Empties #42 – Mateja’s Beauty Blog

This is just a travel size. I disliked this when I first got it – the reason was TO’s retinol. Now I like it much more. It has a lot of coverage (medium-full), looks nice on the skin (almost always), has a ton of nice ingredients and an SPF 50. It suits my skin more when it’s dry, but I wear it in the summer heat too. 

Repurchase: I got the full size in a new shade Fair Ivory.

One of my favourite foundations. It looks great on the skin – it’s light, looks natural-invisible, finish is a natural semi-matte one and it looks nice over pores, as it somewhat fills them up a bit, therefore provides a very smooth base. But I don’t use this in the winter when my skin is drier. Despite the name, this isn’t a typical matte foundation for oily skin. This is the old lightest shade in drugstores here, which is a smidgen too dark for me and I usually wear shade 100. 

Repurchase: Done. 

One of the best formulas for my skin. It’s natural, fresh and has medium coverage, which is enough for me. My skin is dry, so obviously I love such formulas that don’t look matte.

Repurchase: Done, this time in a new shade 50,5.

A serum with a medium-strength amount of retinal, comparable to 0.2-0.5% retinol product, but with less irritation potential and it’s supposed to work quicker. Those few retinol products I’ve used produced no results and I see no anti-ageing effect from this one in terms of reducing lines or sagging, but I like to comfort myself these at least slow down appearance of signs of aging. It’s a bright yellow lotion that has that colour due to retinal. I never experienced an irritation or redness, so it’s an easy product to use for me and layer. 

Repurchase: I got the stronger 10 version I’m currently using now and my skin looks nice.

I use this every day. It contains 0,5% Beta-Glucan and Madecassoside, so this is a skin barrier repairing

product. It’s a very light serum that absorbs quickly and is easy to include in the routine.

Repurchase: Done.

Repurchase: Yes, but I also enjoy the cheaper drugstore version.

BALEA Milder Reinigungs Schaum

I’ve been using this for a few years every day and I credit it as the product that helped fix the texture of my skin. It’s a light toner-serum product with 95% ferments (galactomyces) and rest are niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, allantoin, adenosine and a handful of fillers.

Repurchase: Yes.

ECOOKING Peeling Mask

The only AHA mask I actually like. The Ordinary 30% AHA does nothing on me, but this finally felt like something on my hardy skin. For that same reason I think it will be too much for most or at least only for those used to strong acids. Small pot lasted me a long time because I’m very forgetful when it comes to acids and I only use them when something is wrong with my skin.

Repurchase: Y
es.

This looks good on paper, as it contain Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1. I didn’t get any result from this apart from my lashes becoming even more stubborn to curl. It’s a light serum that didn’t irritate my eyes and can be used under a mascara.

Repurchase: No

Repurchase: Yes.

Repurchase: Maybe, but I repurchased Nivea’s Souffle to replenish my empty stash and it’s so good. 

EVELINE COSMETICS Extra Soft BioArgan Manuka Oil Face and Body Cream

I liked this a lot. Formula is a classic cream that absorbs fairly quickly and is nourishing enough. This has a nice ingredient list as it has argan oil, honey, oats, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, cholesterol and that’s before preservatives and fragrance that are allowed at only 1% concentration, though the main ingredient is mineral oil. It also smells nice, very similar to the super expensive L’Occitane Almond body cream.

Repurchase: It’s likely. I might be distracted by something new and shiny, but I really liked this.

A liquid, strongest Olaplex that is applied before n.3. I find this combination works considerably better than just n.3 and I like the wa
y the Olaplex routine (0 + n.3 treatment + n.4 shampoo + n.5 conditioner + n.6 leave-in) improve the condition of the hair. I saw they finally improved the packaging by adding a spray, since the nozzle with a tiny hole is painfully slow and ineffective at distributing the product. I just unscrewed the bottle and poured it on the hair.

Repurchase: Done.

OLAPLEX No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner

It’s not the most amazing conditioner in terms of visible results, but it’s thick and good enough, though I much prefer the mask n.8. I find this an essential product in my routine, since I bleach my hair.

Repurchase: Done.

JOICO K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor

A protein leave-in I use regularly. I stopped using it for a while and I noticed my hair started breaking more, so now I don’t want to be without it. It’s very light and doesn’t have an immediate visible effect in terms of making my hair more nourished and less frizzy, but like I said it has a long-term effect. One 300 ml bottle lasts a long time.

Repurchase: Done. It’s now in a different packaging.

KÉRASTASE Chronologiste Essential Balm Treatment

I hated this for a long time, but then used it with an acid rinse (1 tea spoon of citric acid in 1 litre of water) and it became a huge favourite. It leaves my hair crazy soft and feeling great, plus the effect lasts for days. It’s not the best at taming my frizz, but only Moroccanoil Smoothing mask makes a difference. This smells like Miss Dior Cherie without the obnoxious patchouli.

NATURE BOX Repair Mask with Avocado Oil

A silicone-free drugstore mask I actually like. It’s nourishing enough due to shea butter high on the list, but it doesn’t reduce frizz.

Repurchase: I prefer Pantene, but it’s nice if you want something silicone-free.

GARNIER Color Naturals Crème

9.1 Natural Extra Light Ash Blonde

I use this shade for toning. This formula completely replaced L’Oreal Excellence for me. For one they are half cheaper, since L’Oreal’s price surged over the years, shades are pretty much the same, formula is ok and as much as I love that L’Oreal conditioner they add in their boxes, I now use Joico K-Pack Reconstructor and Intense Hydrator right after colouring. I swap the developers with a weaker 3% one, since I’m toning and not lifting the hair colour. I use the unused developers from these boxes for cleaning (1 part dish soap + 1 part hydrogen peroxide developer + sprinkling of baking soda for removing stubborn stains on fabric). The conditioner size added to the boxes is pitiful, with only 22 ml. I use mostly 9.1 (I’ve used up a few boxes so far) and I buy 8.1 as a just-in-case if I don’t manage to bleach all that well.

Repurchase: Done