Soap and Glory Super Tonic Fragrance Review

You know what one of the best things about moving to England is? Yep, it's the overwhelming amount of beauty brands you can choose from. I've been reading blog posts on Soap and Glory products for ages, and of course I've been drooling over them for the last two years. And now that I finally got my hands on some Soap and Glory stuff, I can tell you for sure the rumors are true. They are just as good as everyone says. The first two things I got were the the Super Tonic Fragrance, and the Sugarcrush body scrub, and I'll go into more detail about the scrub later this month. Now, about the Super Tonic fragrance..

Packaging and price: The standard, quirky S&G packaging and a cheeky product name. What's not to like? The packaging matches the orange theme of the product (duuuh) which is super cute. You get 100ml in an easy to carry around bottle and considering S&G products are almost always on offer, £12.00 is a pretty reasonable price.

Scent and lasting power: The fragrance itself is as you might expect really citrusy, zesty and fresh. Except for the obvious orange notes, there are notes of cool mint and Sicilian lemon. I didn't expect the scent to have very much depth to it, but it actually does and you can smell the different notes as it wears throughout the day. The only thing that bothers me, though, is that it doesn't last that well and I have to carry it around in my bag to freshen it up. Which means it won't last very long, unfortunately and I've already used up quite a lot considering I've been using it for just a week. Other than that however, it's one of my favourite fruity scents as it's not so overpoweringly fruity, and it works for both summer and winter.

Overall verdict: Yes, I would repurchase, and yes, I probably will (as I'll run out of it in a few months at the rate I'm going..). It's a great, light, awakening everyday scent, it's not overly pricy and it's cutesy and quirky, just like every other Soap & Glory product. I'll say it again - what's not to like?! If you're searching for a nice fruity fragrance to remind you of summer, I would definitely suggest getting this. Do it. 

Have you tried the Orangeasm range? What's your favourite product from it?

Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel Review

Before I start with the review, I'd like to say that I'm a huge fan of Nuxe products and I tried SO hard to make this product work, but it's simply not for me. This will not, however, be a negative review, as I like to keep it positive here on the blog, and besides there are things I abslutely love about this product, it's just that it does not get along well with my personal skin.

Why I bought it: I was on the hunt for a new cleanser and as I'd heard good things about it and, of course about the brand itself (and have used the Reve de Miel Lipbalm and Hand cream and they are certainly holy-grail material) I decided to give the Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel a go. I like to do my research before I buy products, especially ones on the pricier side of things. So naturally I read a few reviews and found nothing suspicious, not a bad word about it, in fact.

What I like about it: I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and admittedly Nuxe's packaging is always the bomb. It's amber-coloured and comes with the most gorgeous pump you'll ever find. Super travel-friendly as the pump is secured well and is tightly screwed on, so you won't have to worry about spilling half of it out. Besides, the pump destributes the perfect amount of gel without wasting any product whatsoever.

Now about the gel itself. Its consistency is great, not too thick or too runny. It's amber-coloured, same as the ackaging, which again looks really appealing and reminds me of honey. The smell is simply divine - it smells of honey, but there are definitely flowery notes in there too. It's quite the stron, overpoering scent, so of you're not a fan of strong scents, steer clear from it. Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel is enriched with honey, sunflower extraxts and the formula is completely soap-free. It's supposed to be suitable for dry and sensitive skin, but here's where I disagree.

Why I don't get along with this product: I have combination skin, but it has been more to the dry side recently, some dry patches have appeared around my cheeks an forehead, and that's why I though a product aimed for sensitive, dry skin would fix that. Little did I know. It dried my skin out a lot more than expected (I am aware that gels are usually harsher to the skin, but still, it was an exceptionally uncomfortable sensation!) and my skin felt dry and tight well after I washed my face with it. I tried to make it work, I moisturised heavily after cleansing my face, but it still felt too harsh. Overall it's definitely not my cup of tea, unfortunately. It's too drying and I'll proably break out if I continue using it, so I've decided to give up.

Have you tried it and what are your thoughts on it? What cleansing gel would you recommend for sensitive skin?

Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter

Just a quick post from me today, as I've been a busy bee these days with packing, making lists and all. I did, however, have time to stop by the drugstore and make a cheeky little purchase. As we're slowly but surely going into autumn, I decided it was time to get a new lipbalm for my handbag (I wouldn't carry my Nuxe Reve de Miel around, it's in a glass jar after all!). I did a bit of research and all the rave reviews convinced me to get the Nivea Raspberry Rose (or Raspberry Rose Kiss) Lip Butter. I must admit I thought Reve de Miel had ruined all other lipbalms for me until I found this little gem.

