Lips Care Products I've Been Using

Hey Everyone! Today I'll talk a bit about some lip products I've been using lately. During the winter I have very dry lips, so proper care is very important to me. So let's get started!

Labello LIP BUTTER: Vanilla & Macadamia; Raspberry Rose - Great texture, the name says it right -they really have a butter-like texture. Both products smell and taste amazing. They do their job very well and keep my lips moisturized. Packaging is cute, and I can put it in my purse and it won't open. They are on sale in Dm stores in Croatia until the end of this month, so you might want to take advantage of that. Price: 18kn.

CARMEX, moisturising lip balm: Hands down the best product here. When I first tried it, it felt as if it stung, as if my lips were swollen (most people say it 'tingles' a bit). I kept on using it, got used to the feeling and I've used it up already! I didn't want to use any other product, because I fell in love with this one. It stays on forever, no need to re-apply, protects my lips and nourishes them. It feels like wax, in the sense that it provides a very strong but thin protection. Great for winter. I got it at Muller. I highly recommend it. Price: 21kn

Balea Vaseline: I got this at Dm (Balea is Dm's own brand). I apply it before I go to bed. It makes my lips very smooth and soft. You can also use this for your hands or cuticles. Great product. I recommend it. Price: 10kn.

Rosal LipBalm So Natural: I keep this product in my purse because it's perfect and just what I need when I'm in a hurry. Smooth and light texture, stays on. No scent or smell. It's great. Price: 18kn.

Muller CadeaVera Classic Lip Balm: This is a lip balm by Muller's own brand, CadeaVera. I do not recommend it. The texture is good, but the product has a strange smell. If I lick my lips, this product makes me cough. Weird, right? There are better products out there in the same price range, so I won't be buying this again. Price: around 14kn

Now, I also wanted to talk quickly about a few products I've been loving. They're not really 'lips care', but having healthy teeth and a beautiful smile is as important as having soft, moisturized lips.

Dm Dontodent Brillant Weiss Zahnband: This dental floss by dm's own brand 'Dontodent' is the best dental floss I've ever tried. It's just the right thickness, not too thin, not too thick, doesn't get stuck while flossing. If you're unhappy about the floss you've been using, try this one. I seriously can't live without this. Price: half the price of other dental flosses and about ten times better.

Muller Sensident Fresh Mouthwash: This is my favorite mouthwash ever. It does the job well, but isn't too aggressive so that my mouth burns afterwards (which is the main problem I've had with other mouthwash products). I don't recommend the green version, but this blue one has not let me down. I've re-purchased this over and over again. Price: 9kn.

Have you been using any of these products? Do they work for you? Let me know in the comments! See you again soon, thanks for stopping by! ;)

Review: Formula 10.0.6 So Totally Clean Deep Pore Cleanser

Happy Thor's Day! Just wanted to talk really quickly about this product because I'm loving it. It's from a brand called Formula 10.0.6, and in Croatia it's available in Kozmo (price: 50kn for 200ml). It's called 'So Totally Clean'. It's a tonic/cleanser, so you use it on your face and neck after you've removed all the make-up and cleaned your face. Do not rinse it off. I've seen on some blogs that bloggers were recommending the other cleanser from this brand (the green one with cucumber), so I went to the store to get that one. When I got there, I saw them both standing next to each other and couldn't decide which one to get. Everyone has been praising the green one, but somehow this orange one seemed better suited for my skin type (I have really oily skin, lots of sebum).
So I ended up grabbing this one. This product has amazed me. I guess the difference between the two is, this one is more aggressive than the green one. I've been using it a lot and it had a positive effect on my skin. Of course, this is a very difficult thing to do - recommending someone a skin care product. We all have different skin types, what works for me, may not work for you, so keep that in mind. This didn't burn my skin, didn't irritate my skin or cause redness. In the past I've had problems with tonics that were so aggressive they would dry out my super oily skin, but this product HAS NEVER done this. After I use it, my skin feels fresh and clean. Don't use too much product, though. You're only supposed to use a small amount because this product contains alcohol, so don't pour too much onto the cotton pad.
As far as the smell goes...this product is not scented, but it has a sweet-alcohol smell. But I got used to it, and now I look forward to smelling like this haha. The smell goes away anyways about 5-10 minutes after application. This product works great with my foundation and preps my face well for make-up. I love the packaging, it's sturdy and also easy to use, so you don't spill product or waste it.  From the packaging of this product, I guess you could say it's targeted for teenagers, but I am not a teenager anymore, and yet I think this product works really well.

