CAUDALIE Polyphenol (C 15) anti-wrinkle eye and lip cream

I love Caudalie as a brand. Ok, as always, there are products that you like more than the others, but I never really had a bad experience with them in a way that their product completely disappointed me. After finishing my eye cream, I had no clue what I want to buy next so I played it safe and bought Caudalie Polyphenol (C15) anti-wrinkle eye and lip cream (Anti-oxidant, smoothes fine lines, corrects dark circles- as they claimed). Mine was bought on HqHair for 30% less, and its full price is 26 GBP. In Croatia it is also available- here, and its full price is actually lower. You can get it for 247 kunas (about 31.80 Euros/24.44 GBP/37.23 $).

I am hearing and reading more and more about this line but when I bought it, it was because it was a Caudalie product that claimed to be anti-age and anti fatigue for eye and lip area. As a woman in her early thirties who sleeps far too little, I am always on a hunt for a product that will help with looking fresh daily, and prolonge my youthful skin in a long run. For now, my mother's good genes are still keeping me looking younger but that lack of sleep could fight them hard, especially without any help of a good cream. This baby comes in a 15 ml green tube.

Caudalie claims that this double-action gel-cream reduces dark circles and smoothes the area around the eyes and lips. The Polyphenol + Vitamin C anti-oxidant, anti-wrinkle formula is enriched with Matrixyl 3000 and fern, horse chestnut, liquorice and witch hazel extracts. Instantly tightening, smoothing and moisturising. (-25% crow feet and 81% dark circles diminished, which numbers are results of clinical trials)
Fragrance-free. Non-photosensitizing. Dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested.
Apply morning and evening, to eye contour and lips.  

By my experience, this white gel-cream has a very light texture, but not watery. It applies wonderfully on the skin where it disapperas in a few seconds. Since it is so light, I was afraid that it will not be hydrating and nourishing enough, especially for winter months, but it surprised me and actually became one of my favorites for the year of 2014. It definitely helped with signs of stress and fine lines in my case. Again, I don't have wrinkles, and my crow feet aren't that bad, my skin is oily but eye area can be dry. This winter that didn't happen, although I must say that in Croatia there were just a few really cold, snowy and windy days uptil now. Since it sinks into the skin very quickly, it is a great morning-before makeup product.

I used this cream exclusively in the morning and evening and applied it on my eye area. I wasn't too happy tu put it on my lips because the thought of a cream on them isn't that appealing for me. I was afraid that it will taste or smell wrong but had to try that and was very surprised that that didn't happen. I just got a confirmation of how good this cream is, because it left my lips nourished and velvety smooth. I don't think that this cream has a scent, maybe a tiny, tiny bit but if I wasn't a blogger, I would have never even noticed it.

Ingredients:

Vitamin C Ester, Matrixyl & Concentrated Polyphenols

AQUA (WATER), GLY CERIN*, BUTYLE NE GLY COL, ISONONYL ISONONANOATE, CAPRYLI C/CAPRIC TRIGLY CERIDE*, CETEARYL ALCOHOL*, HY DROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL*, PEG-20 STEARATE, CETYL ALCOHOL*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE*, PALMITOYL GRAPE SEED EXTRACT*, CARBOMER, CYATHEA CUMINGII LEAF EXTRACT*, CAPRYLYL GLY COL, TOCOPHEROL*, ESCIN*, AMMONIUM GLY CYRRHIZATE*, POTASSIUM SORBATE, HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) LEAF EXTRACT*, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT*, XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM HY DROXIDE, ASCORBYL TETRAISOPALMITATE, SODIUM PHY TATE*, POLYS ORBATE 20, ACRYL ATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYL ATE CROSSPOLY MER, GLY CERYL CAPRYL ATE*, CINNAMIC ACID*, LEVULINIC ACID*, SODIUM LEVULINATE*, PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDE, PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7. (141/020) * Origine végétale - Plant origin.

Caudalie is a brand that tends to go organic and natural, and if you are that way too, you will be glad to hear that this cream is free of parabens, mineral oils, phtalates, sulfates...

There are three more products available from this Polyphenol line: serum, fluid and oil, which I am definitely interested in, and two of them (serum and oil) are already on their way to me. 

I think that my verdict is clear. I love this product and would and will buy it again.

What about you? Interested? Have you tried anything from this line? Do you like Caudalie as a brand? What is your current or favorite eye cream?

