DM Haul ( L'oreal Paris Elseve Total Repair with 5 results and Perfect Clean Foaming Gentle Scrub, ORTIS FERO VITAL Liquid Iron and GUAM FANGOCREMA for tummy and waist)

 Hey everyone!

Todays post is going to be a small DM haul.

I have 2 blogs. They both are beautyandbrains007 blogs but one is in English, and the other one (beautyandbrains007hr) is in Croatian. So, for my Croatian readers I did a post on DM's coupon booklet which you get if you exchange it for 50 points. I am not going to go into details, but I exchanged my 50 points for coupons valid through may and june. And...this is what I bought.

As you can see, I didn't go crazy. As I said many times before I like to use up products that I buy. I do have a lot of makeup compared to usual makeup bags that women have but I try to control my obsession and not to overdo as much as I can. I also organize it well, so I can see what I have and use everything.

All the things I purchased, I needed. Sort of... I purchased liquid iron because I need a bit more iron in my blood but it wasn't really doctor's orders. Its normal price is 99,90 kunas (about 10 GBP, $18, 13 Euros and I got it for 25% less = 74,92 kunas (about 7.5 GBP, $13.5, 9.7 Euros). For my opinion about it, click here.

L'OREAL PARIS Perfect Clean Foaming Gentle Scrub. I wanted to try this one. Never had it before and I liked their cleansing gel from the same line with a rubbery brush (I had the blue one). I am low on face scrub so this was the right time to check it out. Got 25% off from the original price which is 39,90 kunas (about 4 GBP, $7.50, 5 Euros). I paid 29,92 kunas (about 3.80 GBP, $5.25, 3.50 Euros). 
If you want to read how I like this product click here for my review of it.

 LACOTE , GUAM FANGOCREMA for tummy and waist. I had it before and loved it. Since I have important things coming in my life I decided to test it out one more time. Original price is 114,90 kunas (about 11.50 GBP, 14.50 Euros, $18) and I got 25% off which made it 86,17 kunas (about 8.05 GBP, 10.15 Euros, $12.6). For a review on it, click here.

L'OREAL PARIS ELSEVE Total Repair with 5 results. I wasn't sure which one to get but I decided on this pink one. What a shocker ?! This treatment costs 39,90 kunas (about 4 GBP, $7.50, 5 Euros) and I bought it for 50% less. This was the best deal!!! And if you are interested to know more about this product and see how I liked it, click here.

I got a lot of makeup coupons but I didn't buy any makeup items. I have been  good....

You can expect reviews on all of these items.

Every item that I bought was kind of expensive. That is why I chose them. I wanted to buy items that I really needed and get them for a good deal.

That is all from me for now. I hope you are having a wonderful summer....

Did you buy something interesting?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

I am not affiliated to DM or any other company. I bought all the items with my own

money.

Balea cellulite meersalz peeling (Balea sea salt oil peeling)

Hey everyone!

This is going to be a summery post in turquoise...

 I admit. The colour alone had me at the store. I was looking for a body scrub and this one screamed "SUMMER?!" to me. It was in a nice jar, the colour was amazing and it seemed that it was rough enough... I like body scrubs with actual particles of anything in them. Otherwise, I don't have that new, fresh skin feeling.
I didn't even notice that it is suppose to help with cellulite. That is not why I bought it. It is not that I don't have cellulite but I made peace with myself and finally excepted the fact that I am a woman with all the imperfections that make me a woman. It is not like I am happy to have it but I know that no cream or cosmetic product alone will get rid of it. You probably have a question mark above your head :). I hope you understood what I wanted to say...

before 1st usage, mixed together

This is a very nice scrub. It is packed with oil when you first open it. I wasn't too fond of that. The more you use it, the less oily it is. It doesn't become dry, but the oil sinks into the product. I like it much more, now. If you just bought it and haven't used it yet, I don't recommend to take it with you on a holiday. Even when sealed, the oil will find a way to get all over your suitcase. That didn't happen to me but when I brought it home from the store, I noticed that the jar was oily and it was still sealed. Since I liked this product, I planned to buy a new jar at the seaside but now that isn't necessary because mine is well blended.

just to show you how loved it is :)

after a while, it becomes less oily and well blended

This scrub is recommended for all skin types. It is rough, but if you massage it into your skin,  all the ingredients melt together and sink into it. The skin feels wonderful after you rinse it off. I wasn't crazy about the oil part but more and more people like it as an ingredient of body scrubs. So, I understand why they did it. Your skin feels nourished even if you don't apply  lotion at the end. I always do. So, oils in scrubs are not a must for me. To me, that clean feeling is the most important. Although, this is an amazing product to prepare your skin for self tanning products. It will remove dead skin and nourish it for a more natural result.

