Max Factor Archives – Maša M blog

PR products best PR products

On this sunny Monday, I wanted to share a nice upbeat post. I went through my beauty stash and chose 10 PR products which I would definitely buy myself. Basically, they are all really great products I enjoy using and will continue to use. I will also probably repurchase many of them.

PR product #1: La Roche-Posay Serozinc

PR products La Roche-Posay Serozinc

La Roche-Posay Serozinc has been helping me calm my skin after shaving or going at small pimples on my face. It also works great under make-up. I already almost used up one bottle and I already have a new one in stock. You can read my opinion and opinion of two of my readers about it *here*.

PR product #2: L’Occitane Terre De Lumiere eau de toilette

PR products L'Occitane Terre De Lumiere

L’Occitane Terre De Lumiere line is inspired by morning dawn. Personally, I find this to be a fresh and gentle fragrance very appropriate for upcoming spring and summer days. If you prefer stronger and more exotic fragrances, I suggest you check out the perfume from this Terre De Lumiere line.

PR product #3: Dr. Organic purifying shampoo with activated charcoal

PR products Dr. Organic shampoo with activated charcoal

I recently tested the Dr. Organic shampoo and balm with tea tree oil and really liked it a lot. Right now, I’m testing the entire line of Dr. Organic products with activated charcoal. I’m most impressed with the shampoo that really cleans my hair really well (you know that squeaky feeling that really clean hair get?) and prolongs the time between washes from two to three days.

PR product #4: Vichy Slow Age daily moisturizer

PR products Vichy Slow Age daily moisturizer

The Vichy Slow Age inspires me with the slow life philosophy which tells us to live happy and healthy. At the same time, they say it doesn’t mean we have to look the same at 25 and 45 years, like some other brands try to convince us. With my Slow Age daily moisturizer, I take some me time in the morning, apply it to a clean face and drink my lemon water while I wait for it to absorb. The cream is rich enough to feed and protect my skin during the day and still appropriate to wear under make-up. I won’t even start talking about the jar and the colors – beautiful, right?

PR product #5: Melvita L’Or Bio golden oil

Melvita L’Or Bio golden oil has been a staple in my beauty routine for quite some time now. I use it on my face, hair, on my dry feet and elbows, to soften up the cuticles… there are almost infinite options of use. Besides the great texture and rich formula with five different oils, it never stops surprising me with the lovely fragrance. You can read more about it *here*.

PR product #6: L.O.V powder brush

PR products L.O.V make-up brush

This L.O.V powder brush convinced me at the moment we met. Not only does it look beautiful (which is less important but I still like looking at pretty products first thing in the morning), it’s also really soft and great at picking out any powder product. It’s large enough to use all over the face but I also occasionally use it for bronzer or blush.

PR product #7: Paese mattifying make-up base

PR products Paese mattifying primer

Paese mattifying base for about six months now and I’m slowly running out. With all the primers in my collection, this is another proff of how special this product really is. When applied, it creates a soft, velvety feeling to the skin and works great with almost all foundations. I apply the majority of the product on my forehead where I get the most oily. This primer does a great job of controling that.

PR product #8: Avon Mark Magix HD finishing powder

PR products Avon Mark Magiq HD powder

Avon Mark Magiq HD finishing powder is one of those products that have become a staple in my beauty collection. The formula is very light, clings well to the brush, mattifies the skin and doesn’t leave a white cast like some other finishing powders. It gets extra points for not having any smeel. I get quite artistic when applying my finishing powder and with the dust flying everywhere, this is an important topic for me.

PR product #9: Max Factor Lash Crown mascara

PR products Max Factor Lash Crown mascara

Today, I’m showing you this particular Max Factor Lash Crown mascara for the last time. It’s been six months since I started using it so it’s time to throw it away and go buy a new one. I think it’s the first mascara I ever completely used up before it dried up. This innovative brush makes sure that I don’t apply too much formula. The small brush on the other side makes it easy to coat the bottom lashes and the smaller lashes in the inner corner. You can read more about it *here*.

