Most Wanted Products (of the day)

Today i gave in and spent rather a bit more than usual for some things that i've been meaning to purchase for a while now but never did, always postponed, etc.



A good highlighter:

It has been a matter of utmost interest to purchase THE highlighter/illuminator, a good product that would become a staple and replace my old sheen stick (unknown brand, i suspect an old Lancome, but i'm not sure). Funnily enough, i've been using this for several years (after i got it in a swap from one of my best friends) and so far absolutely no signs of decay, plasticine smell or changes in consistency or color. It still works great; although there's just a tiny bit of the stick left and all the info has rubbed off, the bar code appears intact :)




This stuff is great- basically a frosted bar of shimmer- though a bit old, quite a little left and gray-pearly toned.



The sheen it gives is fantastic only if applied on made up complexion/eyes; on my bare skin it kind of shows its original silvery tint, which tends to look a sort of cheap-ish sometimes, pretty much faux.



I don't mind it, not at all, i absolutely love it. Nevertheless, given the aforementioned considerations, i figured it was time i got a new one....and the quest began. I started looking for highlighters in all their forms- loose/pressed powder, illuminating stylo (concealer included), creme, stick, etc. I didn't find anything. After a couple of failures (the Clarins Cotton Flower being discontinued in Sweden and the utter failure of YSL Touche Eclat) i entered the Face Stockholm store...and there IT was!

The tiny wonder is a small black lacquer compact with the brand name embossed on the lid, very chic and simple. I love the mirror inside every compact they sell, whether it's a tiny highlighter, a bronzer or face powder. Apparently this is a rather new or Europe-only design of the case since on Makeupalley the product is pictured in a similar packaging with MAC concealers and solid foundations- the ugly, plastic case with transparent lid. Bleh. This is so much better!
I have mine in Dignity, which according to the sales assistant, is their most sold highlighter. The product comes in a variety of 7-9 shades as far as i can remember.

This tiny fellow is so cute and classy i instantly fell in love with the miniature. The creme inside is WONDERFUL. It's a very pale champagne/pearly white with yellow-ish undertones. I absolutely loved it the first moment i saw it. with flash-



-without flash (lamp light)



It's simply stunning. I've been looking for THIS for many many months. Initially i assumed the YSL was going to do the trick simply because everybody raved about it. It just didn't work on my skin (upcoming post).

Dignity is similar to my old shimmer stick with several differences. First off, it doesn't contain glitter. The particles are indeed true light reflecting particles and a lot of shimmer. It's not the rather bulky grained shimmer from the classic drugstore highlighter but a creamy one. It doesn't settle into the fine lines or pores and doesn't look like 'glitter' or 'frosting' at all. I love it.


Biosilk Silk Therapy serum:

This was also another product i wanted to try for a while and i just decided to pick it up, once and for all :) The glorious reviews on Makeupalley and an aficionado friend convinced me. I haven't used it yet but i've applied a little on my skin to feel the scent...and i absolutely love it. I'm surprised by the negative reviews which bashed the scent, on the contrary, i think it's a fantastic, Nivea creme and roses scent that i really really like. It smells like clean, plump rose petals and i can't wait to try it on and see what happens.....


Face Stockholm Liquid Foundation:

After i decided to take a break from my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (nice stuff but not so cool shade...upcoming post 2) a new foundation was a must; something non-drugstore, liquid, sheer coverage, very light, that would come as close as possible to my real complexion tone and help it glow...in a healthy way. The Face Stockholm SA claimed this would be the best choice since the Picture Perfect Foundation tends to be quite heavy and more difficult to work with.
The foundation comes in a beautiful, square shaped glass bottle with a black plastic cap and the simple design reminds me of Erno Laszlo's Regular Normalizer.



It retails for 275 swedish crowns (30 € or 24 GBP)and contains 1 fl. oz (29 ml). Rather pricy, but worth it. I haven't applied any of the foundation from this bottle but i've worn it before and i absolutely love it.



One little downside is the absence of a pump and the 'stick system' Revlon foundations used to be marketed with...which i don't really like, but i don't hate either. Compared to Estee Lauder's Double Wear, which comes with nothing, not even a stick to give the feeling you're picking up the product in some sort of way, this is more than ok.
However, as i am going to commit to this foundation for several weeks at least, i am expecting final results and a verdict to take a while...so far i love it, but we'll see how it goes from now on.

Ardell 105 and 116 Lashes:






I never got the '100% human hair' thing about the Ardell lashes and i honestly don't want to give it too much thought. I'm not one of those who would easily wear human hair extensions, for example, but (apparently) i see no problem wearing human hair false eyelashes. These two models are by far my absolute favorites from the entire false lash model plethora i've ever tried (and seen). The 116 are a tad more dramatic due to the more prominent clusters of hairs, which give them an anime sort of look, and are slightly longer at the ends- Sherilyn Fenn eyes guaranteed.



The 105 are natural yet sophisticated because the model keeps it simple (i absolutely hate wacky lashes with sequins, feathers and other stories) and natural with a hint of glamour (the romantic length of the lashes). I don't really like the glue they come with but i have a no-name eyelash glue that dries navy-black so no worries there either. 

