Review: Laline Minnie Loves Mickey Mickey & Minnie Shower Gel

So I told you about the rather disappointing Laline Mickey & Minnie Body Scrub yesterday, and while I didn't really like it, I didn't know that when I got it, so I also got another product from the same series:  the Mickey & Minnie Shower Gel. And sadly, this shower gel was just as much of a disappointing as the body scrub.

Of course it does wash you, and clean you, but the scent is not that nice, and it's really not a special shower gel in any way. So like with the scrub, unless you are getting it for the packaging, go for another shower gel instead!

Review: Laline Minnie Loves Mickey Mickey & Minnie Body Scrub

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I went to Laline recently and got a few different products, including some from their limited edition Minnie Loves Mickey series. One of the products I got was the Mickey & Minnie Body Scrub, and while I like scrubs, and usually like Laline products, I wasn't too impressed. The grains in this scrub are simply too small to be really effective, so I didn't really think this scrub scrubbed at all that well, which is kind of the point of a scrub.

I guess this is a good option for those with such sensitive skin that they can't use regular scrubs (if there are such people out there), but for me, a regular user of scrubs, this didn't do much.

I also wasn't really a fan of the scent. And usually that is what I love about Laline products; the awesome scents, so it was a bit disappointing. Somehow the scent is very clinical, and reminds me of the scent of some Clinique products I've tried, so if you do like Clinique and how their products smell, this scrub might be worth a try though.

The only pro I can think of when it comes to the Laline Minnie Loves Mickey Mickey & Minnie Body Scrub is really the packaging, it is very cute, and I've always loved Disney, so that works for me. But if you are not buying body scrubs merely to have cute stuff in your bathroom (I must admit I will keep this scrub in the bathroom until it runs out only for that reason!), you can probably find better body scrubs out there.

Just bought: Ceramic pendant from Laline

I went to Laline, one of my favorite stores, yesterday, and I got a bunch of things. But the only one out of all of them that I have had a chance to try yet is a ceramic pendant with a scent by Laline, that you are supposed to hang in your car or a room to make it smell lovely.

It's from Laline's limited edition collection Minnie Mouse, and besides the pendant, you also get a small bottle with fragrance to spray it with, when the scent starts to fade.

I really like the scent of this ceramic pendant, and since I have had some of these before, I know they are pretty durable. I only exchanged mine last time when the pendant itself started getting too yellow (it is white when you get it, so I thought it looked ugly when it turned yellow for some reason). So I have high hopes I will be using this for quite some time!

Review: Bliss FatGirl SixPack

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know what a huge fan I am of Bliss beauty products (with one notable exception: their eye cream), so while the Bliss FatGirl SixPack cream sounded a bit too good to be true, I still wanted to try it, due to the excellent results I've had with the other Bliss FatGirl products.

But while the Bliss FatGirl SixPack, that comes with a special applicator is supposed to help you get a more toned tummy, because of 6 different active ingredients, I must say I haven't seen any notable changes. In fact, I think the Bliss Love Handler, which I have used previously (and just ordered another one of!) worked way, way better, and since the Love Handler is supposed to be used on your stomach as well, I must admit I don't really understand why Bliss needs two so similar products in their range.

I also found the applicator rather hard to use, it seemed like a real battle to get any of the cream out using it, so while I understand that it is good to apply creams like this while you massage the area you want to see changes in, I did not like the application method either. Also, unlike most Bliss beauty products that I have tried, the FatGirl SixPack does not have a very pleasant smell.

In fact, I would say the quality of this product is so different from the other Bliss beauty products that I have tried that it is hard to understand it's even the same product!

So I won't be buying this again, but I am still glad I tried it. It just goes to show you that not even your favorite brand does everything right!

Review: Nivea Invisible for Black and White

I am a huge fan of the classic Nivea products, like their basic creams, since I grew up with them. So my expectations for their Nivea Invisible for Black and White deodorant were pretty high. This deodorant is supposed to last for 48 hours after all, and keep you from getting stains on white and black clothing.