PR product #10: L.O.V Lipaffair Color&Care Brave Nudes lipstick (Angelina’s belief)

PR products L.O.V Brave Nudes Angelina's Belief

It’s only April but I already suspect that the L.O.V Color&Care Brave Nudes lipstick in the shade Angelina’s Belief will end up being my favorite bullet lipstick of 2018. It’s a strongly pigmented lipstick that feels very light on the lips. It has good staying power for a classical lipstick but doesn’t dry up the lips at all. This shade is pink with a slight coral undertone. I think it would look good with any skin tone.

These are the 10 PR products that impressed me so much I would happily buy them myself. Did you try any of them already? Until next time, stay beautiful!

The post you’ve been asking for over the last couple of weeks – best make-up of 2017! This year, it’s exclusively drugstore (although some prices are pushing over to the high-end side) and to be honest, I’m really happy about that. I don’t think that things we enjoy should cost and arm and a leg so I’m happy if I can find inexpensive products that are awesome. Enjoy (and also, get yourself some wine and popcorn, because it’s a long one).

Best make-up 2017 – great base

best make-up 2017 foundation

It was easy to choose my favorite foundation for the year 2017. It’s Paese Liquid Powder Double Skin Aqua – lightweight and moisturizing foundation (mine in the shade 20A). Their foundations have 4 squares on the side. This particular foundation has 3 filled up which means medium coverage, so I’m guessing all four would mean full coverage. Easy way to find the foundation you’re looking for. The application with the doe-foot applicator is easy and although it tends to oxidize on me the tiniest bit, it’s nothing compared to other foundations. I’d say this one would be great for almost any skin type.

best make-up 2017 foundation Paese

It’s primer galore in my house and I’ve tried many great primers this year, but again, I have to go for the same brand. Paese mattifying make-up base (for oily and combination skin). It’s a silicone primer which will make your foundation look beautiful. I don’t think it would do any favors to super oily skin though – silicones tend to slide right off it. In combination with the foundation mentioned above, it looks stunning.

I’m not a big believer in BB creams but Vipera BB Cream (02 natural) that reduces redness and evens out the complexion totally changed the game for me. To be quite honest, I don’t even see it as a BB cream but a medium-coverage foundation which covers up all imperfections quite well. I enjoy using it when I don’t want to worry too much about my foundation. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re still on the hunt for a good BB cream.

I’ve tried perhaps a dozen concealers this year – both high-end and drugstore – and haven’t been impressed at all until I bumped into Catrice Liquid Camouflage high-coverage concealer. My first one – I don’t know how I’ve never come across it before. I don’t apply it directly on my under-eye circles directly because it’s quite fair and would make them stand out even more. First, i cover them up with a concealer closer to my skin tone and then I apply this concealer to brighten up the area. Also use it to carve out my eyebrow when I feel like it. Great full coverage concealer for less then 5€? Sold!

best make-up 2017 finishing powder

For finishing powder with some extra coverage, I can’t say enough good words about Bell Hypoallergenic Mat Powder (I think 04 – I’m a bit annoyed it doesn’t say anywhere on the packaging itself). I’m on my second one, and I’ve got a back-up as well. It’s not exactly lightweight, but applied over a light weight foundation, it gives you that extra coverage and makes your skin look beautiful. Low Maintenance Beauty approved! Read more about it *here*.

best make-up 2017 finishing powder

2017 was definitely a year of translucent powders. Out of all I tried, the price-performance ratio was the best with Avon Mark Magix HD Finishing powder. Why yes, I do also pay attention to the price. If I’m going to recommend something for 40€, it better be worth it (which it usually isn’t in my opinion) and the same way around – if I’m going to find a powder for a couple of Euro that works (almost) just as well as the one for 30€, I’ll recommend it to you. The Avon Mark magix powder is very finely mild and will definitely keep the shine at bay! You can read more about it *here*.

