środa, 5 września 2012

Review / comparison of the double-phase eye and lip waterproof make-up removers - Ziaja, Marion, Bielenda

Today I would like to compare for you waterproof make-up removers that I use. I always have one of them in my collection as nothing can replace them in dissolving waterproof mascara or eyeliner. They are comparable as far as price and availability are concerned. Due to their oil-based composition they all leave a greasy residue on the skin so I tend to use them before I wash my face with cleanser and water. None of them has ever clogged up my pores or caused any kind of allergic reaction.


Marion

The bottle contains 120 ml of liquid and since it removes the make-up relatively fast with a small amount of product it lasts for about 3 weeks. However, it tends to irritate my eyes a little bit so I would give it the third place. The list of ingredients includes camomile extract but it's at the very end.




Ziaja
There is 120 ml of product in the bottle. It removes the make-up as fast as Marion but a little bit more product is needed so a container lasts for about 2 weeks. It doesn't irritate my eyes at all and the residue it leaves is the least greasy. With Marion and Bielenda you can't see very well a minute after using them which drives me mad but you don't have this problem with Ziaja. I also really like the fact that the list of ingredients  is so short because there is less possibility that something can cause allergic reaction. It also claims to have the same pH as the tears. It is my favourite.



Bielenda
There are three versions of the product available - avocado (yellow cap - for sensitive eyes), black olive (black cap - anti-aging) and cotton (pink cap - strengthening the eyelashes). I currently have two of them but I've tried them all and they are comparable. The bottle contains 125 ml of product but it dissolves the make-up rather slowly so it doesn't last longer than Ziaja. I haven't noticed any difference as far as my lashes are concerned, I don't believe in the anti-aging properties either. I can't say if the avocado version is more gentle than the rest because my eyes are not sensitive. For me they work exactly the same. Bielenda leaves the most greasy residue on the eyes and doesn't sink into the cotton pad very well - it tends to slip and get on the floor. The list of ingridients is rather long but includes hialuronic acid, allantonin, arginine but also parabens .However, it doesn't irritate my eyes so I would give it the second place.




And what are your favourite eye make-up removers?
Have a nice day,
Snow White

wtorek, 4 września 2012

Jewelery saga - Lord of the Rings - Silver - Part I ;)

Rings are definitely my favorite pieces of jewelery. All my friends and family knew that whatever the occasion, the ring was a gift that made me feel over the moon. So, to my excitement, I kept getting them for about 10 years. Here are some from my collection:
 No name, handmade, Internet

 Tatoni

 Apart

 Apart

 Apart

 Tatoni

 W.Kruk

 Apart

 Apart

 W.Kruk

 No name, Internet

 No name, handmade, Internet

 No name, handmade, small shop
Now you can have the idea what my style is as far as jewelery goes. I am not able to choose my favorite piece - for me it would be like choosing favrite child ;)

What kind of jewelery do you like?
Have a nice day!
Snow White

wtorek, 28 sierpnia 2012

Review of my foundation brushes - LancrOne, Revlon, Hakuro

Today I would like to review for you all the foundation brushes I own. I know what you might think "How many foundation brushes does a normal person need?" But I'm not normal - I'm a brush freak. Ok, so let's begin...

LancrOne
The set by LancrOne seems to be Sigma's synthetic kabuki collection duplicate. However, I cannot make a direct comparison as I don't have any of the Sigma ones. They are all synthetic, the bristles are soft and dense. Therefore they are ideal for cream products application.


F68, F54, F60, F58

F68 - Tapered kabuki - thanks to its shape it can can perfectly blend the product in those parts of the face which are rather hard to reach with flat brushes - the eye or around the nose area. It doesn't look particularly attractive in the photos because it's wet but I can assure you that working with it is nothing but pleasure. 


 F68

F54 - Round top kabuki - its bristles are shorter and slightly more dense than in F68. It works better with thicker foundations and you can get more coverage. I also love using it for cream blushes.

 F54

F60 - Flat top kabuki - it is the least dense brush of the set and the bristles are slightly longer than in F54. It is by far my favorite as far as foundation application goes as the finish it gives is natural and with circular motions you can perfectly work the product into the skin.

 F60

F58 - Angled top kabuki - the shape of the bristles makes you use different type of motion when using it - you do not swirl the brush (as you would the round ones) but rather stipple the product onto your skin which gives a different finish and a little bit more coverage. It's great for contouring with cream products as well.

F58

Hakuro
Hakuro is a Polish brand which makes rather cheap but good-quality brushes. The one I'm presenting can be used for many purposes. It's synthetic, dense and soft, however not as soft as LancrOne. It is also the biggest of the round brushes I own. Because of its size, it makes the application really fast and gives natural, kind of airbrushed finish. It is also the best brush I have ever used for powder foundations. It could also be used for blushes or bronzers but with a very light hand as because of its density you may apply too much product.

 H54

Revlon
The last of the brushes I want to write about is by Revlon. I used to use it for foundation but when I came across the brushes discussed above, I no longer use it for this purpose. It is soft but not dense enough and makes the application streaky. Now I prefer it for make-up bases or moisturizers. However, I will definitely purchase a  different "traditional" foundation brushes because they seem to be the best when you have dry patches on your face as they do not cause micro-exfoliation.



Summing up, you can definitely find a purpose for each of these brushes, but there is no need to buy them all. Each of them can be used in a variety of ways, depending what kind of products and finishes you like. When I say I use a particular brush for something, it doesn't mean you cannot use it for something else. This is just my personal opinion. If you want natural look an use mainly liquid foundations I would recommend one of the brushes by LancrOne. But if you prefer powders, buy something like Hakuro.


And what are your favourites as far as foundation application goes?

Have a nice day!!!
Snow White