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

AMB Winners

Friday brought the last day of our fabulous American Made Brand blog tour...I have to say I so enjoyed learning more about each state and seeing the fantastic plate designs was inspiring!

Thank you American Made Brand for sponsoring such a terrific hop!

As for my stop on the tour, I promised two winners.  One from the USA which AMB will ship to the winner a fat quarter bundle:

and one from my international readers for whom I will send a bundle of 5 1/2 inch squares cut from my remaining AMB cottons:

To that point .... my winners are:

American Made Brand blog tour winner as generated by Random.org:

True Random Number Generator

Min:  

Max:  

Result: 2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Comment:

AllisonJune 16, 2014 at 4:03 AM

Some day I'll get to visit Montana. Such a beautiful state! I live in the USA, in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. There are some days when I'd love some wide open spaces.

I had seven international readers leave a comment and of those seven, the winner of my American Made Brand drawing as generated by Random.org is:

True Random Number Generator

Min:  

Max:  

Result: 2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

delaineelliottJune 16, 2014 at 7:06 AM

Beautiful! I live in a small summer village in Alberta, Canada. Thanks!

I sincerely thank each and every reader that left a comment .... I am sorry I have not replied to each comment yet, but I will try.  For those inquiring about pdf availability, I will contact you directly ... if you wish a pdf of my block, please contact meI cannot contact the no-reply blogger inquiries.
My thanks again to Clothworks and American Made Brand cottons for sponsoring this hop!
Best wishes til we visit again,

Nail Look: Red Roses Water Decals

 Bright white nail polish combined with red roses creates one awesome nail look.

Products used:

Rose water decals: KKCenterHk, N.NAIL FOREVER LOVE Word And Rose Valentine's Day Decals [NNAIL-WDHHH060]

These water decals are amazing quality, they are strong and will not break or bend, and are very shiny. To use them, just cut out the desired piece, put it in water for 10 minutes, and once it slides off the paper, put it on your nail and secure with top coat. These rose water decals are my favorites, they're very effective and they look stunning. However, though they look amazing on white, the water decals are only made of red and green color, so if you were to place them on red nail polish, you wouldn't get the white lines that make these roses stand out. So, just wear them over white nail polish. I love the way these look, they're so 80s rock'n'roll. Rating: 10/10

Where to purchase this product: CLICK HERE

Other KKCenterHk products I've reviewed: CLICK HERE

Other products used:

Avon, Nail experts, Peeling and brittleness solver: dries my nails.

essence, nail art, stampy polish, 001 white: best to use this only for stamping, and not as nail polish.

Maybelline, Colorama, no.51: too watery and transparent, also slow drying (because you need 4 layers).

Maybelline, Colorama, Polka Dots, no.197: gorgeous, and goes with anything.

essence studio nails, top sealer: my favorite top coat.

Nail sugar pearls: Catrice limited edition, Candy Shock, shade 'Cotton Candy': they last for over 5 days, amazing, right?!

essence nail art, express dry drops

Are you guys into this look? Lately I've been into white nails, they look so chic. And they'll look even better once a get a little tan going. Thanks for stopping by, let me know what you think, and I'll see you soon,

Love, Jelena

***KKCenterHk has sent me the water decals for reviewing purposes.

Review And Comparison: HM Make-up sponge

Though the shape of this sponge is practical, you're in for a disappointment if you expect a lot from this product. 

Type of product: bell-shaped make-up sponge (for liquid and cream foundation, concealer, etc...)

Brand: H&M
Product name: Make-up sponge by H&M
Price: 19.90 kn
Rating: 4/10
Would I repurchase: I don't think I would. If I want a sponge that performs better, I'll get the ones from Bipa, and if I want a sponge that can't be washed clean, I'll get the one from Muller because the tip is thinner.
How to use: Use it damp or wet to give yourself a natural look when applying foundation. Make up sponges are not for you if you need to apply a thick layer of product, because they absorb a lot of product.
My opinion: Let's start with the facts: this sponge does not increase in size once wet. The sponge keeps its original shape, there are no dents and it does not shed sponge particles (so that's good). This sponge can't be washed clean: I have tried and tried, but once it comes in contact with foundation, it will always look dirty (I've used mild soap and water to clean it). It's also changed color - from a light pink to a brown-orange. But, you can use it, and it will get the job done, that is, it will give you a light, natural looking finish. I've never used it dry, it's not meant to be used that way anyway. I get it wet, squeeze out the extra water, and apply foundation with it. I like the bottom of this sponge - the flat surface of it works great, especially if you're in a hurry. And because of the curves in the middle it's easier to hold the sponge and control it. I do not like the tip, I think it's too ''fat'', and I can't get it to reach some hard-to reach spots. This sponge absorbs a lot of product, but this is a plus for me - I've spoken before about how I do not need a cake-face, and I prefer a natural look with a light layer of foundation - which is what this product provides. Another thing I do not like about this product: on the product packaging you can see that it's made of a 30% something and 70% something, but it's not in english, it's in russian letters, so I can't translate it (or even type it into google translator) - annoying, right?
Conclusion:  Every make-up sponge will be able to get the job done, even the cheap ones. And so does this one. But I'm not happy with it. Maybe because I'm trying out the new Bipa sponges (review of those coming soon), and I see that this little guy just does not perform as well. So my advice is: go to Bipa, buy the new HELLO BEAUTY make-up sponges (in yellow or blue); they cost the same as this one, but they perform a lot better.
This product is for you if: If you like cute make-up sponges and don't have high expectations.
You should avoid this product if: If you already have the Hello Beauty sponges from Bipa, also if you do not like dirty-looking beauty tools.
Links:

