Name: Tripla Attiva Latte Detergente
Brand: L’Oreal
Size: 200ml
Price: €5,50

From L’Oreal’s website:
His lightweight consistency doesn’t leave an oily or greasy residue behind and its energising scent provides a pleasant refreshing feeling.

What I liked:
- removes all traces of dirt and makeup well
- doesn’t irritate eyes
- doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind
- leaves skin soft

What I didn’t like:
- not hydrating
- short shelf-life

Do you like to use only one makeup remover for face and eyes? Then, consider L’Oreal Tripla Attiva Latte Detergente (Triple Active Cleansing Milk). Suitable for all skin types, it claims to cleanse, remove makeup and hydrate skin. But does it deliver?

This cleansing milk is white in color, has a consistency that’s neither too runny nor too thick, and a subtle refreshing scent. I use it both in the morning to cleanse my skin and at night to remove my makeup and it does the job really well. Thanks to mineral oil and a mix of gentle surfactants, it quickly removes all traces of face and eye makeup, including waterproof mascara, without irritating neither the eyes nor the skin.

It also doesn’t leave an oily or greasy residue behind. And while I wouldn’t say it is hydrating, it leaves skin soft. However, I was surprised to see that, unlike most cleansing milks that have a shelf life of 12 months, this one lasts only for 6. This would be a concern only for those who use cleansing milks every now and then, though. If, instead, you use it daily, you’ll be able to finish the tube within that time despite the fact that only a small amount is necessary to completely remove a full face of makeup.

Available at: drugstores and supermarkets

Ingredients:
Aqua/Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Tea-Carbomer, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate, Magensium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Oleth Sulfate, Magnesium Oleth Sulfate, Methylparaben, Quaternium-15, CI 42090/Blue 1, CI 19140/Yellow 5, Parfum/Fragrance, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene.

Summary
L’Oreal Tripla Attiva Latte Detergente is an effective but delicate cleanser and face and eye makeup remover. It quickly removes all traces of dirt and makeup, including waterproof products, without irritating the eyes. It doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind, but, although it leaves skin soft, it’s not hydrating.

Rating: 4/5

Name: Elvive Nutri-Gloss Light Conditioner
Brand: L’Oreal
Size: 200ml
Price: €3,00

From L’Oreal’s website:
It detangles the hair, without weighing it down. The conditioner also contains a shine booster technology, which helps boost light reflection.

What I liked:
- light texture, doesn’t weight hair down
- adds some shine to my hair
- the scent
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- not moisturizing enough for my hair
- doesn’t detangle hair too well
- doesn’t make hair very soft

As regular readers of this blog know, I’m not a L’Oreal fan as their prices are outrageously high in Europe and these days the only thing I buy from them is my HG conditioner, Elvive Nutri Gloss Conditioner. My hair gets tangled really easily and this is the only product that manages to detangle it quickly and efficiently. A few months ago though, a light version of this conditioner was released but I was hesitant to try it. You know what they say. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

In the end though, my curiosity got the better of me and so I purchased a bottle. After all, it is designed for fine hair that becomes flat, dull and greasy fast, which perfectly describes my hair type. I have fine, oily hair that gets dirty, oily and lifeless the day after I wash them so I was hoping this conditioner would help. It didn’t.

This conditioner is pale pink in color and has a light texture. Too light in fact. On my hair, I can barely see any improvements: the conditioning benefits are minimal. It doesn’t dry hair but it doesn’t make them that soft either and my hair is still tangled and difficult to manage. On the plus side, though, it adds some shine and doesn’t weight hair down. And it smells wonderful too!

Still, if it doesn’t condition hair well, what’s the point? I do not think this conditioner is that bad, though. I think if you have normal hair that doesn’t need much conditioning or hair that’s much oilier than mine, then this conditioner might work for you. But personally, I won’t repurchase and I’ll just stick to the regular version from now.

Available at: drugstores and supermarkets

Summary
L’Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Light Conditioner has a very light texture that doesn’t weight hair down, but sadly it didn’t do much for my oily, fine and tangled hair. It didn’t moisturize it much, didn’t make it very soft and didn’t detangle it. However, it adds shine and smells wonderful. I would only recommend it to those with normal or extremely oily hair though.

