New In (13)

In the past couple of months I've accumulated a lot of new products. You know...PR products, Christmas, my birthday...so I decided to split these in a few New In posts. This is the first one. Here I mostly feature products that I got in December as either gift or from other makeup brands.  



Essence Cosmetics 15 Years Gift Set*

Essence Cosmetics has celebrated 15 years last year and I got a cute little gift set from their PR. These products are not for sale, so I'll just go through them quickly. 


Metallic Cosmetic Bag*

It has that gorgeous copper metallic design, soft faux leather, great zipper and it even reflects holographic colors. I absolutely adore it. It's the perfect size to throw in the bag for on the go. 




Essence Be My Highlight Eyeshadow Palette*

This is palette of four shades that can be used as highlighting shades all over the face. It comes in a cardboard packaging and even has a mirror in the shape of a diamond. The packaging is really cute.

All the shades are shimmery and you get a variety of silver blue sheen, pink sheen with lots of small white glitters, lavender blue sheen and golden green sheen. I especially like the lavender blue for inner corners, because it gives you such a nice galaxy glow. They feel fairly creamy and last good. 


Angled Eyeshadow Brush*

It has fun mint copper metallic handle and two toned bristles. The bristles are soft, but dense. This can be used as an eyeshadow brush, but I almost prefer so selectively apply highlighter with it. Especially on the nose or highest part of the cheeks. It picks up color well.  



Essence Make Me Special Prismatic Lipstick Topper*

How fun is that? I didn't expect much from it, but it's so cute and actually works great. It's like a transparent lip balm base with lots of small glitter that reflects all sorts of colors. If you apply it bare on the skin, you can also notice light pink sheen to it, but barely there. This is such a fun product to apply over lipstick or stains. It doesn't feel gritty on the lips either, which was a surprise to me. But it makes your lips look like a galaxy and since I love glitter and sparkle, I love this. It's also surprisingly nourishing and balmy.


Mixa Micellar Water Anti-dryness Face & Eyes - Dry Skin

I got this based on Mateja's recommendation since she likes it a lot. I was in this place of not wanting to buy another bottle of Bioderma, because to be honest, it's expensive. But than again, it lasts me so long that I can justify buying it and I have bought a pack of two a while ago. Anyway, I tried this and it's not for me. I mostly use micellar water to get rid of eye makeup, because I have sensitive eyes and when I used this, my skin around the eyes became red. It's just not as gentle as Bioderma Sensibio, so I now use ti to get rid of my arm swatches or for the face. But nothing beats Bioderma for me.


L'Oreal Botanicals Fresh Care Safflower Rich Infusion Shampoo

I got this one out of curiosity. It's apparently a more natural line by L'Oreal and also a lot more expensive than their regular shampoos. The thing that got me is the fact that it contains coconut oil. It also has lovely herbal scent with a slight hint of oriental and coconut. It's like nothing I have ever smelled. The texture is a bit more runny and it doesn't leather as much as normal shampoos, but it's descent. I find that this will be better for those with dry hair. I have oily roots and I feel like my roots get oilier quicker when I use this shampoo. You'll also definitely need some conditioner after you use this to comb through your hair.


Malinca Happy Cacao Mix*

I've never through of using cinnamon in a hot chocolate mix and I have to say I really like it. I mostly put cinnamon in anything that contains apple or cottage cheese. This is an ecologically made mix for hot cocoa. It contains criollo cocoa, ceylon cinnamon and coconut sugar. It's just sweet enough for my taste (I don't sweeten my teas, but like a bit of sweetness with cocoa) and has that delightful cocoa scent to it. Great mix for a lazy person on a cold day. You can get it here


Mateja got me another amazing gift. I thought she will only send me that one Bourjois lipstick color that she doesn't wear, but she got a me a lot more products to try out. Thank you.


Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask

Mateja loves this one and says that it's one of the best sheet masks she has tried so far. Also because of the fact that it plumps the skin and gets rid of fine lines. You can read her review here. I actually haven't tried it yet (don't look at me like that Mateja! :D), because I'm always saving good things for special occasions that never come. But I will definitely report back on the blog on this one.


She also got me a few of testers that I didn't try yet, but I am especially looking forward to trying that Royal Honey Cream. I've already had Etude House Sunprise sunscreen testers and this is a great lightweight formula with fresh scent. 


Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Body Buttercream

It has a light buttery consistency that blends into skin nice. At first the scent was a bit too strong for me, but as it wears off, it becomes really likable. It's that strong orientals scent that for some reason reminds me of cookies. Mateja explains it better here. It's a scented bomb for your body and the texture is nice.

The Body Shop Frosted Berry Body Butter

Another great lightweight body butter that has that berry yogurt scent to it. It's also lightly pink colored and I liked how it made my skin look. Good product, but I wouldn't pay the full price for it, because I'm cheap with my body butters. 

Biore Aqua Rich Watery Gel

It's a very light yellow tinted liquid and it has super runny formula. It feels like nothing on the skin. The scent is kind of fruity, but also weird in a way. It's not the most natural scent. I think the formula is worth it for those that hate greasy sunscreens and I would probably buy it, if it wasn't so runny. I'm afraid, I would spill most of the product and waste it. But it's especially nice for everyday use under the makeup. Mateja also has some other versions of this cream that you can compare here

The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%

I believe retinoid is a milder version or retinol and I have to say this felt like nothing on the skin. It's lightweight yellow tinted liquid that didn't irritate my skin or create any kind of tingling sensation. At least now I know that this is almost a bit too mild for me and I can venture out for other formulations. I always feel like it's not working, if I don't feel anything. 


Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Body Mist

It reminds me of Victoria's Secret Body Mists and it has that kind of sweet, but almost vanilla like scent to it. Scent is definitely after my own taste and I feel like this would be great for summer, when you can't stand heavy perfumes. Lovely scent for all the sweet lovers. Again, Mateja has a more accurate description here


The Library Of Fragrance - Baby Powder

Love at first sniff. This is odd, but so good, proper baby powder scent. It's sweet and soothing at the same time. I've already put it on my wishlist, because it's so unique and I just love the coziness of it.

The Library Of Fragrance - Gingerbread

If you want to smell like gingerbread cookies, then you would love this. It's that stronger scent that instantly reminds you of Christmas. Almost a bit too strong for my taste, but once it wear off a bit, it's delightful. A great gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. 

The Library Of Fragrance - Sunshine

To me this is another one of those sweet scents. It smells sweet, but also a bit soothing in way. Mateja describes it best - like hanging the laundry on a warm sunny day. It's not too strong, so this would be a fragrance to wear all year around. 



I've already reviewed it, so you can read about it here. This is the best regular lipstick formula with proper matte finish and the fact that it doesn't feel drying is amazing. 06 Abrico'dabra is a medium warm peach shade that screams of summer. 



Nivea Aloe & Hydration Body Lotion*

I got this cute package by Nivea and I'll actually post a separate review of this lotion, so I won't go into details. I love Nivea lotions and this one I like too. It has a creamy white formula that leaves nourishing bot non-greasy layer on your skin and it has lovely sweet herbal scent. 


Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask*

It's one of those basic clay masks, but it also contains small particles that give you physical peeling on the skin. So basically you apply the mask on, let clay absorb impurities and while you're washing it off, you're also giving yourself a light scrub. Scrub is not too rough, but it's noticeable and I wouldn't advise to use it too much - maybe once a week. It comes in a practical squeeze tube that has small hole. 

I immediately disliked this mask, because it burned my skin so bad that I had to wash it off. It might be alcohol denat's fault, as it's on the fourth place of ingredients list. It's definitely not for sensitive skin or for very dry skin. It might be more suited for oily and not sensitive skin.



Nivea Essentials Urban Skin Defence Day Cream and Night Cream*

Both of these are promoted as anti-oxidant creams with extracts of green tea and hyaluronic acid. I love green tea, so I was excited to try it out. But they just didn't work for my skin.

They both come in glass looking, but light pot with a plastic top. You can spot day cream by white colored top and night version has blue colored top. They both have very light almost gel like texture that is firm, but very easy to apply. It's also light green tinted.

At first if feels like you're adding a splash of water on your face, so lightweight. But both have alcohol denat high on the ingredients list and it feels like it makes the skin drier. I think this would be much more suited for oily skin. I also use retinol based products and those creams burned around my sensitive eye area, so I wouldn't advise to anyone with sensitive skin. I also couldn't find green extract anywhere in the ingredients list. The ingredients that are the most promoted are nowhere to be find on the ingredients list or are so low on the list that it doesn't make sense. I definitely won't use these anymore, because they didn't work with my skin.