The 105- a real disappointment :(

Body America Organics Body Butter in Southern Belle- Peach and Mango



Courtesy of my lovely friend who got this as a gift but is allergic to strong scents...and the perfume of this body butter is more on the stronger side.
I'm really excited to be trying this because the Body America products are 72% based on organic fruit oils. The Southern Belle body butter contains no parabens and is based on organic Aloe juice, mango kernel butter, organic extra virgin coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, shea butter, peach juice extract, cocoa seed butter and glycerin. It's supposed to be a luxurious, deliciously scenting butter that locks in moisture from head to toe, leaving the skin plump and freshly moisturized 24/7.

The packaging- this butter usually comes in a jar but i got the pump version, which is safer, germ and travel-wise. The pump dispenser pushes the bottom upwards so no matter the color of the bottle you always know how much you have left.

While i can't say apricot scent is my favorite, i do like this product because it gradually fades away and leaves the skin gently perfumed with something very similar to one of my childhood's shampoo. Whenever i sniff my wrist i remember my hair scent during my fourth grade summer holidays, and it's a great feeling <3 !!!

Rimmel London Extra Super Lash Mascara

This is one of my favorite mascaras of all time. A drugstore brand that has managed to formulate a great product.

My lashes aren't exceptionally thick but they're quite long. I mostly use several mascaras during a lash routine to achieve the desired look. Max Factor Masterpiece for a fist, very thin coat, because it separates and defines my lashes like nothing else, without clumping at all. it also provides a nice, natural curl that doesn't disappear no matter how many coats i apply afterwards.
I usually go in with L'Oreal Lash Architect when the first coat is dry, because it lengthens and thickens like nothing else. It doesn't clump either, which is something i can't say about the L'Oreal Voluminous (yes, false lash effect but with a major clump). After everything's dry, i apply a coat or half a coat (just a little bit of combing the lashes without inserting the wand into the tube twice) of the Rimmel ESL mascara, and i LOVE the effect. Nothing fans out my lashes like this one, not even Max Factor's False Lash Effect.



What it basically does is combing the lashes, through previous mascara layers, managing to untangle and remove any clumps, no matter how dry the layers are. This is something that only Shiseido mascaras do (in my opinion, that is), but if you're looking for a drugstore dupe then that's your find.



I love how it separates and 'arranges' the lashes, though a bit messy. It's very pigmented and creme-like. This mascara has never gotten runny on me, though not waterproof; high hazardous potential in case of rain or crying! :D



The wand is beautiful and a perfect dupe of the Shiseido Volume Mascara one:



I usually dread the not-so-tightly-packed bristles in a wand, fearing clumping and messiness. This doesn't do any of the aforementioned things to my lashes and somehow (i blame the great formulation) manages to actually 'repair' any previous clumping. I like that it's black and not porn-star bluish black, but a lovely ebony on the softer side.







All in all, the mascara is a must-have for me and i've never stopped repurchasing it ever since i used it for the first time, which was probably five years ago. It's been a staple in my makeup bag and a highly recommended product.

Product rave: Neutrogena Cleansing Bar

A short post on a great cleansing product. Ever since i read in a gossip column (yes...i read those :D) about this being Jennifer Aniston's favorite cosmetic product i couldn't wait to try it. Judging by the reviews on Makeupalley and the low price (compared to other facial washes that didn't do crap for my skin...i.e. Nuxe Perfection), it was a sooner or later issue whether i was going to pick this little baby up.

Cons: The consistency is adorable but the bar tends to melt pretty fast. I noticed it was unusually (mildly) sticky for a dry 'soap' bar and the reviews cleared the issue up- it's the natural consistency of the product. I live in Sweden so heat isn't really an issue, but for those who experience high temperatures or humidity, a dark, dry place is recommended for storage. One of the ladies on MUA mentioned her keeping the bar in the fridge. Well, i wouldn't go that far. I HATE to keep cosmetics in weird places because of their particularities. Luckily for me, the temperature didn't allow for the bar to dry up or melt down or anything in the family. I don't have a soap case (mostly due to the soap residues on the sink) so i keep the bar on it's cardboard box on one of the shelves in the bathroom. Works like a charm.

Pros:
- the consistency. I love the transparency and the softness, the mild feeling of holding something more gel-like than other regular cleansing bars. I love the feeling of slightly melted soap, though it hasn't happened (yet).
-the foam. It's PERFECT. not too much, not too little. it doesn't get into my hair and messes it up, it does just what foam is supposed to do and nothing more.
-the clean feeling- only experienced with Lush's Coalface before and this ONLY. I never had a product that would gently cleanse your skin without covering it in all sorts of oils and other crappy stuff. I get squeaky clean skin that's NOT dehydrated whatsoever. Loves it!

Though i've used it twice only i get the feeling that the little wonder bar is going to last, and last...more than my other cleansing products have. I also think it managed to minimize my forehead pores (if it's possible after one use only, but that's my impression) and kept my skin hydrated and not shiny through the night. I think it's great for using both at night and in the morning.

Will definitely purchase again. Too bad Neutrogena ISN'T available with their entire range here in Sweden. I would have loved to try their tinted moisturizers and sun protection hydrating fluids. Oh well.