Price and packaging: I got mine for £2.10 which is a reasonable price for a drugstore lipbalm. You get 19g. of product in a compact, pink tin pot. Nothing special about the packaging, really. Just a standard tin, not too bulky and easy to carry around in your make up bag. The one thing I love about the packaging (except that it's pink) is that you can take the lid of SO easily, which means it's great to use on the go.

Smell, texture and application: The smell is absolutely divine. Have any of you tried MOAM sweets? If you have, that's what it smells like! The smell is not too overpowering, but you can still smell it on your lips after 30-40 minutes. The texture is really buttery, it's not sticky or waxy at all and it doesn't leave an unpleasant residue on your lips. Colorwise, even though it looks baby pink in the tin, it's completely sheer on the lips, which is a bit disappointing but since it's a lipbutter I can't complain. It doesn't feel heavy on the lips on application, it's lightweight but you can feel it's working its magic right away.

Overall verdict: Nivea are the bomb when it comes to lipbalms and treatments, and the Raspberry Rose Lip Butter  makes no exception. The formula is great, enriched with shea butter almond oil. It's a no-fuss product, you can just stick it in your handbag and you're good to go. It keeps your lips moisturised for a good few hours and you can reapply it without a mirror, super quick and easy. you need the smallest amount to keep your lips hydrated and soft throughout the day. The only downside it, though, that you have to stick your finger in it. I use wet wipes or antibacterial gel a few minutes before reapplying.

Have your tired Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter or any of the other flavours of the Nivea Lip Butters?

Budget Beauty: Eyeshadows

It seems to me that sometimes in the blogging world expensive and sometimes overpriced products get super hyped up, and you can see them on every, and I mean every single blog out there. And other equally as good, but not as expensive products get neglected. And I love an underdog, so that's why I decided to start a Budget Beauty series and talk about the underdogs of the beauty world, so to speak.

The first category is eyeshadow, and I know there are tons of great options out in the drugstore, but these are some that I use quite frequently and am quite happy with. They are amongst the cheapest options out these, so they're great if you're on a super tight budget, or you're just getting into make up!

Beauty uk eyeshadow palette no. 4 - earth child

Beauty uk eyeshadow palette no. 4 - earth child: The first budget item is a palette. It's quite neutral, but it still has a wide variety of colors and tones - blacks, highlight colors, purply-beige-ish colors, and two greens. Most of the shadows are shimmery, some with a slight shimmer to them, others quite glittery. You can get this lovely palette in Superdrug for just £3.99, and if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is! The color pay off of some shades isn't that great, but the brighter colors have pretty decent pay off. You can see I've made quite the huge dent on the purply-browny color (middle one, top row). Most of the colors are pretty wearable, everyday shades, but can be elevated to a smoky, night-time look. Overall, you get quite a lot for your mony, as some signle shadows cost as much as this palette. You get 10 pretty decent shades and an almost endless variety of looks you can do. Well done, Beauty uk, you have captured my attention!

Essence Smokey eye set

 

Essence Smokey Eye set: The essence smokey eye set consists of a glittery dark grey eyeshadow and a black cream eyeshadow that's supposed to serve the purpose of an eyeliner. It's quite the handy little set if you're in a hurry and can't be bothered to use a copule of different eyeshadows. The color pay off is not the most amazing with the cream shadow, but it works well enough to line the eyes. And it's such a bargain for just £2.50. It's so tiny and compact, perfect for carrying around in your handbag. Essence have come up with some pretty great products, so happy that they've finaly launched in the UK!

Honorable mention - Maybelline single eyeshadows: I'm sure everyone has owned one (or ten) of these in their lifetime. I mean they are a cult classic. You get quite the sizable single eyeshadow, highly pigmented and wearable, and a tiny-winy brush for £4.09 at Superdrug or any other drugstore, really. The range of colors is amazingly huge, but what I've showed you here is a purple with slight shimmer going through it. I wore this on new year's eve last year and I must say it lasted pretty well. I have about fove or six more of these Maybelline singles lying around and I'll definitely start using them again!

Hope you liked my bugget beauty picks. What are your favourite budget eyeshadows or palletes?

