Dry shampoos: Garnier Ultra Doux citrus extract, Schwarzkopf Cotton fresh and Schwarzkopf Got2be Volumania refreshing styling powder

Let’s continue where we started last week (read previous posts here and here) and review another 3 dry shampoos I used up.

GARNIER ULTRA DOUX CITRUS EXTRACT DRY SHAMPOO

Price: 5,25€ in DI drugstore in Belgium (certainly less everywhere else).

Scent: it has very light citrusy scent (I thought the scent would be stronger when I first used it).

Colour and performance: the powder has white colour but it is very milled and not very visible to the point that I wandered from time to time if there was something coming out of the spray or not. It worked ok, but if you have very oily hair this shampoo may not be strong enough to clean it. It is useful for 2nd day hair but that’s it. I wouldn’t repurchase it as there are more effective dry shampoos I like better.

Garnier Ultra Doux citrus extract dry shampoo

SCHWARZKOPF COTTON FRESH

Price: 3,69€ in DI drugstore in Belgium, also available in other drugstores.

Scent: it has very strong scent, mix of the baby powder and citrus scent. If you don’t brush it well from the hair the scent will linger all day long. I got used to the scent (I guess I had to since I bought 2 bottles) but if don’t like strong scents in the products this dry shampoo may not be for you.

Colour and performance: white powder here as well. If you spray it from the distance it is not very visible, but closer to the roots and in bigger amount it can be very visible so pay attention. It is a heavy duty dry shampoo which means it really soaks up the hair oil and leaves hair fresh, almost dry feeling. I don’t think I’m going to repurchase it since I like Batiste better. Anyway, the shampoo is very effective if the strong perfume doesn’t bother you.

 Schwarzkopf Cotton fresh dry shampoo

SCHWARZKOPF GOT2BE VOLUMANIA REFRESHING STYLING POWDER

Price: I can't find my receipt but it was less than 5€ in DM drugstore in Slovakia (I haven't seen it in DI drugstore in Belgium).

Scent: if you spray the shampoo and you close your eyes you will think you‘re lying among strawberries! It smells completely and strongly like this fruit, even my boyfriend noticed and determined what kind of scent I was wearing. That said it will take over your perfume so you better have something fruity on you.

Colour and performance: it doesn’t say on the bottle that it is a dry shampoo but it really acts like one. It refreshes 2nd and 3rd day hair, soaks up the oil well and makes your hair easier to style. It has white powder consistency like dry shampoos; you spray it the same way, although closer to the roots than usually. It gives you little bit of volume but not as much as Got2be Powder’ful volumizing styling powder so I wouldn’t buy it only for this purpose. Overall it is interesting product and I would be willing to repurchase it if it didn’t have that strong strawberry scent.

Schwarzkopf Got2be Volumania refreshing styling powder

I hope these reviews help you to decide what to buy and I will definitely test more dry shampoos and report back to you.

Back to basic: how to take care of make-up brushes

I recently posted 2 articles about must have brushes (face and eyes separately) but there is definitely more to be said. Once you buy brushes for your make-up application you need to know how to take care of them so they last you long time.

If you have acne-prone, sensitive skin or you work on other people, you should always clean your brushes after each use. If you quickly need some clean brushes (for ex. if you don’t have many brushes and you use them for several make-up applications at the same time), you can use alcohol cleanser. Spray the brush with it and use the paper tissue to wipe the colour off. It will dry within seconds and you can use the brush again.

Alcohol brush cleansers: Makeup Atelier Paris and Peggy Sage

It is not recommended to clean brushes only with alcohol cleanser they should be cleaned with special soap/cleanser that you can buy from companies that sell brushes or you can just use gentle shampoo (for ex. Johnsons&Johnsons Baby shampoo). The drying time is lot longer than with alcohol, approximately 5-8 hours. I clean my brushes with shampoos that didn’t do well with my hair, this way I don’t waste them totally.

As you can see on the picture I have lot of brushes. In fact I don’t like cleaning brushes so I have several sets of them to use and every 2 weeks I clean them all at once. I keep dirty brushes in the special drawer so that they don’t mix with clean ones.