Now, let me be very clear, if you have sensitive skin, or dry skin, then I suggest using the green cleanser. This product hasn't caused ME any redness or irritation, but if you have sensitive skin, I think the green version might be better suited for you. ;) From my experience, I do not think this product is for people with dry-ish skin, and keep in my mind it does contain alcohol.
I rate this 10/10, BUT ONLY IF you have oily non-sensitive skin.

I love this product. I will re-purchase. I know lots of girls have tried the green version, but has anyone tried this one? I'm interested in your experiences. This is the only product from this brand I've tried so far. They have a face mask and pore strips that look interesting, and also, I might try the green cleanser eventually. Thanks for stopping by!

Balea Lip Balm Juicy Orange

Hey everyone! I got this limited edition lip balm in dm last week. It's called Juicy Orange. The packaging is cute and you get 10g of product for 10kn (around 1.5 euro). Now, as far as the smell/flavor goes, I wouldn't say it's orange...it's more tangerine gone bad, if you know what I mean. I really don't like the smell, personally I prefer vanilla or raspberry...but that's a matter of personal preference. The smell fades away after a while anyways. The product seems to be working good and keeps my lips moisturized. I'll be on the lookout for more cute lip balms from Balea.

This is the first Balea lip balm that I got. Have you tried them out before?

Elegant Chic With Essence

Happy Monday! Here is a simple look, but it was one of my favorites. It looked really feminine. All the products used are by Essence. First I applied two coats of essence's colour&go nail polish in shade '104 Sweet As Candy', then I put one coat of essence's studio nails top sealer high gloss. To finish off the look, I used a limited edition nail polish from the 'metal glam' collection, called '01 STEEL-ING THE SCENE' (so beautiful!). Simple look, but effective. I used essence's nail art express dry drops to speed up the process. 'Steel-ing the scene' is great, but it will pull with it the nail polish below, so if you're applying it to a colorful base, make sure to put a top coat first so you don't ruin your look. 

What do you think of this look? Have you tried out 'Steel-ing the scene'? You can still find this collection in Muller stores in Croatia, but if you missed it, dm in Croatia should have them soon. Thanks for stopping by!

Changing Seasons ...

Fall is here, there is no denying ...

This is what my bike ride with my daughter 

looked like yesterday afternoon ...

The air is crisp ... just as the leaves and grasses are. 

42 degrees but snow will be here soon enough, 

so pedal while the pedaling's good.

Once all of the Wicked Halloween decor was removed,

we realized our Fall/Thanksgiving fare is mighty low, so ...

Using Nancy Halvorsen's Bittersweet book,

and Sandy Gervais' Soho Chic collection ...

I don't think there's a single swatch in this line of

Sandy's that I don't love ... and yes ... a bit of

yardage found its way home with me along with

a charm pack from my LQS .... 

imagine that!

I put together this sweet little number ... 

and have decided to use it on the table for now...

I think I really like it ...

{grin} 

so I guess I'll have to keep this one for me!

However, I have noticed that somehow, I have

recently been blessed by a number of followers

over 500 ... and ... I've had over 300 posts

{crickets chirping}

seriously! 

who'da ever thunk it?!??!

{hahahaha}

Therefore, I do believe a giveaway is in order ...

A follower's giveaway ... 

and that means I need to make it a good one

so it won't be today, but very, very soon ..

so please be sure to come back again.

Until later, I wish you all ~

Happy Hearts and Happier Stitching!

