Favorites // January

When I put together the collage at the top I actually thought about excluding a product or two from this post just so the collage would look better. Pretty pictures are undeniably a big part of a blog but to include or exclude products because of the way they look seems hypocritical because I do want to talk about the products I actually like. That whole concept just seems a little messed up...

DoveNutritive Solutions Oil Care Spray: This is a wonderful new discovery of mine. I have written a review about this product already so I do not want to talk about it for too long but if you struggle with brushing your hair after washing it maybe you should give this product a try.

Astor Perfect Stay Gel Shine Nail Polish 502/503 Crème Brulée & Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer Effect Coat 41 Two Million Dollar Baby: I have been posting a lot about this Astor nail polish over the past few months but I just keep coming back to it. I have worn this combination of nude and golden glitter twice in January - which is a lot for me. I hardly wear the same nail polish on my nails two times in a row.

batiste Dry Shampoo For Brunettes: About two months ago I got a hair cut - which is nothing that special but this time I finally did it: I got bangs! Now they are pretty much grown out and I am going to have to get them re-cut but when I still had full on bangs I had to change my hair care routine. With that my biggest rediscovery was dry shampoo. I generally like using dry shampoo whenever I want to avoid washing my hair for another day. With bangs it was the most practical product ever. I wash my hair about every other day and there was nothing better for my second-day-bangs than this product. I love the look and texture it gives to my hair and especially my bangs.

alverde Limited Edition Winter Love Body Butter: It is no secret that I am a big fan of alverde body butters. This is one that has a thicker texture and I do prefer a 'softer' texture when it comes to body butters but I still like this one. It still sinks in quicker than any other body butter or lotion and it moisturizes my skin wonderfully. This is a rare limited edition version of the alverde body butter but I hope that in the future they keep coming out with special editions because to be quite frank I do not like the 'original' scent that much.

H&M  Little Black Handbag:  This is the bag I bought on Black Friday last year and is one of the best 'fashion investments' I have made in a long time. I use this bag almost everyday. It s small but still fits a lot of stuff and it looks good with any outfit I wear. This is basically the little back bag of my dreams.

Shape of You by Ed Sheeran: When there is a new song that I really like I just listen to it on repeat and any other musics tends to get neglected. This is one of those songs. It has been so long since Ed Sheeran's last release and I am so happy he is back.

What were you favorites in January?

Dove Nutritive Solutions Oil Care Spray // Review

At the end of last year my mum told me about the Tox Fox App and I downloaded that app. With the app you can scan products and it tell you whether there are hormonal substances contained in said product. After I scanned all my products I was relieved that there were not many among them that contained those hormonal substances but one of the ones that did was the Schwarzkopf Got2be Schmusekatze Anti-Frizz Lotion. As a replacement I got the Dove Nutritive Solutions Oil Care Spray as my new leave in conditioner. It is not an exact replacement of the old product but it keeps my hair moisturized like the Got2be product did.

I never would have thought I would but I actually prefer the Dove Nutritive Solutions Oil Care Spray to the Schwarzkopf Got2be Schmusekatze Anti-Frizz Lotion. I have really knotty hair that is hard to brush through and honestly nothing helps like this spray does. I usually always use conditioner because I need it to be able to brush my hair after I washed it but when I use this product I do not even have to do that. Of course I still use conditioner to take care of my hair but when I only take a quick shower I no longer have to. The spray makes brushing my hair so much easier I would not want to miss this product anymore.

It also moisturizes my hair and keeps it soft and shiny. I also like the way the product is applied. You just shake the bottle up so the two separate liquids mix and then you spray it on your wet hair. It is a fine, even mist  that is easy to distribute.

Overall I would recommend this product for anyone that has problems brushing their hair. The spray also moisturizes my dry hair well and I can tell a difference if I do not use this on my hair.

What is your favorite leave in conditioner?

Nivea Intense Repair Shampoo & Conditioner // Review

I am not entirely sure these two product are from the same line - did Nivea redo their packaging again? At least the claim to do pretty much the same thing so I thought it would be best to review them together.

