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5th Blogiversary

March 18, 2018, 7:05 am
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It's been five years since I started my blog. To be honest, I kind of knew I'll make a huge hobby out of this little corner of the internet. It sucked me into beauty world that I love and still have the drive to share with others. 


It's been fun five years and I am so grateful for all the people that I have met based on my blog. I've also worked with some interesting brands that are still supporting my work and want my input. There were times when I thought to myself, why am I even doing this or who for, when I felt especially overwhelmed with life. But I feel like everyone has their good and bad times. I am still one of those beauty bloggers that considers blogging a hobby and I don't get paid for it. It's partly my personal preference and partly because of my personal life situation. I get makeup products by brads, but never got paid to do a post about it. It's just how I work, if I had the chance to get paid, I probably would. I also always feel like you trust my reviews and I can only hope that I provide you with enough information to help you decided whether something is for you or not.

I've heard somewhere that apparently people are going back to blogs, although I can't really agree. I feel like YouTube is more popular now. But than again, it's also much more time consuming. I feel like I got stuck in my way of doing reviews and writing my blog as I did when I first started. This new wave of marketing yourself as a brand and selling a lifestyle is really not my thing. I go to beauty blogs for reviews and makeup looks and it's what I do on my blog too, even if it means a very slow rise for my blog.

I can't help myself, but to think that it's become less popular to read long reviews, so I've started to make them shorter. I understand. In a way, we all have a lot to deal with in private life and so many other things consume our daily thoughts and tasks. That's why I am so grateful to all of you that still read my reviews and leave me lovely comments. I don't have a lot of followers, but I feel like all of you are really here for me and for my input into.

In the modern age of what I like to call "modern laziness", it's rare for someone to take the time to like a photo on your Instagram and to comment on your new post. I am very grateful for all of you that do that. Modern social media platforms also bring more interactions and make me feel more connected to all of you. I love when you write me in private messages and we can debate on that new product or how it worked out for you. It makes me feel more engaged and I hope you feel that too.

I won't do my most read posts, because I do this type of blog every year. You can see some of my favorite posts from last year here. Let's take a look at some of statistics from the past five years. I have wrote 790 posts by now. There have been over million total views of my blog and about half a million of visitors. Most of my readers come from: United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany, India, Poland and Slovenia.

Thank you all for the love that you share with my little blog <3

Novelties

Graphic Design

I've actually put some more effort into my blog in these couple of weeks. As you may have noticed, I have new graphic design on my blog with a new template. It was much needed. My mobile site wasn't as responsive as I wanted it to be and now it finally is.

Domain

I also bought my own domain which means you can now officially find me at adjustingbeauty.com. It makes it easier for you to find me and easier for me to tell others where to find me. Let's take this as a sign for me to keep up with my blog and maybe make some more out of it.

About Me

In case you haven't browse through my blog pages, I have also updated my About Me page. It now includes much more information about my skin and makeup preferences. This just makes it easier for all of you new followers on my blog to get a quick feel of who I am and what you might be seeing more on my blog.

Giveaway

In a true traditional way, I'm doing a giveaway on the anniversary of my blog. With the help of some other brands like Orbico (Rimmel, Bourjois, Max Factor) and Paese, I have prepared not one, but three giveaways. Prices include a few items that I got from other those brands as well as some products that I bought myself. I wanted to bring you as many of the products that I love as possible, but also introduce you to some new products that you can try out. 


1. Prize
Avon True Nutra Effects Hydration Overnight Gel-Cream
Paese Rice Powder*
Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick 04 Peach on the Beach*
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet 24 Dark Cherie*


2. Prize
Avon True Nutra Effects Miracle Glow Lightweight Cleansing Oil
Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Powder 03 Dark Beige*
Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipstick 03 Hyppink chic*
Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick 04 Peach on the Beach*


3. Prize
Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Lip Colour 200 Pink Blink*
Bourjois Silk Edition Compact Powder 52 Vanilla*
Max Factor Smokey Eye Matte Drama Kit 20 Rich Roses*
Catrice Camouflage Cream Anti-Shadow
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet 23 Chocolat Corset*

Sodelujete lahko tako, da izpolnite spodnji Rafflecopter obrazec. Več polj izpolnite, več možnosti imate. Izpolnite samo enkrat, sama pa bom naključno izbrala tri nagrajence. Sodelujete lahko do 27. marca 2018 do 12h. Nagradna igra je odprta samo za Slovenijo.

This giveaway is open only for Slovenia!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

International Giveaway

There will also be another international giveaway on my Instagram. I hope you tune in tomorrow (on 19th of March 2018), because you'll have a chance to win another one of my favorite products.

One of my wishes for the blog is also to finally reach 2000 followers on Instagram, which seems impossible these days. I am not too concerned with the numbers, but it would just be so nice to finally reach this magical 2000 number that is always slipping through my hands. So...if you haven't followed me on Instagram yet and you like my posts there, I would encourage you to click follow ;).

I am also hoping to meet even more of my fellow beauty bloggers in this year and have more interactions with all of you that read my blog or follow my social accounts.

Wish you all the best and have a good one,
Petra :)


*Special thanks to Orbico and Paese for collaborating with me on this giveaway by adding some of their products to my prizes. 
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Review: Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter - Liquid Champagne

March 22, 2018, 6:35 am
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I've had this Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter in Liquid Champagne on my wishlist and my lovely friend got it for me for my birthday. I've seen these being compared to Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops and if you know Makeup Revoluton, they are always bringing out new products based on cult favorites. I can't say how much they are alike, because I don't own any by Cover FX.

Packaging

It comes in transparent bottle that has metallic sticker over it and it should represent the shade that is inside the bottle. It has rose gold top and a rubber dropper. 

In it is 18 ml of product and it costs 8.99€ on Ličila.si and 7.99€ on Makeup Revolution site. 


The dropper lets you control amount of drops you want. Sometimes I just wipe off around the dropper and don't even squeeze out the whole drop, if I want very little of it. 


Formula

Formula is runny, but also a bit viscose like. It doesn't drip down immediately, but it's on the runny side. It has good slip to it and feels like it has oily base, when you spread it with fingers. You can sheer it out by spreading it widely or tap it in one place and build up the intensity. It has metallic finish that is slightly transparent and gives you almost that wet look. 

I would say it's a wearable highlight, but you can actually build it up to a very metallic opaque look. In general it's more transparent and the shimmer is not undetectable, but the glow looks very dewy and natural. It reminds me of Colourpop Flexitarian, because it lets skin be seen through, but it's not as in your face glow. 



Colors

Makeup Revolution first had 7 shades of this highlighter from pale silvers to rose golds and golds and now they've added 5 new shades. I've chosen Liquid Champagne, because it was the lighters warm toned gold based shade, at least it looked like so on the photos. 

Liquid Champagne has a peach almost bronze base to it and tiny shimmer that gives off bright sheen. The sheen looks like it has a mix of silver and light gold which gives it that champagne sheen. Mix of cool and warm shimmer makes it neutral toned. Shimmer is small, but can be seen especially under the sun. 

Dark base shocked me at first, but when you blend it onto the skin, it's more of a light champagne shade and you can't see that base, unless you really build it up intensely. It may look just slightly too dark for me now that I am at my palest. If you're lighter than NC15, this would probably be too dark for you. 

Performance

You get a good amount of play time to spread it the way you want and then it dries down and doesn't move as much. I find that working with fingers sometimes made it dry quicker and I had a definite line, if I didn't blend it well. So I prefer using a makeup sponge that does the blending for me. You could also use a fluffier brush. 

Once it dries down, it's fairly long lasting and doesn't move on its own. But it has a bit of stickiness to it, which doesn't bother me and shouldn't affect you in any way.


Comparison

Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette Equinox - has the same peach base to it, but the sheen on top is much more silver and cool. It also looks slightly more pink toned.
Paese Shimmer Pressed Powder 02 Natural - it's a bit more bronze based and the sheen is almost unnoticeable. Also darker.
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer - I've put it in for comparison, although it's nothing similar to Makeup Revolution. It's the most golden with a slight peach tint to it.
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter Liquid Champagne - peach base that almost leans towards bronze and it has silver light gold sheen to it. 

L to R: just foundation, with highlighter on top



Lips: Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip Screenshot

I have to say that I've gotten quite used to those extra metallic glowy highlighters, so this one is more for when I want something just slightly more understated. It can be applied very sheer for a wash of light champagne shimmer or build up to an intense metallic sheen. It's more on the transparent side and it actually looks very natural and dewy, despite the shimmer that is not undetectable. I use it only as a highlighter, because shimmers might look weird mixed with foundation. It lasts well, but not as good as long as powder highlighters. I am probably going to rock this in the summer, when I prefer something quicker to put and on those more dewy natural days. 
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Review: Avon Eve Duet, Confidence and Alluring Fragrances

March 25, 2018, 8:25 am
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Today I'm talking about Avon Eve collection of perfumes - Eve Duet, Alluring and Confidence fragrances. Duet has been around for a while, but Alluring and Confidence are brand new. I've had time to test them and here are my thoughts. 

Avon Eve Duet*

This is the first dual ended perfume that I've seen so far. Actually it's a 3 in 1 concept. You can wear each side separately or mix it together and have three options in one perfume. Very travel friendly. It has been out for a while now, but I never came around to posting a review of it. I love the concept. One side is more floral, probably day time appropriate and other is more sweet, perfect for evening occasion. 


It has this swirled square glass bottle design. In the middle is silver top that can store both bottles and close them securely. In each side is 25 ml of product, so you get 50 ml of eau de parfum in total. Regular price is 32€, but with Avon you can always count on discounts. 

One side has a slight purple tint to it and it's named Sensual. The other side has a slight yellow tint to it and it's called Radiant.


Sensual (purple)
Top notes: plum, pink pepper
Middle notes: water lily, night blooming jasmine
Base notes: patchouli

It starts off very fruity sweet and quickly becomes more floral fresh. But as it sits on the skin for a longer time, it becomes more sweet and kind of herbal again. I would describe it as sweet floral fragrance. It has just enough sweetness that it's not too floral. Very lightweight sweet kind of scent, perfect for spring. It almost has a slight powdery feel to it. The most obvious notes that stay on the skin are patchouli and plum.

Radiant (yellow)
Top notes: clementine, apple blossom
Middle notes: water lily, jasmine
Base notes: amber, woody notes

This side starts off very floral with just a pinch of that citrus scent from clementine, but it's mostly overpowered with florals. Then it becomes what I would describe as airy floral scent. Those romantic soft floral notes come through. After a while it becomes that soft floral scent that Fragrantica descibes as aquatic and I agree. It's very romantic floral and again perfect for spring and daytime. I smell the most what must be water lily and jasmine. 


Both mixed

I prefer Sensual side, because it's sweeter and I like sweet fragrances, although it's almost a bit too one dimensional, so I really just prefer mixing both of these together. It becomes a nice mix of almost that powdery fruity sweetness from Sensual and burst of citrus floral from Radiant. Both of these go together very well and create that sweet fruity floral scent. Very sophisticated and grown up floral scent, but with a hint of fruitiness that doesn't make it too boring. 

Avon Eve Confidence*

Recently, Avon added two new fragrances to the Eve perfume line and I was so excited to try these out. I've said it before, Avon just knows how to do good perfumes. Especially the ones that are made in collaborations. 


Avon Eve Confidence comes in dimensional almost diamond cut glass bottle with gold details. I love when Avon makes these plastic tops that have different angled cuts which make the light bounce off of it so well. This one is a bit wider design. Perfume has a bright yellow tint to ti.

In it is 50 ml of eau de parfum and the regular price is 32€.