Review: Catrice 'Roaring Red' Lipstick

Here's another product from the Catrice Limited Edition Collection 'Feathers and Pearls'. This shade is called 'Roaring Red'. I've had this lipstick for a few days, but it's already become one of my favorite products. I recommend it. The design of the packaging is beautiful, the  pigmentation is amazing. This lipstick is a 'classic' vibrant red shade. The texture is very creamy and it's easy to apply. Durability is also great, you can eat and drink and it will stay on. Minimum touch-ups needed. Price is about 33HRK. In the promo post it says this lipstick is semi-matte, but it seems matte, and it doesn't dry lips out. It doesn't emphasize flaws, it's just a really great quality product. Sorry that the swatch pictures are a bit blurry, I wanted to write this post while these lipsticks are still available, and the cloudy weather did not work with me.
***I have written a Catrice matte lipsticks comparison post - the link is HERE.

What Catrice says about this product: ''Lady Chic. A semi-matt finish is the epitome of contemporary elegance. The classic colors in light pink and two shades of red as well as the creamy texture ensure a fabulous 1920’s look.'' I got this lipstick from the collection, but I'm still second-guessing if I should go back and get 'Josephine's Joy'. It's the same quality and texture, but a bit darker, but that's why it might be better for winter. You can see the entire collection HERE. I already posted a review of the eye palette, and you can see that HERE. Will you get anything from this collection? I'm loving the fact that Catrice is releasing more and more matte lipsticks!

Review: Catrice Feathers and Pearls Eye Palette

Happy Monday! The weather is horrible, so lets talk about some products! I have been constantly talking about this palette ever since I saw it in the promo pictures. It's from one of Catrice's Limited Edition collections called 'Feathers and Pearls' and the name of the palette is 'Hollywood's Golden Age'. Link to the entire collection HERE. I wanted it because it just looked so beautiful. I am a sucker for beautiful design. Anyways, this product looks amazing, but the eyeshadows are not out-of-this-world quality. They shed so much, and that's not good. However, even though I was at first disappointed, I've changed my mind after seeing how the first pot is (it's not eyeshadow, it's actually a cake-eyeliner, you're supposed to dip in a wet brush and use it wet). It's the best part of this product.

What Catrice says about this product: 'The Eye Palette offers five eyeshadows, an innovative cake-eyeliner. To apply the cake eyeliner simply mix it with a moist brush and apply it to your lashline. The pressed powder eyeshadows have a soft texture to ensure expressive looks and contain glitter pigments for a guaranteed glam factor.'

1st POT- This cake eyeliner is great. You can't use it as eyeshadow since it's bad pigmentation dry, but it isn't meant to be used as an eyeshadow anyways. I love how it looks when using a wet brush and I think this will be my go-to eyeliner. This might be the best part of the product.

2nd POT- At first this reminded me of a Catrice Eyeshadow 'The Captain Of The Black Pearl', but they're not similar. 'Captain' is so much darker and better pigmented. This one is not pitch-black, and even though they both have blue glitters in them, the glitters in this eyeshadow are a bit smaller. This eyeshadow doesn't shed dust (maybe because the texture isn't as soft as the last three eyeshadows).

3rd POT - Metallic finish, and a creamy feel. This isn't a color for me, but the quality of it is good.

4th POT - Bad pigmentation, sheds dust.

5th Pot- Considering I recently bough a gold eyeshadow by Catrice (from the Rocking Royals LE), this one is a disappointment. The pigmentation is so much weaker than the other one, and it sheds dust particles everywhere. I might use it as an accent eyeshadow though.

6th POT - Weakest in the palette. Sheds and has really poor pigmentation. I might use it in corners of my eyes or occasionally as highlighter.

The Brush: It's very similar to the brush that comes with the NUDE Catrice palette, the sponge-parts are the same, but the brush-parts are different. This one is more compact, while the one from the Nude palette is better suited for sweeping motion.

Conclusion: Packaging: 10+. It's the reason I bought it. I know I said the eyeshadows are not very good quality (or maybe Catrice has spoiled me with amazing products so far), but honestly I am only happy with this product. I have a big smile on my face, and I will be using 3 or 4 of the pots regularly. Overall, price-wise (same price as the Catrice NUDE palette) I'd say this is a great product. If you're a sucker for great design, get it. If you're looking for strong pigmentation, or want to avoid glitter-eyeshadows, this isnt for you. Well, testers are available, so you can swatch them yourself and see what you think before buying. As you can see on the photo above, eyeshadow base makes a hell of a difference.