Nivea Intense Repair Shampoo

Let's start with shampoo. I have been using this for a few months now but I bought it as a back up a long time ago so maybe the packaging has changed by now. This is not my favorite shampoo but I also do not dislike it. I wash may hair every other day and the Nivea Intense Repair Shampoo can keep up with that. However my hair does not look and feel as good as it does if I use other shampoos, for example the Dove Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Weightless Oil Shampoo. I feel as though if your hair is not as dry as mine this would work better for you. That's kind of contradicting the name 'intense repair' which I do not think fits this shampoo very well.

In conclusion this is a good shampoo for people with 'normal' hair but I would not necessarily recommend it as an 'intense repair' shampoo for people with damaged or dry hair.

Nivea Repair & Care Conditioner

The ends of my hair are dry but not necessarily damaged. That is why I use some kind of conditioner or hair mask almost every time I wash my hair. I have already found my holy grail hair mask ( Garnier fructies Hair Mask Oil Repair 3) but I am still looking for the perfect 'in-between' conditioner that maybe isn't as heavy but still does a good job moisturizing my hair because I do not want to use the same hair products on my hair every single day (in fear of my hair getting used to it and it not working anymore).

The Nivea Repair & Care Conditioner was a little too light for me. My hair was easier to brush through and I could definitely tell a difference in my hair after using this conditioner but it just did not moisturize my hair enough. This is evidently not the right conditioner for me but I know a lot of people that actually like lighter products for their hair. If your hair easily gets weight down by heavy hair masks or conditioners than maybe you should give this conditioner a try. (BTW I really like the consistency of this product - it is thick enough to actually stay in your hair when you apply it).

Over all these are both good products they just aren't for me.

What is your favorite shampoo & conditioner combination?

Products I've Used Up // March

alverde Shower Gel Mint & Bergamot: Peppermint is my favorite scent ever and I did really like this combination. The scent was nice but somehow I did not like it as a shower gel. I cannot really explain it. The scent and the product itself were great, I guess I just do not like peppermint-scented shower gel?

Schwarzkopf got2b Anti-Frizz Lotion: This is one of my favorite hair care products of all time. I already repurchased this multiple times and did it again this time. It is definitely the best anti-frizz product I have ever tried.

alverde Wild Rose Moisturizer: I generally like alverde skin care products but this I do have to admit was not my favorite. I actually did not use this up and according to the expiration-date on the bottle it should not have gone bad yet - but it definitely has. The scent has gone really bad and I do not feel comfortable using it anymore. It says on the packaging that this is meant for dry skin but if your skin is really dry like mine this moisturizer will probably not be enough. The facial oil from this line on the other hand works wonderfully with my skin.

the Body Shop Body Scrub Early Harvest Raspberry: I owned this body scrub before and repurchased it because I liked it back then. This time around I did not like this as much. It is still a good body scrub but I am pretty sure you can find a better one out there.

What products did you use up this month?

Beauty HAUL // Catrice FALLosophy

The Catrice FALLosophy Limited Edition is one I have been looking forward to a lot. I could have bought every single product from that collection. The product design and the colors they used are so up my alley.

Catrice soft lip color FALLosophy C03 Little Red Riding Hood: Do I own way to many red lip sticks? Kind of... but I swear I do not own a color like this! 

Catrice soft lip color FALLosophy C02 Rustic Rose: I think this might be my favorite from this collection. It is a pretty everyday color that is special to me because it has more brownish undertones than your usual rose lip stick.

Catrice soft lip color FALLosophy C01 Fabulous Fox-ia: This is a stunning color. To me this is the perfect way to wear pink on your lips in autumn.

Dove advanced hair series pure care weightless shampoo: Do I not have way too much shampoo back ups? Yes, I do. This is getting ridiculous. I did not need it but it was on sale and I will use it up at some point. I need to stop buying shampoo.

