Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink review

 

General Ideas: 

• Very long wearing and transfer proof
• A little goes a long way. Had to give it a second chance as the first time I’ve tried it I managed to apply too much of it. Not applying a very thin layer will cause it to dry down very hard(or not at all, depends how much you are willing to wait) and it will have a very sticky texture.
• It mostly wears off on the inside of the lips after eating
• Dries down pretty fast

Tips:

• Apply a very thin coat. 
• Pat your lips with a tissue paper to make sure no extra product is left. This will remove any sticky feeling.

Resistance: 4/5

Coverage/Opacity: 5/5

Feeling: Sticky at first but matter and transfer proof after it dries down

Here are some images of shade no.80 (Ruler):

 

After a few hours of wearing this shade(4-6h) that included eating and drinking:

Here are some of the sites where you can find this product:

• 1001 cosmetice
• Notino

 

Autumn Oriflame Haul

Hello everyone!

Following the Avon haul here are some things that I’ve bought this autumn from Oriflame:

Shower Gels:

• Nature Secrets shower gel with moisturising aloe vera & watermelon 
• Nature Secrets shower cream with vanilla and pomegranate

Both shower gels smell delicious, I love fruity scents ❤ 

Swedish Spa Nourishing set with Swedish Heather Flower and Almond Oil:

• Night-time hand and nail balm: excellent for hydrating during the night thick consistency
• Body butter: thick consistency, very hydrating
• Body polish: very good body scrub, very gritty

Hydrating lip products:

• The ONE BB lip balm: this was a repurchase, it is extremely good, I’ve used it all summer, light and comfortable on the lips yet extremely hydrating, has a slippery feel, not sticky.
• Tender Care Rose protecting balm: also a repurchase, rose scented, with rose oil, very good to use on dry skin, suitable for lips, elbows, cuticles and heels. 

 

 

Autumn Avon Haul

Hello everyone!

Here are some things that I’ve bought this autumn from Avon:

    

 

 

• Nutra Effects 3 in 1 face scrub
• Avon Care hand cream with argan oil
• SuperSHOCK Gel eyeliner in Raw Plum
• Santa Clause Bubble Bath with apple and cinnamon
• Reindeer Bubble Bath with plum and vanilla
• Avon Senses Creamy Fantasy Decadence shower gel with salted caramel and almond
• Advance Techniques 7 in 1 instant repair shampoo
• Advance Techniques 7 in 1 instant repair hair serum
• Gel Shine clear polish
• Nailwear pro+  in Rosie Gold
• Avon Magix translucent powder

I’ve included some pictures of the powder so you can see it up close. It has a transparent foil that you could miss, just open the black lid and remove the foil:

 

      

Swatched over foundation:

Swatches of Nailwear pro+ in Rosie Gold with Magic Effects Moten Metal in Titanium as accent:

The necklace is also from Avon from the Olivia set and it will be included in another post.

 

Face & body products for the cold weather

 

Continuing the cold weather series here are some suggestions of products that could help you during the cold weather season:

 

Products for cleaning and cleansing:

• Nutra Effects self foaming cleanser  from Avon
• Konjac sponge from Avon
• Anew clinical advanced resurfacing peel from Avon

Masks: 

• collagen eye zone mask from Skinlite: cruelty free with Collagen, Vitamin E and Green Tea Extract

 

• Planet Spa Thai lotus flower: deep pore cleansing mask from Avon
• Yives Rocher Hydra Vegetal: hydrating mask

 

Hydrating & toning products:

• Anew Vitale Day Cream from Avon
• Anew Vitale Night Cream from Avon
• Anew Nutri-Advance Eye Cream from Avon
• Nutra Effects Miracle Glow oil from Avon

• Avon Naturals Aloe&Cotton face mist
• Avon Planet Spa Moroccan Rose face mist
• Toning face tool from Avon

 

Hydrating Body products:

• Avon Planet Spa Treasures Of The Desert with Moroccan Argan Oil deeply restoring body moisturizer
• Avon Planet Spa Blissfully Nourishing with African Shea Butter body butter
• Avon Nutra Effects intensive repair restoring body lotion
•  Bottega Verde Mela e Spezie Latte Corpo: Body lotion with apple juice and cinnamon extract

 

 

Fall perfume selection

Fall is officially here, the temperatures have dropped so it’s the perfect moment to bring out the cold weather perfumes. I have gathered quite a few products so I thought I could share some opinions and information about them with you. The products are from Avon and Oriflame and have been grouped accordingly. 

