February and March 2014 hauls

I can easily use my birthday month as an excuse for excessive shopping... Anyway life became very difficult again and as always I had a need to shop like there is no tomorrow. I never get any gifts for my birthday from other people - or rarely ever so I decided couple of years ago that I will start treating myself. 

First up my MAC fix - small haul including re-promoted Perfect topping - unfortunately not as good as original release. Why oh why does MAC do this? Lately they have been promoting some amazing old products. Well actually they would create completely new product and just use a name of the old one. So irritating. Old Perfect topping was very unique and I was so excited to be able to buy it again. I am not saying new one is not nice but it's not the same as the original. 

Mineralize blush in Petal power - This one is stunning with it's beautiful golden sheen. I can't wait to review it. I can see myself wearing it often especially during warmer months. It sold out quickly but I can tell you this is back up worthy.

 Dior amber diamond <3 My first ever HE makeup purchase. Long long time ago I think it was 2007. I still have it but I bought another one when I realized it was gone completely. I know it got discontinued a while ago in EU but was hoping it will stay permanent in the US. Well since they are coming out with two new shimmer powders they got rid of Amber diamond. I will never forgive you Dior!! So I went on a hunt trying to find it and thankfully local Nordstrom had two left and shipped one to me.

Now my real birthday haul from Ulta. I restocked on some skincare. My skin is terribly dry, like a dessert. I decided to switch to Tonique confort (btw I love it! what a pleasant surprise) from my Tonique radiance (will go back to it when this never ending winter ends). Also wanted to try hydrating mask for a first time - let's see if it will make any difference, I am not big believer in masks.  Binefait UV is my choice for this summer when it comes to sun protection. Previous two summers I used clinique and shiseido and I loved both, but wanted to try something new.  Juicy tubes are one of my favorite glosses and I added Hallucination to my
collection.

Second part of my Ulta : OPI avoplex oil - buying it for the second time. When I originally got it I did not like it at all. Lately I have been using it often and it is great when applied right before I make nail swatches. Great for on the go to. Clarisonic cashmere cleanse will replace my sensitive brush - can't wait to try it! CK one mascara is birthday gift from Ulta. I have never tried anything from CK one line but I have heard some amazing things about their foundation. Too faced revamped they Natural eyes palette and I had to buy it. I am huge fan of the first one. It has been my mostly used palette of all the eyeshadows and palettes I have (reviewed here).

 Lancome added another product to their Visionnaire line. So excited to try Visionnaire blur! I wore it today with Lancome teint miracle foundation over it and first impressions are that this can easily become my all time favorite primer. Makes skin super smooth and silky without heavy silicone feeling. 

 NARSSisist eyeshadow palette. They pretty much hit it out of the park with this one. Lately NARS has been killing my wallet. Selection of their best eyeshadows all in one palette. What morec oould one NARS fan ask for? <3
I love the looks Lauren created with his palette http://www.lcmakeupblog.com/2014/01/fotd-using-new-narsissist-eyeshadow.html  http://www.lcmakeupblog.com/2014/01/arabic-eye-inspired-fotd-with.html

Giorgio Armani blush number 10 has been sitting on my wishlist for months. Or maybe a year? I keep delaying to buy it but when I found out that they will discontinue it and come out with new line of blushes I had to order it right away. I am sure it sold out quickly among it's loyal fans. It is very pretty shade for light skin tones. Not to beige not to pink with subtle shimmer. Why do companies discontinue such a classic products? This is my first Armani product.

Couple of new fragrances. I needed another one like I need hole in the head. Manifesto was such a surprise. I have tried it many times on the blotter and it was just ok, not worth buying. It has this annoying top note. I liked how it smelled on other people. Couple of weekends ago I sprayed it on my skin just for fun even though I already had perfume on... First it completely overpowered what I had on, it had amazing staying power and smelled better and better as timed went by. It is extremely sweet, yummy and sexy at the same time.

I have been eyeing Valentina for over two years. I remember trying it when it came out and I liked it right away. Simple, feminine, soft. Easy to wear and great choice for springs. Main reason I did not buy it was that staying power is not so great. It's not terrible but not as good as I would like it to be. Well I broke down and finally got it. I will make sure to use it often this spring. 

Finally I treated myself with one of the best perfumed body lotions out there - Prada Infusion D'iris. I've had small bottle long time ago and loved it. It smells exactly like the perfume which I find is very rare, mostly ancilery products smell similar with some added "plastic" scent to it. I assume it's hard to recreate the same scent used in actual fragrance and transfer it to body lotion, shower gel etc... And huge plus is that it is actually very moisturizing which is almost never the case with this type of body products. Only thing I find annoying is that there is no pump. Seriously for 50$ body lotion they could at least put a pump on that bottle! I used Infusion D'iris EDP 4 years ago and brings beautiful memories back on our vacation to Hawaii. Can't wait to use it again this summer! 

