frozen spring

cruelty free & sustainable living

estelle & thild BioCleanse Eye Make Up Remover Review

estelle & thild Biocleanse Eye Make Up Remover

Last year in January, I wanted to test some new skincare brands (Swedish ones) and estelle & thild was one of those brands. At first I purchased only their toner and cleansing gel, but with time I ended up buying a few more products. So far I have four products from the BioCleanse range: multi-action facial toner, cleansing gel, eye make up remover and micellar water. I’m satisfied with all four products (I already repurchased all of them except for micellar water which I still haven’t used up) and I’ll share my reviews on them in upcoming posts. Today I’m sharing my review on the eye make up remover.

The main reason I purchased this product is because I needed something that’s suitable for sensitive eyes. My eyes have gotten really sensitive in the past 2 years or so and I haven’t been able to use just any product to remove my eye makeup so I’ve been trying out different products until I came across this one. I was already using estelle & thild toner and cleansing gel (which I liked) before I purchased the eye make up remover so I was really hoping it will be good because back then I already tested (and wasted money on) 4-5 different eye make up removers which did not work for me. And, well,  this one did work for me! Just recently I purchased another bottle of it so you can imagine that I really do like it!

So, what do I like about this product? First of all, my eyes don’t react to it and it removes all my makeup without any issues. Since it’s dual-phase, it’s great for waterproof makeup. It’s fragrance free (it has this typical estelle & thild scent which isn’t perfume but rather clean scent?). Even though it contains 150 ml, which at first I thought wasn’t enough, but it really is since you don’t need a lot of it for each use, even if you have heavy eye makeup. I always place the cotton pad on my lid and I wait around 30 seconds for my makeup to dissolve. That’s much easier, better and more effective than rubbing.

What I don’t like? I really don’t have anything negative to say about it.

Details

Suitable for vegans / cruelty free? Yes
Where to buy? Sweden: most stores carry estelle & thild (Åhléns, KICKS, apotek hjärta, etc.);  if you don’t live in Sweden then you can get it through estellethild.com or naturisimo.com  
Price? 189 SEK / £18.50 / $21.5 / €18
Ingredients: aqua, simmondsia chinensis seed oil*, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, glycerin**, gluconolactone, disodium phosphate, sodium chloride, sodium gluconate, citric acid, sodium benzoate. *Ingredient from Organic Farming. **Made using organic ingredients.

Vesna ♥

Review | Rouge Bunny Rouge Original Skin Blush – Gracilis

photo rouge-bunny-rouge-blush-gracilis00_zpsnty4rwkb.jpg

One of my favourite products lately is my first blush from Rouge Bunny Rouge in shade Gracilis, lovely medium rose shade with a hint of mauve. According to Rouge Bunny Rouge, this shade is best suited for pale, cool complexions. I’m not pale, more like light to medium, but I do have cool undertones and this shade is definitely suitable for my complexion.

This is how they describes their blushes:

“Original Skin Blush blends with a sheer, melting touch for a naturally luminous silky glow. (…) Innovative powders entwine with your skin to preserve perfection all day long. Result is ‘your skin but better’ effect; you’ll wonder how you blushed before.”

As all other Rouge Bunny Rouge products I’ve tried so far, even this product has this nice and soft formula that blends on its own. Additionally, ‘your skin but better’ description is completely appropriate since this blush really is just that.  My skin tends to look quite dull and tired, especially lately, but a bit of CC cream in combination with this blush does wonders for me. And not only is this blush looking lovely, it is long lasting, too! Rouge Bunny Rouge claims this blush lasts all day long, and, well, it does! I usually apply it early in the morning and by the time I get home – 12 hours later – it is still there! This blush comes in a simple black packaging with a mirror on the inside. It contains 5.5 grams of product and it costs €31. Another thing that impressed me, along with the quality, is the lovely pattern on the blush itself. I almost felt bad for “destroying” it, but it would be a shame not to use such a lovely shade. ♥