Toamna este oficial aici, au scazut temperaturile asa ca este momentul perfect sa scoatem parfumurile pentru vreme rece. Am strans ceva produse asa ca m-am gandit sa impart cateva opinii si informatii despre ele cu voi. Produsele sunt de la Avon si Oriflame si au fost grupate corespunzator.

Avon

Secret Fantasy Wonderland

This is currently my favorite, I’ve been wearing this for over a month every day. It smells a little sweet (but not overwhelming) and it just captivated me. 

Acesta este in prezent preferatul meu, il folosesc de mai bine de o luna zilnic. Miroase putin dulce(dar nu coplesitor) si m-a captivat.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Floral Fruity Gourmand fragrance for women. The fragrance features black elder, frangipani and whipped cream.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Avon/Secret-Fantasy-Wonderland-34851.html

Descris de catre Avon:

• categoria floral-fructata
• note principale: coacaze rosii, frangipani, frisca

https://www.avon.ro/produs/29577

 

Mesmerize Black  For Her / Mesmerize Black pentru Ea 

A sexy perfume, love it for autumn, for night.

Un parfum sexy, foarte bun pentru toamna, de noapte.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Oriental-floral

Opens with juicy, fresh and luminous zests of mandarin, which refresh delicate jasmine blossom in the heart of the composition. The base incorporates creamy notes of Australian sandalwood, which provide warmth and make the composition more sensual and softer.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Avon/Mesmerize-Black-for-Her-29373.html

Descris de catre Avon:

categoria floral-orientală

note principale:mandarină, iasomie, lemn de santal

https://www.avon.ro/produs/14029/apa-de-toaleta-mesmerize-black-pentru-ea

 

Outspoken by Fergie

A very good perfume for fall, goes very well with my rock vibes, I wear it especially when wearing my faux leather jacket(because I don’t wear leather).

Un parfum foarte bun pentru toamna, merge foarte bine cu vibe-urile mele rock, il folosesc in special cand port geaca din imitatie de piele (pentru ca nu port haine din piele naturala).

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Top notes of the perfume refresh us with frozen black currant, starfruit and wild saffron, standing in contrast with gentle aromas of the heart. Floral nuances of tuberose, jasmine and passionflower dance together in a passionate and sensual way, while seducing base notes of ebony, leather and vetiver.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Avon/Outspoken-by-Fergie-8679.html

Descris de catre Avon:

O expresie parfumata plina de curaj in care notele de afine contrasteaza cu cele de tuberoza.

Note de varf: fruct de stea, sofran, fructe de padure 
Note de mijloc: tuberoze, flori de iasomie, floarea pasiunii 
Note de baza: piper, vetiver, lemn de abanos

http://www.avon-shop.ro/catalog-avon/apa-de-parfum-outspoken-by-fergie.html

 

Outspoken Party

A perfume for autumn-winter, sweet, gourmand fragrance, you can feel the crème brûlée notes.

Un parfum pentru toamna-iarna, o aroma dulce, gurmanda, se simt notele de crema de zahar ars.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

flirty, fun and exciting fragrance of red fruit, intoxicating flowers and caramelized woods, it contains accords of raspberry, peony, sandalwood and Crème brûlée.

Top notes: raspberry

Middle notes: Peony

Base notes: Sandalwood & crème brulee

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Avon/Outspoken-Party-by-Fergie-31320.html

Descris de catre www.fragrantica.ro:

este un parfum Floral Fructat, Nota de varf este zmeura; Nota de mijloc este bujor; Notele de baza sunt lemn de santal si crema de zahar ars.

