Urban Decay Black Market set of 24/7 glide on eye pencils

After a long line of beauty products (makeup excluded), today I am going to write about Urban Decay 24/7 glide on eyeliners.

I was a little late with photos, so you can see in the pictures which shades I used the most

Since Urban Decay (UD) is not available in Croatia, I get my products from HqHair. A very good and safe internet store that offers Paypal and free international shipping. If you are interested in this site subscribe to their mailing list and they will send you all kinds of coupons for a discount. They sometimes have general coupon codes (which don't always apply to brands like Nars, Caudalie and UD), but sometimes (actually frequently) offer specific coupons for a particular brand, like UD. That is where this set is from.

Black Market set was on my Christmas list. It costed 23.63 GBP/28.73 Euros/39.38 $ minus a 10% discount and it was checked off of my list.
In the set you get 6 eyeliners: West* (dark brown pearl), Desperation (deep taupe-gray matte), Black Market* (charcoal black satin), Riot* (smoky purple shimmer with violet micro-sparkle), Apathy* (metallic olive green shimmer) and Ink* (deep navy blue satin). The shades with a * are new and exclusive shades for this set.
I think that ordering something like this is great if you are trying UD eyeliners for the first time (like I did), want to see the colours, consistency and quality, because you get more for your money. You will also see which eyeliners do you use the most and get the opportunity to play with some colours which you maybe wouldn't normally get. You would be surprised how much oomph some of these colours give to normal, natural everyday looks. All the eye pencils from this set are travel sized- 0.8g/0.03 US oz, and a normal size of this eye pencils is 1.2g/0.04 US oz and will cost you about 15 Euros/12.34 GBP/20.56$.

By Urban Decay's words:
A set so good, it’s almost criminal: six darkly gorgeous hues of our award-winning Eye Pencils (including five exclusive new shades)—in a cool, travel-size set.
Like the most illicit of substances, our 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Sets have been known to provoke some pretty insane behavior in fans eager for another fix. And Black Market is no exception. The smoky lineup includes a deep inky-blue shimmer, a glittery grayish-purple AND a cool black satin (because one shade of black is never enough). Get it now or risk having to resort to extreme measures to track it down later.
 Just like our full-size 24/7 pencils, these babies deliver unmatched color payout in a creamy, waterproof formula that glides on and dries down to a waterproof finish that won’t budge.
The perfect gift for any makeup junkie (and a great introduction to UD), this set comes in a clear outer box so you can see all the gorgeous eye candy inside. Mmmm.
Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, 24/7 Eye Pencils offer long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied. With Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and Cottonseed Oil.

desperation

apathy

ink

These eye pencils are really good! I never before had such soft and creamy eyeliners that were also so longlasting. I often watched various YouTube gurus applying their eyeliners effortlessly and wondered why I can't do that?! Now I know... It's not me. It was my previous eyeliners fault ;). These babies really glide on like butter and look amazing, You can smudge them out if you want or leave them as they are and after about 30 seconds they are not going anywhere!

What about longevity during the day, you ask? Well, I get up early and apply my makeup at six o'clock in the morning. After a long day I take off my makeup before going to bed (and I am not an early bird), and while my other makeup shows signs of hours passing by, my eyeliner is still there. Sure, it looses some intensity but it is still there. And I am talking about 15/16 hours later.
I also apply this eyeliners to my waterline (only upper to make my lashes look fuller) and it is great for that, too. The thing I like the most about them is that they don't end as gunk in your eye which would completely be... not sexy.... And for its scent, it doesn't have any.

