Category: Beauty

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Beauty

Chistaya Liniya: Recent Hits and Misses

For those who don’t know, Chistaya Liniya (Чистая Линия, translates as Clean Line) is a very affordable skincare and hair care line from Russia. As with any brands of its caliber, some of the products are outstanding, others atrocious, and many are nothing to write home about. Today, let’s take a look at a couple of products from my empties box.

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First up are two hair conditioners: Chistaya Liniya Phytotherapy Phytobalm-Elixir Impulse of Youth 25+ with Chicory and Chistaya Liniya Phytotherapy Smart Balm #1 Strength and Freshness for Greasy Hair and Scalp with Buckwheat.

Them brands really need to tone it down with their names.

The hair conditioner with chicory is a newer line. I really liked its scent. The effect on my hair wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it did its job just fine. The packaging is OK. My only gripe was its top – I love using every last bit of the product, and it’s hard to keep a bottle balanced whilst upside down with a top like that.

The hair conditioner with buckwheat (the one in the white bottle) is not as sleek-looking. It also doesn’t smell as nice as the revamped line, but it performed better. Moisturising without weighing the hair down. I used it up fast, but for its price, I’m OK with that. The only reason I don’t buy it all the time is its scent. It’s not offensive, but it just doesn’t agree with me.

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Chistaya Liniya Phytotherapy Foot Cream with Lavender

One of those products that you don’t quite know what to say about, but that did its job quite well. I loved using it before bed. Whether I’d put on socks or not, it would leave my feet very soft the next morning. This cream had a rather thin consistency and absorbed quickly, which is also good. I would probably buy it again – once I run out of the army of foot creams I’d bought in the interim.

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Chistaya Liniya Phytotherapy Soft Scrub with Raspberry and Lingonberry

I came into the shop and asked for a lip scrub. This is what the saleslady recommended I buy. I bought it because it was cheap and I could use a scrub. I knew from the start I wouldn’t be able to use it for the purpose I bought it for – even though it’s marketed as a ‘soft’ scrub, it’s not soft enough for the gentle skin on the lips. I tried using it on my face, but unfortunately it broke me out like a mother. So this ended up as a body scrub. It was soft enough to use on the decolletage. Will I buy it again? Probably not.

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Beauty

Milani Lipstick Collection

milani-lip-products

A loud title for a very diminutive post: I only own three Milani lip products. Thing is, the brand does not retail here, neither officially nor on the grey market. All the products I own came to me via my Lip Monthly subscription of yesteryear. I happened to love every single Milani lipstick I received.

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Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Violet Addict 04

The brightest of the three, Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color is a full-on shiny vinyl lip colour. The applicator is a sturdier doe-foot, which makes it really easy to apply the product evenly. The formula is good, very comfortable on the lips. Does not feather. Smells a bit weird in the container, but once applied, you don’t feel it. Wears off well. If you drink or eat something light, it would lose some lustre, but most of the colour will remain. Eventually it would look as a tint. Despite being very bright, it doesn’t stain the lips.

As you can see in the photo above, the lettering on the packaging has worn off already. This is a tiny-tiny minus for a person who enjoys it when their makeup products look pristine throughout. (Read: Me.)

Here’s Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Violet Addict on the lips on my Instagram (follow me there, follow me there!!):

All dolled up on day 3 of #selfieseptember. Lipstick is Milani Lip Intense in Violet Addict. 💋 💄 👠

A photo posted by Alexandra (@armrwrpnt) on

There’s also one more swatch of it on my arm below.

milani power lip in pink lemonade

Milani Power Lip in Pink Lemonade 04

Next is a product I’ve opened only recently. It is described by Milani as a lasting and moisturising gloss and stain 2-in-1. I had thought that this would be more like a balm/ gloss type of thing, and I’d also thought for some reason that it would be sticky and uncomfortable to wear. In all of these points I was wrong – although it is reminiscent of a gloss, it’s still a colour-heavy one. The stickiness is minimal. The wear of Milani Power Lip causes no discomfort at all. The colour also suits me really well, Pink Lemonade is a pinkish red colour that looks great against my skintone.

