waiting for the lotion to soak in for the next 10 minutes. The L’Occitane Jasmin-Immortelle-Neroli body lotion from the Pierre Herme line is one of those lotions that takes no time at all to sink into the skin. It leaves my body feeling well hydrated and fresh. Since I used it throughout the pregnancy and escaped without a single stretch mark, I’m giving it a 5 out of 5 points for effectiveness as well!

I like smelling fresh even after I’ve been out and about all day, but applying perfume all the time would be overdoing it, and expensive to boot. The Le Couvent Des Minimes Eau Amiable cologne is a great alternative, since the smell is not overpowering and the spray really distributes the product evenly. I tend to spray it on my clothes to make it linger a bit longer. A bottle will set you back anywhere between 15 and 30 € depending on the size and you can usually find a good deal at Müller!

I don’t usually like sticky scrubs and prefer to use dry scrubs that can be mixed with water and applied, but I’ve completely fallen in love with the Afrodita sugar scrub with brown sugar and shea butter. I used this religiously during the summer to build up a healthy tan and keep my skin supple. It also worked great at removing dead cells after the summer when my skin started to dry up due to the heating. At about 5 € per jar (I think it would last you about a month if used at every showering session) it’s a bargain! After using this scrub, you won’t need any body lotion since it will leave your skin feeling soft I and well hydrated.

Nail polish is one of my weaknesses and I tend to stick to higher end brands that really deliver on the promise of true color and longevity. However, I’ve received a few polishes from the new Avon lines and I’ve really been loving both the Mineral Crush (from Magic Effects) and Gel finish polishes (so much so that I’ve ordered a whole bunch of them in different shades). The effect of  the Mineral crush line on the nails is especially fun and I’ve gotten a whole bunch of compliments on it!

Last but not least, let’s talk about hair. I rarely talk about anything that I receive in sample size (or a deluxe sample size) since I often cannot get a real feel of the product before it runs out. However I can firmly say that the Paul Mitchell Lavender Mint shampoo and conditioner from the Teatree line have been my absolute favorite hair products in the year 2015! Each time I used this combo, my hair felt really clean and amazingly soft. A 300ml bottle of each costs about 20 € which is a lot but used sparingly it can last you a long time. It’s also not much more expensive then the Joico products I’ve been using so far so I’m definitely going to treat myself to the full size in the future! You can buy them in several online stores or in hair salons around you.

I tried using less leave-in products in the past year since I’ve been instructed by my hairdresser to let them breathe as much as possible. With the exception of hair oil once in every blue moon, I’ve stuck to my Beauty Works 10in1 Miracle Spray. It promises a lot (nourishes, detangles, prevents split ends, enhances natural body etc.) but as for me, I’ve just found that it gives my hair a lot of volume and a nice smell while also keeping the frizz of baby hair in check to a certain extent. At 15 € per bottle it’s priced reasonably and I’ll definitely repurchase it after it runs out.

That’s it for the products that I’ve been loving the most in 2015. Did you find any of your favorites among them? Next Sunday, keep your eyes open for the disappointing ones! And don't forget - you've got two more days to enter the giveaway! Find the instructions here!

Until then, stay beautiful!

FRIDAY SUPERSTAR: Melvita Pulpe de Rose and Damaske Rose Floral Water

Dear beauties, 

those of you who suffer from hormonal imbalance are surely aware of the damage that those pesky hormones can do to your skin. I had little trouble with my skin before I got pregnant, and most of those were due to poor skincare - not taking my make-up of properly, not giving my skin enough hydration, years of reckless tanning without proper protection etc. 

But all of the things my face had experienced before were nothing compared to what was happening to my poor skin during pregnancy. You name it, I had it - hyperpigmentation, deep acne, clogged pores. I used the heaviest foundation I own and piled on tons of concealer before I even walked out the door to look barely presentable, but that didn't exactly help my skin, either. 

Fast forward nine months - in the first two weeks after giving birth, the hyperpigmentation was gone but my skin was still in very poor shape. So I decided that I will reduce my make-up and my skincare to a minimum (also due to the fact that I didn't exactly have the luxury of doing long skincare routines twice a day). And now, five weeks later, my skin is looking quite good if I say so myself, thanks to these two products - Melvita Pulpe de Rose cream and Damascan Rose floral water.

Pulpe de Rose is described as a plumping radiance cream that also battles first wrinkles. It comes in a 40ml tube with a pump, which I find great but I'll admit that it's not working as great now when I'm almost done with it, so I'll probably cut the tube to really get all the product out. Otherwise, a single pump is enough for the entire face.

