To be honest I was really struggling to not spend a small fortune on them but in the end I managed to pick five gorgeous-smelling and looking ones. I genereally prefer those who contain shea or cocoa butter, whether it be a regular bath bomb or a foam bath.
My personal favourite is the Rudolph bath bomb. It´s just absolutely adorable and so detailed made with its paper antlers. It contains ingredients like rose oil and cocoabutter and it smells quite sweet but not too much, a bit fresh and flowery and really comforting, all in one a really simple scent so it could make a perfect gift for nearly everyone. With 5,50€ it´s the cheapest one from my order but definitely the most exciting one, haha.
Next is the complete opposite, it´s the foam bath bomb Yog Nog. Apart from it being a foam bath it smells very woody and spicy like the clove oil that´s in it. Normally I don´t go for scents like this but I think it could get very comfortable and soothing. It´s also very good for my skin as shea and cocoa butter are included. Apparently my bath water is going to be very glittery so I´m excited for that, especialy as I can use this bomb more than once.
The next bath bomb is absolutely huge! Like I was so scared to drop it when unpacking it cause I could barely fit it into my hand haha. It´s the Jingle Bells one, it looks really simple yet cute with the pink bow on top. This one is exciting though because when you shake it you can hear little crispy bath salt pieces in it, so I´m looking forward to bath it, I expect a colour explosion haha. It contains sea salt and brasilian orange oil so the scent is definitely more on the fresh/citrus-y side.
Speaking of being afraid to drop one of the huge bath bombs, of course one did have to get damaged and sadly it´s the Don´t Let The Bells End - one did end right after unpacking it as you can see above, haha. I didn´t know that the bells where a lid, so they slided off and one bell broke off...
Well I don´t have to anymore, but normally you put the lid away, and sprinkle the bath crisps in before throwing the whole bath bomb in, really cute idea. It contains ingredients like almond oil so again amazing for my skin and it smells gorgeous, fresh and soft.
Strawberries & Cream is the last bath bomb I treated myself to. It´s not part of the christmas range but I wanted to get another sweet scent one as I just love those sweeter smelling ones. It contains stawberrie powder, geranium oil and cocoa butter so all in one it´s a light sweet scent with a touch of floral. I love the look of it and it will be perfect for those nights where I don´t want to be clouded in heavier spicier scents haha.
Are you a fan of bath bombs? Did you get something from the Lush Christmas Range?
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Pure sun, beautiful sandy beach, good food and drinks, new impressions and every day about 30 degrees - an absolute dream!
I am completely honest, of course I try to take care of my skin and hair anyway, but in the heat sometimes more than a quick bun and a simple facial care is not possible. Now, in hindsight, I think it may have been because of the products I used mostly - or the combination of products.
For the holidays I want to have a quick and easy routine that I can stick to.
This year I have finally discovered some really good products and I would like to show them to you now.
Hair
Davines Oi Oil
I have relatively thick, long hair, which also likes to puff up in high heat or humidity. Therefore I take great care not to heat them up during my holidays and therefore rarely use straightening irons or curling irons, the highest of all feelings is drying with a hairdryer. As care for this I use the GHD heat protection spray and the Davines Oi Oil.
I first became aware of this brand at a blogger event, and I haven't gotten away from it since. The Oi series is really awesome!
I put the oil into the towel-dried hair before I start blow-drying. About 2-3 pumpers are enough for the complete length of my hair.
I put the oil into the towel-dried hair before I start blow-drying. About 2-3 pumpers are enough for the complete length of my hair.
The main ingredient is Roucou oil - this has a restructuring effect on the hair, supports growth, protects against UV rays and gives an anti-frizz effect without weighing down the hair. The anti-frizz effect is particularly important for me - there are holiday pictures there you would think I have a bird's nest on my head haha - well, that's not what I'm looking for now, and this oil makes my hair very smooth, soft and smells so pleasant too.
So really very recommendable!
So really very recommendable!
Umberto Giannini Pool Proof
During the day a simple sun protection oil or spray is not enough, so I like to use this leave-in cream. In the beginning I had doubts whether such a cream would make my hair look greasy, but this is not the case at all. The cream absorbs super fast and is hardly noticeable afterwards.This product protects the hair from drying out due to heat, sunlight AND chlorine, mega or? Therefore it should always be reapplied after swimming. The main ingredients here are coconut and olive oils, so it smells great and especially summery. Apart from protecting my hair, it has also given it so much moisture, so it was so much easier to brush through them throughout the day and also style it in the evening, therefore it also looked a lot better and more smooth.
It is really the first sun protection product that convinced me, that I liked to use and that will be my faithful friend for trips to the lake or generally in everyday life in summer.
I found it by chance at TKMaxx for 5€, so it's worth to have a look there, but it should also be available at Boots.
Skincare
Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Body Butter
I'm quite honest, I'm usually too lazy to apply cream after every shower, but what I like even less is when the skin slowly comes off and the tan becomes less and less. So far I have mostly used After Sun Body Lotions, which are more watery and therefore, in my opinion, don't really provide much moisture in the long run - which was probably also the reason why I didn´t like to use them.
This body butter, on the other hand, is, as the name suggests, very creamy!