NIVEA volume sensation shampoo: Another shampoo?! Yes, but this is a travel size. I do go on a three day trip at the beginning of October and since it was on sale I just thought it would be handy to have such a small size to travel with.

Golden Jewelry: Both of these sets were on sale. I tend to always were the same jewelry pieces - pearls and simple studs. In order to make myself switch it up a little more I am trying to incorporate pieces into my collection that are unlike anything I already own. Well, we will see how much I actually wear them.

Did you get anything from Catrice's  FALLosophy collection?

June Favorites 2015

I cannot remember having such a long list of favorites ever before. Sometimes I do not use any new products or just do not like them enough to write about them here but this month that is not the case!

Catrice Glamour Doll waterproof volume mascara

Allergies are annoying. You sneeze all the time and your eyes get all red and teary. It is not fun. The only good thing allergies did for me was making me realize how freaking amazing this mascara is! I can cry, sweat or even go to bed (do not do that!) without this mascara smudging or crumbling anywhere. On top of that it also keeps me lashes looking good. It basically looks the same in the end of the day than it did in the morning when you put it on.

Manhattan Glowing Goddess Shimmer Powder Pink Paradise

Pink blush and warm weather go hand-in-hand in my world. This is my favorite right now. It is super pigmented so you have to be careful with that. 

theBodyShop lemon sugar body scrub

I never would have guessed this but I think this is my favorite theBodyShop body scrub so far. It is a sugar scrub which gives it an interesting texture. The sugar basically melts away as you massage it into your skin. It is also the most moisturizing scrub I have ever used. It almost feels like you have already used am in-shower body lotion.

Garnier fructies hair mask oil repair 3

This is a long lost favorite of mine. I remember loving this mask when I last owned it - why did it take me  forever to repurchase it? I wanted to try other products - but my conclusion is: there is nothing better than this in the drugstore. Of course I have not tried every single hair mask available on the planet but I kept comparing other hair masks to this one and that is when you just know you should probably buy this again. I have dry hair and colored ends (what is left of an awful ombré hair disaster - note to self: do not do that again!) and this hair masks really helps with that. On top of that it makes my hair a lot easier to brush through.

Herbal essences shampoo with honey and apricot for stronger hair & Nivea long repair shampoo

Somehow this combination works amazingly right now. I usually use two to three shampoos at the same time. By switching from one to the other every time I wash my hair my hair does not get used to either one of them and they keep their good effect on my hair for longer periods of time. Maybe I am imagining this whole 'my hair getting used to a product' thing but it works for me so it is fine.

Avril Lavigne, Give you what you like

I listened a lot to Avril Lavigne when I was a teenager. Lately I have been digging up my old records and also looking up some of her 'new' stuff. It just makes me feel so nostalgic...

What are you favorites for the month of June?

Products I've used up - May

I know that this containers do not look the best anymore - but that is what happens when using them over a long time ;)

alverde face oil wild rose

I am loving this stuff more and more. Needless to say I repurchased it already. My skin is very dry and other than the moisturizer from this line - which I do not like at all - this helps with my dry skin amazingly. In the colder months or when my skin is just feeling exceptionally dry I apply another layer of moisturizer after using this. Right now as it is getting warmer and my skin is not as dry as usually using this in the morning is usually enough. It absorbs into my skin really fast which makes it perfect for those mornings were you do not have a lot of time to wait between applying your moisturizer and putting on your make up.

L'Oreal Paris Elvital hair mask

Nothing special - that is what first comes to my mind when thinking about this product. There is a definite difference between using this and not putting on a hair mask or conditioner. Still there are better hair masks. I did not mind this one since I have had a lot worse but I do not think I will ever repurchase it either.

theBodyShop Early-harvest Raspberry Body Scrub

The scent is just wonderful. I like all theBodyShop products I have ever tried (at least I cannot think of one I did not like on the top of my head right now). Right now I am using the Sweet Lemon Sugar Body Scrub by theBodyShop and I like that as well (so far).