Best make-up 2017 – adding some color to the face

best make-up 2017 contouring

Powder highlighters are my nemesis as I’m drawn to them like a moth to a flame. My absolute favorite this year has been Essence Cubanita Jumbo Highlighter
(unfortunately, LE but perhaps you can still find it somewhere). A beautiful golden shade and powdery formula, this highlighter is super simple to work with. The size promises at least a couple of years of use so I’m in love.

Liquid highlights are also tempting, but I’m hard pressed to find ones that show up well and are at the same time not difficult to blend out. L.O.V LOVglow Highlighting drops meet both criteria. I like that they aren’t too difficult to work it and not over-pigmented, so I can easily control the level of shine on my face. They come with a great easy to use dropper which is perfect for liquid products. Don’t forget to always apply liquid products before you set your face, otherwise it will look unnatural! I did some swatches *here*.

best make-up 2017 contouring View Post

Max Factor Lash Crown mascara Brow Contouring kit

There are days, when I only have time to apply some BB cream, do my brows and thrown on a bit of mascara and lip gloss before leaving the house. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t care what I look like – it just means that something went wrong in the morning (which does happen with a small child in the house). These steps above are the absolute minimum of my make-up routine and when I’m in rush, I’m looking for products that will never fail me. Therefore, I jumped to the chance to test out the new Max Factor Lash Crown mascara and two new Max Factor Brow Contouring Kit.

Max Factor Lash Crown Mascara

First of all, let’s talk about the packaging. I think that this is one of the most beautiful mascaras I’ve seen in a while and that’s saying something. The sleek golden geometrical top gives it a feel of glamour which is a word I definitely associate with Max Factor in general. Each mascara holds 6,5ml of product and has an expiration date of 6 months, which is a great time frame to really use up the entire product.

Max Factor Lash Crown mascara

The wand is probably the weirdest one I’ve ever encountered on a mascara in my life. I actually had to read the entire PR attached twice to grasp the concept. But once I tried to apply it, it all made sense immediately!

Only about three quarters of the wand’s length are covered with bristles. In the middle of the bristles, there is an empty core so you can see where you’re running out of product on the bristles and where you still have enough product. At the very top, there is a small part that I can best describe as an additional tiny wand, perfect for the lower lashes. It’s a bit much to take in when you first start using it, but after a couple of tries, I got a hang of it and now I can officially say that it’s not a gimmick, but a really great wand!

Max Factor Lash Crown Mascara

There are also two other things that make this mascara stand out in my opinion. The first thing is that it doesn’t apply too much product. It gives nice length and volume, but doesn’t weigh down the lashes which means that with my lashes, the curl holds throughout the day. Secondly, I’m not using a black mascara in this photo – and you couldn’t even notice, could you? It’s actually dark brown and in person, it looks just a little bit softer which is a very pleasant difference to what I’m used to.

The results are great, if I say so myself. I really like that the wand doesn’t deposit too much product on the lashes which means they hold the curl longer. The smaller wand is perfect to get in the inner corner of the eye and to precisely coat the bottom lashes.

All in all, I think the Max Factor Lash Crown Mascara is a great option regardless of what’s troubling you with your lashes – you can achieve length, volume and precise application all at once.

Max Factor Brow Contouring Kit

Max Factor Brow Contouring kit

Personally, I’m not a big fan of any contouring kits because half of the time, I only end up using only a few shades in the kit. This Max Factor brow Contouring kit is different, because at least with my brow color, each shade has its exact purpose!

All of the shades are very well pigmented so keep that in mind before really going at them with the brush. You can use the brush that comes with the kit, but I think that you’ll be better off with a softer and denser brush which will pick up product more evenly. By using a brush with natural bristles, I can really get an even application all over the brow.