The company claims (this is a DM brand product):
It purifies the skin, leaving it velvety soft. It contains caffein (which encourages skin metabolism) and sea salt gentle enough for all skin types. It both cleanses and nourishes the skin, increases its firmness and smoothness by removing all impurities and dead skin cells.
Use it couple of times a week for best results. Shake well before first usage.

Ok. I agree with everything. Except... Unless you want to remove stains from your wardrobe, don't shake it. Open it and lightly mix everything together with your hand.
 You should apply it to wet skin, massage it well into the skin, in circular motions and then rinse off. As I mentioned earlier, it is not well blended at first so you need to mix it all together (rigid part with oil).

I mustn't forget the smell. It is wonderful, light, summery, spa like smell. And it stays on your skin for a while. Not as long as I would like, but it is there in even more subtle and perfect version. It is the scent of a well-cared, clean, beautiful woman. Wow, I even got myself more interested in this product ;). Well, I like it.

So, my verdict is that this is a nice product! I really can't say that it did or didn't do anything to my cellulite. That wasn't my reason for trying it. But I assume that since it is a nice scrub, it will help any other product (cream or gel) to sink in better. So, if you use an anti cellulite product after it, it might work better.
I like the particles in it (they are not particles as for instance smashed almonds, it is sea salt that melts into the skin when you massage it, leaving it clean and nourished). I give it thumbs up.

Thumbs down for packaging which is cute but doesn't tame the oil when you first get it. Also, if you buy it to fight cellulite, I don't think this one would help you much. So that is something to keep in mind.

The jar contains 300 g of product and costs 32,90 kunas in my country ($7, 3.29 GBP, 4+ Euros) but when I looked for international pricing online, I saw that it is less expensive in Germany. There it costs about 3 Euros. You will get a lot of uses out of this one. It can be purchased in DM stores.

I like it and would buy it again. I think that says something.

What do you say? Like it? At least the colour :)? Tried it? Tempted?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

KOZMETIKA AFRODITA Oil Control 3 ACTIVE T-zone MATTIFYING serum

Hey everyone!

Today I am going to write a post about a brand that I am curious to see if you tried or even heard for. The name is Kozmetika Afrodita. It is a cosmetic company based in Slovenia which is actually very good. It offers drugstore products available for us at home, and salon exclusive products for professional care (I know that they are also sold in Germany and UK).

This one is only going to be about their T-zone mattifying serum .

I bought this serum and used it as a face cream (day and night) for over a month. Yes, I know, it is not a face cream it is a serum, but it worked well. It immediately attracted my attention when I saw that it is mattifying (I so need that) and when I saw that it is also Paraben and Parrafin free (well done!), I decided to give it a try. It was on clearance in Kozmo (our national drugstore, if you visit Croatia you should check it out), reduced 30% from 59 kunas for 30 ml of product (about 6 GBP,  $11, 8 Euros minus 30%). If you visit it, go there on Wednesday, because, every Wednesday one group of products is on clearance for 30%. So, that can be face products, lotions, anything. Just ask someone who works there what their special offer for Wednesday is? Back to my original post.I got this one for a good deal. I wanted to buy other products from the Oil Control line but unfortunately many people had the same idea, so I only found this serum. There are also a cream and a mask in this line- LINK! This link is in Croatian, they have several languages to choose from but it seemed that this line isn't available anywhere else but in this region. If that is not the case, please let me know.

The company claims:
T-zone mattifying serum for solving the problems of oily skin areas works at 3 levels:
- reduces sebum secretion, refreshes and mattifies the complexion
- moisturises the skin + protects it from dryness
- regulates the balance of oils and moisture in the skin

Its non-comedogenic formula reduces pore blocking, has a mild antibacterial effect and is proven to reduce the development of acne and subccutaneous blackheads. It balances the skin, making it beautiful and clean, without an oily shine. It provides care and reduces the first signs of aging.

I agree with most of the claims. This is a nice product for a very reasonable price. Especially as a serum. I like it because I have oily skin but I am not a teenager anymore, and I feel that it takes care both of my oily skin but it also helps hydrating it to prevent aging.
It has a weird scent. Not offensive, but it smells like herbal tea with lemon. It is mattifying, you can apply your makeup almost immediately after it but it won't act as a primer. Your skin will be mattified but not for long. I can't be sure if my opinion would be different if I tried it in winter. I am sure that this product would show better results then. Current temperatures are crazy in Croatia, I think that even people with normal or dry skin are oily. So, for someone with oily skin to begin with, it is a tough job for a product to deal with.
It definitely hydrates the skin without leaving oily residue and I must admit that I had no break outs and my pores weren't blocked.
I will try the rest of the line.
Just for reference, this is a 30 ml product that I have been using day and night for more than a month, and I still have it. One pump will be enough for the whole face.
I know that this is a serum but I used it as a cream because I wanted some hydratation (which this product provided) but I wanted as little as possible on my face because of the heat. It is working great.