 

Acorduri de zmeura, bujor, lemn de santal si crema de zahar ars.

http://www.fragrantica.ro/parfum/Avon/Outspoken-Party-by-Fergie-31320.html

 

Oriflame

Fairy city lights

A very good perfume for winter, especially with the candy apple, caramel and toffee notes, it smells delicious.

Un parfum foarte bun pentru iarna, in special datorita notelor de mar glazurat, caramel si toffee, miroase delicios.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Floral Fruity Gourmand fragrance for women. Top notes are wild strawberry and green notes; middle notes are jasmine, candy apple and caramel; base notes are toffee and tonka bean.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/Fairy-City-Lights-23542.html

Descris de catre eva.ro:

Acordurile verzi pline de prospeţime, stropite de notele suculente ale fragilor, evoluează în dansul feminin al parfumului catifelat de iasomie. Totul este îndulcit de notele mărului glazurat, înainte de a se stinge în tonurile apetisante de toffee… o combinaţie ce captează perfect strălucirea şi entuziasmul unui Crăciun petrecut în oraş

Note de top: Capsuni salbatice si note verzi

Note de mijloc: Iasomnie, mar caramelizat si caramel

Note de baza: toffe si boabe de tonka

http://www.eva.ro/frumusete/shopping/apa-de-toaleta-fairy-city-lights-oriflame-articol-55409.html

 

Giordanni gold essenza

I feel this as a pretentious perfume, very in your face, strong but luxurious.

Il simt ca pe un parfum pretentios, foarte evident, puternic dar cu o nota de lux.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Floral fragrance. The nose behind this fragrance is Fabrice Pellegrin. Top note is bergamot; middle notes are orange blossom and white flowers; base note is woody notes.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/Giordani-Gold-Essenza-32306.html

Descris de catre Oriflame:

Conceput în jurul notei exclusiviste Luxury Essenza a florilor de portocal, parfumul luminos Giordani Gold Essenza evocă povestea luxului autentic şi a măiestriei, începând cu sticla rafinată, capacul finisat cu foiţă de aur veritabil şi până la ultimul strop de parfum, cu o concentraţie înaltă şi în acelaşi timp subtil. Un parfum premium floral-lemnos, pentru femeia care, prin ea însăşi, personifică arta de a trăi frumos. 

https://ro.oriflame.com/products/product?code=31816

 

My red

A real obsession for me, I’ve worn it all the month of August but probably I’m going to keep wearing it all throughout fall.

O reala obsesie pentru mine, l-am purtat toata luna august dar probabil ca o sa continui sa il port si pe parcursul toamnei.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

“Red is not just a color, red is statement, red is love, red is the color of magnetism…” – as stated by perfumer Vincent Schaller on the occasion of creating the new perfume for Demi Moore. It was inspired by moments, different people and moods, as well as with his great passion for cooking, mixing feeling and flavors till the perfect red color that he will ‘retell’ by carefully selected notes. For the red fragrance he created the main inspiration was femme fatale, the woman that stands out, the woman that radiates magnetism, woman like Demi. Vincent was searching for unique, mysterious, rare ingredients that would present his vision of the red fragrance in the perfect way – and he chose the perfect one – RED JASMINE, as the main ingredient of the fragrance. This timeless flower provides the sophisticated note to the ingredient and the mysterious signature of the creator.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/My-Red-by-Demi-Moore-21415.html

Descris de catre Oriflame:

Sexy, surprinzătoare şi tentantă… apa de parfum My Red dă naştere unor trăiri intense, prin magnetismul unic specific notelor de iasomie roşie şi buchetului său opulent. Modernă şi îndrăzneaţă, această floare ameţitoare seduce prin spectaculoasele faţete roşii şi senzualitatea impetuoasă. Intensitate la cote maxime… în roşu. 

https://ro.oriflame.com/products/product?code=25403

 

Love potion

Again a gourmand perfume, delicious notes of chocolate, I used to wore this at night when going to bed.

