The Body Shop Muslin Cleansing Cloth review

I'm not the greatest fan of washing my face with muslin cloths, but I sometimes do use them. I never thought there could be such a difference between different brands. A cloth is a cloth. Full stop. It turns out I was terribly wrong.

The previous cloth I used was by Eve Lom and it came with their cream cleanser. It was nice and soft, but got stained pretty easily. 

I got one more from The Body Shop to have a replacement while the other one was being washed. And, unfortunately, the one by TBS is nowhere near the Eve Lom one. It's simply hard and abrasive and actually quite unpleasant to use. However, on the positive note, it doesn't get stained at all. My mascara or foundation don't cling to the cloth at all, a simple rinse removes all residue from the cloth.

Cleansing cloths aren't something I care much for, so I can't say I'm disappointed, but if you're looking for a nice, soft cloth, skip this one.

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Revlon Highlighting Palettes in Bronze Glow #030 and Rose Glow #020 review & swatches

Revlon highlighting palettes had been resting in my e-bay basket for a good while when I spotted them in my nearest drugstore. They arrived quite unannounced with no advertising, no blog reviews. One day they just were there. As far as I could see there are only two shades available here out of the three that were released in the States. At first I picked Bronze Glow #030 and I liked so much that I came back for more even though I had my reservations about Rose Glow #020.  

These highlighting palettes come in simple, square boxes that don't pretend to be more than a drugstore product, but they're nice and sleek and reliable. The palettes themselves are copycats of the renowned Shimmer Bricks by Bobbi Brown or their drugstore dupes - Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips, none of which I own, so I'm not going to compare these.

Bronze Glow consists of a range of brown shades and a lighter one. The brown shades are a mix of red-toned and warmer ones, with the last one being a fairly dark brown colour and one almost white shade with yellowish pearl. All stripes are shimmery, but they don't offer the mirror-like sheen of The Balm Mary-Lou anizer or Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. Neither of the shades contains glitter. 

Bronze Glow is the more pigmented and the more versatile palette of the two. Not only is it a highlighter, but it also doubles or even triples as a bronzer or even as an eyeshadow palette.

To use it as a highlighter you need to pick thea blend of upper shades with a sparse synthetic brush (my favourite is Real Techniques Duo Fibre face brush), otherwise it will deposit too much colour. 

If you focus on the darker shades you'll get a fairly pigmented shimmery bronzer that will give you the summer glow you are looking for in the summer months. When I used this with a dense powder brush, my cheeks looked way too dark, so a fluffy synthetic brush is highl;y recommended.

When I used these as eyeshadows, all shades looked kind of peachy on my lids. Peach is not the shade that looks good on my skin tone, but I know there are girls who actually enjoy wearing peaches on their lids. They may pull out differently on different skin tones as none of them looks peach in the pan.

The texture of these is buttery smooth and blends in perfectly.

Rose Glow is totally different from Bronze Gold. It's less pigmented and three out of five stripes are glittery and this is what I was pretty much worried about. However, to my surprise, if you apply the highlighter with a brush like the aforementioned Real Techniques duo fibre one, the brush won't pick up the glitter particles and only the minimal amount of those chunky particles will land on your face.

This palette is clearly a highligher. It's too sheer and pale and sparkly to serve as a blush or eyeshadows. The texture is also much drier, so the product doesn't cling on all that well. 

For me this makes a perfect go-to highlighter. It's not overly pigmented, sparkly nor shiny. It looks presentable on everyday occassions, giving my face a discreet, brightening glow without looking anyhting over the top. I definitely don't regret my purchase, even though I'd very hesitant about it.

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Soap & Glory Clean, Girls Body Wash review

Soap & Glory toiletries are all about scent and cute packaging.

And Clean, Girls body wash is no other. 

It comes in a huge bottle that usually takes me and my family about two months to use up. The bottle is equipped with a pump that prevents overdosing and is also very convenient. Thanks to the vintage photo and print it looks nice in the shower. The soap produces rich lather which makes a tiny bit go a long way. I find it moisturising and I feel it leaves my skin feeling nice and smooth.

It says on the packaging that this body wash is scented with bergamot, blackcurrant, magnolia, freesia, vanolla and musk, but to my nose it seems that the sweet notes of vanilla and the woody fragrance of must dominate over the floral notes. Nonetheless, these form a lovely concoction that add to my relaxing experience of bath time.

