L'oreal Paris Elvital Anti-Breakage Repairing Shampoo 400 ml + Anti-Breakage Balsam Conditioner 250 ml Review

Ingredients:

L'oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Repairing Shampoo

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Salicylic Acid, Limonene, Fumaric Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, 2-Oleamido-1, 3-Octadecanediol, Carbomer, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glyceryl, Linoleate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Parfum/Fragrance

L'oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Balsam Conditioner

Aqua, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Tricedeth-6, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, 2-Oleamido-1, 3-Octadecanediol, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Parfum/Fragrance

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- I don't think the conditioner is very good for dry and processed hair, it doesn't help

- I feel like the shampoo doesn't properly clean my scalp but it's still passable and I can wash my hair every three days

- I didn't notice that they would help with brittle hair much, they didn't make the hair worse either, but more helped all the leave-in and Redken/Schwarzkopf Bonacure products I curated

- Conditioner doesn't leave hair that smooth and healthy feeling (when you have bleached hair you start to appreciate the fake smooth, silicone hair feel over the dryness)

- They promise to make hair stronger and fix it but I don't think so, they may keep the dry hair somewhat alive but so many products can do that

- The bottles are designer so that water will collect into the empty parts in the cap. So.Incredibly.Annoying.



+ Both shampoo and conditioner work just fine

+ Easy to get, in every store basically

+ Big bottles, last a while

+ Better than some other L'oreal Elvital shampoos/conditioners I've tried, even though they all are almost the same (the oil line is maybe the best out of them for dry hair but too heavy for normal scalp)

+ They don't leave the hair heavy

+ The smell is quite neutral, not overpowering

* So I have just said that these products are not that good - why do I still keep purchasing them and other products from the L'oreal Elvital line? Well, they are affordable, easy to get, they still keep my head clean enough that I don't have to wash my hair every single day (not good for hair or scalp)

* I don't have a problem scalp or dandruff or oiliness or dryness, so basically at the moment I can use almost anything 

Price: 

About 3-4,5 € / 250-400 ml

Bought from: 

Grocery store

Buy again? 

I think yes. When I don't want to try anything new.

Worth the money? 

Yes. 

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution 30 ml Review

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethoxydiglycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- Can be a bit drying if used too often or if I don't hydrate/moisturize extra well after using it and the next day

- Works slowly, I've had to be patient. Some people describe their pores looking smaller, skin looking like airbrushed after a couple of uses.... well, no, for me I looked worse first and I even stopped using it, then started again, stopped, on and off for two-three months maybe.

- A small purge might occur, mine took maybe a week or week and half, mostly tripled the amount of whiteheads/bumps on T-area (areas that are clogged the most) but nothing too horrible, more just annoying. At least I think it was a purge. I did not do anything unusual and they disappeared.

- Even though it absorbs very well to skin, immediately when you put some watery products on top of it (essence) it foams, can get a bit sticky

- The product sticks to the neck of the bottle when used, a bit messy...



+ After I decided to commit myself to using TO's Salicylic Acid, continually used it every week twice (about) I started to notice the change! It was not overnight or overweek (... I know not a word) and it is so sneaky, pores look maybe a bit smaller, a bit cleaner, they don't get so clogged, pimples don't get as big as before, maybe a bit smoother skin, cheeks look better... It's a bit like with TO's Niacinamide + Zinc except that seemed to do its magic faster.

+ Dries, absorbs fast

+ Easy to spread, gel-like serum

+ Doesn't pill

+ No smell

* After trying Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power 4 % I was a bit devastated it didn't work like I had hoped ("allergic" reaction, flushed face, a red rash, dryness, took hours for it to get better) and I even thought that maybe I am allergic to BHA/aspirin. But I have taken aspirin as a pain medicine before and it did absolutely nothing. Now I wonder if I'm allergic to Salix Alba Bark Water, because The Ordinary's Salicylic Acid 2 % doesn't cause any problems!

* I noticed that if I don't use the Salicylic Acid for 5 days, my skin definitely looks less clear/feels more clog prone. Currently I use it two nights straight, then a couple of days break (length depending how my skin looks/feels), then two days etc. Seems to work?

* I obviously like The Ordinary's Salicylic Acid more than Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power because I can use it, but the consistency of Cosrx product is so much nicer: it's watery, sinks in quick too. However Cosrx was more drying, for me at least. Based on the couple of times I tried it.

* Best results really come with the continued and stable use... if you over exfoliate, it takes you back to the beginning with a bunch of new problems. If you don't exfoliate often enough, you never get those results or get a small purge over and over.

Price: 

5,30 € / 30 ml

Bought from: 

The Ordinary webstore

Buy again? 

Couple of months back I would've said no or maybe, now I actually think yes.

Worth the money? 

Yes. Price point is great and the bottle size too. I don't really need a huge bottle of any acid.

Pladerm Dual Sun Cream SPF 48 PA++ 50 g Review

Ingredients:

Not 100% right because I used image translate app! I got crazy different results everytime I tried, so, just guessing something.