The cream is based on rose hip fruits and blossoms making it rich in vitamin C. I absolutely adore the smell of this cream- it is fresh and sweet at the same time. Even my hubby who never notices anything to do with skincare mentioned that he likes the smell a lot, so that's saying something. After using this cream for only a week or so, I saw that my skin was getting a bit firmer and I also like the fact that it absorbs very quickly. All in all, it's one of the best face products I've ever used and I'll repurchase it again. You can get it at Melvita website for 34,90€. If used sparingly, it should last you about 2 months. 

Since we're still keeping the heating on at home because of the baby, my skin is still relatively dry. I tried applying face cream several times a day but somehow, that didn't seem like the most practical solution. Then I remembered the Melvita Damascan Rose Floral Water still sitting in my cabinet waiting to be used. I put it on the bathroom counter so I was reminded to use it several times a day. 

I love the smell of this floral water as well - it smells like childhood to me since the smell is very similar to a toner my mom used when she was little, a true rose smell. Whenever I spray this on my face I can literally feel my skin absorbing the moisture and the process only takes about a minute or so, leaving my skin feeling fresh and hydrated. I am also a fan of the spray as well since it covers quite a large surface, so I only need about three sprays for my entire face. You can get it here for 7,10 € for smaller bottle (50ml) or 15,30€ for a bigger bottle (200ml - which is obviously the best price/quantity ratio). 

I would highly recommend these two products to anyone with dry or normal skin and I also believe they would work well for you if you have sensitive skin. Granted, Melvita is not exactly an inexpensive brand, but it's well worth your money in my opinion.

Until next time, stay beautiful!

Eucerin pampering

I always associated Eucerin with skincare for problematic skin, something that your doctor or dermatologist would tell you to use if you had different issues. But at the Beauty Bloggers Meetup, I learned that Eucerin is much more than that - they've really broadened their range of products to suit the needs of everyone. 

At the Meetup, I received the Eucerin Anti-Age Hyaluron Filler CC cream and a couple of weeks later, I got another envelope in the mail, this time containing a ph5 Skincare Lotion for sensitive skin.

I will say that I didn't find the lotion to be anything to write home about - it's a nice smelling lotion that isn't very runny, soaks in nicely and quickly and doesn't irritate my skin. Apparently, the ingredient dexpanthenol is supposed to be really beneficial in healing wounds, so it would be a good product to keep around if you have young children who are more prone to cuts and scrapes as us adults. Of course, if you're really clumsy, it would be a good product for you as well.

Secrets of the Trebnik Mansion

Trebnik Mansion, geddit? The brand I want to write about today is actually named Dvorec (i.e. Mansion) Trebnik, but it sounds much more exotic the other way around in English, so I'll roll with it. 

I've been obsessed with Dvorec Trebnik bath salts for about a year now and haven't used anything else since I first purchased them. For some reason unknown to mankind, I have not tried any of their other products until we got a nice goody bag at the Beauty Bloggers Meetup (which I keep mentioning and will mention throughout Blogvember, so get used to it) full of products from their DT line.

Inside the bag, we found three products and I've been using two of them non-stop for the past couple of weeks. First, I want to talk about the DT Energy tonic - a refreshing face and body mist. 

Oils are not just for cooking: Afrodita Oil products

You know the myth about not ever applying oils to oily hair and oily skin? I personally am well acquainted with it and I deprived my skin and scalp of good oils for years and years. Well, the tables have turned and now I'm a deep believer in providing that extra bit of nurture.

I bought the Afrodita Jojoba oil shower gel a couple of weeks back and guess what - it was my first ever Afrodita shower gel. Like - the first one to enter my bathroom. I went on using it for a couple of days and then I noticed that the amount in the bottle was vanishing at a quicker pace then expected.

Something Yummy

Yummy is another brand that I've never come across in my life and I was super excited to see that a products from their range was gifted to me at the Beauty Bloggers Meetup, courtesy of the online store Click2Chic.

If you visit their store, you will find a whole range of Yummy products in the yummiest scents possible - I am personally most attracted to anything that smells like coconut and vanilla, but I am sure that everyone can find something for themselves. 

Anyway, what I found in my box from Click2Chic was this Yummy body butter.

I tend to steer clear from body butters during the warmer months since they take such long time to really soak into the skin and I don't appreciate being all sticky during the summer. Consequently, I don't have much experience to go on, but I do use one particular brand during the winter months.

