Tag: hair

Beauty

Recent Dry Shampoos: Oriflame, AVON, Viteks, Axe

Post author By yukino
Post date 12/02/2016
No Comments on Recent Dry Shampoos: Oriflame, AVON, Viteks, Axe

There are three seemingly irrelevant products in my admittedly quite high maintenance beauty routine that I periodically decide I can do without. One of these things we’re going to talk about today.

So. Dry shampoo.

Let’s look at the Oriflame offering first. I’ve been through a few amount of both types. The five bottles in the photo below are just a fraction of the amount of Oriflame dry shampoos that’s gone through my hands and my strands.

(There are five bottles, the fifth one is hiding behind the front one in the picture.)

Oriflame HairX Pure Balance Dry Shampoo

Formulated for greasy hair, this dry shampoo is indeed a power blast. The pressure is strong, and sometimes I feel that it cleans hair with the sheer speed of the product coming out.

As in many of other dry shampoos out there, the scent is strong, but one of the more pleasant and fresh-smelling ones I’ve encountered thus far.

The cleaning properties of Oriflame HairX Pure Balance Dry Shampoo are also very potent: While its counterpart Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Dry Shampoo (described below) can be mistaken for a texturising spray, Pure Balance is a shampoo. I’ve tried it on the greasiest of hairs, and although I’ve used up an abominable amount of product, it still worked.

When I was blonde, I had no qualms with it at all. Now that I’m a deep brunette, I need to take care to massage the product in really well, as sometimes it might leave a bit of a dusty grey residue. Nothing a bit of brushing through wouldn’t fix though.

My only gripe with this product? Perhaps due to the pressure in the bottle, Oriflame HairX Pure Balance Dry Shampoo will not give you many uses. I think the quickest I’ve run out was after five (albeit rather generous) uses. And although lovely, Oriflame HairX Pure Balance Dry Shampoo is not the cheapest offer on the market, so at times I would think twice before ‘washing’ my head with it.

Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Dry Shampoo

The gentler ‘brother’ to the Pure Balance Dry Shampoo above, this product comes out in a misty kind of spray – at least when you compare it to the blast that comes out from the Pure Balance. It is formulated for fine hair.

Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Dry Shampoo has a rather overbearing sweet scent. While not particularly offensive, it will be stuck with you for a long time, so take heed. I’ve got compliments on my ‘perfume’ whenever I used either HairX Volume Boost or the HairX Pure Blast dry shampoos.

Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Dry Shampoo does ‘cleanse’ your hair, but it works better as a texturising spray. As always, if you’re dark haired, take care to brush out any excess product.

Volume Boost lasts much longer than Pure Balance, that I can certainly tell you. I believe on one bottle I counted at least thirteen uses – and then I got tired of counting.

Overall I am pleased with both Oriflame HairX Dry Shampoos, and will definitely be restocking whilst they’re on offer.

AVON Advanced Techniques Dry Shampoo

Periodically I get a product that I just can’t seem to write a full review about – this AVON Advanced Techniques Dry Shampoo is one such product.

It’s not bad, but it’s not outstanding. It does not seem to have any negative qualities to it – the price is about the same as Oriflame’s, the scent is strong, but so are the scents of other dry shampoos in this post. The usage is long, but not too long. The effect is noticeable, but not ‘woah’. And yet I know that if I catch AVON Advanced Techniques Dry Shampoo on a good offer, I will probably snag a bottle or two. Perhaps then I will take care to note its full effects on my hair and write a more detailed review.

Viteks Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo

Viteks is a Belorussian brand. And although there are two different products in the photograph above, I will only be writing about one. Why? Because the nozzle on the first bottle broke three seconds after I pressed it. As a result, the only thing I can tell you about Viteks Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo with Burdock Extract (right) is that I found its scent more pleasant than that of the Green Tea Extract (left). I can also tell you that it’s marketed for all hair types, as opposed to Green Tea, which has a mark ‘for oily hair’ on it.

