Muller, Body and Soul Makeup Brushes: Review

Hello guys! I'm always looking for good beauty tools for a cheap price; however that can be very difficult to find sometimes. These amazing Body&Soul makeup brushes (Muller's own makeup brand) made me very happy: they look great, are durable and perform very well. If you're working with a student budget, you need these (trust me). The makeup brushes turned out to be one of the best things Muller's own brand has to offer.

So I'll be reviewing 4 brushes for you today (there are more brushes in their collection, I got these four). They usually cost between 20-30 kn. What I love about them is the safe packaging (nobody has put their gross fingers in there). The brushes don't have a synthetic smell, and the bristles are soft. I have washed these many times and they still look brand new - no hairs falling out! The handles feel sturdy and stable. I personally love the colors of the bristles. For washing these I recommend a soap I recently discovered, you can find my review on this LINK. I personally recommend this soap if you have been using the brushes for liquid foundation, because washing them with some mind soap can be difficult. So just use this strong product, the brushes will be squeaky clean, and there will be no damage done to them.

Foundation brush   (29,90 kn)

I started using this foundation brush for applying my liquid foundation. However, after I purchased this brush I've switched to applying my foundation with beauty blenders, so I do not use it very often (not anymore). What I can say is that this brush can leave streak marks on your face, especially with heavy foundation. So I recommend having a beauty blender just in case to fix any mistakes. Today I use this brush for applying face masks or while contouring my face. This brush was very difficult to wash at first. When I first tried it out, I used it to apply Revlon's Colorstay, and the brush turned yellow/orange (this liquid foundation is infamous for staining makeup tools), and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't wash the product off the brush. I thought that the brush was ruined, but after finding that amazing soap, the brush has gotten clean again, and has remained clean ever since. This just goes to show how important the right brush soap is. This brush can sometimes feel itchy and sharp on the face (but the bristles are very soft, they're just cut at a sharp angle and sometimes I get a strange sensation - however, the brush gets softer as you use it). The brush is very good shape, so if you are applying liquid foundation with a brush, you might want to give this guy a try.

Lip brush  (19,90 kn)

This lip brush has a very weird shape. I thought it was an eye brush, until I read the label. It's supposed to be used for contouring your lips (weird?). I find that it does not suit me very well, well at least not for defining the outer corners of my lips - it's OK for filling in or applying a lighter shade to the center of your lips, but any brush can do that. I guess the quality of this one is very good - it's sturdy and the fibers are tightly packed. However, I am not using it for my lips at all, I'm using it on my eyes. I see this as an eyeliner brush (I think it was wrongly labeled as a lip brush). I sometimes use it for applying lip balm (if I don't want to use my fingers), but really it's an eyeliner brush, and it does a damn fine job at that. 

Concealer brush   (27,90 kn)

I already did a review of a very similar concealer brush HERE. This one is also very good, however, I like the other one better because the other brush is more dense and it's a little easier to work with. This brush is good, but I only use it when applying liquid or very light concealer. What I do not like about this brush is how it feels on my skin: it's quite sharp and it sort of stings/itches. Or maybe my skin is too sensitive? The brush will become softer after you've used it for some time, but it's something to consider. I also don't like that the handle is so long, this is a personal thing of mine. You see, I wear glasses/contacts, and sometimes it can be tricky to apply makeup when you can't see well, and the handle is too long and you keep hitting the mirror with it LOL (people with bad vision can relate to me right now). However this little brush is absolutely perfect for applying cream contour. Love it! All these brushes are so cheap, yet they look and feel like they cost 5 times more: gotta love it!

Blush brush  (29,90 kn)

This blush brush is easily my favorite out of these. It's the perfect shape for applying blush, and the handle fits in hand nicely. Easy to wash, dries quickly (all the brushes do). I don't even remember which brush I used before this one, I only use this now to apply blushes. It picks up the product very well so with some very pigmented blushes you need to be careful so you don't over-apply. If you're going to get ANY of these brushes, this one should be on the top of your list. I'm loving this brush so much I've been giving it as a gift during Christmas. I'd say this is in my opinion the best brush Muller has to offer (though they're all really good). This brush has very soft edges and it feels soft and nice on the skin. Great for cheekbones.

So there you have it: no weird smell, easy to clean, easy to dry, no hairs falling out, handles are sturdy and they are so versatile. They do a great job and these little guys will last you a long time: they are cheap, but they are so good. I'm so happy with these purchases and can't recommend them enough. BIPA also has some cheap brushes, but I always feel like BIPA's handles are very poor quality, and I don't get that feeling with these. If you do not have a Muller store near you, LIDL occasionally has makeup brushes in their store, and they look exactly like these and are packaged the same way, so I'm betting they come from the same manufacturer (but I can't guarantee). 

Anyways, thanks for stopping by, don't forget to follow this blog on Facebook or Bloglovin', or you can follow me on Instagram, and share your ramblings with me on Twitter (all links are on the right).

Love ya! J.