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Laurylpyridine, PEG-8 Dimethicone,  Diglycerin/Glycerin , Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate, Betaine, Niacinamide, Magnesium Sulfate, Cyclomethicone, Distearmonium Hectorite, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine , diphenyl dimethicone,
, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Golden Extract, Green Tea Extracts, Licorice Extract, Chamomile Flower Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Indian oriental resin Extract/Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Dimethicone, Allantoin, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Tranexamic Acid, Aspartic zinc gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Adenosine, PEG-10 Dimethicone,Sorbitan sesquioleate,  Laureth-4, Laureth-23, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vinyl, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Distarch Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic Hydroxamic Acid, Edetate Disodium, Mica, Yellow iron oxide, Red iron oxide, Black iron oxide powder

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- It is visible on the skin, I would not layer it or put too much, can get cakey despite the "lightness"

- Might not be the right color for everyone, color was darker/coverage is higher than I expected. I would not suggest it for people lighter than me (NC20? Light/Classic Beige in Lumene) but of course I have no way of testing how it behaves then

- Gets oily/shiny/greasy if you have no time to blot/powder during the day for the oily skin (for me my T-area, especially forehead after 4-6 hrs)

- Accentuates the facial hair, not a very good look... also, dry spots, like drying pimples. It's quite unacceptable for a product that is blemish balm and by brand that claims to be "hospital dedicated professional brand"

- Have to make sure it's even when putting it on the skin because it just won't seem to blend well, finish is not beautiful

- If I touch my skin, or wipe my nose, or whatever during the day, the color comes off almost completely



+ Strangely, after a couple of days of wearing Pladerm Dual Sun Cream, I feel like my face actually likes it! You know how face usually looks tired/clogged in the evening? This cream is definitely lessening that effect

+ Feels moisturizing and comfortable, I think this could suit dry skin, feels nice/protective on the skin in cold weather (-3-10 C)

+ Dewy/natural finish, slightly shiny, but works well with a touch of powder and stays looking nice for maybe 4-6 hours and then my forehead/nose loooks oily... but still with a bit of fixing it does stay ok for the whole day (10-12 hrs). My dry cheeks however stay the same all day

+ Color is just perfect for me, warm undertones, quite yellow in my opinion, fits my skin well even though I was a bit scared of how dark it looked straight from the tube. Actually even brightens up my face half a shade (looks very nice, matches my neck) but then it darkens again during the day (to the real shade of my face)

+ (Watery) creamy, easy to spread, but still you have to pat and make sure it's even because it just ends up streaky and blotchy otherwise

+ Makes my mornings faster because I don't have to put sunscreen and foundation separately

+ Doesn't pill unless you put something like The Ordinary's Niacinamide under it by mistake

+ Cancels out redness well

* I don't know if my skin likes this Dual Sun Cream or just hates it less than other options I've been using (Lumene's CC Cream, other sunscreens like Tosowoong's Soft Touch, Etude House's Mild Relief... etc etc) but it is clogging my pores less and it's weird.

* Smells a bit sweet, a bit like candy or medicine, but also like it has gone bad, the scent is not very strong though

* They call is Dual Sun Cream and almost as an afternote mention blemish balm but yes, in my opinion it is a BB cream, coverage is on the same level as Lumene's CC Cream. I thought it would've been more like tinted moisturizer but it definitely covers blemishes and redness more than expected

* I have to say I prefer something like Missha's Time Revolution Sun Protector because it has a lighter, more illuminating finish that is almost undetectable that you are wearing something. I tested it during the summer and the it was otherwise PERFECT except I think it started to break me out. But because it was so perfect otherwise, I'll have to try it again.

* I will keep experimenting with this sun/bb cream if I get it to work somehow and I will use it to the end. Maybe I've been putting it on in a wrong way or it doesn't agree with my other products. At least, if all else fails, it is ok for jogging when no one is looking at me close up and it doesn't have to stay nice (unless I sweat it immediately off then???)

Price: 

17.95 EUR / 50 g

Bought from: 

Ebay seller roseroseshop

Buy again? 

No. (EDIT: Ok, maybe, if everything else fails me. This is not a horrible product, just... there is a lot of room for improvement.)

Worth the money? 

It has a lot of annoying qualities, like how it highlights hair, can get cakey, streaky, oily etc. BUT IT IS NOT BREAKING ME OUT. Still, it is overpriced for what it is and how it performs. It lacks the elegance and after two weeks it's just infuriating to see it perform so badly everyday (even though it feels nice, is moisturizing, doesn't clog pores). I do not recommend and I will not be repurchasing, but it was interesting to check it out, because the ingredient list (even though probably only half right) might guide me to other products that don't break me out.

Lookfantastic Advent Calendar Beauty in Wonderland 2017 Review

Everything that was inside the calendar.

Things that I was the most excited about (for a reason or for no reason!).

Moroccanoil Treatment

(Actually something I've considered buying, multiple times!)

Oskia Renaissance Mask 

(Really looking forward to try this one. So it's basically a brightening mask with lactic acid and fruit extracts. And hey, it's pink!)