Rival deLoop Clean & Care oil free eye make-up remover & Carmex

These are staples in my everyday routine. I always repurchase these two products and have talked about them way too much in here - so what is there more to say?

What products did you use up this month?

BIG April Drugstore HAUL

Do you need that much shampoo? Well, no, I do not. On the other hand you do use shampoo up, right?

alverde Clear SOS - Serum

I do own the face mask from the same range and really like it. That is why I wanted to try their serum.

Nivea lemongrass & oil shower gel

This scent is so wonderful. I like Nivea shower gels but I have never had this one before. A lot of shower gels make me break out but Nivea products have never troubled my skin but actually helped it.

Dove advanced hair series youthful vitality shampoo

This is where the shampoo madness begins. Never have I ever bought this many shampoos in one day. This shampoo says it will make my hair more youthful (whatever that is supposed to mean?) which I do not think my hair needs. Then why did I get it? I have heard such good thing about the Dove advanced hair series and I have wanted to try it for a long time. Normally it is a quite expensive range (at least for the drugstore) and when I spotted this one on sale for 50% off I got it.

Herbal essences shampoo oriental dream with argan oil, Herbal essences shampoo for volume & Herbal essences shampoo with honey and apricot for stronger hair

I just could not decide which one to get - so I just got them all. Somehow I managed to buy three different versions of the shampoo packaging. How often does Herbal essences change their product designs? At this point I just find it confusing... 

NIVEA deodorant fresh natural

Aluminium-free and not strong scent are basically the only criteria I check for when buying deodorant. I bet it is not going to last 48 hours but who actually needs that?

Balea creme soap raspberry & lemongrass moisture care

There are so many great new Balea hand soaps out right now. Is it strange to be excited about that? The scent is amazing - if you have not already you should definitely check them out. 

Rival de Loop Clean & Clear oil free make up remover & Theramed original toothpaste 

What did you shop for this month?

Little Red Drugstore HAUL

I seem to be thinking in specific a colour spectrum when shopping lately. This time its yellow and red :P I am sorry for using the same background for my pictures a lot but finding new ones that actually have good lighting is really hard. Please be patient with me.

L'Oreal Paris Elvital hair mask

Since I bought the Elvital Shampoo I have been taking a closer look at their hair care products. I have heard good thinks about this hair masks and since it was on sale I decided to give it a try.

 treaclemoon warm cinnamon nights shower creme

I you ever come across treaclemoon shower cremes you've got to smell them. I have had treaclemoon shower gel before and while I do not think there is anything special about the consistency the scent is most extraordinary! I love the scent!

Catrice Limited Edtion Check & Tweed Velvet Lip Colour C03 Brit Chick 

My boyfriend thinks I look like a vilan when I wear this lip stick :D I have been staling this collection online for a while now and was so happy when I finally found it! I could have bought a lot more...

Nivea lip butter caramel cream

This was a gift from one of my best friends! Labello and Nivea lip butters are the same in Germany but you cannot get the caramel cream version everywhere. I have not tried it yet but I guess it is going to have the same effect as the blueberry blush one.

Products I've used up - August 2014

Pantene Pro-V Silky Smooth Conditioner 
This was a humongous 400ml bottle and it took me forever to use it all up. I bought this in February 2013 and just used it up this August! And what did I do?  - I repurchased it! I love this stuff. I am a little scared that they might have reformulated it since they changed the packaging and I bought my former bottle over a year ago. I have naturally curly hair and this product actually makes my hair dry 'straighter' while still making it shiny and feeling very soft.

Weleda Skin Food
This is a must have in my skin care routine. I have very dry skin and no other moisturizer does such a good job taking care of that problem. I only apply this at night because it makes your face super shiny and sticky for quite some time since it takes so long to really sink into your skin and because has a strong herbal scent to it. I notice a significant difference in my skin when I skip a day of applying this product. I have repurchased this already but I am still looking for a good day time moisturizer - any suggestions?

