Essence Longlasting Lipstick: Matt Wanted

Hello ladies! I already talked about a few lipsticks from this line, it's essence's longlasting lipsticks. Most of them do not have a matt finish; however, recently they came out with some matt ones. I already reviewed two matt shades, and now here is the one that's left: no. 18, Matt Wanted.

Type of product: dark red semi-matt finish lipstick

Brand: essence

Product name: Longlasting lipstick, no. 18, matt wanted!

Price: 20 kn (3.8g)

Rating: 5/10

Would I repurchase: Probably not, this shade is not my cup of tea.

My opinion: First of all, I don't think this lipstick can be qualified as longlasting: you can get 4 hours out of it, but not even that much if you're drinking or eating. I like the packaging and the shape of the lipstick because it's easy to work with. Application is easy, this shade (as all of their lipsticks) easily slides onto your lips. I'm not loving this shade as much as I love no. 14 (no.14 is also a matt red shade). This shade is all sorts of wrong for my skin tone. I do not usually wear such dark red shades. It's not an ugly shade, don't get me wrong, it's just sort of a dark, deep wine-red which is not what I usually go for. I just don't wear similar shades, so I guess I don't like how this looks on me (it would look nicer on a tan person, IMO). Another thing I do not like is how much it accentuates the dry parts of my lips. It literally makes every line stand out. And the finish is not a creamy-matt, it's more of a matt with a metallic-shine crust on top of it. This sort of an unusual finish has made a few girls say it's not really a matt shade. It is, but it's like it has a oil-spill effect to it. I'm not liking it. When I wear this shade, I usually apply it, and then dab some of it off with a tissue so that I'm only left with a stain, because that way it doesn't look as heavy as it does when you do not dab most of it off. Below you can see the swatches, and I also compared it to the 'brother shade', the no.14 from the same line. No. 14 is a much better fit for me, and I like it a lot better. Unlike no. 14 which has a strong pink undertone, this shade is all red.

This product is for you if: If you're looking for a darker shade of red, and you have a budget. If you're just starting with matt lipsticks, this range is great for beginners.

You should avoid this product if: If you have Catrice (or better) matt lipsticks - because after those, this one's formula will be a disappointment. It's not a total disaster, it's workable, but there is a notable difference in quality.

Links: CLICK HERE to check out my review of the other two matt shades from this essence line.

Comparison: I compared both red matt shades from this line: no. 18 and no. 14. Personally, I prefer no. 14, it's a better fit for my skin tone, and I like the formula a little better.

Hopefully this post was helpful. I'm not so crazy about this shade, I prefer no. 14. However, this essence line is great because you have a wide variety of good lipsticks for such a cheap price. And brand new shades are coming to the range soon (I'm really excited about some nude ones). However, I prefer Catrice's matt lipsticks when it comes to drugstore brands available here.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to follow me on Facebook and my other social media.

Love, J.

Wet'n'Wild Ruževi: Smokin' Hot Pink i Stoplight Red

Pozdrav svima! Danas donosim recenziju koja već dugo čeka svjetlo dana. Wet'n'wild se već ustalio u Hrvatskoj, a ovo predstavljam danas: wet'n'wild MEGA LAST LIP COLOR ruževe: Smokin' Hot Pink i Stoplight Red. Imaju i dobre i loše strane, ali isplati se dati šansu ovoj marki.

Prvo da kažem nešto za oba ruža: cijena od 22 kune (3.3 grama) je stvarno super. Možete ih naći u nekim dm-ovima i Accessorize dućanima (inače DM ima popust od 30% na svu dekorativu ovaj vikend). Za ovu nisku cijenu dobijete visoku kvalitetu boje i jako dobru pigmentaciju. Ono što je dobro jest da svi ruževi imaju zaštitnu foliju (pa znate da ih glupače nisu maljale u dućanu, a i testeri su dostupni, makar testeri neće spriječiti glupače koje vole maljati nove proizvode, šta ćeš). Loša strana: katastrofa pakiranje, pogotovo za svakodnevnu upotrebu. Ruž je napravljen na čudan način, tako da ruž uvijek viri izvan crnog dijela u prozirni poklopac. Možda to izgleda ok, ali i s najstabilnijim rukama zahvatiti ćete ga i okrhnuti. A onda će ruž zapeti u utore prozirnog poklopca; uglavnom - imat ćete maljav nered. Šteta zbog pakiranja, jer može se naći stvarno dobrih nijansi. Što se tiče oblika ruža, oblik je krug - za mene to znači zeznutu i nezgodnu aplikaciju. Volim oblik Catrice ruževa, njih mogu nanositi direktno na usne. Ove ruževe je meni prezeznuto nanijeti direktno na usne, pa prvo nanesem lipliner, zatim kistom nanosim Wet'n'Wild ruž, a na kraju direktno ružem popunjavam sredinu usana. Zeznuto mi je to i ne sviđa mi se. Možda će vama biti lakše, ali eto meni je zeznuto. Inače ruževi nemaju nikakav miris ili okus, tako da dobijete samo boju, bez neugodnih nuspojava. ;)