I love this product a lot, but I'm not sure if I ever repurchase. There are so many other lovely products by the brand that are awaiting! But if you like warm, slightly floral fragrances and are looking for a silky body wash that would last for a long time, this one is for you!

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Korean goodies: Memebox Superbox #42 Birthday Box unboxing

The contents of Superbox #42 Birthday Box were revealed right after the box was issued so there wasn't any surprise for me. I have very mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it's very practical, every item is very useful and stuff. There are two very interesting face products I've never used before. But, on the other hand, why does a birthday box consist of toiletries only? Not very exciting. And why is everything by the same brand? Perhaps I've misunderstood the term birthday. Maybe it's about the brand's birthday and it happens to produce toiletries only? But why four hand creams? This is something I have no explanation for. 

So here's what I got:

i belivyu all in one hair&body wash

Smells nice and floral. I use it as a soap rather than shampoo.

Cube Sparkling Lemon Sugar Scrub comes in a fancy vial milky glass with a cork cap and contains something that looks like sugar cubes. It can be used for face or body or as a bath soak.

Powder Wash Vitamin Face Cleanser is even more intriguing. It's a very strange looking powder that you're supposed to mix with water and lather and then, obviously, wash your face.

And finally, four Flower Hand Creams. Mr Hubby appreciates a good hand cream. But what about me? One is quite enough. 

Korean goodies: Memebox Special #11 Cacao unboxing

I've just received another superexciting Memebox, this time it's Memebox Special #11 Cacao Cosmetics. The contents were a total surprise for me and I found most of them satisfactory.

It's basically all about the scent and I happen to be a fan of chocolate and its main ingredient too, so this box is right up my alley.

Evas Vitamin Cleansing Dessert Magic Cream Soap Coconut & Cacao (the longest name on earth) is some kind of face cleanser which I haven't even opened yet. Sounds very exciting!

WondeRuci Cacao Brightening Mask, which is obviously a face mask. I took a sniff, this stuff smells insane!

Etude House Milk Talk body wash doubles as luxurious body bath. This has already been in use a couple of times. Mr Hubby says he feels like a praline after his soak in this bath. I guess he's right!

Pure Smile Choosy Lip Scrub Chocolate is something I was really glad to get. I've run out of my lip scrub a long, long time ago and it was high time I got one!

Pure Smile Essence Mask Chocolate Milk is a bit of a surprise cause I wasn't really expecting a cocoa sheet mask. 

Purederm Nose Pore Strips Choco Cacao are a bummer for me. I don't really like any of these 'unclog the pores' things.I'll use them up, but with no enthusiasm. 

BRAND NEW from The Body Shop: Wild Argan Oil Body Butter review

This review is going to be slightly different. First of all it's because I've had the pleasure to test a brand new product that isn't available yet. Secondly, it's a competition entry and for the first time i'm going to ask my readers for help and vote for my review. I don't think I stand any chances of winning and I don't quite understand what those who picked me to be one of the Wild Argan Oil Body Butter testers had in mind because I don't think a small blog, written in English is going to generate thousands of potential Polish shoppers.

I'm  writing this review just after a couple of days of using the product and at first I was intending to give it a good go before passing the verdict, but there's time pressure and also by publishing the review on the last day of the competition I would give myself virtually no chances of gaining any votes. Some reviewers posted their review the day they got the product...

Nonetheless I'm more than excited about the opportunity to test a completely new product by one of my favourite brands, so if you like the review, click here hand vote for Anna Ladymoonlight (page4), please.

Now on to the proper review.

When I learned about the fact that I was going to review a brand new product by The Body Shop I felt proud and enthusiastic. Then my emotions subsided and I started wondering what I would do if I didn't like the butter. Unnecessarily. This is a beautiful product.
On the one hand we can say we've seen it all before. The product comes in the standard simple plastic tub like other butters do, it has the same consistency that is thick at first but melts upon contact with the warmth of the skin. It boasts a number of high quality natural ingredients like ethically obtained shea butter, cocoa seed butter, babassu oil, and, obviously, argan oil as well. But the scent! The scent is overpowering and addictive. Once you sniff it you can't stop. I'm uncertain whether this is what argan oil smells like as every single product containing argan oil I've used had a somewhat different scent, but this one is a warm, nutty, vanilla, sweet-oriental scent. This fragrance, which lingers on my body for so long, is definitely the fundamental reason why I fell head over heels in love with this product, but not only.