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Review

Another day, another micellar water. I had been eyeing the Garnier Micellar Water for quite some time now, and as I have seen the rave reviews (and I'm quite late on the bandwagon here) I decided to give it a go. Besides, I had just run out of my beloved L'Oreal micellar water (review here) so it was time to test out something new. Let's get started with the review!

Packaging and price: The packaging is quite appealing, the cute pink cap and the huge 400ml bottle (hmm doesn't that remind you of bioderma a bit...) caught my eye right away. One thing about the cap is quite annoying though - it screws off SO easily. If you're carrying this around for some reason, be very careful as it might spill in your bag. Sort yourselves out, Garnier - I don't want to spill half my micellar solution. Price-wise, you get a good amount for your money. I got it on offer for $6.5, but it normally costs about $12. For 400ml of product, I can't complain.

Cleansing power and how it feels on the skin: It's a bit better at removing eye make up than other micellar solutions, but it's a bit more drying to my skin. However, it doesn't sting my eyes the way some micellar sollutions do (I'm looking at you, L'Oreal), which is great. It does leave a bit of a residue but that's not really a problem for me. The bottle of the Garnier Micellar Water has a teeny-tiny opening and you don't end up wasting a lot of product, whereas with the huge opening on the L'Oreal Micellar Water you end up spilling way more than you need.

Overall verdict: I've used the Bioderma Sebium solution and the L'Oreal one and I must say Garnier beats them both! The quantity you get for your money is amazing, the quality is pretty decent, too. It's not too harsh, it removes eyeliner and mascara effortlessly and you don't end up wasting too much product. To sum up, the Garnier Micellar Water is such a bargain! By far the best, most reasonable drugstore alternative to the high-end brands!

I know most of you have probably tried this micellar water, so if you have - what are your thoughts on it? If not, what is your favourite micellar solution to use?

(Cute) Travel-sized Beauty

I haven't been fortunate enough to travel a lot this year, but as I am moving to England in about a month I thought it was time to stock up on some travel-sized beauty products for the first few days of my arrival.

I was lucky enough to get this travel-trio by Yves Rocher as a gift from a friend, and I must say I'm impressed. I got a Strawberry Eau de Toilette, a Yellow Peach Shower Gel and a nailpolish in the colour Rose. I mut admit they've got me hooked and I can't wait to get my hands on the large sizes.

Strawberry Eau de Toilette: It's a super fesh fruity scent as the name would suggest. I'm a fan of sweet, fruity scents this summer and this one is not too overpowering and you don't end up smelling like a walking strawberry. It's not a super complex scent, but I can definitely smell notes of vanilla and something else I can't really put my finger on. 

Yellow Peach Shower Gel: Oh. My. God. The smeel of this is simply addictive. It's peachy but not too sweet and it's quite a strong scent. I wouldn't recommend it to people with sensitive skin, as it might irritate or dry out the skin. However for my normal skin I think this would work well, I can't wait to use it in the morning as it smells so refreshing and awakening!

Nail polish in Rose: I've saved the best for last! I mean look how CUTE this is. It's so tiny-winy. And the colour is so beautiful. If essie's Mademoisselle and Ballet slippers had a nailpolish baby, that would be it. It's the perfect mixture of light baby pink and dusty rose. The brush is a bit smaller than the average but it works pretty well. Application-wise, it's a bit tricky to apply but it's almost a gel-like consistency and it lastst a really long time. Overall this is my favourite product of the three as the formula is to die for and the color is great on both pale and tanned skin.

Have you tried anything by Yves Rocher? Have you tried any of these three products?

S/S Lips: The Reds

You know what makes me really excited these days? You got it. Summertime. And the beauty products that come with summertime - the vivid colors, the bright lips and golden eyelids. But today we're focusing on my favourite color for both summer and winter - red, and two options for wearing it - the bright berry-ish red, and the muted down brownish red.

Unfortunately, they don't pick up quite right on camera next to each other.

1. The bright, vivid red lip That would be the L'Oreal Color Riche in 376 Cassis Passion. It's a limited edition (the collection that has lipcolors for blonder, brunettes, light brunettes etc.) but I think you can still find them in Boots or any other drugstore. The color payoff of this is great, so opaque and intense, perfect for a night out. The finish is velvety, almost matte but a bit creamier and it has a bit of sheen to it. Paired with graphic liner it's really retro, and I think it would be great for a festival look. Unfortunately the way it's picked up on camera doesn't do it justice, it's much brighter in real life.