Din nou un parfum gurmand, note delicioase de ciocolata. obisnuiam sa il port seara la culcare.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

The house of Oriflame offers their first aphrodisiac perfume Love Potion as the embodiment of seduction. Perfect to increase desire and passion and to stimulate game of seduction in hot summer! The fragrance possesses an oriental character and is based on two main ingredients known as aphrodisiacs – ginger and chocolate.

Sensuality and sensitivity of the scent is provided by ginger and spices from India. It continues with exotic aromas of slightly sweet cocoa flowers, fresh tangerine, tender lily and vanilla. The whole tempting and warm composition is rounded up by tonka beans and sandalwood. The nose behind this fragrance is Jean Jacques.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/Love-Potion-13192.html

Descris de catre Oriflame:

Apa de parfum Love Potion captează pasiunea autentică şi te îndeamnă să experimentezi plăcerile iubirii. Creează atmosfera perfectă pentru o noapte încărcată de pasiune, cu această aromă seducătoare, de inspiraţie orientală.

https://ro.oriflame.com/products/product?code=22442

 

Possess

An interesting perfume, seductive and captivating.

Un parfum interesant, captivant si seducator.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

Announced as a sensual and hypnotic fragrance of a graceful seductress, it is inspired by the legend of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The composition belongs to the category of chypre floral fragrances with fruity additions. It contains over 80 ingredients, with only dominant listed.

Daphne Bugey and Dora Baghriche-Arnaud signed this creation. The scent opens with accords of pineapple, grapefruit and freesia. The heart captures orange blossom, ylang-ylang as a major accord, and sweet raspberry. The base is made of sandalwood from Sri Lanka, patchouli and vanilla from Madagascar.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/Possess-28164.html

Descris de catre Oriflame:

Atemporală, de o seducţie plină de magnetism, apa de parfum Possess captează senzualitatea provocatoare a Cleopatrei, ale cărei farmece i l-au adus pe Marc Antoniu la picioarele ei. Împletit cu note irezistibile de ylang ylang, acest parfum sexy şi efervescent nu poate trece neobsevat, întrucât surprinde vraja hipnotică a atracţiei.

https://ro.oriflame.com/products/product?code=30886

 

Divine

I received this perfume as a gift and enjoyed it for a time until it became too sweet for my taste. This is more a transition perfume, to use at the end of summer, August-September maybe.

Am primit acest parfum cadou si l-am folosit o perioada pana a devenit prea dulce pentru gustul meu. Acesta este un parfum de tranzitie, de folosit la sfarsitul verii, poate august-septembrie.

Described by www.fragrantica.com :

This feminine floral fragrance contains top notes of bamboo, kiwi, water hyacinth and violets. The heart is composed of jasmine, lily, rose, freesia and six-petal orchid. The base notes are musk, sandalwood and raspberry. Available as 50 ml EDT. Divine was launched in 2002. The nose behind this fragrance is Jean Jacques.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Oriflame/Divine-2344.html

Descris de catre Oriflame:

Apa de toaletă Divine celebrează femeia modernă, independentă. Notele sale uşoare şi naturale de bambus, petale de violetă şi iederă se deschid într-o inimă de orhidee, înainte de a se estompa într-o armonie senzuală de mosc alb şi lemn de santal.

https://ro.oriflame.com/products/product?code=11355

 

I hope these few lines  helped you a little in knowing more about some affordable perfumes. What are your favorite fragrances for the cold season?

Sper ca aceste randuri sa va fi ajutat putin sa stiti mai multe lucruri in legatura cu cateva parfumuri accesibile.  Care sunt parfumurile voastre preferate pentru sezonul rece?

Summer products

 Hi everyone!

