Here is the list of products that I swear by. It's not everything that is in my makeup bag because there are some products in there that I would like to switch with someone better one day. But these are the products that I will never replace. Mind that there are also cosmetics in this list.
Physician's Formula Mood Enhancing Blush
I recently discovered that Physician's Formula was available in Belgium, at a Di store (I also recently discovered that Di stores still exist, and I love it for offering different makeup brands than the common drugstore). This blush costs around 15 euros but it's worth every penny. It gives an all over freshness to my face. Some are more bronze, others are pink or coral, there's one for everyone. The mood boosting effect to me is already in the product itself, what a wonderful sight, but the real mood enhancer is an ingredient that is said to make you feel happier when you apply the blush (not sure if it can get through my daycream/foundation/powder fort).
MaxFactor Lipfinity in Angelic
A very universal shade, but a little on the pricey side, doesn't last very long in every sense of the words (only gives me around 30 applications I'd say, and only lasts a few hours on my lips). Also, it always comes with a lip balm so whenever I buy it I have to add another lip balm to my collection while the lipstick has already run out. The magic is in the universal, sexy but warm shade. The balm itself has a buttery texture so it's kiss proof and shimmery.
Dove Silk Body Wash
This is the only Dove product I use, since I'm not very fond of their whole 'natural body' message, I'm not fond of any kind of marketing involving body type anyway. I love this body wash because it has the classic white lilly scent, which has made me believe that that is the smell of silk.
Maybelline Baby Lips
In Belgium I could only buy the red or the pink one, so I went for the red one and loved it. It had a jelly like texture rather than a creamy one like other lip balms and it felt like it was working. The red one also provided a nice pop of color. But since the collection expanded I have bought almost each one of these and each one has its own advantage, such as repair or moisture.
Body Shop Butters
I will never stop buying these delicious butters. No other product form can express their wonderful scent. My favouritesare shea, passion fruit and moringa (smells of lime tree blossom). My least favourite are olive, wheat and musk.
Bourjois Lipstick in Nude Wave
I'm still no Bourjois fan, but their lipliners are among the best I can find at the drugstore. This shade of lipliner I think is universal for most women, fits a lot of lipstick shades and is well pigmented.
L'Oreal Butterfly Effect Mascara
I haven't found it in a waterproof version and it's slightly pricey like all L'Oreal mascara's, but their mascaras always make me feel very confident.
Dior Blush in Pink Petal
My baby, my first Dior product, in the freshest pink you could imagine. The effect is quite strong so you only need a little, and the blush adapts to the Ph of the skin whatever that means for the blush. I just love it, it makes me feel like I just ran through a field in the morning.
Dr. Organic Rose Otto collection
So far I have used the cleansing milk and the scrub and I absolutely love it!
Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer
A concealer that doesn't streak and doesn't look orange, what do you know... Two downsides: you need shade 002 if you're pale, not 001, and according to the website it was only dermatologically tested, not amphtalmologically, so not on the eyes. I'm a bit afraid that this concealer is not suitable for under the eyes, despite Emily DiDonato giving us the flirtiest eye look in the ad. The website does claim though that you can apply the concealer around the eyes. Hmmm. It can also be used to outline the lips.
L'Oreal Exfotonic
I don't believe in DIY cosmetics. I've tried making scrubs, shampoo, toothpaste, perfume, etc. ... but nothing seems to work. Nothing feels more like spoiling myself than buying a very specific scrub. And I will always go for this one because it has that fresh lemony scent that even high end products have and that makes it a pleasure using it. This scrub I use with the biggest care, I scrub as long as I can. I promises a "new skin" effect and I must say that my skin does feel plumper after use. I'm talking about my bum, because that's the only place that needs products like these.
Jacob Hooy Vitamine E oil
Again in the skin/bum departement, here is a vitamine E oil I discovered next to the Bio Oil at the bio store. I was curious so I tried it. The orange color instantly blends in with my skin tone, making it look healthier instantly. It's not a dry oil, it's a real oil, but it sinks in very well and plumps up my skin instantly, making it feel fresher and smoother. It contains bètacarrotene which is vitamine A, another vitamine that's great for the skin. It promises to work like a bio oil: for more supple, even, moisturised skin, can be applied on stretchmarks and scars. It doesn't promise anything else but I'm certain it has worked for me so far.
Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer
I love everything about these lip balms except: the scent (peppermint, why? When the lip balm is called Watermelon, Plum, Rhubarb? Even rhubarb scent whould have been better! Mmmm, rhubarb pie...).
Mavala nail polish
Cute bottles, endless amount of colours, endless amount of finishes, moderate price (around 6 euros): love Mavala nail polishes!
Phylasis Essential Oils
My favourite essential oils are jasmine (reminds me of spring nights after rain), rose (reminds me of summer evenings), ylang ylang (reminds me of the forest), and rosemary (helps my memory). I evaporate them using an oil burner and water, or I mix them with neutral body lotion to apply them to my skin.
Rimmel I'll Call You Provocalips
In search for a cheaper alternative for the Angelic Maxfactor lipstick (17 euros), I found this shade from Rimmel for only 12 euros. I found that, with a bit of lip balm over it, it's a good dupe for Angelic and is also a bit more lively. Plus it's more suitable for those who prefer a pink look.
Roger & Gallet hand and cuticle lotion
These hand lotions from the pharmacy should be loved for many reasons: packaging, colors, UV-filter, scent, texture, amount and size. But there's a cute story behind this. I had bought the orange one with the UV-filter once and decided I wanted the rose one as well. So I went to pharmacy and noticed a cute pharmacist. He had run out of the Rose handcream and promised to get it at his other store in a town not so far away. I told him it wasn't a problem since I lived down the street. When I went to pick it up he wasn't there, unfortunately, so I kept driving by the pharmacy whenever I could be at home to see if he was there. One day I decided to drive to the other store a few miles from my house and I went in and he was there. He looked at me from behind his customer to smile and I was bloody nervous. Unfortunately I noticed that he was married, and I was sad. I bought a brown eyeliner, just to show how random my visit was (in Belgium, it's not common to buy anything other than medication at the pharmacy). I wanted to smile at him but I was afraid, since other pharmacists were in the room. I looked back when I walked out and saw him staring at me. I can't stop thinking that there was something there :) Home wrecker alarm!
Body Ship Born Lippy
The texture of this lip product is hard to describe, it's a jelly mostly. The scent is amazing but it's kind of messy to use with fingers and unfortunately not very hygenic. But I will always have 2 or more in my drawer, I love to apply it at night and let it sink in. BS promises that it takes care of lips all day/night. For a more hygenic application, there are now also Born Lippy sticks, but I'm pretty sure they won't give me that plump jelly layer that I can get from a pot. Dilemmas!
Ushuaia shower oil with monoi!
I love Ushuaia shower gels(Garnier). It has the most beautiful, exotic packaging of all shower gels at the drugstore. The scents are realistic. I used the Rose Hammam one so far, but recently a Monoi scented one came out, and I absolutely love the exotic scent of monoi! Nothing makes me long more for a dive in a tropical lake like monoi, so thank you Ushuaia for reading my mind!
To be continued...
0 Yorumlar