New Skincare & Haircare on Trial

When you're a beauty blogger, a lot of stuff crowds your space sooner or later. Dealing with your own struggles not to buy everything you see, and also cooperating with brands, is a big challenge to manage on a small place like your own personal blog. Sometimes things can slip by...but not today. I've prepared a big old mixture of pretty unique skincare, bodycare and haircare that deserve to be mentioned. Lipsticks and other tempting makeup can easily overtake my blog space. Having only two hands and always running out of time, these ''by-now-well-tested'' products have finally got an opportunity to shine. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to be extra brutal this time around.

SLO

Če rada raziskuješ novo kozmetiko, potem verjetno veš, da se lahko izdelki hitro nakopičijo. Z lepotnim blogom pa je situacija še malce bolj natrpana. Včasih se zlahka zgodi, da mi kakšna stvar uide mimo, saj lahko dve roki in premalo ur v dnevu podajo le določeno število ocen izdelkov. Tokrat pa sem se odločila združiti dokaj edinstvene izdelke za nego kože, las in telesa v en obširen pregled, saj me lahko ličila hitro zavedejo s svojo VIP kartico na mojem blogu. Vsi omenjeni izdelki so že dokaj dobro testirani, zato imajo še posebno priložnost, da zares zasvetijo v pravi luči. Kar pa ne pomeni, da sem bila popustljiva pri končni oceni. Vsekakor so izdelki koktajl mojih nakupov in podarjenih stvari.

Essentiq Neutral Facial Cleansing Gel (online, 200ml for 11,99€) is a fairly new release on Slovenian market as it's all natural, organic and made in Slovenia. What else could we ask for? The brand is also branching abroad (did I see Tokyo on their website?), which is totally understandable due to quality over quantity of products. This Green Lemon & May Chang Cleansing Gel is pretty much superb. I love the gel-thick consistency, it's gentle, the scent is neutral but warm, ingredients are superb yet it cleanses without stripping moisture out of your skin. It doesn't remove eye makeup but still deserves a big like from me.

Essentiq (sestavine in podrobnosti tukaj, 200 ml za 11,99€) je dokaj novo lansiranje znamke na slovenskem trgu in se lahko ponaša z naravnimi, organskimi sestavinami. Na vrhu vse te smetane je tudi češnjica, saj je znamka namreč slovenska. Kaj si še lahko sploh želimo boljšega za našo kožo? Znamka se sicer počasi širi tudi v tujino, kar je popolnoma razumljivo, glede na sestavine in kvaliteto. Sama sem preizkusila Čistini Gel Zelena limona & May Chang, ki je vrhunski. Ima zelo mehko gel teksturo, je zelo nežen do kože, ima nevtralno topel vonj, sestavine so odlične in hkrati nežno očisti ostanke nečistoč na obrazu. Moje suho kožo ne zateguje, obenem pa dokaj dobro odstrani tekočo podlago (ne pa tudi maskare). Mislim, da mi ponovni nakup ne uide. Res dobra znamka, ki je vredna ogleda že zaradi sestavin in koncepta. Če se ne motim, je znamka na voljo v poslovalnicah Muller (Ljubljana, Koper, Nova Gorica) in na spletni strani Ecco Verde.

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser (about 15€ for 175ml, online) is a long lost repurchase of mine. I was searching for a gentle face cleanser that wouldn't take all the moisture out of my dry skin, and I got it. It has a pretty unique jelly texture with soft beads of jojoba and fruit acids, which feels slippery on the touch. Highly nourishing cleanser is perfect for all of you, suffering from dry skin or dry patches. Smells like a cross between honey and crisp lemon. Again, it doesn't remove eye makeup but it's a lovely ending of the day.

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser (okoli 10-15€ za 175ml, DM ali Muller) je dolgo pozabljen nakup, ki pa mi je služil zelo dobro. Je zelo nežen čistilec, ki je popoln za vse tipe suhe ali normalne kože. Sama tekstura je dokaj edinstvena, saj je podobna pravemu ''žele'' medu, obenem pa vsebuje negovalne drobce jojobe in sadne kisline. Odlično odstranjuje makeup, če ne prištejem oči, obenem pa res lepo poskrbi za suhe predele obraza. Tudi vonj je čudovit, saj spominja na med in pravo kislo limono. Čudovit zaključek dneva, če ga lahko ulovite na popustu.