Rouge Bunny Rouge blush comes in five shades and that might seem a bit odd, especially today when brands offer so many shades and different types of products (blush in a stick, cream blushes, and so on). On one hand, I wished there were a few more shades, but then again, I’m glad that Rouge Bunny Rouge isn’t one of those brands that comes out with many collections/products/shades each year and who basically push you into buying more and more products (especially if it’s limited edition and you feel like you might miss something if you don’t buy it right away). Not sure if that was their intention from the beginning, but I really like how they are sustainable and how they take their time to launch new shades/products. :)

Here is my swatch, but I’ll be taking a photo of the blush on my cheeks this weekend; I finally have a bit of time for that.

photo rouge-bunny-rouge-blush-gracilis01_zpsjubejqvx.jpg

photo rouge-bunny-rouge-blush-gracilis02_zpsedyuz80g.jpg

Have you tried any of their blush shades? :)

Ingredients: TALC, ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINTE, MICA, MYRYSTYL TRISILOXANE, C26-54 ALKYL TETRADECYL DIMETHICONE, LAURYL LACTATE, DIMETHICINE, GLYCINE SOJA OIL, ZINC STERATE, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STERATE, HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE TRIMETHYLOLPROPANE TRIISOSTEARATE, CHLORPHENESIN, OCTYLDODECANOL, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA EKTRACT, PHENOXYETHANOL, AQUA, LAURYL METHACRYLATE/GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, DICAPRYLIETHER, SODIUM GLUCONATE, ALGAE, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, WALTHERIA INDICA, FERULIC ACID, POLYGLYCERYL-2 DIPOLYHYDROXYSTEARATE; (+/-): CI 7789l, C 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77007, CI 77510, CI 75470, CI 15850, CI 73360, CI 19149, CI 42090

Suitable for vegans: No.
Where to buy? online
Price: €31

Vesna ♥

Review | Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Ash Brown

photo anastasia-beverly-hills-dipbrow-pomade-ash-brown01_zpslato4nc9.jpg

It took me a really long time to finally purchase the well known Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade, and once I finally did, I kept asking myself: “Why on earth haven’t I purchased this product ages ago?!”. I don’t have any good reason, to be honest, I guess I was just trying to convince myself I don’t need any other product as long as I have Illamasqua Brow Powder in shade Gaze. That was, obviously, not true because as soon as I got Dipbrow Pomade, I stopped using Gaze. Well, I guess I needed the change since I was using Gaze for at least 6 years and it is (was?) my holy grail product. Until now.

I guess you’ve already seen Dipbrow Pomade all over the internet, so it’s not like I’ll be saying anything new. I’ll simply start by saying that, if you’ve been on the fence about buying it, well, just buy it because I don’t think you’ll regret it. You might, though, if you get the wrong shade, but that’s something else and not related to the quality of the product. And, since I mentioned the quality, let me tell you that everything about this product is simply superb – it is highly pigmented, waterproof, incredibly long-lasting and so easy to apply (you can easily go from ‘barely there’ brows to ‘strongly outlined’ brows). I love the packaging, too – it comes in a glass jar with a screw-on lid. The jar contains 4 grams of product, a decent amount that will last me at least 6 months, but probably more.

I purchased the shade Ash Brown because I prefer cool toned brow shades, which are, if you ask me, really hard to find. Even Dipbrow Pomade has mostly warm toned/too dark brown shades, but this one is really good for cool toned/ashy brows (like mine). I would, though, prefer if it was a bit more ashy since Gaze is quite ashy and I guess I’m just used to it, but it looks good on my brows either way. I apply it with an angled brush (usually ecotools) or Anastasia Beverly Hills #12 (#12 brush is actually Dipbrow Pomade brush, but you can use any angled brush, just make sure it’s clean).

