Cosmetics

March Favourites, Updates and Wishlist

April 1, 2022
Basilia D. Griffith
I have a couple other shades that I got months ago and I’ve been a fan of this formula since I first tried it. These two, which I got recently, are the types of shades I wear all the time, as I alternate between a basic nude and a red most of the time. 104 is a muted nude pink with some warm tones. It’s not as pretty as ANNY’s 300 Makeup, but it’s similar and it has the added bonus of smelling amazing. 203 is exactly the type of red I love most, so a neutral-cool one. It has Pupa’s red fragrance, which is a rich floral with some depth from patchouli. The scent is well noticeable on the first day, so I get a whiff of the fragrance every time I put my hand near my face and on the second day it’s still noticeable when I put my nails to the nose.

This was on my wishlist from the moment I saw news of it and I patiently waited for it to arrive in the shops. I fell in love with this scent after trying the nail polishes with the pink scent and I hoped Pupa will make a fragrance – I think these are limited edition, though. It’s a powdery, floral, soft and comfy scent. At times it reminds me of Yankee Candle Soft Blanket, but it’s so much richer. I get tonka bean, iris, benzoin and vanilla the most. It’s a very comforting scent and lasts decently on the skin, even more on clothes and I initially thought it’s not that strong, but it was pointed out to me (by a person that hates it with passion) that one spray is very noticeable for several hours.

Top notes: orange blossom, jasmine

Heart: tonka bean, silk blossom

Base: iris, benzoin, sandalwood, vanilla

CATRICE Glow Lovely Oil-Infused Highlighter

010 Glowing Peony

This latest Catrice update left me cold (like the last couple to be honest), but this stands out. It’s a gorgeous highlighter and I haven’t been able to put it down, since I got it. It replaced my Maybelline one, which I’ve been using for the last year or more. Shimmer in this is very fine and I love this is not over the top. In a light coat it even works as an all-over luminous powder, though I still love Physicians Formula for that, while I apply this one the top of the cheeks and over a blush if it’s a matte one. This is completely different than More than Glow highlighter, which I’m not a fan of, instead this is more like Catrice’s first shade in the Luminice palette, so it creates a natural looking glow and it doesn’t emphasize pores. Shade is neither too cool or too warm and it suits my skin tone. While it feels a bit poorly made because the formula is so loose it’s flying everywhere and swatches are so unimpressive, it looks great on the cheeks.

I got the entire line and while I’m having problems with pilling at most of the products, this one I enjoy using and I think my skin does indeed look brighter after a few weeks of use (based on a subjective self-assessment, I don’t know if it’s true). This contains Neoglucosamine or Acetyl Glucosamine, the new potentially “it” ingredient that is a super hydrator, supposedly has an anti-ageing effect and fades hyperpigmentation, especially when in combination with niacinamide. The serums has the highest concentration of it as well as tiny shimmer that acts as an instant illuminator or a type of glowy primer. It’s the lightest product in this line, so I can layer it more easily and I haven’t experienced pilling like at the moisturisers, but I still keep this as a part of my night routine.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

Florale

My old trusted favourite. I’ve been using this for many years, possibly already a decade as the last step in my night routine. At the moment I use it with Gua Sha and while I’m not sure the latter does much, I know this oil makes my skin softer and more healthy-looking. I also use it on my eyelashes to nourish them. 

MOROCCANOIL Color Depositing Mask

Lilac

I finally got to try this shade to achieve a cool purple colour. Previously I had only a small bag with 30 ml, which ended up too little because I had to mix it with too much of regular conditioner and since this formula isn’t as pigmented as Subrina Colour Refresh the result wasn’t purple, however, it did tone my hair fantastically, even the orange bits. This time I used this mask with almost none clear conditioner, I only added a little because I need about a 100 ml of colour at once and I wanted to save at least some of the product. It might be too early to praise this one because I haven’t seen yet how well it washes off completely (it did completely the first time I used it, but that was such a small amount. This time most of the colour washed of on first wash, but it’s still pastel + toned), however, I like the colour a lot. What isn’t purple, it at least toned to an ashier blonde and my hair was in nice condition after use, which isn’t a surprise given every mask I’ve tried from Moroccanoil is amazing – though this one is the thinnest, more like a conditioner. I don’t love this as much as Colour Refresh because it’s not as pigmented, so a lot more expensive to use and the colour stains the sink (needs bleach to get it off), while at Subrina I can just wipe it off, so it’s a lot less messy, but I love this cool colour that Subrina doesn’t have. 