It is very easy to spread, you really only need a small amount, it´s very moisturizing and smells sooo good of coconut and vanilla.
These little white skin scraps, which stick everywhere quickly after your holiday, went away quite easily with this body butter and, most importantly, stayed away.
In the meantime we have already bought the second tin and won't change to any other body butter/cream/lotion so quickly, haha.
This body butter, on the other hand, is, as the name suggests, very creamy!
It is very easy to spread, you really only need a small amount, it´s very moisturizing and smells sooo good of coconut and vanilla.
These little white skin scraps, which stick everywhere quickly after your holiday, went away quite easily with this body butter and, most importantly, stayed away.
In the meantime we have already bought the second tin and won't change to any other body butter/cream/lotion so quickly, haha.
Caudalie Sun Oil
In my opinion one gets tanned much faster and more beautifully with sun oil.
Normally I use one from the drugstore, but this year it was time for a branded product, and I must say I am absolutely thrilled!
Normally I use one from the drugstore, but this year it was time for a branded product, and I must say I am absolutely thrilled!
This oil smells abnormally good because it contains ingredients like grape seed oil and frangipani flower, so it smells very fresh and summery!
This dry oil can be rubbed in very well and absorbs mega quickly. I hate it when you have oily hands after oiling and then can't touch anything, that's not the case here at all - even the body skin is not oily or greasy at all after application!
It has a SPF of 30 and although I am a really light skin type, I didn't have any problems with sunburn here, of course you should take it slowly but it worked really well from the beginning on. I also got a lot of compliments that I never came back so tanned from my holidays, and that has to mean something hahaha.
What I think is really very cool is that Caudalie doesn't use any ingredients of animal origin and the formula of this sun oil has a high biodegradability and therefore also protects the sea world - really amazing, I haven't heard about any other product I've used so far.
Maria Galland After Sun Maske
I love face masks. By now there are a lot of After Sun masks but this one from Maria Galland really tops everyone!
You probably all know that when you get red cheeks from the sun and your skin is a little tight and dry - that was the case with me and then I tried this mask.
Within a very short time, the redness and tension was gone!
The mask cools very much and feels super comfortable, I leave it on for about 20 minutes and even after washing off a light film remains on the skin and thus still provides some moisture afterwards.
This mask has an anti-aging effect and maintains melanin production, which intensifies the tan even more and keeps it longer. Ingredients include aloe vera, green tea extract and jojoba oil, so you can't go wrong.
I will definitely buy this product again and again!
You probably all know that when you get red cheeks from the sun and your skin is a little tight and dry - that was the case with me and then I tried this mask.
Within a very short time, the redness and tension was gone!
The mask cools very much and feels super comfortable, I leave it on for about 20 minutes and even after washing off a light film remains on the skin and thus still provides some moisture afterwards.
This mask has an anti-aging effect and maintains melanin production, which intensifies the tan even more and keeps it longer. Ingredients include aloe vera, green tea extract and jojoba oil, so you can't go wrong.
I will definitely buy this product again and again!
Makeup
Maybelline City Bronzer & Becca Highlighter
I keep my makeup to a minimum on vacation. I also like to use the holiday time to give my skin a break and I generally find that you automatically get a natural glow and a beautiful complexion during the holiday, which makes most makeup products no longer necessary.
Since I still had my eyelash extension this holiday, I didn't need a mascara, so all I used occasionally was the BECCA highlighter in Opal to bring an extra freshness to my face. I've had this highlighter for a really long time and love it so much, the shine is really strong so I don't use much for a relatively natural look.
To support my teint a little bit and to give my face some contour, I recently started using the Maybelline City Bronzer in Medium Cool. For a drugstore Bronzer it is very good - the pigmentation is perfect to build up and it can be easily blended.
Now and then I also used a lip gloss or just a tinted lip care.
Since I still had my eyelash extension this holiday, I didn't need a mascara, so all I used occasionally was the BECCA highlighter in Opal to bring an extra freshness to my face. I've had this highlighter for a really long time and love it so much, the shine is really strong so I don't use much for a relatively natural look.
To support my teint a little bit and to give my face some contour, I recently started using the Maybelline City Bronzer in Medium Cool. For a drugstore Bronzer it is very good - the pigmentation is perfect to build up and it can be easily blended.
Now and then I also used a lip gloss or just a tinted lip care.
*this post contains PR samples
If there´s anything I absolutely love to treat myself to it´s skincare - even more than makeup sometimes hehe. Simply for the reason that I find makeup can only achieve it´s full effect when you have a (nearly) flawless canvas to work with. For body care it´s nearly the same, but more for my own comfort. Now that the summer is coming closer I want to prepare my skin with enough hydration so that I get a nice and even tan, without having to worry that my skin flakes off immediately after.
Treating myself doesn´t mean that I only go for luxurious skincare though.
My collection consists of a good mixture between luxurious bits but also amazing products from the drugstore. So I was more than happy when Evoluderm approached me asking to test some of their products - *important note* at the end of the post there might be a chance for you to try my personal favourites from Evoluderm aswell! ;)
Evoluderm is a french brand that is focused on afforadable cosmetics. Their goal is to give every woman quality skincare with small prices while keeping a sensory aspect. With their huge range of products for face, body and hair, they definitely have something for everybody!