But sadly, this deodorant did not really deliver. It smells nice and clean, which I appreciate, since I prefer light smells in deodorants, in case I want to wear some perfume, because I don't want the deodorant to interfere with the smell of other scents. But when it comes to stains on black clothes, I would say this deodorant actually stains more than regular deodorants I've used. It works nicely on white clothes, though, where you could get stains if you were using another deodorant.

Personally, I wear more black than white though, and I prefer not to have a bunch of different deodorants for different purposes (it's easier to be able to just reach out for the first one you see, after all), so I won't be buying this deodorant again. It might be a good purchase for those of you who wear a lot of white though, but if you are a lover of black, like me, I wouldn't recommend it.

And nope, I would not say you can get by on this deodorant alone for 48 hours, no way. You definitely need to reapply several times during that time, even if you don't tend to sweat a lot.

Review: Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum

My Mom swears by her Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum, and while my skin does not show any serious signs of aging (I mostly have some fine lines around my eyes, and maybe one or two around my lips. Like I have mentioned, I have combination/oily skin though, so that could be why), I always thought an anti-ageing product could still do something for me, because who doesn't have rather dull skin from time to time, especially if you haven't gotten enough sleep for a while?
I also kind of figure that sometimes it is better to battle different conditions before you actually notice them, so I decided to give my Mom's favorite product a try too.

First of all, I like the texture of this serum, it's very nice, and it makes it a pleasure to apply this serum. The scent is rather neutral, but nice, so I think the Boots No 7 serum suits those who prefer unscented products too.

The serum doesn't make me break out or anything either, so it's nice to use it as a kind of moisturizer, but I must say this serum did not do any miracles for my skin in any way. The small lines I had before, are still there, and this is despite having used the Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum for the 4 weeks that they recommend, since Boots say it takes around 4 weeks to see any results. It does absorb very fast though, so maybe I will keep using it for a while. I do have quite a lot left, after all, and maybe it takes longer for some to see results?

But as things are now, I probably wouldn't buy another tube. But maybe I should try this serum again in a few years?

Review: Soap and Glory Clean on Me Body Wash and Bubble Bath

Besides the Clean, Girls Body Wash by Soap and Glory, I also got another body wash from the same brand recently. This one is called Clean on Me, and you can use it both as a shower gel or body wash and for a bubble bath, if you want. I do have a jacuzzi at home, but since it isn't currently working, I have only used it as a shower gel, and here are my conclusions:

I love the fact that this shower gel is so creamy, it makes it a pleasure to use, and it actually has a really nice shine to it too. Now, the shine does not stick to your skin or anything though (which is a good thing to me), so it doesn't have any practical advantages, but it makes it nicer to use, since it gives you the feel that you are really using a very luxurious product. Gotta love that!

The scent is really nice too, but then again, so is the scent in all Soap and Glory products, and Clean on Me made my skin very soft after I used it. I believe this is because it also has some moisturizer in it. My skin is not very dry, though, so I don't think I benefit from this fact as much as people with drier skin might. So if you have dry skin, I definitely think you should try the Soap and Glory Clean on Me body wash!

Would I get this again? I guess I would, if I found this body wash on sale or something, but since body washes aren't really a priority of mine, I won't be in a rush to do it. But if you are more into body washes, this is definitely a product you should try!

Review: Soap and Glory Clean, Girls Body Wash

I find body washes are kind of hard to review, since it is hard to really see any big differences between them. But since I still like to use body washes, and prefer luxurious ones, I still got a small bottle of the Soap and Glory Clean, Girls body wash on Bangkok Airport (where you can actually pick up quite a few of the Soap and Glory products for good prices) to get a chance to try it out.