I am not telling you  to go out and buy it. But this is a very nice product. It is mattifying but it is not long lasting, at least not at this temperatures. It made me intersted in this line and I will probably try their other products, especially face mask. I am also very happy to see more and more companies offering us paraben free products. Don't get me wrong. I am not educated enough to claim anything pro or contra parabens, I have many products that contain them but it is great to see that companies are looking for other options.

This product does all three things that it promises but don't expect miracles. It will not stop your skin from being oily but it will calm it down and provide hydration. Some of the products ment for oily skin can be too drying for the rest of your face but this is not one of those products.

It is good, nicely priced, it will effect your skin through time but it will not completely solve your skin getting oily throughout the day. You will still have to deal with the shine.

What do you say? Interested? Have you got any recommendations?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

China Glaze- Flip Flop Fantasy (and what a fantasy it is....)

 If you are following me for a while you already know and if you just found my blog, you should know that I am a neon nail polish freak this year. Probably as half of the globe?!

This polish is my favorite neon besides Color Club Lava Lamp (click for link). It seems that polishes more on the coraly/orangey side suit my skin tone better. It is a pink neon but more on the warm side with coraly undertones. I LOVE IT!!!

I had this polish on two weeks ago when I went to a long weekend at the sea with my family and let me just tell you that it was noticed. Perhaps, that is an understatement since my brother told me and I qoute: "When I saw you in the water it looked like you had a ping pong ball in your hands and that was your polish?!" He was laughing, not crazy about neon trend but I loved it so much that I really didn't care. I was swimming quite far from the shore and he was sitting on the beach. It was quite a distance. The only thing that worries me right now is that I hope that no sharks will be around the Adriatic coast because I will be the first thing on the menu?!
My boyfriend told me that it looks great while I was driving because it complimented my salmon coloured shirt that I had on, and with my white watch.... Ugh... I won't lie. I was checking myself out, too ;)!

great brush as always, easy to manage

I don't want to bother you with any more random details but I wanted to confirm that this is an eye catching polish so that is something to keep in mind. For some reason, this is perfect for my skin so it looks trendy but not insane enough so that you couldn't wear it to work. I would. Maybe it's the heat, maybe summer but this one is a keeper for me.

I had it both on my feet and my hands and it held up and looked beautifuly. It didn't chip a bit. Since I am like a mermaid at the beach (never leaving the water), I can really say that with confidence.

So, staying power:10+!

It is a matte polish that looks nice on its own but I added my Seche Vite top coat and it looked even better, shiny and polished. The only downside is that you will need several coats before it gets opaque enough.

three coats + seche vite top coat

I bought it on ebay for $7.50 (shipping included). Original price was $3.99 but shipping to Croatia was anoother $3.50. And honestly, that is a reasonable shipping from USA to Croatia, I think. It contains 14 ml or 0.5 fl.oz of product.

What do you say? Who do you agree with? My brother or Mr. Right?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

Avon Ideal Flawless Liquid Foundation

Hey everyone!!!
I have been wanting to write this post for the longest time but never did?! Does that happen to you? I was thinking about it and writing it in my mind but never actually took my laptop and typed it....
Well, better late than never, so here it is.

Maybe it is a good thing that I waited because I tested it out for a longer period of time and it was tested with this crazy heat that is currently in Croatia.
I bought it based on a recommendation of gossmakeupartist (click for link). He was raving about it and I just had to have it. When I first got it, I was puzzled. What is so special about this foundation? It is a liquid foundation that feels somewhere between liquid and mousse (not sure how to describe it), it is very light and has a light to medium coverage.

When I bought it, my face was acting strangely and I had a HUUUUGE pimple.  I tell you, if I traded Quasimodo's hump for my pimple, it still wouldn't look as bad. Of course, I messed with it so it became not only bigger but also crusty and purple. I know, disgusting. But....that's the way life can be.
Then, I didn't like it. It didn't cover my pimple at all and it emphasised the dryness of my skin (which is oily) but that crust on top of that pimple was shouting to people around me, I swear!

As the time went by, the pimple went away and my usual skin with only some redness and discolouration was left with me. In that case, this foundation was AMAZING!!!!
I have been reaching for it again, and again, and again.... It deals with this weather nicely although I recommend that you set it with a powder, especially if you have oily skin. It gives a dewey finish, but not so dewey that us, people with oily skin couldn't use it. I LOVE IT!!!