Anyway, to make the long story short, this is a product that you do need in your life. Or, to be more precise, your brows do. ;) I’ve been using it all the time for the past two months, and I really doubt I’ll buy anything else instead of it. I really don’t think anyone could make anything better than this.

photo anastasia-beverly-hills-dipbrow-pomade-ash-brown02_zpsliv2ij56.jpg

photo anastasia-beverly-hills-dipbrow-pomade-ash-brown03_zpsvruphrzi.jpg

I’m wearing Ash Brown in this photo, applied quite lightly since I prefer light application. I think it shapes my brows really nicely. ♥

photo lindex-matte-lipstick-plum03_zpshcb810wb.jpg

Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Silica, Polyethylene, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite/Synthetic Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Mica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylparaben, May Contain/Peut Contenir: (+/-) Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163)
Suitable for vegans? Yes
Where to buy? here or here (and many other websites); if you are in Sweden, you can get it at Kicks and Åhléns
Price: 255 SEK / 28$ (I know it’s cheaper online or in other countries, but this is the price in Sweden

Vesna ♥

Lush Cup O’ Coffee Exfoliating Mask Review

photo lush-cup-o-coffee01_zpsgr90ge0p.jpg

A while back, when I was trying to kill some time while I was waiting for a friend, I visited Lush and this mask caught my eye. The reason it caught my attention was because it contains coffee and smells like coffee, and since I love everything coffee, I couldn’t resist purchasing it. Additionally, it can be used on the face and body, but I use it only on my face since it is a bit pricey. Before I review it, just to mention that I have combination skin with T-zone and I love exfoliation (well, my skin does for sure).

Cup O’ Coffee comes in a recycled plastic container (and, in case you didn’t know, you can collect five of these and take them back to Lush and exchange them for a new fresh face mask). It has a screw-on lid, but for some reason this product does leak a bit despite that. It’s quite thick, but it can be applied with both brush and fingers. Lately I’ve been using a brush to apply it since it’s less messy that way. It does have a warming effect in the beginning and I like to leave it for at least 15 minutes on my skin. To take it off, I use mild water and I gently massage my skin so that ground coffee, which this mask contains, can exfoliate my skin while I’m taking it off. Ground coffee is a bit rough so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin, and I’d definitely recommend to be extra careful when you’re removing the product from your face. You don’t want to cause any irritation. This product leaves my skin feeling super soft and smooth on touch, and I’d even say that my skin does look really clean. I would even say that my skin feels a bit firmer and tighter, too.

However, as mentioned above, I would not recommend this product to someone who has sensitive skin, as well as to someone who has dry skin because it might leave your skin dry. That’s why I use it only once a week and I always apply my skin care products after I take it off. :) All in all, I do like it in general and I will be getting a new one as soon as I go through the one I have.

The only flaw this product has is the price. It’s quite expensive considering it can be used all over the body, but as I said in the beginning, I’m using it only on my face and that way, I save some money. I guess it wouldn’t last long if I’d use it all over, maybe 3 times, but since I use it only on my face, I can use it at least 10 times, which seems okay to me and worth the money in that case.

photo lush-cup-o-coffee02_zpsutuydpr8.jpg

photo lush-cup-o-coffee03_zpszqhtopkg.jpg
Cup O’ Coffee on my skin

Ingredients: Organic Agave Syrup Kaolin Glycerine Coffee Infusion Talc Ground Coffee Bentone gel Perfume Vetivert Oil Vanilla Absolute Roasted Cocoa Extract Coriander Oil Caffeine Powder *Coumarin *Limonene *Linalool 
Suitable for vegans? Yes
Where to buy? Lush stores & online
Price? 99 SEK for 150 g / 195 SEK for 325 g

Have you tried Cup O’ Coffee? Or maybe any other face mask from Lush that you’d like to recommend?

Vesna ♥

Favourite beauty products of 2016 ♥

photo 2016-best-of00A_zpsulnidwqn.jpg

I haven’t really shared my favourites during 2016, so here’s one post which covers the whole year.  Even if I wrote a few separate posts, I don’t think my favourites would be any different since I wasn’t using that many products and I was mostly sticking to products which I already liked OR which I purchased after I read good reviews and I figured I would like them.

