2017 has been a year of old beauty favourites for me but a few months ago a bundle of It Cosmetics goodies entered my life and turned my makeup routine upside down. I don't remember the last time a new (to me) brand impressed me so much. Every single item from them I've tried so far has made it onto my all-time favourites list and gotten a permanent place in my makeup bag. 

Leto 2017 je bilo zame leto starih favoritov. V moji kozmetični torbici se ni znašlo prav veliko novih izdelkov, ki bi me posebno navdušili, vsaj dokler ni pred kratkim v moje življenje vstopila znamka It Cosmetics in obrnila mojo vsakodnevno rutino na glavo. Res ne vem, če se mi je že kdaj prej zgodilo, da me je očaral prav vsak produkt iz ponudbe ene same znamke. Seveda nisem preizkusila celotne kolekcije (ko bi jo le lahko), ampak kar mi je prišlo pod roke, je v trenutku pristalo na mojem seznamu najbolj priljubljenih ličil vseh časov in dobilo dosmrtno mesto v moji kozmetični torbici. 

Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ captured my heart with seamless application, higher than expected coverage and non-drying formula. It's the only foundation I've tried so far that can apply with an actual brush without having it cling to dry patches - I normally have to use a wet makeup sponge to avoid the problem. My current favourite is this Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush, which allows me to blend it in streak-free and in a matter of seconds, which saves me A LOT of time. One layer gives me almost medium coverage, higher than my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum I've been using since forever, but looks flawlessly natural and feels non-existing on my skin. All boxes checked! I have the shade called Medium (there's seven in total, ranging from fair to deep), but I'm going with Light next time, as I do find Medium slightly too dark for my currently tan-less skin. 

Your Skin But Better CC+ krema z SPF 50+ me je osvojila z brezhibnim nanosom, visoko prekrivnostjo in neizsušujočo formulo. Običajno moram za nanos podlage uporabiti navlaženo gobico, da se izognem čezmernemu oprijemanju podlage na suhih predelih obraza, pri tej pa lahko brez problema uporabim čopič. Trenutno je moj najljubši Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection, prav tako od It Cosmetics, s katerim CC kremo nanesem hitro in enakomerno. En sloj mi da skoraj srednjo prekrivnost, višjo kot podlaga Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, ki jo uporabljam že leta, finiš je popolnoma naravnega izgleda, pa še na koži se skoraj ne čuti. Sama imam odtenek Medium, ki bi mi mogoče ustrezal po poletnih počitnicah, trenutno pa mi je malce pretemen, tako da se bom naslednjič odločila za odtenek Light. 

The Superhero Mascara is pretty good at ticking all those boxes too. Lengthening? Check! Volumising? Check! Lifting? Check! My favourite thing about it is that it holds the curl all day long, as my lashes normally droop quite quickly after applying mascara, but not with this one. I also haven't noticed any smudging or clumping, so it's now sharing the number one spot with Jordana's Best Lash Extreme. 

Superhero maskara je prav tako super. Trepalnice precej podaljša, doda jim volumen in jih lepo tudi privzdigne. Najbolj mi je všeč, da drži trepalnice zavihane prav ves dan, saj moje ponavadi hitro padejo dol, pa tudi z razmazovanjem in lepljenjem nisem nikoli imela težav, tako da si zdaj deli prvo mesto z Jordana Best Lash Extreme, edino drugo maskaro, ki me je sto odstotno prepričala. 

I feel like I've been battling with my prominent under eye circles since the day I was born, and they've only been getting worse thanks to my lovely insomnia. Even though I've found a couple of pretty good concealers over the past few years, none have been 'strong' enough to be used on their own. I always have to combine them with a salmon-toned corrector, but the Bye Bye Under Eye provides such full coverage it manages to conceal the darkest of them all on its own. The texture is quite thick so you do have to blend it out properly, but once it's set with powder, it doesn't crease and lasts very long. I don't use it just under my eyes, though. It works for other imperfections too. I apply it in the corners of my nose to cover my broken capillaries and of course on the spots too. The shade I have is Medium and it's actually perfect for me. I wouldn't go for a lighter one. 

Podočnjaki so moji najhujši sovražniki. Z njimi se borim že odkar pomnim, zadnja leta pa se je zaradi moje nespečnosti situacija še poslabšala. Čeprav sem odkrila že kar nekaj dobrih tekočih korektorjev, noben izmed njih ni dovolj prekriven sam po sebi, tako da jih vedno uporabljam v kombinaciji s kremnim korektorjem v lososovi barvi, Bye Bye Under Eye korektor pa zadevo reši sam. Je namreč neverjetno prekriven in zakamuflira tudi najbolj modre podočnjake, je pa tekstura precej gosta, tako da ga je treba zabrisati z dobrim čopičem in zacementirati s transparentnim pudrom, da zdrži cel dan na mestu in se ne useda v gubice. Ni pa uporaben samo za podočnjake. Sama ga uporabljam tudi za prekrivanje mozoljev in razpokanih kapilar okrog nosu. Odtenek Medium mi je za mojo polt ravno pravšnji in za razliko od CC kreme, ne bi posegla po svetlejšem.

The Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil stands out to me because it's just so easy to use. The retractable oval tip can be used from two different angles, giving you the option of thin or wide strokes, and apparently this particular taupe shade works for every single hair colour. I haven't tested that claim out myself, so I can't confirm it, but I do know it matches my brows perfectly. Plus I also love that there's a spooley brush on the other side so you can brush through your eyebrows in case you go in too heavy-handed.

Brow Power univerzalen svinčnik za obrvi me je prepričal predvsem s priročnostjo. Ni ga treba šiliti, konica je ovalna, z ostro in ploščato stranjo, tako da lahko vlečeš tanke ali širše črte, na drugem koncu pa je še krtačka, s katero lahko obrvi prečešeš, če slučajno naneseš preveč produkta. Svinčnik pride samo v enem, taupe odtenku, ki se baje prilagodi vsem barvam las. Tega sama nisem uspela preveriti, tako da izjave ne morem potrditi, vem pa to, da popolnoma ustreza moji lastni barvi obrvi.

I don't know about you, but I'm completely sold on It Cosmetics and itching to try more. I would love to hear your recommendations if you've tried any products yourself! I'm almost out of Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream, so I'll need to do some shopping soon... 

Mislim, da je več kot očitno, da me je znamka It Cosmetics povsem očarala. Glede na to, da mi Your Skin But Better CC+ krema počasi že gre h koncu, bom morala kmalu spet v nabavo, zato bi bila vesela tvojih predlogov, če si se slučajno tudi sama že navdušila nad kakšnim It Cosmetics izdelkom.

They come with a flattened, sharp-edged doe-foot applicator, which does an amazing job at applying the product quickly but precisely, and the formula is not bad for a drugstore product either. It's mousse-like, but sets very fast into a non-sticky velvety matte finish, and the pigmentation is very good as well, although I do like to apply two coats. What impressed me the most, though, is how long long lasting they are - they don't transfer, they survive meals and are hard to get off without a waterproof makeup remover.

Njihov aplikator je sploščen z ošiljeno konico, ki omogoča hiter in natančen nanos, razočarala pa me ni niti formula, ki po teksturi spominja na mousse, vendar se hitro posuši v nelepljiv, žametno mat finiš. Pigmentacija je zelo dobra, čeprav sama raje nanesem dva sloja, obstojnost pa je tista, ki me je najbolj prepričala. Šminka se namreč ne prenese na dotik, preživi obrok in zahteva vodoodporen odstranjevalec za ličila. 

The only thing that bugs me is the fact they're slightly drying and therefore not the most comfortable to wear all day long, and the five darker shades I was excited for the most are unfortunately mega streaky, so avoid, avoid, avoid. If I were you, I would stick to the lighter from the range. My favourite is 'Be My Baby'.

Na žalost pa ni vse rožnato, saj sta me pri šminkah zmotili dve stvari. Niso dovolj vlažilne, tako da mi zelo hitro osušijo ustnice, poleg tega pa je nanos temnejših petih šmink iz kolekcije, ki sem se jih najbolj veselila, prava nočna mora, saj je zelo neenakomeren. Pri svetlejših odtenkih tega problema na srečo ni, tako da bi vam priporočila slednje. Moj najljubši je 'Be My Baby'. 

I can be a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to makeup, especially when life gets busy. But I don't remember the last time I religiously used one product for six months straight besides foundation. This Sleek Face Form Contouring & Blush Palette in Fair is everything I've ever wished for in a pocket-sized face palette. It comes with a cool-toned contouring powder, a golden shimmery highlighter, and a coral blush with tiny gold particles - my favourite of the bunch. It gives the nicest glow to your face and goes perfectly with the copper and peach shades I've been wearing a lot recently.

The quality is top notch. For £9.99 I would expect poorer pigmentation and chalkier consistency, but all three products are highly pigmented, easy to blend and last just as long as the professional makeup in my collection. I also love how compact the palette is! It's tiny, perfect for traveling, with sturdy packaging and a clear, big mirror, which comes in very handy when you're on the road. I always do my makeup in front of a window when I'm staying in hotels and even at home sometimes, so I really appreciate a nice, big mirror.

