NOTD - Inglot 222

Have you heard of Inglot? It's a polish make up brand, similar to MAC but much cheaper (at least where I live). Few days ago I went there to buy something special for New Years Eve and this is what I brought home with me!

Shade 222 is a part of the Noble Collection (or Metallic Mania, depending on the country) and it is a silver shade with a metallic finish. The nailpolish comes in a big bottle and contains 15 ml of product, which is quite a lot comparing to some other brands. I personally prefer smaller packaging for less money because it is impossible to finish a bottle of nailpolish and it would be nice if Inglot thought of some minature shades. As with most of metallic nailpolishes, brush streaks are clearly visible so you need to be really careful during application. However, I think such shades look best from afar and I really don't mind visible streaks in this case, but if you're OCD about it, you should look for something else. As usual, I applied two coats and it's enough to get full coverage. Can't really say anything about the quality yet but I've tested it for 2 days on my left hand and nothing bad happened so I guess it will be pretty decent.

natural light on the left, with lamp on the right

What's your nailpolish pick for New Years Eve? Hope you're all going to have a wonderful time!

A.

Update + Pai - Organic Skin Care Trial Pack

Hello everyone! Just a quick update to let you know what we've been up to in the last few weeks. We haven't been posting much lately, because we're both busy studying for exams. Also, my skin has been rather crazy the past few weeks, so I couldn't try any new skincare products. Luckily it's all calming down now! Oh, and I'm also done taking (Ro)Acutane so it's not a good idea to try out new products either. I have a very basic skincare routine at the moment, so I can easily see any changes.

However, I couldn't stop myself from buying a few new products now and then. I'll be giving them a try once I feel my skin is completely balanced again. One of the things I cannot wait to try is the Trial Pack from Pai! It was only €6 (+ shipping of course) so I couldn't resist.

The Trial Pack comes with six samples and a free muslin cloth (worth €5 alone). It contains 4 trial sizes of their different moisturizers (5ml), one cleanser (5ml) and one exfoliator (for some reason 4ml). All very simply but beautifully packaged. As you can see, there's something for everyone and since Pai is an organic skincare brand, the ingredients are all natural and harmless. You won't find anything harsh either, because Pai mainly focuses on sensitive skin and its needs. As you know, I'm a huge fan of such formulations!

The full-sized products can be rather expensive. Pai does use the best ingredients possible and they're not as expensive as many high-end brands, but for most people it still won't be easy to pay €40 (shipping included) for a 30ml moisturizer. This is why this Trial Pack is such a great idea! If you don't like a certain product, then it won't be as bad as purchasing the full size. And if you do like something, then you might consider buying the big bottle! :) Although I haven't tried the samples yet, I know there will be something I'll love, because the ingredients are simply amazing!

Should you want to read more about Pai and their products, have a look at their website. They're also on Twitter and are really friendly and helpful! (No, I'm not being paid for saying that! ;)) Should you have any favourites from Pai that you think I might like, then let me know in the comments! Take care, everyone! -L.

Weleda - Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion

I always use a few body lotions/oils in rotation and which one I choose, depends very often on my mood. I have a few expensive ones for when my skin needs some extra pampering and I have some less expensive ones that I use on a daily basis. The one I'm going to review today is on the less expensive side but it really delivers!

I bought this body lotion a few weeks ago when grocery shopping. I needed a simple yet effective lotion so I grabbed this Weleda Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion and didn't think much about it. Weleda uses many natural ingredients and their products have never let me down before, so why not give this one a try?

After taking a shower it was time to rub on some lotion. The first thing I noticed was that the product was rather runny and smelt very strongly of limes (which I love). At first I was a bit worried that it might not be as moisturizing as I had hoped for and that the smell would become overpowering after a few minutes, but I was so wrong! It spread out really easily and felt lovely on the skin. The smell faded after some time and I was left with very soft and hydrated skin. I really can't tell any difference between this lotion and some of the more expensive ones when it comes to results!

I am very happy I decided to give it a try because it's a product I'll definitely repurchase. I reach for it almost every day and my skin's always left feeling amazing. And, as a bonus, my wallet is happy too! :) I'm also very tempted to try Weleda's Wild Rose Pampering Body Lotion, because it has Rosehip seed oil as one of its ingredients and I bet it smells lovely too. Who knows, maybe the next time I'll go grocery shopping... ;) -L.

Revlon - PhotoReady liquid foundation

As I mentioned in my previous foundation post (click!), I was planning to try out some other foundations available here. And just few days after I posted that review, Revlon's PhotoReady foundation arrived to me! I've been using it everyday for over a month now and to be honest I'm still not exactly sure whether I like it or not. But before I jump to conclusions, let's focus on the details.

According to the producent, the Revlon PhotoReady should help achieve poreless, airbrushed skin in any light. This effect is possible thanks to photochromatic pigments that bend and reflect light to erase every flaw. Revlon also promises that this foundation will give complete, yet undetectable coverage and a soft, luminous finish. It is also oil and fragrance free and has SPF 20 (which adds to the luminosity). Sounds promising, right? PhotoReady is packed in a nice bottle that contains 30ml of product and has a precise pump that will give you the exact amount of foundation you need for your face.

Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to choose the right colour for me. Revlon hasn't released all the available shades (there are 12 in total) in my country and the lightest one out here is 003 Shell, which seems to be a little bit too dark for me right now. To make it worse, I noticed it sometimes tends to darken on my skin (blaming my current face powder for that) so I need to be really careful with it. At the beginning I was using my fingers to apply it but I find a flat top brush better to blend the foundation well. Once again a good moisturizer is a must before application, since PhotoReady is ruthless for every little bit of flacky skin you may have on your face! So sometimes instead of erasing your flaws it exaggerates them. Not nice of you PhotoReady, not nice! ;) The foundation gives light to medium coverage but you can build it up, since it does not look like you're wearing a mask. It applies quite well and leaves no streaks if blended well. PhotoReady, as promised, photographs really well despite having such a high SPF! I think it looks well in both natural and artificial light and that's why I can forgive some imperfections this foundation has.

Natural light on the left, flash on the right. Noticing the shimmer? :)

Apart from the shade, I think my biggest issue with PhotoReady are the photochromatic pigments, which are nothing else than.. glitter! I really don't mind a little glow (after all this is an illuminating foundation, I knew what I was getting myself into) and when you shake the bottle before application or mix it with a different foundation, you won't look like a disco ball. However, after few days of using PhotoReady I've noticed shimmer on my coat, my collars, on everything that I wore! It also rubs away even though I use setting powder. Because of those infamous photochromatic pigments this foundation is not really suitable for people with combination to oily skin, since your face will look really shiny after all. Even though I'm dry at the moment I get a little bit too shiny and need a fix after 3 - 4 hours. However, if I blot my skin after moisturizer and before applying foundation, PhotoReady sits longer on my face. So if you have a similar problem like me, you should definitely try this trick!

Revlon PhotoReady foundation, which is said to be a dupe for MUFE HD foundation, has it's ups and downs. If you have dry or normal skin with no flaws, this will definitely lighten up your appearance, but if you have combination or oily skin and hate shine on your face with passion, you should look for something else. I was really excited to try this one out after reading so many positive reviews and I'm not gonna lie, I am a bit disappointed. But if mixed with other foundations it gives a really nice glow on my skin and lasts longer so I will definitely use this one up!

What are your opinions on Revlon's PhotoReady foundation? Are other products from this line worth a try? Waiting for your opinions!

A.