You can find all their products in TKMaxx so defintely keep an eye out next time your out shopping!
Eau Micellaire & Lotion Tonique // Micellar Water & Toner
This duo has been soo good for my skin!
Since getting this micellar water I´ve been using it to take off my makeup every single day. It takes my makeup off so fast and easy. Compared to the Garnier version this one from Evoluderm is so much better! Literally one swipe with a cotton pad soaked with this and my foundation is gone.
Barely any rubbing is needed and so my skin doesn´t get red patches nor does it feel tight and sting-y afterwards. On top of it, this stuff smells absolutely incredible. Really sweet like bubble gum, haha,
I´m literally obsessed with the scent of it!
After I took my makeup off, it´s time to take the excess oil and dirt of my skin before I continue with my night cream. I´m usually not a big fan of toners as I find they are really drying and only cause my skin to get even more blemishes and all in one really bumpy and stingy.
This one is just as the micellar water especially made for sensitve skin, and so works very gentle.
One of the ingredients are roses, and that´s exactly what the product smells like. After wiping it all over my skin feels squeaky clean, super soft and just really lovely.
Both of these products together have helped my skin to clear up and get a lovely glow to it.
Masque Tissu Eclat // Sheet Mask
Who doesn´t love a good sheet mask? I certainly do!
They become more and more frequent in the drugstore now, all for different purposes, but honestly most of the times I can´t really feel a difference between them all.
This one though was really love - the moment I put it on it felt like a normal sheet mask but after a short time I could feel it soothing my skin. Like you know something is working on your skin when it starts to sting in the places where you got your blemishes and that´s exactly what this mask did.
It hydrated my face really well, but what I found was really good that there was just the right amount of product on the mask. After I removed it, there was still a bit of cream left that didn´t sunk in, but I could easily massage it in, without being left with a sticky film on my face.
Gel Douche Exaltant in "Monoi" // Shower Gel "Monoi"
I´m not really picky when it comes to shower gel. I just always pick a random one up when I´m out shopping - normally the one that I last saw in a commercial, haha.
Well this "behaviour" will definitely stop from now on, as I have found my absolute dream shower gel - and I´m not even overreacting here. This one right here is the only shower gel I´m willing to use for a very long time. The reason for that is first, look at how huge the bottle is, this will certainly last me a good few weeks! Second, it´s soo hydrating and gentle. I always got red itchy patches on my skin, but it has stopped since I´ve been using this product in the shower. And third, it smells like beach holiday in a bottle. Really tropical, like the beach, suncream, heat, everything you relate to a nice summer holiday. It costs around 4€ in TKMaxx which is an amazing price.
Please - I beg you - smell it when you get the chance! I swear you will love it.
Argan Divin Soin Longueurs & Pointes // Argan Divin Haircare Cream
I have thick, wavy, frizzy hair, so I use heat about every third day to atleast try to tame my hair.
Even though I do use a heat protection, my hair feels quite dry after I´m done with the styling, and so I´ve been searching for a product that gives me exactly that needed hydration - I found exactly what
I´ve been searching for in this tube.
It´s hard to see what the actual product looks like from my pictures - sorry for that - but it´s like a white cream. You only need a walnut size of it for the lengths and ends of your hair, which is totally enough. Simply rub it into your hair and it sinks in within seconds, like completely. I´m actually always very sceptical with creams like that as normally they leave a weird greasy feeling and look behind but this is really good. After about half an hour you get the full effect - soft and silky hair.
It definitely won´t leave my haircare routine for a very long time - such a good alternative to the Davines Oi Spray aswell.
Huile de Beauté // Body & Hair Oil
I´m soo unsure about this product.
Apparently it´s for dry skin, but it also says you can use it as hydration for dry hair - so that´s exactly where I use it first. I put a rather small amount into my hair, which was a really big mistake haha.
My hair looked absolutely horrible, like really greasy and really hard to style aswell.
So next thing I tried is use it as body oil which did work a bit better but it took ages until it sunk in and also didn´t quite smell that good...
I´ll keep testing and report back as soon as I know how to use it the right way, haha.
You can find all the products on their website: http://www.evoluderm.com/
Congratulations if you´ve lasted until the very end haha. Now we come to the part where you are able to test my favourite products from this pack - together with Evoluderm I´ll do my very first GIVEAWAY - eeeek I´m soo excited. I´ll do it over on my Instagram so definitely keep an eye out for it! Which products I´ll be giving is a little secret so contain your excitement until my giveaway goes live hahaha.
Hard to believe but until recently I´ve never tried any skincare products from Clinique before.
With my skin being left really dry and flaky from the - finally over - winter months, and me not owning a moisturizer for the mornings or an eyecream for the longest time, I thought now would be a good time to try Clinique.
I was always really unsure of what I should purchase from their huge range, but I feel like I made a good decision with going with the following two goodies...
Moisture Surge
I´m very picky when it comes to my morning moisturizers - which was probably the reason why it took me so long to get a new one. I wanted one that is very hydrating, but doesn´t have a thick creamy consistency like my night cream. Well, I could have gone for any gel-based moisturizer then, but those are often too watery and don´t do much of a difference to my skin.