As I said sooner, it gives light to medium coverage (Avon claims full coverage but I disagree). Light, if you use your fingers to apply it, and medium if you use brushes (I use two pumps for the whole face and neck). It is buildable, but this is a foundation that looks almost invisible on your skin. It is very light. Your skin can get a bit shiny as the day goes by, but that depends on the weather and your skin type. The smell is light and not offensive to me.
It comes in five shades in Croatia, 12 in the UK, 17 in the USA, 16 in Germany.

In my opinion, it is suitable for all skin types but I wouldn't recommend it if your skin is so dry that it is peeling on some places because it will cling to those spots, and I also wouldn't recommend it if you have acne. It can be a nice starting point but you will have to use Lisa Eldriges's method of concealing (click for link) with a different product to get a flawless look. If you are the one with that problem, watch her video. You won't belive the difference.
I have larger pores on my nose and around it and it doesn't settle in them.

It wears well. Eight hours are no problem. So you are fine for work (more or less). It stays even longer but it will not look as flawless.
I was wondering how it will look in the summer because of that almost oily consistency that it has and slightly dewey finish but I am enjoying it very much and I don't have a feeling that my skin is trying to breath without any success.

It also has an SPF 15 which is a plus. I had it on when I took some pictures and haven't noticed any white cast. That is just my experience, but I haven't seen a difference. My shade is nude but it looks good on me even now when I have some tan.

#nude# with flash

#nude# without flash

You get 30 ml of product. It's price is $11 but it is on sale for $8.99 in the USA, 12 GBP (what a price difference?!), 14 Euros or 65 kunas in Croatia. The packaging looks expensive. It is a glass bottle but I traveled with it and had no problems. It also has a pump which I like but you can't really control the amount you will get.


INGREDIENTS:
cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, aqua, glycerin, alumina, titanium dioxide dimethicone crosspolymer, PEG-10 dimethicone, alcohol denat, dimethicone/PEG-10/15 crosspolymer, tocopherol, petrolatum, polysilicone-11, boron nitride, cetearyl dimethicone crosspolymer, phenoxyethanol, sodium chloride, aluminum hydroxide, caprylyl methicone, stearic acid, disodium edta, talc, PEG/PPG-20/23 dimethicone, triethoxycaprylylsilane, aluminum dimyristate, disodium stearoyl glutamate, silica, dypropylene glycol, methicone, laureth-12, parfum, methylparaben, (+/- CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, MICA, CI 77163)

So, my verdict is "LIKE".

What do you say? Tried it? Tempeted?

Tell me.....

Love, beautyandbrains007

Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick- Notting Hill Nude (720)

I remember Rimmel as a brand that my mother used when I was little. Then it vanished for some time and after a while, it re-appeared on the market. Well, at least for me.
For the last 2 or 3 years they are growing and offering many products but still, I don't see them often enough in blogs or YouTube community. You probably know about Airy Fairy lipstick which is AMAZING (tell me if you want to see a post about it), and I have also heard many good things about Wake me up foundation but can't say anything about it. Haven't tried it myself.

Recently I bought many items from them on a sale at Cheapsmells and they were all very nice. Among them was this lipstick to which I was drawn because of the name. Notting Hill ( I wish I'll visit one day) and Nude (I can't go wrong with). They still have it for 2.95 GBP plus shipping.

I just love their logo, don't you?

I think that this is one of their old colours but you can find it online. I googled it and there were many places that had it. So, you can probably guess that I like this. I bought it for 1.99 GBP and thought that was a great price, especially when I got it in the mail and tried it. It is in my bag since then. I am not telling you to go and buy it but if you come across this lipstick and find this blog, I hope it will help you (with all the pictures and information) to decide whether it is something for you or not?

This is a no fuss lipstick, great for your handbag because even if you don't have a mirrror, you can apply it with your eyes closed and you won't look like a clown. It moisturises your lips (the company claims "...up to 70 % more hydrated lips") because of the new formula with 3 super moisturisers- collagen, polypeptides and hyaluronic acid. So, I don't want to insult anyone (hey, I wear it, too) but this is a no brainer. It goes with everything.

On the lips it looks very natural and I got many compliments while wearing it. It is shiny but not satiny, if you know what I mean? Like a lip balm but with more colour. The colour is nude, flesh toned nude if you are fair (if you are darker, it will also look perfect because it will add some subtle colour and moisture to the lips- almost like a nude lip gloss). It is not too pink or too brown, and it won't wash you out. It is both pink an brown, I don't know how to describe it perfectly but that is what pictures are for :).

daylight/no flash

daylight with flash

The only thing that is not as great is staying power. You will apply it during the day again and again. That is probably because of the moisture. Then again, for that same reason, you can get away with dry and chopped lips because this one is very forgiving.

What do you say? Which one is your "no brainer" lipstick?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

I am not affiliated with Cheapsmells or Rimmel. I bought this lipstick myself and I mentioned Cheapsmells because I had great experiences with them. The prices are good and customer service even better.