How does cactus smell like? The Body Shop Cactus Blossom

How would you define cactus scent? I wouldn't say that cactus has any particular scent. In fact I'm not even sure if I ever smelled one. Which makes The Body Shop choice of spring scent even weirder. Cactus sounds itchy and scratchy but don't get easily terrified by the sound of it. Cactus Blossom is one of the nicest smelling line from their floral-fruity scent family. It's that kind of scent you can't easily get bored of. It's zesty floral but still neutral. Do you know aloe vera? Kind of the same with a mixture of lime and peony.
 Cactus Blossom Shower gel and Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub have pretty standard TBS formulation. Shower gel is your typical shower equipment (but the scent lasts quite long on the skin), while Body Scrub has biodegreadable raspberry seeds and extra honey. Body Scrub could be a little more rough for the skin-out season. My favourite is Cactus Blossom Body Butter since it softens skin with shea and cocoa butter while the veil of floral scent lasts entire day. I really like it. It's non-offensive and light enough in texture so you're not sticking to everything. 

If you're up for some cruelty-free or vegan cosmetics and pretty neutral spring scent, The Body Shop got you covered.

MUST TRY products from The Body Shop: TOP Favourites I always repurchase

The Body Shop = body butters. If you're thinking like that, then you're seriously missing out. The Body Shop offers so much more and that's also the main reason I always return in their store. It's fun but not overly cheesy - delivering only the best results if you choose the right product for the your needs. Let's start with the most obvious TOP The Body Shop pick, shall we?

SLO

The Body Shop = maslo za telo. Če razmišljate tako, potem resno zamujate skrite The Body Shop adute. Ponuja veliko več kot le odlična masla in je ponavadi ena izmed mojih prvih postojank v tujini. Izdelek ponudi točno to kar ponuja, hkrati pa je embalaža še vedno okusno igriva. Končno smo dobili The Body Shop v Slovenijo, vsa naročila pa lahko oddate tukaj. Trenutno je na voljo le spletna trgovina, čez nekaj mesecev pa se bomo sprehajali po prvi slovenski The Body Shop trgovini. Ker sem velika oboževalka The Body Shop-a že od nekdaj (in so to tudi opazili) so mi za vas ponudili kodo za 20% popust na VSE izdelke: SARA20 v spletni trgovini. 
Jaz nimam od tega nič tako da brez skrbi - to je le moja dobra volja in zaupanje v njihove izdelke. Če vas bo slučajno zamikal nakup, boste vsaj prihranili nekaj evrov. Vsi izdelki, ki jih redno uporabljam pa so navedeni v nadaljevanju.

New The Body Shop Skincare: Lightening Adjusting Drops, Instaglow CC & Skin Defence

The Body Shop has some sweet new launches in skincare department. With a bunch of new lines to choose from, I got especially interested in their brightening line Drops of Light. Coincidentally, my nearest The Body shop store didn't have the mentioned line. As consolation, I've picked up other new bits and pieces with light rose packaging and a bunch of interesting promises.

First of is The Body Shop Skin Defence (22€ for 40ml, check online), multi-protecting essence with lightweight formula, antioxidants, UVA and UVB protection and most importantly, SPF 50. Sounds like a dream come true, a lovely addition to your everyday skincare regime. Skin Defence truly delivers lightweight texture like water and still feels ultra light on the skin. Kind of mattifying but still comfortable. Essence is just the right name for the texture. It also gives a bit of glow, which is not too obvious in hot, humid weather. As of now, I pretty much love it. Perfect for everyday use as it has antioxidant properties to protect from pollution. Cherry on top is brightening effect - with red algae and vitamin C, skin gets brighter, even and more healthy looking with time. I highly recommend it to all my fellow sensitive skintypes, leaning towards hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

Again, I was seduced by the word glow and bright. The Body Shop Instaglow CC Cream in Bright Glow ( 15€ for 25ml, check online) is exactly the product I have imagined. It's a seriously multi-tasking primer before makeup. It gives subtle glow, protects with SPF 20, reduces appearance of pores and moisturises the skin. And I agree with most of the statements. It's quite a perfect combination of healthy glow and shine reducing product. I know, it sounds contradictory. Once you apply it on your skin, face looks subtly illuminated but still shine-free. The shimmery particles are minimal and almost undetectable. Just a slightly visible glow and optically perfected skin is just what I want for summer. It feels super light on the skin and it's easily layered before foundation and after your regular moisturiser. Also remember, it has no tint like usual CC creams. There are three glowing shades in the range: bronzy Warm Glow, pinkish Bright Glow and warm Peachy Glow.