Molton Brown Gingerlily Body Wash 

(Hey, body wash is always useful! Based on the notes I will like the smell too. Googled Molton Brown and I kind of wish the included shower gel would have been Juniper Berries & Lapp Pine that is their holiday edition.)

Dr Botanicals Superfood Facial Oil

(It's pink, it's facial oil... good first impression.)

Pixi by Petra Set (Glow Booster, Blusher&Highlighter)

(I like glitter, shimmer, glow and bling, always.)

Bellapiere Cosmetics Banana Setting Powder

(Setting powder! When is powder not useful? Also, cute packaging.)

Queen of Hungary Mist 

(Not sure if I can use because it includes saccharomyces... But it is so, so beautiful bottle. Feels luxurious.)

Things that will definitely get used but it's probably not that exciting to use them.

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Hand Therapy

(I will take all the hand creams for my dry cracked winter hands, thank you.)

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

(Ingredient list seems really nice and I have tested it on my hands already, works well. Smells bad though.)

Lookfantastic Contour Brush 

(This is ok, I always need brushes because I only buy cheap ones and they get destroyed soon.)

Doucce Maxlash Mascara 

(Mini mascara! Always useful. I actually just was thinking about buying a new one.)

Grow Gorgeous Scalp Detox 

(I'm looking forward to trying this one too! My scalp/hair has been so much oilier and getting dirty faster after I got lazy and stopped bleaching/coloring my hair almost a year ago.)

Things that are useful, and will get used now that I have them, but I wouldn't have bought them myself.

ModelCo Retractable Brow Pencil in light/medium 

(I didn't own any brow pencils beforehand! Because all that I do to my brows is pluck them!)

Magnitone Wipeout! Microfibre Cleansing Cloth 

(I have my doubts if I will actually like it and keep using it, but I'll try.)

Ciate London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner

(I will always need a new eyeliner. Hope this works for oily eyelids.)

High Definition Limited Edition The Eyeshadow Palette 

(Very nice, I know I will be able to use these neutral brown colors.) 

 Balance Me Micellar Cleansing Water

(Will be used but I didn't really need a new micellar water, I'm not so fond of them.)

Illamasqua Lava Lipstick

(Color is great, I should learn to use lipsticks.)

Things that could be great but potentially just break me out.

Korres Wild Rose Advanced Repar Sleeping Facial

(So long ingredient list, full of things I doubt. But so tempting based on the marketing speech.)

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream

(Looks interesting, not really my style.)

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet

(The same, looks interesting, but always a risk to try a new moisturizer.)

Queen of Hungary Mist

(Interesting to see how my skin will react.)

Things that I feel puzzled about, something that I didn't exactly need or don't know if they will get used.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm

(Just... I read about it and how everyone says it's amazing but I don't really need it.)

James Read H20 Illuminating Tan Mist

(Tan mist, omg reminds me of my teenage years when I tried tanning mists and was orange for a while. Splotchy orange.)

Redken No Blow Dry Cream

(Hah, we shall see if this actually works and I will use it. My hair gets flat from products that promise shape.)

 This Works In Transit Camera Close-Up

(Again one product that promises to do several things, I'm always wary. Could break me out too.)

Pixi by Petra Set (Glossy Lip Plumper)

(I'm not that much into lip products and this one seems like it can be a catastrophe for someone who doesn't know what they're doing.)

I loved the protective packaging paper! I really like small details like this.

Other thoughts:

- Ok, so, now that the December is over and all boxes opened, my overall feeling is a slight disappointment? They did say that the value of items would be over £300 and it is based on googling but I'm not entirely feeling it.

- There was a packaging mistake in my calendar and I had one item twice (some small one I didn't care about that much that made me miss on another item I did want). The customer service of Lookfantastic is a bit slow/lacking I feel. It took almost 2 weeks from inquiry to solution and even though I had sent a clear description of the case and the photo, they asked a couple of days later the description and photo again, thus claiming I hadn't included them or their system is messed up! Also they didn't reply anything to the actual message, one day (about 2 weeks later, including 2 weekends) a package came in the mail and included my missing item. Weird way of handling the case but whatever, in the end, all ok.

- The shipping packaging didn't have bubblewrap etc but everything seemed secure and fine otherwise. The cardboard box was exactly the size of the calendar box.

- For a makeup junkie I don't know if the items are new or exciting, at least if you've done skincare/makeup hobby for a long time.

- And for a non makeup junkie, some of the items might be left unused. It's quite overwhelming to look at a pile of new stuff. Also I don't know if I can personally appreciate items more expensive than average.

- For "blind" or package purchases the problem is, you never know if you can use everything or anything at all when you have sensitive skin. I just noticed the lovely Queen of Hungary Mist has saccharomyces! (But I will still test it... maybe the amount is small?)



+ It was so exciting to open all the little boxes and try to guess what's in them! Last time I had a calendar was probably twenty years ago! I didn't spoil myself so everything was a surprise. Everyday was a christmas during December.

+ The big calendar box seems well-made enough and will be useful to store all my crap now, also the little boxes with numbers I can reuse as gift packaging etc. They look good!