Tell me…

Love, beautyandbrains007

AVON Senses Garden of Eden body scrub

Although I bought this scrub from the "until stock lasts" pages of Avon's catalogue, I spotted it in their newest campaign, in a slightly redesigned packaging. My 200 ml tube costed 17 kunas (about 2.21 Euros/1.73 GBP/2.63$), its original price is 33 kunas (about 4.29 Euros/3.37 GBP/5.11$) and it is currently reduced and costs 19 kunas (about 2.47 Euros/1.94 GBP/2.94$). Other Senses body scrubs are also currently on sale.

Its outside and inside is quite tropical. The packaging is hot pink and green with leaves and water, and the scrub itself smells tropical, as a combination of floral and fruity scents.

I think that  as far as its scent is concerned, it is perhaps a product better suited for spring and summer, but since I try to use up products when I open them, I used it up now, although we are in full winter. It leaves my bathroom with a very fresh scent which stays there for a while... Avon says it is exhilarating which it is, it really has some "I'm full of energy" feel to it, and if you are more into soft, warm and vanilla or sugar scented stuff, maybe you should skip this one.

The scrub itself has a pink gel like texture with small pink particles in it, which aren't bad. Let me explain. When I first opened this product I tried it out on my dry hands and I could really feel those particles working, so much that it surprised me. But when used as described under the shower, on wet skin, it loses that quite abrasive feel and becomes much "softer" and lighter. It rinses off very easy with water. I prefer  "harder", more abrasive body scrubs which also contain oils in them, because then you remove dead skin cells and instantly nourish that young skin underneath. So, Garden Of Eden is not my type, at least in Avon's body scrub way.

The other thing that you saw in the first picture is a loofah sponge, also from Avon, from their breast cancer awarness permanent line. I love it!!! The way it looks (baby pink awww...), the way it feels (also cleans your skin kind of like a scrub) and the way it performs (foams up any body cleanser in a second). I will buy it again for sure. It costs 10 kunas (about 1.30 Euros/1 GBP/1.55$).

ingredients: aqua, sodium laureth sulfate, glycerin, polyethylene, polysorbate 20, acrylates copolymer, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide mea, sodium chloride, parfum, tetrasodium EDTA, benzophenone-3, sodium hydroxide, tocopheryl acetate, alcohol denat, methylchloroisothiazolinone, acetate, alcohol denat., methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, Cl 17200, linalool, limonene

That is it for this topic from me. What about you? Have you tried this or any other Senses body scrubs? Did you like them? Interested?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

I bought this product with my own money and I am not affiliated with Avon in any way. Not even an Avon lady :)

LUSH HOLLY GOLIGHTLY bubble bar

I am well aware of the fact that Holidays are almost gone. December just flew by me and I was sooo busy that I never got a chance to try out those few products that I bought from Lush's Christmas line. But, when I browsed through the internet, I noticed that there are so many sales and deals on those products that I've figured that I'll write this post, just in case... In Croatia, the Christmas/Holiday line is reduced by 50%.

I'll start with a bubble bar that made me enter the shop when I saw it on the table. Holly Golightly bubble bar. It was sparkly, smelled nice and oh, so festive!

Here is what Lush has to say about it:
"Baby, it’s cold outside but we’ve got the cure for what…well…makes you cold! Crumble Holly Golightly under warm running water and you’ll start to warm up the moment the spicy clove, cinnamon and patchouli oil fragrance hits your nose. Breathe deep and luxuriate in the soothing, festive scent. Hop in the tub, sink deep into those warming waters and let the cold (and your troubles) melt away like a snowman in summer. See? Now don’t you feel warmer already?"

This is a very large 200 g bubble bar that would be enough for four uses, by my experience. It costed 49.00 kunas before but now we can buy it for 24.50 kunas (about 3.83$/3.16 Euros/2.46 GBP), and you can find it in Lush stores or online, of course if it is in stock, and since it is so beautiful and nice, hurry!

It has a bit strong and spicy scent, but also soft at moments, thanks to the yellow part on top, which smells like the moon on Christmas Eve bubble bar (review here). I smell cinnamon the most. It is covered in silver and blue glitter, but only on surface, the inside is green as Hudson river on St. Patrick's day. When I first tried it, it reminded me of Grinch (but from the part when he became good) and the movie "Elf".