And here’s the part: I would be interested in buying either of these products again. Their scents were OK and were definitely not overbearing throughout the day. You do need to take care to brush the stuff out of your hair to avoid looking powdered, but it’s not something that cannot be done quickly. The hair after Green Tea felt reasonably clean. The longevity was also fine. And it is also cheaper than the Oriflame and AVON offerings above. However: The nozzle on the Viteks Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo with Green Tea Extract also broke. It broke sooner than I was able to finish the bottle, thus ruining my dastardly plan of placing the working nozzle on my still completely full bottle of dry shampoo with burdock extract.

But I think it’s not so much the nozzle that is the problem as the ‘straw’ that goes into the bottle. I inspected them both, and they both looked kind of rusty, and seemed to get stuck whenever I’d press on the nozzle to get the product out.

So yes, I want to give these Viteks Fresh Hair Dry Shampoos a proper test run – but I’m afraid I would just lose money again. The burdock bottle was a complete and total money waste – as I said, I barely managed to disperse some unto my scalp.

In conclusion, a few words about my main gripe with all dry shampoos I’ve encountered so far: They make my scalp so itchy. I suppose the nature of the dry shampoos is rather drying, and that’s what gives me the irritation. Unfortunately it doesn’t always go away even after I wash my hair.

If you’ve had a similar problem but then found a product that works for you, do let me know! (Please don’t recommend Colab, though, as it will make me cry! I can’t get it here, and I want to try it so bad.)

And lastly, an odd little number from Axe. My father goes through these phases of buying any and all cosmetic products he could see on offer, and this Axe Reset Waterless Foam Shampoo was one such ‘victim’. This is a foam that you spread through your hair to make it fresher. If anything, it made my hair look dirtier. Maybe you’re supposed to use it on very short hair? After all, this is Axe. I tried it a few times, but then gave it up, because it yielded no positive results for me. I liked its scent, though. (Never thought I’d say that about an Axe product, soz.) Still overbearing, but strangely sweet and coconut-like. More feminine than masculine as per me.

Tags avon, axe, dry shampoo, hair, hair care, oriflame, viteks

Beauty

Outgoing! November 2016

Welcome! to the first ever Outgoing! post on Armour and Warpaint. It’s just an empties post, nothing revolutionary, but from now on I’ll try to keep up and do these at the end of each month. I go through so many products, it’s ridiculous. There’s really no need for me to keep a mountain of empty bottles and tubes in the living room. Especially these days.

Two AVON Planet Spa Neck and Chest Serums

AVON Planet Spa Dramatically (?) Firming Neck and Chest Serum with Colombian Coffee Extract and AVON Planet Spa Heavenly Hydration Uplifting Neck and Chest Serum with Mediterranean Olive Oil

These two are virtually the same from where I stand – there is a difference in the scent and in packaging, but here the distinguishing characteristics end for me.

Both serums are a transparent liquid. The consistency is runny, so the pump in the packaging is very handy. I needed at least two pumps to cover my neck, decolletage, and chest. Both AVON Planet Spa Neck and Chest serums spread well and absorb really quickly, leaving no sticky residue in their wake. Although I can say that they provided additional hydration and made skin very smooth to the touch, I noticed no firming and definitely no ‘uplifting’ properties whatsoever. So if you want an additional boost of hydration for your decolletage, this might be the product for you. Everything else – look elsewhere.

I believe these particular AVON Planet Spa products have been discontinued, but I’ve seen the Colombian Coffee Extract Neck and Chest serum crop up recently, so maybe there’s still some stock left.

Bourjois So Laque! in Rouge Diva 11

This is a terrible horrible abominable nail polish, and you must never ever buy it. It is a complete waste of money, especially considering all the other amazing cheaper alternatives on the market. Even though it’s not a jelly, it kinda behaves like one. To get it fully opaque you’d need three coats. Three amazingly long-drying coats. Not to ruin this one until it dries fully is almost impossible – it seriously takes ages to dry. And once it’s dry, it will chip in about, I don’t know – twelve hours? I don’t know if this is the entire range or this shade in particular, but I don’t want to pay another fortune to find out.

(Though admittedly this Chanel dupe looks very attractive.)

I have to say that I have what looks like an old range of So Laque!, so maybe with the release of the new one they updated the formula. There are many complimentary reviews out there, but for me Bourjois So Laque! behaved badly from the start.

I painted my nails in the morning. Here it is in the afternoon.