+ I probably never would have bought most of these items without the calendar, at least not full size. It's interesting to get out of my comfort zone and try something new.

+ The item range was good, from make up to skincare, with things that suit most people. Even the make up items' colors seemed to be suitable for most! At least for me they were point on. (So maybe even a bit boring choices for people who collect makeup stuff?)

+ So far I've tried only the Illamasqua lipstick and the eyeshadow palette and I've been pleased enough but then again I know next to nothing about makeup!

The cute boxes inside the advent calendar.

Price: 

About 101 € + shipping I think about 7 € (Actually received this box as a gift but I did request it in the first place)

Bought from: 

Lookfantastic webstore

Buy again? 

I would check the included items beforehand next time and decide based on that (now I wanted a true surprise). Probably would not purchase myself as the box didn't completely wow me despite being fun. However if I will really love some of the items included, yes I will purchase them (if I can afford). 

Worth the money? 

Maybe. If you have some extra to spare just for fun and you have time to explore the new sample size items and get the most out of them. For this amount I could have picked up 5-10 things that I really, really want and use. So. Fifty-fifty.

Nivea Men Sensitive Shower Gel Body, Face & Hair 250 ml Review

Ingredients:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Chloride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyquaternium-7, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Citric Acid, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Limonene, Parfum.

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- Smells somehow so off-putting even though it's not disgusting? Citrus?

- I don't feel clean after using it

- Actually, I feel like there's some greasy film on my skin!

- The bottle is ugly to boot even though it doesn't matter when a product works

- I have no idea if it's soothing even though it promises to be



+ Consistency is ok, creamy gel

+ Maybe this works for someone who has extremely dry skin and can't moisturize it after showering? The bottle says on the front "no dry skin feeling" and it is absolutely right

+ pH Neutral, I'm assuming 7 then?

* Now, this is a shower gel that tries to do everything and probably that's why it doesn't really do anything right... my fiance bought two of these abominations because there was some sale and usually he doesn't care what he uses. Well, now fast forward he hates them and they've been around for I don't know how long because we both refuse to use them! 

* Maybe part of our reaction to this shower gel is explained by the fact that most of the shower gels we use are probably high pH and we are used to the stripping feeling that we associate with "clean". Also our body skins are very balanced, so we haven't had to think about them really.

Price: 

Honestly can't remember but it was cheap / 250 ml

Bought from: 

Grocery store

Buy again? 

NO.

Worth the money? 

Maybe if you can use it and if you have dry skin. Interestingly, it's marketed for men and I actually think he hates it more than I do. 

Lumene Star Effect Mascara 7 ml Review DISCONTINUED

Ingredients:

Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide, Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Cera Alba, Triethanolamine, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Plantago Major Seed Extract, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Talc, Disodium Edta, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, MAY CONTAIN CI 77266 D&C Black 2 (nano), CI 77499 Iron Oxides

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- Went "bad" surprisingly fast, I felt it started to sting/tickle my eyes after a couple of months of being opened (even though the label says it's good for 6 months), or maybe I'm sensitive to something in it

- Not waterproof, not really any proof

- Didn't really make lashes longer or thicker, just colored them

- The brush is not my favorite kind, I like the sleek, thin, "plastic" ones

- Made a bit of a mess when applied to lower lashes or corners or anywhere where you need precision



+ Cheap. On sale or some other deal usually.

+ Did work very well for a mascara in that price range! Colored lashes, didn't make a huge mess, the brush is decent, not much clumps or anything

+ The end result was really natural, as if I wasn't wearing mascara almost (ok for everyday look but not really if you wanted a more put together look)

* I repurchased several times so it must mean the mascara is decent or good for the price! I have no big complaints really, just that it's not my favorite or I can't honestly recommend it

* I feel that I don't have the need to buy expensive, "perfect" mascaras all the time and for every occassion because I have to throw them out so soon anyway (sensitive eyes)

* Now I have to find another cheap alternative because Star Effect is discontinued! Altogether I probably used 4-6 pieces of them.

Price: 

About 10 €, 5 € on sale

Bought from: 

Grocery stores, Citymarket

Buy again? 

Discontinued.

Worth the money? 

Not amazed by this mascara but it worked (though it wasn't waterproof) and for the price, it was good, worth it.

L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Smoothing Resurfacing Primer 15 ml Review

Ingredients:

Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide, MAY CONTAIN CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491/Iron Oxides

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- Because of the thick consistency you had to be careful with application and it could take some time

- The pot was not hygienic at all

- When the product was ending it was difficult to get the last out of the pot



+ Never made my skin react, didn't cause me any problems, any acne. So I think my skin can handle silicones well I suppose

+ No fragrance

+ Even though it was thick, it was easy to spread and pat to skin after warming it a bit

+ It made skin look and feel very smooth, but natural at the same time, didn't cause flaking or oiliness. I actually got comments that how can I look so young, such smooth skin when I was wearing it!

