L'Oreal Paris Super Liner Blackbuster

You know I'm on the hunt for perfect pen eyeliner so it is no surprise that I tried this one as well. It came in my Deauty box and I was very happy to see it and have a chance to test it (Deauty box: subscription service where you receive 5 deluxe or full size products for 15€, usually new brands or products, products’ value is usually well above 30€).

 

L'Oreal Paris Super Liner Blackbuster

Price: it costs 12-17€, depends where you buy it but it sold in any drugstore. I think it is very expensive for the drugstore brand, in my opinion it should be less than 7€. L’Oreal has been increasing prices past few years, and it came to the point where I actually started switching to Sephora brand or other brands at the same price point but in higher quality (something to think about, L’Oreal!).

Colour: very rich black colour

Application: I'm used to using eyeliners especially in pen format but I still had little bit of difficulties at first since the tip is quite thick. I had to really pay attention at inner part of the eye where I wanted to have it thin. The rest of the line went well at first try as I usually wear thick eyeliner on most of the eyes ('60s style). All in all, after few tries I managed to make a line I liked and wasn't intimidated by its thick applicator.

L'Oreal Paris Super Liner Blackbuster

Longevity: here comes the trouble. First I applied it before the final step – a fixing spray and it was a huge mistake. Even though the eyeliner dries after the application, it becomes quickly wet again after the fixing liquid hits it and it transfers significantly to the upper part of the lid (I have slightly hooded eyes). I decided to apply the eyeliner after fixing my makeup to avoid this transfer. It didn’t transferred immediately, it worked quite well almost all day, it kept its rich black colour, but I noticed in the late afternoon that there was a light grey line on the upper lid. So if you have oily lids, your lids sweat during the summer or you use very light eyeshadows on upper lid I would avoid using this eyeliner. 

Final verdict: the fact that it transfers on my upper lid makes it unusable for me right now. I can’t decide whether to keep it till September/October when it gets colder outside to try it again or just give it up and throw it away. It is a liquid product so from hygienic point of view I shouldn’t keep it for another 2 months and rather throw it away…yeah, it’s going to garbage.

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann

I mentioned in my cleansing gadgets review that I was using Olay Pro X brush to clean my face till I discovered something else. Voila, this is it, the best cleansing tool ever! I've been using Konjac sponge for few weeks and I love it.

Price: I bought mine in DI drugstore in Belgium for 6,25 €. You can buy similar sponge in US Sephora for 18$ (Boscia brand). I haven’t seen it in French Sephora or in DM drugstore in Germany yet but I hope it will be more available soon.

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann (dry)

What it promises:

• cleans pores by removing black heads, impurities and sebum 
• fight acne 
• hydrate your skin natural way 
• has exfoliating effect, skin becomes brighter and smoother 
• balances your skin’s PH 
• ideal for hypersensitive skins 

Application (according to the packaging): soak sponge in water for 3-5 minutes until soft, squeeze to remove extra water and massage your face and body. It can be used with or without cleanser. After the application, cleanse the sponge and let it dry in fresh place. 

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann (wet)

Texture: it has very interesting texture. It says it is 100% vegetal fibre, made from Konjac roots. I don't know how the Konjac feels like but to the touch it doesn't feel natural (like a plant). It feels like very soft plastic (however it was comfortable to use). It has sponge consistency, soaks water well and foams a cleanser up without problem. According to different information on internet, one sponge should last for 1-5 months depends on frequency of use.

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann (dry) compared to deluxe TARTE blush sample

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann (wet) compared to deluxe TARTE blush sample

My experience: I used it as advised on the packaging. It took about 3 minutes to soak the water and grow few centimetres. As you can see on the picture, I compared it to deluxe size of a TARTE blush (about 6 cm long) dry and then wet (after I squeezed some water out of it). I used it with my cleanser and I massaged it over my face. After the application I cleaned the sponge and to my surprise, it actually took quite a long time to dry.

My skin looked very clean: no black heads, clean pores, smooth skin and at the same time it didn't scratch or dry my face at all. Magic!