Can you see a hint of pink glow on the left side?

And now onto the true main star! The Body Shop Lightening Shade Adjusting Drops (14€ for 15ml, check online) are very important in my makeup routine. Pale as a ghost, most of foundations don't match my skintone. I've tried everything - from Makeup Revolution, Barry M, Stargazer and other white foundations. No formula was absolutely perfect, until now. The Body Shop nailed just the right consistency, colour density and light texture. Just a drop or two is enough to enlighten a shade or two darker foundation. Note, that Shade Adjusting Drops feel like a lightweight foundation and don't interact with your primary finish of foundation. Also, the pigmentation is dense enough to lighten with small amounts. Perfect! I usually find white foundations too cakey or too liquidy to easily mix into foundations every day. In fact, Lightening drops are actually pink based - for a more natural look to your foundation as solid white isn't the most natural looking colour for your face. Pink tone doesn't really interfere with foundation's undertone. I actually stocked up with another bottle, just in case.

The left side of my hand is covered with only The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Drops. You can get an idea of the pigmentation density. It's not fully pigmented but rather has a medium coverage. Texture itself on the right side is pretty similar to liquid foundations.

I'm more than pleased with all picked items. I cannot live without Lightening Shade Adjusting Drops anymore, while I could maybe skip Instaglow CC Cream (it's not a life-changing product). Skin Defence is just perfect for my skin needs, as it promises to eventually (after 4 weeks) brighten my skintone and also protect from further melanin accumulation.

Nuts about Nuts & Cocoa

When it comes to body and skin care, I get easily bored with scents. Floral fragrances aren't my top choice in the first place but I love all kinds of fruity scents. What turns me off when using fruity bodycare, is that I get tired of particular scent and I can't seem to finish entire tub of lotion or butter. Usually fruity bodycare gets bad or I throw it into my mom's bin. What I've discovered recently, is that I can tolerate nutty & warm scents a lot easier on a long run. They are bearable in all seasons, yet I have a soft spot for nutty & cocoa scents in Winter. Let me present you current top picks for neutral-nutty scents and a tiny stash of sensual, warm cocoa bodycare.

Let us start with cocoa bodycare, which is usually popular among women. I've talked loads about Badgers Mocha Cocoa Lip Balm (3,7€ on iHerb/Ecco Verde) in my previous posts (lipbalm collection here). It's a true cocoa-coffee scent, similar to hot chocolate with coffee flavour. Lipbalm is highly nourishing and soft. It's a natural & cruelty free lipbalm, filled with good ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, rosemary, rosehip and aloe extract. I still highly recommend to check out Badger if you fancy gourmet scents. Yves Rocher Cocoa & Raspberry Body Lotion (8,90€ on Yves Rocher) smells like chocolate Frutabela - I'm sure Slovenian readers know what I mean. Forest fruits mixed with chocolate ganache. It's a yummy scented body lotion that sinks into the skin quickly. It's not the most nourishing thing but keeps you soft for a day or two. Yves Rocher Cocoa & Pistachio Hand Cream (3,50€ on Yves Rocher) is a lightweight hand cream that smells a bit like marzipan. It's not totally pistachio-like but still heavenly enough for your sweet tooth. Not deep repairing but great on the go. Yves Rocher Cocoa Collection is limited to last holiday season and super affordable, but you can still spot a discount on this and Fruit Noirs collection in January. 