Balea Mizellen Reinigungs Wasser (Micellar Water, 2-3€ for 400ml, DM stores), a cheap drugstore spin-off actually looked pretty promising. However (a big however), nothing is going smooth with this micellar water. It stings my eyes, it leaves a weird tacky residue and just doesn't remove properly my makeup in general. On the other hand, I was blown away with Balea Reinigungs Ol (Cleansing Oil, 2,60€ for 100ml, DM stores), as it's super effective and based on sunflower oil. Yay for no mineral oil! I absolutely love it and due to budget price, I might have found a good replacement for my L'Occitane Cleansing Oil. I need to repurchase ASAP.

Balea Mizellen Reinigungs Waser (Micelarna Vodica, okoli 2-3€ za 400ml, DM) je najcenejša alternativa micelarne vodice na trgu. Ogromna količina in več kot odlična cena so super začetek, vendar se dobre lastnosti tukaj ustavijo. Po uporabi se mi oči vedno solzijo, pusti dokaj lepljiv film na koži in enostavno ne očisti kože, kot bi morala. Če se jo nanese preveč, se tudi vidno peni, obenem pa ne očisti dodobra maskare ali celo črtala za oči. Vsekakor je za takšno ceno L'eclerc verzija občutno boljša. Po drugi strani, pa me je Balea Reinigungs Ol (Čistilno Olje, okoli 2,60€ za 100ml, DM) pustil popolnoma brez besed. Čudovita oljna tekstura, učinkovitost in sestavine so me prepričale. Namesto mineralnega olja, ki je neštetokrat uporabljen v nizkocenovnih znamkah, je tukaj osnova sončnično olje - kot pri mojem ljubem L'Occitane Čistilnemu Olju. Vsebina je lepo oljnata, ob stiku z vodo pa tvori tradicionalni razdor teksture in ličil. Vsekakor ponovim nakup. 

Caudalie S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum (38,28€ for 30ml, online) offers hydration kick before applying your favourite moisturizer. It's lightweight in texture, almost watery, but still effective enough to add plump effect back to your skin. It's truly worth the hype but I need to wait a little longer to notice any major differences as it's a pretty new thing for me. So far, I'm having a love affair.

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Serum (29,35€ za 30ml, na spletu ali Muller) poskrbi za vlažilen pljusk na vaši koži. Tekstura je lahkotna, skoraj podobna osvežilnemu vodnemu fluidu, vendar dovolj koncentrirana, da doda koži globinsko vlaženje ter sijoč videz. Lepo se sloji z ostalimi produkti ter vsebuje hialuronsko kislino, organsko grozdno vodico in polifenole iz grozdnih pečk. Za poglobljene rezultate še moram malce počakati, vendar imam zaenkrat kar lepo romanco s tem lahkotnim serumom. 

Melvita Rose Plumping Radiance Cream (39,60€ for 40ml, online) is truly a hidden gem among natural organic skincare. It's meant to be that perfect pick before first wrinkles at about 25+ years. Considering it contains a huge part of roses and rosehip, we can easily predict plump, radiant skin that's perfectly hydrated. I'm still pretty sceptical with natural face creams as a lot of them peels off in rolls, but this one impressed me with lovely texture, floral scent and truly visible results in terms of weeks. Skin is really looking younger and hydrated with that almost unnoticeable glow. It also wears beautifully with added makeup. Definitely staying in my skincare for some time.

Melvita Vlažilna Krema za Vitalno Kožo (34,60€ za 40ml, na spletu ali Muller) je resnično skrit dragulj med naravno organsko kozmetiko. Krema je odličen bojevnik proti prvim gubicam, ki se začnejo okoli 25.leta, obenem pa poda čudovit, naraven sijaj kože. Vitamin C, izvlečki šipka in vrtnic poskrbijo za vlažnost in svežo polt. Nekaj časa sem imela pomisleke do naravnih krem za obraz, saj so se ponavadi ''svaljkale'' na moji koži. V tem primeru tega ni, tekstura pa je vseeno žametna in hranilno lahkotna. Vonj spominja na mešanico vrtnice in šipka, rezultati pa se že poznajo v roku nekaj tednov. Vsekakor trdno ostaja v moji rutini za sijočo lepo polt.

Amway Artistry Hydra-V (online) is also new to the global market with a supposedly revolutionary technology of deep skin hydration. Well, honestly, I couldn't warm up to this line. Intensely venturing into natural cosmetics, I've developed a certain resistance to ''normal'' skincare formulas. It's way too siliconey and light for my personal taste. Obviously, someone is clearly liking it as the Foaming Cleanser and Hydrating Cream are pretty much used up. My mom absolutely loves it due to lightweight texture and ''watery effect''. So I believe it's up to your own personal taste and skin type. I have an extra dry skin while my mom has combination/oily skin type. If you like lightweight textures and intense cleansing, this might spark up your attention.