Rating: 3/5

Dear L’Oreal,

you and I go wayyy back. In fact, the first blush and lipstick I ever bought back when I was 14 were from you. I couldn’t afford many brands at the time and so I was spending lots of hours at your counter choosing what to buy and then rushing home to experiment with my new goodies. Of course I wasn’t very skilled and the blush made me look like a clown and the eyeshadows weren’t well blended but we practiced together and achieved good results in the end.

Over the years, I discovered other and better brands but every now and then, whenever one of your products caught my eye, I would get it. I have to admit most of the time they were only average, but the price was cheap and I thought I was getting what I paid for. Fair enough. I didn’t feel cheated or robbed. But now I do.

Your prices, at least here in Italy and most of Europe, have been steadily increasing to the point of becoming ridiculous. Your lipsticks and lipglosses range from 14 to 16 euros ($19.00-22.00), your blushes from 14 to 18 euros ($19.00-25.00) and your mascaras retail at €17 ($23.00)! And these are just a few examples! But seriously?! You’re a drugstore brand and these prices are way too high for drugstore products!

Why would I wanna spend €17.00 for a drugstore mascara when, with a couple more euros, I could buy one from Collistar or even Chanel? The mascara would last 6 months anyway and they certainly won’t make my lashes look like I’m wearing falses (no mascara can) but at least they are high-end products with a prestigious image and elegant packaging. When I part with a 20 euro note for a Chanel mascara, I buy more than a mascara. I pay for the product, the classy packaging, the brand and everything it represent.

But you? What do you offer me for just slightly less money? An average mascara packaged in a tacky tube that isn’t even worth half the retail price. Just give me one good reason why I should still buy your makeup cos at the moment, I don’t see even a tiny little one. You may think you’re Chanel or Dior, but you’re not. And you’ll never be. So, why charging so much?

Is it because of your obviously very expensive marketing campaign? Every time I open any mags, there are at least 6 pages with your ads, and each page features a different celeb! I guess celebs endorsement and places on mags don’t come cheap, but honestly, if you spent your money improving your products instead than paying high sums to celebs and mags for ad spots, then they’ll finally be worth the price tag and I may be tempted to try something from you again. But as long as you keep releasing Cover Girl products at Dior prices, I’ll take my money somewhere else.

But thinking you can charge ridiculously high prices isn’t your only flaw. You also discriminate against Asian and African people. I was shocked to discover that in France (although it may apply to other countries, I don’t really know), to sell Garnier shampoo (one of your brands) you have to have white skin and French parents. Of course the case went to trial and you were found guilty, but still, what the hell?!

Your excuse was that white French people were more likely to sell shampoos in France, but I find that ridiculous. When I (and everyone else) go to a shop to buy a shampoo, a foundation or whatever, I couldn’t care less if the SA or hostess has white or black skin, green or brown eyes, red or blonde hair, or if she is tall or short, fat or skinny, young or mature. I don’t care where their parents are born, what religious they profess or what political opinion they have.

No, what it really matters is that they know what they are talking about. And most SAs don’t have a clue. 90% of the time, when I go to a shop I have to deal with a 18 year old girl that has been hired only for a few months so that the employer can exploit her pay her less and isn’t even trained at all. And that, not the color of their skin, is what makes me go out of the shop empty-handed cos if the SA knows less than me then she can’t help me and chances are she’ll only make me waste my hard-earned money.

I can’t really say goodbye as you still make my HG conditioner (although even that is becoming too pricey so I may look for alternatives soon), but I’m very disappointed in you and unless something changes, and you get down your pedestal, I don’t think I’ll ever try any of your cosmetics again. I’ll always remember our first years together fondly but my feelings towards you have changed and things will never be the same again between us. It could have been so different. What a shame.

Gio

Name: Age Perfect Day Cream
Brand: L’Oreal
Size: 50ml
Price: about €12.00

From L’Oreal website:
Age Perfect’s 1st day cream which helps improve the appearance of skin before, during and after the menopause. The rich, non-greasy texture sinks into skin for immediate and long-lasting hydration.