When I saw more and more girls saying how much they love this Moisture Surge from Clinique, I thought it was definitely worth a try.
So this moisturizer is oil-free, intensively hydrating and has a special aloe water in it, which lets fine lines and dryness wrinkles dissapear in seconds! On top it helps the skin to adapt better to changing temperatures, amazing for this time of the year!
I have noticed pretty quickly that my skin has become a lot finer and even looking, my pores have become a lot smaller aswell, which you can imagine is an absolute dream for going makeup free.
It´s now properly hydrated which I can that see everyday when I apply makeup as it sits a lot better, and just looks a lot more even and just better, haha.
Coming back to the consistency of this moisturizer. I find, even though it´s a gel-based one, it´s quite thick, yet sinks in pretty fast, so I apply it straight after I´ve washed my face in the morning and by the time I´m dressed it has sunk completely in.
That same moisturizer is also available in an intense version, for that extra dry skin,
I guess I´ll invest in this one at the end of the year to already prepare my skin for the cold.
Definitely a good choice that I´ve made here, haha.
When I saw more and more girls saying how much they love this Moisture Surge from Clinique, I thought it was definitely worth a try.
So this moisturizer is oil-free, intensively hydrating and has a special aloe water in it, which lets fine lines and dryness wrinkles dissapear in seconds! On top it helps the skin to adapt better to changing temperatures, amazing for this time of the year!
I have noticed pretty quickly that my skin has become a lot finer and even looking, my pores have become a lot smaller aswell, which you can imagine is an absolute dream for going makeup free.
It´s now properly hydrated which I can that see everyday when I apply makeup as it sits a lot better, and just looks a lot more even and just better, haha.
Coming back to the consistency of this moisturizer. I find, even though it´s a gel-based one, it´s quite thick, yet sinks in pretty fast, so I apply it straight after I´ve washed my face in the morning and by the time I´m dressed it has sunk completely in.
That same moisturizer is also available in an intense version, for that extra dry skin,
I guess I´ll invest in this one at the end of the year to already prepare my skin for the cold.
Definitely a good choice that I´ve made here, haha.
Pep-Start Eye Cream
I might have said that I have a quite dark under-eye area about a trillion times already, but the winter has only made it worse - now it wasn´t only dark but also red cause my skin got so dry...
I knew I had to do something about it, cause I just couldn´t imagine going out of the house without any kind of makeup on. Again there were about a billion of different eye creams on the market but I remembered how everyone loved the pep-start eye cream when it was freshly out, so I invested in this one. I now use it every night after taking my makeup off and I can notice a slight difference already. My under-eye area is still quite dark but a lot better already than in the past.
This eye cream is also gel-based but a lot more watery than the moisturizer, which is actually totally fine cause it still does it´s job and I don´t look like I haven´t slept in a few weeks, haha.
As you can see it has like a ball thing as applicator, which I use to spread and massage the cream into my skin. I might try to put it into the fridge before applying it, so it also reduces that puffiness under my eyes. All in one it is a good product, I can´t say if it´s the best eye cream that you´ve ever tried in your life cause I don´t have anything to compare it to, but from what I can see so far, it does its job and I´m quite happy with it!
Have you tried anything from Clinique yet? What did you try? And did you like it?
Oskia Renaissance Face Mask.
This face mask is pure luxus, I never had a face mask that has helped me, hydrate my skin so quickly - and also smelled so incredibly.
Let´s start with the said incredible smell. It´s literally out of this world. It contains ingredients like Passion Fruit, Grape, Lemon, Grapefruit and Papaya, which gives the mask its unique and strong scent. While taking the pictures of this post, I accidentally left the pot open and my room smelled like the cream after a few minutes - not that I´m complaining, haha.
If anyone from Oskia is reading this post, I plead you to create a candle that smells exactly like this mask, I´ll give you all my money for it!
I also just read on the Oskia website that the testing panel for this mask found the scent so delicious they wanted to eat it, and I can completely agree with that. You need to smell it yourself to understand how incredible it is!
It´s definitely also a staple to have on your dressing table. I´m totally a fan of the simplicity, with the milk glass and the Oskia Logo on the lid.
Now to the actual product. It´s a gel-based face mask, that has a pinky colour in the tub, but after you have massaged it into your skin, it turns white and also thicker and creamier. Depending on your skin type, and how well it reacts to the cream, you can leave it on for up to 20 minutes. It feels really fresh and cooling on my skin and after a while of wearing it I barely notice it´s there. What I also love is that it´s so easy to take off again - I find there´s nothing worse than a face mask that you have to rub off.
I already mentioned that this product contains a lot of fruits, but also things like rose and chamomile.
So the purposes of this mask is to increase cell-turnover, boost radiance and give you a smoother and all over illuminating look. It definitely does exactly that. Immediately after washing the cream off, my skin feels a lot fresher, completely hydrated, glowy and kinda also plumper - in a good way obviously.
You really need only the tiniest amount, so I´m sure even this little pot will last me easily for another few months.
Sure with a price of 51 pounds, it´s not something you use every night and keep repurchasing, but it´s a perfect treat - either for yourself or as a present for someone else.