Konjac sponge by Barbara Hofmann (wet)

Final verdict: I use it almost every day and I really like it. It almost completely replaced my Olay Pro X brush which I use occasionally, few times a month now. Although it is not the cheapest gadget if you need to replace it every 1-2 months I'll definitely continue to use it.

Garnier SummerBody moisturising lotion sun-kissed look

I started last week with the review of Dove Summer glow cream and I have another similar product review today. Since I see these light self-tanners quite often in our drugstore I think it’s a good idea to share my thoughts about them so that you can decide whether to buy it or not.

Price: you can find it in any drugstore, it costs about 5-7€ for 250 ml.

Smell: it has apricot smell, so fresh fruity scent. During the self-tanner developing phase it has that typical self-tanner aroma.

Application: I applied it like a lotion with my hands (wash hands thoroughly after the application). It doesn’t have the colour indicator but it wasn’t streaky even after first application (just make sure to blend it well on your body). It was moisturising enough to be used instead of a regular body lotion if you don’t mind the scent of self-tanner when developing. It felt sticky for quite some time (even up to 4 hours) so I would apply it only in the evening when not going anywhere. Also, I noticed that it stained my sheets first night after application so make sure it’s really dry before going to bed and try not to sweat too much.

Garnier SummerBody moisturising lotion sun-kissed look

Colour: after 2 applications, it went up by 3 colours (in MAC shades) but you won’t get a lot more out of it (which is surprising since I chose “Deep sun-kissed look version). This self-tanner is more suitable for winter when you don’t need to look dark but want to add some colour not to look like a ghost.

Longevity and fading: it lasted 3 days before it started to fade. It faded little bit patchy here and there but since the colour is not very different from the skin it is not a tragedy. One bottle will last you about a month (if you use it 3 times a week).

Final verdict: Since it was very sticky and stained my sheets I don’t think I will repurchase it. I think there are better light colour self-tanners that can do the job without these 2 flaws.

L’Oreal Paris Sublimist BB cream 6 in 1 Instant perfection in colour light

During the summer I like wearing lighter foundations, either in form of BB cream or BB cream with light coverage foundation on top. Apart from colour, they promise to give benefits of face lotion to the skin so they can replace two products in one which makes skin feel lighter in this hot weather.

Price: it depends where you buy it, in Belgium drugstores it costs 13-14€ for 50ml.

Smell: it doesn’t have distinctive scent; it little bit like a sunscreen.

Colour: light neutral, slightly warm colour similar to Estee Lauder or Smashbox BB creams in colour light (review here).

Texture and finish: it has creamy texture, not overly thick or liquid type of product. Its finish is natural so neither matt nor dewy.

L'Oreal Sublimist BB cream

Application: I used my fingers to apply it as I would apply regular daily moisturiser (since it has SPF 25 I was using it instead of it). Firstly I applied my serum and eye cream, followed by this BB cream and then some foundation. I tried to use eye cream over it but it would move so definitely apply all you need before it. It didn’t soak in the skin immediately as for example Estee Lauder BB cream and it stayed little bit sticky (like a lotion) all day. I also tried applying creamy blushes (first Benefit Benetint and then Tarte cheek stain) over it but it completely moved in this area and uncovered my dark spots. If you want to use any colourful product on top of it I would suggest powdering it first.

Coverage: it has good coverage for a BB cream, less coverage then Estee Lauder or Smashbox but it is quite comparable. It can be built to some extend but since it doesn’t soak and set completely I would not apply more than 2 layers.

Longevity: without setting it with powder (which beats the purpose of “not wearing any makeup” feel) it doesn’t last very long. If you wear it alone, it lasts about 4 hours. If you wear foundation over it, it wears ok, it doesn’t mess it up.

L'Oreal Sublimist BB cream ini colour Light

What it promises (from the packaging):

1. Hydrates skin for 24 hours (skin felt moisturised for quite a long time, but I haven’t worn it for 24 hours) 
2. Reduces redness (if you have heavy redness it won’t help, it doesn’t have coverage high enough to do so) 
3. Reduces imperfections (ok for minor imperfection, if you have pimple you may still need concealer) 
4. Smoothes skin (yes in case of minor scars and unevenness) 
5. Unifies and boost radiance (it unifies skin but I don’t feel it’s radiant as its finish is natural not dewy). 
6. Protects from sun radiation (yes, it has SPF 25 which is quite high, just make sure you cover your face well to ensure SPF’s effectiveness and reapply after 4 hours or sooner). 