Top notes: whipped cream, frangipani, pear
Middle notes: red fruits, black currant, jasmine
Base notes: vanilla, woody notes, musk

Initially you get a burst of some fruity freshnessmixed with some very subtle sweetness. It quickly turns into what I would call fresh bowl of fruits that have a specific sweet powdery note to them. But as it's developing on the skin it turns into that familiar vanilla warm base with florals peeking out to add freshness. I would say it's a sweet floral vanilla scent. Again, one of those very sophisticated scents that aren't too one dimensional. I love the sweetness that it has and the florals on top make it just slightly more grown up. It's perfect day time even work appropriate perfume. For me personally, it's a bit too floral.


Avon Eve Alluring*

Another new fragrance in collaboration with Eve is called Avon Eve Alluring. It has more of a tear shaped glass bottle. On the bottom is wider and slimmer on the top. It has again that angled cut plastic top and gold details. I only dislike the fact that the top can fall off while transporting it. Perfume has slight lavender tint to it.

In it is 50 ml of eau de parfum and the regular price is 32€. 


Top notes: plum, freesia, violet
Middle notes: neroli, iris flower
Base notes: amber, musk, sandalwood

It opens up with a splash of florals with just a hint of that sweetness from plum. Then it quickly becomes very floral again. I can't depict specific floral notes - my nose just doesn't have this in it, but to me it's very floral and fresh. However, base notes start to kick in very quickly after that burst of floral freshness and it becomes very warm. Woody notes and sweetness from musk, sandalwood and amber make this perfume extra powdery and sultry. I would describe it as sweet powdery floral scent. This is one of the most powdery perfumes I own and I absolutely love it. It's by far my favorite out of all of these three, which is no surprise. It contains my all time favorite perfume notes - amber, musk and sandalwood. It might be more appropriate for night time for some, but I use it daily, ever since I got it. It feels ultra cozy and just enough sweet, but also slightly grown up, because of the florals. 



Avon perfumes usually last very well on my skin and so do these. I can still smell these at the end of the day, although it does fade quite a bit. Eve Duet has the poorest long lasting power, but Confidence and Alluringlast a little better. I still think the quality is amazing and Avon always has very affordable prices for 50 ml of eau de parfum. 

My absolute favorite is Avon Eve Alluring. If you like sweet scents, but more importantly love a good powdery scent, you'll adore it. Confidence is a bit more floral, although stil has some sweet base to it. I have to be in the mood to wear it. Duet is great option to travel with. I prefer mixing them both together and getting a sweet floral fruity mix that isn't too floral nor too sweet. 


* Products were sent to me. 



Avon Eve Duet

Prvi parfum, ki sem ga kdaj opazila, ki ima dva konca. Pravzaprav je bolj 3 v 1 koncept. Lahko nosite vsakega posebej ali pa ju združite skupaj in tako imate 3 opcije v enem parfumu. Odlično za potovanja. Avon ga prodaja že nekaj časa. Tudi sama ga preizkušam že nekaj časa, vendar sem se odločila, da objavim oceno skupaj z dvema novima parfumoma. Koncept mi je zelo všeč. Ena stran je bolj cvetlična, primerna za dan, druga pa je bolj sladka, primerna za večerne priložnosti.

Sensual stran je rahlo vijolično obarvana, Radiant pa rumeno. V vsaki strani parfuma je 25 ml parfuma, kar pomeni, da ga je skupaj 50 ml. Redna cena je 32€. 

Sensual (vijoličen)
Zgornje note: sliva, roza poper
Srednje note: vodna lilija, nočni jasmin
Spodnje note: pačuli

Začne se zelo sadno sladko in hitro postane bolj cvetličen. Ko sedi na koži dlje časa, postame bolj sladek in spet rahlo zeliščen. Sama bi dišavo opisala kot sladko cvetlično. Ima ravno dovolj sladkobe in ni preveč cvetlična. Zelo lahkotno sladka dišava, popolna za pomlad. Čutim skoraj malo pudrastega občutka. Najbolj opazna nota je pačuli in sliva.

Radiant (rumen)
Zgornje note: klementina, cvet jablane
Srednje note: vodna lilija, jasmin
Spodnje note: jantar, lesne note

Ta stran je zelo cvetlična z dodatkom citrusne svežine klementine, čeprav so cvetlične note močnejše. Potem se razvije v bolj zračni cvetlični vonj. Romantične cvetlične note pridejo v ospredje. Čez nekaj časa postane nežen cvetličen vonj, ki je skoraj rahlo vodni. Zelo romantično cvetlična dišava primerna za čez dan in spomlad. Sama najbolj voham, kar se mi zdi, da je lilija in jasmin.

Oba zmešana

Meni osebno je ljubša Sensual stran parfuma, ker je bolj sladka in imam najraje sladke vonje. Mi je pa skoraj malo enodimenzionalna, zato najraje zmešam obe skupaj. Rezultat je mešanica skoraj pudrastega sadno sladkega vonja iz Sensual strani z dodatkom citrusno cvetličnega vonja Radiant strani. Oba vonja se odlično mešata in ustvarita sladko sadno cvetlično dišavo. Zelo zrela cvetlična dišava z rahlim dodatkom sadnosti, ki jo naredi malo bolj zanimivo. 

Avon Eve Confidence

Pred kratkim je Avon dopolnil Eve kolekcijo parfumov z dvema novima dišavama. Zelo sem se razveselila preizkušanja. Kot sem že večkrat omenila, Avon zna ustvariti res dobre dišave, še posebej tiste, ki nastanejo v sodelovanju z zvezdniki ali modnimi oblikovalci. 

Avon Eve Confidence je rahlo rumeno obarvan. V steklenički je 50 ml parfuma in redna cena je 32€.

Zgornje note: stepena smetana, frangipani, hruška
Srednje note: rdečo sadje, črni ribez, jasmin
Spodnje note: vanilija, lesne note, mošus

Na začetku voham sadno svežino mešano z zelo rahlo sladkobo. Hitro se spremeni v, kar si sama predstavljam kot, sadno solato s specifičnim sladko pudrastim podtonom. Ko se začne razvijati na koži, postane vanilijasto topel z dodatki cvetlic in svežine. Sama bi dišavo opisala kot cvetlično vanilijasto. Spet en izmed zelo sofisticiranih vonjev, ki ni preveč enodimenzionalen. Všeč mi je sladkoba, ki jo združi z odraslostjo cvetličnosti na vrhu. Popoln dnevni parfum primeren tudi za delovno okolje. Zame osebno malo preveč cvetličen. 

Avon Eve Alluring

Druga nova dišava se imenuje Avon Eve Alluring. V steklenički je 50 ml parfuma in redna cena je 32€.

Zgornje note: sliva, frezija, vijolica
Srednje note: neroli, iris
Spodnje note: jantar, mošus, sandalovina

Dišava se odpre s cvetlicami in samo rahlo sladkobo slive. Hitro postane spet cvetlična. Sama težko ločim cvetlične vonje, ampak zame je zelo cvetlično svež na tej točki. Kmalu v te note začnejo posegati lesne note. Jantar, mošus in sandalovina naredijo ta parfum zelo sladek, pudrast in vznemirljiv. Dišavo bi opisala kot sladko pudrasto cvetlično. To je najbolj pudrast vonj izmed vseh, ki jih imam. Izmed vseh treh, ki jih danes omenjam, je ta moj najljubših. Kar pa sploh ni presenečenje, saj vsebuje tri moje najljubše note parfumov - jantar, mošus in sandalovino. Za nekatere bo mogoče bolj primeren za večer, sama pa ga nosim kar čez dan. Je zelo udobna in ravno dovolj sladka dišava, ki pa jo cvetlične note naredijo tudi bolj odraslo. 

Avon parfumi na moji koži zdržijo dobro. Še vedno jih lahko zavoham ob koncu dneva. Eve Duet najprej izgubi svojo moč. Alluring in Confidence imata malo boljšo obstojnost. Kvaliteta se mi zdi odlična in Avonove cene so več kot ugodne za 50 ml eau de parfum dišav.

Moj absolutni favorite je Avon Eve Alluring. Če imate radi sladke vonje, še bolj pomembno pa pudraste vonje, potem ga boste oboževali. Confidence je malo bolj cvetličen vonj, čeprav ima še nekaj sladke podlage. Jaz ga nosim samo ob posebnih priložnostih, ko mi ustreza. Duet je odlična izbira za potovanje. Meni je najljubši, ko zmešam oba vonja skupaj in dobim sladko cvetlično sadno mešanico, ki ni preveč cvetlična niti preveč sladka. 

*Izdelki so mi bili poslani.
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5th Blogiversary Giveaway Winners

March 27, 2018, 12:42 am
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My 5th Blogiversary giveaway has ended. Here are the winners...



1. Prize

Vanessa I.


2. Prize

Tinkara H.


3. Prize

Andreja

Congratulations to the winners! I will contact you through your email. Please write me back in 24 hours or I'll have to pick another winner. 

Here is also a little sum of your answers. Apparently most of you prefer makeup tutorials and shorter reviews with more photos. As far as Instagram goes, most of you like watching both, photos on feeds as well as stories. 

Thank you all for participating. I'll have more giveaways in the future, so stay tuned.

Have a great one,
Petra :)
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Review: Catrice Prisma Lip Glaze - 010 Enchanted Gold

March 27, 2018, 9:24 am
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I knew I wanted to try out Catrice Prisma Lip Glaze as soon as I saw it on promo photos. In the store it looked even prettier. Lip gloss is making a comeback and I am glad. As much as I love a good matte lip in the winter, I also love sparkly glosses in the summer time. They look so effortless and juicy.



Packaging

It comes in transparent plastic packaging with silver gold details. Typical lip gloss packaging. In it is 2.8 ml of product and it costs 4.29€.

It has fluffy and flat, but narrow sponge applicator that allows you to apply it easily and doesn't transfer too much product. 


Formula

It's that typical ultra comforting slightly sticky lip gloss formula. It's not too sticky, but I always like to take it off in the inner rim of the lips to prevent my lips from sticking together too much.

It has what I would call duo chrome metallic finishwith typical gloss shine. Shimmer in it give it metallic look. I can also report that the shimmer in it doesn't feel gritty at all. If you smack you're lips together you can't feel it, it's very fine. 


Performance

Because it's sticky, it grabs onto lips so well. It has good staying power for a lip gloss and I don't find it to bleed out of my lines noticeably. As it wears down, you will be left with shimmer, but it doesn't flake off while wearing.

It also feels so comforting on the lips. If you have dry lips, you'll know what I'm talking about. This truly feels like a soothing as well as nourishing lip gloss formula that is so nice to wear apart from being slightly sticky, but that's to be expected from lip glosses. 


Colors

You can choose among 8 different colors. All of these have a more metallic look to them or rather a duo chrome look. The base is one color and shimmery metallic sheen is different colored and looks duo chromed. 


010 Enchanted Gold is the lightest shade in the range. It looks white in the packaging. Once you apply it on the skin, it has transparent base and small shimmer. The shimmer looks duo chrome, because it's gold and pink. Depending on at which angle you look at it, it can portray pink or gold sheen on the lips.

If you want to wear it on it's own, it can look very pale. I prefer to use it over a light stain or lipsticks to really bring out the metallic sheen that it has. 

It was impossible to catch that duo chrome sheen on the camera. Go to my Instagram for short video that shows it better. 


 
Catrice Lip Glaze over Avon Mark Epic Lip Lipstick in Rosy Outlook

On light colored base it's very subtle. It gives it glossy shine as well as some subtle metallic gold and pink sheen. It's best paired with dark lip bases that contrast its light color. With this lip gloss you can turn any color into a glossy metallic sheen. The sheen, again, looks so much prettier in real life. Camera just can't catch it that well. It's also great product to use on a night out or at a party, because it reflects the light so lovely. 


Catrice Lip Glaze over Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick in Berry Blast
I think this is a fun product, if you like lip glosses. If you don't, you probably won't like it. It's not typical lightly colored lip gloss, because it has small shimmer in it that gives it metallic sheen and a duo chrome flip. It's unique in its way and will look best applied over dark lip base - this specific 010 Enchanted Gold shade that is. It's ultra comforting and slightly sticky, but doesn't feel gritty. It also lasts on the lips fairly well. If you want something different and fun to add to your collection, you might take a look at this one. 
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March 2018 Favorites

March 30, 2018, 7:25 am
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This month I'm mostly featuring new products, because I have been testing out some new products that I really like. When I get something new, I tend to test it out a lot and forget about the old products. So here are my new recommendations that have impressed me this month.





