SUNDAY SPECIAL: Be yourself, be different - with L'Occitane Arlésienne collection

I can't believe that the Beautiful Bloggers meetup is really over for this year. I had an even better time this year, but truth be told, I need a day or two to process everything before I can summarize my thoughts into a nice, long post. 

But I can talk for a moment about the theme of this years' meetup: Be yourself ... be an unicorn! Or, as someone put it even better: Be yourself. Unless you can be an unicorn - then always be an unicorn! I already spoke many times how I feel that it's difficult to tell one beauty blog from another, since most of us write about similar products, shoot similar photos... there is no diversity. 

And I plan to change that! I am making a promise to myself that I will make my blog different, unique and stand out from all others. I plan to keep that promise!

MONDAY MADNESS: NBB (New Bits and Bobs) from July - review

It's that time of the month again. The day of verdict when I can tell you what I thought about the new products I bought or received in the month of July.

I must say that I really like the Biobaza make-up remover. I only need a single pump to remove the non waterproof make-up and another pump for the face. I also think this bottle will last me about a year, so the value is amazing. 

The Verde Vera hand cream is nothing special, to be honest. It's not very nourishing, it doesn't smell that great - basically, it's the kind of product you forget you own all the time. 

I have used the Avon Sun Light Spray during the vacation, but as my hair is currently going through some kind of hormonal meltdown, I can hardly be an honest judge of it. I can say that it smells wonderfully, though. 

I promised myself I would save this Victoria's Secret Exotic Fragrance Lotion until next summer, but I cracked under pressure. It's another great product, smells great, absorbs quickly and leaves my skin nice and soft. Not something I'd write home about, but a really good product nonetheless. 

The same can be said for the Bath&Bodyworks PocketBac sanitizers. They are now evenly distributed throughout my purses and I'm set for at least one year. I am partial to the Cool Coconut colada, simply because... coconut!

Avon Nailwear Pro+ in Minty is one of my favorite nail polishes of all times - and I feel quite certain in saying that. It's well pigmented, doesn't chip very quickly and I'm absolutely in love with the shade. I can't say the same for the Deborah Gel Effect polish which unfortunately doesn't agree with my skin tone. I am also on the fence about the Kiss Vita base coat since it doesn't seem to a) make my nails any stronger or b) prolong the lifespan of my manicure. I'll have to find something better - if you have a good suggestion for a base coat, please let me know in the comments!

Now for make-up. First, there is the famous Benefit Cheekathon palette - you can read the review *here*.

I also wrote individual reviews about the Nabla bronzer in Cameo (*click here* to read it - it's a great bronzer!), the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops (the review can be found *here* - it's one of my all time favorite products) and the Golden Rose Longstay Liquid lipstick (the review is *here* - I wasn't a fan). I also had a go at my Laura Mercier translucent powder which is quite OK, but the real test will come in the winter when the foundation and concealer get heavier and are more likely to crease. The Beautyblender is still waiting to be used, but I reviewed that so many times already that I probably won't do it again. Last but not least is the Nabla lip liner which I totally missed the color - it's much lighter than any of my nude lipsticks so I'm still thinking of ways to use it. 

And that concludes the short reviews of the products I bought or received last month. If you want more information about any of the products, let me know in the comments below. 

Until next time, stay beautiful!

MONDAY MADNESS: New Bits and Bobs for July 2016

It's the same story every month - I don't really feel like I'm shopping at all, but at the end of the month when I try to take a photo of all new products, I fail miserably. So yes, there are a few missing in the photo above. 

Let's start with some bigger things. I'm going to start using this Biobaza 3-1 cleanser this week since I just ran out of my previous one from L'Oreal yesterday. I got sent the Avon Sun Light spray - perfect timing as my vacation is quickly approaching. I bought the Verde Vera hand cream in Spar because I like the packaging and I also like having a cream in a jar for the kitchen.

WEDNESDAY SELECTION: Happy birthday to L'Occitane!

Would you believe it if I told you that L'Occitane is celebrating their 40th anniversary? No, I didn't think so. I admit I had to look twice to believe it. But thinking about it now it makes sense - it's one of the brands that really combines tradition and quality as it once was with contemporary designs and fresh approaches. Today, we get to enjoy all of the amazing products because of Olivier Baussan - the founding father of L'Occitane who believed in the power of nature.

To celebrate, L'Occitane decided to pay a tribute to two plants that have been with them from the very beginnings - verbena and lavender. 

FRIDAY SUPERSTAR: Grazia Beauty Award Winners 2016

This Thursday, the Slovenian issue of Grazia Magazine gave out the Beauty Awards for the first time in Slovenian history. Among 111 products, seven beauty experts chose winners in different categories. We also got to vote, but I haven’t gotten any feedback from Grazia if our votes counted in any way (will update if I find out).

Anyway, here are the winners. All the photos (which are gorgeous, are from the Grazia website, give them some love *here*).

Life changing product: Vichy Dermablend

I have not tried this product yet. It is supposed to cover minor to major imperfections, such as redness, dark circles and uneven skin surface).