Now onto my favourite part of neutral, nutty scents. Balea Bodybutter Nuss (2,99€ in DM) has a lovely, mild hazelnut scent that is spot-on like Monte hazelnut dessert. I was so thrilled to find this beauty gem, that I had to test it out immediately. Not only it smells heavenly (but still subtle enough), it leaves a lovely soft skin due to hazelnut oil. I woke up with amazingly soft skin yet the texture is super buttery and thick. Butter sinks into the skin in terms of seconds. It's easily comparable to The Body Shop, no sticky residue and a captivating smell. I did notice a bit more alcohol-like smell once it's on the skin - probably due to high levels of alcohol in the product. I usually stay away from Balea body butters because of lotion texture but this particular butter truly deserves to be called a butter. Highly recommend if you don't mind higher levels of alcohol. The Body Shop Cocoa Body Butter (18€ on The Body Shop) has a subtle creamy nutty scent that's not too harsh or chocolate-y. Texture is semi-thick and easy to spread out. It nourishes really well and leaves your skin looking glowy. Worth checking out if you're craving a warm scent yet you'd love to use it in the Spring as well. Speaking of The Body Shop, Brazil Nut Body Mist ( 12,50€ on The Body Shop) is the most captivating body spray I ever had. It smells like a warm vanilla with added roasted brazil nuts. Doesn't linger as long as I've hoped but it's still worth trying. I usually combine it with my rich vanilla scents. L'occitane Almond Shower Oil (18-22,40€ on L'occitane/FeelUnique) is a cult classic, not to be missed out. It's incredibly nourishing as a shower oil yet it smells like warm vanilla and almond. Since it has an oily texture it's also great for dry skin and shaving. This 250ml tube will last you a long time and it's worth every extra penny. You probably already own Labello Macadamia & Vanilla Lip Butter (2,70€ in drugstore/iHerb), another staple in blogger-sphere. It has an addictive, edible scent with creamy texture and cute packaging. A winning release this year.

Did you find any interesting scents this year? What's your biggest scent obsession? Leave me your recommendations and suggestions!

Cleanser Collection Overview for Dry Skin

Truthfully, skincare products are the most boring items one can review on the blog. I much more prefer fun, beautiful makeup products but I tend to research ''skincare future buys'' as a necessary obligation. Nobody want to spend lots of money on a product that doesn't work, right? I did however noticed increased interest in some of my previous skincare reviews so I might just bite the bullet and offer you a quick overview of my current cleansers. Since I usually invest in good face creams rather than cleansers, I was pretty confused looking at my increased cleanser collection. A few of them are my sister's belongings because she likes to invest in good quality cleansers - total opposite of me. While that has bonus points for me trying them out, I might as well review all of them. Keep in mind I have normal to dry skin, with some enlarged pores around my nose. My nose is usually quite flaky and cheeks are somehow dry. 

Since I'm usually dealing with overly dry skin and flakiness, I will start with butter cleansers.

A while ago I got Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser from Maja as it didn't work for her skintype. Now while she wanted to get rid of it, I absolutely ADORE it! It is one of the most buttery things I've ever tried. While it doesn't remove eye makeup completely (stubborn mascara) it leaves a luxurious feeling on the skin. My skin feels nourished after using Antipodes with a warm wash cloth. I use this butter almost as a special treat when my skin is feeling extra dull and flaky. Totally worth the hefty price tag (32€ for 75g on FeelUnique), not to mention effective natural ingredients. Most definitely a repurchase.

The Body Shop Chamomile Cleansing Butter on the other hand doesn't even compare to Antipodes. Sure, it's great for cleansing dry skin but it has a ''coconut oil type'' of texture. It warms up into an oil and feels a bit silicone-y. I do enjoy using it but my eyes can't handle this formula too well. Will repurchase as an extra step in cleansing my face (and skipping  eyes). The Body Shop is sold (almost) worldwide here.

Best UK Cleansers

Soap & Glory The Ultimelt is a hot cloth cleanser that I honestly used only once. It's a new addition to my stash but so far...everything is great. You get an extra hot cloth with the cleanser so basically any monkey would know how to properly use it to full extent. It's a thick cream that leaves your skin feeling nourished without any tightening feeling. It removes makeup but I suggest it using as your second step of cleansing. I would repurchase but it's unfortunately sold only in UK.

N7 Cleansing Oil is another UK gem. I love it for removing entire makeup since it foams up with water. It's also great for a face massage before you wash it off. Would love to repurchase. 

Simple Moisturising Facial Wash cleanses gently and doesn't strip oils from skin. It's super gentle around the eyes and has a creamy gel consistency. A great bargain makeup remover. I would repurchase if it wasn't only UK and US based.