To all you nail polish lovers, sorry for the lack of nail-polish posts, but I had to cut my nails really short, and well that's just no fun! Soon I will bring you a review of a lipstick from this Limited Edition as well. Take care!

Eyeshadow Review: Catrice Rocking Royals, Finally Crowned

Happy Saturday guys! Here's a short review of an eyeshadow by Catrice (my favorite brand right now), from their limited edition called 'Rocking Royals'. The eyeshadow is called 'Finally Crowned'. I'm loving it, great pigmentation, great sparkle, this will be awesome for New Year's Eve looks. Now, this product is not a dupe for any eyeshadow from the ones available by Catrice. The gold eyeshadow from the 'Liquid Metal Eyeshadow' range has a more creamy texture, and the shade called '420 Talk Like An Egyptian' is more of a white-gold, while this is a more of a yellow-gold. The reason I'm talking about dupes is because the lipstick from this Limited edition called 'Of Royal Blood' is an almost identical shade to a lipstick called 'Matt-erial Girl' from the regular range by Catrice. I don't want two products that are exactly the same so I always check. To see the entire collection, click HERE.

What Catrice says about this product: ''The pressed powder Velvet Metal Eyeshadows have a wonderfully soft texture and offer a metallic finish in elegant, intensive shades.'' I love it. It's a royal gold shade with lots of sparkle. It's a very festive shade, definitively for a special occasion. It's a little bit difficult to capture on camera though. Catrice eyeshadow packaging is amazing as always, I love the design of it. All the eyeshadows from this edition swatch well, but the silver shade is creamier than the rest. You can apply little if you want and then easily build up the product. Product doesn't shed. Price is around 30kn.

From this collection I also got the red MATT nail polish (I recommend it, it's my favorite polish EVER) and also the velvet nail powder. Today the new LE is out. It's called Feathers and Pearls, you can check it out HERE. I got the gorgeous palette and the 'Roaring Red' lipstick, both amazing products. Thank you Catrice for creating such beauties! See you in the next post, let me know what you think! You can follow me on FACEBOOK or on TWITTER.

Review: Rosal Ink Lip Balm Morning Rose

Happy Thor's Day! This is a Croatian product that I've seen advertised a lot, so I bought it and...I'm not loving it. It's by Rosal, and this shade is called 'Morning Rose'. There's also a violet shade from this range, but I didn't pick it up. It's supposed to be a lip balm with a tint that will give your lips some color. Shade is a very delicate pink (swatch below). The tint is there, it has a more intense shade to it than other 'colorful lip balms' might have. This product has a very strange smell, and the texture is strange, like it has bits of chalk in it. I really don't like it. It feels uncomfortable on my lips. It will emphasize the flaws on your lips (if you have chopped lips, even if you don't it will get sucked into the fine lines of your lips), so I don't think it's a good choice to wear during winter. It seems to me this is for girls in high-school who want a little bit of color, but don't want to wear lipstick. Price is around 18 HRK, so it's cheap, but again, the lip balm part is not good (also, it feels yucky if you touch it with your tongue), and the lipstick part is not good either (it's not long-lasting as advertised). Honestly, I really don't know what girl would find this product a 5/5. I'm giving it a 2/5. NOT FOR ME.

So, I didn't expect a lot from this product, but I got even less. Shade would be nice because it's a soft delicate pink...if it wasn't for the smell or the texture. I do not recommend this. Did you buy this? Will you be using it? Rosal's regular lip balms are really great so I'll be using those, and this product will be sitting in my not-to-be-used-pile.

Beauty uk high brow VS. Catrice eyebrow set

Happy Saturday! I recently bought the beauty uk high brow all in one brow definition kit, so I decided to write about it, and also compare it to the Catrice eyebrow set that I've been using until now. I didn't buy the beauty uk set because I was unhappy with the Catrice one, I just thought it looked cute and wanted to try it out. I have not over-plucked my eyebrows since high school (thank god), so I'm happy with their shape, I just need to fill them up a bit (I don't need to draw them on or anything complicated LOL). My eyebrows are quite dark, since my hair is dark chestnut brown (though most people would probably say it's black).