Max Factor Brow Contouring kit swatches

This kit can easily be used to create the perfect Instagram brow, but it will also create a natural looking brow which is something I usually go for. I use the darkest shade (far left) to line the bottom of the brown, fill the tail in with the second darkest shade and then start shading with the third, lightest shade once I get closer to the start of the brow. The highlighter can be used under the brow and in the inner eye corner to add some light and dimension to the eyes.

This Max Factor Brow Contouring Kit can be a great addition to your collection, especially if you struggle with finding the right shade. The colors are really easy to blend, meaning that you’ll be able to create your perfect shade.

Max Factor Brow Contouring kit Lash Crown mascara

Both products, along with some other cool new releases, will be available in drugstores soon. What are you most excited about? Until next time, stay beautiful!

Another month had gone by, my mailbox is full of PR and my fellow bloggers are writing such yummy posts that it’ll probably be difficult for me to resist a bit of shopping. Naturally, I don’t need all these things, but it’s nice to pamper yourself once in a while, don’t you agree? If you haven’t already, don’t forget to participate in my giveaway with Nivea Slovenija that’s currently running on my Facebook. You and two of your friends can win great hand creams, great for the coming cold autumn days.

Caudalie French Kiss balm (12,49 €, 7,5g)

caudalie vivaderm french kiss balm beauty product wishlist

I really like Caudalie as a brand and they always surprise me with great new products. This time, my radar picked up the French Kiss lip balms with antioxidants from grape seeds that offer moisture and protection to our lips. I like the darkest shadde, Additiction, the best.

Natura Siberica Cleansing foam (7,04€, 150ml)

beauty product wishlist natura siberica cleansing foam

Natura Siberica is a brand I haven’t tried yet, but I guess I’ll have to considering the recommendations by Monika from Sugarlove blog. The cleansing foam with golden root has antioxidative effect and is supposed to be super gentle to the skin around our eyes. Since I have really thin skin around my eyes (as most people do) and seeing tha I just ran out of my last make-up remover, I’ll probably give this foam a try.

Tonymoly Panda’s Dream White Sleeping Pack (okrog 13€, 50g)

beauty product wishlist tony moly pandas dream

Tonymoly is a Korean brand with the cutest packagings – I admit that I buy half of their products based on looks alone. This moisturizer contains bamboo extracts that moisturize the skin and have a brigtening effect. I have nothing but good experience with Asian skincare so I’ll probably enjoy this one as well (also, it comes highly recommended by Mateja from Mateja’s beauty blog). View Post

So here we are. December is almost upon us and it was time to do a proper clean out of my bathroom cabinets before the packages from Black Friday start rolling in. This is going to be a long post so without further ado, let’s jump straight into it!

Pa smo tu! December je tik pred vrati in resnično je bil čas, da pospravim svoje omarice, preden prispejo paketi z vsem, kar sem kupila na Črni petek. Ker bo objava dolga, predlagam, da kar začneva!

Let’s start with a very random set of products that have nothing in common. I used up the Nivea anti-persprirant Double Effect which was OK and did the job well. However, I don’t think I’ll repurchase because I have recently discovered Borotalco and like it a lot! Next, we have a random complexion sponge I bought off eBay and let me tell you – it’s rock solid. I feel like I’m punching myself in the face using it so normally it has to go. Last, we have a product by my lovely Ole Henriksen – the Walnut complexion scrub. This was a deluxe sample and it lasted me about a year because I did use it sparingly. It is quite rough so I used it with my Olay brush because I was too harsh with my fingers. I would repurchase this again in a minute – I love it!

Za začetek bi spregovorila nekaj besed o izdelkih, ki sicer nimajo nič skupnega. Nivea Anti-perspirant Double Effect je bil OK in svoje delo dobro opravil, vendar pa sem pred meseci odkrila Borotalco deodorante, ki so mi bolj všeč. Gobico zraven sem kupila na eBayu in resnično je trda kot kamen! Počutim se, kot bi se udarjala po obrazu, ko jo uporabljam, tako da mora seveda v smeti. Nenazadnje sem porabila tudi moj ljubi Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub. Ta vzorec sem uporabljala sem in tja celo leto, večinoma s svojo Olay ščetko, saj sem bila s prsti pregroba. Ta piling bi takoj spet kupila, ker ga naravnost obožujem!