2. The muted down brownish red lip Here we have the Bourjois Roughe Edition lipstick in 05 Brune Boheme. I wore this lipstick to my prom and I must tell you the staying power of this is quite good. It lasted almost my whole prom (and I was eating and drinking and stuff). But back on the color itself, it's a toned down brwonish red with a hint of coral in it. The texture is very creamy and the finish is a bit shiny and glossy, but it's not slippery and it almost doesn't transfer. But if you want to make sure it will stay in place, do wear a lipliner underneath.

So, with just these two lipsticks (or similar ones in color) you could achieve so many looks, from daytime to date-night, from festival look to a prom one. It's all up to you. That's pretty much my take on summer lips. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love red lips for summer and much prefer red to coral or fuschia.

What's your favourite summery colored lipstick?

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray Review

Recently, my skin has been SO agry. I'm talking spots, tiny little dry patches and redness everywhere. Something had to be done about this. Avene's Thermal Water to the rescue! It was recommended to me by the lovely Molly from Lyon Notes (thanks, hun) and it has since become a very important part in my skincare routine.

At first I though "Come on, this is probably just tap water that shall cost me £6.50", but after all the positive reviews and the recomendation I decided to give it a go. As with most hyped up products, it was totally worth it. Let's get review this thing up, shall we.

Price & size: The price seems pretty reasonable to me, now that I've tested out the product. You get a 150ml bottle for £6.50 and if you get it on discount it's even better. It lasts forever as you only lightly mist your face/legs and it dispenses such a fine mist that I think it would last me a lifetime. Besides, there are 3 sizes - a tiny-winy 50ml one, the 150ml one which you can see up there and a HUGE and I mean huge 300 ml one. So, if you'd just like to try it out I'd recommend getting the smallest one.

Application & quality: "Avene Thermal Spring Water contains a unique active ingredient, renowned by dermatologists for its soothing properties. This facial spray is great in hot weather or for soothing irritated skin or sunburn", as promised by Avene. And it is all true (I haven't had the chance to test it out in hot weather yet, as it's freezing now, sorry). My skin has been horrendous the past few weeks. I had severe redness on my cheeks and I noticed great improvement with the first few uses. Which is like, incredible. My skin feels hydrated, the redness has almost disappeared and is not as visible now. Oh, ad my pores are less visible (I might be imagining this one, don't know).

I also tested it out after shaving my legs and I must say - Holy Grail material right there. My legs have that silky smooth vibe going on, no red bumps. no dry patches. It's all smoth, I tell ya.

Overall verdict: This is NOT tap water, contrary to what I seemed to believe. It's a great product if you have sensitive skin. Anlo it's supposed to help treatment if you havepsoriasis, dermatitis or eczema, which is great! I really couldn't say enough about this product - if you have sensitive skin, problems with shaving, redness etc. it's a must-have. Or, you know, if you'd just like to freshen up.

Have you tried this handy little product? What do you think? 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Levres Review

It's wintertime - my least fovourite time of the year. A partial reason for that (except for the cold weather) are chapped lips. Chapped lips became a problem for me quite recently, so I hadn't really used many high-quality lipbalms before. 

Enter: Reve de Miel Baume Levres (or as I would translate it with my bad French - Dreams of Honey). It is an all-natural lipbalm from a French brand called NUXE. This seems to be the holy grail product for every beauty blogger and their dog, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. Ladies and gentlemen, it IS as good as thay say. Let's get crackin with the review!

Price & Packaging: Aaah. This pretty much speaks for the packaging. It's gorgeous frosted glass pot with a white cap and looks so luxurious I can't even  it (but you can obviously see for yourselves, duh). It's £9.50, which I must admit, for a lipbalm is a bit crazy, but I simply couldn't resist. The plus side is that you get a 15ml pot, and your average lipbalm is about 6 to 10 ml. 

Quality & Scent: Firts, I have to say this smells good enough to eat, but it's far too expensive for me to eat it which is a pity, really. It smells like oranges and lemon peels and it is bloody fantastic. It's a matte, thick, moisturising balm, sits really naturally on the lips and doesn't add any color whatsoever. I used it as a night treatment and in the morning it was still there, doing its magic. Honestly, I've never tried anything better.

Overall verdict: I want more of this. It works wonders for damaged lips, and as a lipbalm in general, even if you don't suffer from the horrid chapped lip. It's so luxurious, that for me, it seems to be a great value for money. CONFESSION: I spent £9.50 on a lipbalm and I am not even sorry! I would definitely suggest you do the same and become a member of the crazy balm-o-holic club.