It is worth noting that on my toes it behaved exactly the same. I found two huge chips the next day. On feet, people. Where polish goes to survive the nuclear war.

Oriflame Love Nature Hydrating Face Scrub with Aloe Vera

While it didn’t do damage to my skin, it did feel rather harsh, no matter how gently I’d press when massaging my face. In terms of exfoliation I also can’t praise it. Not the worst, but overall quite mediocre.

Delia Cosmetics Dermo System Soothing Face Toner for All Skin Types

My first skincare product from Delia. This is an okay toner. I can’t vouch for ‘soothing’, but certainly not irritating. A tiny bit on the drying side. I would be inclined to buy it again, but unfortunately its scent is too harsh for me.

Gojo Showerfresh Refresh! Hair and Body Gel

My father picked this up from Lord knows where. The skin on my body is very thin and sensitive, so I decided to use this as a hand soap instead. In that quality it performs well. A pleasant scent, not overly drying.

Dr Sante Cucumber Balance Control Face Cream

I will be writing a detailed post on Dr Sante Cucumber series eventually, so just a short note here: While this is not a bad cream by any means and I might purchase it again, it simply did not provide enough hydration for me. I am the proud owner of oily but sensitive and constantly dehydrated skin. If you’re just oily and just sensitive, then you will like this product a lot. If you need additional hydration, then this alone will not be enough.

Another thing: When in the jar, it has a pretty recognisable ‘cucumber’ scent. However, when you apply it on your face, it smells like if you’d push your face in a bag of freshly dug out beets. I have no idea why it does that. The sensation doesn’t stick, though. It’s only during the application.

Viorica Cosmeplant Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Viorica product reviews in English will have a very small audience, but I don’t give two shits and this shampoo is getting its own post later on, because it saved my life. Rather a dramatic statement, but I’ve been going through this phase of terrible scalp irritation. It would react to everything, so in a fit of despair I just started buying every shampoo available on the local market. This one was the second or the third one I bought, and after first use the irritation was gone. Since it’s very cheap, and the list of ingredients* is very generic, I thought it was a fluke, and after a use or two decided to try another shampoo. BAM – itchy scalp again. So for a while there I could only use this to wash my hair. Gradually I was able to switch to other products, and currently use one that is less harsh on the hair shaft, but I try to keep this one in my bathroom at all times and use it a) if I feel my scalp acting up again; b) as a clarifying shampoo. I will buy it again and again, and I hope they never change the formulation. Wouldn’t mind it being a touch less aggressive, but don’t want them to fix what’s not broke. I love it so much, I’d add it to soup.

* Worth noting that it contains no colorants, parabens, silicons, and paraffin.

Oriflame Nature Secrets Exfoliating Shower Gel with Energising Mint and Raspberry

First things first, this stuff smells amazing. It also has some exfoliating particles, so it’s a bit of a gel-scrub. Nothing too serious, though; do not expect mega-scrubbing action. I enjoyed using it, but as I mentioned before, the skin on my body is very thin and very sensitive, and this shower gel dried it out a lot. It is a common problem for me, however, so I wouldn’t blame it on the product.

I believe Oriflame has slowly been discontinuing their Nature Secrets line, but if you love fresh scents and don’t have problem skin on your body, then go for this one. It’s very refreshing.

Sto Retseptov Krasoty Hair Balm with Sea Buckthorn for Dry and Damaged Hair

‘Smoothing and regeneration’ are two of this hair conditioner’s promises. Overall a pretty generic hair conditioner, that does not however fail at its job. You just need to keep it on your hair longer – washed off immediately it doesn’t do much.

I bought it because I needed a hair conditioner and had very little money – and Sto Retseptov Krasoty is a very budget-friendly skin and hair care line. I also really liked its scent. I have this really odd relationship with sea buckthorn-scented products. I love them, but sometimes there’s the undercurrent of something sickeningly sweet.

I’m a master of recs, aren’t I?

I’d probably purchase this one again if I had little money and needed a hair balm.

Oriflame Activelle Cotton-Dry Antiperspirant

I’ve written a full review of this line in a separate post, which you can read here. This is yet another finished product from the line. As mentioned in the original post, I would be buying this again when on offer.