REMINGTON HydraLuxe Volumising Air Styler

I’m really happy with this so far. While it’s similar to my old one, the heat settings are better, it has the hydraluxe option that allows smooth styling with lower heat, it’s more powerful and it dries my hair even faster. Using this is very close to using a hair straightener, except there’s more volume left.

UPDATES

Why do all the good things run out at once? First three products are empties that I enjoyed using and now I need to find a replacement because two of these are quite pricy.

Vitamin C serum with 10% ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate from Japan. It’s a serum that has some oily feel to it and looks shiny on the skin, but I used it every morning, also under makeup. It’s the one vitamin C at with I’ve noticed fading of pigmentation, though once it reached a certain stage it stopped. I enjoyed using this one and if it were half cheaper (or I were richer) I’d repurchase it, but I think I’ll try the drugstore version of Afrodita’s vitamin C serum and hope it works the same. I just got Essence vitamin C serum Daily Drops, which I’ll start using first. 

A lotion with retinal, the “big brother” of retinol. I never got any reaction from this and it was very gentle from the start, even though they say to pace yourself when you start using it, but I quickly got to every day use. It’s a light, bright yellow lotion that absorbs quickly enough. I don’t know if I’ve seen any results. I checked my many pictures of “before foundation” where I can see the condition of my skin through time and I’m not sure there’s anything to see. But maybe my skin is at least aging slower. I just ordered the stronger version A-Game 10. 

With horror I discovered most of my sunscreens are empty and in the season when there’s nothing in stock or not yet in the drugstores. I just used this up, my favourite from last year – I wore it most often. It’s light, not greasy, doesn’t burn my eyes, which is a big deal for me, it doesn’t pill, it’s alcohol-free, it’s a great base for makeup and it always protected me well. It’s another high-end product I’d love to have again, but it’s not cheap. Ingredients are nice too, though it’s heavily fragranced – I actually really like it and it was a great way to start the day, but nowadays I feel it’s almost criminal to say you enjoy some fragrance in skin care, since everyone is so sensitive.    

Stupid Slovene DM stopped selling these. It really ticked me off because this is one of the staples in my routine, since my skin loves propolis and this was the only such product I could go and pick up at the drugstores. I could have stocked up if I’ knew, but I haven’t been a frequent visitor of the drugstores in the last two years. Now I either need to find a place online that sells this and hope I get a good price with custom costs or find something else. It’s a light serum that absorbs quickly and smells great. I find that propolis products help my skin look more healthy-glowy.

Another sunscreen that I just used up and another big favourite of mine because it’s so light on the skin, it doesn’t burn my eyes and it doesn’t pill. It’s currently out of stock almost everywhere (I found it in Müller), but in the summer it’s widely sold at about 10 €, so it’s affordable enough. The only thing I can fault it is the amount of alcohol, though I’ve never experienced any problems because of it, it just makes it lighter. 

(Re)purchases: GEEK & GORGEOUS A-Game 10 (stronger version of A-Game 5. Texture is a bit thicker, but that’s it), GEEK & GORGEOUS Stress-Less (a skin barrier repairing, soothing and hydrating serum with beta-glucan and madecassoside) & Garnier Fluid. 