And I must say I like the smell of this body wash a lot! Which is not so surprising, I guess, since all Soap and Glory products smell wonderful, but the scent is so nice, it is still worth mentioning. I also like the texture of this body wash, it's rich and creamy, which makes it a pleasure to use, and also makes it last longer. I also like the fact that the scent stays on your skin for quite a while, and yes, this body wash actually does seem to make your skin softer after you've used it too! So I must say I can't really ask for much more when it comes to a body wash.

I would definitely get another bottle when given the chance, but since I have some other body washes already (including another Soap and Glory one) and Soap and Glory is not available where I live, I think it might take a while before I get another one. But still, I was definitely pleased with the first Soap and Glory body wash I tried!

Review: Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It

So while it was fun to review the Careline eye cream yesterday, I think I should get back to reviewing the many Soap and Glory products I still haven't told you about. Like the Scrub Your Nose In It, which is a combined facial scrub and mask.

I got it because it is both supposed to help you get rid of anything clogging your pores and make your pores smaller, and who doesn't want that? (The Scrub Your Nose In It scrub is also supposed to help you get rid of blackheads, but since I don't really have a lot of issues with that, I won't be focusing on that in this review)

And I do think it made my skin better and clearer. I can't say my pores look smaller, but if all I get from this scrub is clearer skin, I'm still happy. I also think it is great that you can choose if you want to use the scrub as a regular scrub or a mask, that's very convenient, since I don't always have the time to put a mask on.

The scrub also smells wonderful, very minty, which might not be for everyone, but I totally love it!

So while this scrub might not help you with large pores, I would still say it is worth getting, since it does really clean your skin very well. I will definitely buy another tube once I run out!

Shopped

Just to give you an idea of what you can expect to be reviewed here on the blog soon, these are some of the beauty items I have purchased on Ebay recently:


Decleor Hydra Floral Flower Dew Moisturising Gel Cream for Eyes

Tweezerman Blackhead Remover

Soap and Glory Clear Here Moisture Lotion

I am really curious to try all of these products out, and will of course share all my conclusions once I am done!

(all the images are from Ebay)

Review: Careline Triple Omega Lip & Eye Cream

It's been kind of non-stop Soap & Glory reviews lately, so let's break the pattern for just a little while (I do have more Soap & Glory products to review, after all!) and do a review of something from another brand. Because as I've already mentioned, I have been trying to find a really good eye cream lately as well. Neither the Boots No 7 eye cream, the regular Boots eye cream of the Youth as We Know It eye cream by Bliss were exactly what I was looking for, so I decided to try a cream called Triple Omega Lip & Eye Cream as well. (Careline is an Israeli brand, available in the US, for instance, as well, but less known in most parts of the world of course)

And sadly, while this eye cream is okay (it does it's job), it's nothing special. So while I like the texture of this eye cream, it is still a bit too heavy for me, and it doesn't do anything amazing. I will give them credit for the really awesome tube though, the way it is constructed makes it easier to get just the right amount out of the tube, which can be tricky otherwise, and since you don't get too much of the cream by accident (which always happens to me with other creams), it also means the cream will last you longer. I do think it is kind of weird to use the same cream on your lips as well as around your eyes, however, so I haven't really done that (I just tried it once), so maybe this cream actually does miracles for your lips and the skin around it, but in that case, I wouldn't know.

For now, I am still looking for a really good eye cream, but I think I will look specifically for very light eye creams, to see if that makes it easier to find something suitable for me. I don't need anything that does miracles after all, just something that hydrates the area around my eyes a little bit.

Review: Soap and Glory Scrub of your Life body scrub

Ok, so it is time for another Soap and Glory review, even though I realize it might get a bit boring to only read Soap and Glory reviews all the time. But I swear, this is actually another great product, so you will want to read this!

