Beauty Haul #1

I have been doing a little bit of shopping lately and some products are, as usual, fails and some have quickly become staples in my daily routine. 

Let's start out with the product that I would not recommend: the Alverde Rose Tinted Highlighter. I was looking for a product to glow-up my complexion for spring. Recently I have been using the e.l.f. shimmering facialwhip, which I do enjoy. Unfortunately the Alverde highlighter dries too quickly and therefore doesn't hydrate the skin. Also, it has a lipgloss-type applicator, which doesn't dispense enough product. All in all I'd say, go for the e.l.f. liquid highlight or the Mac Lustre Drops, if you want to splurge.

Another product that didn't meet my expectations was the Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Blonde. Of course, I don't have the most brow hairs to begin with but I was thinking it might me a nice product to use on those "no makeup" makeup days. The applicator is a little strange because the bristles are so long on the "ball" that they are not saturated enough to apply any product onto the brows.  I can't see that this will work even for someone with amazing eyebrows.

Two products that I have fallen in love with are the Kiehl’s Over-Night Biological Peel and the Korres Wild Rose Foundation in RF3.

The Kiehl’s Peel does wonders for your face. You apply it just as you would a night creme and wake up with baby-soft skin. Then simply wash your face with warm water in the morning. It is a milky serumy-moisturizer, which exfoliates the skin without manually scrubbing it. It also reduces the size of pores after some time and fights the effects of free radicals.

The Korres Wild Rose Foundation was a purchase I made to make my skin look more radiant. It is a water-based foundation, just like the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, which I’m dying to try. Additionally, there are many beneficial ingredients in it (vitamin C, amino acids, vitamin E, and UVA and UVB protection) and it's basically free of anything harmful: parabens, mineral oil or propylene glycol.

The consistency is gel-like and not at all runny like the Vitalumiere Aqua seems to have. It leaves a glowy, yet non-sticky finish and has a medium coverage. I don't know why this does not get more hype in the beauty community. Seriously, foundation-lovers! This stuff is great!

The next few products I am not sure about: the Astor Lipstick by Heidi in 004 "Funny" and the True Organic Pharmacy Enzyme Peel Mask. While the Astor Lipstick does have a nice orangey-red color and a satin finish I simply cannot say if I like it or not because I haven't had the chance to wear it long enough yet. Either way, I have high expectations for it.

The same goes for the Enzyme Peel Mask. I got this as a sample but there just was not enough in it to form a well-rounded opinion on it. I do like the idea of an Enzyme Peel Mask, because I have been staying away from manual scrubs. The price tag puts a huge damper on my plans of possibly purchasing the full size, 60€ for 40ml is pretty serious. I might consider it, because of what I have read the ingredients are natural and of high quality.
I have been hearing a lot of buzz about the new L'oreal Skin Perfection 5 in 1 BB Creme. I was using their serum a little while ago and I did like the way it made my skin look. So I'm excited to see if this will really improve the look of my skin overtime. This far I can only say that I like the color and coverage for a light and lazy makeup day.

Finally, I have caved and bought a cleansing balm. Hallelujah! I was pretty confused about how to use them but after reading Fleur de Force's blogpost about her favorite cleansing balms. I decided to go with one of the cheaper versions to see if I like the mechanism. Surprisingly, I found the Balance Me Cleanse And Smooth Face Balm at my local drugstore.

The consistency reminds me of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Creme, just at a warmer stage, if that makes sense, which transforms into a thick oil when you rub it in. Also, there are some grainy particles that dissolve during application.

My verdict: It takes everything! I do use my Bioderma beforehand to take off my eye makeup and the first layer of my face makeup. After that my face is clean but not dehydrated; a feeling that is unique to a balm cleanser.

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what your opinions on them are, especially the True Organic Pharmacy Enzyme Peel Mask.

xoxo, Martyna