Artistry Hydra-V (na spletu)  je novost iz Amway-a in domnevno ponuja revolucionarno kolekcijo za hidratacijo kože. Če sem popolnoma iskrena, se do te linije nisem popolnoma ogrela. Glede na to, da se trenutno intenzivno sprehajam po ponudbi naravne kozmetike, je ta linija za moj okus premalo hranljiva in malce preveč ''silikonasta'' za suho kožo. Na nek način sem dobila manjši predsodek do ne-naravnih linij na splošno. Zato sem v test vključila mamo, ki pa je dejansko navdušena nad Penečim čistilnim mlekom (125ml za 23,42€) in Obnovitveno Vlažilno kremo (50ml za 45,52€). Tekstura je dokaj lahkotna in podobna ''vodnemu učinku'', zato vsekakor bolj odgovarja njeni mešani/oljnati koži. Pravi dokaz so verjetno že napol izpraznjene embalaže. Verjamem, da je izbor čisto odvisen od tipa kože in osebnega okusa. Sama se bom raje vnaprej držala le Artistry ličil.

Curaprox Black Is White (24,90€ for 90ml + tooth brush, online) instantly caught my attention with a pretty unique concept. It's actually a pitch black toothpaste that supposedly whitens your teeth with regular use without any negative side effect. Sounds pretty interesting right? And yes, it gets my full approval. With regular use, it's easy peasy to maintain whiteness of your teeth while still drinking coffee and tea. It's not a full-on bleaching product but rather a good maintenance in-between. Also, the black tint gives an instant pearly/white effect to your teeth so they instantly look cooler/whiter. Now let me dig out that purple lipstick! The only downfall is the price so you might not want to share it with your entire family.

Curaprox Black is White belilna zobna pasta (24,90€ za 90ml + zobno ščetko, na spletu ali DM in Muller) je pritegnila mojo pozornost z edinstvenim konceptom belilnega aktivnega ogljika. Pasta je dejansko čisto črne barve, ki naj bi nežno belila zobe brez negativnih stranskih učinkov. Poleg tega je brez penila SLS, ima nižji faktor abrazivnosti in encime, ki delujejo antibakterijsko. Sliši se kot popolna zobna pasta, kajne? Od mene lahko dobi le pohvale, saj se z redno uporabo vsaj 1x na dan dejansko opazi razlika v belini zob, kljub temu da zapriseženo pijem čaj in kavo. Vsekakor ne zbeli zob kakor ostala belilna sredstva, vendar je odlična za ohranjanje beline čez naporni vsakdanjik. Sama si sicer malce pobelim zobe enkrat ali dvakrat na leto, vendar sem zelo pazljiva iz zdravstvenih razlogov. Tale zobna pasta pa je ravno popolno ravnovesje med zdravim in belilnim učinkom. Črna pasta tudi poda takojšen vizualni učinek bolj belih zob zaradi hladne črne barve. Tako lahko dejansko nosim vijolično šminko vsak dan! Slaba stran je le cena, ki sicer zajema mojo najljubšo zobno ščetko, vendar boste s težkim srcem delili tako drago zobno pasto s celotno družino. Obratna verzija White is Black ima le kanček bolj blagi okus.

Yummy Sexy Boost Shower Gel (4,95€ for 500ml, only in Germany/SLO) is a uni-sex scented shower buddy that truly has that somewhat sexy note to it. It has a true earthy scent along with musk, cardamom and orchid. Like a true jungle and snake basically. It's a nice change to my bathroom and the texture isn't that bad either. I believe it's a German brand so all you might not find it in your local stores.

Yummy Sexy Boost Gel za prhanje (4,95€ za 500ml, na spletu) ima univerzalni vonj za oba spola, saj ima dokaj zemeljski vonj. Kar je lahko velika prednost pri tuširanju in kupovanju gelov za prhanje, vonj pa se ohrani v kopalnici in na koži kar lep čas. Note samega vonja sestavljajo opojni mošus, kardamom in orhideja, kar ustvari iluzijo kače ali džungle. Sama sem sicer velika navdušenka sladkih vonjev, vendar je ta očarljiv vonj dobrodošla sprememba. Dejansko bi ga lahko ovohavala po cel dan. Yummy izdelki so brez parabenov, mineralnih olj in silikonov.

You should know Aussie Haircare by now. It's a staple with a good reason. Their shampoos and conditioners are heavily nourishing, smell like true candy lane and offer only the best from nuts and Australian inspired ingredients. They are far from being natural by all means, but if you're constantly suffering from damaged/brittle hair, this is your answer. Itchy and sensitive scalps should definitely stay away from Aussie. Did I mention the prolonged bubblegum scent? Also, Repair Miracle is a new addition to the family, while Miracle Dry Shampoo is pretty volumising, heavily scented and semi-efficient at maintaining dirty hair. My favourite Aussie line is still Miracle Moist but I'm cautious with use as I'm having troubles with my scalp here and there.