+ Made my pores unexistent and my other make up held well all day

+ One pot lasted me ages because honestly didn't have to pile it on a lot

+ The pot looks and feels nice, slightly luxurious. It's heavy glass but shaped so that it would not break even though I accidentally dropped it/carried it in my makeup bag everywhere

* Oh, I had such a love relationship with this primer for years... repurchased many times. Can't believe it got forgotten in my drawer at some point. I think I just got lazy or something with make up.

* Wonder if I would still like such a thick and heavy primer? I bought some primer from The Ordinary but only briefly tried it and put it away...

Price: 

Maybe about 15 €? I remember often 10 € on sale when I hauled several

Bought from: 

Probably any grocery store that had L'Oreal stand

Buy again? 

Yes definitely I would! But sadly it's been discontinued, WHY???

Worth the money? 

Yes yes, why would I have bought it so many times otherwise? It just delivers what it promises, no fluff.

The Body Shop Frosted Berries Shower Gel 250 ml Review

Ingredients:


Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sucrose, Mel, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Denatonium Benzoate, Trideceth-9, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Juice, Bisabolol, CI 17200, CI 15985, CI 42090

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- The cap of the bottle is annoying to use in the shower, it's a bit sharp and tight

- Seasonal product so you have to remember to buy it when it's available



+ Nice, fruity, fresh scent, not too strong (not cranberry like in my opinion though, true cranberry is bitter)

+ Quite thick luxurious gel, foams a bit

+ The bottle lasted me a year, as you don't need much at a time, also I think I didn't want it to end and tried to save it...

+ Cleans ok, doesn't irritate or make skin dry

* I think some of the best things from The Body Shop are their shower gels, they are pleasant, surprisingly long lasting, there's a lot of variety and the bottles are very cute

* At the moment I would also like to try Moringa, Juniper, British Rose and Honeymania shower gels as well. I have Frosted Plum waiting that I got as a christmas present

* I think shower gels/body washes and their scents are so important to me because I can't often wear my favorite fragrances due to school/work/public transport, it is either forbidden or not advisable and I don't even want to cause anyone an asthma attack in a closed space!

Price: 

I think 8,70 € is the normal price, got as a present
Bought from: 

The Body Shop store

Buy again? 

Maybe! It's very nice. But it's also nice to try other things.

Worth the money? 

Yes. I liked it everytime I used it and that's something.

Thoughts, Empties and Inventory of 2017

Thoughts of 2017

* 2017 is definitely the year of changes: first time ever my skin got dry during the winter and I was so puzzled after using the same products for years and never even thinking about routine changes or upping my skincare game, I thought I was born with not so great (oily combination) skin and that would be it forever.

* In the 2016 I started actively using toners after washing my face and that made a huge difference, I got less and less pimples and they went away faster, I noticed the face wash wasn't cleaning all the make up and that was clogging my pores.

* I started to feel desperate about aging as I noticed my first fine lines!

* I started to lurk skincare blogs, websites and forums, hoping for a miracle cure for aging... and all the time I kept finding recommendations of Asian, mainly Korean products.

* I was kinda shocked about all these things I had honestly never ever heard of: AHA, BHA, vitamin C, retinol, wait I should use sunscreen every day?

* I bought lots of random stuff (like The Body Shop's Drops of Youth series) based on pretty packaging and hype.

* I have tried more different products than ever before in my life!

* I have experienced all sorts of different pimples that I didn't even know existed because I tried all those products.

* I have started shopping online for skincare and this was a huge step for me, a game changer.

* I have bought more expensive products than I ever thought I would and I don't even regret (I do regret some products of course but I do not regret the journey as every new thing has taught me something about my skin).

* I am worth it! My skin is worth investing in! I am not wasting money by using it to take care of myself and my skin.

* I have started to read the ingredient lists and actually try to do a little research to understand what is in them and if they're going to work for the purpose I'm buying them for.

* I have started to learn what kind of products and ingredients work for me (but the progress is slow).

* I have analyzed my own skin further than just the basic "meh combination" that I read somewhere when I was a teenager.

* I found some solutions for my family's skin problems after doing so much research for my own (they mostly had oily dehydrated skins).

* I have started to pay attention to expiration dates and hygiene more in general. I threw away my super old products.

* In November 2017 I discovered facial oils which is funny because all my life I have been avoiding anything that could resemble an oil. I think oil cleansing method in the beginning of the year changed my way of thinking.

* Do I dare to say that oils are maybe somewhat a part of the "miracle cure for aging" that was my original quest in the beginning of 2017? (On top of retinol and sunscreen.)

* I'm much more open to different products and methods! Oils, sleeping packs, mists, double or triple cleansing, the multilayer cotton pads...

My very first samples. Felt like a lot...

... and suddenly, boom! Actually now that I think about it, lately I've received very little samples or none compared
to first hauls. Wonder what has happened?

Best Surprises

* Tosowoong is not that popular or sexy brand I have heard, but their products have been surprisingly safe options for me! The apricot Cleansing Oil I have repurchased for myself and for my family as well, also I think soon I'm going to repurchase Tosowoong's Soft Touch Sun Cream.

* Oils! Rose Hip Seed Oil and Squalane so far. True game changers.