Have you tried Oskia Skincare before? And maybe even this mask already?
You may have noticed that for a longer time now, there are cleansing cloths on the market that promise to take your makeup off - even waterproof mascara and oil-based makeup - just with the help of water! Ever since stumbling across them, I´ve been really curious to try them out myself.
I could never imagine how that would work out, as even with micellar water, I sometimes have to take 2-3 pads to really get everything off!
Well you can imagine, I was very happy and excited when I found the Magnitone Wipe Out Cleansing Cloth in my Advent Calendar - and now that I´ve tried it out for a few weeks, I can finally share my honest (and very good) opinion about it...
I could never imagine how that would work out, as even with micellar water, I sometimes have to take 2-3 pads to really get everything off!
Well you can imagine, I was very happy and excited when I found the Magnitone Wipe Out Cleansing Cloth in my Advent Calendar - and now that I´ve tried it out for a few weeks, I can finally share my honest (and very good) opinion about it...
The Cloth itself
As you can see, it´s basicall a quite small square washing cloth in a lovely pink shade - point number one why I love it. It feels unbelievably soft, yet kinda thicker than a normal cloth, which is because of the microfibres.
Speaking of the fibres, once you put that cloth under warm water, they swell up and so can get a better hold of your makeup and remove it smear-free and really easy.
It has those microfibres on both sides, and can be used approximately up to 1000 times - which sounds definitely really good for my bank account and also is so eco friendly as you don´t have to throw away watt pads or makeup wipes everyday.
To clean this cloth I basically put normal soap on it, rub it in and then wash it off with water again, and to give it a really good clean, I just throw it into the washing machine, together with other towels once a week.
My Experience
As I said before I could never imagine that a full face makeup could be easily removed just with a cloth and some warm water. Well, it can - mostly.
What I do everday is, put that cloth under warm water, lightly squeeze a bit of water out again and then simply rub over my whole face with it.
From my own liking, I really do not like removing mascara with it as you have to do a lot of rubbing on your eyelashes to really get everything off, it does work but I just don´t like it. Same goes to my eyebrows, I have quite long, thick eyebrow hair so I´m never really sure if everything is off.
Removing base products though, is just a dream! It not even takes me a minute until I´m totally bare and - most importantly - my skin isn´t left with a tight dry feeling.
Whether you use matte foundation, cream contour, a lot of setting powder or waterproof lipstick, it all get´s removed really easily
Whether you use matte foundation, cream contour, a lot of setting powder or waterproof lipstick, it all get´s removed really easily
Ever since using the cleansing cloth, I have also noticed that my skin doesn´t get blemishes as often and just overall feels a lot softer.
I´m pleasantly suprised with how good it works!
You´re not only doing something good for your skin but also for the nature, as my watt pad use has decreased by a lot.
You get in the normal package two cleansing cloths for only 17€ / 15 Pound, a fair price and definitely worth to try out :)
Have you tried a Cleansing Cloth out yet?
In order to get rid of these dry skin flakes, make my skin more even and also hydrating it at the same time, I´ve been reaching to gentle everyday powder exfoliators.
I´ve only discovered these kind of products about a year ago, and was curious how they work for me, and I have to say they have changed my whole complexion to the better.
Short introduction how to use these kind of products, you simply put a tablespoon amount of the powder in your already wet hand, add a tiny bit of water on top of the powder, enough that the powder transforms into a like creamy thing. Then you simply rub it into your skin for like a minute, leave it on for another 1-2 minutes and then wash it off, and you´re left with really clean, soft skin.
I´ve found two exfoliators that work really well for me, one is a bit more gentle and the other one is when my skin is really dry, so I switch between them, depending on the state of my skin...
I´ve only discovered these kind of products about a year ago, and was curious how they work for me, and I have to say they have changed my whole complexion to the better.
Short introduction how to use these kind of products, you simply put a tablespoon amount of the powder in your already wet hand, add a tiny bit of water on top of the powder, enough that the powder transforms into a like creamy thing. Then you simply rub it into your skin for like a minute, leave it on for another 1-2 minutes and then wash it off, and you´re left with really clean, soft skin.
I´ve found two exfoliators that work really well for me, one is a bit more gentle and the other one is when my skin is really dry, so I switch between them, depending on the state of my skin...
Getraud Gruber Enzym Peeling Powder*
This product is from a german company that actually produces in a city really close to me, which is really cool, and so I´m even more happier that I love this product so much that I´ll definitely support this company in the future.
Coming to the texture of this product, when I put this powder into my hand, it feels really soft, almost like baby powder, and the powder particles are really fine and kinda sticky, especially after adding water to it. It then transforms into a foam texture, which also feels really gentle when it´s massaged into the skin. It does take some help of a towel to get it all of again, but I love how soft my skin feels afterwards.
It´s the more gentle version of both exfoliators and is supposed to tighten your pores, make your skin look fresher, more even and fasten the production of new skin cells. I have to say since using this, especially my forehead has become a lot more even.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
This is definitely the pricier product, but makes my skin feel a hint more cleaner afterwards.
Maybe because the particles of this powder are a bit harder and after wetting it, it feels a lot more like an actually peeling, more than a gentle face cleanse.