Smokin' Hot Pink - E 905 D (Rose affriolant)

Pigmentacija ovog ruža je čista desetka. Ruž ima mat finiš, te je suše teksture, što otežava aplikaciju. Nakon nekoliko sati će isušiti usne, pa ga preporučujem samo za usne koje su u dobrom stanju. Drži se jako dugo, satima, ali će se skinuti ako jedete hranu (posebno pizzu, hehe). Nijansa je mix flamenco crvene i tamne hot-pink boje. Nikako nije takva hot pink da nije nosiva za svaki dan, više mi baca na crveni ruž s tamno-rozim podtonom. 

Stoplight Red - E 911 D (Feu rouge)

Još jedan ruž sjajne pigmentacije. Inače nisam uzela 'Velvet Red' jer je nešto kričaviji od ove nijanse. Ima kremastiju teksturu od Smokin' Hot Pink, pa je utoliko i aplikacija lakša. Što se tiče nijanse, ovo je ona klasična crvena za koju vam svi časopisi govore da ju svaka žena MORA imati. Ovaj ruž može biti mat, ako ga blottate. Inače ne bih ovu nijansu nazvala mat nijansom; nema neki sjaj, ali je različita od prve - više sliči maslacu, pa s time dolazi i određeni sjaj. Budući da je manje mat od prve, trajanje joj je kraće, ali svejedno dobro. Ovu nosim obavezno s liplinerom, budući da mi se zna preliti izvan usana (što se meni NIKADA ne događa).

Par fotki obje nijanse jedne do druge, ne znam vidi li se da uopće nisu toliko različite:

Ovi ruževi su za vas: ako tražite jaku pigmentaciju za malo para, a ne smeta vam nanositi ruževe kistom.

Izbjegavajte ako: ste navikli nanositi ruževe na brzinu i nemate vremena za preciznu aplikaciju.

Sve u svemu dosta dobri proizvodi. Za mene bi bili 100 puta bolji da je oblik ruža onaj klasični, jer ova sfera mi nikako ne odgovara. Definitivno najbolja pigmentacija za najmanje novaca.

Što mislite o ovom brandu? Je li vam drago što napokon imamo marku koja pazi da ruževe nitko nije dirao prije nego ih kupimo? Ne zaboravite me pratiti preko twittera i fejsa :)

xoxo, jelena

Preview: Catrice, August 2014 - Lips

Here are a few Catrice lip products that will be joining the range in August.

These Ultimate Stay lipsticks are my favorite lip products out of these new ones. The design of the packaging looks great, and the shade selection is really wide. These products should have a matte finish, so you know I'll be picking up a few shades. What do you think?

I think these Velvet Matt Lip Creams might be the same texture as those Essence velvet lip products we all know and love so much. Yay for matt lip products!

So, what do you think of the upcoming lip products? Anything you're excited about?  If you want to know the price of any product, let me know in the comments; I didn't want to clutter the post with words. Don't forget to follow me, links are on the right side.


xoxo, Jelena

Avon Products Reviews, May 2014

Hey guys! In this post I'll talk about a few random Avon purchases. I've been trying these products out for a while and am done testing them, so here you can find out how I feel about them. If you're an Avon addict like me, jump on in!