Now onto DM and Muller cleansers.

CadeVera Mildes Reinigungsschaum is a Muller brand item with affordable price. Foam cleanser in a pink bottle is meant for all skin types, has strawberry scent, contains panthenol for suiting irritated skin and removes makeup quite effortlessly. A bargain cleanser for 1,99€ in Muller. Definitely a repurchase. 

Balea Reinigungs Schaum for normal/combination skin cleanses gently but does nothing extra to impress. It's just a standard quality product without any scent. I repurchased several of these since they're convenient to find (all DM stores) and remove face makeup. Still debating on repurchasing. 

Balea peelings are usually a disappointment but Balea Creme Peeling surprised me with it's creamy texture and tiny, quite harsh peeling bits. They're not your standard peeling balls but something a bit more effective and gritty. It's great for getting rid of dry, flaky skin on the nose. Doesn't leave a residue on the skin. I might repurchase in the future. Balea skincare products usually cost 2-5€.

Natura Siberica Exfoliating Face Scrub is another scrub gem. Natura Siberica is an all natural, ecological skincare brand from Russia. I wasn't expecting much since packaging usually fools about the quality. However, this scrub has a pleasant berry scent, it's not silicone-y and has an interesting scrub texture with fine bits for a pleasant exfoliation. I will definitely repurchase. They retail for around 5,50€ in Tuš drugstores. 

Balea Reinigungs Ol-Fluid is supposedly an oil based cleanser for dry skin. Oh boy, this was a total disaster. Not only they're quite expensive for Balea (I think they're around 3/4€ for 100ml) but they leave a horrible residue afterwards. I really wish we had a good oil cleanser out here but this just doesn't cut it. It's actually a mousse with oil that doesn't cleanse well enough. Won't repurchase. 

Balea Reinigungs Mousse is a total opposite of Ol-Fluid. Has a mousse texture but strips every inch of moisture out of the skin. A squeaky clean skin that feels tighten, almost like using soap on your face. No, thank you. And how ironic is the soap free sign? I'm not repurchasing.

Ren Skincare won me over with this amazing white clay cleanser. Ren Clarifying Clay Cleanser sounds like an effective product for oily skin types. But that's not the only case. This particular cleanser saved my sister's skin, literally. She had some major breakouts that didn't seem to stop. Her skin was sorted out in a month with Ren. I was intrigued by softness of my skin after the first usage. It's a creamy/clay formula that doesn't dry out your skin but cleanses your pores at the same time. It's actually difficult to explain - a perfect gentle cleanser for all skin types. Oily skin is well cleansed, yet dry skin gets nourishment. It cleanses but gives something nourishing to the skin - just amazing. A definite repurchase. You can get Ren in Muller and online.

A-Derma Emollient Cleansing Oil was my desperate buy from the pharmacy. I really wanted to try my first oil cleanser and I've ended up with this french, natural skincare. This is actually a face and body cleanser for atopic/very dry skin. It cleansed my face quite well yet it was still a bit too drying for my liking. However, I used up entire bottle exclusively on my face which means a lot. It was gentle enough and had a pleasant oil texture, similar to N7 Cleansing oil. I also like the fact that is all natural, fragrance free and suitable for babies. I might repurchase in the future but I'm currently eyeing Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel. I got a 400ml bottle for around 16€ on offer. You can find A-Derma in pharmacies, Boots and Escentual.

As you may have noticed, I have a mixture of various cleansers from different locations. If I had to choose my favorites I would say: My absolute favorite UK cleanser is N7 Cleansing Oil and I envy all of you who can get it easily in Boots. My favorite ''middle Europe'' (Germany, Austria and others) are definitely CadeVera Milder Reinigungsschaum and Natura Siberica Exfoliating Scrub. For brands that are available worldwide I would highly recommend Ren Clarifying Clay Cleanser (here), Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser (here) and The Body Shop Camomile Butter Cleanser (here). If you like to use only one step in your cleansing routine, these might not work for you. I like to start cleansing my skin with a cheaper cleanser and end with another, more high quality one. I cleanse my eyes with coconut oil before or afterwards. Keep in mind I have still tons of cleansers to try out. Maybe there's a hidden gem that's still waiting for me. What do you recommend? Which is your favorite cleanser of the moment?