Summer is gone, these months have been awesome and I hope everyone had a great vacation:)   I wanted to show you some of the products that I used these months on a daily basis and some information about them as I really enjoyed them and considered it’s worth sharing. All products have been displayed on a beach towel that I’ve purchased when I went to the seaside and found it to be perfect for the summer vibe. 

 

1.  Bath

In the bath category I’ve been really enjoying fruited scents this summer.

• Yves Rocher Orange from Florida energizing shower gel

– Paraben free,
– More than 98% natural ingredients,
– pH neutral for skin,
– Easily biodegradable formula,
– Recyclable bottle.

• Avon Senses Calming Tuscany shower creme

-With nourishing olive, almond and coconut oils.

• Avon Naturals Fresh Peach Bubble Bath
• Avon Naturals Juicy Pomegranate& Mango Shower gel

-smells absolutely amazing

• Oriflame Nature Secrets Exfoliating Shower Gel with refreshing kiwi

-delicious scent

 

2. Body

This year some favorites made it back along with some new things that I wanted to try.

• Avon Planet Spa Blissfully Nourishing with African Shea Butter

-This is an all time favorite and a must buy for me any season. It absorbs pretty quick into the skin and leaves it incredibly hydrated for hours, best of what I’ve ever used. 

• Avon Planet Spa Thai lotus body souffle with coconut oil and lotus flower extract

-gentle and airy, soft, light

• Avon Care Aloe Vera light cream

-with aloe vera, shea butter and vitamin E

-light texture, a little sticky on the skin at first but fully absorbs into the skin pretty fast. I used it especially after sun exposure when getting home from the beach, after shower. 

•  Avon Skin So Soft – Enhance & Glow – 7 in 1 Glow Body Lotion

-again a repurchase, used it last summer and loved it. It gives a very subtle shimmer to the skin, perfect for summer.

• Yves Rocher Monoi de Tahiti Precious Dry Oil 

-No paraben, no mineral oil. For a plus of glow when you want to look radiant in the summer. I had it last summer and used it this year too. The shimmer is more noticeable than the one in the Avon Skin So Soft – Enhance & Glow – 7 in 1 Glow Body Lotion. 

• Avon Naturals  Pomegranate and Mango  body spray that I don’t know how but got into the face products photo and I realized a little too late 🙂 

 

3. Face

For face I’ve been using many products this summer.

• masks: 

-Yves Rocher Intense Hydrating Maks: loved it, would surely repurchase it, feels light on the skin, natural ingredients.

– Avon Planet Spa Lotus Flower  deep pore cleansing mask: good for tightening pores, smells nice.

-Oriflame Love Nature Blueberry Mask: soothing and pampering

• scrub:

-Oriflame Love Nature apricot sugar scrub

• gels

–Oriflame Love Nature watermelon gel: cooling and hydrating, I keep it in the fridge

–Oriflame Love Nature Aloe Vera Eye Gel: soothing, relaxing, cooling

-Avon Planet Spa Facial Moisturizer with Himalayan Moringa tree seed:cooling sensation

• creams

-Anew Vitale 25+ day cream: nice scent, has SPF 25, hydrates and leaves a healthy glowing skin

-Anew Vitale 25+ night cream: bought it because I liked the day cream, has a nice scent, has an almost gel like texture, absorbs fast into the skin.

-Anew Nutri-Advance eye cream: it is said to increase the hydrating level up to 60% and it definitely feels like it. I love it and will repurchase it. 

• oil

-Avon Nutra Effects miracle glow oil: Liked it, especially the glass applicator. 

 -Formulated with a blend of seed oils to nourish and smooth away the look of lines and wrinkles, drop after drop.

               -Babassu Seed Oil – to help increase collagen production.

                -Green Coffee Seed Oil – to help boost protein, important

• Spray 

-Avon Naturals Aloe&Cotton Hydrating Face Spray: Loved it, repurchased it many times throughout the summer, I keep it in the fridge for an extra cooling effect.

 

4. Lips

Varied a little between bold and nude.