I voted for: Vichy Dermablend, because Nika from Beautyfull Blog gave it a big thumbs up :)

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!

Pet razlogov, zakaj sem ujetnica znamke L’Occitane

L’Occitane me v mojem življenju spremlja, odkar pomnim. Sama si seveda izdelkov več let nisem mogla privoščiti sama, ampak za razvajanje vseh mojih čutov je takrat skrbela moja mama. No, danes je seveda drugače in z L’Occitane se redno družim – na tak in drugačen način.   

Pravijo, da je prvi korak k ozdravitvi to, da svoj problem prepoznaš in ga izpostaviš. No, jaz sicer moje odvisnosti sploh ne želim pozdraviti, vseeno pa si lahko spodaj preberete pet razlogov, ki me delajo ujetnico te slastne, dišeče znamke – morda se v katerem prepoznate tudi sami?

1. Pomanjkanje vodi v pogubo

Ko najdem izdelek, ki je pravi zame, se želim prepričati, da mi ga nikdar ne bo zmanjkalo. Vsakič, ko grem mimo L’Occitane trgovine, si rečem – oh, pa saj imam res dovolj zaloge. Ampak ne, noge kar same obrnejo korak in še preden dobro vem, kaj se dogaja, po cesti novim dogodivščinam naproti že hodim z lepo, pisano L’Occitane vrečko v roki. 

Mandljevo olje za prhanje (na sliki v 250ml steklenički in 500ml ekološkem polnjenju) je eden od izdelkov, ki v moji kopalnici ne sme manjkati. Mojo kožo med prhanjem obdari z neverjetno mehkobo in poskrbi, da me topla dišava mandljev spremlja cel dan. Ga imam vedno na zalogi preveč? Verjetno. Bi lahko preživela brez njega? Težko. 

2. Navada je železna srajca

Poleg strahu pred tem, da bi ostala brez nekega izdelka, je pomembno tudi, da mi je moj priljubljen izdelek vedno na razpolago. V vsakodnevnem življenju se gibljem med domom in službo ter pri tem uporabljam vsaj tri različne torbice. 

Enačba je torej povsem enostavna – 5x čudovita kremica = ena za v službo, ena za doma ter tri za vsako od torbic. Tu in tam preizkusim tudi kakšno drugo kremico in nekatere so odlične, vendar se vedno znova in znova vračam k svoji L’Occitane kremi za roke s karitejevim maslom. Na sliki so manjša pakiranja (30ml), ki so dovolj majhna za prav vsako torbico. 

3. Zona somraka (področje pri blagajni)

Vsakič, ko v trgovini L’Occitane napolnim svojo lično pleteno košarico, se z vso odločnostjo, ki jo premorem, napotim proti blagajni in pri tem ne gledam ne levo, ne desno – saj sedaj verjetno že razumete, kakšne nevarnosti prežijo name. Ampak resnični boj me čaka pri blagajni – polno čudovitih izdelkov po nizkih cenah, majhna darilca, s katerimi bi se res lahko danes obdarila, kompletki, ki ponujajo izredno vrednost za denar. Saj veste, kako to gre. 

Tudi prejšnji teden mi mimo blagajne ni uspelo priti, ne da bi klonila pritisku. Z menoj domov je prišla čudovita torbica, v kateri sem našla dva balzama za ustnice ter dve kremici – prav vsi miniji pa vsebujejo karitejevo maslo, ki je itak v moji knjigi sinonim za popolno zmago lepotnih izdelkov.

4. Testiram prvič, testiram drugič, testiram tretjič ... prodano!

Testerji – slovenskih deklet grob, mar ne? Pri L’Occitane me najbolj navdušuje, da si mini, testna pakiranja izdelkov načeloma lahko izberem sama. Na ta način ne preizkušam stvari, ki jih že poznam, ampak vedno spoznavam nove in nove izdelke. In kaj je rezultat?

Rezultat je seveda to, da se v izdelke med testiranjem zaljubim in jih vsekakor moram imeti. Zelo redko se mi namreč zgodi, da bi v trgovini L’Occitane dobila tester izdelka, ki me ne bi prepričal do te mere, da bi si želela kupiti polno velikost. V kaj to vodi? Glej točko dve.

5. Želimo vam blesteče praznične dni!

Vsekakor so trgovine L’Occitane najbolj nevarne med božičnimi prazniki. V tem času običajno na police pridejo kakšne nove, izjemne kolekcije in kaj hitro se zgodi, da je denarnica bolj prazna, kot polna (je pa res, da bodo vaši prijatelji in sorodniki dišali izjemno). 