I've been a bit MIA from the whole beauty blogging world recently, so I'm not sure if anyone has drawn any comparisons with the NARS Laguna Bronzer and Orgasm Blush, but I own them both, and I would say we have potential dupes on our hands! The shades are very similar, the only difference being that the Sleek ones are actually more pigmented believe it or not, so if I had to choose between the two, Sleek would definitely be my winner. 

How I managed to miss this gem in the recent flood of liquid lipsticks is beyond me, but at least I know of it now. When I first got the Matte Me Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Creams, I expected them to be what lip creams usually are - thicker glosses with a semi-matte finish - but instead, they surprised me with a velvety consistency and a proper matte effect. 

Upon the application, they are slightly creamier, but the right kind of creamy, the kind where the product doesn't go all over your face and is instead easy to apply precisely, which is what you need when you're dealing with bolder shades. It dries down very quickly, into that non-moisturizing but non-drying consistency that is completely comfortable to wear, and most importantly, turns truly matte. The only annoying thing I've noticed with regards to consistency is the slight stickiness when you press your lips together. If you're not constantly rubbing your lips together like I am (I really need to get rid of the habit), you probably won't even notice it, though. 

L: Vino Tinto, R: Velvet Slipper

I usually apply two layers. The lighter shade, Velvet Slipper, doesn't streak at all, while the darker Vino Tinto does tend to get slightly patchy, so make sure your lips are exfoliated. They both wear well throughout the day and are actually super long-lasting on condition you don't eat or drink. Otherwise, the product does disappear from the inner side of the lips. Having said that, it is fuss free to touch up. It's the removal part that requires a slightly heavier approach. While micellar water can do its job just fine, it's way way quicker if you grab an oil-based makeup remover and get it off gently. 

I have to give a huge thumbs up to these Sleek MakeUP numbers, especially since Velvet Slipper has now crawled onto my all-time-favourite-lip-products list. And with them being only £4.99 a pop, you really can't go wrong. You know what? I don't even want to try the Kylie Jenner Lip Kits anymore. I'll take these Sleek lip creams instead any day! The only thing that's left for me to do now is to give the lighter shades a go as well. Have you tried any? 

Happy new year, lovely ladies! I hope you took some time off to chill out or go wild over the Christmas break - whatever floats your boat. I had a very busy December, trying to get everything done before my last-minute trip to Sri Lanka, so I still owe you a couple of posts that were supposed to go up in 2016. Today we'll take a look at Sleek MakeUP's Rockstars Collection that includes two eyeshadow palettes, two lipsticks and two strobing souffles, all of which I was lucky enough to have been trying out during the holiday season. 

The i-Lust eyeshadow palettes both include six shimmery, almost glittery shades. 'Diamonds in the Rough', my favourite of the two, is perfect for that Greek goddess kind of look, with four powder and two cream eyeshadows that can also easily be used as highlighters. When applied, the pigmentation is subtler than expected and I did notice some glitter fallout as well, but they are super silky, blend beautifully, and are just lovely to wear all over the lid or in the inner corners. I'll definitely be digging this palette out again once summer rolls around. The bronzy shades are right up my alley! 

If the first palette is perfect for the lovers of neutrals, the second one, 'Hidden Gems', is all about the colours. The shades, which are all powder, range from deep green and purple to blue and red, in addition to the festive classics - silver and gold. I have to admit, I normally find it really hard to pull off the majority of similar tones, but these turned out to be surprisingly wearable when I actually applied them to my eyelids. The fact that they blend out easily helps a great deal at toning them down and using them as accent colours in combination with neutral shades or black, for a fun smokey eye. 

And now the best part of the collection if you ask me - Lip VIP metallic lipsticks. I wasn't sure if I was going to like them, because I'd never gone for a metallic finish before, but I love them! The purple iridescent glitters add an interesting twist to your look, yet are still subtle enough to not freak out the general public.
'Scandalous' is the perfect ruby red, while 'Superstar' is a dark purple. One thing I'm head over heels with is the shape, which doesn't only look super cool, but also makes the application a dream! When it comes to darker shades, it's hard to apply them precisely without the help of a lip liner, unless you have amazingly defined lips naturally, but with these, lipliner is not essential. Not at all.
The formula doesn't disappoint either. It's a bit hard to describe it, though. Upon the application, it feels matte, but just the right amount of matte, if you know that I mean. It doesn't drag, but it also doesn't slide around like creamier lipsticks tend to do. However, once applied, it feels a lot more moisturizing and creamy. It's a bit shiny and doesn't settle, which is the reason why I can't say it's particularly long-lasting, as it does rub off while drinking or having a meal. 