I must admit that I body butters aren't really my pair of shoes. I generally pick lotions instead of body butters as I don't suffer from any skin concerns they tackle. And lotions, usually equipped with a pump are easier to dispense and use. But this summmer my self tanners parched the skin on my legs really badly and my new Wild Argan Oil Body Butter turned out to be my saviour. A couple of applications and dry patches - begone! No more crisp skin, peeling cuticles, self-tan stains on dry knees and elbows!
This body butter has become the most awaited part of my night time skin ritual and I'm definitely going to buy not only the full-size one, but also explore the range in greater detail as, according to the press material, it's going to consist of a number of exciting products that aren't normally part of the Body Shop product lines. Apart from the usual stuff, like shower gels or body scrubs, the range will also include Bubbling Bath, Massage Soap, Body Lotion, The Radiant Oil for hair and body, Miracle Soild oil for dry patches and a lip balm, which is my number one pick.
All in all, well done TBS. Well done again!

And now in Polish:

Kiedy dowiedziałam się , że mam zostać testerka zupełnie nowego produktu od The Body Shop, strach mnie obleciał. Co ja napiszę, jeśli mi się nie spodoba? Mam straszliwie sentymentalny stosunek do marki i nie potrafię minąć drzwi sklepu nie zachodząc choć na chwilę, co nie znaczy, że wszystkie produkty przypadły mi do gustu. Na szczęście martwiłam się nie potrzebnie. Masło do ciała Wild Argan Oil jest GENIALNE!

Z jednej strony możemy powiedzieć, że wszystko to już było. Wszystkie znamy już ten prosty plastikowy pojemnik, tę konsystencję, z pozoru gęstą i twardą, która roztapia się na skórze jak masło. Jak zawsze produkt może się poszczycić dużą ilością naturalnych, etycznie pozyskanych składników jak: masło shea, masło kakaowe, olejek babassu, oraz, rzecz jasna, olejek arganowy. Ale ten zapach! Zapach jest obezwładniający i uzależniający. Raz powąchasz i nie możesz przestać! Nie jestem pewna czy to jest właśnie zapach olejku arganowego, ponieważ każdy produkt oparty na tym właśnie olejku, którego używałam, miał nieco inny zapach. Masło do ciała Wild Argan Oil pachnie ciepło, orzechowo, waniliowo, słodko i orientalnie. Ten silny zapach unosi przez dłuższy czas na skórze i jest zdecydowanie główną przyczyną mojej wielkiej miłości do Wild Argan Oil Body Butter, lecz nie tylko. 

Muszę przyznać, że masła do ciała nie są moimi ulubieńcami, ponieważ nie mam problemów skórnych, którym one przeciwdziałają. Zazwyczaj sięgam po balsamy, które łatwiej się nabiera i rozprowadza. Tego lata jednak moje samoopalacze strasznie przesuszyły skórę na moich nogach, a masło Wild Argan Oil okazało się moim wybawcą. Po kilku zastosowaniach sucha, szorstka skóra na moich nogach, kolanach, łokciach, skórkach wokół paznokci znikła!

Używanie tego masła do ciała stało się moim ulubionym wieczornym rytuałem i na pewno kupię nie tylko jego pełnowymiarową wersję, ale też przyjrzę się bliżej całej linii, która prócz powtarzających się w każdej linii peelingów czy żeli pod prysznic, składać się będzie również z płynu do kąpieli, mydła do masażu, skoncentrowanego oleju na suche miejsca, rozświetlającego oleju do ciała i włosów oraz balsamu do ust.

Dobra robota, The body Shop, dobra robota!

Korean goodies: Lomilomi 7 day Scheduler sunday Jasmine Healing Mask review

I was sad to notice that my favourite drugstore Hebe is running out of those incredible Lomilomi sheet masks so I immediately grabbed the one that was left, which turned out to be Jasmine Healing Mask. 

