L'Oréal Archives - Vesna en violet

Beauty

FAVORITE MAKEUP ITEMS OF 2017

26. 2. 2018

I know I’m really late to the party, but I truly wanted to talk you through my favorite makeup items of 2017. Last year was pretty eventful makeup-wise, I started loving colorful eyes and maybe a little less eye-catching lips. But fear not, we will discuss every single item that really deserves your attention.

The Makeup Revolution Flawless 4 palette is my absolute favorite when it comes to catchy eyes. This is a very versatile eyeshadow palette, the shades ranging from matte and shimmery neutrals through colorful orange, pink and red shades all the way to deep nudes and black. I mean, is there any other shade you need in your daily life? And their wear-time is amazing, they blend beautifully and have a great pigmentation. And all that for just a little under € 13!

Another eye product that I surprisingly haven’t mentioned so far is the L’Oréal Paradise Extatic mascara. I love how thick my eyelashes look after just one coat, but can be slightly clumpy – I actually prefer a slightly edgy look, but not everyone enjoys it. This is my second tube in 7 months and there could be various reasons for that. 1) I like it so much that I go through very quickly, or 2) which is probably the real reason that I discussed on Instagram with Ana, a lovely blogger behind the Mad about red blog. She did a small investigation and actually discovered that there is a very small amount of mascara in the tube compared to other brands or even other L’Oréal mascaras (9.1 ml)! However, I’ve done a research of my own and it’s not that bad as there are other mascaras that have around 8 ml of the product for the same price. Nevertheless, the mascara costs around € 15, which is not a negligible amount of money, but you can occasionally get it on sales in Slovenia.

As I said, I was not that keen on buying or wearing that many lipsticks last year. I simply have so many that I only cycle between a few that I really enjoy (such as Ruby Woo by Mac or Matt Confident by Milani). However, there are two items that really surprised me. The first is the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil, a very thick lip gloss that is so satisfying on the lips! It comes with a big doe foot applicator that covers the whole lip with just one stroke. It has a very glossy finish and I love that it doesn’t wear off quickly. The red undertone is just slightly visible, so it is perfect to intensify the natural color of your lips. The second one, however, is the L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime lip balm. They have several shades available, and though I still have a fair amount left, I think I will also go for the orange one in the spring. Again, a perfect lip balm that adds some color to your lips, but feels amazing and moisturizing.

Last but not least, I have two makeup items for the cheeks that really marked my 2017. The first is the Sun Stripping Bronzer by Catrice, my favorite bronzer since the moment it came into my life. I’ve been using it religiously since August and you can see the lines have not faded at all! I haven’t reached for any other bronzer for months and I’m super sad that it was only part of their summer limited edition. The second palette that took my heart is the Makeup Revolution Pro Amplified Strobe and Highlightning Palette. This is the most perfect set of four pressed and four creamy highlighters. They have the prettiest sheen ever and look amazing on the face. I love the creamy ones, I apply them with a sponge and they just melt together with the foundation.

Well, these are my top six makeup products of 2017. I know we’re almost in March, but I really wanted to recap my beauty favorites that I still use on a daily basis! :)

♥

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Beauty

Healthy Skin Harmony & my holiday makeup

26. 12. 2017

Honestly, I have never met a pickier person when it comes to choosing a new foundation. Is it just me or are foundations that have a good coverage, hold for a decent period of time and don’t crease in wrinkles really hard to find? Countless times have I bought a foundation that looked great on my skin in the drugstore and turned out to be a huge disappointment. And believe me, I was really skeptical when I received the Max Factor Healthy Skin Harmony foundation (and a Creme Puff pressed foundation, but I’ve already had it before and I loved it!). Firstly, I’ve tested several of their liquid foundations before and none of them fitted my skin tone and secondly, because how on earth would they be able to choose the right shade for me?! And the question about the wear time was still open at that point.

The reason why I am talking about it now is because I really wanted to embrace my inner skeptic and be 200% sure what I am talking about. Initially I received a slightly light Healthy Skin Harmony in shade Beige 55, but unfortunately the pump was broken. Then they sent me a darker shade Sand 60. When I realized that the second shade was too dark, I mixed both of them up and got the perfect shade for my complexion!

Healthy Skin Harmony has:

high coverage ♦ very moisturizing formula ♦ great wear time

So, I can finally tell you that I LOVE this foundation!! I hesitated so much about using it in public for the first time as I never know whether the foundation will oxidize on my skin … But I was pleasantly surprised when I realized the combination of the two shades matches my skin tone perfectly and doesn’t change over time. Its texture is quite thick, which means you use quite a lot of the product, but it also means it is highly buildable. Healthy Skin Harmony has a great wear time, especially when I fix it with the Creme Puff pressed foundation. I’ve already used the exact same powder before so I knew this would be a great addition to my makeup collection. All in all, this foundation has met my standards and I cannot recommend it enough to those who are looking for a high-coverage foundation that would last on your face from the morning till the evening.