This is a gel like face mask that can be used over night or as a cream during the day. I now use it as my day cream, because I love layering more products that have a lighter consistency. I love thicker nourishing creams, but sometimes these can be a bit much. So I've been really loving using this hydrating, but lightweight gel cream that makes my skin look moisturized. I also love using this in the evening, when I use heavier oils on top so that I don't overload my skin.


Paese Hydro Base Under Make-up

I've never had a hydrating base before, I always used more silicon based pore filling primers. This is essentially like a moisturizer and primer in one. It has lightweight white cream that feels moisturizing and comforting on the skin. I love how fresh this feels on the skin, like you have just put on a splash of water. It has subtle fragrance to it and just feels so nice under the makeup. Not too heavy, but just enough moisturizing. 


La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Mineral in 13 Sand Beige and Bourjois Healthy Mix Powder Anti-fatigue in 04 Light Bronze

These are both powders, but since I got too dark colors for my skin tone, I used them as bronzer to warm up my complexion. Both have a very yellow toned base to it which matches my warm yellow skin tone so well. More cooler pinky and red bronzers just don't suit me. With these two I can add that natural yellow toned warmth to my skin that is just light enough to give me more dimension. I usually use it in combination with a more grey based bronzer or contour product. If you also ever buy or get too dark powders, just try using them as a bronzer to add warmth on certain parts of the face. It works great for me and actually looks very natural. 


La Roche-Posay is mineral powder, slightly more wet in texture and lighter in color. It's very light yellow toned almost beige color, but also has a hint of pink in it. It has a slight sheen to it, which makes it look more natural. It also has SPF 25.

Bourjois Healthy Mix is drier in texture and darker in color. It has more of that brown bronze shade to it with even more yellow undertone. It has a proper matte finish. It is enriched with vitamins C, E and B5.



I already reviewed it on my blog, so you can check out the swatches, but this is one of the best highlighters I own. If you love a good metallic glow with not too big shimmer, you'll love it. It has light champagne shade that just gives you an insane neutral gold silver sheen. It's very much in your face highlighter, but it's also so cheap. The quality is amazing for the price and I have been abusing it this month. Essence knows how to make great LE highlighters.


Beyu Dip Eyeliner in 03 Certain Charm

Some eyeliners are just difficult to work with and this one is not. It's so easy to apply with a sponge sharp tip applicator and it has the most perfect brown based warm purple color. It's not too purple, because it has a brownish base, so it's still very wearable. It also has small shimmer in it which gives it a slight metallic finish. I really like it. 

Essence Smudging Brush

Essence has updated its brush range. They now have a pretty white base combined with rose gold details design. Some shapes are new and some look similar to the previous range. I really like this brush, because it looks like a typical flat shader brush, but it's so small. It works great for applying eyeshadow around the lower lash line in a very precise way. I can get really close to the lash line which I love. Bristles are soft, but just dense enough to give you a nice blend.


Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipstick in 16 Caramelody

I was kindly sent this by Mateja who found it to not be wearable for her. I love browns, so I knew I'm going to love this one. It's a yellow based caramel brown shade that is the perfect warm medium brown that I love to pair with most of my makeup looks. I've talked about the formula already, but this is one of the best regular lipstick matte formulas. It dries down like a liquid matte lipsticks, is very long lasting, but also feels so comfortable on the lips. This shade is part of the 4 new shades that Bourjois recently added to their range. 



Ever since I got it, I have been using it almost every day. It's just such an intense powdery scent. It has floral notes to it too, but for me the powderiness is a win. It's just so cozy and warm. I've already reviewed it, so you can read more about it in a separate review. Avon has one of my favorite fragrances and they did it again with this one.
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New In (16)

April 3, 2018, 6:23 am
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I've been stocking up my stash by repurchasing a lot of the products that I really love using. I also got some PR packages that I am already testing out and have a mini review of already. Most of these I've already reviewed and you can click on the title to read review.


Innisfree My Real Squeeze Mask Ginseng

I like Green Tea and Bamboo versions of this mask by Innisfree, so I decided to try out one of the most raved about Asian ingredients - Ginseng. It has a herbal scent that I wasn't used to. Sort of like fresh soil. Essence is milky white and very nourishing. My skin felt extremely nourished and plump looking after I took it off. I really liked it despite the odd soil scent.


This is my favorite transparent eyeshadow base. It's almost and exact dupe of Urban Decay Primer Potion Original at a much more affordable price. It creates a smooth base for eyeshadows and prevents them from creasing. This is a repurchase, I already made a full review of it once. 


Essence Bronzing Brush

Essence came out with this new white and rose gold brush design and I loved the look of it. Some Essence brushes are really nice. They always have soft bristles and these are no exception. Bronzing brush is tapered and fairly dense packed. For bronzer I usually like something more fluffier for a lighter application. This applies bronzer stronger and more concentrated on a smaller area of the face. I think this would be nice for contour as well as blush. I also used it for powder, but it's a bit too dense for my way of applying powder.

Essence Smudging Brush

I adore this new smudging brush. It has soft, but dense packed bristles that are short and thin from the sides which provides you with a very precise application or smudging. I love to apply eyeshadow around the lower lash line with this brush, because you can really concentrate it very close to the lashes. 


Shiseido Rubber Pads For Eyelash Curler

I have Shu Uemura eyelash curler and since I can't find the rubber pads for it anywhere, I just buy the ones by Shiseido on Ebay. They fit perfectly and have nice quality rubber. This was a repurchase, obviously. 



In the winter months I use Daily version of this cream, but as the weather is getting warmer, I already made a backup of this one. It's lightweight transparent gel like cream that is moisturizing, but doesn't feel heavy in any way. It's meant to be used as a night cream, because it doesn't contain any SPF, but I love it as a day cream in warmer months. 


This is currently my favorite cleansing oil and I have about 3 new ones in my stash. I repurchase these when Avon has them on sale for about 3€. Oil cleanses my skin well, removes all of the makeup and doesn't brake me out. It washes off like a milky liquid. 


Another repurchase that I made. This is a glycerin based toner that also contains a small amount of AHAs. I use it as a regular daily toner. It's soothing, non irritating and feels like it restores my moisture right after cleansing the skin. It has a very practical spray pump.



I'm telling you I've made more repurchases than new buys. This is another repurchase. I already bought a mini version of this as well as full size and I've used up both. It's my favorite BB cream, because it has good coverage, but looks very natural on the skin. There's something about BB creams that wears so nice on the skin. I only regret grey based tone that it has, because I have a yellow undertone, so I usually mix it with lightweight yellow toned foundations like Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. If you know of any good coverage yellow based Asian BB creams, I would love to hear your suggestions.



I also bought two more of these Bipa concealers. I am loving great coverage of this concealer. It's very neutral toned and dries down matte. It may look a bit heavy, so I've started to use it just where I really need that extra coverage like under the eyes and around the nose. It's a hidden drugstore gem.



Yes, you guessed it, I repurchased this too. This is my favorite daily sunscreen and since I don't like to experiment too much, I just decided to get another one of these. It has lovely citrus scent, light yellow colored cream and it sinks into the skin well, leaving behind a velvet finish. I use this every morning when I use retinol and acid based products. 


Ecotools Define & Highlight Duo

I have decided to update my brush collection with something different. I tried using fan brush for highlighter and it works nice, but is not as precise as I want it to be. I am going to try to contour with it, because I've seen this on some beauty bloggers. The other brush is tapered and can be used for contour, blush, bronzer or even powder. but it's on the smaller size. I really like it for applying bronzer in a more precise way. Bristles are super soft.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

I already have one of these and I really like how neutral the formula is. It doesn't irritate my eczema hands. It has no fragrance in it. Ceramides make it feel hydrating, but not too greasy. It's a great cream for dry skin on any part of your body. I repurchased two to have in my handbag. 


Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipstick 14 Brownette and 16 Caramelody

These three were kindly gifted to me by Mateja. She also has a review of them here. She has neutral skin tone and the shades look very different on her skin tone than they do on me. I'll post a separate review of swatches on the blog. 16 Caramelody is yellow based caramel brown and 14 Brownette is a chocolate brown. I love me brown lipsticks and these have one of the best matte, but comfortable lipstick formula. I have review od three other shades here and here. 

Bourjois Levres Contour Edition Lip Liner in 14 Sweet Brown-ie

This is a creamy formula of lip liner. It's more on the semi sheer finish, but it applies so lovely on the lips. I have to test it out a bit more to make up my mind. Mateja already reviewed some other shades too, read it here. 


L'Oreal Elnett Styling Spray Volume

I have the smooth version of this heat protect spray and I found volume version at a half price, so I decided to try it out. I can't say I like it as much. Smooth version makes my hair super smooth and shiny. This volume version doesn't give me that smooth look. My hair feels more frizzy and dry. I need to try this out when I'm curling my hair. It might work out better for that.



I love this pencil for a very precise work. Sometimes I have bold spots in the brows and my edges aren't as defined as I would like them to be, so I use this pencil to draw on precise, but natural looking line. I have repurchased so many of these, that Essence needs to hook me up with a year supply. It's the cheapest precise brow pencil in our drugstores and it works great.


Secret Key Marine Racoony Hydrogel Eye & Multi Patch

I applied to review this and got chosen to do so. Jolse often times looks for reviewers of their products. It's my first win from them and I was really intrigued by eye patches. I've had some before, but non as good. These have a gel like elastic green patches with gold sparkles in it. Apparently that's real gold. They have some nice extracts that should hydrate your eyes and it does. I really like using this while applying eye makeup. It creates nice moisturized and hydrated base. I'll have a separate review of it on my blog soon.


Labellino Lip Balm Pink Watermelon & Pomegranate*

I got two of these and one was in this super cute Easter packaging. It's adorable. The first one I got on Gregorjevo, which is sort of a Slovenian equivalent to Valentine's Day. I'm not a fan of Labello products in general, because I don't feel like they do much. But they are a nice product to have in the bag for when you're lipstick stars to wear off and you want a bit of that glide on the lips back. I also take it with me to the gym, for a basic barrier on the lips. 

Their new scent is pink watermelon and pomegrante. It has a tropical sweet fragrance. For me personally, it smells more like watermelon than pomegranate. I love convenient egg shaped packaging and bullet which makes it so easy to apply on the lips. 

It's pink colored and leaves a faint pink tint on the lips. It feels non sticky and provides you with a comfortable glide to the lips. I don't notice it being particularly hydrating, but I love the feel of it while it's on my lips. 

In it is 7 grams of product and it costs 4.99€.






Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte - Kissy Face, Mystique and Rock Star*

Avon had added three new colors to the range. They describe it as satin finish, but it's actually more like the regular matte finish with some silver shimmer in it. Kissy Face looks like a nude pink, Mystique is red toned brown and Rock Star is brick red. I love the colors, but could do without the shimmer in it. The formula is the same as with the regular range, matte, but comfortable. I have a review of other shades here. 


Avon True Ultra Volume Lash Magnify Mascara*

Avon also added new mascara to their range. It's supposed to give you volume, multiplied lashes and density. I have already tried it out a few times and it gives a good amount of volume, but more so makes my lashes look a bit longer. I didn't have problems with clumping up the lashes. I've noticed that most Avon mascaras have drier formula, which means you have to build up your coats quickly before it dries down. Otherwise, it's harder to apply over it again. It has that typical natural bushy looking wand. 


Avon Care Restoring Moisture With Coconut Oil Hand Cream and Multipurpose Cream*

I love a good coconut scented product. Multipurpose cream is one of those thicker white creams that is harder to massage into the skin. It doesn't have slip to it, so it's best applied on your body while you get out of the shower and the warmth of your body helps you to melt it in. But it leaves a good nourishing layer to protect your skin from loosing too much moisture.

