I haven't done a cosmetic favourites post in a while! Here are a couple of products that I loved this spring. I also added couple of non-cosmetic hits. Enjoy!
Eco Cosmetics Baby n Kids Babysun Pomengranate n Seabuckthorn SPF 50+
This was the biggest surprise hit of the month. I got it for the kids expecting it to be way too whitening for my skin. However once I applied it on the kids I was surprised to see how quickly it sinks into the skin and the white cast is minimal. Ok, maybe not minimal enough for work, but subtle enough for the beach or outdoorsy activities. If you have a pale skin, you'll probably see no white cast at all. I reach for the Eco Cosmetics Baby n Kids SPF50+ when I go on a hike or spend the day by the water. The finish is not oily, there is no scent. The product is free from chemical sunscreen, nano-particles and alcohol. And it provides protection against both UVA and UVB.
Jasmine Water
I got my jasmine hydrolate to use as a toner and cleanse my skin in the morning. It is calming and soothing, it refreshes tired skin. The scent is amazing -- normally I find Jamine perfumes too cloyingly sweet and in-your-face, so I was pleasantly surprised that this hydrolate had a fresh, gentle scent like the real jasmine flowers. I got my jasmine hydrolate from Zrobsobiekrem.
Because of it's luxurious scent, it would make a nice gift. I got mine from BeHaWe.com
Over to you: what product stole your heart this year? Have you tried any of the ones I wrote about here?
Ceramic Cuticle Pusher from Essence
This little tool is great is a hard-core version of the old orange-wood stick. It has a surface like sandpaper, which can file off unruly cuticles. I have those on my toes, and a wooden cuticle stick couldn't get rid of the parts that were attached to the nail. The only negative thing about the ceramic cuticle pusher is that it lacks a cap.Eco Cosmetics Baby n Kids Babysun Pomengranate n Seabuckthorn SPF 50+
This was the biggest surprise hit of the month. I got it for the kids expecting it to be way too whitening for my skin. However once I applied it on the kids I was surprised to see how quickly it sinks into the skin and the white cast is minimal. Ok, maybe not minimal enough for work, but subtle enough for the beach or outdoorsy activities. If you have a pale skin, you'll probably see no white cast at all. I reach for the Eco Cosmetics Baby n Kids SPF50+ when I go on a hike or spend the day by the water. The finish is not oily, there is no scent. The product is free from chemical sunscreen, nano-particles and alcohol. And it provides protection against both UVA and UVB.
Melvita Prosun High Protection Sunscreen SPF 50
Encouraged by the review of Alabastermädchen I expected this to have a very minimal white cast. As my skin is nowhere as cool and pale as alabaster, I was very disappointed. Not only is the white cast not subtle, it is very blueish which makes it even more noticeable. Also, I disliked the way it smells. The texture is quite nice and not at all sticky, so paler women will probably find it works well for them.Jasmine Water
I got my jasmine hydrolate to use as a toner and cleanse my skin in the morning. It is calming and soothing, it refreshes tired skin. The scent is amazing -- normally I find Jamine perfumes too cloyingly sweet and in-your-face, so I was pleasantly surprised that this hydrolate had a fresh, gentle scent like the real jasmine flowers. I got my jasmine hydrolate from Zrobsobiekrem.
Alverde Wildrose Sheabutter Feuchtigkeitsmaske moisturising masque
This masque from DM is meant for oily skin. I needed something that was pretty moisturising, and this does the job pretty well. The alcohol (which my skin doesn't like) is not among the top ingredients, and my skin tolerated it well. If you are looking for a soothing, nourishing masque, I'd recommend this one.Cattier Sport Shower Gel
I don't normally go for liquid soap because of it's higher ecological footprint as compared to soap, but I got this one in the Beauty Box. The Cattier Shower Gel is based on white clay and has a minty scent, and is great for refreshing the skin after sports and also for oily backs, I also liked it after abhyanga as it gets rid of all the oil left on the skin surface.Weleda Men-Aktiv Shower Gel
While the scent of the Cattier Gel is just mint, Weleda has this lovely scent symphony with a hind of Rosemary that is at the same time wholesome and delicate. The Gel is meant for men, and can be great for anyone who likes such scents. I got this from a package of Rossmann.Cold Pressed Plum Seed Oil
This oil smells like almond extract with a dash of plum and marzipan. It makes my hair smell really really good. It also adds shine and curl and minimizes frizz. It gets absorbed by the skin easily, leaving it moisturised and tight. However plum seed oil is too light for really dry skin. It is recommended for mature skin as it contains a lot of wrinkle-preventing vitamin E. It contains mainly Omega 6 and Omega 9, similar to sesame oil.Because of it's luxurious scent, it would make a nice gift. I got mine from BeHaWe.com
Kiko Eyeshadow in 165
I really like Kiko when it comes to highly pigmented colour cosmetics. I had wanted a shade of blue that would work on my warm skin -- either a warm deep turquoise, or a cobalt blue, or sapphire. However most shades I found were either much too cool or really washed out. Kiko had a couple of good blue shades, each came is several different packaging -- as part of a quad, an insert for a palette, or, like this one, a mono. Kiko eyeshadows are pretty pigmented, come in a nice range of strong colours and are pretty inexpensive.Alverde Transparent Eyelash and Eyeshadow Gel
It "forms, fixes and nourishes" the eyebrows and lashes. I use this to tame my eyebrows when I'm going for nude eyebrows or using an eyebrow powder (otherwise I use a coloured version of this product). Also when I'm not wearing mascara, because I'm expecting rain -- I tighline with a pencil and swipe on the clear mascara gel.Catrice Waterproof Mascara Top Coat
I didn't know that such a product exists! I tested it out in the shower, and was pretty surprised how well it works.Non-Cosmetic Favourites:
Minoura Phone Grip for bicycles
It's not the cheapest phone grip out there, but it is really really strong and stable and will hold your phone even on cobblestones. It is universal and fits most phones, so you won't have to switch it out if you get a different phone.Riemsen Pharma Bite Away
This is a nifty way to deal with insect bites without chemicals. With this little pen you zap the bite for a few seconds, and the heat destroys the proteins in the poison. I have been using this all summer, and am fascinated with it. Bites that would normally turn into red palm-sized itchy areas disappear in a day after I have zapped them with the Bite Away. It also helps with bee stings, and can bring a lot of relief for people who are allergic to insect bites.Over to you: what product stole your heart this year? Have you tried any of the ones I wrote about here?