It contains mostly the same ingredients, but also things like green tea for soothing and brightening the skin, grapefruit to even out the skin pigmentation and is made on a rice-basis for glowy skin. If you use it frequently every single day, you´ll notice a difference really fast. Your skin will look fresher, but I also find that my skin is more capable of really soaking up my night moisturizer, and I´m not left with an oil film the next morning.
This is my second bottle and surely not the last one!
This is my second bottle and surely not the last one!
Have you ever used a powder exfoliator?
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One of my favourite things about Christmas are Advent Calendars.
I was doing a lot of research before deciding to invest into the one from Look Fantastic, just like I had last year.
Look Fantastic offered a huge advent calendar for "only" 98€, considering that the products hidden inside were worth around 300€, it´s a total bargain.
Another point why I liked to go for a LF Calendar was, that it´s a total secret which products were selected for it and just look at the packaging!
It was a huge box, with 4 drawers that held individual little boxes where the products were inside.
Now let me just tell you a little something about this year´s products...
Day 1: Illamasqua Vixen Lava Lipstick
The month started really good! I was really suprised to find an Illamasqua lipstick in the first package, even more such a beautiful shade. I´ve worn it for christmas, and it´s a gorgeous bright red with a glossy finish, even though the lipstick itself looks matte. It feels moisturizing and comfortable on the lips, so I´m sure I´ll wear it really often, maybe even to work.
Day 2: Ciaté Fierce Flicks Eyeliner
This is the eyeliner I´ve been waiting for. First try and I got to perfect flicks, and from then on I decided I´ll never ever use an other eyeliner again! The tip is really slim and pointy, but also stiff so it´s really easy to make a really fine line. So worth every penny!
Day 3: Grow Gorgeous Scalp Exfoliator
Because of the dry air, I got a really dry and flaky scalp, which looked horrible as I had white skin flakes in my hair sometimes. So this scalp exfoliator came just perfectly in time! I tried it immediately and it was a bit hard to really work in, but once you get the hang of it, it´s a dream! My hair looked so healthy after blow drying, and since then I don´t have that problem with white skin flakes anymore!
Day 4: First Aid Ultra Repair Cream
My lifesaver for the winter months! It says you can use this cream from head to toe, which I´m not too sure about haha, but I use it as a hand cream and I don´t think my hands ever felt that soft! It´s quite a thick cream, that smells not really spectacular but does definitely a good job, so I´m more than happy it came in such a big tube, haha.
Day 5: BalanceMe Flash Cleanse Micellar Water
I´m all in for trying new cleansers/micellar water. This one does it´s job quite well, I had better ones before though. It´s not as drying as some others but I also don´t feel like it cleans my skin enough. Nice to try out but I´m not getting the full size...
Day 6: ThisWorks In Transit Camera Close-Up Primer
I´m just as open to trying new primers, so I was sooo excited to try this multi-tasking primer! It´s also a face mask and moisturizer, which means it´s got a heavy texture, but has a really moisturizing effect. When it´s sunk in, it makes my skin a bit sticky so my foundation definitely stays in place. Just one thing that doesn´t make me use it as often is, that it doesn´t hide my pores that good.
Day 7: James Read Illuminating Tan Mist Body
I didn´t give this one a try yet, and I´m also not really sure if I´ll like it. As I understood the description, you spray it on and it´ll give you a slight shimmery tan? If you know this products, please let me know how to use it, haha.
Day 8: Redken No Blow Dry Airy Cream
At first this product sounded too good to be true. You simply work this cream into your hair and it´ll dry faster, and on top make your hair soft and easy to style. I did as it said and left my hair to air dry. Well, I was left with quite dry frizzy hair, and so a bit dissapointed of the product. Maybe my hair is just too thick? I might give it another try as I really want it to work for me, but we´ll see...
Day 9: BellaPierre Loose Banana Setting Powder
I really like using loose powder, but never tried a banana powder. Simply because I always thought I was too pale, and I´d be left with yellow spots on my face, haha. Now that I got to try it, I´ll never use anything else again. This powder sets my foundation and concealer just perfectly, all while still looking really natural!
Day 10: Oskia Renaissance Mask
This mask is pure luxus! From the moment you open it, you are overwhelmed with a heavenly smell, almost like when you enter a spa. You simply apply this mask after you cleaned your face and leave it on for up to 20 minutes. It feels cooling and fresh, and you can definitely feel that it´s doing something. I´m just sooo sad that the full size costs around 60€, so I´ll definitely have to write this on my wishlists for the next few years, haha.
Day 11: Molton Brown Gingerlily Body Wash
Last year´s calendar also had a molton brown body wash and so I was really happy to find another one in this year´s. The smell of it is really fresh, christmassy and a lot like ginger. I always search for body washes that are moisturizing and this one totally is.
Day 12: Caudalie Moisturising Sorbet
I heard lots of good things about Caudalie and so it´s finally my turn to try it out! I use this cream in the morning, and I have to say it is good for "normal dry" to oily skin but since my skin is as dry as the Sahara right now, it only does a little. The texture is kinda funny to, really jelly sorbet like, and also smells kinda flowery.