This is also my favorite holiday makeup look, I love pairing the foundation with some bronzer, colorful eyes and a pop of highlight on my cheeks (and this Makeup Revolution Pro Amplified highlighting palette is AH-MAZING!!). On the photos you can also see everything that I wore that day–my current makeup staples, some of them are new and some are already among my favorites. Having said all that, Healthy Skin Harmony is Vesna en violet–approved and I will definitely buy it again when when I use it up!

♥

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Beauty

Micellar waters everywhere, which one should you choose?

7. 2. 2016

After two years, I can finally say I’m an experienced micellar water user. My initial presumption was that these are completely overrated, but now I admit I was completely wrong. I’ll go through all five micellar waters I’ve tried so far and let you know a bit more about each one of them!

♦ My first micellar water ever is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water All in one. You can never forget your first, they say, and in this case this is absolutely true. This is by far the best micellar water I have tried. It removes all of the makeup quickly and doesn’t leave any residue. In addition, this one never irritated my eyes nor it had any particular taste. The oval packaging prevents the bottle from falling over, which is a big plus. Definitely a wonderful product, a 400 ml bottle costs around €6. I will repurchase it soon!

♦ The L’Oréal Skin Perfection Micellar Water turned out to be less favorite because it doesn’t remove the makeup as thoroughly as the one from Garnier. The job was still done at the end, but I needed to work it out a bit more. What probably irritated me the most with this product is its packaging: it looks so cute in its rectangular bottle, but the fact is that it is insanely clumsy. Or am I, the fact is that I managed to turn it over a few times and almost spilled some water out (practice makes perfect, I always caught it at the end!). It is a few Euros more expensive than the one from Garnier (around €5 for 200 ml).

♦ The Mixa Micellar Water is specifically made for sensitive skin that gets irritated quickly. This is not the case with me so I cannot say it for sure, but it is a great product. For me, this one stands somewhere between the Garnier and L’Oréal micellar waters, so it is a bit less effective as the Garnier one, but still very similar to the L’Oréal. Plus, if it really doesn’t irritate sensitive skin, this one would be a perfect choice for those who suffer from reactive skin. This one is in the same price range, you can purchase it for around €7 (400 ml).

♦ In autumn, one of the Bioderma beauty advisers at the pharmacy gave me a few samples and one of them was also the oh-so-famous Bioderma Micellar Water. This brand is also the one that invented micellar water suitable for sensitive skin in the first place! All beauty lovers swear by this product and I must admit, it is really good, but also quite expensive. A 250 ml water costs around €12 and to be honest, there is nothing too special about it when compared to the Garnier. It removes the makeup just as well without any residue. The only thing that shocked me is its taste!! Removing your lipstick is not as fabulous with this micellar water, I was surprised every single time and started using other products to cleanse my lips in the end.

♦ The last micellar water I’ve tried so far is the Inell Eau Micellaire by E.Leclerc’s brand Marque Repere. This was a completely blind buy as I purchased it just because it costs around €2 and I know E.Leclerc’s products are not that bad at all, regardless of their low price. I was partially right, this cleanser for dry and sensitive skin could just as well be on a par with slightly more expensive products – you have to work it out a bit more and you also need a bigger amount of the product to remove all the makeup (the water somewhat gets lost and has to be reapplied), especially when it comes to mascara. I will use it up, but probably won’t repurchase it again.

The verdict? After closely comparing the five micellar waters, I can say with full confidence that the Garnier’s product is the best to go for. It wins in absolutely every aspect: it removes the makeup in a very efficient way, leaves no residue on your face, doesn’t irritate your eyes and has no taste. However, if you want to invest a bit more money into a more luxurious product, you should definitely go for the Bioderma micellar water, but there is nothing so special about this one that the Garnier wouldn’t provide, plus it has a bitter taste. What I also like is that Bioderma has a smaller travel-sized packaging, which comes in handy when you’re on the go.
As for L’Oréal and Mixa, the two products are good as well and I would love to use them again at one point, but I won’t repurchase them straight away. With Inell’s product, you get what you pay for: a cleanser that does remove the makeup, but is much harder to work with.

To conclude, micellar waters are much more efficient at removing your makeup than any other product, so if you haven’t decided to try them yet, give them a go and I’m sure you’ll get to love them just as I did!

♥

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Favorites

What I loved in 2015 … (beauty & tea!)