How I clean my brushes:

1. I use rubber glove to protect my hand and it also cleans the brushes easier thanks to its scalloped texture. I bought mine in IKEA (at the kitchen department) for 3€, Sigma sells similar one for 35$, what a waste of money I say.

IKEA glove

2. I add shampoo to the glove and rub the brush on it till water becomes clean again.

3. After all my brushes are clean, I take a paper towel and squeeze extra moisture out of them.

4. I lay the brushes horizontally with bristles in the air and let them dry.

5. Once they are dry and if I’m not going to use them immediately, I put them in the brush guards. They not only protect them from the dust but also keep them in their original shape. You can buy these brush guards on Ebay (I bought set of 50 from user maaqii for 4,19$) or on Amazon.

I hope I gave you some ideas what should you do once you invest in brushes and you want to take good care of them. If you have any questions, please leave a comment or send me an email. I’m planning on posting little overview on companies that sell makeup brushes to give you an idea what and where to buy.

La Roche-Posay CICAPLAST B5 Soothing repairing balm

The winter is slowly approaching and it will be difficult time for my already dry skin. But unlike some years ago I have very powerful balm now. I’ve been using it for 4 years since one very cold winter when my skin started to peel off like crazy. You could actually see huge patches coming off and I didn’t know what to do with it. I couldn’t wear any make-up which was of course very tragic. I tried all kind of creams and nothing worked. I complained to my friend Beata who mentioned this cream that she heard was used by patients after chirurgical procedures to accelerate scars healing, and that it worked for her. It was a love at first try and since then it became a total winter must for me. I cannot imagine being without Cicaplast during the cold weather anymore (well, unless spending it somewhere in the Caribbean).

Price: it costs around 10-12€ for 40ml and you can buy it in pharmacies in Europe. I think the price is very reasonable for such a skin saver.

Scent: it doesn’t have any scent which is logical since it’s supposed to sooth irritated skin.

La Roche-Posay CICAPLAST B5 Soothing repairing balm

Consistency: I was very surprised first time that it’s not a thick cream. The consistency is similar to Nivea in white bottle (not at all to the old school Nivea in blue bottle), it is easy to spread and blend.

What it promises (according to the La Roche-Posey website): Cicaplast accelerates reconstruction of the skin barrier thanks to a formula that combines: 

• A copper/zinc/manganese mineral complex to stimulate the production of new cells,
• Madecassoside to encourage proper cell organization and procure fast, high-quality epidermal repair, 
• Its insulating texture is enriched in anti-bacterial agents to protect the skin. Invisible and non-sticky, with easy spreading. This soothing, moisturizing treatment relieves itchiness and tight sensations. 

My experience: I must agree with all of above since it really quickly soothes and repairs the skin. When my skin was at its worst I used the cream 4-5 nights in the row and the skin had totally changed to the better. It was again looking beautiful, healthy and without any dry patches. Girls, if you suffer from dry skin during the winter this is a remedy for you!

Dry shampoos: Syoss Volume lift, Swiss O Par Frottee and Batiste Light & Blonde

I tried quite a lot of dry shampoos past year and here is review of few of them, some more coming next week.

SYOSS VOLUME LIFT

Price: you can buy it in DM drugstore (in Slovakia, Germany and so on, DI store in Belgium), it costs 5,29€ (in Slovakia).

Scent: it has very fresh scent, nothing annoying or strong; it fades away after a while.

Colour and performance: the powder has white colour which is not very practical if you are brunette or have dark hair. If you spray it too close to the roots it will look very powdery and visible even when you brush it out. I recommend spraying it from distance and in small amounts. It works ok, it soaks hair oil and leaves my hair looking and smelling fresh. On the other hand, the volume it promises was not very visible so I wouldn’t recommend it in case were looking for 2 in 1 kind of product.

SWISS O PAR FROTTEE

Price: this dry shampoo is also from DM drugstore and it costs 2,99€ (in Slovakia).

Scent: it has very powdery scent, something similar to antiperspirants like Dove one, it reminds me of baby powder. I personally don’t like this scent.

Colour and performance: it performs as well as Syoss dry shampoo but I feel like the powder is thicker than the one in Syoss and therefore even more visible and powdery looking. Even though it costs half a price of Syoss I still wouldn’t buy it again, there are better dry shampoos in the drugstore.