Do zdaj bi že vsekakor morali poznati Aussie znamko za lase (od 5-15€, v vseh DM in Muller poslovalnicah). Je ena izmed najbolj hranljivih linij šamponov in balzamov, saj dobite željene rezultate takoj na pladnju. Poleg tega, da imajo vsi sanjske vonje po sladkarijah, vsebujejo le najboljše oreščke in avstralske sestavine. Še zdaleč niso naravni, vendar če se bojujete s suhimi in lomljivi lasmi, je to vsekakor takojšnja terapija. Le tiste z občutljivimi lasišči bi opozorila, da se Aussie nege raje izogibajo. Kljub temu lahko preizkusite uspešno linijo balzamov 3 Minute Miracle za same konice. Sem omenila, da se ''bonbončkast'' vonj ohrani skozi cel dan? Repair Miracle je vsekakor novo pridružen član, medtem ko je moj najljubši še vedno Miracle Moist. Poleg vseh balzamov in šamponov, sem kupila tudi Miracle Suhi Šampon. Sicer doda ogromno volumna, vendar ima skoraj premočan vonj. Obenem poskrbi za čisto lasišče, vendar ni tako učinkovit pri vzdrževanju suhosti lasišča kot ostali suhi šamponi.

Createurs de Monoi Conditioner (7,95€ for 200ml) has a beautiful scent of Tahitian Gardenia that is usually mixed with coconut oil. In fact, this conditioner also contains Monoi de Tahiti Oil, which is used for softening skin and giving a captivating scent. Conditioner is not too heavy in texture, yet I like to use it only on my hair ends. Purely based on the scent, I might recommend it. Again, this is available only on German market.

Createurs de Monoi Balzam za izjemno vlaženje suhih las (7,95€ za 200ml, le na spletu) ima značilen vonj po tahitijski gardeniji, ki je ponavadi dodana kokosovemu olju. Verjetno že vsi poznate do sedaj odmevno Monoi de Tahiti olje, ki je čudovito za mehčanje kože tudi poleti. Sam balzam ima dokaj gosto teksturo, zato ga najraje uporabljam le na konicah las. Za bolj podrobno mnenje ga moram testirati malce dlje. Glede na prvi vtis in vonj, ga lahko priporočam, saj pri balzamih nisem najbolj izbirčna.

To complete haircare story, I'm left with two oil based leave-in conditioners. Avon Advance Techniques Supreme Oils Duo Spray (4,10-7,50€ for 100ml, Avon catalouge) comes in a spray pump and transfers like a lightweight mist of oil on your hair. My perfect technique to use this, is to skip regular conditioner, and spray this before detangling my hair. It smells fantastic, almost vanillary and is consisted out of 5 different oils: almond, grape seed, macadamia, marula and camellia. 

The second oil-based product is Afrodita Serum 10 in 1 (online), which has three basic layers: carrot oil, macadamia oil and panthenol. It's not as lightweight as Avon, but rather pretty sufficient at nourishing extra brittle hair ends. You only need a pump or two for all hair lengths as it's quite potent. I have nothing but good thing to say about it as it's nourishing yet not to heavy to ruin your hair volume.

Da zaključim celotno zgodbo o laseh, sta tukaj še dva oljna dodatka po pranju las. Tako imenovana ''leave-in'' oljna spreja sta odlična, če pozabite na uporabo navadnega balzama ali želite dodaten lesk las. Avon Dvofazni Elixir v Spreju (4,10-7,50€ za 100ml, na spletu) je dokaj lahkoten sprej s petimi različnimi olji, ki nikakor ne obtežijo las. Najraje ga uporabim namesto balzama, da se lasje lažje razčešejo. Diši božansko po oreščkih in vaniliji, obenem pa so lasje videti sijoči. Pretiran nanos sicer lahko vodi k hitrejšemu umivanju las.

Afrodita Serum 10 v 1 (4€ za 45ml, na spletu in v DM ter Muller poslovalnicah) je sestavljen iz treh vidnih plasti: korenčkovo olje, makadamija olje in panthenol. Vse troje pripomore h globinski negi lasnih špic. Le majhna količina v obliki graha lahko pokrije več kot dovolj, lasne špice pa bodo izgledale ponovno sijoče in zdrave. Ostala sem brez nadaljnjih večjih pripomb, saj je serum zelo hranljiv, obenem pa ne obteži volumna las. Priporočam uporabo v minimalnih količinah.