Milani Power Lip in Pink Lemonade wears off amazingly. Seriously. For that thing only I want to shower it with affection. It would of course lose its lustre after a meal, but your lips would still retain a hint of colour throughout. This particular shade looks like a very natural tint. As it gradually wears off, it makes your lips look like you’ve just been kissed for a particularly long time, which is a great look on any woman, if you ask me.

If you’re after a contoured lip look, then Milani Power Lip in Pink Lemonade is not for you. The application is easy and in no way messy, but the lip line will not be pristine. To me, that is the beauty of Milani Power Lip. It is very reminiscent of the lip looks that were quite popular on the runway a couple of seasons ago.

My only gripe with this product is its packaging – it has a built-in brush and a screw-type mechanism that dispenses the product into the brush. It took me a few tries to figure out the amount of clicks I’d need to hear to get the right amount of product out.

You can see Milani Power Lip on my lips in the photo below, and on the arm further down the post:

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lip monthly milani lip gloss

Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss in Nude Touch 11

And now we’re onto the true lip gloss of the bunch. Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss in Nude Touch is a transparent vanilla-scented gloss with champagne sparkles. Oddly looks well enough on its own, giving a wet lips effect. This is actually how I prefer to use Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss in Nude Touch, because when I use a lipstick and a lip gloss together, I end up feeling tacky. Applied over lipstick it also works well. Out of my lip glosses, this is probably one of the more ‘long wear’ ones, but despite that, it’s not extremely sticky. Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss also feels moisturising.

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So far, my acquaintance with Milani lip lines has been really good – there’s not a single dud in these products! I really wish the brand would retail here. Quality affordable make-up is still hard to come by, and Milani would have been a great alternative to the maybellines and the l’oreals.

Swatched, top to bottom:

  • Milani Power Lip in Pink Lemonade
  • Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Violet Addict
  • Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss in Nude Touch

milani-violet-addict-swatches

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Beauty

Manicure Monday: Oriflame, Golden Rose, BellaOggi, Bourjois

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Oriflame The One Nail Polish in Gold Splendor 31195

I mentioned this on the blog before, but mistakenly named it ‘Gold Splash’ there. It was part of a limited edition winter collection of the year 2014/15. As all Oriflame The One nail polishes, it comes with a wide flat brush. Relatively easy to apply, likes to mess up the edges just a bit. Spreads evenly, is moderately shiny. Two layers are completely opaque. This is definitely a gold nail polish, but it’s not an ‘in yer face’ gaudy gold. It’s more of a non-refined metal kind of stuff.

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Golden Rose Rich Color in 05

Easily one of my favourites. I’ve extolled the virtues of Golden Rose polishes before, and this is one of the prime examples of their Rich Color line. Easy to wear shade that is suitable for any occasion. Shouldn’t be difficult to wear against any skin tone. It’s one of my go-to polishes when I can’t decide what to put on my nails.

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BellaOggi Gel Effect Keratin in Ladylike 43

A relatively new introduction to my collection. I’ve seen a post about it on a Russian ‘review anything’ site, fell in love with the colour, pinned it *, and hunted it down in local shops. The photo doesn’t translate it that well, but it’s actually a very decent marsala polish. It has a very muted and, dare I say, sophisticated look. Its name, Ladylike, is very fitting. This BellaOggi nail polish also immediately evokes images of cosy sweaters and warm cuppas in my mind.

The application was good. It spreads evenly and doesn’t try too hard to run off the edges. The brush is good. It dried pretty fast. My only gripe was it started bubbling on the second coat, which was a surprise. I only had one polish do that on me before. I don’t know if it was a one time occasion (temperature in the kitchen or any other factor) or if it’s a ‘feature’ of the formula. I’ll report back when I use it again.

* By the way, follow me on Pinterest! I regularly pin my wishlist items there.