Just as the other one from the range I've used before, Jasmine Healing Mask is soaked with liquid to the point that it's dripping. Whooooa, you get a lot for the single dollar you pay for it!

The mask feels slightly tingly at first, but soon this sesnation subsides and it feels very comfortable on my face. 

It has some fresh, cosmetic scent that I don't associate with jasmine, but I find it nice and relaxing.

This mask gave my face a boost of moisture that I expect from this kind of product. My face felt nourished and plumped long after the application. 

This mask stands out from the sheet mask crowd in one respect: it contains a ton of product. Compared to this one, other masks seem almost dried out. It's also much cheaper. I seriously hope the drugstore is going to restock these!  

Korean goodies: Purederm Snail Age Regenerating Multi-step Treatment sheet mask review

I'm a great fan of Korean sheet masks so I was very happy to try out a slightly different one from Purederm.

It consists of an age regenerating ampoule that helps improve the skin's appearance and makes it easier to absorb the ingredients of the mask and the sheet mask itself.

The ampoule was a non-greasy, runny, fragrance-free substance. 

The mask was quite different from other masks of the same kind. The fabric it was made of was stiffer than the one other masks are made of and there was a seam with a clearly marked ridge running along the middle of the face. It was meant to give the mask a kind of 3d shape to fit the face better, but actually it didn't. It came unstuck in different places and the nose flap got into my nose as I breathed.

While all sheet masks I've used this far provided extreme skin comfort and moisture, this one, however, just failed to do so. Yeah, it did moisturise somewhat, but not as much as I'm used to. I didn't notice any skin improvement, temporary or not. 

This mask was more expensive than the regular Purederm sheet masks I get from my local drugstore and it was in no way better, so I'd better stick to the regular ones.

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Glossybox July 2014

I found my July Glossybox disappointing and boring, but I must admit most of the goodies are pretty useful, especially during the holiday season when I'm about to travel.

What I got is:

1. Head & Shoulders Extra Thickening Tonic. I don't care for the brand, but the product has stirred some interest in me.

2. Vichy Eau Thermale, a useful thing in the summer heat!

3. Cashere smoothing base (Polish brand) is a make-up primer.

4. Yves Rocher Hydra Vegetal moisturiser. I hated the suscreen from the same line, but this one targets my skin type, so I'll give it a go.

5. Vichy Capital Soleil SPF50 

6. PostQuam face wipes, might becone handy soon. 

Rimmel 60 seconds nail polish in #619 Pulsating and #403 Oragasm review & swatches

In summer I feel tempted to experiment with shades that I don't normally find attractive. 

When I saw Rimmel 60 Seconds #619 Pulsating I immediately knew I needed to have it. It was on offer for less than 2 bucks, which made it even more attractive. 

The shade is this electric vibrant magenta shade with tons of shimmer. It looks incredible both on nails and toes!  

The manufacturer says that with its wide brush it takes 1 second to apply the only one coat you need and then wait for 60 seconds for it to dry and you're good to go. Some of these claims are obviously not realistic, but all of them are close to being true. The wide brush applies an even coat of polish in 2-3 strokes, the colour is eaven and opaque, so there's no need for another layer. The polish isn't completely dry within 60 seconds, you'll definitely get pillow marks if you go to bed straight after, but it's dry to the tough, which means you can carry on with your life quite normally without the risk of ruining your nails.

It's an excellent polish for the summer!

#403Oragasm is a gorgeous vibrant orange. 

This polish is a true one-coater, I applied two just in case. The colour is opaque, though I think that with one coat you can achieve a see-through gel-like finish.

The polish looks very even, it levels itself wonderfully and the wide brush guarantees no faffing around.

I used a top coat, but the polish dries very fast and looks incredibly shiny on its own. 

I believe Rimmel 60 seconds nail polishes are an amazing drugstore find. They offer superb quality for very little money.  

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Bourjois 1 Seconde gel nail polish in #10 Rouge Poppy and #23 In the Navy review & swatches

Here comes my favourite pair of Bourjois 1 Seconde gel polishes which I have already proclaimed the best polishes I've ever tried.

I'm not going to rave again about the wide brush, the opaque and streakless formula, the fast drying time, the gloss and the wear time. You can read about the other two here, the quality of these seems to be consistent within the range, so my previous review is fully applicable here. Now I'll only focus on the gorgeous shades themselves.