Hello Beauty Make-up Sponge, Review And Comparison

Pozdrav svima! U današnjem postu donosim recenziju ove slatke spužvice za nanošenje make up-a koju možete pronaći u Bipi. Proizvod je vrijedan pažnje, i isplati ga se kupiti.

Vrsta proizvoda: Spužvica za nanošenje tekućeg pudera/korektora/itd...; za mokro korištenje

Ime proizvoda: Hello Beauty, Makeup Sponge Applicator

Cijena: 19,90 kn

Gdje kupiti: samo Bipa

Ocjena: 10/10

Kupila bi ponovno?: Apsolutno. Imam i plavu verziju.

Kako koristiti: Spužvica se može koristiti suha i mokra. Nisam je uopće koristila suhu jer bi ju ipak trebalo koristiti mokru. Znači, stavim spužvicu pod vodu, stisnem par puta, spužvica nabubri i uveća se (skoro pa duplo), nakon toga iscjedim višak vode (ovo je bitno), i spužvica je spremna za korištenje. Ako je ostalo previše vode u spužvici, rezultat neće biti tako dobar. Tekući puder nanesem na lice (ja ga nanosim tu i tamo, pa ga ravnomjerno rasporedim spužvicom, ali možete ga i rasporediti kistom, pa zatim preći na spužvicu). Spužvicom tapkam po licu da se puder dobro rasporedi i da dobijem prirodan izgled.

Moji dojmovi: Spužvica navodno dolazi u 4 nijanse: bijela/roza, hot pink, žuta i plava. Bijelo-rozu nisam vidjela u dućanima, ali eto, navodno ih ima. E sad, javila se neka dilema o tome ima li spužvica u hot pink boji drugačiju teksturu od ostalih - budući da nisam uzela tu boju ne mogu odgovoriti na to pitanje, tako da moja recenzija uključuje samo žutu boju (navodno je hot pink verzija nešto tvrđa). Spužvica nema mirisa (kao neke lošije verzije), a još je i antialergijska i bez lateksa. Najvažnija stvar koju trebate znati, za razliku od drugih proizvoda ove vrste koje sam recenzirala, ova spužvica nabubri kad je mokra (i zbog toga je naravno bolja od ostalih). Spužvica stvarno skraćuje vrijeme nanošenja pudera. S njom postižem prirodan izgled. Spužvica nije pogodna ako trebate sakriti puno toga ili nanijeti deblji sloj pudera (za to je ipak bolji kist). Spužvica pomaže nanijeti manju količinu pudera, i ravnomjerno ga rasporediti po licu. Meni je super jer ne volim debeli sloj pudera, a i ne trebam puno toga sakriti. Što se tiče korektora, dobra je za jako guste korektore koje treba nježno utapkati u lice.

Pranje: Na proizvodu stoji ovako: ''Ako spužvicu koristite svakodnevno, potrebno ju je jednom tjedno oprati blagim šamponom.'' JEDNOM TJEDNO???!!! To je najveća glupost koju sam čula u životu. Zamislite to: smočiš spužvicu, na njoj ostane pudera i masnoće, onda stoji dok se suši na zraku, pa se čestice prašine skupljaju po njoj, i tako 7 dana dok ju ne opereš?! Ma slobodno napravite tako - dobit ćete užasne akne! Nema šanse! Ja perem spužvicu nakon svakog korištenja. Perem ju običnom vodom i blagim šamponom (tj. Babylove kupkom koju sam spominjala OVDJE, makar se jako pjeni) ili intimnim sapunom. Spužvica se brzo suši (mora stajati na otvorenom dok se suši, jer ako ju zatvorite u kutiju, mogu se razviti plijesni), i trebala bi vam biti spremna za idući dan (ali ja ih imam više pa ih izmjenjujem). Namjerno nisam pisala recenziju prvi tjedan kad sam uzela ovaj proizvod, jer sam htjela vidjeti kako će se ponašati. Ono što sam ja primjetila jest ako ju operete što brže nakon korištenja, bolje će se oprati. Ako ste u žurbi, pa ju ostavite da čeka pranje dok se ne vratite doma, rezultati pranja će biti slabiji. Prvi puta kada sam ju prala svaki ostatak pudera sam uspjela ukloniti - a koristila sam Revlonov Colorstay (koji je zloglasan po tome koliko ga je teško ukloniti s beauty alata). Bila sam impresionirana. Međutim, sa svakim idućim pranjem, spužvicu je bilo sve teže oprati, svaki puta bi mi ostala po jedna neuklonjiva mrlja. Međutim, onda sam koristila jedan laganiji puder (Catrice All Matt plus): i kada sam ju prala ne samo da se uklonio sav trag tog pudera, uklonjene su i sve prijašnje mrlje! Tako da sada imam ponovno savršeno čistu spužvicu. Treba paziti na to da budete nježni prema spužvici, ja imam nokte četvrtastog oblika, i pri pranju sam povukla rub nokta po spužvici, pa mi se tamo napravila 'brazda'. Zapravo, izgleda kao da sam ju okrznula nožem. Zaključak: Može se oprati, ali potrebno ju je održavati i redovito prati. Neke mrlje vam se možda čine neuklonjive, ali otići će s idućim pranjem. Čak i ako ih ne uspijete ukloniti, spužvica je sigurna za korištenje, makar ima mrlja po sebi.