• Yves Rocher Grand Rouge lipstick in Rose Poudre(Powdery Pink): wears nice, moisturizing formula with Camellia Oil, Vitamin E and Organic Sesame Oil
• Oriflame Giordani Gold lipstick in Dusky Nude: beautiful nude shade, wears nice
• Oriflame The One Lip Sensation Matte Mousse in Coral Dream: vivid coral, didn’t like the wear, fades uneven, transfers.
• Oriflame The One Lip Sensation Matte Mousse in Soft Mulberry: more of a fall color, transfers
• Sephora lip stain no.5 Infinite Rose: described as a satin golden peach, the most amazing lip product I’ve ever used, long lasting, doesn’t transfer, perfect everyday color.

5. Hair

I have been using a lot of products, finished a Palmer’s Coconut Oil shampoo and after that some of the Advance Techniques from Avon.

• Avon Advance Techniques Absolute Perfection BB shampoo: does a good job cleaning and hydrating even when used alone. 
• Avon Advance Techniques Absolute Perfection BB conditioner
• Avon Advance Techniques Daily Shine Dry Ends Serum: a permanent repurchase for me, I’ve been buying this for years and love what it does to my hair, has a light formula and doesn’t look as greasy on my hair as other products.

6. Feet

A very important aspect for summer for me is feet care and although I’ve been using only 3 products 2 of them are staples for me that I kept repurchasing since last year.

• Avon Foot Works exfoliating and refining pads:Glycolic acid treatment to exfoliate rough, dry skin. I have been repurchasing these for some time now and I love them especially in the summer.

-Significantly improves skin’s texture, leaving skin softer, smoother and renewed
– Provides fast acting, re-texturizing treatment for feet
-Contains glycolic acid to refine skin’s surface and smooth rough callused feet

• Oriflame Feet Up Cooling Breeze Spray with Mint&Kiwi: perfect for summer
• Avon Foot Works  Comforting Overnight Massage Lavender Cream: love the scent, calming, hydrating.

7. Nails

Varied a little between bold and light colors and played a little with matte polishes.

• Avon Gel Finish in Roses are red
• Avon Gel Finish in Fabulous
• Avon Gel Finish in Iceberg White
• Avon Gel Shine in Rain Washed
• Golden Rose Rich Color in the shade 50
• Gabrini matte M03
• Gabrini Nude Matte 03

8. Perfume

Light fragrances for summer.

• Avon Summer Sunset: lotus, pink pepper and birch. All time favorite for summer.
• Avon Scent Essence – Sparkly Citrus: top notes are bergamot and mandarin orange; middle notes are freesia, citrus blossom and grapefruit blossom; base notes are vetiver, woody notes and musk. Very fresh, love the citrus scent for summer.
• Oriflame Athena Bright Breeze: opens with the juicy fruity union of bergamot, apple and apricot along with sea notes. The heart accentuates floral notes of jasmine, chrithmum maritimum blossom and sweet pea, followed by accords of sunny stone, musk and sandalwood.

Scents according to http://www.fragrantica.com/

9.  Accessories

Few: a necklace,  some stones and a bracelet from Avon + Avon Aztec print bag

 

10. Books and other

Some of the books I’ve read this summer:

  

• +Lavander Pillow Mist from Avon 

 

 

 

Cruelty free basic products haul

I have been searching for a long time for organic and cruelty free products available in my country(Romania). I am constantly trying to switch up the products I use with better, healthier and cruelty free ones. It is a personal choice in a mad, cruel and evil world where the powerful inflict suffering upon the weak and almost everything from food to make-up seems to be made to kill you.

I am an Avon representative so most of my purchases used to be from Avon. I am not entirely satisfied by their products for 2 reasons. One: they state they are the first cosmetic firm to permanent end their testing on animals in their policy on animal welfare(http://www.avoncompany.com/corporate-responsibility/about-cr/positions-policies/animal-welfare/) but still continue to do it for China from what I understand. Second: they use too many harmful chemicals in their products. I’ve started some time ago with nail polish from SPAritual that is a vegan nail polish with no  DBP, formaldehyde or toluene and want to continue the habit of buying these type of products.