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer Review, Swatch

 

I expect hell-of-a-lot from a 18€ bronzer. I was pretty happy with my Benefit Hoola until I discovered Soap&Glory Solar Powder in a really light shade. I ditched and sold my Hoola and converted only to light bronzers with no hassle nor endless blending. The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder (well, that's a mouthful) is right up my alley. Light enough to be someone's setting powder and light enough to be a perfect bronzer for me.

First up, let us appreciate gorgeous design of Honey Bronzer. No matter how many times I apply this bronzer, I will always take a second or two to admire honeycomb design. Product inside is astonishing as well. It has inprinted  honeycomb design and color just makes you want to use it. I accidentally got  02 Fair Matte which is supposedly the second darkest color although I didn't see much of a difference between them in the first place. Nonetheless, it's still a light color that leans more toward yellow rather grey or red. It's definitely a warm shade of bronzer I personally use as an all over bronzer to warm up the face. It's completely matte. Although it's pretty light compared to other bronzers, I still use only a tap or two for half of my utterly fair face. Skintones over NC25 will not show off the light bronze color so I suggest to check out 03 and 04 or find bronzer in other brand's department. Pigmentation is great and I didn't notice any major fallout. Packaging stays fairly clean after dozen of uses.

For the swatch, I had to layer bronzer 3 times to be visible enough for the camera. As you can see it's definitely a warm bronzer shade although my camera doesn't do it justice because of blue background. Picture is instantly more cool-toned in my case. Longevity is okay, it stays on average amount of time (about 5-7 hours). My only complaint is a gimmicky addition. I would die out of joy if it would smell like honey. The Body Shop does promise that's honey-enriched powder for a healthy looking skin. Powder itself is finely milled and applies evenly without any patchiness.

I have to say, I'm a big fan. I can finally see what's all fuss about and it's truly an easy bronzer for everyday. Easy to use, silky smooth, applies evenly, it's matte and looks gorgeous. I can't complain about anything, other than I miss honey scent and I hate the price tag. Comes in 4 different shades and costs 18€ in Europe, 12GBP in UK and 20$ in USA.

Beauty Haul - The Body Shop, MAC, Too Faced, YSL, Bourjois, SteamCream

Obviously I need to take a break from buying beauty items but I can always find 100 and 1 reason to shop. I was really sticking to my project pan products and I've finished up over 15 makeup items over last two months. Having a blast with my summer project pan/s I wasn't really buying any stuff through the summer (well, let's pretend London Haul didn't happen). This time around I had 2 reasons to splurge: a) finished up a bunch of makeup and gave a bag of items to my friends and family and b) I was abroad a lot so I got products we can't get here. Oh...makes me feel a bit better to find justifying reasons.

The Body Shop was never one of my favorite stores. I found everything pricey yet I wasn't too keen on whole body skincare and their packaging. After I've finally finished up my Raspberry Lip balm (it took me whole 3 years) I realised you get your money's worth with their products. And trying to be all environmental made me rethink the brand - although not too sure if they're totally cruelty-free and if they sell in China - but it's a start. Nevertheless I had my eye on their Cocoa Body Butter, Brazil Nut Bodyspray, Chocomania Lip butter and Honey Bronzer. Needless to say I got extra bits with my splurge (Beautifying Oil and Chocomania Body Scrub) and a small stroke after seeing total price. Feeling Fall I suppose!

Austria trip always starts with Mac Cosmetics. I was planning to get Velvet Teddy lipstick since I'm craving a bolder, darker brown nude with taupe hues but they were out of stock. Assistant suggested me Viva Glam 2 which is a medium brown nude with mauve undertones. I was afraid it would look too nude on me but it turns out it's a perfect darker brown/taupe lipstick for my pale skintone. And it's a Satin which makes me even happier (hello longevity). I also couldn't resist Up the Amp which is a blue-toned medium purple with hints of mauve and grey. Looks terrifying but it's really wearable as a grape toned-down color.