Oriflame Optimals Body Firming Lotion

I will be reviewing the Oriflame Optimals Body line in a separate post, but for now I can say this: When I used this lotion on my less problematic areas (arms and legs, for example) – I felt the firming effect quite extensively. Used on the rest of my body, the effect is minimal. So if you don’t need extensive action in skin firming department, then this product will do you good. Any other case – skip.

Three Mascaras – Two Oriflame, One AVON

Giordani Gold Luscious Volume Mascara

My favourite of the three, I am very sad that this mascara was discontinued. It gave black, long, voluminous lashes, all in one coat. When I applied two coats, it was all drama, all the time. Very sad to see it go.

The One Lash Resistance Mascara

Another discontinued product I believe, but here I can certainly see why. The brush is weird, it gave little volume, it wasn’t fully black, and it would run in about… two hours? And what didn’t run, would crumble in another three. Despite these two points, The One Lash Resistance mascara was very hard to remove. Resistance indeed. However, there were two positive things about this Oriflame mascara – it separated the lashes beautifully, and it also gave great length. I’ve been complimented on the length of my lashes nearly every time I’ve used this product.

AVON Big & False Lash Volume Mascara in Blackest Black

My least favourite of the three. I used it for about a week, and then let it go. If anything, it made my lashes look worse. They kept sticking out in all weird directions. Brushing through was difficult, because the formula would freeze your lashes and make them very hard to brush through. As you can deduce from that, applying more than one coat was nigh impossible. Though it’s not grey, it is certainly not ‘blackest black’. Also, it gave no volume what so ever.

I always like to give some benefit of the doubt – so perhaps my tube was faulty? Have you ever used this product? How did you like it?

Shea Moisture SHAVE African Black Soap Shave Butter Creme

Unfortunately I cannot comment on the product’s scent, because the jar I had was very old and smelt a bit on the rancid side. However, it did not diminish the qualities of this product. Very similar in consistency to a body butter, it spread well and made shaving very smooth and quick. Plenty of hydrating properties here – if you are so inclined, you can easily use this as an in-shower body moisturiser. Shea Moisture is only available on the grey market here, so I don’t know if I ever encounter this product again. If I do, however, I will repurchase. Highly recommended*.

* It bears noting that I have only used this to shave various parts of my body. I have never tried using it on my face, as I have no need for that.

Starlooks Lip Sugar

Received in one of the Lip Monthly bags back when I was still subscribed. Felt pretty much like brown sugar suspended in oil, but the list of ingredients is a little more complicated than that. Overall a good non-drying lip scrub that I have at times found a bit too soft. You can definitely use this generously.

Three Oriflame Handcreams

I’m writing a huge overview post of all the Oriflame hand creams I’ve used so far, so keep your eyes open for that. 😉 The three above are either limited edition or discontinued. P.S. I Love You was a Valentine’s Day special release, and remains my absolute favourite, especially in terms of scent. Eco Beauty came a close second – and I’d say it was more nourishing.

Oriflame Nail File

Perhaps an odd thing to include in an empties post, but Oriflame nail file is one of my favourites. It doesn’t damage the nail no matter what direction you file. Very gentle on the nails. However, it does a good job on gel nails as well. Keep in mind that it wouldn’t last as long – perhaps three-four uses only.

Tags 100 empties, affordable cosmetics, anti-dandruff shampoo, anti-perspirant, avon, black mascara, body, body care, body lotion, body scrub, bourjois, budget brands, budget cosmetics, cosmeplant, cream, delia, delia cosmetics, deodorant, dr sante, empties, eyes, face, face cream, face scrub, face toner, firming lotion, gojo!, hair, hair balm, hair care, hair conditioner, hand cream, lip scrub, local brand, lotion, makeup, manicure, mascara, moisturiser, moldavian brand, nail file, nail polish, nails, nails of the day, one hundred empties, oriflame, outgoing!, red nail polish, russian brand, scrub, serum, shampoo, shaving, shaving cream, shea moisture, shower gel, skincare, starlooks, sto retseptov krasoti, toner, ukrainian brand, viorica cosmetics

Beauty

Chistaya Liniya: Recent Hits and Misses

Post author By yukino
Post date 11/25/2016
No Comments on 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.

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.

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.

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.

