Bioderma micelle solutions- Sebium and Sensibio

You probably rolled your eyes when you saw another Bioderma micelle solutions post. Ever since Lisa Eldridge recommended them everyone got at least one bottle no matter the price or availability. I am happy to inform you that in Croatia they are easy to find and although they are pricey, you can often find them on sale.

As you can see, I know what I am talking about. I've gone through couple of bottles already and I have one new bottle in stock.

It comes in three sizes: 100 ml/250 ml/500 ml bottles. I of course bought the biggest size because it is also the most affordable one for the amount of product you get. In Croatia you can find it in pharmacies and its full price is 95,93 kunas (about $18, 9.50 GBP, 12 Euros).

I first got Sebium version because Sensibio was out of stock for some reason. And since I have oily skin it seemed like a logical solution. But as soon as Sensibio was back on the market, it got its place in my bathroom. As I get older, I am more worried to be gentle on my skin and keep it hydrated.

" Sebium H2O cleanses the skin gently without drying it, through the micro-emulsion of impurities and excess sebum. Enriched with ultra-purifying active ingredients, Sebium H2O cleanses the epidermis in depth and reduces sebaceous secretion. The exclusive Fluidactiv complex regulates sebum quality and prevents the pores becoming obstructed."

" Sensibio H2O gently cleanses and removes make-up from face and eyes. The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emusify impurities while maintaining the cutaneous balance. Soothing active ingredients prevent the skin feeling irritated. Excellent cutaneous and ocular tolerance. "

They are both used in the same way. Soak a cotton pad, cleanse, remove make-up and dry gently.

Both versions are light but they smell differently. Sebium has a stronger, clean scent, and Sensibio, although it is supposed to be fragrance free,  has a much softer and less noticeable scent. But you shouldn't worry about them since you can't smell them on your skin, just on the cotton pad.

My skin is oily but not problematic. Until recently, it wasn't sensitive but now I have to be more gentle to it and hydrate it more to keep it happy. Sebium version isn't bad but I like Sensibio version better. It is more gentle. I didn't see a huge difference, my eyes or my skin didn't burn from any of them, but Sensibio was lighter and more gentle. I suggest to get Sensibio over Sebium.

Sensibio ingredients

I use Bioderma micelle solutions as makeup removers. If you keep a cotton pad with your Bioderma on the eyes for a while you can even remove false lashes without any problem. I wouldn't say that they are a makeup remover and a toner- all in one- although they claim that you don't have to wash your face after them. I always wash my face with water and continue with my face routine.

Sebium ingredients

As I said, I prefer Sensibio and recommend you to try it. I've heard that the big 500 ml bottle lasts from 3-4 months to some girls but I have the 500 ml bottle for about two months and use it only in the evening to remove my makeup. I am aware that they are a bit pricey but they are worth it.

Would I buy it again?
I did and I will.

Did you try it? What do you use to remove your makeup?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

Balea Trend it up dry shampoo

I am still on a hunt for a HG dry shampoo. I found this one on the shelves od DM. It costs 24.90 kunas (about $4.30, 2.50 GBP, 3 Euros) and you get a 200 ml spray bottle.

It is much better than Balea dry shampoo- the blue one that I already reviewed but not as good as Batiste blush dry shampoo that still holds the first place in my book.
It has an advantage to all the others that I have tried and that is the scent. Its scent is floral and not irritating like most of the dry shampoos. But don't get too excited, it is not like you won't need a perfume. And you can't smell the alcohol in it like in Syoss anti grease.
The application is the same like with all the others. Brush your hair and then apply dry shampoo to your roots section by section. Leave it to dry and then brush out your hair again.
It is recommendable to put a towel on your shoulders to prevent staining. And you really have to be careful with this one because it leaves a noticeable white cast even on blond hair.
It will freshen up your hair but just to make it neat for a ponytail. That will last through one more working day and that is it. I don't think that your hair (if it is greasy) will be good enough to leave it down. It won't look flowy.