What I liked:
- rich and dense texture spreads easily and absorbs quickly
- moisturizes skin well
- skin feels soft and smooth for hours
- didn’t make me break out
- contains SPF
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- didn’t significally improve the appearance of my skin
- jar packaging

A few weeks ago, I went to the supermarket with my boyfriend to pick up a few essentials when we bumped into his cousin. She was in the skincare department to illustrate to customers the benefits of some of the L’Oreal creams available and give out some samples as part of a promotion. So after we chatted a bit she handed me a small jar of the L’Oreal Age Perfect Day Cream to try.

Now, the cream is designed for mature skin and I’m only 28 so I may not be the best person to write a review about it but in case any younger ladies want to try it, here are my thoughts about it. The cream is a pale peachy rose in color and has a rich and dense, almost waxy consistency. Because of this, I thought it would be difficult to apply but instead it glides on very smoothly and it’s easy to spread. It also sinks in rapidly into the skin.

I find the cream very moisturizing. It keeps my skin hydrated, soft and smooth for hours and even makes fine lines look smaller. But of course, the effects are only temporary. However, on me personally, this cream performed just like any other good moisturizer does. I liked it a lot but it didn’t wow me. Although this could be because I’m too young to fully experience all the benefits this cream is supposed to have.

One of these is supposed to be its ability to reduce age spots, for example. The cream contains Calcium Pantetheine Sulfonate and the small research done so far has proved that this ingredient can inhibit melanin production. Because of this, it can prevent age spots and has skin lightening properties. I don’t have any spots on my skin so I can’t vouch for how well it works but it is reassuring to know that there is some research showing it works.

In addition, the cream contains SPF: Drometrizole Trisiloxane, also called Mexoryl XL and used only in products from brands owned by L’Oreal, absorbs UV radiation and protects both from UVA and UVB rays. However, while I love that this cream has SPF which is always a plus, remember that no cream can completely substitute a good broad spectrum sunscreen so don’t skip that important step!

Available at: supermarkets and drugstores

Summary
Overall, L’Oreal Age Perfect Day Cream is a good cream that moisturizes skin for hours, leaving it soft and smooth. It also contains some sun protection and ingredients that can lighten and prevent age spots. However, this cream didn’t improve my skin that much, but that could be because I’m too young to see any other benefits on my skin.

Rating: 3.5/5

Name: Hip Metallic Eyeshadow Duo in Magnetic
Brand: L’Oreal
Size: 2.4g
Price: $7.00

From L’Oreal’s website:
Discover the secret for bold, metallic color with a luminous finish. The rich, super-blendable color glides on evenly for hours of captivating, crease-resistant wear.

What I liked:
– very pigmented
– very shimmery
– longlasting
– easy to blend
– small pot easy to carry around
– the price

What I didn’t like:
– hard to get outside the USA
– may be too shimmery for some people
– mirror and sponge applicator are useless

After reading all those reviews online raving about how good and pigmented L’Oreal Hip products are, I’ve been dying to get my hands on some, but they are so hard to get outside of the US! Seriously, why is that? L’Oreal Hip is the best makeup line from L’Oreal and it’s not fair the rest of the world can only get the crappy and sheer eyeshadows from the regular line that are also insanely overpriced!

But if you know someone in the USA, then you can ask them to send you a few items to try and that’s how I got this beautiful eyeshadow duo. When my friend Dao and I decided to do a swap, I mentioned to her how much I wanted to try this line and she was kind enough to send me the metallic eyeshadow duo in Magnetic (thanks hun!).

Magnetic features two beautiful shades of blue that look completely different on the eyes than they do in the pan. The pale icy blue looks like a shimmery pale grey with just the slightest hint of icy blue while the dark navy blue becomes a blackened blue with lots of shimmers when blended. And even though at first I was a bit disappointed as the colors didn’t look like I imagined, I have to say they are still very pretty and create a beautiful blue smokey eyes that’s perfect for going out in the evenings (but of course you can wear it during the day too ).

Both shades, which have a slightly metallic finish, are very shimmery. I love how sparkly they are, yet wearable and not over-the-top but if you’re a matte lover you wouldn’t enjoy these. Their pigmentation is really good and just a couple of swipes are enough to get the intensity I want. Also, they have a nice texture that is not chalky (which can easily happen with very shimmery shades but not with these) and easy to blend.