I mentioned the shades which this set contains: WEST- very wearable brown shade that is a  bit pearly. It defines eyes very nice, and isn't too in your face while doing that. The fact that it is pearly gives the eyes a fresher look (I apply dark colours only on my upper waterline). BLACK MARKET- a black and gray shade which adds the eyes a bit of a mistery... RIOT is one of my favorite shades in this set. I have green eyes which this shade emphasizes. It has almost burgundy subtle glitter, but so subtle that it makes this shade even more beautiful, and it can still be worn on more mature eyes also. APATHY- I wore yesterday with my Chanel Illusoire... Ohhh... It was beautiful and I got so many compliments. It is a neutral green colour which is green enough to make a difference, and soft enough to be wearable on any occasion, day and night. DESPERATION- is a gray matte colour which is clean and modern. If I would have to describe it, I would say that it reminds me of Karl Lagerfeld's structural designs. And finally, INK- is a beautiful blue shade, most vibrant from this set which can be subtle but also very visible part of a makeup look. I can say that all of these eye pencils are very nicely pigmented.

daylight

by candlelight dinner

artificial light

These eye pencils are very soft so they get dull soon and you have to sharpen them a lot. As a product of that, I am going through them very quickly, and sharpening them isn't always easy, they get kind of messy and that is the only thing I am not crazy about. But as a whole, when I look at all the cons and pros, they are amazing!

If you read my posts, you already know that I am very cautios when recommending products. I don't want you to go and spend your money on something that in the end you will not like. But, I really think that these eye pencils are great and that most people would really enjoy them. What I also recommend is to read the ingredients to avoid any that you don't like or you are allergic to. And as for colours, application and staying power, I say get them or try one first.

Ingredients: WEST/APATHY/BLACK MARKET/INK: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Polybutene, Synthetic Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Ceresin, Ozokerite, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate.

RIOT: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Polybutene, Synthetic Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Ceresin, Ozokerite, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate.

DESPERATION: Cyclopentasiloxane, Synthetic Wax, Polybutene, Isododecane, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Ceresin, Ozokerite, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol.

All Shades May Contain: CI 77019 (Mica), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491/77492/77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), CI 77400 (Bronze Powder), CI 77400 (Copper Powder)].

Have you tried these or any other UD 24/7 glide on eye pencils? Do you like UD in general?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

LUSH of the week: Melting Marshmallow Moment- luxury bath melt

Hello everyone!

Today I'll be writing about Lush. My Lush posts were previously called Love Lush, but since I am tough on them (although I really do love Lush), I decided to change the name to Lush of the week. I will certainly have enough material to write about, since I had a Lush frenzy during the 50% off sale after Christmas, which you can read about- here.

This is what I am talking about... Lush- Melting Marshmallow Moment- luxury bath melt (MMM).

When I saw it in the shop in all his pink glory, I just couldn't resist. And the scent of it is also amazing. I can't really describe it, but it makes me feel so comfortable. I suggest to smell it prior to buying it because it fills up the whole room.

Luxury bath oils, MMM included, aren't luxurious because of a rich foam. They are luxurious because of the oils and butters that they contain, which make your water rich and creamy leaving your skin soft. To use them, first decide to take a bath and run yourself a hot bath, drop your melt in the tub while the taps are running. Then just enter your tub and enjoy!

This is how Lush describes it:

This candy-scented bath melt is perfect for moisturising even the youngest and most delicate of skins.

Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment brings to mind dolly mixtures and candy floss, so it’s no surprise it’s popular with children of all ages. In fact, its gentle moisture-infusing ingredients are ideal for young, delicate, or irritated skins.

Let me demonstrate:
For purpose of this post I used only MMM, although I combine bath melts and bubble bars to get the best from both worlds. Creamy, nourishing water and luxurious foam. I don't use the whole piece, I cut it in half and add half of the melt and a piece of a bubble bar (the size of the piece depends of the bubble bar I am using).

we are starting...

a few moments later

Ingredients:
Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cocoa Butter, Laureth 4, Almond Oil, Water, Chamomile Powder, Marshmallow Powder, Marigold Powder, Synthetic Musk, Benzyl Benzoate, Methyl Ionone, Perfume, Colour 14700, Colour 45410, Colour 17200