* The Ordinary. Yes, for me, they have helped me to open my eyes to ingredients as well. They have helped me to be more adventurous: I can afford to buy and test things, get excited over them, play with my skincare!

* There's a lot of information out there if you just look! I never thought that there would be hundreds and thousands of skincare communities and blogs. Of course, always remember common sense and source checks.

* My fiance and the support he provides me in my hobbies and struggles.

I think this was my very first The Ordinary order!

Biggest Disappointments

* COSRX. Yes. Everyone's raving about their products and I got excited as well, I tried BHA, AHA, Hyaluronic Acid, Good Morning Gel and samples... but they just don't seem to work for me. People say, they are gentle and moisturizing, but I just felt like everything was making my skin dry or irritated or gave me a rash! Or just wasn't working otherwise. I feel wary of buying anything from Cosrx in the future.

* Chemical exfoliation in general. The way people talk about it, it's like the best thing ever. Still experimenting to find the right products for myself.

* I was expecting my skin to like me more after I started caring about sun protection. I think the opposite happened. Almost one year of religious sunscreen and I notice no difference whether I wear it or not except I have now more clogged pores. And scars. From trying sunscreens that caused me cystic acne.

* The quality-price ratio of many products is always very random. It's frustrating to try to guess it beforehand. I'm not rich but I want to pamper myself with fancy things sometimes and I want those fancy things to work.

* Many Asian products have actually caused me breakouts! I think it's because they use many ingredients that I rarely see in products here. Or they just are formulated differently. Or it's just because of ferments.

Pink is definitely one of my favorite colors!

Thoughts about my blog

* It's surprisingly hard to find time and energy to write a blog, actually! But that also forces me to actually think and analyze my product choices. (And learn more English!) So it's a very good learning experience. But all the time it takes... especially adding photos. All you real bloggers out there, I appreciate your work and dedication.

* Oh boy, also researching products and ingredients takes a lot of time! No wonder people don't usually do it or care about it. Even brand websites don't always list ingredients that go into their products. It's like ingredient lists are big secrets, or mystery codes that can be hidden under stickers etc. It's a little weird considering how vocal we are about our allergies, food restrictions, illnesses and medications, environment changes etc but we really do not care about what we put on our skins and where it comes from???

* I'm surprised I actually have visitors on my blog once in a while! How does that happen?? :) I hope my posts have been at least somewhat helpful!

TOP 5 most popular skincare notebook posts of 2017

1. Missha Near Skin Madecanol Cream

2. Tosowoong Natural Pure Apricot Seed Cleansing Oil

3. Tonymoly DCDation Multi Use Sun Oil SPF 50+ PA++++

4. Konjac Sponges

5. Tosowoong Soft Touch Sun Cream SPF32 PA++

TOP 5 visitor countries of 2017

1. Vietnam

2. United States

3. Ireland

4. Malaysia

5. Canada

One of the first products to wreck my skin and my inspiration to find out more about skincare products and their ingredients.

Thoughts about my skin

* My skin absolutely doesn't like touching too much, patting several products/using several cotton pads to cleanse it causes redness and slight irritation.

* My skin is high maintenance when it comes to cleansing. Every morning, every night a proper multi step cleansing is necessary. I just can't splash with water or wipe with micellar water, it will show the next day or the same evening. Hello, new clogged pores.

* I've almost stopped picking my skin. At least I pick maybe 1/10 of  what I used to. It really helps, the less I touch things, the less the things get inflamed. And now that I have less things to pick, I pick less. In the beginning it was a slow process and I had to ask my fiance to scream at me/guide me out of toilet everytime he thought that I had been there too long...

* Chemical exfoliation... yup. I did, in the end, overexfoliate once!  I finally understand what people meant by "shiny skin, like glass", "too smooth, too good to be true". Painful dryness, more acne, some cystic too. BUT THE LESSON ITSELF IS; my skin can't handle a lot of acids/actives. Just no. A couple of times a week is more than enough.

* I feel like my skin is more into vitamin C derivates than AHA, BHA? Granted I've tried only glycolic acids. And betaine salicylate and salicylic acid. (Cosrx BHA caused me something that seemed like an allergic reaction, but The Ordinary's SA Solution is fine?)

* I have realized how sad and bad my skin condition is when I have started to take close up pictures of my face once in a while. They truly highlight everything that you can't see with a naked eye, all the little bumps and scars and pores and broken capillaries, EVERYTHING. I can't even recognize myself in those photos. I should take them more often to follow how my skin is doing but oh my they make me cry so I tend to avoid it, but then later I wish I would have something I could use as a reference.

* I think the left side of my face looks a bit more damaged, as in orange skin texture. It gets irritated quicker than my right side as well, the rash shows up faster and is redder etc. My right side gets more pimples however and is uglier in acne way. I realized that for the last 8 years my desk has been so that my left side is towards the window and the window faces south. (And I never used sunscreen before.) Coincidence?

* When I would get pimples before I just thought "well, this is how it goes, annoying but I hope it will go away soon enough" and "it seems to be a good week, only a couple of pimples, I will put lots of concealer and it'll be fine". However, now when I get a pimple or two I feel dumbfounded: is something wrong with my routine, which product hates me this time, I have done something bad! I immediately start to blame myself. I think too much about my skin, I need to give it a rest.