Final verdict: It is quite comparable to Estee Lauder or Smashbox if you want to spend less money but keep in mind that it doesn’t wear alone for long and you cannot put any creamy products over it. On the other hand I liked using it as my daily moisturiser under the foundation as it gave some coverage and I needed less foundation to use. I will definitely use it up but won’t repurchase it. I’m still looking for something like my Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream SPF 30/50 but in lighter colour (for my pale skin days).

My favourite books about skin

Last week I wrote about my favourite makeup books and since the basis for good makeup is good skin I have to mention these books about cosmetics or skin.

Paula Begoun: „The original beauty bible“: this is the first book I’ve ever read about cosmetics (and more than once) and it changed my view of certain products. Thanks to this book I reduced the number of products on my skin shelf and I no longer go crazy for packaging or some amazing claims that make you buy everything. In the book author describes everything related to skin: how to take care of skin, what skin really needs and what to avoid. She also explains what should good cleansing gel, lotion contain, what are the acids for, how the sun exposure influences your skin and what kind of crap is cosmetic industry feeding us. This Book also gives some advice how to get rid of some skin problems and describes plastic and cosmetic procedures. English is not easy, as in makeup books, which is understandable since she explains chemical reactions, products’ ingredients and so on. If you are not used to reading in English, I don’t think you can handle it without some serious vocabulary problems. The book costs 19,50€ on her website, www.paulaschoice-eu.com, you can also buy in on Amazon. Beside the book, Paula Begoun also created special website, http://www.beautypedia.com/, with products’ reviews and ingredients’ descriptions so shopping for cosmetics is easier. She and her team try products, review them and list the best in each category.

Paula Begoun has her own brand, Paula’s choice, and they are only available on her website, www.paulaschoice-eu.com. I’m personally huge fun of her products and I can’t imagine my beauty regime without some of them (I’ve been using AHA and BHA acids, Moisture Boost one step face cleanser for at least 5 years).

Paula Begoun: The Original Beauty Bible

Ellen Marmur: „Simple skin beauty“: after reading this book, I went straight away to get examined by my dermatologist. Author is well-known dermatologist and specialist in skin cancer. In the book she describes skin structure, how it works, what works and what not and therefore what not to spend money on. She speaks extensively about the sun exposure and radiation, how it influences skin and that we should not ignore skin cancer threat and should not to neglect preventive annual check-ups. Also, we should check ourselves at home regularly as well and ask somebody to check places that we can’t see (back for example). After reading this book, I got really scared (after all these sun bathing sessions since my childhood) because our skin remembers everything and it can get worse not only straight after the sun tanning but years later as well. I can only hope that all I get is wrinkles and nothing more serious. The book’s English is difficult, like Paula Begoun’s book so if you are not used to reading in English you may have a problem. The book costs 8£ on UK Amazon.

Ellen Marmur: Simple Skin Beauty

NYX Eyebrow marker in colour Medium vs MILANI Brow tip pen in colour Natural taupe

I bought both of these eyebrow pens while I was blond last year and as I was testing them I came to very interesting conclusions.

NYX Eyebrow marker in colour Medium (left), MILANI Brow tip pen in colour Natural taupe (right)

Price: NYX costs 9,75$ on cherryculture.com but you can buy it in some US and German drugstores as well. MILANI costs 5,99$ and you can buy it only in US drugstores. Interestingly they are both made in Germany. The packaging is absolutely the same, so is the felt tip. The only difference is the writing on the pen.

Application: apply light short strokes to draw hair where you need it. Don't press hard with the pen on the skin because it then transfers lot of liquid and it looks very obvious. In case of mature skin, too much liquid can cause fading from the lines (little bit visible on the picture).