Day 13: MorrocanOil Treatment
This hair oil was also included in last year´s calendar, and I´m soo happy it´s again in this one! I love it so so much, as it´s pretty much the only oil that makes my thick, heavy hair feel soft and light. It smells really lovely, and you only need a pea-size amount for your whole hair. I already purchased a full bottle of this one, and so I´ll definitely keep this little version for when I´m traveling.
Day 14: Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial
Coming back to my not normal dry skin, I switched to using this sleeping facial for the nights, as it´s really thick but sinks in really fast. I feel like it does help me a bit to stop my skin for getting worse. I´m not too sure if I´ll purchase a full size, but it´s definitely nice to try out.
Day 15: Look Fantastic Contour Brush
I´m so in for trying new brushes as often as possible, and it was a really pleasing suprise to find this golden brush. The bristle are really soft but still stiff and since I didn´t think it should be used as a contour brush, I started to apply my foundation with it. It works really well! Because it´s so big, it blends my foundation in really well and fast and gives me a beautiful even look. I´ll give it a try as a contour brush, but I´m sure I´ll stick to it as my foundation brush.
Day 16: ModelCo Retractable Brow Pencil
Brow Pencils are something I found myself always reaching for, more often than powders or pomade. Before I always went for my smashbox brow pencil, which is basically the same as this one from ModelCo shape-wise. The difference though is that this pencil´s texture is a lot more waxy and more pigmented. It takes me like 2 minutes per brow and because it´s so waxy it even keeps my brow in place the whole day. It´s perfect for traveling as you also got a little spooly brush on the other end.
Day 17: Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist
I´m the most unsure about this little gift. The smell is something completely unique, not flowery nor fresh or anything like that. It´s quite hard to describe and so I´m not sure if I like it. My sister and mum think it smells good, but I guess I´ll just have to give it another try. Other than that, the bottle is really pretty. A milk glass bottle with silver details looks really pretty on my dressing table.
Day 18: Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Cream
If you are as curious about this cream as I was, I´m really relieved. I had to take a second look into the description to see if the real purpose was for the nipples haha.
But no, it´s actually for the lips and it´s sooo good! It´s more a wax than a cream, but gets soft really fast after I start rubbing it into my lips. After that my lips feel so moisturized and soft, and look so shiny. I really like to apply it before using lipsticks, as it makes it more long lasting and the finish is a lot better.
Day 19: Crabtree La Source Hand Therapy
I gave this hand cream to my mum, because I already have the First Aid Cream and she loves it. I tried it out today and it´s quite nice. It´s more a gel than a heavy cream, but because of that sinks in really fast and has a really strong scent. Again a unique scent but kinda lovely, haha.
Day 20: Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
Another facial cream, that is texture-wise nothing like the other one. It´s more a watery gel, that is especially for anti-aging. Well, I don´t think I need that yet, so I might give it to one of my female family members, but who? Haha.
Day 21: Magnitone Cleansing Cloth
I finally get to try a cleansing/ makeup removing cloth, eeek! I´ve been curious about one of these ever since they first came out. I couldn´t really imagine them to really remove all of my makeup just with water, but it actually does work! I first tried it with a full face makeup, with foundation, eyeshadow, contour, etc. and it was all removed so easily. The only thing that I´m having trouble with is mascara. I just don´t have that patience to rub my mascara away with water, haha. I really prefer it over micellar water, as my skin isn´t left with that tight dry feeling afterwards.
Day 22: High Definition Foxy Palette
I can´t have too many eyeshado palettes, especially ones with natural browns, champagne and nude shades. Right after unpacking the palette, I tried it out and I was totally suprised by how pigmented, soft and easy to blend the shadows are. I´ll definitely use this palette a lot on a daily basis, maybe even take it with me when I´m traveling as it´s so handy and includes everything you need!
Day 23: Doucce Max Lash Mascara
I´m always unsure about trying new mascaras as I´m soo picky with mine, haha. Sometimes I like one that is more wet and makes my lashes long and sometimes I prefer drier ones that give me more volume. This one does both, it has a really wet formula and gives me like spider lashes, but also the effect as if I have 10 times more lashes than I actually do. I´ll get so much use out of it, and definitely need to do some research on where to get the full size!
Day 24: Dr. Botanicals Moroccan Rose Facial Oil
Lately I´ve been searching for a serum or facial oil, as I never really had one before, but heard really good things about them. This one is really watery more than oily and smells really flowery. It sinks in quite fast and so I like to use it right after cleansing and before I apply my night moisturizer. Next thing I´ll have to try it on one of my dry cream eyeshadows, if it works to bring it back to life, haha.
Day 25: Pixi Hello Glow! Kit
The "main" present this year was this Glow Kit from Pixi, how lovely as I´m all about a glowy look! This kit contains three products, a liquid illuminator, a blush & highlighter duo and a glossy lip plumper. I´m planning to post a full review soon so I´ll keep myself short. This kit comes just perfectly in time to bring some life back to my skin, haha.
Which advent calendar did you have this year? What were your favourite things inside?
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*This post contains PR Samples
I´m not that picky when it comes to the scent, but I do like the fresh scent that a good in-shower product can give you. Apart from the smell I, of course, also search for things that hold up their promises. I get especially picky when it comes to hair products, as I have quite thick hair that can get frizzy really easily and needs to be tamed. Considering shower skincare, I only want something that hydrates my skin and smells lovely.