Hand cream is that basic lightweight, but leaving behind a nourishing layer, protective cream. I like it, but I don't use these perfumed creams often, because of my eczema. Other really seem to like Avon hand creams. Both of these have a coconut scent, but it's more artificial, not that proper real coconut. I still like it.



I've already reviewed these, but these are three Avon fragrances made in collaboration with Eva Mendes. Confidence and Alluring are new. I like all of these for different occasions, but my favorite is Eve Alluring. It's the most powdery fragrance I own and I love it. I've been wearing it non stop ever since I got it.


Dermaluxe Lash

I won this in a giveaway that was hosted by Nina and I was ecstatic. My lashes could use some help. It's a lash serum that should help you grow longer and thicker lashes. I have been using it for a little less than a month and so far I haven't noticed any major difference. I feel like my lashes are getting slowly longer, but I was expecting it to work faster. It stings a little when I apply it on the skin around my lashes, but it's not unbearable. When it dries down, it doesn't irritate. I only use it at night, which is probably the reason why I don't see results as fast. I will definitely make a separate review after I'll use it for a longer period of time. 


Hemptouch Cream For Soothing Skin Concerns and Cream For Problematic Skin*

I'll do a separate review of this too, so I won't go into details. It's a brand based on hemp as the main ingredient. I got one cream that is great for soothing the skin that is prone to allergies. It should make the skin heal faster. I use this one as my hand cream for my eczema through the day. It's very greasy, so I only use it at home. But it feels soothing in a way and I love the nourishing abilities. Another version is more concentrated and is for those with real skin issues, eczema being one of those. It's slightly less greasy, but I still use it only at home. Both of these creams have a strong natural hemp scent to them, which I'm not fond of, but I got used to it. I hope these creams will help me make my eczema more bearable. 


Paese - Brown Couture Pomade in 02, Mosaic Bronzer Glitter Eyeshadow in 004 Shimmer Brown, Silky Matt Lipstick in 707, Eyeshadow Base and Hydro Base Under Make-Up*

I also got a few of Paese products to test out. I already tried some out and the review you can read here. Back than some really impressed me and some not so much. I was excited to try more from them. Their Rice Powder is one of my absolute favorite powders. I got a lovely package with different products and I'm slowly testing them out. So far I am most impressed with the Hydro Base that is like a lightweight gel cream. It feels like a splash of water on the skin and it makes my makeup look hydrated and wears well. It's almost like a moisturizer and primer in one. I also love their Silky Matt lipsticks which have lovely matte finish, but don't feel drying on the lips. Bronzer is nice as well, just a little too dark for me right now, but would be nice for summer. I also love brow pomade, which has the most perfect grey based brown shade that matches my brows perfectly. I'll have a separate review of all of these products. 


Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask Pore Refine*

It's a face mask that should clean your skin and pores, make them look more refined and tight. It has a thick transparent gel that when you apply it on the skin, looks ultra glossy like vaseline and doesn't dry down. The feeling on the skin is ultra comfortable, if you like the feel of thicker skin care on your skin. I personally love it. After application it warms up a little and you can actually feel a slight warmth on the skin. It's nothing unbearable or irritating at all. In fact, it's quite nice, especially when you're cold. 

After I wash it off, my skin is left matte, just slightly more brighter looking, but I don't notice any major difference in pores being any cleaner than usual. Skin is also not noticeably smoother. I definitely need to apply skin care after it, because my skin feels a bit tight. It's drier now than it is in the summer. I don't see this giving me any of the mentioned results, apart from having this ultra soothing feel while it's on the skin and definitely getting rid of sebum. Oily skin might actually like this for making the skin matter. But for pore cleaning, I would stick to clay based masks.

I feel like this should be formulated as a thicker, but less greasy layer to put over your skin care to lock it in. I've seen similar products by Asian brands.

In it is 75 ml of product and it costs 6.29€.


L to R: my skin with the mask, my skin after I cleaned the mask off


*PR products
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Review: Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipstick - 14 Brownette and 16 Caramelody

April 5, 2018, 6:12 am
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I have expanded my Bourjous Rouge Velvet The Lipstick collection again, thanks to Mateja, who kindly gifted them to me. She is not thrilled about wearing brown lipstick, so she though I would get more use out of it. I have to say, I love both shades and will definitely wear them a lot. I have already reviewed three shades before, which you can find at the end of this post.




Packaging

These lipsticks come in plastic packaging that should portray the color that is inside. I like the packaging, because it has a very tight closing, so you feel secure carrying it around with you.

In it is 2.4 grams of product and it costs 13.99€.



It has tear drop bullet shape which makes application easier and very precise without the need of having additional lip brush.


Formula

I've spoken a few times about the amazing formula of these lipsticks. They go on ultra smooth and feel almost balmy, but not waxy. In the matter of 2 minutes formula dries down to a matte finish which is similar to the finish of matte liquid lipsticks. 

Pigmentation is great. You need two swipes to completely cover the lips. 

Performance

Formula is also very comfortable to wear. It never feels dry, despite the ultra matte finish. It also feels fairly lightweight on the lips.

Lipsticks have good lasting power and minimal transfer. You can survive drinking and some eating with them on the lips.

Scent to me smells powdery and floral.


Colors

Bourjois first came out with 12 colors and they now added 4 new shades. I believe in total you can choose among 16 differentshades. 

Today I am reviewing two newly added shades.

16 Caramelody is medium caramel brown. On me it looks very warm toned, but I've seen it being more grey toned on neutral skin tone.
14 Brownette is dark warm yellow toned chocolate brown. 

You should definitely check out how these colors look like on neutral and lighter skin tone than me here. On Mateja 16 Caramelody looks grey toned. 


Comparison

16 Caramelody - medium caramel brown.
Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Marvelous Mocha - much lighter and more peachy brown.
14 Brownette - dark yellow toned chocolate brown.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Berlin - lighter and more red toned chocolate brown.






Bourjois Levres Contour Edition Lip Liner - 14 Sweet Brown-ie

With the lipsticks I also got this lip liner. This is my first liner from Bourjois. It has the color of the actual shade on the pencil. It's a regular need-to-sharp pencil. 

In it is 1.14 grams of products and it costs 6.49€. 

Formula is surprisingly creamy. It applies very smooth, but has enough stickiness in it to grab onto the lips well. Formula seems more sheeras far as pigmentation goes, but it covers the lips well, just isn't extremely opaque. 

It wears comfortably, doesn't seem to bleed out of the line and is fairly long lasting.

14 Brown-ie is medium warm extremely yellow toned brown. It's the most yellow toned brown out of all these three. 





My Collection

Here is my current collection of Bourjois Rouge Velvet The Lipsticks. I think I have a good range of colors for all seasons. Pink for spring, coral for summer, deep redish brown for fall and two versions of brown for daily wear. I also like to mix and match these to get a perfect combo of undertones.

02 Flaming'rose - light muted pink.
06 Abrico'dabra! - medium warm peach.
12 Brunette - dark warm redish brown.
16 Caramelody - medium caramel brown.
14 Brownette - dark warm chocolate brown.


Obviously, this is one of the best regular lipstick matte formulas, if you like that completely matte look, but still want it to feel comfortable on the lips. The selection of colors is nice and I love that there are a lot of nude versions from pinks, peaches to browns. Caramelody is that my kind of perfect brown that will just go with everything. I love a good brown and this one isn't too warm either. Brownette is such a gorgeous warm chocolate brown and I think it matches so well with my eye color, so I love to wear it for a bolder look. The price is hefty and could definitely be cheaper for a drugstore brand, but the quality might be worth for you, if it's something that you're looking for to add to your collection. I am pretty satisfied with my current collection and will definitely be using them a lot. 
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Review: Secret Key Marine Racoony Hydrogel Eye & Multi Patch

April 8, 2018, 5:24 am
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Jolse is Korean online store that I buy most of my Korean products from. They also have certain products that they give up for review purposes. You have to apply and wait to get selected for a review and I was lucky enough to got these cute eye patches. I admit, it surprised me in a mailbox and I found them adorable from the second I opened up the packaging. 

Packaging

Secret Key Marine Racoony Hydrogel Eye & Multi Patch comes in a plastic pot packaging. It closes securely and has another protective plastic cover on top to prevent the essence from those patches to spill out. It's well protected. The design is adorable like with most good Korean products.

In it you get 90 grams of product, which means 60 patches and the price on Jolse is currently 11.74$.


With the patches you also get a small spatula that should help you take them out. Although this is not as easy as it sounds since the patches are soaked in essence and very slippery. I still find it useful, because it seems more hygienic. 



Formula 

It's olive colored hydrogel patchwith gold shimmer that can be used on multiple areas of the face like under the eyes, on the cheeks, on the mouth, on forehead or any other area that needs intensive care. Patches have a half moon shape. Hydrogel is elastic and soaked in essence. The essence that comes in the packaging is transparent and viscose. That's why hydrogel patches are super slippery. 

Patches should give your skin a lot of moisture, soothe the skin, make it look more vital and provide nourishment. It's marketed for sensitive eyes and intensive multi care for other areas that need additional care. 

Patches contain various marine extracts, hence the name of the product. Among the ingredients are also fish collagen, kelp, chlorella and carob bean. Most of these ingredients come from Jeju island. It apparently also contains 24k gold which you can see as small gold shimmer in those patches. It looks very pretty might I add. You can read more about the actual ingredients here. 

The scent is herbal sweet and it sort of reminds me of sweet green tea. It's not too strong, so it doesn't feel irritating, but if you're sensitive to any kind of scent, keep that in mind.




Patches are so wet, that they slide down onto my cheeks, so I have to either hold them or lay down to let them dry out a bit. They noticeably dry out in about 10 minutes and that is when they stick to the skin well. You can walk around and go about your day. They recommend to leave patches on for 20 to 30 minutes and I do that when I have time. 

Patches have these small specks of gold in them that can transfer onto your skin here and there. I definitely had small gold shimmer around my under eyes when I took it off. It was unnecessary for me although not too obvious like proper glitter.



Performance

They feel very cooling on the skin. In the beginning I felt the slightest tingle which I'm not sure what it was, but they don't feel irritating or anything, rather soothing.

My skin felt very nourished after I took them off and it had a nice sheen to it. Skin feels sticky to the touch, which to me means the product was very nourishing. I don't see my fine lines being less pronounced, but they look nourished and moisturized. I would say that this is mostly just a nourishing product and because of the patches you can really control where you need that nourishment the most instead of applying it all over the skin. 

I can wear makeup over it and it sits well on top. You can also just use these as eye patches while you're applying eye makeup and by the time you're done with makeup, you have well nourished under eyes. 

I mostly used them under the eyes where they feel refreshing and soothing. I like the nourishment that they provide. I also tried them over the lips, but I didn't see that effect of my lips being any more nourished. I prefer my regular lip treatments for that. This might also be great for any dry patches on the face, if you have problems with that. 




You get no waste with this product. Patches can be dissolved in hot water to create essence. When I tried that for the first time, I wasn't that impressed with it, because it was very watery. The next time I dissolved it in a much smaller amount of water (about 50 ml) and I liked it better. Essence had more of that slight stickiness to it and grip. It wasn't as watery. I used it on my face as well as all over my body. It felt hydrating and refreshing. 


I love that these patches act almost as a spot treatment. They feel very nourishing and soothing, because of the cooling effect on the skin. I love using them under the eyes for that extra nourishment as well as soothing effect when I feel like my skin is irritated or tired. Patches also look very cute and the packaging is practical. If you need that extra nourishment for any part of the skin, you might like these. They are like a mini targeted sheet mask. Although I feel like you can achieve the same result with a good cream too. Cuteness factor may be the one that closes the deal, since they are so fun to use and would make a great gift for someone.