MILANI Brow tip pen in colour Natural taupe (left), NYX Eyebrow marker in colour Medium (right)

Colour: both pens have exactly the same colour. It is light neutral, slightly warm, brown. I would not call it natural taupe (as did Milani) because it doesn't have cool, greyish undertone and I would not call it medium either since it is very light colour. All in all, it is suitable for blonds with rather warm hair colour. I could not use it because my hair had very cool, ashy undertone therefore the colour was very visible on my eyebrow.  

MILANI Brow tip pen in colour Natural taupe and NYX Eyebrow marker in colour Medium

Longevity: once it sets it doesn't move anywhere. I had to use eye makeup remover to take it off.

Final verdict: both products are exactly the same, so if you have light warm brown hair give it a try and choose the cheaper one. As mentioned in previous section, my hair was cool tone (and still is even when dark) so I could not use them, apart from testing, and naturally, I'm not going to repurchase them.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze visage

It is always hard to find good face self-tanner and not many women actually have the courage to try it on. Perhaps, the main reason is the difficulty of application, tough removal of streaks and unnatural colour. On the other hand if you are self-tanned everywhere but the face, it looks weird. Unless you put a darker foundation on it looks like your face belongs to different body. This is why I often use some kind of face self-tanner.
There are not many that I recommend, so far I really liked only Vichy self-tanning towelettes that I've already reviewed but I think I discovered something even better…

Price: I've seen it in France in Monoprix for 14€ but you can buy it cheaper at allbeauty.com (12,28€, old packaging as on my picture) or wherever L'Oreal self-tanning products are sold.

Smell: it smells like self-tanner when applied and also when it develops, just like any other self-tanner. I think all the self-tanners have that smell, at least during the tan development phase. Once it’s done the self-tanner scent goes away.

Colour: after 2 applications you get nice medium brown colour as if you were on vacation for few days. It doesn't have any orange or yellow undertone; it is really pure neutral brown. I would pair it either with St. Tropez bronzing mousse or Fake Bake liquid self-tanner (both for body). I really love this colour and I think it would suit lot of skin undertones.

L'Oreal Sublime bronze visage (old packaging)

Application: it is very easy to apply. Close your eyes and spray it over the face: 2 vertical sprays, one on each side and one spray on the neck and chest to allow nice gradual effect. For the second application, try to avoid nose as it gets just enough tan from the first application. Use cotton and toner to remove self-tanner from eye lids and from hairline, if needed. Let it dry for couple minutes and apply your regular moisturiser.
As mentioned before, when using face self-tanners don't use anything that peels top layers of skin off (peeling, AHA or BHA acids retinol or other drying products) if you want to keep your tan longer.

Longevity and fading: It lasts about 4 days and then starts to fade away. There are no patches during the fading phase. One bottle will last about 10 applications so I think it is a good deal.

Final verdict: I really love this face self-tanner, it is easy to use, few sprays and done. No patches, nice colour, good price. Once I finished other face self-tanners I'm certainly going back to this one from L’Oreal.

My favourite makeup books

I have several beauty related books at home but there are only few that really spoke to me. Today’s post is especially about makeup books, I will write about skin and cosmetic books next week.

Bobbi Brown: „Makeup manual” is first makeup book that I’ve ever bought and even after 3 years of makeup obsession I still go back to it from time to time. Bobbi Brown is famous makeup artist and well-known mainly for her own high quality brand. You’ll find in the book everything you need to know and see if you are beginner: how to apply makeup, how to hide imperfections, how to choose certain products and so on. You’ll find there step by step foto tutorials so it is easy even for less experienced person to manage it. Techniques that are presented there are basic yet universal and commonly referred to as best practices. There are only few that may vary from one makeup artist to other from what I’ve seen, but that is natural as everybody has its own style.

English is not difficult, so once you’ve managed basic makeup vocabulary you are good to go. This book is definitely a good investment; it would be a good present to ask for Christmas, for exampleJ. You can buy in on amazon.co.uk, the price is around 17£ (on French Amazon it costs 17€).