I suppose that you already know the drill with Lush bubble bars, but in case you are new to them, here's a little help. You take your bubble bar, or, in this case, a piece of it, and crumble it under running water. Then just leave it and let it do its magic.The foam it creates is insane! Pure luxury, and it stays foamy until the end of your bath.

When this bubble bar comes in contact with water, its scent becomes more intensive and spicy. I almost smelled pine, which could be just in my head since everything was so green. After a few minutes there is that subtle smell again and I must say that my family members commented on it as wonderful.

in the beginning

I must also mention that it seemed to me that it has some nourishing oils in it, because the water was very soft and left my skin even softer. No, I don't think that it is a substitute for body lotions, I applied body cream after my bath, but it surely didn't dry my skin out.

the back of my bath tub was quite green

Here is the list of ingredients which help it to do its magic:
Sodium Bicarbonate , Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate) , Sodium Laureth Sulfate , Lauryl Betaine , Cornflour (Zea mays) , Clove Leaf Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus) , Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin) , Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) , Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre) , Cinnamon Leaf Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) , Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis) , *Cinnamal , *Eugenol , *Limonene , *Linalool , *Benzyl Benzoate , *Benzyl Cinnamate , Coumarin , Hexyl Cinnamal , Fragrance , Green 8 , Blue 1 , Yellow 8 , Red 27 , Red 4 , Blue 4 , Silver Glimmer Lustre (Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Potassium aluminium silicate.

enjoy your bath time wit luxurious foam (I used a half of my bar)

 

and a touch of green

To be honest, I loved it and although Christmas is gone, winter is still upon us and this bar can make it cozier and warmer when needed, and of course, it is reduced now.

Have you tried it? Any other Holiday products?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

REVLON JUST BITTEN KISSABLE Balm Stains- crush/darling/honey

These stains have been around for a while, and they pretty much got their 15 minutes of glory in beauty world, but since they are still not available in Croatia and some other parts of Europe, I decided to write this post anyway. Mine were bought in Poland last winter in their Douglas for 50 polish Zloty (about 90 kunas/11.74 Euros/14.26$/9 GBP each), but they reached their full potential (in my book) this autumn and winter because I basically wore them exclusively.

I played it safe and chose three colours that are very wearable in their colour families- a darker red, rosy purple and nude. They aren't cheap but I had to try them.

The 005 shade- CRUSH is a velvety and rich deep red tone, with a bit of a cold, purple undertone.

It is a beautiful and perfect autumn and winter shade, which is dark enough and defies cold winds and snow, but still not so dark that you have to think twice before you put it on. It is very wearable and in my opinion suits a lot of skin tones. I have quite light, almost pale skin tone and it is great for me, but darker complexions would get along with it very well, as well.

Its pencil packaging makes it easy to handle and you shouldn't have many problems while applying it, but it can apply a bit uneven so you must go over your lips a couple of times with it in order to reach a nice and even colour. The thing I am not crazy about is the fact that it lasts only for 2 hours before it starts to fade (of course if you are not eating and/or drinking) and then the colour changes into a lighter, warmer red shade that is almost a bit orangey. Depending on lip pencils underneath and lip glosses on top of it, it can change a lot, like a chameleon, but for me it always looks great. With a good lip pencil it lasts longer. I love it and wore it all the time this past December.

Second one is a rosey purple shade- 010 DARLING. In the packaging it looks more purple and cool toned, when swatched on hands more like a pink, and on the lips it is cool and a bit purple again, with an almost metallic shine. Honestly, it is a very wearable all year around shade.

I like it a lot, and out of these three shades that I have, this changes the least on the lips by wear. It is a no brainer shade that is safe enough and could almost be called a nude. Almost.

And my last choice was a super wearable shade that anyone could go for. Excellent for both day and night, every season, a compliment catcher- 001 HONEY. This nude/flesh tone shade is probably in everyone's comfort zone, and although it seems predictable in the packaging, it is actually very pigmented and more dark and out there than it seems. My lips but better shade. It goes well with so many lip pencils and lip glosses, and if you put a plain lip balm underneath it will be shinier and less pigmented in colour, but still very nice on the lips. Great for young girls or more mature women who want to look youthful, cared for and subtle.