Secret Key has two more versions of these eye patches - Pink Racoony Hydrogel (moisture and nutrition) and Gold Racoony Hydrogel (moisture and soothing). Mateja already tried out Pink Racoony Hydrogel.
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Trend Alert 2018: Blue Eyeshadow

April 10, 2018, 7:34 am
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I was thinking of creating a new series of blog posts on my blog called trend alert. I love catching up with trends. It's not because I want to be on trend all the time, if that certain makeup suits me or not, but just to get an idea of what else can I try out. Trends are created more for the brands so they can release new products and charge you for it, which is fine. It's how the world works, but sometimes you may follow a trend with the products that you already own. 

I've seen blue eyeshadow gaining popularity last year already, but this year it is everywhere. Ever since the KKW x Mario collection came out with the blue eyeshadow in their palette, everyone is wearing blue. I love a good blue eyeshadow, so I decided to give you my own two cents on this trend. I created a simple blue look that I usually do, if I want to wear blue.


Because I have a warm yellow skin tone, I usually use warm toned eyeshadows. They just look more like they are a part of my natural skin tone. Blue is usually more cool toned, so I always pair it with a neutral warm tone in crease. This is just my way of making it work for my skin tone. If you have cool or neutral skin tone and you like an all cool toned look, you can use taupe, greys or even darker blues in the crease.

I used very yellow warm toned medium brown shade in the crease to add warmth to the whole look. Then I used slightly darker and more orange toned brown in the actual crease, not blending it out. On the lid I wanted to use this matte royal blue shade that I've been loving for a few years. You can definitely use something shimmery, but I wanted this look to be all matte.


Because I love a bit of definition around the lash line, I also used a bright royal blue shade of eye pencil and lined my eyes. I did a slight wing, because I have smaller eyes and like to elongate them in the outer corners. I also smudged the same pencil around the lower lash line. If you wear liner in the water line, this would look amazing with this look. I usually stay away from that, because it can irritate my eyes. I also used the same brown matte shades to smudge the blue out a bit more and make it look smokier. 


In the inner corners I used metallic champagne shade to bring some light to those corners. Everything else is matte, so something shimmery works nice to balance it out. Plus it opens up the eyes and makes them a bit fresher with that heavy matte look that we have going on. I also curled my lashes and applied lots of mascara. I don't like to pair colorful looks with heavy false eyelashes, so I just go with my natural ones. 



On my face I did the usual routine of foundation, concealer and powder. I also used a bit of bronzer to add some warmth and definition. For highlighter I used champagne gold shade and I decided to go with a more brownish blush color. Minimal face makeup to leave statement on the eyes. 

On my lips I smudged a bit of neutral peachy brown and I tried not to make it to precise. Just a bit of color.






Products used
Face:
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream 21 + Revlon Colorstay Foundation 150
The Seam Cover Perfection Tip Concealer 01
Paese Rice Powder
Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Bronzer
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Moonstone
H&M Pure Radiance Powder Blusher Brown Sugar

Eyes:
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
Zoeva Caramel Melange - Wax Paper
Nabla Eyeshadow - Caramel
Zoeva Caramel Melange - Start Soft
Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad Underwater Paradise - Shade 4
Avon Kohl Eye Liner - Ocean Blue
Essence Le Glow...Baked Metallic Highlighter - 02...like you're doing what you love
Maybelline Lash Sensational + Paese Blacker Than Black Mascara

Lips:
Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick Au Naturale 



In the fashion world blue eyeshadow is being applied more artsy, but we ordinary humans have to adapt these kind of looks to make them more everyday appropriate and wearable. I don't think application or shape is important, as long as you reach for at least one blue eyeshadow you are on trend in my eyes. This is an excuse for you to venture out of your comfort zone. 

Blue eyeshadow is always being avoided by people, because it can quickly look old like when your mother or grandmother might have worn blue eyeshadow combined with red lips and pink cheeks. But as long as you find the right shade for you and you pair it with some neutral face makeup or other eyeshadow shades, you can't go wrong with it. At least not this year. Another easy way to add color to your look is to just add it around the lower lash line. It's subtle, but still effective. 

My advise would be go bold on the eyes with blue eyeshadow and keep everything else minimalistic and neutral toned. If you decided on blue eyeliner, it can actually pair nicely with red lips too. Just don't do much on the cheeks and keep it more modern looking. Obviously, you should also consider that hiding away blue under eye circles is crucial for this look or your blue eyeshadow on lid might just be highlighting your sleepless nights.


Here are some of my blue eyeshadow picks that I found in my collection. You can find similar shades among many different makeup brands, this is just what I own.

Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad Underwater Paradise - Shade 4 - matte royal blue shade. This is one of my favorites, because it's hard to find vibrant blue color in a matte finish. It needs to be build up, because it's on the sheerer side. It's vibrant, but still dark enough so it doesn't look too 80s or 90s.

Sleek i-Divine Ultra Matts V1 - Bolt - matte vibrant azure blue shade that is for the brave one. It can look unwearable, but if you pair it with darker shades this will give you a pop of color in a modern kind of way. 

Sleek i-Divine Ultra Matts V2 - Ink - matte navy blue that is great for those that prefer a darker color or to shade with. It has really pigmented base and would be a great alternative to basic black.

Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar - Blueberry Swirl - shimmery steal blue color that has that silver base to it. I think these kind of blues would look great on grey or blue eyes. It's a very understated blue with just a hint of that blue sheen in it. This is for those that are not sure about wearing blue just yet.

Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad Smokey Blue - Shade 3 - shimmery light cobalt blue that is already more blue than Bluberry Swirl, but is still a very wearable shade. This formula also needs to be build up. It has tiny shimmer in it, but gives you more of a sheen rather than shimmer. 

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow - Coconut - shimmery cobalt teal blue that has a slight greenish tint in the base, but the sheen on top is a proper vibrant blue. This is one of my all time favorite blue eyeshadows, because it  has such a metallic sheen and the color is so wearable. It's not too blue nor is it green. If you're looking for a metallic statement, this is it.


If you're too afraid of the full on blue lid look, you can start small by throwing away your usual black liner and instead go for the blue color. It can be bright or very muted. 

Avon Kohl Eye Liner - Ocean Blue - matte royal blue shade that is again kind of hard to find in the drugstores. These kind of blues are my favorite and if you're can't see yourself wearing a full on blue eyeshadow, maybe start with a bold blue eyeliner. Or just put in in the waterline for that blue haze on your eyes. 

Avon Kohl Eye Liner - Cobalt Blue - matte cobalt blue that is that off black color for when you want to add a certain color in your palette, but are unsure of how it will look. 

Avon liquid Chrome Eyeliner - Electric Blue - shimmery vibrant sapphire blue that has tiny silver shimmer in it. This is again one of my favorite liners to use, because it's bright and has fun metallic sheen to it. It's the easiest way of wearing a color. 

I already did some makeup looks with blue eyeshadow, so I'm adding them here, if you need some additional inspiration on how to combine it. 











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Review: Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte (Kissy Face, Mystique, Rock Star)

April 12, 2018, 6:03 am
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These are three new shades of Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte and they supposedly have a satin finish, but in my opinion it's the same matte finish with shimmer in it. Three new shades add to the color range with a bit more edgy, nude and bright look.





Packaging

These come in smaller transparent plastic square tubes with black matte top. They are small, but a bit bulky, although still nice to carry around. Shade name is written on the bottom of each bottle.

In it is 7 ml of product and the regular price is 9.50€ (currently on offer for 6.90€ in Slovenia).



Applicator has a fluffy petal flat shape. It's not too wide and gives you precise application. The only problem is that the applicator can hold too much product, so you can just take some off.


Formula

Formula of these is like a thicker whipped mousse. It's much thicker and more opaque than for example NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. You have to apply it lightly, because they can quickly go on too thick. I advise to go over the lips with your finger and evenly spread it out to a thinner layer. 

It applies very smooth and has almost a bit of silicon feel to it which is lovely. They are definitely not greasy or slippery in any way. 

Pigmentation is great, you can basically apply one swipe all over the lips and get intense color. 

Finish is definitely as matte as with their regular matte formula, the only difference is that these called satin contain small silver shimmer. The shimmer is fairly small and doesn't look glittery. It sticks on the lips and I haven't notice it fall down through the day. 

Performance

These are fairly long lasting, but not transfer proof. They usually start to wear off in the inner rim of the lips with drinking a lot or eating, so you'll need to reapply. But since I have very dry lips, these grab on them well and stay there.

They have a comfortable wear, although are not moisturizing in any way, but also don't feel drying.

Scent of these lipsticks is different from color to color. These all have that artificial scent, except Rock Star has that typical Avon fruity scent. 


Colors

You can choose among 10 different matte shades and now they've added 3 new shades, so 13 in total. New shades all have small silver shimmer in them which gives them something to sparkle, but doesn't look too obvious.

Kissy Face - light warm pinky brown nude with silver shimmer.
Mystique - medium warm red based brown with silver shimmer.
Rock Star - medium warm vibrant yellow toned red with silver shimmer.

Kissy Face is a great nude that was missing in the range. Something that is not too white based or too brown. I think shimmer in this shade looks nice, but is unnecessary in other two shades. Mystique is a lighter and more neutral brown that you'll like, if you thought Passion It was too dark. I love how well this pairs with chocolate eyes. Rock Star is a more darker and more neutral alternative to Orange You Happy, which is very orange. It's a bit more wearable shade and not as vibrant and I love it.








Comparison

Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Coral Fever - more coral toned, has more pink tone to it.
MAC Lady Danger - the most bright orange tint out of all of these.
Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Orange You Happy - also very orange toned, but darker than Lady Danger.
Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Rock Star - more of a pink toned orange red.


Avon Mark Plump It Truffle - the most similar in tone, but it's darker.
Avon Mark Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Mystique - lighter in color.

I like all three shades, but would actually prefer, if they had that regular formula without the shimmer. The shimmer only looks nice in Kissy Face. In Mystique it doesn't look that bad either, but I dislike it in Rock Star. It seems a bit unnecessary. For a satin finish, shimmer should be even smaller and denser. But now it's pretty much matte with hints of shimmer. The formula is nice and I like how well it grabs on the lips, but doesn't feel drying. It also wears for a long time, but you do need to reapply it on the inner rim of the lips. 

For a full review of other 10 shades click here. 

*Products were sen to me.
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Review: Beyu Purple Makeup Picks

April 16, 2018, 6:16 am
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You probably know that Ultra Violet is the color of the year 2018 according to Pantone. I am a huge fan of purple in makeup. Purple eyeshadows and eyeliners are one of those colors that go really well with my dark brown eyes. It adds a pop of color in a good way. I also like purple lipsticks, but more for the fall. Beyu has decided to sent me an array of their picks for purple makeup. I have tested it all out and here are my thoughts.





Beyu Color Kajal - 106 Provence

Kajals have black pen packaging with colored plastic tops. It's a regular need to sharp pen. In it is 1.1 gram of product and it costs 4.99€.

Formula is very soft as it's used to for kajals. It has good pigmentation with just one swipe, but is lightweight in a way and almost sheerer. It applies with ease and it doesn't tug on the skin at all, which I love. This would be great for smudging when doing a smoky eye. 

Because it's so creamy, it can transfer on the top of the lid, if you have oily lids. Setting it with powder eyeshadow would make it much more long lasting, but it still has fairly good staying power.


106 Provence is a matte warm medium purple. I love these kind warm purple shades for around the eyes.

Beyu Be Outstanding Eyeshadow Palette 1 Purple Me On (All over: Marvel, center: Lavender Glow + Vibrant Chic, inner corner: Essence Be My Highlight Eyeshadow
Beyu Color Kajal 106 Provence, Beyu Colorplay Lash Tip Mascara 09 Lilac Poison

Lips: Colourpop Lippie Stix Toy + Avon Mark Epic Lip Street Style + Catrice Lip Glaze 010 Enchanted Gold



Beyu Soft Liner For Eyes And More - 615 Dark Purple

Soft Liners have a colorful packaging that should indicate the color of pencil. In each is 1.2 grams of product and it costs 6.99€. 