As you can see, most of these products are actually skincare products, and that’s nothing strange because I was quite focused on skincare in 2016. I discovered some really good brands and I’m looking forward to exploring the rest of their range (as soon as I need a new products, that is; my ‘buy less’ decision from previous post covers skincare, too).

Well, let me tell you more about my favourites and why just these products stood out for me :)

MAKEUP

IsaDora Wonder Nail Quick Dry Nail Polish, shade 540 Purple Paisley (5 ml / 79 SEK / €8.25) – this shade was part of their fall collection and I grabbed it as soon as I saw it in store. I know there are many purple(ish) shades out there, but I really liked this one, and not only that the shade is pretty, but it is more than great when it comes to quality. I generally like IsaDora’s nail polishes, so this one is no exception. It comes with a wide brush which might be a bit tricky for narrow nail plates, but I have wider nail plates so it suits me quite well (I did need a bit of time to get used to it, but now I can’t imagine using any other nail brush!). Anyway, this shade is perfect for all seasons if you ask me, but I do prefer it during fall / winter times. Here’s my NOTD post with this shade – link.

Idun Minerals Akvamarin Nail Polish (11 ml / 89 SEK / €9.30) – I haven’t posted it on the blog, but I did show you on my Instagram how this shade looks on my nails – link – and I still love it as the first day! It’s the most perfect winter shade that is out there and I love how it screams cold and winter.  It has to be applied with 2 coats, because the first coat is streaky, but I still like it and use it at least once a week! Idun nail polishes have wide brush, too. Love!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade, shade Ash Brown* (4 g / 255 SEK / €26) – even though I purchased this product not so long ago (after months of debating with myself weather I should purchase it or not, LOL!), I have to say this is one of my favourite purchases last year! It’s so worth every cent and I regret not buying it a long, long time ago. I dare to say that my brows have never looked better! It goes on so smoothly, it can be applied lightly or heavily, depending on how you like it, and once you apply it – it stays there. I will be reviewing it next week, just need to take some before / after photos. Until then, you can see HERE how it looks on my brows.

Catrice Illuminating Blush, shade Kiss Me Ken, limited edition (4,5 g / 35 SEK / €3.60) – last year I couldn’t get enough of this blush! I tried using other cheek products, but I kept reaching for this one. It’s a shame this is no longer available since it is a limited edition product, and I’m sure there is something similar out there, but I still think this product is such a steal considering the quality you get for such a tiny price. Again, you can see it in the same post as the ABH Dipbrow Pomade – HERE – but this was taken in the evening, and I did apply my make up many hours earlier. ;)

Rouge Bunny Rouge Aqua Primer* (30 ml / 500 SEK / €53) – I’ve mentioned this product more than once so I won’t be repeating myself once again, but you’re more than welcome to read my review – link – where I tell you all you need to know about this primer.

photo 2016-best-of00_zpsfjmfc8ep.jpg

SKINCARE

LUSH Cup O’ Coffee Face Mask* (150 g / 99 SEK / €10.30) – not sure when exactly I got this mask, but I think somewhere in October, and since then it has been something I’m using on a weekly basis. I may not be a true coffee lover, but I love the smell of it and I think I could walk around smelling like coffee! I love how this is a 2in1 product – scrub and mask for your face and body, but I do think it’s a bit pricey to be used on the body, so I’ve been saving it for my face exclusively. Not that I don’t mind that since my face loves it! I have combination skin, so this mask really suits my skin since it cleans it and scrubs well, and it is in no way harsh for it. But it might be a bit too much for someone with dry skin. Even though the effect of using it is only temporary, I do like using it regularly since I do like the feeling of fresh skin.