I’ve purchased some basic items this week: 

Starting with the Sranrom products I have to say these seem like an acquired taste to me. Maybe it is because I’ve grown so used with products that contain chemicals made to make them smell so good, maybe it is because of the strong fragrances of the essential oils used in the Sranrom products. Sranrom is pronounced Sa-raan-rom and “it is a poetic Thai word which describes that most desirable emotion or feeling of pleasure, serenity and contentment”. It is a luxury company from Thailand that takes a holistic approach to well being that incorporates aromatherapy.

They have 4 major categories of products: Urban Wellness (for the mind), True Spirit(for men), Mindful Living(for living) and Harmony(for the body). My products are from the Urban Wellness: Sleep Tight shower gel and hand cream which are meant to help you sleep better and the Calm Down body cream that soothes nerves and eases stress. I found the Sleep tight series products to be very helpful indeed. 

Continuing with the SPAritual products I’ve bought some basic things that I found particularly useful: 

The base/top coat I’ve had before when they’ve sent it to me free of cost with the nail polishes that I’ve bought back then so I decided to purchase it just to have a spare. The lacquer remover is a dream: it removes nail polish very fast, you don’t need much and it doesn’t leave a nasty smell in the room. Usually I feel like I can’t breath from all the chemicals when I clean my nails but this lacquer remover is made with Italian red mandarin peel oil and complex of solvents made from sugar. I’ve also finally found a lacquer thinner, I’ve been searching for a long time for this. And of course because Spring is almost here I’ve bought a beautiful pastel pink in the shade Idyllic which is a very sheer cream nail polish. I will buy some more as soon as I can.

5 coats in this photo

Next is something that I’ve wanted to try for a long time: 

I’ve heard a lot of Alum stone stick deodorants and it seems like a very good solution. This mineral deodorant is also called potassium alum and it is the natural non-toxic way of dealing with unwanted perspiration smells. While most deodorants mask odor with heavy scents or fragrances, the natural deodorant alternative of Alum deodorants prevent body odor at its source by creating an unfriendly environment for odor-causing bacteria. After trying this product I must say it works very well. 

Some other basic products that I’ve bought are: a strawberry and raspberry toothpaste and a hair conditioner from Lavera and a Coconut oil shampoo from Palmer’s.

 

The Lavera products contain no chemical preservatives, fragrances or aromas. The toothpaste has a very nice scent and does its job. The repair&care rose conditioner I have to use several times to form an opinion on. 

About Palmer’s I’ve heard a lot of good things. They have a long history and really deliver on ethical and social responsability: 

• Supporting cocoa farmers and their families around the world.  
• Forging a sustainable Shea industry worldwide.
• Is a “cruelty free” company and does not conduct product tests on animals.
• Is a member of the Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil.

After trying the Coconut oil and keratin&vitamin E shampoo I was not disappointed. It hydrates your hair and leaves it very manageable.  I am definitely willing to try more products from this company! 

More cruelty free products will follow, I hope to find more and more healthy alternatives for our everyday life choices. There are so many companies these days that offer quality products without destroying our health or hurting and killing animals. 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for spring

Hello everyone! I’ve got some new product reviews for you. I’ve bought some new winter care products but you can feel a spring vibe as Avon is preparing us for the  spring season. 

Starting with the winter care I’ve got the Avon Care Youth Restore set with collagen and elastin because although it’s meant for a mature skin I feel it’s the perfect treatment during winter. It absorbs very quickly, doesn’t have a greasy feel yet hydrates very well. The set contained a body lotion, face cream and hand cream.