Bobbi Brown: "Makeup manual"

Rae Morris: „Makeup. The ultimate guide” is another great book about makeup. The makeup artist discusses quickly basic techniques too but also describes some tricks and special techniques in details, such as face contouring or faking bronzed face. The book includes foto step by steps tutorials as well, some of them are little bit more difficult compared to Bobbi Brown’s ones yet still manageable. I think it is more suitable for intermediate makeup users, let’s say as a follow-up after Bobbi Brown’s book. You can also buy it on amazon.co.uk, the price is about 14,39£ (on French Amazon 23,69€).

Rae Morris: "Makeup. The Ultimate guide"

Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream with SPF 50

Today just quick information. I’ve already written about Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream SPF 30 and Garnier Ambre Solaire SPF 30 (clear moisturiser) in the previous post and as mentioned there I really love both of them. BB cream is my go-to summer daily moisturiser and foundation for weekends.

Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream with SPF 50

I was browsing allbeauty.com website for some self-tanners and discovered Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream SPF 50! Although SPF 30 is quite high SPF, for the summer SPF 50 is a lot better option so I was very happy to find it (and buy it). Since I haven’t seen in drugstores in Belgium I assume it is only UK available or through the allbeauty website. It cost 9,79€ (no shipping) and was delivered within 10 days.

So to girls who look for high SPF for summer, I highly recommend this Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream with SPF 50 (for the detailed description of product, please see my review about the Garnier creams with SPF 30 as they are identical in properties and performance).

OROFLUIDO shampoo and OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir oil review

I’ve recently used up OROFLUIDO shampoo and Beauty Elixir oil and I’m pretty impressed. Not to spoil the review but one of these products will be definitely a repurchase.

Now, let me explain why I’m reviewing something basic like shampoo. I have very dry scalp and almost every shampoo dries it like crazy, not to mention that lot of them aggravate my dermatitis that I have on the hairline. I have to be very careful what I use and till this day there are only few that my scalp can stand. Also my hair is thin so any heavy shampoo (aka moisturizing) makes it flat.

Price: OROFLUIDO shampoo costs about 9-12€ (for 200 ml), Beauty Elixir oil costs 15-20€ (for 100 ml), depending where you buy it. Best price is at allbeauty.com, you can also buy it at some hair salons or perfumeries.

Smell: according to the packaging the products have amber perfume with vanilla base. It really smells like something warm, spicy and sweet, very oriental, so it really could be amber and vanilla.

OROFLUIDO shampoo

OROFLUIDO shampoo

Texture and application: it has similar thickness and colour as oil (yellow and thicker liquid). It lathers quite well although you won’t get any heavy foam like with drugstore shampoo (it doesn’t bother me).

What it promises (according to the packaging, shorted version by me): OROFLUIDO shampoo is a beauty treatment for all hair types that delicately cleanses to leave hair light and shiny. It contains argan, cyperus and linseed oil to strengthen, protect and make hair soft, voluminous and shiny.

My experience: First of all, the shampoo didn’t aggravate my dermatitis (yay!), it didn’t create any red patches or itching spots, just little bit of flakes here and there, so I was very impressed. Moreover this shampoo is quite light; it didn’t make my hair flat. On the other side it didn’t create any extra volume or shine either. It cleaned well and was very gentle to my scalp and that’s what matters to me. I will definitely repurchase it; it is one of my top shampoos.

OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir oil (image credit: OROFLUIDO website)

OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir oil

Texture and application: it is yellow in colour and it is oil so it has that slippery feel to the touch. It is very thick liquid so you don’t need much for an application. It absorbs well and it doesn’t leave oily residue unless you overuse it.

What it promises (according to the OROFLUIDO website):
When applied to damp hair: reduces drying time, leaves hair light, silky and easy to comb, gives hair body and movement and enhances the natural shine of the hair.
When applied to dry hair: gives hair instant shine, controls frizzing and makes combing easier, leaves hair soft, disciplined and flexible.

My experience: I applied it both ways, to the damp and dry hair. It made my hair shiny, soft and removed some frizziness. It sealed the ends and made my hair look more defined. On the other hand, the oil was very thick for my thin hair, I felt like it was weighting it down. If you have thick hair the oil may be more suitable for you. I used it while I had it, and I liked it, but I need something lighter (for example Macadamia Natural oil) so I won’t repurchase it.