*ORIFLAME Possess Absolute

Woody Fruity

Top: Bergamot Essence, Pomegranate Accord, Apple

Heart: Orange Flower, Osmanthus Absolute, Jasmine

Base: Cotton Musk, Amber Woods Accord, Praline

I just got this and before there’s enough stuff for the new in, I’ll post it here. It’s the third member of the Possess family, this one is centred around pomegranate and it’s my favourite of the three. Pomegranate is the most dominant note at the start, together with apple, making a nice sweet, tart and fresh combination. Later it’s a delicate woody floral. It’s not too strong or sharp, so I find it’s a type of fragrance that’s suitable for any occasion. It reminds me at times of the initial burst of Euphoria because of the pomegranate (it’s a lot different later), but a lot more of Hugo Boss The Scent, which is one of my favourite scents. It’s not that similar to Possess the Secret and the only thing I find in common is the osmanthus, but it’s more subtle here. Possess the Secret is more long-lasting though, one of best such fragrances in this respect in my collection.

WISHLIST

BALEA Niacinamide Tages Creme SPF 30 – Balea combined two things I like to see in a day cream – 10% of niacinamide and SPF. I’d prefer to see SPF 50, but 30 is ok too. There’s only a few reviews, but most are good. 

BALEA Beauty Expert Cremegel 5% Niacinamide – DM has this new Beauty Expert line already in German DM with four products, but I have no idea when (or hopefully not if) they are coming here. This is a body lotion with niacinamide, which is not that common is body products. I have a body cream from Eveline that has it and I really like it, but concentration in this one is higher. I suspect it might be too light for my liking, but worth a try when it comes here.  

BALEA Beauty Expert Nacht Creme mit Retinol und Bakuchiol – the cheap anti-ageing serum we need in drugstores here. I want it more because of bakuchiol because I’m still looking for a product with it that I’d love.

BALEA Beauty Expert Liquid Peeling 2% BHA – the salicylic acid product for unclear skin. I’m in need of such a product since my CORSX one is ancient. I’ve neglected BHA’s in recent years. 

AFRODITA COSMETICS Skin Specialist Vitamin C Anti-age serum – I already mentioned this above. It’s pricy for drugstore, but it’s at the top of my list to replace the Afrodita Professional one. The difference is in the lower concentration of ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, but I don’t have the numbers. 

VICHY Liftactiv Fresh Shot Serum – the other vitamin C product I’m interested in, primarily because of a great feedback, but it’s even more expensive than Afrodita. This one has ascorbic acid, so it should be more potent or fast acting.

HADA LABO TOKYO Vitamin C Sheet Masks – I like the ingredients list of this – niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. You get 5 in the pack for 10 € in DM here. 

NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Oslo – apparently this is the “it” foundation at the moment. Nars claims it combines skincare with makeup and that improves skin condition in time. It’s really expensive, but Beauty Bay had -20% so I was tempted to get it, sadly though, shade Oslo is not in stock in many places. 

EVELINE COSMETICS Magical Colour Correction CC Cream & Satin Matt Mattifying & Covering Foundation 4 in 1 – We have a stand in one of DM’s where I live, but I rarely get to see it. Products are affordable, so I’m tempted to try some of their products. These two foundations caught my attention because the shades looked ok, though I’m going to have to check that again, since DM’s lights are so yellow. 

PIXI H20 Skintint – I’ve seen this look so good on the skin in some reviews. It’s low coverage, but I love the natural look. I’d already buy it if it had an added SPF, but I bought just It Cosmetics CC for now (which I have a mini of and I love it for my dry skin. They expanded their shade range).
NIVEA SUN Sonnenfluid Gesicht Anti Pigmentflecken LSF 50 – a new version of Nivea SPF with Thiamidol/Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol that fades pigmentation. I think this may be cheaper than the serum version they released last year, but we’ll see. I’m thinking about giving this one a go or just get the Mattifying version I love again.
CERAVE Daily Moisturizing Lotion – I think for the first time in years I’m out of body lotions/creams/butters. I’d like to try this one because it doesn’t have mineral oil, which breaks me out (sometimes) and I’d like to use it for the face as well. I might get Nivea Body Souffle again too because it’s the only moisturizer at which there was a lasting effect and my skin was visibly improved after a couple of weeks.  
OLAY Regenerist Aha 24 + Vitamin C Gel Crème & Vitamin C + Peptide Serum – this line combines niacinamide, peptides and vitamin C. I use the regular Regenerist red cream, but this would be a nice update. I hope we get it in Muller once, though they reduced the amount of products last year.