April Favourites

BENEFIT Coralista

I've been so into Catrice blushes that I unwittingly neglected what was once pretty much the only blush I wore for years. But spring came along and I dusted off this beauty. Coralista is a pretty unique coral. It's definitely not like Nars' Orgasm that's been duped to death. It's a proper coral shade meaning it has a lot more of the peach-orange tone to it than most such blushes and it also has very finely milled gold shimmer, so it looks like you put a very good highlighter over it, one that looks like glow and not random shimmer. It's the type of colour that makes you look very fresh and perks up the skin. This is also one of rare blushes that manages to cling on to my cheeks longer than most and it smells gorgeously tropical.

KIKO Smart Lip Pencil 

709 Magenta

There is little I love more than a powerful, bright pink-red colour on my lips and this is spot on. It's similar to Catrice's MATTraction lipstick, only pinker, so if you ever looked for a lip liner that would work with it (or a similar shade), this is it. The formula reminds me of a mix between Essence and Bourjois pencils, meaning it combines good qualities of both and did I mention it only costs 2.5 €?

   

CATRICE Long Lasting Pencil 

070 I got you Babel

How I wish there was a lipstick version of this shade because all the sharpening due to using it so much is so tedious. This is the prettiest natural peachy-light pink shade that just looks so gorgeous on the lips. It's a much drier pencil than Essence's, but my lips don't tend to get dry much, so it works for me and the slightly harder texture also means that you can be precise with this. 

KIKO Nail Lacquer 

345 Jade Green

What can I say, I cannot resist mint green shades on my nails. Last month it was Mint Candy Apple and this time it's its greener, more muted cousin. The formula of this one is so much better than Essie's (MCA is a black sheep among their generally excellent formulas). It's another pastel nail polish formula, but it's so much smoother and needs just two coats for a nice, even finish. If Kiko's pastels are so good, then their reds and pinks must be spectacular. 

DEBORAH Smalto Gel Effect 

01

I'm mentioning this yet again, but every time I wear it, I fall in love with it again. It's such a pretty nude shade with a cool undertone and the formula is just brilliant. It's one of those new "imitating gel manicure" formulas, which is so smooth and easy to apply, so there are no streaks whatsoever even though it's an opaque, cream finish nude and it also has a great glossy finish.

RIMMEL Space Dust 

Aurora

I just wanted some glitter in my life and this is a sparkle overload. Aurora is a light pink-rose gold glitter and I love the effect on the nails as it looks so glamorous and pretty, almost like crushed diamonds on the nails. I'm wearing this on my toes at the moment, which considering its lasting power due to the shimmer being firmly stuck on the nails should last until Christmas, also because I dread removing it, but no matter, it's so pretty to look at anyway

SUN DANCE Getöntes Sonnenfluid SPF 30 

It's been one warm April for a change and I swiftly pulled out my trusted Sun Dance's sunscreen. This is the best sunscreen I've ever tried because it's super light, not at all sticky or heavy and due to the sheer tint, there is no white cast. It's a bit dark for me at the moment, but that only compels me to apply it all over the face, ears and neck. I saw they placed these back on the shelves in DM.

TIGI Catwalk Mystique Blow Out Balm

Since this is on its last legs it deserves one last well deserved shout out before the empties. Though I plan to repurchase it, I probably won't for some time as I have tons of heat protections to go through. This is a very basic heat protection serum and it's because of the texture that I love it. Since it's a silicone based serum, it can be used both on damp and dry hair, meaning it won't make the hair damp before curling or straightening, which is handy if you're in a hurry as you don't have to wait for the hair to dry. It also has this gorgeous shimmer, which actually makes the hair look more healthy due to the very natural looking shine. I love this because it pretty much works for any type of hair, I've used it on very thin hair once and it didn't weight it down at all and due to the silicone texture, it also makes the hair  sleeker and tamer.

L'OREAL Elseve Extraordinaire Oil Nourishing Shampoo

I haven't talked about this yet even though I've had it for almost a month, but since I can't find Elvital Glatt-Intense Pflege-Shampoo  (a.k.a. Elvive Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz Shampoo) anywhere, I decided to try this and see if it's as good. In short: it is. They feel very similar, so they both remind me of a cheaper Oleo-Relax. It has a similar effect in terms that it feels like some conditioner was added in it and the hair feels a bit silky when you're rinsing it off. It doesn't leave my hair so squeaky clean that's it's dried out and I greatly appreciate that because such shampoos are rare. In combination with the John Frieda conditioner, it made my hair look and feel better that's been in months (I've been using up my "crappy" stuff). The frizz was significantly reduced, the hair felt a bit silky and looked healthy, so I was very pleased with the results. It smells a bit like cinnamon, but I actually prefer the scent of the Smooth Intense version. 

JOHN FRIEDA Brilliant Brunette Moisturising Conditioner

As I've said this conditioner made my hair look and feel so nice in combination with L'Oreal's shampoo and it made me again appreciate this goodness that has been in my stash constantly for years. It feels quite light, yet it is moisturising enough for my dry hair and it leaves the hair feeling silky when I rinse it off, but there are two things that it excels at: shine and scent. The scent is divine, like a mix of coconut and caramel, but not sweet rather a bit more sophisticated. I have the 500 ml size with a pump, which is so much more convenient than the tubes.

Have a great day!