Ingredients:
Butane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Alcohol Denat., Aqua, Parfum, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol.

Would I buy it again? Maybe, if I couldn't find Batiste but I am not running to DM to get a new bottle. I like that it doesn't stink, it is good for one more day ponytail but it leaves white cast so I need to be more careful while applying it which means that it takes longer to get ready in the morning.

My own list of best dry shampoos, so here it is (I've already reviewed them):
1. Batiste blush dry shampoo- the best one for now, adds volume and freshness to your hair; the only thing I dislike is the smell but this one doesn't compare to it
2.Balea Trend it up dry shampoo
3. Syoss anti-grease dry shampoo- hated that one; so so freshness, no volume and a horrible scent; I am putting Balea dry shampoo- the blue one in the same category because it will also fail its task if you don't put your hair in a ponytail but it doesn't stink as much


Have you tried any of them? What are your favorites?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

Wet n Wild Megalast nail polish- Through the Grapevine (208B)

I am a person who wears a lot of nail polishes all the time (not at the same time) so it's a pity that I don't write about them more often. Today, I'll tell you about a nail polish that is worth mentioning.

                                          Wet n Wild- Through the Grapevine

Wet n Wild- Through the Grapevine is a wonderful shade of purple/scarlet colour. I am not the best in describing, but it is a colour of ripe grape. It is pigmented and opaque even in one layer. One layer is enough and I recommend to stop there because your manicure will last longer. I coloured my nails with two layers without base or top coat because I wanted to see if there was any difference and to be honest, there almost wasn't any.

artificial light with no flash

I bought it from nonpareilboutique, an online site that I recommend. I am not affiliated with them in any way. They offer Paypal, you must pay INT Shipping which is from $7-$10 (depending on weight of the package) and it comes to Croatia in three weeks max.
The polish itself costs $1.99 for 13.5 ml/0.45 fl.oz. of product.
I must say that this is an amazing polish, especially for the price. It has a thick consistency but goes on nicely and smoothly. It doesn't dry immediately but it doesn't take too long, either. I usually apply it in the evening, about an hour before I go to bed and it is fine. That doesn't mean that I don't do anything in that hour, but I don't have any imprints from my sheets or pillows in the morning.
It is shiny on its own and you don't need a top coat.

It is quite long lasting. I use my hands as a tool all the time and it lasts two days without any chipping, then I apply another coat to make it perfect again and that helps it for another two days. But, keep in mind that I don't tolerate any chipping on my nails. I take it off immediately if it is not tidy anymore.

The first one I tried from the Wet n Wild's Megalast collection was I Need a Refresh- Mint (click for review) . It spilled in my package and ruined the other bottles a little bit but the product itself wasn't affected.

Through the Grapevine doesn't contain toluene and phthalate.

I am not crazy about this brush because it is a bit too big but, surprisingly, it wasn't hard to work with.

to see how big it is

And would I buy it again? ABSOLUTELY YES!

What do you say? Do you own any Wet n Wild nail polishes? Do you like this one?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

My January favorites...

I know, I know.... Good morning Croatia! It is almost March but I wanted to tell you about my favorites. There aren't many but I love them all.

For the first time there is a perfume among my favorites. My adored Noa- Cacharel. I got it once many, many years ago and everything else is history. No matter how many perfumes I have in my collection (and believe me, there are many), I always have Noa for the days that I don't want anything else but perfection. It is soft, feminine scent and I don't think that it would offend anyone. For more information here is his fragrantica link. And just to be clear, there are many versions of Noa (summer, perle...) but to me, none of them can compare to the original- Noa.

Next is my Macadamia detangling brush. I LOVE this brush and can't stop talking about it, both on my blog and other people's blogs! I am sorry but it changed my life when I wash my hair.

Before it, there was no way for me to be finished in less than 30 minutes when I was washing my hair. Now, there isn't a conditioner ( no matter how bad it is) that would spoil my opinion about this little miracle. I LOVE IT!!! Here is the link for my Macadamia products review.