As always I went into Yves Rocher (Austria) to get my mom's favorite perfume Evidence. My eyes instantly spotted a new collection with supposedly their Holiday Collection. I'm not sure how is this possible but I got a preview for the upcoming holidays. I couldn't find any images nor posts about it so I guess I'm lucky? Only french Yves Rocher has this scent already on their website. It's a mini size of Caramel Pear Eau de Toilette which smells really fruity and sweet. Pear is really strong at the beginning but after a while caramel notes start to shine. If you're expecting a strong caramel scent, you'll be disappointed. I think I also saw candles, body lotion and shower gel.

Okay, I've got a good reason for Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. I sold over 10 high-end items that I didn't use anymore and treated myself to this beauty. It's currently my favorite palette of all time, beats all my Naked/s and other brands. It's gorgeous inside and outside, smells like chocolate/vanilla and pigmentation is astonishing. No fall-out which is remarkable for me because I '' grew up'' my eyeshadow collection based mostly on Urban Decay. Eyeshadows are extremely wearable and you get 6 matte shadows which is impressive. With each application I can smell chocolate which makes me happy, sadly enough. It's pretty addictive, I must say. So happy to have you, Chocolate Bar! I highly, highly recommend this palette from the bottom of my heart.

Not gonna lie, I love all sorts of lipbalms. They are easy to use up and variety of scents just makes it easier to become a balm hoarder. I'm super happy with my Labello Macadamia&Vanilla and Caramel Cream so why the heck not...I got myself a Blueberry Blush and Coconut. Both smell wonderful and not artificial at all. In Croatia I also spotted Rosal with new coloured lipbalms, similar to Babylips. They are fully pigmented and I could categorise them as half-lipsticks. Coral Candy is definitely worth a try.

My trip to Croatia also got me a new unintentional YSL Glossy Stain #16 Pourpre Preview. Price was reduced over half because of ruined outside packaging. So far I'm not too impressed but it's similar to Dior Fluid Stick with less ''grip''. It's a beautiful vibrant grape purple that's comfortable to wear. Packaging is quite lame for YSL.

Bourjois came out with new Rouge Edition 12 hours lipsticks that are matte in texture but stay on the lips for good 5-6 hours. I definitely wouldn't claim they're extra longlasting, especially not for 12 hours. I got shade 31# Beige Shooting which is my perfect rose nude color. I actually took this color to Mac to find a similar color but with more brown tones for my perfect 90's lipstick. Bourjois Color Edition 24h eyeshadow in 03 Petale de glace was unfortunately not released in Slovenia but it's a beautiful rose-shell cream shadow for every day. 

Etude House Snow White BB Cream is just a repackaged Precious Mineral BB Cream from their permanent line. Since this BB cream is pretty popular I thought I would give it a go in Princess Happy Ending limited edition packaging. It comes in two shades and the lightest N02 matches my skin perfectly. It's not grey but still light enough. Gives medium coverage and has a satin finish. Like!

Daisy Dream by Marc Jacobs was a gift for my birthday. Scent is similar to normal Daisy (my sister's favorite) but has a bit more freshness/clean scent to it. It lacks that almost bitter/sour ending but you can still notice citrus notes. It's definitely more clean and fruity scent at first. You need to bond with Marc Jacobs perfumes - at least in my experience. I'm always on the fence with Marc Jacobs scents but after a month I always fell in love and experience more in depth notes. Is that weird? Marc Jacobs Dot was almost a love-hate relationship at first but now I can't imagine Spring without it. It's my staple. Same with this one, nothing extraordinary after first few sniffs but grows on you after time.

I'm a true believer of SteamCream. Both, me and my sister bought their jar of happiness a while ago and we're not looking back. It's another staple in my stash for my night routine. I use it sparingly on my face and neck. It's so rich and natural you can almost detect every single ingredient. Not to mention it's a sister company of Lush. Truly one and only cream I'm not worried about nasty ingredients and it's also effective. I would highly recommend it for dry, sensitive and mature skin. I've shared my experience with SteamCream team and they kindly offered me a new jar of goodness in a Fall themed can. Review will be up soon.

Uniq One Hair Treatment and The O spiral hair elastics were a gift from a good friend. She knows I like to color my hair a lot but I'm not too worried about the damage. So what better way to treat my hair than with all in one product? I had Uniq One cream before and it's okay for taming frizz, hair ends and add additional treatment. However I do use it sparingly since it can make your hair greasy.

Let me know if you're interested in any of these items! I will do a more indepth review.