Dry shampoos: Syoss Volume lift, Swiss O Par Frottee and Batiste Light & Blonde 

BATISTE LIGHT & BLONDE

Price: it costs 5,59€ in DI drugstore (Belgium).

Scent: depends which one you buy. Regular dry shampoo, as well as one for the blondes (on the picture) or brunettes, doesn’t have any specific scent. Maybe little bit of freshness but nothing as strong as the Syoss or powdery as Swiss. Other editions of Batiste shampoos have different scent, for example tropical or cherry.

Colour and performance: if you buy regular dry shampoo it has white colour powder like other ones but it is so finely milled that it disappears easily when you brush your hair. Batiste for blonds has beige colour and when I was blond I really liked to use it to temporarily colour my roots. Now that I have dark hair I love Batiste Dark & Deep brown. It blends well into the hair. I tend to use it to extend the time between two colourations as it hides my grey hair like no other. This shampoo is my “safe” one which I go back to no matter what I try.

Dry shampoos: why and how to use them

There are lots of people who don’t use dry shampoos, thinking they don’t need them as they wash their hair quite often. However, dry shampoos have very important function. They not only extend the time between two hair washes but some of them pump up the volume or temporarily hide grown out roots.

Some of you might think that using dry shampoos instead of regular one is gross but it actually helps to increase hair quality. If you wash your hair very often, you strip your scalp of natural oil – sebum. It makes the skin weaker which leads to production of lower quality hair (in worst case it could be reason for excessive hair fall out). Moreover it forces the skin to produce even more oil. If you use dry shampoo instead of regular one on 2nd and 3rd day, you actually prevent skin from drying and in the long run from producing oil on those two days. By using dry shampoos, you extend the time between two hair washes and you “teach” your hair to produce oil less and later than usually. Try it and you’ll see that you can make your hair look clean and healthy up to 4-5 days.

Other functions of dry shampoos: some have a styling function as well. They can offer extra volume and texture so it is easier to work with the hair. Other have a tint of colour to them which helps, for example, to hide grey hair or uncoloured roots.

How to use dry shampoos: they are basically powders in the spray can so you have to shake it well first and then spray. Try to aim at the roots, in case of volumizing dry shampoos spray it closer (cca 10 cm). Work the shampoo into the hair with your fingers and let it sit for a while (up to 10 minutes) to soak the oil and brush it afterwards.

I will review few of the dry shampoos on Thursday and some others next week; they are all going to be from drugstore and I hope it will help you to decide which to buy.

Yves Rocher Micellar cleansing water in 3 Detoxifying teas and Express cleansing wipes

As I run of wipes and cleansing water at the same time I decided to take advantage of sales in Yves Rocher and stock up. I bought cleansing water and wipes from the same line (scent) – 3 Detoxifying teas.

Yves Rocher Micellar cleansing water in 3 Detoxifying teas and Express cleansing wipes

Price: originally, the price for cleansing water was 11,90€ but after the discount I got it for 5,95€ for 200 ml. The wipes were 9,90€ at the beginning, then for 4,95€ for 20 wipes (original prices in Slovak Yves Rocher shops are lower).

Scent: both products have similar scent although I think the wipes have little bit more freshness in them. The scent is herbal, it reminds me of teas but I wouldn’t be able to identify what kind of 3 teas I smell there. All in all, the scent is ok, nothing strong or weird.

Yves Rocher Micellar cleansing water in 3 Detoxifying teas

Skin sensitivity: I have very sensitive eyes when it comes to cleansing waters. Even the Bioderma sometimes burns my eyes so I can really tell when something is aggressive or gentle. The Yves Rocher cleansing water and wipes don’t burn my eyes so they are really suitable for sensitive eyes and skin.

Effectively of removing make-up: both products remove face make-up quite nicely, the wipes are wet enough to use alone without adding extra water. I tried using both products to remove eye make-up and that is where the problem starts. They remove eyeshadows but they fail to remove eyeliners or mascaras (and I don’t use waterproof mascaras). I tried hard removing them with either cleansing water or wipes but ended up with fallen lashes and still with lot of eye make-up on. As it says on both products “face and eyes” I expected to have everything removed without problems.