This time, I tried a small version of the Soap and Glory Scrub of your Life body scrub. And like all other Soap and Glory products that I have tried so far, it smells absolutely divine! I must say the scent is maybe a bit overwhelming though, I used the scrub in the shower and the entire bathroom smelled like the scrub for a long time afterwards. This is not something that happens to me very often, since my bathroom is big, and has a window that is open all the time, but it did with Scrub of your Life! So if you don't like very strong scents, this scrub may not be for you.

The scrub is also a bit different from other scrubs that I have tried, with the exceptions of Bliss scrubs (that I love!), since it is not a pure scrub, but it has some soap in it too. This makes the scrub easier to use, but it may also mean it doesn't scrub as well as something without soap in it, I think, it makes it more gentle and less pure.
So I will say this scrub did not scrub as well as some other scrubs I have used, but I think it is perfect for people who want to use scrubs often, since scrubs with bigger grains and only salt or sugar for instance, may be too rough for that.

And the scrub was definitely nice to use! So I think I will be buying this again, a big version this time! (The one I tried was actually a travel version of the product, bought at an airport)

Review: Soap and Glory The Fab Pore Facial Peel

Another Soap and Glory product that I really liked immediately is the Soap and Glory The Fab Pore Facial Peel, which is a facial peel intended for those with blemish prone, oily or problematic skin, which I have on parts of my face.

The peel has some green beads in it, and you are supposed to massage it into your skin until all the beads have disappeared. Then you can leave the peel on for either 5 minutes, for a quick clean, or for 15 minutes if you want to really clean your skin. I have tried both options, and they both work wonderfully, even though you see slightly better results with the 15 minute "facial" of course.

While the peel is supposed to make your pores look smaller, this is not really true if you only use the mask once. I guess that is not really realistic anyway, so I wasn't too disappointed the first time I used the mask, since it did seem to clear the skin really nicely, so I kept using it, and I do believe I see some long term results regarding pore size. So I think this is a great product both for those who are just looking for a mask to clear their skin, and for those who have issues with their pore size (not a big issue for me, personally).

I also like the scent of the product (like with all Soap and Glory products I have tried so far!) and the fact that you don't need to use a lot of it. That means just one jar will last you a really long time, after all!

On my wish list right now

I've seen ads for the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector, and after reading some reviews of it, it seems to be a pretty good BB cream, so while I was happy with my Pucca Lovely BB cream, I would want to try the Maybelline BB cream next.

(pic from Steph)

Review: FatGirlSleep - long term use

I wrote about the wonderful Bliss FatGirl products a while ago, and while my first impressions of them were great, anti-cellulite creams of course take a while until you actually see any long term results. So I thought it would be appropriate to review the FatGirlSleep cream again, now that I have been using it for a couple of months.

But first, let me tell you that I have always been kind of skeptical of anti-cellulite creams, but since I used to moisturize the areas where I wanted to apply the Fat Girl Sleep cream anyway, I figured I might as well use the cream instead of a moisturizer on those areas, since the cream moisturizes really well too. And that made me realize there are actually creams like these that work! And the Bliss FatGirlSleep cream is definitely one of them!

I noticed definite improvements in my problem areas, and I also love the smell of this product. I mean, the whole point of the cream is that you are supposed to apply it before you go to sleep, so the fact that it smells like lavender, which actually makes you sleepy is a great idea! I love the smell of it, and will definitely keep using this cream, instead of a moisturizer (I've actually bought 3 jars of it already!). Because if I can see clear results already now, I think the improvements will be even better and more visible if I keep using it longer.

It's also great that while the cream is rich, it doesn't leave your skin looking or feeling greasy at all, gotta love that!

Review: Soap and Glory Face Soap and Clarity

It's time for another Soap and Glory review, and this time, it is a great product as well (like when I reviewed their cleansing cloths as well as their daily shampoo), namely the Soap and Glory Face Soap and Clarity, which is a face wash that you can use daily and is said to combine 3 different products into one, namely a scrub, a cleanser and a smoother.