For my face skin care, I've been loving these two products. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Eyes, Time Complex Capsules that I have been raving about in a separate post and my finished items (love them!), and Balea Aqua Serum. I am still not sure if I am going to review it (although it is a great product) because I found out about it from other bloggers. It so loved in the blogosphere that I am not sure that it needs my review?

I loved and used three products in the makeup department this January. Two MAC's paint pots from LE Glitter and Ice collection (released last year around Christmas), and one Chanel Rouge Allure lip gloss in the shade #56- Imaginaire.

The shades of Mac's paint pots are Morning Frost and Lets's Skate.

Morning Frost looks kind of darker in the pictures but it is a champagne colour. Very wearable if you are a natural look freak. It has a soft texture but it could be a bit hard to work with. I would go with only one layer because it gets uneven and splotchy in more layers. That is why we had a love and hate relationship in the beginning but now we live in peace. I apply it with my fingers but a brush will do if it is synthetic.

left- morning frost, right- let's skate

you can see that they are loved, especially morning frost

The other shade is Let's Skate. My photos don't do it justice. It is a beautiful pale pink shade with small golden glitter particles in it. It is soft and more easy to work with than Morning Frost (even though it contains glitter).It can be applied in more layers and it stays on your eyes the whole day. Your face will not be full of glitter, there is a chance that some will be around your eyes during the day, but in a good way.
Although they were a part of a LE collection you can still find them on some internet shops like RockTheCatwalk.

left- morning frost, right- let's skate in natural light with no flash

On its own, Let's Skate can build up in your crease but with a base underneath (like TF Shadow Insurance) it will stay in place the whole day as well as if you use it as a base for powder eyeshadows.

top- let's skate, bottom- morning frost (natural light, no flash)

with flash

If you have these or any other paint pots or cream shadows in pots, I suggest to keep them well closed and with lids on the bottom. They will stay fresh longer that way!

I can't forget to mention my Rouge Allure Gloss from Chanel (#56, Imaginaire). I wore it almost every day since I got it. Amazing texture, full but not too sticky, nice neutral colour, glossy, soft... Loved it! Did a review on it here.

And the last favorite is a nail polish. Manhattan Quick dry- 60 seconds nail polish in the shade 410T. I bought it ages ago.

That is a funny story. I bought it one summer when I needed to repair my shoe. It got scraped and I wanted to wear it some more (btw, I still have those shoes and you can't tell that I used a nail polish on them). After that I've put it in a box with my other nail polishes and forgot about it. This winter I have been feeling dark colours, tried it and fell in love with it. It was on my nails all the time.
It lasts for about two days (it is a dark polish so every chip will be visible) but if you put another layer on your nail, it will be fine and last for another day or two. I've gotten many compliments for it (mostly from other women).

two layers with seche vite on top

It is a dark burgundy brown shade. A perfect winter colour in my opinion. Although it is called 60 seconds I don't think that it dries fast but mine is really old so that can be the reason. With seche vite on top, the drying problem is solved!

Those were my favorites.
Are some of them your favorites? Or quite the opposite?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

 

Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Serum

I bought this 30 ml bottle of Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Serum on cheapsmells for about 2 GBP ($3.50, 2.50 Euros). It was on sale and I heard a lot of good things about Aveeno from American and UK bloggers and youtubers. Naturally, I had to try it.

Aveeno is a Johson&Johnson brand with naturally active ingredients specifically formulated to reveal natural, healthy, beautiful skin.

This serum is supposed to hydrate your skin leaving it looking younger (if your skin is more mature) or postpone its ageing (if you are just starting your battle against wrinkles and fine lines).

 Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Serum, with natural Shitake mushroom- long believed to grant vigor and enhance vitality- works with your skin's unique chemistry to fight the signs of ageing. This concentrate of active ingredients adapts to your skin to enhance natural cell renewal process, replenishing surface cells faster so your skin looks and feels younger. It's proven to visibly increase skin firmness and reduce fine lines and wrinkles in just 4 weeks, leaving your skin immediately softer, smoother and more vibrant. Silky fluid texture. Fast absorbing, Non-comedogenic. Oil Free. Formulated to minimise the risk of allergies, even for sensitive skin. Dermatologist tested.

I agree wth the claims that it is oil free, silky fluid textured and fast absorbing. It will not crumb on you if you apply makeup after it. But I didn't like the smell of it at all. It was overpowering, too floral, mixed with chemicals...it didn't seem natural at all for me, plus- It stays on your skin and hands quite long.

I used this serum for about month and a half (in the morning and in the evening) and didn't see a huge difference on my skin. It has a pump on top and one or one and a half pump is enough for your whole face and neck, because it is so fluid textured. I don't have wrinkles but it didn't affect my pores a bit, and it didn't tighten my skin or made it dramatically smoother or softer. If I had such poor results with so little signs of ageing, I don't think that someone with more mature skin would have dramatically different or breathtaking results.
It did hydrate my skin but it wouldn't be able to cope with winter by itself (and I have oily skin, so for dry skin's it would be almost like they are not applying anything). It must be followed with a cream. I used it up but with day and night creams in the end.
I wouldn't recommend this product or buy it again!

Ingredients:
Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vynil Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PPG-10 Cetyl Ether, Steareth-21, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrolized Wheat Gluten, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Mucor Miehei Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algae Extract, Myristyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Calcium Chloride, Silica, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Pentaerythrytil Tetra di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Sodium Methylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Propylparaben, Sodium Ethylparaben, Parfum.

I am not an expert for the ingredients but these don't seem so natural for me?!
In my opinion, ignore this serum because it is not ageless or hydrating enough.

Have you tried this serum or anything else from Aveeno?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

I've been busy....(my finished products for January 2013).

The month of January was very productive for me as you will see. My bag with used up products is filled with lots of little and big containers. They come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. I don't discriminate them :).

I divided them into groups by brand and their purpose.

and there are many

I'll start with Macadamia.

I recently published my post about Macadamia products that I have and tried - here.
And the products that are in my "finished" bag are Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo for dry or damaged hair. I wasn't impressed with this one and wouldn't recommend it, but let me explain two bottles of it. I ordered this shampoo on cheapsmells and when it came it was slightly opened so most of the product got spilled. I contacted them and told them about it, and immediately they sent me a new one (on their expense), no questions asked. That was a wonderful experience and I appreciate it!
The second product from the line was Macadamia Natural Oil Moisturizing Rinse- daily conditioning for all hair types. This wasn't a favorite of mine, either. It wasn't horrible but I expected more, especially for the price. I wouldn't buy this shampoo or conditioner again.
And the last product was Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque. This was a whole different story. I love this mask and would buy it again. In fact, I already bought a new pot. You can have your opinion on these products because of the fact that they are called Macadamia but Macadamia isn't their only and main ingredient, but the fact is that this is a good product!

just wanted to prove that they are empty

 Next are DM products. I am always amazed how good some of them work for the price.

Balea- Trend it up dry shampoo. I will not go into details because it is going to get its own review. I am all into dry shampoos right now and am making a list of best and worse that I have tried. I will just say that you don't have to run to DM yet ;).
Balea dry shampoo (the blue one) that I reviewed- here- was one of them. I didn't like it and wouldn't buy it again.
Balea toner with lotus extract for normal and combination skin also got its review. I liked it a lot and would buy it again. It cleansed well, wasn't too agressive for my skin, it is easy to find and wallet friendly. I do recommend it.
I also tried Balea anti-age face mask. I was feeling a bit dry, well my skin was, so I decided to go with a more nourishing anti-age face mask. I will review it because I am in a process of testing out several masks from Balea.
And the last DM product is Ebelin nail polish remover with flower scent which is made to remove even dark and glittery polishes. It works surprisingly well, I even use it for removing shellac with a little help of cotton pads and aluminum foil. They repackaged it but they still have it. I would buy it again and recommend it.