I’ve used Magnetic both with and without a primer and in both cases, the staying power is excellent. If I use it on a bare lid with no base, the color will last for most of the day and there is no need to retouch it. However, keep in mind that I don’t have very oily lids. If you do, I think a primer may still be necessary.

The eyeshadows come in a small round pot that is cute and easy to carry around. It also contains a sponge tip applicator and a mirror, which is very small too. I think both are useless but for touch-ups on the go (not that you’d need it with these unless your lids are extremely oily), they may just do. Always better than nothing I guess.

Summary
Overall, I love L’Oreal Hip Metallic Eyeshadow Duo in Magnetic. Although the shades look different from what you expect once applied, they are still pretty, pigmented and shimmery (maybe too shimmery for some). The duo is easy to blend and longlasting but the mirror included is useless. And the duo is hard to get hold of outside the US.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I got this item in a swap. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.

Name: Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder
Brand: L’Oreal
Size: 9g
Price: €15.00

From L’Oreal’s website:
Blonde, brunette, fair or dark skin: our first bronzing powder to help you achieve a natural-looking tan to suit your natural colouring. Use the lighter shade to highlight the temples and bridge of the nose and the darker shade to apply shadow underneath the cheekbones for a contoured-looking effect.

What I liked:
– natural tan finish
– blends easily
– finely milled
– sheer color payoff
– nice pattern

What I didn’t like:
– too shimmery to contour
– too subtle to highlight
– doesn’t last all day
– the price

Truth be told, I have no idea why I bought L’Oreal Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder. Maybe because it was summer and I looked like a corpse next to all the very tanned people around me (not that I want to look like an orange like them), maybe because the lightening in the shop made the powder look like it could work well for me or maybe it was just the pretty sun design that got me.

Whatever it was, now I’m stuck with it and the powder has been laying in my drawer for months cos I’m not really sure what to do with it. L’Oreal Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder is a bronzing powder available in two versions: one for blondes and one for brunettes. I’m not a blonde, but that’s the one I got cos the colors of that duo are paler and so suit me better.

(from left to right: highlighter, bronzer, shades used together)

The duo features a light beige shade to highlight and a light brown shade, which is the bronzer. Both of the shades are slightly shimmer and have a sheer color payoff. The powder is soft to touch, finely-milled and blends easily onto the skin. On the top, there’s the pattern of a sun that looks very pretty but also fades with use.

L’Oreal says the shades can be used together or separately, but they don’t work well on me when used alone. The pale beige shade provides a very subtle glow. So subtle, in fact, that you can barely notice it. If you like your highlighter to provide a very natural effect then this is great, but on me, it looks like I haven’t applied anything at all and I don’t really like that.

As for the bronzer shade, I was hoping to use that to contour, but I find it is too shimmery for that. Just like in the highlighter shade, the shimmers are very subtle so for emergencies it could work, but I just prefer to use a completely matte shade to contour. I think it looks much better that way.

The powder works much better when the two shades are used together. Then, the powder will slightly darken your skin, giving you a subtle and natural-looking tan with a subtle glow. It didn’t make me look orange or some ugly muddy color like most bronzers do and if I were into the bronzed look, then this duo would suit my pale skin beautifully. As it is, I love my fair complexion too much to darken it, so I have no use for this powder. I really should stop buying makeup on impulse!

The staying powder is ok. It doesn’t last all day on me, but I’ve had to do a touch-up only once towards the middle of the day. The packaging instead could use some work. It doesn’t look too bad, but it’s not great either. Under the powder, there’s another layer where a small mirror and a brush are housed. As usual, the brush is totally useless. The bristles are so hard that, if I used it, they would scratch my skin. Ouch!

Summary
Overall, L’Oreal Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder is just average. The powder is finely milled and easy to blend and, when the shades are used together, they provide a natural-looking tan with a really subtle glow that lasts for hours. Used alone, however, they’re useless.

Rating: 3/5

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a very nice Wednesday. Today I wanted to show you a look I did a couple of weeks ago (I’ve only just got round to cropping the pix, I’m so lazy, I know!) with colors that reminded me of the winter season.