I actually do not think this is a great face scrub, the grains in the face soap are too few and too small for that, so if scrubbing daily is important to you, you might want to look at another product instead, but other than that, I absolutely love the Soap and Glory Face Soap and Clarity, for the following reasons:

- It smells absolutely divine, much like all the other Soap and Glory products I have tried, but what I love about them is that they all have a completely different scent. However, the scents are all wonderful, and the Soap and Glory Face Soap and Clarity is no exception!

- It cleans your skin really well, which is the point of a face wash, after all, but it doesn't dry your skin out too much, and doesn't leave it feeling tight afterwards, something that is really important to me.

- It also seems to reduce the amount of blemishes I get, even though it is actually not a face wash for a blemish prone skin, which is a wonderful added bonus!

- It's a great value, since a very small amount of the product is enough to clean your entire face.

All of these reasons make this one of the best face washes I have EVER tried, seriously, so I will definitely be buying this again and again! Definitely recommend this face wash to anyone, no matter what your skin type is, since this face soap is supposed to fit all skin types.

Review: Soap and Glory Cleansing Cloths

So it's time for another Soap and Glory product review. And this is another amazing product, let me just start off by saying that!

See, I got these Clear Here Deep Pore Puryfying T-Zone Cleansing Cloths recently, and I actually did not have very high hopes for them, because I have tried similar products before, and been kind of disapointed. But these Soap and Glory Cleansing Cloths are so good, you can actually feel them working their magic on your pores!

The cloths are a bit thicker than most cleansing wipes are, which I personally like, and while scent shouldn't be a main issue for products like these, it is actually quite nice too, like the scent of literally all Soap and Glory products I have gotten my hands on lately! So that's a nice added bonus if you ask me.

Soap and Glory themselves say that the cloths contain something they call PORESHRINK-RS, which is not something I am familiar with otherwise, but I have to say these cloths, and perhaps this ingredient, really helped clear my pores wonderfully, which is exactly what I wanted from this product.

So if, like me, you like cleansing wipes (not everyone does, but I think it is very convenient if your skin is already clean but you want to clean it a bit more for some reason), these Soap and Glory Cleansing Cloths are definitely better than most similar wipes. I liked them so much I will definitely be stocking up on them. (And I live in a country where these wipes, or other Soap and Glory products are not even sold, so I have to buy them online)

So yes, I am definitely very impressed by this brand so far!

Review: Soap and Glory Glad Hair Day shampoo

So I have had a chance to try my first Soap and Glory products now, and I must say I am very impressed. One thing is for sure: I need to try more of their products, so it is a good thing I have several Soap and Glory products at home that I can still try.

The first pleasant experience I had with this brand was with the Soap and Glory Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Daily Super Shampoo. I loved it immediately because the smell was wonderful. I think I hadn't understood that all Soap and Glory products smell wonderful, and that this is indeed what makes them special.

Another great thing about the Soap and Glory Glad Hair Day shampoo is that you don't need to use a lot of it, a small amount is enough to wash your hair thoroughly, which is something I, with long and thick hair, really appreciate.

The Soap and Glory Glad Hair Day is supposed to make your hair shinier as well, and I can't say I really noticed any difference regarding shine in my hair. But in all fairness, I have very dry hair, so no other product has managed to give me great shine either. So if you are thinking of getting the Soap and Glory Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Daily Super Shampoo because you want shinier hair, I am afraid I can't really answer if this Soap and Glory shampoo can accomplish that or not, but if you are looking for a shampoo that washes well and smells GREAT, this is a great choice!

Shopped: Some more Soap & Glory products

I wrote about some Soap & Glory products I got, after having heard a lot of good things about this brand recently. (see a full list here)
But while travelling, I actually saw some more products at a Boots store, so I decided to try some more:

Isn't the packaging the cutest on all these Soap & Glory products? I just hope they work well too! Full reviews coming up, of course, when I have had a chance to try them out!