Next, here are the EOS lip balms – I think these are Sweet mint, Pomegranate and Honeysuckle. I think that these were good for about 6 months and even then they were a bit too waxy for my taste. They left a film on my lips and I couldn’t really apply a lipstick over it. However, the smell changed in the past few months so although they are 3/4 full, they are still going in the trash.

Naslednji so EOS balzami, o katerih se veliko govori (še posebej zadnje čase, ko so dostopni na veliko prodajnih mestih v Sloveniji) – na sliki so Sweet Mint, Pomegranate in Honeysuckle. Prvih šest mesecev so bili še kar ok, čeprav so bili za moj okus preveč voskasti. Na ustnicah so mi pustili film in preko njega nisem mogla nanesti šminke. V zadnjih par mesecih pa se je njihov vonj spremenil in čeprav je vsak še na tričetrt poln, morajo v smeti.

Next, we have another category of empties that technically aren’t empties at all. I had this Max Factor Weightless Foundation stored up for god knows how long and it separated completely. I don’t want to use it because it looks funny, but otherwise this is a really good foundation that gives medium coverage but really feels like second skin, so I’ll definitely repurchase. The ELF Makeup Mist&Set is also a nice product, although it cannot really compare to Urban Decay or Mac Fix + setting sprays. I mainly used it to wet my brush before applying eye shadow for certain looks. However, it now smells just like alcohol so I’m pretty sure it’s gone bad. Last but not least is the Eucerin Hyaluron Filler CC cream. I love the way this looks on my skin and how much coverage it gives me while at the same time being really moisturizing, but unfortunately it breaks me out every time I use it. I’ll pass it along to a friend because I’d be really sad to throw it away.

Naslednja kategorija so porabljeni izdelki, ki pa to v resnici niso. Max Factor Weightless Foundation sem imela že ne vem kako dolgo na zalogi in barva se je popolnoma ločila od olja. Ker vse skupaj izgleda sumljivo, ga ne bom uporabila, vendar pa moram reči, da je to sicer res dobra podlaga s srednjo prekrivnostjo, ki mi ne daje občutka, kot da imam kaj na obrazu. Vsekakor jo bom še kupila. ELF Makeup Mist&Set je dober izdelek, vendar ni primerljiv z Urban Decay ali MAC Fix + zaključnimi spreji. Večinoma sem ga uporabljala, da sem za določene videze zmočila čopič, preden sem nanesla senčilo. Sedaj smrdi po alkoholu, zato sem precej prepričana, da se je pokvaril. Zadnja v tej kategoriji je Eucerin Hyaluron Filler CC krema, pri kateri mi je izredno všeč videz, ki ga ustvari na moji koži, saj dobro prekrije in je hkrati super vlažilna. Na žalost mi povzroča izbruhe mozoljev, zato jo bom raje podarila prijateljici – res bi bila namreč nesrečna, če bi morala v smeti.

Staying with make-up, I’ve used and abused my Tarte Amazonian Clay bronzer for almost two years and now we’re at the point that I think would just ruin my brush if I continue using it. It’s probably my favorite spring and autumn bronzer since it’s not too dark but still create a really nice shadow. It’s a real bronzer though, I don’t think that anyone could use this for contour since it’s really warm toned. I’m also done with two mascaras and I didn’t enjoy any of them. First is the Manhattan Long&Swing mascara that curled my lashes but didn’t give them any volume and the second a Clarins Wonder Waterproof Mascara that clumped my eyelashes despite the brush being a really promising shape. I will not repurchase either of them.