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Bourjois So Laque! in Rouge Diva 11

Expect a full report on this in my upcoming ‘Outgoing’ post. Spoiler alert: Not my favourite. The gloss looks good and the colour is a nice blue-toned deep red, but seriously. I can find it within a million other nail polish brands out there. I didn’t bother with clean-up for this photo, because the polish was literally applied so I could just quickly snap it to give you an idea on how it looks on the nails before I say goodbye to it. It will go to a new home, to an owner that has more patience.

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Beauty

Lip Combo: Pink

Despite Kylie Jenner’s lip kits getting mixed reviews here and there, they’re still one of the most coveted beauty products around. Admit it, they’re on your wish list too. I know they’re on mine.

However, lip kits – or lip combos – are not a revolutionary idea. I’ve been coming up with mine (quite probably inspired by the others) for years now. Below is my go-to pink.

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Products, top to bottom:

  • Bourjois Levres Contour in Flamboise Exquise
  • Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 11 So Hap’pink
  • Oriflame The One Colour Unlimited Lip Gloss in Pink Boost 30643

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets are easily one of my most favourite lip products out there. True, there are formulas that are more matte, more pigmented, longer lasting, just more – but there’s something about the Bourjois offering that draws me back to them every time. They are very easy to wear, completely non-drying, and feel very natural on the lips. The finish is matte but not powdery matte that makes every line on your lips stand out. It’s also very easy to apply, and is scentless. Always a big plus in my book.

Although you don’t need a pencil when using Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, I love lining and filling my lips with a pencil first and then filling them out with the colour. I find that it does prolong the wear of the lipstick and makes reapplication that much easier. Although Rouge Edition Velvets do not bleed outside the lines and absolutely do not feather, it’s easier to slip a bit outside the line on the reapplication if you don’t go in with the pencil first. Bourjois Levres Contour in Flamboise Exquise is a nearly perfect match for Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in So Hap’pink. I bought them together, and have been using together ever since.

Oriflame The One Colour Unlimited Lip Gloss in Pink Boost was on my wishlist for a while until I finally bought it. I try to limit the amount of glosses I own at any particular time, because they tend to go bad five times as quickly as lipsticks do. I wear it both on its own, over the pencil, or over slightly worn lipstick when I just can’t be arsed with fixing it properly or I know it’s going to get ruined in the next hour anyway. Applying it over freshly applied lipstick tends to look cakey.

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Left to right: Pencil, lipstick, gloss.

What’s your favourite lip product combination?

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Beauty

AVON Body Lotions and Oils

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AVON Care Rich Moisture Body Lotion

The best part about this product is completely auxiliary – it left my room smelling amazing after I would apply it, and it would leave it that way for a long time. I swear it does not last on the body as long as it lasts in the room. I would apply it, I would sleep, I would go to work, and I would come back home to a deliciously scented boudoir, for fuck’s sake. For that point: Bravo, Avon.

Everything else: a rather thin lotion (I like them that way), applies easily, absorbs quickly – but unfortunately does not moisturise enough. I would need to apply it every 12-16 hours to feel fully comfortable.

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AVON Skin So Soft Mineral Gems Glamorous Gold

A typical Skin So Soft scent. Kind of a whipped texture, with shimmering particles in it. Not a lot in terms of skincare properties – left a filmy residue on the skin, but wasn’t sticky and felt okay. I got this as a gift, and unfortunately the tube was rather old, and started separating and smelling rancid after about 3 uses. As you can see in the photo, it is almost full.

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AVON Skin So Soft Firming and Restoring Satin Sheer Dual Oil Spray

For a product that calls itself an oil, this has no nurturing properties at all. It goes on easily and absorbs relatively quickly, and my legs would look almost plastic after using it (which I absolutely do not mind), but it is all on the surface, and it did nothing to the quality of the skin in the long run.

… Plus the run itself wasn’t that long – the product lasted me maybe two weeks. Maybe.