With the package I also got this cute soft green bag with green earphones. It's such a cute thing to carry with you and they're actually fairly well made. Thoughtful gift. 


Avon Care Gentle Moisture Hand, Nail & Cuticle Cream*

Since I got a more severe case of eczema, I don't really use regular perfumed hand creams, so I'm passing this one on. But I hear from others that apparently they like Avon creams. They feel moisturizing and not greasy. This one is in holiday packaging.

Avon Cranberry & Orange Bubble Bath*

Another holiday packaged product. I love Avon bubble baths, so I'll definitely use this up. It has a sweet proper citrus scent. It does smell like cranberries and oranges, very Christmasy.

Brush Cleaner*

This little egg is a great product, if you just use your palms for rubbing the brush in when you're washing it. It will save your hands and your time. I actually have one of these from Ebay and it's nice for cleaning small eye brushes. You pull it over your two fingers and brush away.


I already have a review of this sheet mask here. It's a good basic nourishing and plumping mask. I don't think this will give you any instant anti-aging effects, but it's great for all skin types for providing that nice nourishment.


Previously named miracle glow, but it comes in a holiday packaging. I actually already had one bottle of this and I have review here. It's a great very lightweight almost dry oil that makes the skin slightly more nourished and moisturized. It's one of those oils that will be for every skin, because it's so lightweight and has lovely grape scent. 


Nuxe Gift Set

I actually already had two of these products - Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil and Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm. I gave hand cream to mom, because I don't use regular hand cream for my sensitive eczema skin. I am so happy that dry oil comes in a 50 ml version with a pump. Previously I had it without the pump. This is again one of those great dry feeling oils that makes your skin really soft and plump. I adore its nutty oriental fragrance that makes it even more fun to use. 

Lip balm is ok, I'm not a fan of it as much as I see some others are. It's very thick and has a matte finish. I think this is a good option to apply under the lipstick, because it won't move it, but it's definitely not enough nourishing for someone with severely dry lips. It's more a skin barrier than an actual treatment. 


Fumare Reed Diffuser Decemberrain

I love the classy black and gold design of this set. It contains reed diffuser, 3 tealights, 2 scented candles and 5 reed sticks. I haven't tried it yet, but the scent from the box smells classy and a bit citrus like - reminds me of Christmas.


H&M Pink Fluffy Key Chain

I still don't know what these fluffy key chains are called, but I have a few at home and I still want more. Now I practically have one for every bag. I got this cute muted pink one and I immediately like it. I usually go for black or white, but it's such a nice pop of color. I've been obsessing over muted pinks past year. 


C&A Bath Robe 

Believe it or not, I don't have a fluffy soft bath robe and I've had it on my wishlist for a while. This one by C&A is super fluffy and sooo soft. It also has that perfect color combo - pale grey with white stars and moon paired with pale pink details. It also has a hoodie. As soon as I wake up or in the evening when I get out of the shower I hop into this. It's one of those cozy things that makes your boring day life nicer.


Pink Throw Pillow

Continuing with the pale muddy pink theme...I also got this cute pink throw pillow. It has this cute graphic slightly darker design and cotton fabric. On the other side it's just pink without the design. So it's practically two in one. 


Kvina also sent me super cute Christmas inspired package. I already ate all the sweets and drank some of those teas. Thank you Kvina. 


H&M Clean Canvas Lip Scrub

I didn't even know H&M had a lip scrub. It comes in cute glass pot and smells absolutely divine. I need a fragrance with this scent. It smells very much like vanilla and brown sugar - divine. It's a thicker brown colored gel with sugar particles that scrub away your dead skin cells. I definitely need me some lip scrub, especially this time of year, and this one does the job plus leaves my skin slightly greasy and nourished. 


NYX Lingerie Matte Eye Tint - Revel

When I saw it, I thought it was a lip product, until I read the packaging. It's a matte liquid eyeshadow and I have to admit, I haven't tried any matte version like this before. It's actually a really pretty neutral brown color, but leans more warm on my skin tone. You have a bit of play time to blend it out and it gives you a fair amount of color. I haven't used it enough to do a proper review, but I will definitely update you on the blog.