Recently I added some new products that completely live up to what I like...
Zoella Beauty Jelly and Gelato Shower Shake
You have probably read several reviews about Zoella´s newest beauty range, but there´s a really good reason why, it´s just amazing!
So far I only own the Shower Shake Body Wash, which is as thick as a body lotion, has the most beautiful (instagramable) packaging and just smells absolutely incredible! It´s one of those scents that is quite strong, but not uncomfortable strong. I would describe it as a sweet flowery scent, that you could easily wear throughout the colder months aswell as in the summer time. Now that it is so thick, it has come just perfect for autumn, as my skin tends to get a whole lot more drier and I´m too lazy for that extra step of applying body lotion after getting out of the shower, I just want to get into my warm pj´s then haha.
L´Oreal Elvital Oil Magique Coco Hair Mask
Recently I really got into using hair masks. My hair has improved a lot ever since I started, in things like how hydrated it is, how light it feels, and especially in how often I need to wash it. My favourite so far has been the Moisturizing Hair Mask by Tony & Guy, as it is more on the expensive side, I have decided to try something from the drugstore.
The L´Oreal Elvital Oil Magique Coco Hair Mask can be used in three different ways, during the hair wash, as a leave-in mask, or to tame little fly aways. So far I only used it during washing my hair, and its texture is really soft, smells really lovely and not too strong like coconut and makes my hair a lot easier to comb through, blow dry and style afterwards. An absolute bargain for only 3€!
Davines Oi All in One Milk*
This product came just perfectly, as recently my hair has been soooo dry!
It is a leave-in spray that contains Roucou-Oil and Vitamin B5 and simply helps your hair to be hydrated, shiny and voluminous in an instant. I can tell you that it is working really well! I keep this small bottle in my handbag and since I wear my hair in a ponytail most of the times, I notice that the ends of my hair can look and feel really crispy sometimes. If that´s the case I put some spritz of this Milk Spray in, wait a moment until it has sunk in and my hair feels so soft and a lot lighter than before!
Davines Oi Shampoo*
This shampoo is from the same range as the All in One Milk, but for some reason I don´t get along with it as good, sadly. I´m really picky when it comes to shampoos as my scalp can get itchy really fast and so far I have only found one shampoo that I can work with, so I had high hopes in this one to be the second good working one. It also contains Roucou-Oil and rose essence, and so has a really strong unique scent when you have it on, maybe that´s why I can´t really work with it. Nevertheless I also find that my hair looks quite greasy on the second day already, and is also kind heavy. So I don´t think I´ll come back to this...
Have you recently bought new shower products?
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Sun Protection should be a very important topic when you go on holiday. Sun can damage your hair, as in drying it out, making it frizzy and all in one just really unhealthy looking. In case of skin, the sun can do even more damage, such as giving you skin cancer, making you look a lot older than you actually are, and getting you sunburned, which I´m sure no one of us want. To prevent all of that from happening I have put together a small collection of products for my hair and skin...
Garnier Ambre Solaire Sun Oil SPF 20
I´ve already used this sun oil last year, and I´ve been absolutely loving it. It smells just amazing, very summery, a bit like coconut, shea butter and all in one just really good. Since this product sinks in really fast, it has quickly become one of my favourite oils on the market, even though I haven´t been a big fan of them before, because every one I have tried before stayed on top for way too long before sinking in and that simply felt uncomfortable and they wore off way quicker. My main aim is to achieve a gorgeous tan and so that´s why I chose to use a sun oil instead of sun cream for my whole holiday.
L´Oreal Elvital Sun Defense Spray
To protect my hair from the sun, dehydration and from getting even more frizzy than they already are, I chose this spray from L´Oreal after getting it recommended from my mum.
I can´t quite remember, whether I have used this oil last year aswell, and so I´m really excited to try it. From what my mum has said, it really protects hair from drying out and they feel really soft after using it. I hope it won´t make my hair look greasy and is easy to wash out.
Rituals The Ritual of Karma Sun Protection Face Cream SPF 50
Now to protect my face from the sun, I certainly won´t be using an oil with only SPF 20, as I´m a lot more sensitive in that area and so I tend to get sunburned a lot faster. This sun cream has ingredients like white tea, Vitamin E and something called Ginkgo Bilboa, whatever it is, it is surely really good for preventing sunburn. It is waterproof, and supports you to get a sunny glow. I have noticed that this sun cream has improved the state of my skin so well and so I´m pretty confident in using it, without having to worry about damaging the skin on my face.
L´Oreal Ambre Solaire After Sun
Taking care of your skin is certainly not over after putting sun cream all over your body. If you want to keep that just achieved tan you definitely should use a After Sun Lotion, to keep your skin hydrated and soothe any sun burn you may have gotten.
This Spray from L´Oreal includes cactus extract which does exactly these things. I actually prefer this over a lotion, as it sinks in really fast, you can easily apply in on your own, it´s really refreshing and smells soo lovely.
Definitely a good option for someone as lazy as me, haha.
What do you use to protect your skin and hair from the sun?
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