Avon naturals, Hair Care, Conditioning Balm, Almond & Avocado

When I ordered this product, I thought I was getting a hair mask that you leave in for a few minutes, then rinse it off. But that's not it. This product should be applied to damp or towel dried hair. You do not rinse it off. Even though it's not what I expected, I do like this product. It smells great and it helps me fight the frizz. It makes my hair smooth and soft. I'll buy it again. This product gives you similar results as the Balea leave-in mango conditioner (the orange one). Price: 15 kn

Avon naturals, Conditioning Hand Cream, Cacao & Lotus Flower

Overall, my opinion on Avon hand creams is not very good. Though all the creams I've tried have been fast-absorbing, they don't provide much care. And the same goes for this one. This is a nice light cream for the summer, but not for the weather or if you have dry hands. This product absorbs quickly, but leaves a layer on your skin that feels as if you have dry hands. Yeah, I'm not impressed. It is removed completely when you wash your hands. The smell is divine, but that's the only thing I like. If I'd use only this cream for a few days, I'd have very dry hands (yes, even now, during the summer). Price: 23 kn

Avon, Face cleaning rubber brush

This is a little rubbery face brush that's supposed to help clean your face, as well as give you a light massage. Ebelin by Dm has a very similar (almost identical) product, but it's only available in Austria and Germany. So when I saw this baby in the catalogue I had to have it. It's not a miracle worker, but it does a better job than your fingers (that's what she said LOL). It's not aggressive at all, it just rubs the products in. It gives you a light massage and makes sure your peeling and gel do their job and get in all your pores. I like it, and it's easy to wash and maintain. I'd like it better if the little 'spikes' were a few millimeters longer, but it's ok. I also use this product when I'm cleaning my eye brushes, I rub the brush across the spikes and they clean much easier. A must-have, and it's so cheap: only 13 kn. The one from Dm is pink (I love the shade) so that one would be my favorite (check out a review of that product on Taya's blog HERE). When I'm in Austria, I'll pick up the Dm version for sure.

Avon naturals, Honey, Essential balm with beeswax

I like this lip balm. I only use it as a lip balm, even though it's supposed to be a universal balm (for all dry skin). The smell is pleasant and refreshing (a little sweet), not at all intense. The downside is the inconvenient packaging - it's difficult to scoop out the product, best to take it out with a tiny spatula. But, it does the job it's supposed to do and my lips are smooth and soft. The product is not tinted, and it comes in two more flavors. When I don't feel like sensing the tingling sensation I get from Carmex, I reach for this product. Price: 15kn

Avon Clearskin, Blemish Clearing, Daily astringent

This is classified as a facial tonic. However, it's purple, and a lot of their other purple products from this line are meant to be used on the body (if you have acne on your back or on the cleavage). I'd say this is not a face product. It's very aggressive, and it might be ideal if you have body acne. When I use it on the face, the next day my skin gets very dry, a white layer of dry skin appears and it's peeling off. Too aggressive for sure, maybe only apply it if you have acne, and use a cotton swab to apply it to a small part of the face. I think I bought the wrong product, I thought it would be a nice, light tonic for the face, but it's a very strong cleaning product. It contains Salicylic Acid, that should tell you enough. In the past, when I'd use Salicylic Acid, I'd have to wear gloves because it would dry out my fingertips- this product does not do that. If Salicylic Acid is a part of your routine, but it's too aggressive for you, this product is similar, but more gentle than the Salicylic Acid you buy at the pharmacy. If you do not have pimples or acne (just larger pores and blackheads like me), this product is not for you, stay away. Price: 20kn

Avon, Peeling and brittleness solver, nail polish - base coat

I've mentioned this product a few times already. Well, I'm not happy with it. You see, I used it as a base coat, and while it did prolong the wear time of my manicure, once I took off the polish, I'd find my nails are in a much worse state than before I started using this product. My nails would be very dry, and they'd peel a lot more than before. If I'd wear this polish by itself, it would quickly peel off the tips, leaving the nails unprotected. Overall, I do not recommend it, since it made my nails peel like crazy. I'm super disappointed. Let me know if this product has worked great for you, because it did not give me any positive results. Price: 29 kn

Avon, Matte Top Coat, 'Destination Peach'

This is a matte top coat. I'm happy with this product. However, it's not a transparent matte. It has a pearl-like shimmer to it, I guess that's how it works, so you will get a matte look, but it's more of a blurry matte, if you know what I mean. I'll post a look with this polish soon, however I do not recommend it for stamping because it will mess up the design. The name of this polish is ''Destination Peach'', the bad part is, the name is only written on the box, and not on the actual polish bottle, so this makes it difficult to keep track of your polishes. Wear time is very good, at least 5 days. Price: 29 kn