This product is, of course, available in Lush stores. A 100 g piece will cost you 3.95 GBP, 3.5 oz 7.95 $, and in Germany a 100 g piece will cost you 5.95 Euros. The price is high but I bought mine during the 50% off Christmas sale and paid that price for two pieces. I will be enjoying them since I also got them in my bigger Christmas boxes.

final result

And now my impressions:
I really like MMM because it does make the water softer and creamier which makes my skin thankful for it after a longer bath, but, I do need to apply a cream or a moisturizer after my bath. The thing I don't like is that it lacks foam. For me the whole bath experience is more fun and luxurious if the foam is included. On the other hand, I must admit that it changes the quality of water and smells divine. Would I pay a full price for it? I don't know.. It is a kind of a decadent product, but I do like it and would buy it again on sale.

What about you? Have you tried MMM or other luxury bath melts?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

Balea In shower body milk (Balea Dusch-Bodymilk)

Do you ever hate being such a beauty junkie? Like, when you come home in the evening from your last dog walk, counting the hours (minutes) that you have until another day comes, probably very early in the morning? Well, this should help!

Balea In shower body milk offers a quick fix to all who occasionally/always skip nourishing their skin after a long bath or just a short shower. Application is very simple. Take a normal shower, soap your body, rinse it off and then apply this product. I often leave it on while brushing out my hair. In the end just dry your skin with a towel and you are done. Don't worry, it washes off nicely even if you get some on your hair.

This product is meant for dry skin and it contains shea butter and macadamia oil, and I think we will all agree, those are good ingredients. It comes in a 400 ml plastic bottle, turned upside down, which means that you will use almost everything inside of it. It has a very handy shape which allows you to use it fuss free while in the shower. It shouldn't be falling out from your hands. Its texture is very rich and creamy and although it can seem that it will be impossible to wash it off, you will be surprised how easy it disappears, leaving your skin soft and smooth. And since it is a Balea product, you can find it in all DM stores (400 ml botlle costs 23 kunas- 3 Euros, 2.47 GBP, 4.12 $). I almost forgot the scent... Well it is mildly sented, a bit like a baby product.

But to give my whole impression of this product I want to compare it to Nivea In shower body lotion for dry (blue bottle) and normal (white bottle) skin. I tried both of them an didn't really like them (I like the blue bottle a little bit better). The texture of both of them was much lighter and they didn't really do anything for me. By morning, I was back to being a desert person. There is also a significant price difference, because 400 ml bottle of Nivea will cost you double the price of Balea. So, when you take everything in consideration, nourishment, effect and the price... Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner: BALEA!

So, in conclusion. My body skin is normal to dry (in the winter). This product is very handy during my lazy days and it will do its job, but I don't suggest to only use this product, especially if you have very dry skin. Having said that, I think that it would be an awesome summer product since it does the job and doesn't leave oily residue. If you are into these kind of products, try it out. It is not bad and the price is very reasonable.

Have you tried any of these in shower body lotions? How did you like them?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

CAUDALIE BEAUTY ELIXIR

Hello everyone!

You probably already know a lot about this product because it is HUGE in the beauty world for quite some time now, but I wanted to write about it nevertheless... Since it is a high end product with an equally high end price tag, and I thought it was only a version of expensive termal water in a bottle, I wouldn't have bought it if I hadn't heard so many raves about it.

Caudalie claims that this product was inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary’s elixir of youth, this powerful plant based anti-dull complexion treatment smooths away fine lines, tightens pores and gives the complexion a real boost of radiance. A Caudalie cult product favoured by make-up artists, beauty addicts and celebrities, the elixir also works wonderfully to help set make-up. They suggest to shake it well before use and avoid the eyes while spraying it onto your face. It is also supposed to be great as an anti-dull complexion treatment for smokers and is an ideal after-shave spritz for men. As stated before, it can be used as a toner before applying your face cream, as a make-up setting spray, or to freshen up your face at any time of the day. It contains Grape Extracts for a glowing complexion, Rosemary Essential Oil, soothing Orange Blossom and Rose Extracts, Benzoin (which helps to regenerate the skin) and astringent Organic Mint.