Avon Senses Citrus Zing Juicy Citrus & Mandarin Shower Gel

I've had a few of Avon shower gels and they always have fun scents. This is a typical gel like shower gel with sweet fresh citrus scent.

Balea Pflegecreme Für Dich - Cherry and Coconut Cream

Balea does lots of these small universal cream versions. This is one from December and apparently it smells of cherries and coconut. I haven't tried it yet, but the slim thin packaging looks fun and easy to carry with you in the bag.

Avon Planet Spa Heavenly Hydration With Mediterranean Olive Oil Lifting Neck & Chest Serum

I actually remember having this serum a long time ago. It was very liquid, transparent and felt a bit firming.  I haven't tried this one yet, because I have many other products that I use right now, but I will definitely try it out.

Terra Naturi Klärende Reinigungsmaske Weisser Ton - & Heilerde

A cleansing mask with white clay and healing soil. I rarely use these one time masks, because I have so many in the tube, but they are great to carry with you on short trips. It sounds like a good basic clay mask, so I'll definitely use it up.

*PR products or products that were sent to me.

4 comments

  1. Ja, te gledam, sam da veš :D Saj lahko šparaš masko :P

    Škoda, da ti Mixa ne ustreza :/ Že zaradi cene bi bilo bolje, ampak Bioderma je še vedno Bioderma in popularna iz razloga.

    Jaz si pa delam kakav s cimetom že od najstniških let. Obožujem cimet, pa ne samo na štrudlu :)

    Imam identično mišljenje za ta Retinoid. Uporabljam ga že skoraj leto, pa ne vidim nič od njega. Imam od Korejske nege veliko več učinka. Zdaj si ga lahko vsaj preizkusila, da te ne rabi več mikat.

    Kakšen sestavinski polom od Niveje za Urban Detox. Kot bi gledala nekaj kaj so dali v prodajo leta 2003. Vse skupaj nič - silikoni, glicerin, alkohol in par kapljic ekstraktov. Ne vem če to še laufa odkar obstaja The Ordinary in podobno.

    Sama lepa darila si dobila :) Fluffy plašček je pa itak a must :)

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    1. Haha :D

      Saj ravno zaradi cene sem iskala neko drugo alternativo. Ampak ok, Biodermo vsaj bolj šparam. Drugo bi prehitro zlivala :D.

      Jaz pa res še nikoli do zdaj nisem pomislila, da bi dala cimet v kakav. Ampak res dobro paše skupaj :)

      Točno to. Me je itak zanimal že prej, ampak ga lahko zdaj mirno preskočim. Saj ima Ordinary več teh retinol variant. Včasih se mi prav ne da ukvarjat z njimi, ker je vse tako znanstveno napisano, da se niti ne znaš odločit.

      Se strinjam. Sem pričakovala, da bo vsaj nekaj od tega not, kar piše na embalaži. Ampak očitno sem se z razlogom izogibala njihovim kremam. Imaš prav. Zdaj The Ordinary itak podira konkurenco z res ugodnimi cenami. Ni da ni, pa še vedno kaj novega dodajajo.

      Hvala :) Joj kako ga imam rada. Vsak večer sem v njem. It's the little things :D

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  2. Jaz že tudi nisem imela New In kakšne tri mesece, tako da sem se tudi odločila, da malo razdelim vse skupaj, ker drugače bo preveč :D

    Essence paletka je meni zelo zanimiva, mi je res všeč za highlighter :D

    Royal Honey Cream je meni bila odlična.

    C&A pa se mi zdi, da ima vedno več takšnih cute stvari. Sem ravno decembra gledala pižame, copate in takšne comfy stvari :D Imam pa en Bath Rope iz Primarka in je the fluffiest thing in the world <3

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    1. Jaz bom verjetno kar tri dele imele. Hja čez december se res nabere :D.

      Meni pa ravno bolj kot senčila. So pa zanimivi odtenki za osvetljevalec. Malo out of my comfort zone :D.

      Moram jo sprobat. Sliši se že zanimivo.

      Imaš prav. Vedno bolj cute zadeve imajo. Meni so tudi luškane njihove pižame. Decembra sem gledala tudi njihove ugly Christmas sweaters...to bo nakup naslednje leto. Mi še manjka v garderobi :). Primark pa itak raztura s takimi zadevami. Jaz si želim, da bi večkrat šla tja. Pa home decor oddelek je super :).

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