Avon, Love EDT

This is my favorite perfume by Avon. It's light and breezy, a very romantic lovely scent. It's pleasant to wear and it makes me feel like I'm in love. If you cry on commercials and love stories, this is for you. Makes me feel heavenly. A very girly scent, and a must have for any girl in love. Not much to say, I just adore this one - a great purchase for me. Price: 80 kn

Avon, Summer White Sunrise EDT

I am not in love with this perfume. At first I wasn't going to get it, but a friend of mine sprayed it on me, and I wore it and it grew on me. However, I find this product too intense for my taste (it gives me a headache). This perfume lasts all day long, so if I get tired of it, I just can't rinse it off. Not my cup of tea, I like lighter perfumes with softer scents. I should have known better, because it smells the same as in the catalogue, it was a poor judgement on my side when I got this one. I'll give this one away to a friend. Price: 60 kn

Avon, Foot scrub

I love this foot scrub, and it's so important to have it around, now that sumer is here. Not much to say: it gets the job done, but afterwards hydration is very important, so that your skin is not dry. A good purchase. Price: 13 kn.

Avon, Cell phone mask

This product was available as part of the breast-cancer awareness campaign. Since I'm not an iPhone girl, cell phone covers are tricky to find. I ordered this, and in the catalogue it said that the width was 8,5 cm, when actually it's 8,3 cm, and there are stitches on both sides, so the actual width is even less than that. So my phone can barely cram up in there, and it's impossible to take it out. Oh well, something to consider. The quality is otherwise good. Price: 30 kn

Well, that's it for today. So far I'd say my Avon experience has been good. I've had a few misses, but I've also found products that have become a part of my regular routine. Are you a fan of Avon? Thanks for stopping by,

love, Jelena

'Love Me', Essence Longlasting Lipstick - Swatch And Review

Meet my favorite lipstick from this range - it's a semi-sheer (gentle) bright pink lipstick. A great every-day product.

Type of product: Lipstick (creamy texture, semi-sheer colour)
Brand: essence
Product name: Longlasting Lipstick, no.13, 'Love Me'
Price: 20 kn (around 3 euro)
Where to purchase: Muller, DM, Kozmo
Rating: 8/10
Would I repurchase: If I lost it, I'd probably go back and get it. It's my go-to every day product.
My opinion: This product does have a smell/taste to it that I do not enjoy (tastes like soap). The strange chemical smell is not the most pleasant thing to sense, but you do get used to it. Despite the fact these lipsticks are advertised as long lasting, in reality they are not - if you drink and eat, they will be wiped off your lips, but I'd say they last me 2-3 hours on average. Application is a dream with all the lipsticks from this range - they simply glide over your lips. Also, you decide how much you want to put on - do you want to apply a thin layer or a thick one. I like this shade better than 'Colour Crush' - this one is not so intense. This shade is a light bright pink, so it's not a in-your-face pop of colour (but you still get color, it's not a nude shade). It's great for everyday and gives my lips a nice pink glow. The texture is not matte, it's more of a shiny lipstick, and it does not dry out my lips.
This product is for you if: If you need a lipstick that will give you bright rosy/pink lips, and is convenient to use in a hurry.
You should avoid this product if: If you're not into pink lips, or if you want a nude-rosy pink lipstick, because this shade can be a little bright-pink (depending on how much you apply).
Swatches: Swatches are below, I tried to get you some photos in the shade, some in the sun. The thing is, this product looks so different depending on how much of it you apply, and also what shade your lips are (because it's a little sheer).

Links: HERE you can read my review of 'Colour Crush',a lipstick from this range.
Comparison post: HERE

Ingredients: RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, ethylhexyl palmitate, polybutene, octyldodecanol, CANDELILLA (EUPHORBIA CERIFERA) WAX, polyethylene, mica, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-TBUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), BENZYL ALCOHOL, May contain: CI 15850 (RED 6/RED 7 lake), CI 42090 (BLUE 1 lake), CI 45410 (RED 28 lake), ci 77491, ci 77492 (iron oxides), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).

This lipstick was added to the range this spring, so it wasn't available from the start. I've noticed this particular shade happens to be sold out in most stores I've looked into, so I guess some of you already have it. Do you like it? I'd love to hear your opinion. Anyways, thanks for stopping by, don't forget to follow me.

love, Jelena