Zaključak: Ova spužvica košta isto kao i sve druge low-end spužvice za makeup (19,90 kn), ali pruža puno više. Od svih verzija koje možete nabaviti kod nas (a koje ne koštaju bogatstvo) ova je nadaleko najbolja, posebno zato što je jedina koja nabubri kada je mokra. Lako ju je i jednostavno koristiti, i spada pod one beauty alate koje bi svatko morao imati. Apsolutno preporučujem, ova je jedina koja vam treba.

Ovaj proizvod je za tebe ako: Ako još uvijek koristiš kistove, ili ako tražiš jeftin, a zadovoljavajući proizvod.

Izbjegavaj ovaj proizvod ako: Ako već imaš skuplje verzije ovakvog proizvoda, onda ti ovo ne treba.

Linkovi: Recenzija H&M spužvice OVDJE, a recenzija Muller spužvice OVDJE

usporedba: sve 3 spužvice - suhe:

Sve tri spužvice, Hello Beauty je smočena (primjetite koliko je narasla):

Da čujem - tko je isprobao ove spužvice? Što mislite o njima? Ne zaboravite me pratiti preko GFC, Facebooka, Twittera i Bloglovina.

xoxo, Jelena

Muller Egg-shaped Make-up Sponge - Review

Type of product: egg-shaped make up sponge (for liquid/cream foundation)
Brand: no brand
Name of product: Make-up Sponge White - Egg-Shaped
Price: 19 kn (2.5 euro)
Where to purchase: Muller only
Rating: 9/10
Would I repurchase: Yes.
Opinion: I wanted to try this type of tool for some time now - I've never tried this type of product before, I always used only make-up brushes to apply my liquid foundation. When I saw this product in Muller, I thought it must be bad. But I've ended up loving it. Sure, this product has its flaws. But the good sides are not to be disregarded. I haven't used a brush to apply make-up since I've discovered this product - so it's won me over.

1. If you wash it in cold water, the sponge stays white. If you put it under warm or lukewarm water, it permanently changes color to dirt-yellow-brown (photos below). Not pretty at all. Since you do have to wash it, and I don't like having my hands in cold water, you have to face it - it will only be white before first use.

2. Can the sponge be washed of the product to look as if it's never been used? Absolutely NOT. Nothing that I've tried has been able to remove product from the sponge. And I've washed it so many times. I do not have a professional washer for this type of product, but if you browse the web, you will notice that the cheaper versions of this tool can never be washed clean. So why waste money on an expensive cleaner? Also, note that the foundation I'm currently using is Revlon's Colorstay - which is notoriously difficult to remove from sponges. So, if your foundation is lighter, you might be able to get it clean (but I doubt it). The product remains forever stained.

3. I've only used this product wet. Once wet, it does not change shape or size, it stays the same. More expensive versions of this tool will become bigger once wet, but this product is good for me, because I have a tiny face, and the size of this product suits me. And it applies foundation so easily. The final result is flawless - light, beautiful look.

4. Does this sponge absorb product? YES. So much. But this is a good side for me - you see, Revlon's Colorstay is very heavy on my face, and I do not need so much coverage. I don't need to hide blemishes, I just need to even out the color of my face - when I use this sponge, it absorbs a lot of the product, so I end up with a smaller amount on my face - which is exactly what I was looking for. If you however need to hide a lot of things, or need to apply a heavier coat of foundation - this product might not be able to give you that.

5. Does it shed or bend funny or have dents? No. It takes a long time to dry, but once dry it returns to normal shape and size after washing. No shedding of sponge particles.

6. Does it smell? Yes. Like that mix of rubber/plastic/inside of a plastic bag. You know that smell sponges have sometimes? I've gotten used to it, and don't notice it any more, so it's not a problem to me.

Conclusion: Overall, this is a great product for a student budget. You will apply foundation faster and lighter than with a brush. The price is amazing, so if you're not sure if you're willing to spend a lot of money on a ''beauty blender'', this product might show you all the good sides of this tool - but also show you what improvements you might expect if you spend a little more money. Personally, I will continue using these. It works fine for me, and I'm on a student budget anyways.

Now, the pictures of what this product looks like after being used (this is a washed product), so yeah, can't be cleaned:

And a brand new one:

Have you tried this type of tool? Do you have a more-expensive version? I think this product is so adorable, and I've seen a difference - no joke, a BAD VERSION of this product is still better than a make-up brush. With this product my whole face looks lighter, more natural and radiant. Let me know if you try this little guy out - you have nothing to lose - it's so cheap.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to follow me, 

love, Jelena

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! ;)