My review of another make-up sponge HERE

Nail look featured in this post: HERE

This product on the H&M website: HERE

Any H&M Cosmetics fans out there? H&M has only recently come out with their cosmetics line in Croatia, and I've gotten a few things. Some I like, some I do not. This little sponge is ok for the cheap price, but even in this cheap price range, you can find better products out there. Let me know what you think, and I hope everyone has a productive week!

Love, Jelena

Welcome to Montana on the AMB Blog Tour

Welcome to my stop along the American Made Brand blog hop tour.  I share with you the state I call home ... Montana.

When I first thought of developing my AMB block, I wanted to start by taking a look at Montana license plate designs ... however, after discovering that Montana has more than three times as many specialty license plates as other states in the region ... 

courtesy of KPAX.com

I decided I'd best design my block with my own ideas!

So, with that in mind, I give you a brief tour of my state with the hope of showing you what inspired my block:

I took this photo last month at the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge just south of where I live.

Montana's name is derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain) and, living in the western part of the state ... you truly see mountains in every direction ...  a total of 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains.

From Glacier National Park, 

the "The Crown of the Continent"  

courtesy of GORP.com

to portions of Yellowstone National Park, 

America's first national park, 

courtesy of paradisegateway.com

Montana represents the untamed, the wild, and the natural.  

Of course, with fifteen ski areas for winter recreation ....

courtesy of SkiMT.com

We have plenty of reason to get out and enjoy the natural splendor in cold weather also.

courtesy of Montana-Wild

Montana contains thousands of named rivers and creeks, 450 miles (720 km) of which are known for "blue-ribbon" trout fishing.  In 1992 the Robert Redford directed movie "A River Runs Through It,"  extensive fishing scenes were filmed in Montana's Paradise Valley on the Yellowstone River; south of Bozeman on the Gallatin River and south of Big Timber on the Boulder River. In 1998, Robert Redford returned to Big Timber with "The Horse Whisperer." 

Montana is ranked 4th in size, but 44th in population with 1,015,165 people living in Montana .... Yes, that is 1,015,165 people living in the whole state! Wide-open spaces anyone?

courtesy of Vital Grounds

Since forests cover approximately 25 percent of the state and Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states, I've included them in my block along with the state flower, the Bitterroot, and stems of grain to represent our economy.  With a 1/3 of our great state covered in mountains, that leaves the remaining 2/3 area covered with plains and grassy ranges and provides area needed for supporting Montana's economy which is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. 

 courtesy of nbc.com ... Robb Kendrick  /  Aurora file

With this wealth of information, I attempted to make my block represent the whole state ... mountains in the west, plains in the east, river waters in between and topped by our great big sky:

So there you have it, my representation of the State of Montana in one 6 1/2 by 12 1/2 inch block. 

My thanks to Clothworks and American Made Brand Cottons for hosting this fantastic tour of our United States.

 

Clothworks is generously sending one Why-Knot-Kwilt commentor eight fat quarters from the 

American Made Brand Cotton Solids!

Grown and Made all right here in the

Good Ol' USA!!

In addition, I am hosting a second giveaway for my wonderful international visitors.  

Those of you from outside of the United States have a chance to win this bundle of 5 1/2 inch squares:

which I cut from the remaining Clothworks American Made Brand Cotton Solids not used in my block.

If you wish to enter the giveaways, please leave me a comment on this post, with the following information:

1) which country you reside;

2) where you live in your country of residence; and most important;

3) make sure I can contact you! 

If I cannot contact you, 

you will not be able to win.

Drawing will close on Friday, June 20th.

Please be sure to visit Bloomin’ Workshop who is sharing the State of Washington with us today.

Hope you enjoyed this brief tour of the state I've called home for the past 33 years. When my day is at an end, I have to admit...

courtesy of Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge

 it is a pretty beautiful place to call home.

Until next we visit, happy hopping ~