Express cleansing wipes by Yves Rocher

Final verdict: as you can deduct from the effectively section the products don’t do good job at removing eye make-up. I will use them up for face make-up removal but won’t repurchase them again.

ARTDECO long lasting liquid liner in 03 (brown) and 08 (blue)

I recently started looking for liners in perfumeries as I’m no very happy with the ones from the drugstore (I haven’t tested them all but I’m losing my patience). I wanted to buy ARTDECO black eyeliner but it was sold out, which is usually a good sign, so I decided to pick up other colours - 03 (brown) and 08 (blue). Here is short overview of what I discovered.

Price: it is not a cheap eye liner, the regular price is 13,80€ (in Slovak perfumery), fortunately it was 20% off for all makeup that day so I took advantage and paid around 11€. Still not cheap.

ARTDECO long lasting liquid liner in 03 (brown) and 08 (blue)

Colour:
Brown: I was very disappointed with the colour intensity. It is not solid dark brown rather medium warm that skips here and there and looks like watercolour that we used to use in school at art classes. Even when I draw over the line few times it doesn’t write well. It looks ugly and there is no way I can work with it.
Blue: the colour is beautiful navy blue that will cheer up otherwise simple eyelook. It is quite intense and one swipe is enough to create a line.

ARTDECO long lasting liquid liner in 03 (brown) and 08 (blue)

Consistency and longevity: as mentioned in the colour section, the consistency of the eyeliners is very watery which in case of brown means that it creates an inconsistent brown line on the eyes, looking very ugly and unwearable.
The blue is problematic as well. Since it has the same watery consistency, it bleeds like crazy in fine lid lines. I had to set it with the blue powder eyeshadow immediately. Once the eyeliner set it lasts long time, leaving even a light bluish mark after removing it in the evening (but if your eyes water it will get messy again).

ARTDECO long lasting liquid liner in 08 (blue), over it: blue eyeshadow from TARTE High performance naturals palette

ARTDECO long lasting liquid liner in 08 (blue), over it: blue eyeshadow from TARTE High performance naturals palette

Applicators: the felt tip is little bit thicker than what I’m used to but nothing hard to work with. It is not very flexible, which is a good thing, because you have better control over where you draw the line.

Final verdict: the brown eyeliner is going to trash I cannot work with it. I will continue to use the blue one together with some blue eyeshadow since I really like the look it creates. Once I use it up I’m not going to repurchase it but definitely will look for similar one in better quality. What concerns the ARTDECO black eyeliner I’m not interested in buying it after the experience with these two.

Vita Liberata gradual self-tanner in colour light

This brand of self-tanners is so popular that I had to try it. I had high expectations and I must say I ended up with quite mixed feeling. I didn't buy the one that is supposed to last 2-3 weeks as it was very expensive but I still kind of hoped that other Vita Liberata products will perform as well as the main star.

Price: it costs 19€ for 200 ml. You can buy in Sephora or some perfumeries.

Smell: during the application no scent, but once the self-tanner starts developing, it has its typical aroma that goes away when the tan is done.

Colour: after 2 applications you'll get almost medium brown with yellow undertone. If you apply more than 2 layers it won't get darker but more yellow-orange looking. Obviously to keep it somewhat natural you can't do more than 2 layers. It says “Light” on the packaging and that is what you get.

Vita Liberata gradual self-tanner in colour light  

Application: oh boy, mixed feelings right here. It has gel-like consistency and I first decided to apply it with a mitt that I bought together with the self-tanner (the same brand, 6€). I applied and blended it well (it doesn’t have a colour indicator) but the result was very disappointing. It was very streaky, very dark on the elbows and feet as if I was applying some bad drugstore self-tanner or as if I was a total beginner in self-tanning. I tried it several times with the mitt and it always ended up looking horrible. At last, as I was half way done with the bottle the mitt got damaged (already!) and I decided to use my hands. It was really a great idea because the self-tanner looked beautiful, without any streaks. I avoided elbows and areas where it tended to go darker and the tan actually looked very nice. So good advice here, don't use the mitt for this specific self-tanner, go with your hands (wash them after the application of course).

Longevity and fading: the tan lasted 1 week (I moisturized my body every day). It wasn't looking patchy when it started to fade away.