Formula is creamy, but much harder and waxier than for example their Soft Liners For Lips And More. I feel like you need to warm them up in order to glide over the lids nicely. It's still a movable formula, but I would prefer it to be as soft as lip version. Pigmentation is good, but you have to build it up to an opaque look.

Sometimes it can look a bit patchy or grab onto dry patches, which I'm not a fan of. It's due to the creamy and sheerer formula. But it's very long lasting and once it's on the lids, it doesn't move or transfer. 


615 Dark Purple is matte cool medium purple shade. It has noticeable cooler undertone. 

Eyes: Beyu Be Outstanding Eyeshadow Palette 1 Purple Me On (crease: Marvel, lid: Royal Purple, inner corner: Colourpop Flexitarian)
Beyu Soft Liner For Eyes And More 615 Dark Purple
Beyu Beauty Queen Volume Mascara

Lips: Avon Mark Epic Lip Rosy Outlook



Beyu Dip Eyeliner - 03 Certain Charm

It comes in a plastic packaging in the color of the product with black plastic top. In it is 2.5 ml of product and it costs 10.99€. Mateja also reviewed this shade as part of one of their limited editions.

It has sponge tip applicator that is very precise and comes to a thin tip. I find it really easy to work with. Tip is always saturated and it's easy to slide it along the lash line.

Formula is more liquid, but still easy to work with as long as you wait a few seconds for it to dry down.

Pigmentation is great, if you shake it well before you use it, as it says on the packaging. However, sometimes I do go over the same line twice, but I do that with most liners to perfect the line anyway.

Once it sets it's long lasting and I wore it the whole day without a problem. If you have oily lids, it might transfer a bit, but you just need to apply powder on them.


03 Certain Charm is warm purple shade that has a bit of brown base to it. I adore this shade. Purple liners look great with my eye color and the brown warmth in it is perfect. It has tiny shimmer in it which gives it lovely sheen that is not metallic yet, but just looks more dimensional.


Beyu Colorplay Lash Tip Mascara - 09 Lilac Poison

I have always wanted to try out colored mascaras and I love purple, so I was really excited to try this out. As far as I know, this is meant to be used on the tips of lashes for added color, but I also tried it all over the lashes.

It comes in a smaller plastic packaging. It's smaller than you're usual mascaras. In it is 7 ml of product and I didn't find it in our store, so I don't know the price of it. Their mascaras usually cost from 8-14€.

It has a natural bristles type of wand. The bristles are a bit far apart from each other, which might be the reason why lashes can look a little clumpy. If the bristles would be denser, it would comb each lash and give you more definition.


Formula is rather normal, not too thick nor watery. It applies nicely, but as I mentioned before, due to the wand, the lashes can look a bit clumpy. If you apply it only on the tips of the lashes, you can avoid that.

But when I applied mascara through the lengths of lashes, it did make them look slightly clumpy. It doesn't give a lot of definition, it's more just for coating the lashes with color. It also makes them a bit longer, but there isn't any noticeable volume. Mascara holds the curl well.

If I use it only on the tips of lashes, the color is not all that visible. It just gives you a purple haze, which is probably how it's meant to be used. Just for a subtle color touch.


09 Lilac Poison is matte dark cool violet. 

Eyes: crease: Nabla Caramel + Colourpop Note To Self Yes Please!, lid: Chic Colourpop Yes Please!, inner corner: Essence Metal Shock 01 Solar Explosion
Beyu Dip Eyeliner 03 Certain Charm
Beyu Beauty Queen Mascara + Beyu Colorplay Lash Tip Mascara 09 Lilac Poison on the tips

Lips: Beyu Pure Color & Stay Lipstick Matt 167 Plum Secret





Beyu Color Touch Lip Biggie - 41 Pure Passion

It comes in a chubby stick plastic packaging shaped like a pen. In it is 2.8 grams of product and it costs 8.99€.

This is very balmy formula that works almost as a highly tinted lip balm. It's like the most comfortable balmy stain.

Pigmentation is sheerer, but you can layer it to be almost as opaque as a creamy lipstick. If you apply little, you get that perfect like you've been just eating berries stain on the lips. You can apply more layers and get a fairly opaque shiny lip.

Because it's so balmy, it will stick to the dry patches and accentuate them. But the feel on the lips is very comforting and hydrating.

It's not long lasting, but it leaves behind a nice very slight stain. It has a faint fruity scent that is barely noticeable.


41 Pure Passion is a light warm purple berry shade.



Beyu Pure Color & Stay Lipstick Matt - 167 Plum Secret

It comes in heavy black metal packaging and it closes securely. In it is 4 grams of lipstick and costs 13.99€.

Formula is creamy and it applies nicely. Pigmentation is good and you don't need more than two swipes over the lips.

Finish is definitely not matte as it's named, it's more of a creamier formula, but doesn't have that thicker creamy feel. On the lips it leaves a bit of sheen.

It has good lasting power for something with a sheen and it's fairly comfortable to wear. It doesn't feel drying, but is also not ultra lightweight. It will transfer though. It will leave behind a stain like most purple lipsticks do. The scent is a mixture of something artificial and vanilla like sweet.


167 Plum Secret is a warm medium plum berry shade. I actually really like this shade. It's not too purple and has just enough of a pink undertone in it as well as warmth.

You can also see how this shade looks like on a paler and neutral skin tone on Mateja.


Comparison

Beyu Pure Color & Stay Lipstick Matt 167 - the darkest purple and has the most cool tone to it, although it's in general warm.
Avon True Supreme Nourishing Plum Perfect - the most similar in tone, also slightly cooler, but also lighter shade.
Avon Mark Plump It Berry Cute - warmer more pink purple and lighter.
Avon Mark Epic Lip Sangria Shock - similar ind darkness, but much more warm toned leaning towards more pink base.


I also got some products that I already own, so I didn't do another review of them. You can read reviews separately:
Beyu Be Outstanding Eyeshadow Palette - 1 Purple Me On

My favorite is definitely dip eyeliner, because I love the shade of it, it applies so precisely and it has good lasting power. I also love how playful lash tip mascara is. Not for everyday, but great to add some color for special colorful looks. Lip biggies is such a comfortable formula, but will not work on me when I have dry patches on the lips. This is more of a summer products for me. Lipstick has lovely color, but because it has that sheen, I am afraid to wear it, because I am afraid of smudging. Kajal is great, I just wish it would las more and soft liner could be softer in formula, which would make it easier to apply. Overall, some good products and some that don't really suit my preference. 

NAGRADNA IGRA

Ker sem dobila nekatere izdelke, ki jih že imam, sem se odločila, da duplikate podarim. Vsi izdelki so novi in neuporabljeni.


Izdelki iz nagradne igre:
Beyu Soft Liner For Lips And More - 556 Sixt Sense
Beyu Cashemere Lip Color Matt - 200 Spectrum
Beyu Be Outstanding Eyeshadow Palette - 1 Purple Me On

Vse kar moraš storiti je, da izpolniš Rafflecopter obrazec. Več polj izpolniš, več možnosti imaš, da ravno ti dobiš izdelke. Nagradna igra bo potekala do 23. marca 2018 in je odprta za Slovenijo.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*PR products
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Review: Essence Hololighter Brush

April 18, 2018, 7:10 am
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Essence Hololighter Brush is one of my favorite brushes in my current makeup collection, so it was about time I did a review of it. It's in Essence standard makeup range, but if you know Essence, they can quickly decide to discontinue products, so get it while you can.

Packaging

You can spot this brush on the stand, because it's different from the rest of the Essence range. It has that colorful unicorn vibe to it. Holder has holographic layer over it, but it rubbed off so quickly. Underneath it is a regular grey plastic holder. Shame. It's actually quite a short handle and brush in general. That might be weird for storing, especially, if you have a lot of brushes with longer holders, like I do. 

It costs 3.79€.




Bristles are super soft, of medium length and rounded or slightly tapered. They have dark color, but the tips are white. I'm assuming hair is synthetic. It's a very fluffy brush that sort of reminds me of a bigger eye blending brush. 

Performance

Size is perfect for applying highlightermore precisely on smaller areas of the face. Because of the shape, you can apply it on a more narrow way, but it also blends it nicely, so you don't have any weird edges. It fits just perfectly on top of the cheeks, over the top lip and on top of the brow arch. 



If I want a very narrow application of highlighter on the nose, I just pinch the bristles with my fingers and I get a much more narrow brush. This allows you to apply that thin line down the nose.


Here you can see how well it applies highlighter only on that top of the cheek instead of getting highlighter all over your face. Depending on how much product you have on the brush, that's how strong it will look on the skin. 




If you love a good highlight and you want a brush that will apply it more precisely than those other slightly bigger face brushes. then you'll love this brush. It's also very affordable. I love everything about it, except the holo overlay that rubs off immediately and the fact that the holder is shorter. I would prefer it to be the size of my Zoeva eye brushes, so I could find it in my brush holder quicker. But the bristles are super soft and it applies highlighter so nicely and much more precise than other brushes. It's one of my favorite drugstore finds. 

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Review: Kiko 3D Hydra Lipgloss - 18 Golden Sparkle

April 21, 2018, 6:47 am
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While I love a good matte lip, I am also always searching for a good shimmery shiny lip and I thought I found a great choice in this Kiko 3D Hydra Lipgloss in the shade 18 Golden Sparkle. I already have this formula in another shade, so this is more just a presentation of a new color.


Packaging

It comes in a wider transparent packaging that has rounded edges and silver details. I like slightly different packaging. 

In it is 6.5 ml of product and it costs 7.95€.



Applicator is fluffy doe foot that has a bend which fits well on the lips. It applies product evenly and holds enough of it for one application. 


Formula

It has that typical slightly thicker lip gloss formula that feels a bit sticky, but nothing out of the ordinary for a lip gloss. 

Pigmentation is good for a lip gloss, it gives you just enough of color and isn't too transparent. The scent is artificial, but not all that noticeable.




Colors

You can choose among 30 different colors. Some have that regular no shimmer lip gloss color and some contain small shimmers that makes them look almost metallic, like the shade that I chose.

18 Golden Sparkle is a nude bronze shadewith small bronze and silver shimmer. The base is more of a bronze nude, but the shine from the shimmer is cooler silver. Because of the small shimmer, this shade almost looks a bit metallic. It also has a lovely glossy sheen.

This shade on me looks pale, but at the same time adds just enough color to my lips. I also love applying it on top of other nude lipsticks for added sheen and shimmer. 

I already reviewed the shade 27 Pearly Lavender.

Performance

Because of the slightly stickier formula, this lip gloss holds well on the lips and is quite long lasting for such a formula. 

As any other lip gloss formula, this one also wears very nicely. It feels comfortable and soothing on the lips. It also makes them feel hydrated and wears off evenly. 


It's a fairly standard lip gloss formula, that has just enough stickiness to it and feels ultra comfortable on the lips. 18 Golden Sparkle has a bronze base and cooler silver shimmer, which means it has the best of both worlds - warm base and a brighter cooler sheen. It's a fairly standard shade that may look borderline metallic and wears nicely over nude lipsticks to add sheen and shimmer or wear it on its own for that glossy shine.
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Zmagovalec Beyu nagradne igre

April 23, 2018, 1:07 am
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Hvala vsem za sodelovanje v zelo vijolični Beyu nagradni igri, ki je potekala tukaj.


Zmagovalka je Danijela D. Čestitke! Obvestila sem te preko emaila. Prosim, da mi čim prej odpišeš.

Lep dan še naprej,
Petra :)
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Review: Paese Products Part 2

April 23, 2018, 7:02 am
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I know Paese a little, since I have already reviewed a few of their products, so I was excited to try out some more. Some have previously really impressed me and even made their way into my yearly favorites like their Paese Rice Powder which is probably one of my favorite powders I have tried so far. Now let's see which other products have impressed me this time. 