#10 Rouge Poppy is exactly what the name implies, a poppy red colour. It's a vibrant, warm-toned red that in some lighting conditions looks almost orange. This is a shade that I should theoretically stray away from, but somehow it looks very pretty even on my cool-toned skin. It's screams summer to me!

#23 In the Navy is the shade I bought with one purpose in mind, to make a statement nail for a kind of summer on the riviera kind of look and it serves the purpose perfectly. It's such a great shade that I can see myself wearing it in the autumn on all my nails. 

This time I don't quite agree with the name. It is a dark blue shade, but it seems to me a bit too vibrant and too blue to be placed within the muted and blackened shades of the navy family. To me it looks more like a dark cobalt or azure shade. Very, very pretty!

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

St. Tropez Bronzing Gel review

I'm a big fan of St. Tropez tanning mousse, but sort of against myself, instead of repurchasing the good old trusty one, I decided to experiment with another St. Tropez product, which is their Bronzing Gel.

The product comes in a nice tube, but nothing too fancy. The gel has a nice, lightweight consistency that is easy to distribute evenly and absorbs instantly, giving a matte finish. It is strongly tinted with greenish brown colour, which looks suspicious, but on the skin it gives the most beautiful, non-orange tan.

It doesn't cling to dry areas of my skin, so my tan isn't patchy on my feet or elbows. It also fades very evenly, which is not always the case with self tanners.

The product has a nice smell and doesn't develop the horrible biscuity scent the day after.

The only thing I don't like about both St. Tropez tanners is that none of them lasts on my skin long. I need to reapply every other day or so, which means I can't go on holiday without it!

If I were to choose the gel or the mousse option, I'd go for the mousse one, the only reason being that it's more lightweight. Otherwise they're very similar as far as the tan shade, the dry finish and the staying power are concerned. 

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.

Korean goodies: Memebox Superbox #28 Free From Oil & Trouble unboxing

Here's the second box from my Memebox bundle. Free From Oil & Trouble contains 6 or even 7  full size products that are meant to control shine and prevent and combat blemishes.

1. Skin 1004 Foam Foam Cleanser that comes in 2 separate bottles for day and night. What a brilliant idea! 90ml each, $35

2. Mikly Dress anti-Trouble Body Mist, 80ml, $23 is supposed to be sprayed on those difficult  to reach areas like your back and help fight with blemishes. This product is totally useless for me as the only spots that occassionally pester me are on my face.

3. Dermahouse Pore Tighten Ample (sic!) 30ml, $22, the name speaks for itself. Sort of.

4. Yuri Pibu Parsley Herb Toner 150ml, $23

5. L'Ocean Pink Powder, 20ml, $24 seems like something I need to chase those pimples from my jawline away.

6. Tosowoong Silk Touching Powder 10g, $34 is a surprise product for me as I expected the box to be all about skincare. It's a white powder very much like Skinfood Peach and Sake powder or ELF HD, or MUFE HD or the one by NARS. 

Korean goodies: Memebox Superbox #27 Anti-Aging 2 unboxing

 Today is my lucky day. I have received not one, not two but three!!!! subscription boxes. If time permits I'll write posts about all three of them cause I'm soooo excited!

My Superbox #27 Anti Aging 2 is probably one of my best purchases ever! It took only 2 days to deliver via DHL and it's packed with 6, yes, 6! full size products that will help my skin stay young! Although I haven't heard of most of the brands, all products look classy and trustworthy. There's nothing that I find gimmicky or not useful for me.
So, here's what I got:

1. Nasarang Jasmu Eye Serum 30ml, $65

2. Petitfee Gold EGF Eye Patch $18 , which is a gel-like eye mask with gold particles.

3. Tosowoong Anti-Wrinkle BTX 40ml $22, which is a face cream, I suppose.

4. DK Peptide Toner 100ml, $38 (on the packaging it says the brand name is Sovaco)

5. DK Peptide Cream 50ml $43, to go with the toner.

6. WondeRuci D.H.B. Serum 50ml, $24

It's a great value box, even though I don't believe all items are that expensive as Memebox makers tend to inflate the prices to increase the sense of the box's attractiveness, even though there's no reason for that. The box speaks for itself!