All of these come in a plastic 2.7g/0.095 oz  pencil like packaging. The pencil turns and that is how you control the amount of product you want to have out.
They all have minty feeling and scent, and remind me of plumping lip products, although they don't claim to do that, and they really aren't, but they do have a cooling effect.
They aren't marketed as pigmented lipsticks, more like sheer balms but they offer more than a decent pigmentation for those of us who like wearing all kinds of colours on our lips, but in a safe zone. They are also quite soft.

All three shades have this balmy, a bit shiny finish but not like you have a gloss on top. I can't say that they nourish the lips but they don't dry them out, either. It seems to me that they are very friendly to slight imperfections. My lips aren't really dry or chapped thanks to my Lush bubble gum lip scrub (review here) and Korres Jasmine lip butter (review here), but if they become a bit dry, these help.

So...to conclude. I like these a lot and I am sorry that we don't have them here.These are from their permanent Colorburst line. They also come in a shiny and matte variation which I would love to try...and if I ever come accross them, I'll definitely try them out.

What about you? Have you tried them? Any other recommendation for these "pencil like" products?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007

LOOKFANTASTIC BEAUTYBOX for December 2014.

Firstly... I wish a MEERY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of my readers and anyone who stumbles upon my blog! I was planning to be with you a lot more in December but life happened so we are seeing each other again now, in January... Nevertheless, every minute with you makes me happy so what better way to start a new year than with a new post?!

Now, we are going to rewind again because today I'll be writing about the December Lookfantastic beauty box. I just received it and thought it would be nice to tell you something more about it. Also, you can pre-order your January box here. It will cost you 15 GBP (shipping included). It comes with several products, most of which are travel size, but some are actually the same as if you would buy them normally. The price isn't low but the products inside of it are also mostly high end.

The products are packed inside with tissue paper and sealed with lookfantastic sticker. On top of it you will also find

a booklet with more details about the products

and a 10 GBP voucher for sister site www.coggles.com, where you can find men's and women's clothes, shoes, bags, accessories... International shipping is free if you spend 50 GBP or more.

December box came with seven products, and since I haven't tried them I'll write just a few words from the booklet.

So...here they are.

A full size Bourjois Intense Smoky trio, number 62- violete constelle. I like it a lot and it is very nice for evening makeup and winter in general. To see what else you can find on lookfantastic from Bourjois, click here.

There is also a Murad- essential C cleanser, currently available only in a duo with a toner for 40 GBP- here. It cleanses environmentally damaged skin by removing impurities and potential irritants, restoring moisture and preparing skin for repair.

It also came with a small 15 ml/0.5 fl.oz bottle of Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Youth Activating oil, which you can see here. This powerful 100% concentrated rose hip oil activates skin's natural reparative ability with potent antioxidants and essential fatty acids to reveal skin's youthful state- bright, resilient and radiant. Luxurious and lightweight, this citrus scented and potent anti-aging treatment quickly absorbs and deeply penetrates to heal, nourish and hydrate.

Other normal sized product is Macadamia Oil Infused Comb (link) that I already have. This is not my favorite product. I already wrote a review on several Macadamia products, so I will link my post about them here.

Another makeup product is a travel size 2g/0.07 oz. LORD&BERRY Silk Kajal in black- link. This is a very soft eye pencil, good for smoky eyes but not waterproof or longlasting. It smudges very easily so just be aware of that. Also, I wouldn't use it for any kind od tight lining.

I am very happy that it also came with a travel size (15 ml/0.5 fl. oz)  ELEMIS PAPAYA ENZYME PEEL. I couldn't find it on their site but it is a peel that uses the natural exfoliating fruit enzyme action of Papaya and Pineapple which contains nourishing Milk Protein, Anti-Oxidant-rich Vitamin E and Marine algae to moisturise, repair and protect the skin. Perfect for sensitive or mature complexions.

And the last product is PURE GOLD COLLAGEN- link. A liquid food supplement that improves the skin's appearance by working from within, counteracting the ageing process from the deep layers of your skin. But to reach its fullest potential it should be consumed during a 10 day period and this 50 ml bottle is just for one day so the only thing I can say is that it has a peach and passion fruit flavour.

My impressions are great. I love this box and after seeing so many boxes that American beauty gurus can get this is a nice change for me. I bought this box with my own money and am not connected with lookfantastic in any way, other than spending my money there. I already ordered my January box, and only thing that I can say is that I wish they came sooner. My traveled to me 3+ weeks.

What about you? Is this something that would interest you?

Tell me....

Love, beautyandbrains007