New products – August 2015

I tried to be reasonable with my shopping in the past month, since I've got quite some business and personal trips coming up in the near future and I intend to purchase some products that are not easily available to me in Slovenia (or not at all). That being said, I still slipped on some occasions and I also received some Freedom Make-Up from Licila.si to try out, but I will review those in a separate post.

First off, I took advantage of a nice Yves Rocher offer where one could choose three products for 12,50 € (the promotion is still valid). 

Since I've never tried Yves Rocher products before, this seemed like a nice opportunity. I bought the Replumping serum foundation, Blackberries sparkling body powder and Hair Repair Oil. The company also sent me some extra samples to try out and a shopping bag which comes in handy for my everyday grocery purchases. 

I haven't tried all of the products yet, but can I just point out how beautiful this packaging from the sparkling body powder is? I absolutely love the little puff and the smell of it as well – it really does smell like blackberries!

It was love at first sight for me and the Kaviar Gauche for Catrice face powder (about 2,5 € on sale). This one comes in shape of little balls which can easily be gently swirled around with a smaller face brush and give away just enough product. I personally use them as highlights on my cheekbones, since they are a bit too shiny for the entire face. I give Catrice ***** on the packaging alone – it could have easily been a Chanel or Dior product as well. 

I also purchased two Bourjois products from Look Fantastic website – the Silk Edition Compact powder (12,75 €) which I've used before and absolutely love, and another shade of Bourjois Rouge Edition 12 Hour Lipstick in Rose Vanity (11,35 €). 

I really like the consistency of these lipsticks and although they don't exactly last for 12 hours, they are still reasonably long-lasting and not drying at all, which is something I normally associate with long-lasting lippies. 

I have not yet touched The Nuxe Melting Cleansing Gel with rose petals (17,75 €), but I have used up samples from the Rose line before and liked them quite a lot. 

I am also excited to use the Kera Care Silken Seal (10,65 €) – since reading the great reviews for this product on Look Fantastic website, this was the product I was most excited for to arrive. I will definitely report back on it.

And since I did spend quite a lot of money on the Look Fantastic website, I was gifted some extra goodies from them. I received the Origins Skin Saviour Set (worth 27 €) which includes a face wash, exfoliator and overnight mask. But as if they suspected that my skin is in quite rough shape at the moment, I also got the Elemis Absolute Spa Collection (worth 67 €) that includes a milk bath, Pro Collagen Marine Cream and Papaya Enzyme Peel. I am looking forward to treating my skin to these new products and see if any of them will work wonders. 

Stay tuned for the review of Freedom Make-up products coming up tomorrow! Until then, stay beautiful!

Empties #4

Once again, I dug out my beauty trash. I tried to keep your advice in mind and do this post a bit earlier this time so the post doesn't stretch into infinity. I don't think I did very well, though. 

Let's start small. I've gotten or purchased quite a lot of samples and for once, I managed to use some as well. 

I love Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting exfoliator. It was my first time trying something with BHA gel and I'm really tempted to get a full size of this. It made my skin bright, I really had a feeling that it was clean and soft. I can't say the same for the Delarom Infinite White serum – I noticed no difference to my skin after using a couple of these samples (which I got in the Dashbox). 

I will get my behind whooped by beauty bloggers for saying this, but I was really, really unimpressed with the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor. My hair didn't feel any different or feel any different after I used it. I might try some other Aussie products in the future, but I will not be purchasing this any time soon. 

Midyear favorites 2015

You may have noticed that I stopped doing monthly favorites about 6 months ago. The reason is quite simple – I don't have many new favorites every month, so I prefer not to talk about products until I have a firm opinion about them. With that in mind, I give you my mid-year favorites for 2015 – the products I used and loved in the first six months of this year.

Let's start with body products. I've talked about both of these before. 

My first favorite is Nivea In-Shower Body Milk with shea butter. I love the idea of moisturizing while taking a shower and it really saves me a lot of time. I prefer this formula for dry skin to the one for normal skin – the shea butter really gives it the additional *umph*.

Secondly, I've really been enjoying my Stenders Salt Scrub in Rose and it's not long before I'll completely run out. It's a fine scrub with some rose petals in it – it gets rid of the old epidermis and also moisturizes, since it's oil based. The only downside is the amount of time you'll need to scrub your shower clean after using it. 

For hair, I haven't found my new favorite shampoo&conditioner combo just yet. The only thing I am including here is my Kerastase Elixir Ultime. I apply this to my roots and about 10 cm up after each wash and I feel I've had lot less split and dry hair in the past few months. This product is quite expensive, but the bottle will last you ages, since you need the smallest amount per day / per wash.