After positive experience with this shampoo and oil I’m very eager to try some more products from the brand, for instance conditioner, mask and hairspray. Let me know in the comments section if you’ve tried any of these, I’m curious to know about it.

Dove Summer glow nourishing lotion (gradual tanner) review

I noticed that DOVE is on sale in DI drugstore (buy one and second 50% off) and it was also pictured in DI flyer so I figured out that a quick review would come handy if you see it and think about purchasing it.

Price: you can buy DOVE products for about 7 - 10€ in any drugstore.

Smell: when applying it, the smell was pleasant; I cannot identify it but close to peaches. Once the tanner started developing, it would get its typical smell which was actually quite strong.

Application: I used hands to apply it just like I would apply a lotion. It applied easily but was very sticky so I had to wait a while before getting dressed or going to bed. Also, if you don’t use a mitt or gloves, you have to wash hands thoroughly to avoid coloured palms. The tanner gets off very easily which means that your hands will be noticeably white compared to rest of the body so I advise applying some tanner on them before going to bed (use a mitt).

Dove Summer glow nourishing lotion (normal to dark skin)

Colour: after first 2 applications there was almost no colour and after 3rd application skin colour went up by few shades. I could not build the tan to darker colour (although it says on the packaging that it is “normal to dark skin”) and it became very yellow-orange, very unnatural, so light tan is all it offers.

Longevity and fading: it stayed on 4 days and started fading afterwards. I haven’t noticed any significant patches when fading out.

Final verdict: I would not repurchase it since it doesn’t give dark colour; it is sticky after application and stinks like self-tanner. I can get the same effect from any self-tanner but with darker tan.

L’Oreal Paris Color Riche eyeshadow quad in Lilas Cheri

New collection by Kelly and Sharon Osbourne for MAC just came out in US and UK and I was immediately attracted to Kelly’s eyeshadow quad that includes shimmery white (called “Spoonful of Sugar”), cool tone light purplish taupe (“Tickety Boo”), light lilac (“Fizzy Rose”) and very dark, almost black, purple (“Shadowy Lady”). According to the lady in MAC in Brussels, it will be introduced here only in August. I looked up the swatches and the quad looks great so I was disappointed I cannot buy it. I was curious if I can find something like that in my collection and I discovered this L’Oreal quad that offers similar look, although I used also one single eyeshadow (Benefit “Guess again”) to complete it.

L’Oreal Paris Color Riche eyeshadow quad in Lilas Cheri

The shades which are quite similar to MAC quad are shimmery white, light lilac (although this one is pearl finish, MAC ones looks like satin/matt finish) and dark purple. 

L’Oreal Paris Color Riche eyeshadow quad in Lilas Cheri

Benefit “Guess again” is similar to „Tickety Boo“ .

Benefit eyeshadow in Guess again

Benefit eyeshadow in Guess again

Price: MAC quad costs 44$, it will probably cost 41€ in MAC in Brussels. L’Oreal costs about 13€ in any drugstore and Benefit eyeshadow costs 7€ at strawberrynet.com. All together it costs half of the price of MAC quad (and you get one colour more – medium shimmery purple).

Application and longevity: L’Oreal eyeshadows are little bit powdery and not as highly pigmented as MAC eyeshadows usually are, so I had to apply little bit more than what I usually would. They blend very nicely and the overall look is beautiful. The Benefit eyeshadow is pigmented and smooth, applies and blends amazingly. The nice thing about L’Oreal quad is that on the back side of the packaging there is a picture showing where each shade should be applied so it is suitable for beginners as well.

What concerns the longevity; I noticed that the white shimmery eyeshadow started to fade away after 4-5 hours so I would recommend putting very good primer or cream base in the same colour underneath to lock it in place.

Final verdict: I did a similar look to Kelly’s one today (although less dramatic) and I really loved it. It is such a nice colourful look and it goes very well with my green eyes. By the time the collection comes out in Brussels I’ll definitely know if I want to buy it or if I’m fine with L’Oreal quad and Benefit eyeshadow instead.