Have you tried it? Do you think it's worth the money?

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - The Dark Circle Terminator

In the beauty world, products get hyped up. In this case, that's for a reason! Ladies and gentlemen, presenting  Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer in the shade Ivory - a product I would repurchase again and again.

I've inherited dark undereye circles (thanks, mom and dad) and whenever I'm feeling exhausted, these circles get sooo annoying and I look like I've been beaten up. So, Rimmel Wake Me Up to the rescue!

Price & packaging: Amazingly affordable, at £5.49 (and usually on an offer at Boots or any other drugstore). Now that's what I call a bargain! The packaging is extremely appealing to me, maybe because I like orange, maybe because I like silvery shimmer, or for some other unknown reason. It caught my eye right away,

Coverage & how long it lasts: I can say it's the perfect amount of coverage for my undereye area - not too thick or caky, it's the perfect consistency, and also has tiny specs of shimmer, so it brightens up the area immensely. If you have horrid dark circles like me, this will definitely do the job, as it brightens, conceals and really gives you that "I'm so fresh and awake" look. It lasts reasonably long, but you can easily reapply it if you're not happy with how it looks at the end of the day.

 A not-too-heavy swatch on theleft                                                     Lightly blended on the right

Overall verdict: Yes, yes aaaand yes. It's got it all covered (literally and figuratively) - it's good for blemishes, under the eyes, brightens up and that whole shebang. And the price is the cherry on top. The perfect concealer, in my view. Can't wait to finish up this bottle so that I can get another one, just for the rush.

Have you tried it? Are you totally in love with it?

Catrice nailpolishes - worth a try

Since Catrice and Essence were recently introduced to the UK (and they've been in Eastern European drugstores for ages), I decided to treat you guys to e little post featuring my favourite Catrice nailplish colors.

The first one is a gorgeous mint color called I Sea You. I love creative, cheeky names, so this one caught my eye. The colour is gorgeous, it has a bit of a greenish hue to it, so it's more greeny than minty. It stays put for about 5 days, which is quite a lot for a drugstore nailpolish. I'd say it's a great value for money, and at 2.50$, I can wish for nothing more.

The second one is by far my favourite red nailpolsh. It is called Robert's Red Ford which just cranks me up every time. It's a gorgeous deep blue-based red. It also stays put for ages whithout chipping, which is great since chipped red polish looks just hideous. The only problem I have with it is that it stains my nails a little bit if I don't use a base coat. But that's not that big of a deal, as I almost always do.

Overall I'm SO satisfied with the quality of Catrice products, their nailpolishes in particular are such a great bargain, as they are affordable, yet pigmented and long-lasting.

Have you tried Catrice nailpolishes? What do you think? How about other Catrice products?

Bourjois Color Boost - worth the hype!

 I am a bit late on the bandwagon with this one, but here it is - the Bourjois Color Boost in the colour Plum Russian. Everyone and their brother's dog has raved about this baby, and it was about time I laid my hands on it. The color Plum Russian was just released in my country, so I just couldn't resist the temptation.

... And it is as amazing as they say. Let's get crackin on the review.

Excuse the tiny scar on my lip :D

Packaging & price tag: The packaging isn't something extremely luxurious or innovative, but it is amazingly appealing. The colors are so vibrant and they caught my eye right away. I got this on sale (yes, lucky me) and it was about 6$, which is a total bargain.

Colour & how long it lasts: The colour is a-mazing. I must admit, I never wear plums or anything darker than a rosy nude, so this was a bit of a venture for me. It totaly paid out. The color is a gorgeous almost sheer plum, but it can be built up for a more dramatic effect. But here, see for yourselves.

I can't say it last very long, as it has a gossy texture. They promise 10 hours, but come on - who can live up to that. Still it lasts reasonably long for what it is.

I must say, my favourite thing about it is the smell. It smells like violets, but it's a very sweet, almost candy-like smell. Amazing.

Overall verdict: I am in love. The glossy finish, the colour, the smell, and the price tag are all satisfactory, and the more expencive equivalents like the Clinique Chubby Sticks.. well, I don't think they're worth it. This is perfect not just if you're on a budget, as it has that "expencive product" feel.

I know most of you have tried this, but still I can't help but recommend it. I'll be getting another color soon, hope it's as good as this one!

