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Beauty

January Favorites ◊ 2016

1. 2. 2016

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It’s time for monthly favorites again! Some of these could easily be part of a new-in post, but I haven’t had time to do one so I’ll just mention those that were used the most in the past few weeks here. I’m a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes and you can imagine that I’m obsessed with my new Expert Face Brush. I’m using this one for applying foundation now and it is much better than the stippling brush I used before. The foundation looks so natural – it’s easier to achieve an even finish and there are no lines left as they sometimes were with the previous brush. Next is the Lush hand and body lotion Sympathy for the Skin, one of the best multi-purpose lotions yet. I wrote an extended post about some of my recent Lush buys here and dedicated a huge part to this little gem at the end. As far as I know, it is not available at their store at the moment, but you can still get it on their website – this is definitely a treat every Lush&vanilla lover should get!

Another perfect beauty product is the Natura Siberica Energizing Facial Mask that my best friend actually got me for Christmas, she knows me (and my obsession for face masks) so well! Siberian Pine oil soothes and moisturizes the skin, Siberian Ginseng is meant to awaken and revitalize it, whereas Artic Ashberry gives a fresh and healthy glow. This product is a real life-saver in these cold months that make my skin incredibly dry.

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I finally found myself a new organic foundation that actually provides some coverage! This is the Bottega Verde Skin Voile, Moisturizing Foundation that I bought just at the end of the year. I’ve been meaning to write a whole post about it – for now let’s just say that this is the best natural ingredients-based foundation that creates a matte finish and lasts for the whole day (plus I got so many compliments since starting to wear it that I just can’t even!).
Lippy-wise, I got my first Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick and it’s amazing! The shade is 470 Red Revolution, a perfect red that evolves in a hot pink after some time (and is not as bright as in the picture). Its wear-time is amazing and I’ll definitely buy some more, to say the least. Staying in the lip department, winter means chapped lips and this Figs & Rouge Pomegranate lip balm has been saving my lips (and my nose!) throughout my most-recent cold. And its pot is just gorgeous, what can I say!

I love my organic deodorants, but one cannot fully rely on them in stressful situations. I’m so happy that I found a more effective alternative – the 8×4 mild&soft deodorant with musk, rose and iris does the job pretty well. I know this is far from perfect, but just the fact that it doesn’t contain any aluminium compounds makes me a happy camper!

A little update: The past few months were quite difficult for me, I was under a lot of stress because of my studies and I fell sick probably for the fourth time since October, so you can imagine how frustrated I am at the moment. I haven’t got rid of my sore throat – turned sinus infection – turned trachea infection (+ I sounded like a Terminator and then I sounded.. NOT) – turned general cold that will hopefully be the last stage of my 2-week immune system crash (hence a lack of posts). I’m doing my best at drinking lots of water and tea with honey as well as consuming every superfood that could boost my immune system naturally. I have lots of plans in the following weeks so I have to stay focused – and healthy!

I nevertheless hope you’re having a great time and are enjoying this beautiful spring weather! ♥

Beauty

Essie Sand Tropez

15. 1. 2016

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There is no need to repeat myself, but I’ll mention it one more time: Essie is the absolute winner when it comes to nudes and pastels. My recent love is the shade Sand Tropez, which is a very flattering creamy beige with a slightly yellow undertone. Needless to say, it’s longevity is as good as with any other Essie nail polish I own – I can easily go for a few days with a chip or two (and nudes make them harder to notice!). Two layers are enough to completely cover the nail and it dries relatively quickly. What’s not to love?

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Beauty

Maybelline – Creamy Mattes

20. 11. 2015

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These beauties don’t bring boys, but the girls to the yard, damn right! I’m not talking about milkshakes, obviously, but rather about Maybelline Creamy Mattes. But I do agree, their color is somehow smoothie-like… I’m beyond excited that a new line of Color Tattoos and matte lipsticks is available in Slovenia, I’m still disappointed we didn’t get the Leather collection a few years ago. When I went shopping, there were three shades available out of four and a few lipsticks. However, I was somewhat disappointed that there weren’t any testers available so I had to choose the eye shadows just by my instinct.

The first one is a grayish violet shade Vintage Plum and it sort of looks like a color of a grandmother’s old dress or something, but in a good way! It is a lovely shade that is great to wear in autumn and winter. As for the texture, it is somehow patchy and difficult to apply evenly, especially if you try to build up a bit more intense layer. But I always apply it over eye primer and it works great.

The other one that caught my attention is a slightly pink, almost concealer-like light shade called Crème De Rose. This one has a much more creamy texture and blends out great. It was actually my favorite at first, but it turned out to be too light for me as my skin is still quite dark. My sister tried it on and it looks just perfect on her!

As always, you can use these on their own or as a base and then apply other eye shadows. Or you can blend Color Tattoos together, well that’s an idea! And if you’re wondering whether these little gems dry up – you will have them for ages, believe me. I’ve been using four normal Color Tattoos for around two years every single time I apply make up and not even one is close to finishing it. You’ll probably have to throw them away for other reasons than using them up.