Paese Hydro Base Under Make-up

This is again one of the stand out products that I immediately fell in love. It's a base for under the makeup, but it's more like a skin care and base product in one. It should moisturize the skin, prepare it for makeup, strengthen it, regenerate and extend the life of makeup. They say it contains some active ingredients as well as peptides. 

It comes in a heavy glass looking pot with white plastic top. It also has protective plastic on top that makes it easy to travel with. In it is 30 ml of product and it costs 26€.


It contains silicons that give you that smooth base as well as some humectants that feel fresh and moisturizing on the skin.

It's a thin and lightweightwhite colored cream that spreads with ease. It feels like a burst of water has been put on the face and at the same time it gives you that smooth base to apply makeup on. I love how fresh this feels on the skin right after applying it on. It also absorbs nicely, so it's not greasy looking, but it definitely feels moisturizing. 



Finish on the skin is like a slight sheen, but it's well absorbed so you can put makeup on right after it. It feels lightweight on the skin and I didn't have any problems with it feeling irritating, although it does contain fragrance. Scent is actually very pleasant sort of floral and fresh, but I could do without it in a product that almost acts as part of skin care. 

I feel like my makeup never looks dry with this base underneath. I have combination skin, but I like moisturizing skin care, although I try to avoid it on my oily parts. This will not work as a moisturizer on dry skin, but it's a great base to add additional moisturizing layer as well as smooth skin out. Obviously, if you have problems with silicons clogging your pores, you should avoid it. My makeup stays on fine, I didn't notice it being prolonged nor disappear any quicker. 



Paese Artist Mosaic Bronzer

This is a bronzer that should give you that sun kissed look - suntanned and brightened. Paese says that the natural shade is suitable for any complexion and that the powder has golden tan without orange tint. They also say you can build it up or sheer it down.

It comes in this bulky shiny black packaging that looks lovely. Inside you also get a mirror as well as white sponge that acts as a protection. Packaging is well made. In it is 9 grams of product and it costs 19.90€. 



Bronzer has a lovely marbled design. You can see a mixture of grey based brown, warm bronze and pops of golden shimmer. When you blend it all together you get a golden bronze shade which because of its warmth has a bit of that orange tint to it. It has shimmer in it, so it has quite a sheen on the skin. In fact it could even be a highlighter for darker skin tones. 


Mosaic Bronzer is actually very similar to theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer. It can be bronzer on darker skin tones, but on lighter skin tones it can look too warm. You can use it as an eyeshadow, blush or a shimmery topper on top of your regular bronzer. theBalm has much more pigmentation and the sheen seems more uniformed as well as more metallic. Paese bronzer seems to be sheerer in formula and some shimmer chunks may look more dimensional. It's not as uniformed. 

It's actually a bit dark on me now. It would be more suited for darker light to medium skin tones. Pale skin, especially cool toned, would look way too yellow and orange with this. I have warm yellow undertone so it doesn't look weird on me. It's just a bit too dark. 

Formula is kind of wet and almost feels buttery under the fingers which means it applies smoothly, although shimmer particles may dust around your face, if you use a very fluffy brush. It doesn't look patchy. 

Pigmentation is good, but on the sheerer side, so you can definitely apply it lightly just as an overall sheen or build it up to a much stronger color. I like that it's a bit sheerer, because it looks more natural and can be used as a blush topper or a shimmery topper for bronzer. 



It has a descent staying power. I still noticed it on my skin at the end of the day.



Paese Artist Eyeshadow Base

This is your standard eyeshadow primer that is creamy and should prolong the wear of your eye makeup.

It comes in a small transparent plastic pot with white plastic top. In it is 5 ml of product and it costs  10€. 


Formula is that typical silicon smooth cream that looks light beige, but actually blends out into nothing. If you apply it heavier it does cover a bit, but it's more of a wash of color. It gives you that smooth base for eye makeup.


Eyeshadows stick well to it and they stay on well. There is no creasing or noticeable fading of color. It works just fine.

Formula is similar to my other eyeshadow primers like Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer and Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Original. Avon Eyeshadow Primer is a bit thicker and much more opaque.



Paese Artist Glitter Eyeshadows - 004 Shimmer Brown

This is the only product that I was a bit underwhelmed about. It's not bad, but I just didn't find it to be exciting enough. Paese has a lot of different eyeshadows as well as some pigments. I actually couldn't find this one on their online shop, so I'm not sure if it's discontinued or may just be available in the physical store.

It comes in a black plastic pot with a transparent see through top. In it is 3 grams of product and I assume the price is somewhere from 7-9€.  


004  Shimmer Brown is darker matte taupe brown with small silver shimmer chunks. The shimmer is actually small, but sparse. It looks better under the artificial light. This would be great product to wear on a night out, because little shimmers reflect light well. 


004 Shimmer Brown is that typical matte dark brown base with chunky shimmer going through it. I find that brands often times include these kind of shades in their palettes, although I am not a fan of this look. I compared it to theBalm Nude'tude palette in the shade Sophisticated which is slightly more warmer yellow toned taupe brown and instead of having silver shimmer, it has yellow gold shimmer. Lots of brands do these type of shades. Some other examples: Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette - shade Infusion, Zoeva Caramel Melange Palette - Edible Gem and Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar - Cocoa Chili.

Formula is drier which means it has a lots of kick up as well as some fallout. Because it contains small shimmer, those might also fall down. However, it sticks well to the eyeshadow base.

Pigmentation is average. It's no way near Zoeva or Colourpop eyeshadow quality, but you can get a descent color payoff. If you apply it with a brush, it can look like a sheer wash. Patting it on with fingers makes it much more opaque and intense. 


It stayed on my lids well, didn't crease up or fade too much. I'd say it has an average longevity. I did however use eyeshadow primer underneath, like I always do, because I have oilier lids. It's not a bad product and if you prefer drier eyeshadow formula and have the patience to build it up slowly, it works fine. I just prefer more creamier and wetter eyeshadow formulas. 



Paese Brow Couture Pomade - 02 Blonde

Brow pomade that is waterproof, highly pigmented, has matte texture and is easy to use for defining and filling in brows. 

It comes in a muted glass like pot with a plastic black top. In the box you also get a mini slant brow brush which is actually nice. I love using it with this pomade, because it's narrow and thin enough. I just wish the handle would be longer, since it can be hard to hold it. Plus I'm always afraid of loosing it. 

In it is 5.5 grams of product and it costs 13€, currently it's on sale for 10.40€.



This is another one of those surprises that I really liked. Formula is spreadable, but just hard enough so it doesn't slide all over the skin or brows. It has lovely movement as well as glide. 


02 Blonde is probably the most perfect shade for my natural brows. Actually, my natural brows are even more grey, but I like to add some warmth to them since I have warm hair color. It's a light grey based brown, so a taupe and it almost feels like it has yellow or even olive undertone to it. It's the closest match to my skin tone as well as brows that I have had so far, so I am loving it.

Finish is definitely matte and the pigmentation is great. 


It sets well on the skin and doesn't move through the day. It is waterproof as they mention it.




Paese Silky Matt Lipstick - 714

I already own one shade of these lipsticks, so I knew I'll like this one too, because the formula is lovely. Paese describes it as velvet texture, smooth application, long lasting, good pigmentation, matte finish and non-drying feel on the lips.

Lipsticks comes in a square transparent plastic packaging with matte black top. It has a flat fluffy sponge applicator that is actually a bit longer, but applies lipstick nicely. It holds just enough product.

In it is 6 ml of product and it costs 11.99€.




Formula is a smoothnot too thick cream that just glides on the lips. It covers them in one swipe. Pigmentation is great. 

Depending on how thick your layer is, you will need to wait longer for it to dry down to a complete matte finish. It can be up to one hour. I like this, because it's similar to Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor. In the beginning it looks a bit creamy with some sheen, but it does dry down to a matte finish. If you blot it down, you almost get that powdery matte lip stain look which is fun too. 

Shade 417 is light pink that has more of a fuchsia undertone, but is still in that nude range. It's not too vibrant.


Compared to 707, it's much lighter. 707 is darker and has more of that berry mauve base to it. It's more brown based and seems warmer. 


Next to it I also swatched some other shades from my collection.

Avon Mark Plump It Lipstick in Mad For Mauve - is even more fuchsia toned, slightly cooler and also a bit lighter.
Avon Mark Epic Lip in Blushing Beauty - is the closest to 714. It's juts slightly lighter, but the general tone is almost the same. 

It's such a creamy and comfortable formula. It never feels drying on the lips and has good staying power. Scent is somewhat artificial and not all that pleasant, but it doesn't linger on the lips.






You can get Paese products in their online store or in BTC Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Hydro base impressed me the most. I like how fresh it feels on the skin, that is moisturizing and provides a smooth base for makeup. I also really liked brow pomade. The shade is one of the most perfect for my personal preference and it's so easy to apply plus it really stays on.

I knew I'm going to like their silky matt lipstick formula, because it's great for drier lips. The shade is fine, although I would prefer something more peachy or red like 702 or 708. However, 714 is one of those shades that would look good on most skin tones. 

Eyeshadow base is nice, although you can get similar product by other brands at a more affordable price. Mosaic bronzer is also nice, just a bit too dark for me. I do prefer something more matte, but this is great as a topper. The formula is really smooth. Eyeshadow was sort of meh for me. I just prefer something more creamy and much more pigmented. I think those of you that prefer dry formulas would like it.

I am very impressed with Paese as a brand. Some of their products positively surprised. Like that Rice powder that I can't stop talking about. I am slowly using it up and now I am curious about their Bamboo transparent powder since it's geared more towards oily skis and my oily T zone can get really oily in summer time. I might try that one too. They've also added some nice looking powder highlighters - I have my eye on Arctic. Have you tried any of their products and do you have any recommendations?

*PR products
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Review: The Ordinary Coverage Foundation 1.1N

April 27, 2018, 10:43 am
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I was so excited when The Ordinary came out with their foundations, especially because they had such a huge shade range. Let's face it, when none of the drugstore foundation shades fit you like a glove, you're ready to try out anything. My expectations were high, but unfortunately foundation didn't live up to it.



Packaging

It comes packaged in a additional black paper box. The bottle is transparent plastic and it has that rubberized black pump which gets dirty almost instantly and it's impossible to clean.

It contains a standard amount of foundation - 30 ml, but because of the packaging, it looks a lot smaller than the rest of my drugstore foundations. It costs 6.90€. You can buy it from Deciem.




Formula

Foundation has a creamy, not too thick formula that has a slip to it. It spreads with ease and feels almost a bit greasy under the fingers. I assume this is due to the coconut alkanes as one of the high up on the list ingredients. 


Coverage is light to medium. If you apply a regular pump you get light coverage that just slightly evens out your skin tone. You can add more and build it up to that medium coverage or to a higher medium coverage that covers some redness and minor imperfections. I don't think this is full coverage in any way.


It applies almost the same with the brush as well as a makeup sponge, although I prefer sponge for a better blend, but it does soak up more product.

I have to use this without any heavier skin care underneath, because the formula has a very emollient base to it. If I use any kind of more nourishing cream underneath, it turns into a greasy mess.

It leaves a satin almost slightly dewy finish, but it never really sets. On the skin it leaves sheen  and slight stickiness. I always need to set it with a power or it will just rub off as barely touch it. As it's drying down, it turns slightly darker almost as if oxidizing a little. 



Colors

The Ordinary offers 21 different shades. They have a shade guide that can help you with their naming and undertones. 

I chose my shade based on the few swatches that I found online. 1.1 N is supposed to be a fair neutral shade. I would say it's a warm light shadewith yellow undertone. I consider myself more in the light spectrum than in fair and I have warm yellow to olive undertone and the yellow undertone in this matches me almost perfectly. The lightness is also just right for my current skin tone. I think it would suit someone with NC15 to NC20 skin tone. 