What d you guys think of this product, have you tried it (I'm sure you have, but still), and would you buy it again?

Sensitive eyes?! Which make up removers prevent redness & itchyness

A while back I used to wear contact lenses. That was a huge problem for me as I would rarely apply any eye make up on, as my micellar water used to sting my eyes, and, it's also a danger to the lense itself.

I stopped wearing lenses, but yet another problem appeared - the skin just at the outer corners of my eyes was red and itchy whenever I decided to use a harsher make up remover for waterproof eyeliner/mascara. So, my suffery had to come to an end. I found a great make up removal regime which I'll share with you guys today. Plus, the perfect type of make up remover for sensitive eyes!

Eye make up removal regime & the perfect eye make up remover:

First, I take off the bulk of my make up (if any) with any micellar water at hand. Right now I'm using my L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution. I leave the hardest part - the eyes - for last. 

I've come to the conclusion that cleansing milks are THE stuff when it comes to itchyness, redness and overall irritation around the eyes. My favourite cleansing milk is by far the L'Oreal Tripple active. I bought mine 2-3 months ago, that's why it's in the old packaging, but they've changed it now, and it's extremely similar to the micellar water.

Back to the point. I use a cotton pad and gently tap around the eyelid with it. This dissolves the make up without irritating the eye, because of the cleansing milk's consistency. Micellar waters are a bit rougher on the eye as there is more friction between the pad and the skin.

Then, I take a clean cotton pad, put the tiniest amount of cleansing milk on it and wipe the make up off. Repeat if needed

I then splash my face with some cool water, and I'm good to go. No irritation around my eyes whatsoever. 

This might seem really simple, but before I discovered that cleansing milks are perfect for sensitive eyes, I struggled with numerous micellar waters, specialised eye makeup removers, but nothing worked for me. To sum up - micellar water for my face, cleansing milk for my eyes!

This regime works for me, I hope it will work for you too! What's your holy grail eye make up remover?

O.P.I. Oy-Another Polish Joke - the perfect glittery polish!

So, it's Christmas time. And what's more perfect for a Christmas dinner or a New year's Eve party than glitter? Yes. Glitter is all around us in December, so I decided to go with it and bought an O.P.I glittery nail polish in the colur "Oy-Another Polish Joke" (wierd name, I know). It's my first golden glittery nailpolish/topcoat, as I'm not a fan of gold - it can be too tacky at times.

BUT. I must say this is the most amazing nailpolish I've ever bought. It was on sale, so I got it on 30% off - for 7$ it's a total bargain.

The colour ispurely gorgeous, a shimmering gold, with metalic notes. In some lights it looks slightly yellowish, but in a good way. If you do just one coat of it, it is just a slight shimmer and will work great as a top coat.

If you generously apply two coats, it looks opaque but still it's extremely sparkly. Perfect to spice up an outfit for New Year's Eve. It would look great combined with a little black dress - very classy, and not too out there.

Now to mention how awesome the brush is. It applies evenly, it's big enough but not too big, so it works great even on my smallish nails. Here it is, beware of the sparkle!

This nailpolish lasts for ages. And when I say ages, I mean it. Nothing lasts well on my nails, because I'm one of those people who bite their nails a bit when they're nervous. I have a huge problem with that, but this O.P.I polish lasted for a whole week straight. I must say I am SO impressed with this.

Overall, this is by far my holy grail nailpolish - it can be used as a top coat, as a regular polish, lasts forever and on half-price it's just a total win. I'm wearing it on Christmas and New year's eve - so that's saying something. My adivice - buy this! It's the best investment I've made for years haha.

What's your favourite O.P.I. nailpolish? Have you used this one?

Zara Floral EDT - a great Flora by Gucci dupe?

This week I went autumn/winter shopping. I got loads of things, but the jewel in my crown seems to be the Zara Floral perfume. I'm a huge fan of Zara - their products have always lived up to my expectations, and sometimes you can stumble upon some quite affordable items. But I'll stop rambling on about how great Zara is - I believe we all agree on that. Now on to the point - the Zara Floral perfume, in my opinion, is a great Flora by Gucci dupe!

If you're a fan of Flora, I'd totally recommend this, as the smells are almost identical - floraly and fresh with notes of citrus. You get a 100ml spray bottle (the packaging totally appealed to me - minimalistic and expencive-looking), it's an "Eau De Toilette", which means that it's quite light and refreshing and won't last as long as an "Eau De Parfume". This, however, makes it great for daily use, and as it's a really compact bottle, that you can easily carry around in your bag.