The look turned out to be slightly colorful and soft. I’m not sure what I think about it. I don’t love it but I don’t hate it either. I think it’s time to start using my beloved bright shades again but in the meantime, here’s the look:

Products used:
– Urban Decay Primer Potion
– Pupa Beauty Bijou Palette (pale pink, dark lilac)
– Barry M Dazzle Dust #15 Aqua
– Sleek Original palette (bright purple + dark blue)
– Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flash
– L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara
– Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara

Directions:
– Apply UDPP all over lid as a base.
– Sweep a pale pink shade (I used the one in Pupa Beauty Bijou palette) on the browbone to highlight.
– Apply a dark lilac shade (I used the one in Pupa Beauty Bijou palette) on the inner lid and inner crease of the eye. With MAC 219 pencil brush, I applied some on the inner lower lashline too.
– Apply a aqua shade (I used Barry M Dazzle Dust #15 in Aqua) on the outer lid and crease and blend where it meets with the lilac. With MAC 219 pencil brush, I applied some on the outer lowerlashline too. Blend again where it meets with the lilac.
– Apply a bright purple shade (I used the one in the Sleek Original palette) on the crease just right above the aqua shade and blend well.
– Darken the outer corner with a dark blue shade (I used the one in the Sleek Original palette). Apply some on the very outer corner of the lower lashline too and blend.
– Apply a silver pencil eyeliner (I used Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flesh) on the upper lid.
– Finish off with mascara.

Hi everyone!

TGIF! We’ve made it to the end of another week. Have you got any plans for the weekend? I’m not sure what I’m gonna do yet but I’ll try and catch up on some deserved sleep. Sad, isn’t it?

Anyway, here’s a look I did a few days ago. Yes, it’s another smokey eyes look. This time I wanted a dark look with a hint of color so I’ve used some purple on the crease and I’m quite pleased with how the look turned out. Here’s the pix:

Products used:
– Urban Decay Primer Potion
– Sleek Curious eyeshadow palette (white and black)
– Kiko eyeshadow in Vinaccia Scuro (purple)
– Fior di Magnolia Light Blue Set eyeshadow quad (dark grey)
– Pupa black pencil liner
– L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara
– Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara

Directions:
– Apply UDPP all over lid as base.
– Sweep a white shade (I used the one in the Sleek Curious palette) on the browbone to highlight.
– Using a crease brush (I used Smashbox Crease Brush #10), apply a purple shade (I used Kiko eyeshadow in Vinaccia Scuro) on the crease and blend out any harsh lines. Using MAC 219 pencil brush, apply some on the inner lower lashline too.
– Appy a dark grey shade (I used the one in Fior di Magnolia Light Blue Set eyeshadow quad) on the lid. With MAC 219 brush, apply some on the outer lower lashline too and blend where it meets with the purple.
– Apply a black shade (I used the one in Sleek eyeshadow) on the outer V.
– Apply the white shade you previously used on the tear duct. This will open up the eyes a bit.
– Apply a very thin line of pencil liner on the lid. Line your waterline too.
– Finish off with mascara.

On another note, I wanted to show you what I got in the mail recently. Don’t you just love receiving packages from friends filled with beauty goodies? The first one is a package from the lovely Dao of My Makeup Blog. We decided to do a swap and I finally got her parcel at the end of last year (I know this is long overdue, but better late than never right?). Here’s what she sent me:

I’ve received a E.L.F. Candy Shop Lipgloss, L’Oreal Hip Metallic Shadow Duo, Loew-Cornell 7450 Chisel Blender brush (I’ve wanted a good eyeliner brush for ages and this works so well!), two Milani eyeshadows and blush, two NYC Metro Quartet Quads and a Pencil & Pout, Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips (this is perfect to do a smokey eye!) and the Studio Tools Dual-Finish Brush. She was very generous and I’m in love with everything she sent me. Thanks a lot hun!

At the beginning of the year I’ve received a parcel from another one of my sweet blogging friends, Hanna. It’s the second swap we did and this time I got the Beautilicious brush Set (aren’t the pink brushes super pretty? And they are so soft too!), the Maybelline Volum Express Cat Eyes Mascara and Nivea Velvet Rose lip balm. Thanks a lot Hanna and I hope you’ll package will arrive soon!