Lancome Nutrix Royal Body review

 Rescue extremely dry, dehydrated skin with this sumptuous silky lotion that locks in nourishing moisture for 24 hours. Feelings of tightness virtually disappear, thanks to Lancôme’s ultra hydrating formula that’s enriched with Royal Jelly for lasting comfort. Almost immediately, skin feels smooth, supple and cushiony-soft.

Benefits

• Smoothes and nurtures skin with 24-hour moisture
• Cushions and insulates skin from the effects of climate and seasonal changes
• Smoothes on effortlessly, drenching skin in comforting moisture for a satiny-soft feel

Technology

• Royal Lipidéum™ Complex of Lipidéum and Royal Jelly: Helps skin retain moisture by supplementing its own natural lipids (moisture-binding fat cells found in the skin)
• Contains Shea Butter, one of the most effective ingredients to fight dryness
• Chestnut Peptides increase skin’s natural lipid production

Lancome Nutrix royal has been my very surprising discovery. I never paid attention to it but I received it as a gift and was super happy about it. I love trying different products for body while trying to discover the best lotion/cream/butter for dry skin. 

This is very thick and creamy lotion, I am not sure it can be called lotion at all. It is between butter and a lotion texture wise. Even though it has such a thick texture it's easy to spread. Does not absorb immediately so I like to use it before going to bed. It takes a while to absorb but leaves skin very soft and moisturized. Great choice for brutal Chicago winter when my skin is super dry and needs all the help possible. 

I like the packaging too. It's nice squeeze out tube and has 6.8 oz or 200ml. With daily use it would last about a month, not longer. But since it provides such a great moisture you can easily use it every other day or for example three times a week, even if your skin is very dry. For skin that's not so dry this could be more of a occasional "treatment".  I also like to use it after hair removal on my legs, to soothe and moisturize irritated skin. Scent is soft but noticeable, hard to describe -light floral would be my best guess. Nothing that would interfere if you are wearing a fragrance. I like to stay away from lotions that mess up scent I am wearing. It has to be either very light and neutral or exactly the same lotion as the fragrance I am wearing. 

I like using Nutrix royal after Lancome exfoliant fraichelle since it does leave my skin slightly dry and has no residue. Then I have feeling that Nutrix royal can be absorbed the best. I wish Lancome would have even more body products. I would love to try their self tanners since I've heard some great things about them.

Lancome Nutrix Royal body  retails for 30$ and can be purchased on Lancome website

L'occitane En Provence Shea butter body lotion review

Enriched with 15% Shea Butter and natural honey and apricot oil, this creamy lotion absorbs quickly into the skin to leave skin feeling soft and looking radiant all day. Rich in vitamins A, B, C and E, this silky lotion will nourish, moisturize and protect skin.


The shea tree (Sapotaceae family) comes from dry tropical Africa and grows to a height of 12 to 20 meters. It has a thick, corky bark that protects it against bushfires and can live for 200 to 300 years. Its fruits, which look like large yellowish plums and measure 4 to 5 cm, only appear after 25 to 30 years. A thin, edible flesh surrounds 1 or 2 large seeds, which are very rich in oil. Shea trees are rarely cultivated even today and shea nuts are usually harvested in the wild.

Specific to Sub-Saharan Africa, this much-respected tree contributes to the rhythm of village life. Shea butter is used as a food oil, but also in therapeutic products. However, its main use is in beauty products: it protects the skin against the wind and the burning sun and makes a nourishing balm for the hair.

Incorporated into L'OCCITANE formulas, shea butter is an ideal balm for dry and dehydrated skin. Its nourishing and protective properties have been revealed. It contains insaponifiables, to boost cell renewal and repair the hydrolipid film, for softer, more elastic and comfortable skin. It acts like a barrier for the skin and limits water loss, thus maintaining an optimal level of moisture. For an oil version and higher proportion of unsaponifiable matter, shea butter olein is used. Finally, in soaps, the butter can be saponified to make it exceptionally soft and gentle.

I am huge fan of L'occitane shea line. I already wrote about their Shea hand cream and Shea hand scrub and both products highly impressed me. I wanted to try other stuff from their Shea line (I actually had  body scrub on my mind) but I had a chance to snatch body lotion with 50% off. I was slightly reluctant because I read some reviews online saying it's not hydrating enough and that is very lightweight. I usually prefer body butters over lotion just because my skin is so dry, barely any lotion will help with dryness.

Anyway, Shea lotion is on a pricier side. 60$ + tax for 16oz or 500ml. That's a lot. I got it for 30$ which is more acceptable price for me.

It comes in a white bottle that's not bulky at all (even though  it has 500ml) with a pump that can be opened and then closed. A lot of pumps like this one once you open it you are doomed, can't be closed back again.