The best part, I think, is that I  got an almost identical Flora dupe for $17. It's such a reasonable price, I just couldn't resist! I like changing my perfumes quite often, and this is a great alternative to more expencive pefumes, especially if you're on a budget. It's a great find, and next time you stop by a Zara store, make sure you check their perfume section, as their other fragrances are great too, I loved the Apple Juice one. Everyone seems to be raving about it, but I prefer floral scents for winter (I think that's just me).

Overall I'm in love with Zara Floral - it's the perfect scent for me, especially for autumn and winter, as it makes me feel energized (we're all a bit weary in winter, right?) and it's quite the bargain for $17! It also comes in a travel-size bottle, which is great if you're planning a winter vacation.

Have you tried any perfumes from Zara? Which one is your fave, and what do you think of Flora if you've used it?

L'Oreal Micellar Solution - The Bioderma alternative

So, I'm a bit late on the bandwagon with this, but, I, like everybody else feel the need to rave about the L'Oreal Micellar Solution. Having used the Bioderma Micellar water, I felt like no drugstore brand would be able to replace it. However, as I recently ran out of it, an awesome friend of mine bought me the L'Oreal Micellar Solution for my birthday. And it has lived up to every promice. It's my go-to cleanser at the moment, being way better whan my ROC cleansing foam.

It does pretty much as good a job as Bioderma, and as it's way cheaper than any high-end product it's great when you're on a budget. For £3.33, it's the perfect Bioderma drugstore dupe - removes even waterproof mascara after a few scrubs, leaves my skin feeling squaky clean, and is also hypo-allergenic. I wear contact lenses (and even when I don't my eyes are extremely easily irritated) and this does a pretty decent job for me, as it's quite gentle, yet effective. 

This is a great product if you're in a rush in the morning and don't have time for your cleansing routine. Fast, fast, fast. You just take a cotton pad, pat it all over your face, and you're good to go. And in the evening, it does a great job removing your make up. A far beter job than any cleansing wipes in my opinion, and just as quick and easy. If you're a micellar solution person, go for this, as it's no doubt the best drugstore one.

And now the one thing that I don't like. When I'm wearing too much make up - eyeliner, eyeshadow and mascara for example (I rarely do that, but still), it sort of irritates my eyes, leaving them a bit itchy, BUT I think this is not just the solution itself - it's me rubbing a bit too hard on my eyes. However, this is just me perhaps, as my eyes are reaaally a pain.

Overall, I'm in love with this product. It's a great purchase when you-re on a spending ban and you want to sneak something useful. It's the best alternative to Bioderma, it might just be the new holy grail of drugstore cleansers. When I have the money, I will buy Bioderma again, as I think switching between cleansers is alwas a good thing. But I'll be repurchasing this one over and over, too!

Which is your go-to micellar water right now? What do you think of the L'Oreal Micellar Solution? 

Catrice Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm Review

Lip crayons are a huge thing. Pretty much every other brand has one. And for me, the fuss began with the Bourjois Colour Boost. But today, our focus is on the Catrice Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm. It's reasonably priced, comes in great packaging, and its color range is amazing. What a lovely friend of mine gave me for my birthday is the shade 070 - I Don't Red It, and that's what I'm reviewing today!

Like any other lip crayon, it doesn't need sharpening. You just twist its back part and the crayon comes out. Like so: 

Twist mechanism

1. Color,  fragrance and how long it lasts: The color is fantastic, really sheer, but still noticeable. Great if you're going for a more subtle effect. After all, it's a lip balm, so I didn't expect it to be extra pigmented anyway. It's extremely moisturising and feels sort of velvety on your lips, which is really nice. And this feeling lasts for about two hours if you apply it generously, which I think is a very reasonable amout of time! I forgot to mention the smell.. vanilla. It smells so delicious I'm tempted to try and eat it every time!

2. Price: Oh. So. Reasonable. For about 5$ (depending on your local store) you get a really great product. I presonally prefer it to the Bourjois Color Boost, for example, as the Bourjous one is sooo pigmented and doesn't compliment my skin tone at all. What's more, almost all the other lip crayons out there are overpriced, unlike the Catrice Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm.

3. Verdict: If you haven't treid a lip crayon before (which I doubt, but still) and you're afraid to go for a more pricy one like a Revlon or Bourjois one, go for this! Great quality, great colour, fantastic range of shades, suitable for every skin tone - from brighter reds like mine to more autumnish plum and rose colours. 