Letos smo se slovenske blogerke z L’Occitane družile na predstavitvi nove kolekcije, ki sta jo z roko v roki oblikovala Olivier Baussan, ustanovitelj L’Occitane ter priznan francoski slaščičarski mojster, Pierre Hermé, imenovan tudi Kralj kuhinje (NYT). Herméje posrkbel za dišave kolekcije, poustvariti pa je želel občutek, ki ga imamo pri uživanju makronov. No, z makroni nas je L’Occitane razvajal tudi na dogodku za blogerke, ki sem se ga udeležila pretekli teden. Obenem smo imele blogerke priložnost spoznati tudi, kako čudovito natančen in hkrati preprost je način zavijanja darilc pri znamki L’Occitane. Mene osebno je najbolj očaralo dejstvo, da gre za izjemno ekološko zavijanje, pri katerem se porabi kar najmanj materiala, hkrati pa sem občudovala predstavnice znamke, kako lepo in pozorno so ravnale z izdelki – prav tako, kot si zaslužijo!

 Kolekcija je sestavljena iz treh različnih linij, vse pa je v nastajanju navdihnil otok Korzika. . Prva se imenuje Jasmin – Immortelle – Neroli (na sliki zgoraj mleko za tel, 250ml – 23,40€), ki združuje jasmin, immortelle (suhocvetnice) in neroli.  

Fotografija: PR L'Occitane

Kljub temu, da bi od jasmina pričakovala nekoliko močnejši vonj, je ta kolekcija meni najljubša, saj je ravno dovolj sveža, da je primerna za vsak letni čas, hkrati pa tudi dovolj topla, da je primerna za hladne dni, ki prihajajo. 

Druga kolekcija znotraj linije L’Occitane & Pierre Hermé Pamplemousse & Rhubarbe prepleta vonje grenivke in rabarbare, začinjene s klinčki in ščepcem muškatnega oreščka (na sliki zgoraj krema za roke, 30ml, 7.60€). 

Fotografija: PR L'Occitane

Nekoliko resnejša od prve linije, dovolj nevtralna, da je primerna za ženske in moške, pa obenem popolnoma unikatna in nepredvidljiva – vsekakor tudi tu lahko samo prikimam izjemnemu združevanju dišav. 

Tretja linija Miel Mandarine, ki jo predstavljata le dva izdelka (na sliki zgoraj balzam za ustnice, 12ml, 7,60€), pa združuje med in mandarino, torej dva vonja, ki jih sama popolnoma povezujem z zimo.

Fotografija: PR L'Occitane

 Prav ta vonj bi si želela v svojem domu medtem, ko gostom postrežem z decembrskimi dobrotami – sladek, poln, skorajda težak vonj, ki me spominja na božični sejem, kuhano vino ter čaj z medom. 

V kolikor vas kljub vsem mojim opozorilom ni strah in se še vedno počutite pogumne, vam predlagam, da se tudi same podate v svet L’Occitane – bodisi v njihovih trgovinicah, kjer vas bodo pričakale prijazne in izredno strokovne prodajalke, bodisi preko spletne strani www.loccitane.si, kjer boste enostavno opravile tudi svoje božične nakupe – za druge, pa tudi zase!

Ostanite čudovite!

My first ever empties

I will not make any excuses about the lack of posts. Life happens, and sometimes it can also be nice.

But without any further rambling on this subject, here are my first empties. They are in no particular order, but they are all completely and utterly just bits and pieces of my trash I’d like to share with you. 

First up, we have the L’Occitane hydrating body gel. This stuff was a present from a friend two years ago. Yes, two years ago. And with my current philosophy of using up products I actually went for it and tried to use it up. Needless to say, products have expiration dates for a reason. Although the scent and the softness of the product was still there, it was flaking off my skin like you’ve never seen before. So in the trash it goes (and I get to open another one, yay).  Will I repurchase? Probably not, it wasn’t that good compared to some other L’Occitane products I’ve used before, especially all with the almond milk, which I adore. 

Next up, we have 3 packages of make-up tissues – one by Essence, one by Müller’s own CV brand and one by Garnier. I will not go into these too much since I have another post planned about them.

We also have two nail polish removers – I tend to go through these like crazy in the summer months when I’m out and about and my nail polish is chipping like crazy. In the last desperate attempt to be the “low-maintenance beauty” I bought the Aveo remover (again, the Müller brand) in berry scent.  I was not crazy about it, I think my all-time-favorite, Afrodita chamomile (which is another empty) does a much better job.  Will I repurchase? Afrodita yes, Aveo probably not. 

We also have two oldies-goldies – the Avon Daily Shine leave in conditioner, which I already talked about in my Avon haul. This stuff is magic and I will continue to use it until the day they stop producing it. But it’s obviously one of Avon’s staple products since it’s been on the market for years – the packaging has changed some, but the product hasn’t.  The other favorite that I keep and keep repurchasing and always have some in stock just in case is the Axe Anarchy for her. I had quite a hard time finding a deodorant that can keep up with my pace and at the same time doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. 

Last up, I got through my first tube of Maybelline Baby skin instant pore eraser. As some of you may remember, I did not buy one, not two, not three but four of these babies on my USA trip. I will however not be starting a new tube right away since I have two other primers that I want to try first. But that’s a case for another post. 

Have you used any of these products? What are your opinions on them?

Until next time, stay beautiful, stay awesome!