Isana Nail Polish Remover & Rival de Loop Clean & Care Eye Make Up Remover
These are products I repurchase all the time and that talked about a lot already on the blog.

Theramed Interdental Toothpaste
Ok, toothpaste is a little boring ;) but I always think it is interesting to see what toothpaste other people are using so I thought I'd share mine as well. Theramed is my favorite brand of toothpaste. I am very particular about the 'taste' of toothpaste and I hardly like any. In addition to the taste of Theramed toothpaste I really like their packaging! I think it looks great and it is also a lot more practical than the usual tube.

This time around I repurchased every single product I used up in the last month - I don't think that ever happened before! Did that ever happen to you?

Thanks so much for reading,

 - Myra

Summer Beauty Haul

I went shopping way too much yet again! - But I did not actually buy a lot of beauty stuff this summer which I am almost proud of ;)

alverde body butter in Vanilla & Mandarin 
I am hoping it is the same product that I showed you here - please! Let's hope they only switched up the packaging!

The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky-Clean Scrub
I am in love <3 I have had this product for a while now and I think I will do a Skin Care Routine soon. I loved the The Body Shop Body Scrub and wanted the same amazing experience for my face. I read reviews online suggesting this product for dry but blemished skin - which is exactly what I have - and when I saw it was only 8 Euros (you can buy a lot more expensive The Body Shop products) I had to try it.

Weleda Skin Food
This is a repurchase - my skin would be a mess without this product. SInce I am about to run out of this I had to make sure I had a backup.

Pantene Pro-V Conditioner for dry hair
Again this is a repurchase. I had a giant bottle of this before (that literally lasted for over a year) and I am still loving it. Somehow my hair just does not like to be straight and this product is the only way I know that gets it to be straight (well almost). I love this stuff.

L'oréal Paris Nude Magique Eau De Teint 120 Ivoire / Pure Ivory
This foundation sounded so amazing and when I swatched it it seemed to be a perfect match - but it is not. It is the lightest shade they sell but it is still too dark for me. :(

Manhattan Glowing Goddess Shimmer Powder Pink Paradise
This is the newest addition to my make up collection. I have been eyeing this product for the last few weeks and had to remind myself constantly that I had set a goal of not buying any more blushes because I already own a ridiculous amount. Then they started selling out everywhere and after wanting it for this long I finally caved in and got it! I have not used it yet but I will just after finishing this blogpost when I get ready for the rest of the day ;)

alverde baked Duo-Bronzer 10 Light Bronze
It already broke! I just tilted it to the side a little - and the whole product fell out! I had to collect the broken pieces from the ground before ven using it once :( Other than that I really like it (besides the smell - why do alverde products have to smell like that?!).

KIKO Fancy Top Coat nail lacquer 657
KIKO nail lacquer386
I don't have a KIKO near where I live so when I visited my parents in July I had to stop by their store! I have been looking for a crazy shimmer & glitter top coat from the drugstore for a while now but never found one I really liked. KIKO is not a drugstore brand - but the prices are drugstore level. I was also looking for the perfect light, creamy blue for my nails and thought I had finally found it - just to come home to find that I own the exact same color from Revlon. Well, fail.

KIKO Skinny Fit Kajal 05
Is that not the prettiest packaging you have ever seen? I do not want to throw it away :( I have only used the pencil once and I like it so far. I just wish it had the the same print as the packaging...

Catrice Limited Edition Le Grand Bleu - Matt Lip Cream C01 Never Leave Coral Reef
This was kind of a stupid purchase. Don't get me wrong - I like the product - I simply own way to many red lip products. Well, good thing it was on sale :P

from left to right:
Catrice Limited Edition Le Grand Bleu - Matt Lip Cream C01 Never Leave Coral Reef
KIKO Skinny Fit Kajal 05

That is all I got! - Puh, that was a long post. I hope you enjoyed and you are having a fantastic summer! Tell me what products I should check out in the drugstore the next time I go shopping there :P

Bye,
   - Myra