Next I’ve got the new Planet Spa Treasures of the Desert set with Moroccan Argan Oil that will appear in the new Avon brochure (the perks of being a rep ❤ ) and I must say I like it very much. The complete set contains a deeply restoring body moisturiser, a restoring hand cream, a restoring facial cleanser and a Rhassoul clay face mask. The scent is pleasant and they do a good job at moisturising. The facial cleanser contains little abrasive particles so it also works as a scrub but it leaves your face feeling soft and hydrated. 

In the household category I’ve got a pillow to match my blanket and a cute valentine’s set: 

In the Spring transition category I’ve got 2 nail polishes that I’ve repurchased from the Gel Finish collection in the shades Sheer Love and Creme Brulee . I find it that light pinks and nudes  make the best transitions towards spring:

And finally in the accessories category also looking towards spring  I’ve got 2 new necklaces: Mirabella- a silvery necklace with a heart filled with pink gemstones pendant and Gayle- a golden-y necklace with a pendant and 7 accessories to fill it with. While the Gayle necklace and pendant stay pretty faithful to the image in the brochure you will find that the Mirabella heart one is actually quite smaller as you can see in the pictures:

    

     

I hope this reviews were helpful for you 🙂 

Avon winter haul

Hello everyone! I have an Avon haul prepared for you with the products that I’ve bought these few months. 

Starting with the hair and bath&body products we have: Heaven Harmony liquid soap with lily of the valley&apple, Advance Techniques color protection anti-fade UV spray, Advance Techniques dry shampoo, Winter Green Apple bubble bath and On-Duty Fresh deo roll-on.

The skin care face products are all Clearskin: pore penetrating gel cleanser(an everyday cleanser), pore penetrating black mineral cleanser (very good for leaving your skin squicky clean) and a blemish mark treatment from the professional range of the Clearskin products.

For make-up I’ve chosen the MagiX face perfector because although I don’t usually wear make-up I wanted to give it a try. On a first impression I didn’t like it very much,  it’s greasy, feels heavy,  I didn’t see any improvement for my pores and as for foundation resistance I don’t wear it long enough to need so much resistance throughout  the day.  Other make-up choices have been Ideal Flawless foundation, True Color Perfectly Matte lipstick in Red Supreme, the Precision Make Up Sponge, Luxe stippling brush, the 8 in 1 Nude shimmer palette and Always On Point Eyeliner in the Molten Rose shade.

The Ideal Flawless foundation wears very well and it has a slight shimmer to it. It gives you the “barely there” feeling of a foundation that covers pretty well while looking very natural. The shade I picked for my skin tone is Ivory.

The lipstick is a gorgeous deep red that I found to be more creamy than matte. It is also not resistant to transfer.

I really like the  Precision Make Up Sponge, it gave me a nice application of the product without making it look cakey on my skin, I’ll definitely buy more. I didn’t try the stippling brush yet.

I did however try the 8 in 1 eyeshadow palette and loved it. I bought it because I have the palette in “Not-So-Neutral” and the colors are beautiful, the application and blending seamless and the shades work really well with the season. The Always On Point Eyeliner is very subtle, shimmery and wears best on it’s own as it can be very easily overpowered. 

For the sparkly part of the season haul I’ve chosen 2 shades from the new ” Liquid Sequin” of the “Magic Effects” collection: “Sequin” and “Glitterati” along with a brush for nail art correcting and a Chrisha black bracelet.

I have also received the new Dreams perfume and body lotion, a spring fragrance that reminds me of Avon’s “Femme” but a bit more subtle. The body lotion seemed to have very little fragrance unlike other lotions paired with perfumes.

And at last one of my favorite purchases: the Soft Cosy Reversible Throw Blanket! This has been my indoor staple for this winter. Soft, keeps me warm and looks fabulous! 

 

 

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration and joy and what best to capture that essence if not sparkly and bubbly nails that make you think about a glass of  champagne!

 

No flash

 

With flash

 

Nail polishes used: 

• Base: Nicole by OPI in the shade “You’re a star” & Avon Gel Finish “Wine and Dine me”
• Top coat: Avon Magic Effects Liquid Sequin in the shades “Sequin” and “Glitterati”