* However, I've actually had "good skin days" this year. I didn't know before what "glowy" means, but now I've experienced it a couple of times! It is quite thrilling, isn't it? I'm definitely using a lot less foundation and powder and haven't even bought a new concealer. To be honest I can't remember when I last time used primer because sunscreen replaced that step and is good enough.

My skin dislikes

* Saccharomyces?

* Other ferments???

* Alcohol denat. high up in the ingredient list, dries and irritates somewhat

* Sunscreens in general? They always end up clogging my skin or causing other problems

* Rice??? Or just rice ferment?

* Avobenzone, octocrylene? Some chemical sunscreen filter?

* Sodium hyaluronate? Too dry air here?

* Coconut oil and derivates coco-caprylate? Not sure but they've been in products causing cc's

My skin loves

* Tea tree

* Tea?

* Centella asiatica and its variations

* Gentle physical exfoliation, konjac sponge

* Niacinamide

* Squalane

* Rose hip seed oil

* Vitamin C derivates, MAP and AG

Products that I've finished 2017

How many products I used to the end (so not counting the ones that didn't work for me and I had to give away or samples, or the possible things finished in the beginning of the year that I can't remember):

Skincare 

Cleansing Oils 1

* Tosowoong Apricot Seed Cleansing Oil 1

Cleansers 3

* Nivea Wash Off Effective Cleansing Gel 2

* Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Gel Wash 1

Creams/Lotions/Emulsions 10

* Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturiser 4

* Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser 2

* The Body Shop Tea Tree Lotion 1

* The Body Shop Tea Tree Night Lotion 2

* Missha Near Skin Madecanol Cream 1

Sleeping Masks 1

* The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask 1

Oils 1

* The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane 1

Eye creams 0

Toners 4

* Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Toner 2

* Nivea Stay Clear Purifying Toner 2

Essences 1

* Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence 1

Serums 3

* The Ordinary Buffet 1

* The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 2

Sunscreens 2

* Tosowoong Soft Touch Sun Cream SPF 32 PA++ 1

* Pirkka Sun Cream Sensitive SPF 20 UVA + UVB 1

Antioxidants / Vitamin C 1

* The Ordinary Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% 1

Exfoliants 0

Chemical exfoliants 0

Masks 0

Treatments (sheetmasks etc) 1

* The Saem Pure Natural Mask Sheet Snail 1

Lips 0

Mists 0

Others 4

* Konjac sponge 4

Samples

* Korean Skincare Samples Part 1

* Korean Skincare Samples Part 2

* Korean Skincare Samples Part 3

Body Wash 4

* H&M Exfoliating Shower Gel Macadamia Nut & Vanilla 1

* Palmolive Naturals Nourishing Delight Shower Milk 1

* Gunry Cherry Blossom Shower Cream 1

* The Body Shop Frosted Berries Shower Gel 1

Body / Hand creams 0

Makeup

Primer

Foundation 1

* Lumene CC Color Correcting Cream 1

Powder 1

* Lumene CC Color Correcting Powder 1

Eyeshadow 0

Mascara 4

* Lumene Star Effect 3

* Lumene Blueberry 1

Eyeliner 0

Lipstick/lipgloss 0

Highlighter 0

Brows 0

Hair

Shampoos 3

* L'oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Repairing Shampoo 1

* Garnier Fructis Strengthening Shampoo Grow Strong 1

* Head&Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Classic Clean 1

Conditioners 2

* L'Oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Balsam Conditioner 1

* Garnier Fructis Strengthening Conditioner Grow Strong 1

Others

Products that I´m using right now (or testing once in a while)

Skincare

Cleansing Oils

* Tosowoong Apricot Seed Cleansing Oil

Cleansers

* Nivea Wash Off Effective Cleansing Gel

* Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Gel Wash

* Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Dry & Sensitive Skin

Creams/Lotions/Emulsions

* Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturiser

* Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser

* The Body Shop Drops of Youth Cream

* Scinic Honey All in One Ampoule

* Tonymoly The Black Tea London Classic Cream

* Dr. Young CentellaSCA Cream

Sleeping Masks

Oils

* The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil

* The Ordinary Squalane

* Frantsila Tea Tree Oil

* The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

Eye creams

Toners

* Skin Watchers Pore Control Toner

Essences

* LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence

* The Body Shop Drops of Youth Essence Lotion

* Scinic First Treatment Essence

Serums

* The Ordinary Buffet

* The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

* The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin

* The Ordinary Hylauronic Acid 2% + B5

Sunscreens

* Pirkka Sun Cream Sensitive SPF 20 UVA + UVB

* Etude House Sunprise Mild Perfect Relief SPF 30 PA++

* Innisfree Rebalacing Watery Sun Cream SPF 37 PA+++

* La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Reparing Balm SPF 50

Antioxidants / Vitamin C

* Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

Exfoliants

Chemical exfoliants

* The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%

* Cosrx AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid

* BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

Masks

* Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask

Treatments (sheetmasks etc)