Final verdict: it wasn't a bad self-tanner but for that price it could have been much better. I didn't like the colour undertone and the fact that I could not go darker. There are comparable self-tanners in drugstore with better price so I won’t repurchase it. 

Pro High Quality 8 PCs Synthetic Hair Golden Makeup Brush Set

Hello ladies! As promised I’m going to present to you the perfect dupe for well-known and loved Sigma Flat Kabuki F80 brush. I have to say, it is just unbelievable how the dupe and original are soooo similar. Since I only have Sigma F80 brush and not the whole Sigmax Essentials kit I’m going to compare just the equivalent to this brush (from www.lightinthebox.com website). However I think the comparison can be extended to other brushes as they perform the same way as the main dupe.

Pro High Quality 8 PCs Synthetic Hair Golden Makeup Brush Set

Price: I bought the set of 8 brushes, as you can see on the picture, but they are also sold in bigger quantity (for example 10 pcs) or individually. The price for 8 brushes is 8,16€, the set of 10 costs 15,46€ The Sigma set of 10 brushes (Sigmax Essential kit) costs 168$ (currently 132,50€). Individually, F80 with copper-like handle costs 28$ (currently 22,19€), the dupe only 6,01€. Obviously you get the idea why am I so excited that I discovered this dupe and you can surely guess how much profit Sigma makes from selling the Sigmax Essentials set…

Pro High Quality 8 PCs Synthetic Hair Golden Makeup Brush Set

Pro High Quality 8 PCs Synthetic Hair Golden Makeup Brush Set

Handle: the size of the handle of both brushes is absolutely the same, so is the material. The dupe has the same engraving (on the metal part) as the original, only the colour of metal part is different (but Sigma sells this brush in the similar copper-like colour too). The weight of both brushes is the same. The only problem I had with the dupe is that the part of the handle glued off and I had to stick it back together with a glue. The factory that produces these brushes uses probably cheaper glue than the factory producing Sigma brushes (or it is even the same factory, who knows where the true is). For me, it wasn’t a tragedy, I just glued it back together and it works great.

Sigma F80 Flat Kabiku brush (left) and Flat Kabuki brush from Lightinthebox.com

Bristles: both brushes are very soft, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if I close my eyes. As you can see on the picture, the Sigma brush is slightly denser than the dupe which at the end plays to its advantage. It doesn’t soak in as much product as Sigma brush does and therefore I can get more uses out of it before washing it. I usually use Sigma for 3-4 times and then I have to wash it, with this dupe I can go even up to 7 uses (depends on foundation texture). If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin or you work on somebody else, clean your brushes after every use. None of the brushes shed when I washed them (many times already). The colour of bristles is slightly different but that doesn’t matter when I use them.

Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki brush (left) and Flat Kabuki brush from Lightinthebox.com

Final verdict: I love all 8 brushes that are in this set, I use them every day for liquid or cream products. I think that I found the perfect dupe for F80 and I’m sure that if I ever have to buy any brushes like those in Sigma Sigmax Essential set I rather go to www.lightinthebox.com and save a lot of money.

Back to basic: eye makeup brushes

Let’s continue today with back to basic brush edition focusing on eye brushes. The good news is you don’t need many types of brushes as one may think but it is still few more than number of brushes for your face.

(from left) Sigma Large shader brush n.E60, Sigma Blending brush n.E25, E.L.F. cosmetics Essentials Blending brush, Sonia Kashuk Spoolie brush, Sedona Lace Angled detail brush n.EB23 and Beauty Makeup cosmetic eye brush

Flat shading brush: everybody needs to have flat brush to apply colour on the lid. It can be large as the one on the picture which makes the application quicker (if you apply only one colour) or it can be smaller in which case it is very useful when you want to apply more colours. It should be made of natural hair as it is more recommended for powder eyeshadows but good synthetic bristles brush is also usable.

Brushes I recommend:

• Sigma Large shader brush n.E60 (on the picture, you can buy at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,16$) 
• Sigma Eye shading brush n.E55 (at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$) 
• Real techniques Base shadow brush (at http://www.iherb.com/, part of the Your eyes/Enhanced starter set) 
• MakeUp Atelier Paris brush n.12 (in Makeup Atelier Paris shop, 20€) 
• E.L.F cosmetics Essentials Eyeshadow brush (at http://www.eyeslipsface.be/,1€) 
• Sedona Lace Large shader brush n.941 (at http://www.sedonalace.com/, 13,95$).