Če še za sekundo ostanem pri make-upu, sem porabila tudi moj Tarte Amazonian Clay bronzer, ki sem ga uporabljala skoraj dve leti, zdaj pa ga ne morem več, saj mi rob že uničuje čopiče. Verjetno je to moj najljubši bronzer za pomlad in poletje, saj ni pretemen, ampak ustvari res lepo senčenje. Vsekakor je to pravi bronzer, ki se ga ne more uporabljati za konturo, saj je preveč tople barve. Svojo kariero zaključujeta tudi dve maskari, od katerih mi nobena ni bila preveč všeč. Prva je Manhattan Long&Swing maskara, ki je lepo privihala trepalnice, vendar pa jim ni dala praktično nič volumna. Druga je Clarins Wonder Waterproof Mascara, ki je na mojih trepalnicah naredila ogromno grudic kljub dejstvu, da mi je krtačka izgledala zelo obetavno. Nobene od njih ne bom ponovno kupila.

I finally finished my Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner – about 3 months after I was done with the shampoo. It’s a nice high-end conditioner but I didn’t feel that it gave my hair that silky effect that I get from more nourishing conditioners so I will not repurchase it. I also finished two Garnier micellar cleansing waters. The pink one (which is regular) Garnier Micellar water was OK but as I’ve heard from other beauty bloggers it contains some ingredients that we should all avoid so I will not repurchase. On the other hand, I really liked the Biphase Micellar Cleansing water in oil. It removed my make-up perfectly and although it’s oily while the packaging says it isn’t, I’ll let that slide (see what I did there? Ha!). Each bottle lasted me for about 3 months which is a good deal in my opinion.

Končno sem porabila tudi svoj Joico Moisture Recovery balzam – približno tri mesece po tem, ko sem porabila šampon. Je dober balzam, nekoliko dražji, vendar pa moji lasje niso bili tako svileni, kot so po uporabi nekaterih hranilnih balzamov, zato ga ne bom ponovno kupila. Porabila sem tudi dve Garnier micelarni vodici. Pink, originalna vodica, mi je bila všeč, vendar pa blogerke, ki se spoznajo na sestavine, pravijo, da vsebuje nevarne sestavine, zaradi katerih se je moramo izogibati, zato je ne bom ponovno kupila. Na drugi strani mi je bila res všeč bifazna micelarna vodica (zlata). Moj make-up je super odstranila in čeprav je bila nekoliko bolj oljna, kot bi si sama želela, mi je bila vseeno zelo všeč. Vsako stekleničko sem uporabljala približno tri mesece.

Last but not least I also used up a bunch of small perfumes because I received quite a few in the past months and wanted to make room. I won’t go into detail on the D&G Light Blue perfume which is my favorite perfume of all times and I didn’t care much for the Victoria’s Secret Secret Escape Mini. But I would encourage you to one try the My Spirit perfumes – they are really good value, smell exactly like the originals and on my skin, they last for an entire day. I really like them and I continue to buy more for myself.

Čisto na koncu še o parfumih, ki sem jih porabila kar nekaj, saj sem v preteklih mesecih prejela kar nekaj novih in sem želela narediti prostor. D&G Light Blue ne bom podrobno opisovala, saj gre za moj najljubši parfum. Prav tako me ni navdušil Victoria’s Secret Secret Escape mini parfumček. Vsekakor pa bi ti priporočila, da vsaj enkrat preizkusiš My Spirit parfume – dobiš jih po res dobri ceni, po mojem mnenju je vonj identičen originalom in na moji koži se obdržijo cel dan. Meni osebno so res všeč, zato jih bom kupovala še naprej.

I also used up a bunch of samples but hey – that’s a whole other post right there, coming soon. Did you try any of these products? What is your opinion about them?

Porabila sem tudi cel kup testerčkov, vendar mislim, da je to že tema za naslednjo objavo. Si že kdaj preizkusila kakšnega od izdelkov, o katerih pišem? Kakšno je tvoje mnenje o njih?

Until next time, stay beautiful! ***** Do naslednjič, ostani čudovita!

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10 PR products I’d buy with my own money