I was also eyeing the shade Crème De Nude, but it had a too intense yellow undertone for me. As for the fourth shade, I don’t even know how it looks like because it seems like all drugstores in the city centre are out of it – it obviously must be gorgeous. Either way, these are a great product that I’ll be happy to use in the following months!

Beauty

My favorite fall lippies ♥

9. 11. 2015

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I’ve gathered five different lipstick that I’ve been coming back to all the time this fall. Almost all of them are my recent favorites and I’m pretty sure they will remain on the top of my list!

The L’Oréal Paris Color Riche lipsticks never disappoint and this matte one Collection Exclusive by Laetitia is no exception. This is one of the most intense and pigmented deep reds out there in the price range around € 13. This shade is amazing, I believe it is appropriate for every single skin tone and is without doubt my absolute favorite of this season!

If you’re more into vibrant reds but still like that matte kick, I would definitely recommend trying the Milani Color Statement Moisture Matte lipstick in shade Matte Confident. This is an incredibly long lasting lipstick that won’t smudge or go off for hours and is less drying than the L’Oréal one. If you’re from Slovenia, you can order it on Click to Chic website. Again. a must-have if you like bright statement lips!

Another intense lipstick that is much more moisturizing is the Farmasi Elegant lipstick in shade 07. I posted a thorough review a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it. The shade is somewhere between pink and red and is also very longlasting. It can be ordered on their website, this is their Slovene site and my review as well as all the information about ordering are in Slovene on the bottom.

Plum shades are really appropriate for autumn too and this Catrice Ultimate Colour lipstick in shade Plum Fiction 420 is my pick this year. Isn’t the name just hilarious, Catrice is always so creative when it comes to shade names! This is a much more affordable lip stick, but is also less long lasting. Its glossy finish is a complete opposite of the first two lip stick.

Last but not least, the last lip stick is dedicated to those whose hearts beat for nudes! Essence retails quite a number of nudes this season and this Cool Nude shade is just one of their pink-undertoned lip sticks you can get. It has a good coverage, but wears off fairly quickly. One advantage of nudes is that you can apply them without a mirror when necessary (but don’t pretend it’s a lip balm, I don’t want to be responsible for any call-the-makeup-police events! :D)

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I hope you like any of these picks, which are your autumn lip stick favorites this year? :)

Beauty

October favorites ◊ 2015

3. 11. 2015

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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

Beauty

Mini Click2Chic haul

6. 10. 2015

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I was randomly browsing through Click2Chic site last week and actually found a few products that immediately caught my attention. And since the shipping was free that week-end, I was sold!

A lipstick lover as I am, I couldn’t complete the order without a single red lipstick – and this one is already among my favorites. The decision fell on the Milani matt lipstick in shade Matte Confident 67, a brilliant red with such an amazing long-lasting formula that I still cannot believe it cost only € 7! Although it has a matt finish, the lipstick itself is very creamy and easy to apply. This is a real statement lipstick, you don’t need a ton of other makeup at all. The color is a bit deeper in reality – you should take a look at Kathleen’s much better swatch here (isn’t it ironic that red lipsticks are my favorite makeup product and I cannot take one decent picture of them? Hah!). This is actually my first Milani product and I’m sure I’ll be ordering more soon!

The second most intriguing product is the Parisax extra black semi-permanent eye pencil, which is technically an eyeliner if you ask me, but let’s go with eye pencil this time. I prefer pencil felt-tip applicators over brushes, so I knew this one would be useful. It is quite liquidy as you can see on the picture below, but dries pretty quickly. I haven’t used it as much as to be completely sure how longlasting it is, but it looks promising.

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Now I can finally say I own a proper blending brush! The bristles of this BH Cosmetics blending brush are incredibly soft and thus great for gently buffing out eye shadows in the crease – which is quite a difficult task with a wrong brush. I haven’t heard of this brand before, but I’ll probably take a look at other brushes as  well.

The last product is the Models Own 5 in 1 top and base coat, but I’m not that impressed with this one. I know this is a good nail polish brand, but my Essie nail polish just peeled off after using this one both as a base and a top coat. A real bummer, it seems I’ll have to invest quite a lot of money into a base coat that will, if not prolong the actual wear-time, at least not accelerate the peeling/chipping off process.

Beauty

Essie ♦ Fiji

29. 9. 2015

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Essie has the most beautiful array of shades and it’s not surprising that I fall in love with a few colors every season. Nail polish in shade Fiji has been on my wishlist for a long time just because I always prioritize red shades over all the other ones, I cannot believe it took me so long to get the most beautiful of them all.

It is fairly easy to understand why this nail polish is among the most favorite shades. Chic and classy as it is, you can wear it on an everyday basis or even for special occasions. However, it is a bit difficult to achieve complete opacity as its formula is a bit runny, so you have to apply it carefully layer by layer. I applied three layers on Sunday and the nail polish dried really quickly so it worked just fine. Today it is its third day and it chipped off just a little bit on a few tips of my nails, otherwise it still looks great. This shade will easily become one of my all-time favorites, I can already tell!