* The Body Shop Tea Tree Targeted Gel

Lips

* Bepanthen

* L'Occitane Shea Butter

* Nivea Lip Butter Original

* Nivea Lip Butter Raspberry Rosé

Mists

* Laneige Water Bank Mineral Skin Mist

Others

* Etude House Natural Konjac Face Cleansing Puff

Body Wash

* Palmolive Naturals Camellia Oil & Almond Shower Cream

Body / Hand creams

* The Body Shop Shea Hand Cream

* The Body Shop Frosted Berries Softening Body Gel-Lotion

* Fair CosmEthics Body Lotion with Fairtrade Brazil Nut Oil

* Kicks Skin Treat Virgin Olive Oil Foot Treatment

Makeup

Primer

Foundation

* Lumene CC Color Correcting Cream

Powder

* Lumene CC Color Correcting Powder

Eyeshadow

* Maybelline The Blushed Nudes

* NYX Hot Singles Eyeshadow Whipped Cream

Mascara

* Lumene Star Effect

Eyeliner

* Beauty People 365 Stay Waterproof Brush Pen Eyeliner

* H&M Soft Kajal Eye Pencil Pale Nude

* Isadora Inliner Kajal Satin White

Lipstick/lipgloss

* Tonymoly Perfect Lips Shocking Lip Red

* Illamasque Lava Lips Marbled Lipstick Vixen

* Lumene

Highlighter

* It's Skin It's Top Professional Golden Vanilla

* Lumene Invisible Illumination Instant Illuminizer Midnight Sun

Blush

* Rimmel 3 in 1 Powder Blush Autumn Catwalk

Brows

* Missha Color Wear Browcara

Hair

Shampoos

* L'oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Repairing Shampoo

Conditioners

* L'Oreal Elvital Anti-Breakage Balsam Conditioner

Others

I think the updated packaging for TO's Rose Hip Seed Oil looks clearer and better.

Products that I tried and gave away or trying to find a purpose for

Gave away

Holika Holika Make Up Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++

* Too white, now second guessing if I still could have used it under makeup anyway

Tonymoly BCDation Multi Use Sun Oil SPF 50+ PA++++

* Gave me little bumps after using several days in row, now second guessing if I could have used it less and once in a while

The Body Shop Skin Defense Multi Protection Essence SPF 50 PA++++

* Made my skin dry, gave me acne, cystic too, I do not miss it

Finding purpose

The Face Shop Rice Cleansing Oil

* Maybe will be used as a body wash to get rid of sunscreen next summer

Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

* Body wash, I think

Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream

* ??? been opened for a while and I feel bad for giving someone a product that irritated me so... trash? Illuminating foot cream?

The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%

* Thinking about slathering my hands in retinoid to keep them wrinkle free too, haha!

Lookfantastic Advent Calendar items.

Products that are waiting to be tested

Might give some of them away, though. Sometimes I go on a shopping spree. I was thinking about my mom when I bought all the Mizon stuff. Funny thing, I didn't know the list would be this long.

Etude House Soon Jung Trial Kit

Etude House 99% Aloe Soothing Gel

Missha Cleansing Puff White Clay

Innisfree Cover Stamping Puff

Rosette Ceramide Gel

Pladerm Dual Sun Cream

Tosowoong Pink Sun Block

The Ordinary Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10%

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane

Lumene Kirkas Clarity Radiance Boosting Complexion Water

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off

Simple Cleansing Micellar Water

Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder

Mizon Skin Recovery Night Repair Seruming Ampoule

Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

Mizon All in One Snail Repair Cream

Mizon Hyaluronic Acid 100 Ampoule

+ Everything in the Lookfantastic Advent Calendar

+ Some oils I just ordered (evening primrose, cucumber, tamanu)

+ Some Deciem Black Friday discount stuff

+ Tosowoong Pure sheet masks

Thoughts of Next Year 2018?

* I don't think 2018 will be as eventful or full of realizations as 2017 but we will see!

* I think I will be more focused and more adventurous at the same time!

* My goal is to not wildly buy everything recommended and try all possible products/ingredients just to "see how I react".

* I do hope I buy less products and especially less those that end up not working for me.

* I hope I have the energy to keep up with the new skincare world I have discovered!

* I hope I can lose some weight and it doesn't affect my skin and hormonal balance too much and it will only have positive results.

Skincare goals:

* Start using retinoids, slowly

* Find eye cream or serum

* Explore more facial oils

* Keep using sunscreen even though the perfect one hasn't appeared yet

* Remember to apply sunscreen more to body as well

* Maybe actually start taking vitamins routinely

* Try to be less rough with my skin, patting easily turns into rubbing...

* Actually start to take care of neck and decollete!

Makeup goals:

* Start using more makeup again, especially eye shadow, eyeliner, liptint/lipstick

* Find products that are easy to apply and last the whole day without fixing

* Find a good setting spray/fix and actually use them

* Learn to do my eyebrows

* Learn to do a little contouring

* Look more presentable in general!

* Change my mascara more often

* Wash my makeup brushes more often