I don't know if you tried anything from this brand, but to be honest, anything that I tried from them, I was thrilled with! Caudalie is against animal testing which is a huge plus for me, they also strive to make as natural products as they can, also a plus, which means that this product doesn't contain parabens. I think that you can already guess my verdict?!
As I already said, the price is quite high. Beauty Elixir comes in a glass 30 ml and 100 ml spray bottles. In Croatia you can find Caudalie products at pharmacies that carry beauty products and you will pay 100 kunas (about 11 GBP, 17$, 13 Euros) for a 30 ml bottle, and of course a 100 ml bottle is more expensive, and will cost you almost 300 kunas (about 32 GBP, 53$, 39 Euros), unless you find it on sale. But you can also buy this product on the internet, like HqHair. I suggest to subscribe to their emails to get it while it is reduced, and shipping is free.

This prodct is really like an elixir... I use it twice a day (mornings and evenings) before my moisturizer and love it! You will see a huge difference if you apply it in the morning because it will almost instantly wake your skin up, making it more radiant and reducing your pores. This almost poreless effect will lessen during the day but it will still be visible. The thing that surprised me about this product is the fact that it has a very strong and distinctive scent. The scent is 100% natural but you can smell the alcohol in it. I suppose I expected a soft smell of grapes or orange blossom, but the scent is more a rosemary and mint scent with an alcohol undertone... At first I was horrified thinking that I hate this product, then I left it in the back of my cabinet and it formed a film on the top (probably from all the essential oils in it). That was also weird for me, but when I started using it regularly that didn't happen. Also, keep your eyes closed while spraying it, because although it has a magical effect on your skin, the oils and mint will be bad for your eyes.

And in the end, after completely "undressing" this product, telling you all the thoughts I had about it- good and bad, I admit: I LOVE IT!!! All the minuses that I mentioned are minor because you get used to them, and your skin will be thankful. But I do recommend to try this product out before buying it, or just buy a smaller sized bottle to test it first.

Have you tried any of the Caudalie products? What do you think about them?

Tell me...


Love, beautyandbrains007

Garnier Ultra Doux Purifying shampoo and conditioner for greasy hair with soft clay and citron extract

Hello everyone!

I don't know about you, but I am in a constant search for new and exciting hair products. I found the ones for my deep conditioning, which I use once a week or once in ten days, and I already raved about them- here, my macadamia deep conditioning mask and oil, but I haven't found my perfect day to day shampoo and conditioner, and belive me, I tried many... from different brands and price ranges. Although I love earlier mentioned Macadamia mask and oil, I didn't like their shampoo and conditioner at all. So, as a result of everything said, and since I used up my LabelM shampoo that didn't impress me either, I decided to try and find my next choice at the drugstore. So, I went to DM and bought these two.

Garnier Ultra Doux Purifying shampoo and conditioner for greasy hair with soft clay and citron extract are available in all drugstores, well at least in Croatia, in grocery stores as well. They come in an usual plastic 250 ml (shampoo) and 200 ml (conditioner) bottles. Another thing that drew me to them is that they don't contain silicones or parabens. And their two main active ingredients are soft clay (clay consisting products are great for my oily skin) and citron extract.

And where do I stand with these??? I'll start with the shampoo. This is a very strong shampoo that gets your hair squeaky clean but also tangles it like crazy. I first tried to shampoo my hair twice, which is what I normally do, but then decided to shampoo it only once. My hair became a little strawy and I wasn't too thrilled about that. I can't say that it damaged my hair or changed the colour but I didn't like that it was so "aggressive". Without a conditioner and any kind of tangle teasing brush, you would be very likely brushing your hair for half an hour in order to brush it out. So, if your hair is dry, damaged or curly, I would stay away from this. For us, with greasy hair, I would say don't bother either. It is just too much... It cleans your hair but I have a feeling that because of that squeaky clean part, my hair became even more oily in order to protect itself. As for the smell, the smell is fine, and I think it will not bother many people, it does have a clay and citron undertone but if you wouldn't know its ingredients, you would probably be completely unaware of them, and the scent doesn't stay in your hair too long.