3. 1. 2016

I think the past year was a good year in terms of beauty products. I gradually started (and I’m still working on it, this will be my new year’s resolution!) to become a more conscious buyer – I try to think twice whether I really need a certain product or not. I also started to read the ingredient lists and give more attention to quality rather than quantity. I could easily say that these products have become a staple in my everyday life, so this will be a very general overview with links to other posts as I already wrote about them lots throughout the year.

The Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer (more here) changed my attitude towards concealers completely, it’s so easy to use and provides an insane coverage! I’ve been using it constantly since I bought it and there is still enough product left for a good few months of use. One product that completely surprised me is the Maybelline Superstay Better Skin foundation. The reason why this was such a shock in a positive way is the fact that I was given this foundation as a gift and really didn’t expect the shade to match my skin tone, plus it has a medium to full coverage. It is true that it was a bit too dark at the beginning, but it turned out to be a perfect match for my sun-kissed skin. This was my second bottle in 6 months and you can see that it’s completely empty. I will definitely repurchase it if my new organic foundations disappoint me in the summer! The Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara (more here) is like wine, it gets better with every week! I’m not using it all the time as I have lots of other mascaras to use, but I use this one when my aim is to create as much volume as possible. I love it!

For the cheeks, I’ve been using the L’Oréal Glam Bronze bronzer in the lightest shade 01 Portofino and I usually combine it with the Sephora Coral Flush blush (more here) – it is funny to see that both of them are quite intact, but very little is needed to achieve the effect, especially with the bronzer. And it’s probably needless to say that the Maybelline Color Tattoos (more here and here) are the absolute winner when it comes to eyeshadows, I’ve mentioned them countless times and probably will again in the future!

Ohh, how I love Essie’s Fiji! This must be my favorite nail polish of 2015 (more here). This shade is so flattering and pretty, I could easily wear it every single day. And one of the best finds of this year is the Parisax eyeliner (more here). Because of this little gem, I can finally wear eyeliner on my hooded eyes! It doesn’t smudge and stays put throughout the whole day. To conclude everything up, I couldn’t go without mentioning my love for Clipper teas (more here). These are the first organic teas I have ever tried and I love them all, especially the Organic Detox Infusion, which tastes a-mah-zing!

♥

I wish you all a happy new year! Let it be filled with lots of love, good food and great moments, let 2016 be the best year yet! :)

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Beauty

October favorites ◊ 2015

3. 11. 2015

Wow, it’s November already! October was a very busy month for me, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been using new lippies and rediscovering products that have long been forgotten. Let’s see what I’ve been loving recently!

The most used product of the past month is without doubt the L’Oréal Color Rich lipstick by Laetitia, the most perfect red lipstick that has been on my wish list for a loong long time. I’ve been on a hunt for such a shade for at least seven years as I was using a similar deep red by L’Oréal when I was in high school but was unfortunately discontinued soon after I purchased it. Because the formula is matt and quite drying, it is best to apply a nourishing lip balm first, something like Figs & Rouge 100% Natural Balm with pomegranate scent. I also apply it throughout the day when I feel that the lips get really dry. Another lip product worth mentioning is the Essence liquid lipstick in shade Make a statement 06, which is not that long lasting and opaque. However, I like using it when I don’t feel like wearing intense lipsticks or just a lip balm by itself.

Talking about rediscovering my old products, I have two Makeup Academy products on the list. The first is the Heaven and Earth eyeshadow palette that contains 12 shimmery eyeshadows ranging from very light, almost white to golden, light-brown and dark-brown shades. I currently love using it for a neutral smoky eye look and pair it with the Parisax eye pencil (now I can confirm that it stays on my hooded eyes for the whole day!!), the flick is not always perfect, but I’m trying really hard! The other MUA product I’ve been loving is the Cream blusher in shade Dolly, a peachy blush with a dewy finish. It creates a lovely natural flush that is just perfect for the upcoming cold season!

As for the mascara, I’ve been constantly using the L’Oréal Miss Manga mascara, which is, let’s say, a bit controversial – either you love it or you hate it. I belong to the first group, this holds a curl like nobody’s business and really intensifies the lashes without sticking them into one giant clump. Sadly, it is coming to an end, I will surely repurchase it soon!

Last but not least, the E.l.f. shimmering facial whip in shade Golden Peach was just laying around on my makeup shelf for months without a proper test. This turned out to be a wonderful highlighter with a golden finish. What I usually do is first squeezing a small drop on the back of my hand and then swirling on the whole surface of the brush. Then I just apply it on the upper part of my cheeks above the bronzer/blusher. The only downside is that it dries up really quickly, so you have to work with it really fast!