Overall I'm really satisifed with this lip crayon, and will purchase some of the other colours! 

Which is your favourite lip crayon, and have you tried this one?

Maybelline Colorama Polka Dots vs. L'Oreal Top Coat Confetti

So, it's been hard for me to keep up with blogging these days, and I've been telling you this in every single post this month. But I'm back, and I've got some really good stuff coming up for you guys, includinga birthday presents post, and some reviews - let's start with this one!

Who doesn't love their polka dot top coat these days? So many brands have made these in every colour possible, wither glittery or non-glittlery. My personal faves, however are the black and white ones, as I am quite a sucker for minimalistic things. I find that this sort of nail polish goes well with almost any matte color, or just worn by itself. But, as so many brands have introduced their version of this it's really hard to find the best and most reasonable one price-wise. So, I've decided to make this little post to help sort things out - I'll try and compare the two polishes most raved about - the Maybelline Colorama Polka Dots amd L'Oreal Top Coat Confetti.

1. Application and consistency: When it comes to brushes, I prefer a flat, wide one, simply because it's so darn easy to work with. Especially for this sort of nailpolishes, as the little particles are rather hard to spread evely, and a normal brush makes it even harder. So for me, the winner here is the L'Oreal Top Coat Confetti. But see for yourselves!

Maybelline Colorama Polka Dots

The Maybelline aplicator is long and thin, which makes it a litle bit harder to apply the little dots evely onto your nails.

 L'Oreal Top Coat Confetti

The L'Oreal one's applicator is wider and the cap is smaller which is better, I think, as it gives you more control of what your doing, if for example you want to da a French manicure and you have to be really precise.

 

2. How long does it last? Actually, they both last pretty long, I haven't really noticed any difference, they don't chip, just the occasional little dot falls off sometimes. But what makes me sad is how fast the L'Oreal Confetti dried out.. I've had it for just like 2-3 months, I've been using in quite regularly, and yet, it's almost dried out and unusable now... The Maybelline one seems to be more watery somehow and it seens like it's going to last longer than that. So far it hasn't dried out one bit, so the winner is.. wait for it... Maybelline!

3. Price: Well, I think it's obvious that the Maybelline one is quite cheaper - for 2,99$ you get 7ml of great quality nail polish, whereas for the L'Oreal one you give 6$ and get a 5ml bottle. Quite unfair I think. 

4. Verdict: For me, the Maybelline Colorama Polka Dots is much more reasonable - it's bigger in size, much cheaper (yes, don't judge me, those 3$ matter!) and I think it dries out much slower. I'd purchase it again, and I'll definitely try the other colours, they look fabulous!

I hope you liked it, and I really really hope I helped you choose a polka dotted polish. Which one is your favourite?

Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara

So, it has been a long time since I last did a beauty post (or any post at all for that matter) and I figured a great product to review would be a Bourjois mascara. I'm a huge fan of Bourjois, and frankly, they are my favourite drugstore brand (don't judge me much). So, here it is, my new Twist Me Up mascara.

1. Application: This mascara comes with a pretty unusual applicator. As we all know, Bourjois are quite fond of nifty applicators (Volume Fast&Perfect mascara with the rotating motorizd brush) This brush however is controlled manually, haha. It has a twist mechanism installed in the cap and two brush positions. Here they are.

Step 1

Position number one separates your lashes, and gives you defined legth (as promised in the description).

Step 2

Position number two gives you oversized volume (also, as promised in the description).

2. Clumping, definition, and how long it lasted: I was so pleased with my lashes after applying this mascara. I honestly never thought they could look so long. But what I'm most satisfied with is how long it lasts. Most drugstore brands promise 12-24h. and a waterproof effect, and well, correct me if I'm wrong but that's just a load of poo (and I'm really trying to sugar-coat it here..). The Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara made no such promises and nevertheless lasted me the whole day, no smuges or anything. I made a little experiment and splashed some water over my eyes - it didn't run all over my face. So overall I'm so pleased with it.

Verdict: I'll be buying it again. And again. And then hm, I hope I don't get bored of it, but still. It's absolutely worth every penny. For the price of 9 pounds it's an absolute bargain! I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a drugstore mascara. It's definitely better than the Maybelline one I had, and also, I like the pretty packaging. I'll be uploading a picture in a few hours, for you to see how it works :)