And now its smaller brother, the conditioner. Little better but not great. It is light, but after shampooing your hair with above mentioned bigger sister, you will need a big amount of it to help you fight that stubborn, tangled hair. It is not amazing with other shampoos, either. The smell is the same as the shampoo.

shampoo ingredients

conditioner ingredients

So, my final thoughts are that I wouldn't buy this products again, or recommend them. They are not bad products but not worth your money, either (in my opinion), especially if you expect them to solve your greasy hair problem or prolong the period of not washing it.

Until next time...


Love, beautyandbrains007

Lush Christmas Sale- 50% less for 100% more pampering

Well, hallo everyone!

I know... It seems like Christmas was ages ago... But you have to take into consideration that I was traveling

my little memento

and arived back to Croatia just in time to grab a couple of Lush boxes that were waiting for me on the shelves. I wanted to get the big "Legends" box, but it was sold out (same thing happened with Phillip Lim's bag that I wanted so bad, but was too late to actually buy it----Net a Porter sales tales....). That is also a part of the reason of my longer abence from blogosphere (it is funny because as I am writing this my dog is staring at me with a toy in her mouth, probably thinking- Oh no!!! Not that blog again!!!).

Although it doesn't seem like that in the pictures, during Christmas time I wasn't as impressed with their packaging like last year. I just love Christmas kitsch!!!

last year's box

Can you blame me??? Even the sign on it is perfect, and this year I used it as a Christmas decoration.

This year the boxes looked like this... Not complaining but more of an Eastery or springy box in my opinion.

The name of this box is self explanatory...

think pink

All the products inside, like the box itself are pink themed. It holds 14 products, three bubble bars (Rose Jam Bubbleroon, Creamy Candy and Comforter- my favorite from their usual line), two soaps (The Godmother and Rock Star), Melting Marshmallow moments bath melt, Fair Trade foot lotion, Bubblegum lip scrub, Turkish Delight creamy soap, Helping Hands hand cream, and four bath bombs (balistics): Sex Bomb, Think Pink, Twilight and Rose Queen.
Not bad..., and this box will be both pretty and handy after all the pampering.

another example of last year's Christmas tin box

Which I now use for storing my nail polishes...

And back to the future...

Orrr...

But I didn't stop there. I actually made some more "serious damage"...

Meet the monster with such a mellow name :)...

When my husband saw me with it his look was priceless... And the words that followed were also... All I can say- LOVE  him <3!

This one holds 21 products and is very versatile...

Containing Lord of Misrule bath ballistic, A French Kiss bubble bar, Golden Wonder bath bomb, Rose Jam Bubleroon bubble bar, Bombardino bath bomb, Snowcake soap, Flying Fox shower gel, Blue Skies bubble bar, Sandy Santa body scrub, Santas lip scrub (because I need two...), 80 g Ceridwen's Cauldrons bath melt, Gorgeous lotion, Snowman bath bomb, Jasmin and Henna Fluff eaza (some kind of hair treatment that I haven't tried, yet), Stepping Stone foot scrub, Lemony Fluuter (cuticle cream), Hottie massage bar, Ultimate Shine shampoo bar, Karma Kream body lotion, Full of Grace face serum and Noriko soap.

Inside the box, there are little baskets/shelves which you pull out and make your choice.

And as if that wasn't enough, I bought and got some other goodies...

whole other post

And as a result, you can probably count on lots of Lush reviews...

Have you made some serious damage during sales?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007