Catrice Eyebrow Set: The packaging is sturdy. It's smaller than the beauty uk one, and a little bit bigger than a lipstick, so it will fit in your purse. It has a mirror inside (beauty uk does not have a mirror), so it's perfect for on the go. You get a tweezer (the tweezers from both of these products are almost exactly the same), a two-sided brush, and two eyebrow powders. I haven't been using the tweezers because whenever I'm at home, I just use my regular one, but these are actually not bad at all if you're in a hurry. I love the brush and I've been using it a lot (both sides). As for the powders, I haven't been using the lighter shade, because it's not well pigmented, and my eyebrows are too dark, so if I apply it, you can hardly see any difference. I've been using the darker shade. It's not too dark (so you don't look harsh), but it's just the perfect shade to fill in darker eyebrows without it looking like too much.

Beauty UK high brow, all in one brow definition kit: What I love about all beauty uk products is that they have a safety seal, so you know no one's touched it before you (take note, essence and Catrice). This product doesn't have a mirror, but this is not a problem for me, since I've always got a mirror with me, and I usually don't touch-up my eyebrows on the go. You get tweezers (the Catrice tweezers are more difficult to press together, so even though both tweezers look almost identical, the beauty uk ones are a bit easier to use). You also get a two-sided brush, but I've only been using the angled side. The lightest-colored pot is not powder, it's a kind of wax that you can use before or after eyebrow powder. I haven't been using it at all because I fix my eyebrows with essence's lash & brow gel mascara. This wax seems too oily for me, and I don't like it. So, the lightest shade I haven't been using. It's too light for me, I think it's better suited for blondes. The darkest shade (second in the top row) is really well pigmented, but makes me look a bit too harsh - so I haven't been using it everyday. I would only use it when I'm wearing a lot of eyeshadow or dark eyeliner, so that my eyebrows don't look washed out. The middle shade is really the best one for me. When I saw it I really didn't think it would suit me, but it did. It gives me a very soft look. And now a photo of the swatches:

As you can see, the lightest beauty uk shade is really light. I've got really dark hair and eyebrows, so I don't use it. What you can also see is how badly pigmented the lighter Catrice shade is. If I would have to pick a favorite, that would be very difficult to do. Both of these products are a good purchase. I am using both sets depending on whether I'm in a hurry (Catrice) or if I want bolder eyebrows (beauty uk). Now that I have both, I really do feel like I need both kits. I use the darker Catrice shade if I don't have a lot of make up at all, just to fill my eyebrows a little bit. I use the beauty uk darkest shade for a bolder night look, or if I know I'll be taking flash-pictures (so I don't look washed out). I use the beauty uk middle shade when I want a softer look to match a lighter eyeshadow.

If you've got light brown hair, I would recommend buying the essence eyebrow set, it seems to me that it's a much better choice for lighter brown hair than any of these two. It's got more brownish-colors. I'm dark chestnut, almost black, so essence did not appeal to me before, but now that I see I'm using both these kits, I might buy the essence one as well. These two are price-wise almost the same (beauty uk 30kn, Catrice 33kn). If I'm judging only by the packaging, I like beauty uk better, it seems more feminine to me. Here's a quick photo of the essence lash&brow gel mascara I've been using. I'm surprised the gel is still light, usually it soon turns a brown shade from the products. I also adore the Maybelline transparent mascara and I use it on my eyebrows, I think I'll buy that one after I spend the essence one. My eyebrow routine is fairly simple: I just fill in my brows lightly, apply some transparent mascara, comb and set eyebrows in place. 

What's your eyebrow routine? Do you use any of these products? I wonder has anyone tried out the essence eyebrow set - I hate their packaging, it's a class below than both of these, it looks so juvenile. But if it's a good product I might get over it. See you in the next post, follow me on all my social sites, links are to the right. ;)