And then there is Lush. Both of the papers are from Lush- Christmas eve bubble bars. I love that bubble bath! It is my favorite from all of their bubble baths. I have many of them in stock since I bought them like there was no tomorrow during the 50% off sale. You can't find it in stock, anymore, but it will be available next year. It is a part of their Christmas line every year and to make the wait a little more bearable, you can read my review on it- here.

I've added the Avon- Winter rose bubble bath to this group. It was a limited edition for Christmas but they usually have it in their later catalouges until they sell it all out. This wasn't anything new or breathtaking but, in my opinion, it was the best bubble bath from their Christmas line this year. If you are interested in the ingredients, scent or my overall opinion, you can read it here.

Among products for face and body care are Elizabeth Arden, Ceramide Eyes Time Complex Capsules. I already wrote about them but to summed it up, I LOVE THEM! They are nourishing, don't leave a greasy residue on the eyes even though they have an oily consistency. I will take a break after I use up my third container, only because I love to change up products, but they will definitely find their way back to me.
Cera di Cupra- bianca cream for normal and greasy skin is another product that I used for a long period of time. It has its review so I will not go in depth but it is an interesting product. It does help your skin to stay nourished and healthy but it has a very thick consistency so I am not sure how would girls with greasy skin like it.
Then, after a long time I tried a product that reminded me of my childhood. It comes in a small pot/container which I don't usually like but I've gone through this one so fast that I don't think any germs heard about that small container. I loved it!!! It doesn't contain parabens, it makes skin smooth and soft like a baby's skin, and did I say already that I love it? And if you are still wondering what I am talking about- NIVEA SOFT cream. It is an all in one cream for face, body and hands. I used it on my body and hands only and it did wonders.
And the last product from this group is Positively ageless rejuvenating serum from Aveeno.I wanted to try something from Aveeno because so many girls talk about it. I found a good deal on cheapsmells and went for it. I am going to write a separate post about it.

I almost forgot L'oreal Perfect Clean Foaming Gentle Scrub. I wrote about it a couple of months ago and it is done now. Hm? This isn't a bad product but it is not a must have either...I like the concept with this rubbery brush, it cleans nicely but wasn't blown away by it. I wouldn't buy it again. And just a small advice, every now and then clean the rubbery brush with alcohol. This is a lot od product and it will last you a long time so to avoid unwanted pimples, keep it clean.

And in the last group are makeup products. To be exact, two mascaras and a lip gloss. Maybelline One by One mascara which is one of my favorite mascaras. It seems to me that I bought it hundred times and I will probably buy it a hundred times more. It makes my lashes perfect, it doesn't smudge, it is easy to find and quite affordable.
COLLECTION 2000 VOLUMAX mascara is another product that I was interested in because English beauty bloggers talk a lot about this brand. This mascara is old school. Not too wide or narrow brush, not rubbery, very pigmented but in such a poor packaging. I ordered it online for about 2 GBP but it comes in a rubbery tube that broke the first time I used it just by closing the lid. Naturally, air came inside, mascara went bad so quickly that I haven't had a chance to form an opinion about it, but I wouldn't buy it again.
And in the very end of this post, there is a Chanel lip gloss- glossimer in the colour number 65. It doesn't look like it is used up but it is on its last legs. I would be using it more but during my scraping for the leftovers of this gloss the stick broke so the applicator stayed in the tube. Don't be mad. This gloss is very old, was in my pocket during many winters and summers so it is not strange that that happened. I got many compliments when I wore it.

Those are my finished products. What are yours?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

I am not affiliated with cheapsmells or any brand that I mentioned. I buy all these products by myself, or they were given to me by friends and family.
A lot of products were already reviewed and many of them will get its post. That is because I think that used up products are great to review because you obviously know how they worked for you.
Thank you for reading!