Do you love glitter? If your answer is yes, go grab the Strobing Souffles. 'Pink Opal' will float your boat on condition your skin's fair, with a slightly cooler undertone, while 'Smoky Quartz' is designed for the warmer skintones out there. These whipped cream highlighters have a very unique consistency. Souffle really probably is the best way to describe them, as they're neither liquidy nor what we know as creamy.
They blend out easily, but do have a considerate amount of pigment, so you really need just a tiny bit of the product. As mentioned, it's all about the glitters when it comes to these two. They are quite in your face and for me personally, a bit over the top for highlighting the cheekbones, the nose and the cupid's bow, but I did find another use for them. I wear them on my eyelids instead! The effect is gorgeous. You can easily use them to transform your everyday neutral matte look into a fun, party one by just applying the product on top. 

If you would like to see some of these products in action, check out this 'Get Ready with Me/First Impressions' video I filmed back in December. Sleek has really caught my attention with some of their products I've been trying out recently and I can't wait to tell you more about the rest of them in the next few weeks. I found some proper gems amongst them! 

It's no secret La Roche-Posay is my number one bae when it comes to skincare. Their dry skin targeted products are my life saviours during the colder months of the year, and I have yet to find a product of theirs that doesn't agree with me. Effeclar Duo(+) Unifiant is their newest invention. A hybrid between the oh-so popular spot treatment Effeclar Duo and a BB cream promises instant coverage for your face while battling imperfections in the depths of your skin. 

It's especially suitable for problematic skin types. It's supposed to reduce spots, redness and discoloration, as well as clear pores and improve the texture of the skin. I've always had problems with redness on my cheeks, and as of right now, I can't say I've noticed any improvements after using this product, but I did notice it helped massively with the breakouts I've been getting on my chin for the past six months. A lot less of them developed into proper, visible spots during THAT time of the month, and the ones that did come through dried up and healed way faster.  

The application couldn't be easier. I apply it with my hands and find that it sinks in very quickly. The texture is light, doesn't feel like anything on your skin, but provides some coverage. It's not a replacement for foundation, as it doesn't cover bigger imperfections, but it evens out the skin tone and is the perfect 'no makeup makeup' solution for the lazy days. Now that it's cold outside, my skin went super dry, so I can't comment on the supposed oil controling properties, but it's said to have a mattifying effect and function well even as a primer. 

The tube contains 40 ml of product and comes in two shades - light and medium. Not the tube, the actual product, obviously. I was sent 'medium', which is a bit too dark for me, so unless you're tanned, I would recommend you to stick to the lighter version. Right... I think that's it from me today. I feel like I forgot to mention a whole bunch of things, because I haven't written a skincare review in a hot minute, but I hope I covered all the basics. If you have any additional questions, though, feel free to leave them in the comment section below and I'll make sure to answer them, as always. 

It took me about four months and hundreds of visits to the drugstore to find this product. Well, this shade to be exact. My housemate wore it all summer long, and apparently the rest of London did too, because it was sold out EVERYWHERE. In stores, online... you get the idea. I still can't believe I managed to finally score it a couple of weeks ago! But don't ask me where. I took the last one. Sorry! 

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolors have been around for quite a while now, but me being on a bit of a spending ban these past two years, I tried not to pay attention to them or any other product for that matter. I actually forbade myself to buy new makeup unless I either run out of an essential or really, really like something. And that's what happened with this beautiful number. 

The shade I fell in love with and have been wearing non-stop for the past month is called Seduction. It's the perfect nude shade that goes with any makeup look. It's creamy, but dries matte, and is extremely comfortable to wear. It doesn't last all day, so re-applications are needed, but it lasts long enough and doesn't apply unevenly even if you put on several coats, which is a huge plus in my book. 

Lastly, I have to say a few words about the packaging. Isn't it gorgeous? A sleek, glass-looking tube you can see the shade through and a doe-foot applicator that is actually great. It really lets you be precise, which I guess is especially handy when it comes to darker shades. One thing to note if you have a sensitive nose, though. The product is quite strongly scented. Think vanilla and something else thrown into the mix...

This is probably one of my all time favourite makeup tutorials I've filmed so far. For once, the lighting/camera cooperated with me, I was feeling the hair buns, and fell in love with the bold black lip. I was afraid this look I had in mind for a while wouldn't see the light of the day, because I had hardest time finding face glitter and a black lipstick, but I hunted down the former last minute and created the latter myself. I still don't know what the best name for this creation would be. I ended up going for 'goth glitter tears'. It's not a very typical Halloween look, but I hope you like it nonetheless. I definitely do and wouldn't mind wearing it on a regular basis to be honest. Who knows, I might actually end up doing it. I'll probably ditch the glittery tears, though. They would be a bit too much even for the London crowd.