Sigma Large shader brush n.E60

Sigma Large shader brush n.E60

Small flat shading brush: very useful for précised work like highlighting inner part of the eye or under the eyebrow, or applying colour on the lower lid under the lash line. I always keep two of them, one for highlighting and one for lower lash line (where I use darker colour).

Brushes I recommend:

• Beauty Makeup cosmetic eye brush (on the picture, you can buy them at http://www.lightinthebox.com/, 3,86€ for set of 5) 
• E.L.F cosmetics Essentials Smudge brush C (at http://www.eyeslipsface.be/,1€) 
• Sigma Short shader brush n.E20 (at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$) 
• Mac cosmetics Short shader brush n.214 (at http://www.maccosmetics.be/ or in MAC store, 27€)

Beauty Makeup cosmetic eye brush

Beauty Makeup cosmetic eye brush

Blending brush: this brush is absolutely crucial for achieving nice eye make-up. If you don’t blend properly your eyeshadows it will look messy and trashy, no matter what expensive make-up you use. After each eyeshadow application always blend the edges of the colour. Moreover, blending is a must for the eyeshadows in the crease, at the outer corner of the eye or under the eyebrow.

Brushes I recommend:

• Sigma Blending brush n.E25 (on the picture, you can buy at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$) 
• Mac cosmetics Blending brush n.211 (at http://www.maccosmetics.be/ or in MAC store, 22€), it is the mother of all the blending brushes, all the companies basically copied it
• Bdellium brush n.776 (at http://www.iherb.com/, 7,65$) 
• Sedona Universal blender brush n.EB09 (at http://www.sedonalace.com/, 13,95$).

Sigma Blending brush n.E25

Sigma Blending brush n.E25

Small crease brush: I use this brush to apply darker colour in the outer corner of the eye and to lightly blend it into the crease. It is great to deposit colour on the précised spot where you want it even better if it fits perfectly on the spot at the outer part of the eye where the lid meets the crease.

Brushes I recommend:

• E.L.F cosmetics Essentials Blending brush (on the picture, you can buy it at http://www.eyeslipsface.be/,1€) 
• Real techniques Domed brush (at http://www.iherb.com/, part of the on location travel essentials set) 
• Sigma Exact blend brush n.E32 (at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$) 
• Bdellium Studio line Crease brush n.781 (at http://www.iherb.com/, 8,93$)

E.L.F. cosmetics Essentials Blending brush

E.L.F. cosmetics Essentials Blending brush

Angled brush: this brush has quite a lot of uses; you can use it to apply gel eyeliner on the upper lash line, an eyeshadow on the lower lash line and to apply brow powder or gel. I use it every day to apply eyebrow powder and cannot imagine my brow makeup application without it.

Brushes I recommend:

• Sedona Lace Angled detail brush n.EB23 (on the picture, you can buy it at http://www.sedonalace.com/, 13,95$)
• Sigma Small angle brush n.E65 (at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$) 
• E.L.F cosmetics Studio Small angle brush (at http://www.eyeslipsface.be/,4€) 
• Bdellium Angle brow brush n.763 (at http://www.iherb.com/, 6,80$)

Sedona LAce Angled detail brush n.EB23

Sedona LAce Angled detail brush n.EB23

Brow and lash brush: it is as much used as angled brush as I comb my eyebrows with it every day and in case I put too much mascara, this brush can save the day. Just comb through the lashes and it will take off excess in no time.

Brushes I recommend:

• Sonia Kashuk Spoolie brush (on the picture, you can get it at Target,1,99$)
• Sigma Brow and lash brush n.E80 (at http://www.sigmabeauty.com/,14$)
• E.L.F cosmetics Studio Set of 12 spoolies (at http://www.eyeslipsface.be/,4€)

Sonia Kashuk Spoolie brush

Sonia Kashuk Spoolie brush

Hope you enjoyed, there will be one more back to basic about brushes next week and we are done (don’t forget to check the review of perfect dupe for Sigma F80 brush on Friday or Saturday).