Minimal Chic Oil-based Make Up Remover** – this lovely oil-based make up remover is my must have when it comes to removing my make up in a gentle, but effective way. It is safe to use around eyes and I love using it to remove my mascara since a gentle massage is all it takes to melt all eye make up. Not to mention that, in the end, I don’t have any oily leftover trace once I wash it off with warm water. All in all, it is affordable and it basically lasts forever! Another thing that I really love about this product is that it’s handmade by a dear friend of mine, and I got this bottle as a gift from her. She has some other lovely products and you can check her range HERE. It’s Croatian based brand, but it can be shipped to other countries. :)

Zoya Goes Pretty Shea & Cocoa Butter* (30 g / 80 SEK / 8.50) – even though this is a multi-use product for face & body, I use it mostly to nourish my lips when I’m at home. I love the combination of shea and cocoa, it smells so delicious and it makes me wanna eat it!  This is a quite easy and effective way to take care of my occasionally dry lips, and when I say ‘effective’, what I mean is – I see results a few minutes after I apply it! No more dry lips thanks to it! At least if I use it regularly (which I try to do).

Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age Advanced Serum* (30 ml / 350 SEK / €36) – I got this serum in the beginning of September and I’ve been using it ever since which means I owe you a more detailed review (soon), but let me just tell you how much I love this serum! I love the texture, which is easy to work with and which absorbs quite quickly, but not to mention it does why I purchased it in the first place – it rehydrates my skin amazingly! I literally feel the effect the moment I apply it – my skin feels so supple, fresh and satisfied. The biggest difference is – my skin doesn’t feel like it’s suffering during winter time in Stockholm. I still have 1/3 of it left (I’m in no way sparing, that’s for sure!) and I am getting a new bottle as soon as I get to the last drop of my current one.

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil* (30 ml / 247 SEK / £22.00) – in the end of November, I wrote a mini-review where I shared my first impressions about this product, and obviously, I haven’t changed my opinion since this product made it to my favourites! If you’re struggling with some scars and skin firmness (or, the lack of it), I would honestly recommend you get this oil, like, yesterday! I raved so much about it to a friend of mine, that she ended up buying it in the end, and today she told me how she’s beyond thrilled with it!

photo 2016-best-of01_zpstoc8nfuq.jpg

VARIOUS

Lunette Menstrual Cup* (299 SEK / €31) – some 10 days ago I wrote a detailed review about my Lunette menstrual cup, why I love it and can’t imagine my life without it, but also why you should get it, too. To make the long story short: this tiny cup changed my life in ways I couldn’t even imagine it would happen. I know it might sound silly, but after 20 years of having periods, I can finally say that I am looking forward to them, and I’m not cringing at the thought of walking around while I have a period. My life got so much easier and I don’t even waste my time thinking about my periods any more. If you’ve been considering buying a menstrual cup, be sure to read my review!

Foreo Luna Mini 2 (1295 SEK / €135) – even though skincare products are my top priority when it comes to taking care of my face, I found this face brush to be more than useful when it comes to effective cleansing. The fact is, no matter how much I try, I have the feeling like my skin is much cleaner when I use Luna Mini 2. Of course, It isn’t a must have products, to be honest, especially if you’re expecting new skin and few years less on your face, but I’d say it has been more than useful as part of my skincare regime. My pores are less clogged when I use it, especially those around my chin area because that area is the worst on my face. On top of that, I love the additional level of clean skin. I mean, it is clean either way, but with this brush it does feel like that feeling is stretched a bit further.

Clean Skin EdP* (30 ml / 470 SEK / €50) – I can sum up description of this perfume in one single sentence: my skin but better. It is so subtle, yet so captivating. It completely mesmerizes my senses and the things that cross through my mind when I smell it are – warmth, the touch of skin, sensual. It might not be strong and it might not last for two days, but I love it just the way it is. To be honest, this is the only perfume I need in my collection. ♥

photo 2016-best-of02_zpsmmpmkacc.jpg

photo 2016-best-of03_zpsn2gcobhy.jpg

These were my favourite products. Maybe we share some of them? Or do you have a completely different list? Feel free to share in the comments, would love to know what you’ve been using!

Note: all products are cruelty free, those marked with * are vegan (not sure about those unmarked, so I just marked the ones I know for sure are vegan)
** this product was given to me for review

Vesna ♥