Lots of love,

Vesna

♥

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Beauty

I cannot imagine summer without …

4. 8. 2015

… a good old bronzer. My favorite lately has been the L’Oréal La Terra Glam Bronze. which is basically a face and body sun powder with an incredible opacity. This one is in shade Portofino-Leggero 01 and although this is the lightest shade, just one swipe is needed to create a gorgeous sun-kissed effect on the skin. I also use it for contouring as it contains a tiny bit of small shimmer. I have the darkest shade as well, Taormina-Intenso 04, which is much more intense – I’ll probably use that one during my vacation at the end of August, yay!

For me, fruity and fresh scents are obligatory in summer, whether they come in a body spray or light perfume. This is why I’ve been obsessed with Zara’s eau de toilette 590, Collins Avenue. Fragrance notes of this lovely feminine perfume are raspberry, pineapple, mango and praline; nevertheless, it is a bit more fresh than sweet. Zara’s fragrances are a must in my routine throughout the whole year, as they are very affordable and some scents are beyond amazing – this is why I spray myself all the time without any regret!

This Dior lipstick in shade 565 and Essie nail polish in shade Big Spender complement each other so well! I don’t know what’s with my pink obsession lately, but I just love using intense pinky, fuchsia shades all the time. And my skin wouldn’t be so fresh and moisturized without the L’Occitane’s Angelica Instant Hydration Mask with organic angelica water and essential oil. This is a crucial part of my face routine once a week!

Last but not least, I cannot finish my summer favorites without mentioning lavender, my synonym for summer. This is my favorite natural scent and I’ve used up so many bottles of lavender essential oil over the years that I should start doing my own (and I may try it out soon!). This lovely bouquet is my mother’s work of art, she is so crafty when it comes to flowers! I feel blessed that we can grow lots of lavender bushes around the house, every time I go by I get completely calm. And throughout the year, I drop a few drops of lavender essential oil on my pillow the night before exams or just when I feel tense. It sure helps, you should try it too!

♥

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Beauty

New in – make up & accessories 〈birthday edition〉 #6

7. 7. 2015

Hi there! :) Long time no see, right? I believe we all know I’ve accumulated quite a lot of make up and skin care products in the past few months, but today I’ll focus on what I got for my birthday in terms of make up and accessories in June! My boyfriend, family and my friends know me so well, but I am somehow predictable, that’s for sure! ;)

Now I can finally say I understand why a lot of people rave about the Lush Bubblegum lip scrub! It tastes JUST as bubble gums I used to chew as a kid, and the texture itself is amazing. Finely ground sugar is the key to success for scrubbing off the excess skin to an extent I have never experienced before. You definitely have to try it out! ♥ Next I got the L’Oréal’s La Couleur eye shadow in shade Metallic Lilac (037). This is a highly pigmented eye shadow with a metallic finish that is very flattering to my brown eye color. However, I do have to get used to it, as my usual eye shadows consist of earth tones.

My nail polish drawer is already full, but I’ll have to find some space for these three nail polishes in one way or another. First I got the Deborah Milano nail polish with gel effect in shade 07. I haven’t tried this one out yet, but I have high hopes because it provides an ultra glossy result. And I love red nails, so this one will be high on my list! ♥ And now here is my favorite part: I got two gel nail polishes!! I bought a UV lamp last month and have been using it almost all the time ever since. I’ll write a separate post about it soon, but let me just say that I love it! So, I got the Sensationail gel color in shade love bite, a gorgeous rosy pink color, and the Depend‘s nail polish in shade french white. ♥ Another favorite must be these gold temporary tattoos! I actually got two sheets with different motives, but I couldn’t find the second one, whoops :D I love them, they were on my wish list for a long time, but I never saw them in stores. I’m currently wearing one, you can check it out on my Instagram profile here. It looked as new for four days, but now it wore out a bit. Can’t wait to use them on holidays!! ♥ Another gorgeously scented item is a salt and seaweed soap by the Piran Saltpans. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I can’t wait to start using it, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it a lot.

Last but not least, I got a gorgeous scarf with a deep violet print that will be great to wear on top in summer evenings and a beautiful necklace with gold and red beads. And of course, I cannot forget my new favorite vintage ring that I actually chose myself on a flea market and my lovely boyfriend kindly bought for me. It’s made of silver and has a gorgeous turquoise-black stone in it. Love!

♥

I’m really sorry for the lack of posts in the past month, I had lots of exams and was too tense to enjoy writing and taking pictures. Luckily, I passed all of them and can enrol into the second cycle of my master’s studies, I’m so excited!! It definitely is quite frightening when I think about my last year of studies, but I’m nevertheless full of optimism about what the future will bring. Yay!

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