Tags 100 empties, affordable brands, body, cheap brands, chistaya liniya, empties, foot cream, hair, hair care, hair conditioner, local brand, lotion, one hundred empties, russian brand, scrub, skincare

Beauty

#100empties: Some Hair Products.

Post author By yukino
Post date 06/29/2016
No Comments on #100empties: Some Hair Products.

One of the reasons I don’t post the empties posts monthly is because I just have so many empty jars and bottles each time, one would probably think I eat conditioners and deodorants for breakfast. It isn’t so, but I figure my empties box is a good picture of how we women are conditioned to believe that we ought to use 16 different products daily to look more or less presentable.

And that’s without make-up.

Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Leave-In Conditioner

I have reviewed the set of Volume Boost Shampoo and Conditioner in full in a separate post. You can read it here.

Oriflame Nature Secrets Hair Mask for coloured hair

I have a feeling that I’ve been using this mask all wrong. That is, on hair that wasn’t dyed. Therefore, I cannot comment on whether it would prolong the vividness of your hair colour. However, I will say this – it’s got a certain scent to it that is akin to hair dye, but much gentler.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this mask for any of its other properties. I didn’t find that it conditioned my hair well (leaving a simple conditioner on my hair for 2-3 minutes worked better than this mask) or left my hair silky smooth at the end, or made it easier to brush. I did notice a bit more shine, though.

Planter’s Balancing Shampoo with Aloe Vera

How much do I love this shampoo? Let me count the ways. This product honestly deserves a detailed review, but for now have a short run-down:

the formula is a bit on the thin side, but not runny or watery;
the scent is strong but very fresh and very pleasant;
Planter’s does not test on animals;
the volume of the product is small, but you don’t need a lot;
it lathers well, but is very soft – I barely needed to condition my hair after it;
it’s one of the rare products that did not irritate my scalp.

My only two gripes? Price and packaging. I’ll tell you more about these (and the points above) in a full review. Perhaps I’ll buy a mask to go with the shampoo as well, to review the whole set.

Tags 100 empties, conditioner, hair, hair care, hair mask, leave-in conditioner, one hundred empties, oriflame, planter's, shampoo

Beauty

Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Series.

Post author By yukino
Post date 02/21/2016
1 Comment on Oriflame HairX Volume Boost Series.

The thing with volumising shampoos — all of them, not just this particular one — is they’re basically a detergent. They are designed to strip away as much oil as possible so that the hairs will feel lighter, ergo appear more voluminous.

The obvious downside to that is it will more than likely mess with your scalp’s natural oil balance. And it is never a good thing.

Did I get the promised voluminous result? Totally. And it would hold beyond first day.

But I also got mild irritation, more skin flaking than strictly necessary (not quite dandruff, but gettin’ there), and an occasional frizz. Which is a total novelty for me. I rarely even get basic static in my hair. With this shampoo, I could probably generate enough voltage to kill a mouse or something. Especially odd since one of the descriptions of this shampoo I saw online says that it helps prevent static.

Nope.

With all that said, I didn’t find the shampoo especially drying to the hair shaft. It didn’t feel any more damaged or brittle after I started using this product. It’s the scalp that suffered.

I tried using the conditioner in various ways — in combination with masks and/ or simple conditioners or on its own. It works either way. After generous spritz and some blow drying with my head down, I end up with voluminous shiny hair. I worried a bit about using it on its own, as my hair is pretty damaged from my previous experiments with it. But it held well. No tangling, brushed easily. However, I still recommend that you use your actual conditioner at least once a week and also apply deeper treatments as necessary.

The conditioner also worked when combined with other shampoos.

The only complain I have about the leave-in conditioner is its scent. It’s an okay scent overall, but there’s an undercurrent of something sweet that deeply annoys me. And since it’s a leave-in conditioner, it follows you.

Amusing fact: My brother and father both used this shampoo whilst visiting me. One ended up looking like a really spiky match, the other one like a dandelion. They didn’t know what hit them. I kept mum of course. It was funny. And yet more proof that it does indeed work.

(I’m an Oriflame representative in my country. Products bought with my own money. Opinions mine. This is not a sponsored post. Image credit: Oriflame MD.)

Tags conditioner, hair, hair care, hair volume, hairx, oriflame, shampoo