Last year I went to my first ever Halloween party. Having a background in makeup artistry, you would probably expect from me to go all out and transform myself into something crazy, but I had exactly twenty minutes to get ready, at the office, so I had to come up with something quick and easy. I went for the classic with a twist - a vampire look inspired by The Vampire Diaries. I ended up loving it, so today, I thought I would share it with you. If you're a busy lady yourself, you might find it useful on October 31 or the weekend before. 

For some reason, I'm crazy excided for fall this year. Usually I would be sitting in the corner and mourning the best season of them all - summer, duh - but not this time around! I'm actually looking forward to foggy crisp mornings, hot sugary drinks, cozy nights in, and amazing fall shades. Not only the ones you can spot in nature! 

I've always had a soft spot for bold burgundy and violet lip numbers, and fall is just the perfect season to rock them, don't you agree? But that's not to say the nudes get to take a time out. They're still very much in front of my makeup drawer, especially if they're matte!

To find out which exactly I'll be carrying in my bag this upcoming season, watch the video below! There's some nude and some bold options, and I made sure to include hand and lip swatches as well this time so that you can see them in all their glory. And remember, don't skidaddle before telling me what you'll be wearing on your lips this fall! 

Once again, it's been over a year since I tried out a new foundation. I feel like it's very hard for me to find a suitable one for my combination skin, so when I do, I stick to it. Nars Sheer Glow has been my number one bae for filming and going out, while the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, an old favourite, is the one I usually grab when going for natural-looking day-to-day looks.

Having said that, the latter just got a very strong competitor - Earth Cream by Dusty Girls. Dusty Girls is an all-natural vegan-friendly Australian brand I haven't even heard of up until a month ago, but one thing's for sure, they definitely have my attention now. 

Their Earth Cream is one of the best everyday foundations I've tried. Don't let the 'tinted cream' description fool you. The coverage is way better compared to other tinted creams on the market. I would say between light and medium, and what I also like about it is how easy it is to blend out. It has a thicker, cream-like consistency, so I would say avoid the brushes and just use your good old hands. Quick and streak-free! Also, one pump - yay for the pump - is more than enough to cover your whole face.

Somehow this product works well on my dry as well as oily areas. It's super moisturizing, which helps it to not stick to the dry patches I have on my cheeks, and stays on throughout the whole day, even on my oily T-zone. I haven't noticed any separation either, which is a big deal to me, because my foundations always end up separating on my chin.

The only thing I'm not exactly over the moon with is the scent. It's just a bit... funky? I really don't know how to describe it. Maybe it's what most all-natural products smell like and I'm just not used to it. Luckily, it ends up going away once it settles, so it's far from being a deal breaker, but I just thought I would mention it.

P.S. I wanted to include some before and after photos as well, but for some reason, I always end up forgetting to take them, so I decided to go ahead with the post and hope the video demo below will be just as helpful. 

Body butters and skincare in general are what always crosses my mind when I think of The Body Shop. I'd never tried their makeup before, but they've been stepping up their game recently and I'm more and more intrigued by it. About a month ago, they came out with their new Down to Earth range, which includes one bigger eyeshadow palette with eight different shades (22 GBP) and five quads (15 GBP), one of them being 'Smoky Grey', which I've been trying out during the past few weeks.

Firstly, I have to give them 10 out of 10 for the packaging. It's sleek, sturdy, easy to clean, and the palette come with a handy and rather big built-in mirror as well. You get 2.2 g of product in each pan, and guess what? Every pan is removable with a very fuss-free click-out-click-in system, so you can easily switch the shades between the palettes if you wish so. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the launch of compatible individual shades! 

Perfect for day-to-night looks, the Smoky Grey palette has two lighter and two darker shades. India Rose Quartz is a nice metallic champagne colour, Atlas Rhassoul a dark matte grey, Cerro Rico Silver a light glittery grey and Siberia Anthracite a dark metallic grey. I almost don't want to call the grey shades grey, though, because they look quite unique, with a brown/slightly olive undertone. 

The texture could be described as a mix between silky and powdery. Unfortunately, I did experience fallout with some of the shades and I can't say that the eyeshadows are insanely pigmented, but they are builadable and they blend out beautifully, which is what impressed me the most. Wearabilty is also quite nice. They don't crease and are longlasting, however, they do begin to fade after a while.

P.S. I also filmed a 'first impressions' review + demo for my YouTube channel, so feel free to give it a watch if you wish to see how the eyeshadows look like once applied and wear throughout the day.