Scent of this lotion is just divine. It has signature shea scent same as their hand cream. I LOVE IT! So soft, clean and not overpowering.

Texture is really on a thin side, slightly watery and absorbs very quickly. Nothing bad about that actually it's a plus if you are applying it in the morning before getting dressed, or if you like your lotion not leaving any kind of a residue. As L'occitane promises it really leaves skin looking healthy and very radiant. I was nicely surprised by this. Skin feels soft on touch. Unfortunately for me it does not moisturize enough. It is lightweight and could be great pick for summer if you have very dry skin. If not this could be your year around lotion. It is very basic, could be used for hands, feet, even your man would like this since it has such a lightweight texture. I've read some use it on their kids too, but I haven't really tried that.

I wish it has thicker, creamier texture and to provide more moisture. But even like this I am glad I got it. I will try to use it up during summer and then to switch to Shea body butter during winter.

My favorite NIVEA products

NIVEA is a brand icon with a massive global appeal and an unparalleled success story. It all began in Hamburg, where NIVEA, the first-ever industrially produced oil-and-water-based cream, was launched in December 1911. Today, NIVEA is the largest skin care brand in the world, and is available in over 200 countries*. Awareness of NIVEA is virtually 100 percent in Germany, and European consumers trust it like no other skin care brand. This is confirmed, for example, by the “Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands 2012” study, in which more than 27,000 male and female consumers from 15 European countries voted NIVEA the most-trusted skin care brand for the eleventh year running. NIVEA has always stood for reliable quality, good value for money, and ease of use. Security, trust, closeness, and credibility are the brand’s core values.


OK so that was Beiersdorf offical press release. I wanted to write about couple of Nivea products I have been using and loving for years. Most of them I started using back in Europe, and one I actually discovered and first tried when I moved to the US. 

Right away I have to complain about Nivea range not being completely available in the US. Many many products are not available like deodorants, sun range, some body products etc.. 


The product I have been using the Longest is Skin firming body lotion Q10 plus 

It promises firmer and more toned skin, softer and smoother skin texture and 24 hour moisture.
I have to agree with all the above. It smooths the skin, feels softer, tighter and it's very moisturized. I have dry skin and I need a lot of moisture. It does not absorb right away but it does leave any kind of residue. This absolutely delivers. I do not believe in magic products that do any kind of a lift, but at least skin appears smoother and firmer. Appears is magical word in beauty industry.
I love the smell too! Actually I love the smell of the most Nivea products, it's that very easily recognizable clean and soft "Nivea scent".


Lotion that I discovered when I moved to the US is Smooth sensation.

 I have never seen it in Europe before so I kind of did not pay attention to it until I had a chance to try it. I was so impressed with the texture and the scent I bought it right away. Big 500 ml bottle! It is great if you have dry skin and you need a lot of moisture but you dislike heavy feeling products like body butters. This has lightweight texture that absorbs quickly. Sometimes I like using Firming lotion at night and Smooth sensation during the day when I have to get dressed quickly. It leaves skin smooth and very soft. From the same line Nivea also sells Smooth sensation shower gel, but I have never tried it.



My long long time favorite when it comes to in bath/ shower products is Nivea Natural oil for dry skin.

 I do not even remember of how many bottles of this I went trough. This is absolutely hands down one of the best items on the market for dry skin. It is so caring, very gentle and leaves skin soft, and never stripped or dried out. I love the soft, kind of sweet scent. Often it is compared to L'occitane Almond shower oil. Texture is very similar except that L'occitane has much sweeter almond scent. There is honestly not much of a difference between these two products quality wise except for the huge price difference. If you can't afford L'occitane it's ok, you are not missing a lot if you already have Nivea natural oil.
This item is not available in the US!! Which makes my life difficult since I have to get it from EU, and I always make sure when someone I know is traveling to bring me couple of bottles! Yes that's how  much I love it.


Another item from Nivea not available in the US unfortunately is Pearl beauty stick.

I have been using this since it came out and have not found deodorant/antiperspirant that's more effective and smells nicer. It has soft, feminine scent that does not change (to worse) during the day. It's highly effective in the highest temperatures, in the worst humidity and if you sweat like a pig (like me). It never left white marks on any of the clothes I wore, which is a huge plus.
I have tried shower gel from the same range, that's available in the US and it was nice, I wasn't too crazy about it. Scent wasn't exactly the same as the one in deodorant and that's what I was kind of hoping for.
Last time my dad brought me 10 of these (yes 10 :p ). I had to stock up!



Overall Nivea for me is one of the best if not the best drugstore brand when it comes to body care and sun care products. Their hair care items I wasn't crazy about. I have not tried a lot of skincare items for face so I can't really judge. Amount of the product and quality you are getting for the price is unbeatable.  These are my drugstore gems!

Do you have any Nivea favorites? Please share!