Comparison

The Ordinary Coverage Foundation 1.1N - light warm yellow toned shade.
EX1 Invisiwear Liquid Foundation 2.0 - light warm very yellow toned shade.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 51 Light Vanilla - light warm peachy yellow shade. 
Revlon Colorstay Foundation Combination/Oily Skin 150 Buff - light warm yellow shade.
Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation 010 Light Beige - light neutral to warm shade. 

Coverage foundation in 1.1N is the most similar to Revlon Colorstay 150 Buff. It's actually lighter than Revlon and seems to be just slightly more yellow. 150 Buff almost has a tiny bit of that olive tone to it. EX1 is the most yellow toned, Bourjois is more of a peachy shade and Catrice HD is the darkest when it dries down and the most neutral out of all of these. 

Revlon 150 Buff is just a tiny bit too dark for me that's why this one by The Ordinary fits me so well, because it's just a tiny bit lighter. If it had a bit of that olive tone in it, it would be a perfect match. 

Performance

For being so emollient, this looks surprisingly cakey. It looks like you have overpowdered it and the foundation gets into all the pores, accentuates them and makes it very obvious that you're wearing foundation. It will also get into any pronounced lines on the face like on my forehead. 

Whenever I wore it with my regular skin care underneath, I got extremely oily very quickly which I hated. Even when I wore it with some minimal serums, it quickly started to break down through the day. The weirdest thing was that it wore off patchy and took my bronzer with it. You can imagine how weird that must have looked. So it's not long lasting in my opinion and it wears off patchy which is a big thumps down for me. 

Foundation has no scent.

I think this would be suited for someone that has already nice skin with no visible imperfections and no lines. It's also more for normal to dry skin. Oily skin would find it too greasy. Mature skin stay away from it.

L to R: no foundation, light layer of foundation, thicker layer of foundation




Apart from their shade range which is actually really nice and the fact that this shade is almost an exact match to my skin, there is nothing else I love about this foundation. It's just way too obvious that you're wearing it. There's no skin like look nor that oh-so-high coverage they are promising me. I also hate that coconut oil in it which makes it way too greasy for me and can be a problematic ingredient for some. It wears off so patchy that is just not worth taking a second look. I personally definitely wouldn't recommend it. It's one of the worst foundations I have tried so far. Not for me, but if you think it would work for your skin, try it out, it's affordable enough.
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April 2018 Favorites

April 29, 2018, 9:49 am
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April has been a month of testing new products. Hence why some are featured in this monthly favorites. I also dug out some old favorites that I'm currently using, so it's the best of both worlds.



The Seam Cover Perfection Tip Concealer - 01 Clear Beige

I think this concealer has a cult status in Korea. It's very popular and I can see why. This is probably the one of the highest coverage concealers I have had so far. It has a thicker cream consistency that still lets you blend it out, but it sets quickly into a matte finish. I just love the coverage, because it means I can use very little of it and it covers it all in one go. I don't have to pile it on like with some other concealer. Shade 01 is also light enough for my skin tone. 


Makeup Revolution Soph x Eyeshadow Palette - Mixed Berries

I am including in my favorites a particular shade not palette as a whole. That shade is Mixed Berries and it's the most perfect purple for my personal taste. It's a medium warm toned purple that has almost redissh base and a very bright purple sheen on top. It's gorgeous and exactly the type of purple that I would make, if I would be creating my own eyeshadow palette. Formula is creamy and best applied with fingers.

Avon Mark Epic Intense Eyeshadow Mini Palette Island Vibes - shade 1

Another palette that I am including because of one shade that I loved instantly. It's the first shade in the pan and it's matte medium jade green. The formula of Avon eyeshadows is always sheerer, but the pigmentation is amazing, especially for a matte shadow. I like the fact that it's a bright matte color and not shimmery. This color is unique in my collection.



I had to include it in my favorites again, because I just love it so much. It's that perfect kind of grey toned warm brown that almost contours you a bit, but warms you up as bronzer should. It has smooth buttery formula that applies well, but needs to be build up for a more intense look. It also has tropical scent to it.

L.O.V. Healthy Glow Blush - 041 Radiant Rosewood

I found this blush on a sale and immediately feel in love with this shade. It's one of those blushes that has a glowy sheen to it, similar to Wet n wild Coloricon Blush and Milani Baked Blushes. Radiant Rosewood is that brick peach shade that is slightly muted and has very subtle gold sheen on top. I can't put this blush down. It's that perfect in between shade from brown to peach, very similar to Wet n Wild Coloricon Blush in Apri-Cot in the Middle, just less shimmery. 



This is one of the rare MAC lipsticks that I actually almost used up. It's one of the best pink nudes, because it's a mix of brown, peach and pink and it's neither. This is a great nude and I like that it has a sheerer buttery formula. I've been using it more this month since I'm trying to use it up. 

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Levres Barrier Repairing Balm

I bought this on sale for ridiculously low price and I didn't even use it much, until I saw a review of someone raving about this product as one of the best lip treatments. So I dug it out and finally started using it on those occasions when my lips felt extremely dehydrated. I feel like this really helps with making your lips more hydrated and soft. It's a transparent smooth almost cream texture. It doesn't feel waxy or greasy, but has a nice slip to it. 


Ecotools Define & Highlight Duo

Another product that I just got recently and knew I liked it from the first time I tried it out. Both of these brushes have extremely soft bristles. I also like bamboo handles, since they are not too heavy. Highlight brush, which is the fan brush, is great for that precise cheek contour or for that c shape highlight on top of the cheeks. I prefer it for contour. Define brush, which is a slightly tapered shape, is great for applying powder all over. I also tried to contour with it and it applies blush nicely as well, but I use it for powder, because it's so soft and not too dense.


Nivea Oil in Lotion Orange Blossom & Avocado Oil

Another great body lotion by Nivea. I love their body lotions, because they have the most perfect nourishing, but non greasy consistency and that perfect slip to it. This one contains avocado oil in the lotion base and it has that lovely emollient texture to it. It spreads easily and soaks into the skin well. It also has subtle fresh citrus scent. Perfect for warmer months.



I've been obsessing over Alluring past month and this month I've started using Confidence more. It's slightly lighter, more floral, but still has that warm vanilla base to it. It's more sophisticated, but perfect fragrance for spring.


The Little Book of Skin Care by Charlotte Cho

I got this as a gift from my cousin and it couldn't have come in a better time. As part of my additional education courses that I am in the middle of right now, I was learning about skin anatomy and physiology and I am always researching about Korean products - makeup as well as skin care. This book combines a bit of both and I find it so much fun to read and learn from it. It's a light read, but at the same time you definitely get good base for skin care knowledge based on Korean culture. If you love Korean skin care and want to learn more this is a great starting point. 

Source

The Resident

This is a new TV show that I have started watching on FOX Life and I am hooked. It's basically a medical drama, so if you like shows like Grey's Anatomy or House, you'll like this one too. I love how this show let's you in on the medical system that works one way and resident Conrad on the other side that just wants to help everyone. There is new doctor coming in the show in the beginning, full of enthusiasm and Conrad shatters his view by saying that he has to unlearn everything he has learned so far. You get to see why sometimes some things just don't work. It seems logical to do the right thing on moral basis, but there is always an alternative motive behind that is all about the clinic making money. First episode is so interesting and it immediately sets the feel of the show. 
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Review: Kiko Smart Fusion Lip Pencil - 505 Vintage Rose

May 1, 2018, 8:49 am
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On one of my trips to Graz, I got another shade of Kiko Smart Fusion Lip Pencil. This time in the shade 505 Vintage Rose. I just like the formula of these pencils, although they are not the most long wearing. But they're affordable and have a great color selection.



Packaging

It's a matte black pen packaging with a square black top. The bottom  is colored in the shade of the pencil and it's actually pretty accurate.

In it is 0.9 grams of product and it costs 2.50€.


Formula

It's a softer formula that glides on the lips with such ease, but doesn't feel buttery or waxy in any way. It has a completely matte finish. 

Pigmentation is good and with darker and brighter colors I needed to go over a few times, but this lighter shade is more forgiving. 



 Colors

You can choose among 36 different shades. I already own 513 Red Papaya and 524 Peony Violet. In the shade range there are some nudes as well as some pops of color.

505 Vintage Rose is that classic muted pink nude. It has a bit of pink, mauve and brown in it, but is muted enough to pass as a nude color.


Performance

It's not the most long lasting formula, so you will need to reapply it, if you're wearing it on its own instead of a lipstick. But it works nice as a base for the lipsticks. 

The formula is comfortable and in no way drying. It also doesn't look heavy or too creamy like some lip liners can. However, the matte finish will accentuate dry patches. 

I initially thought that this shade would look lighter on me, because I am on a constant search for that perfect nude lip that isn't too dark, too pink nor too nude. It's actually a good nude on me, but I just thought that it would be slightly lighter. I wanted to use it to cheat my lip line with it, but it's a bit too darker for that. 


If you like lightweight lip liners that glide on with ease and have a great color selection, you'll love these by Kiko. They are also very affordable. It's not the most long lasting formula and the pigmentation is not super opaque, but they wear so comfortably that I forgive it that. 505 Vintage Rose is that basic muted pink nude that everyone has to have in their collection. It pairs well with most nude lipsticks. 
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Purple Cut Crease

May 4, 2018, 7:15 am
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I wanted to try out cut crease technique that seems to be so popular. I was avoiding it, because my eyes are slightly hooded and not the most symmetrical, so anything that requires precision and harsh edges can look messy on my eyes. But I want to improve my skills, so after a few tries, I finally have a look that I am satisfied with. It's a more pink purple look with fierce liner.


I started this eye look by applying light matte peach shade in the crease and a bit above. Then I took light matte rose shade and applied it a bit lower, more just in the actual crease. In the outer corner of the eye I put matte redish pink shade. 


I used concealer to carve out that cut crease shape. Over it I applied shimmery light mauve shade. I'm a newbie at doing this, so I went a bit too out on the corners. But you can fix this by applying more of that transition shade in the outer corner. I also put in the corner a bit of matte purple to deepened it. Some got stuck to the concealer and I tried to blend it out as much as possible, but it was a bit difficult. I paired this look with a bold black winged eyeliner.


This look could use some false lashes, but you know me, I prefer to do it without. So I just applied lots of mascara and hoped for some definition. On the lower lash line I used the same matte shades, keeping darker ones at the outer corner. In the inner corner of the eyes I applied shimmery rose highlighter.


I actually really like the contrast of darker matte corners and sparkly cut crease on the inner part of the eye. It looks even prettier in real life, although I'm not sure about that cut crease shape. As someone that has slightly hooded eyes this doesn't always look the best. I figured that going above your natural crease makes it stand out more.  


On my face I used a mixture of BB cream and foundation, higher coverage concealer and powder. I also applied bronzer, rosy blush and shimmery rose highlighter to make it more monochrome. 

On the lips I used a mixture of peach pink and warm brown matte lipstick shades. 




Eyes are quite bold, but in a way feel romantic because of the pinks, corals and purples. I love a good wing with these kind of looks, because it adds definition to the look. The rest of my face is more neutral, so the focus is on the eyes. Have you tried cut crease looks? I'm curious how it worked out for your eye shape.


Products used

Face:
Essence Fresh & Fit Awake Primer Healthy Glow Pore Minimizing Effect
Invisiwear EX1 Liquid Foundation 2.0 + Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation 010 + Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream 21
The Seam Cover Perfection Tip Concealer 01
Paese Rice Powder
Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer - Bronzer
H&M Pure Radiance Powder Blusher Rosy Brow
Makeup Revolution Ingot Highlighter Rose Gold

Eyes:
The Saem Cover Perfection Tip Concealer 01
Colourpop Yes, Please! - Full Zip
Colourpop Yes, Please! - Champs
Colourpop She - Dear
Colourpop She - Missy
Colourpop She - Damsel
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
Colourpop She - Dainty
Makeup Revolution Ingot Highlighter Rose Gold
Clio Kill Black Brush Liner
Maybelline Lash Sensational Black

Lips:
Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick Rouged Perfection + Marvelous Mocha
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