LUSH Mint Julips - lip scrub

This product is definitely not a "must have", it's more like a little treat. I had a very crappy day at work and I thought I would treat myself to something from Lush, and since I had wanted to try their lip scrubs for a very long time I thought it was the perfect occasion to get Mint Julips.

The ingredients of this scrub are so simple - sugar, natural oils, vanilla extract, peppermint oil... Probably you can make something very similar to it at your own kitchen. And yet I am very happy to have this tiny little pot of sweet goodness. 

Now does it work? Yes! You just need a tiny amount of the scrub to make your lips super smooth. You rub it on your lips for a couple of seconds and then you can either rinse the scrub off or simply lick it off.  I use it far too often, even if I don't need to (I managed to use up almost half of this little jar since May), it tastes so good - sweet and minty, just amazing. But for its price (27TL) I can have my beloved Angels on Bare Skin, so I don't think I will be buying any other lip scrub from Lush anytime soon (even though I am tempted, they all sound delicious!).

Przy każdej wizycie w Lush'u korciło mnie, żeby spróbować ich peelingów do ust, w końcu znalazłam wymówkę i kupiłam. Skład jest bardzo prosty, myślę, że spokojnie można coś podobnego wykombinować w kuchni - drobny cukier, naturalne olejki, ekstrakt waniliowy i olejek miętowy. Smakuje cudownie, działa równie fantastycznie - odrobina tego peelingu zapewnia nam niesamowicie mięciutkie i gładkie usta (a nadmiar produktu można spokojnie zlizać, można też oczywiście opłukać usta). Jednak za cenę tego peelingu mogę dostać moje ukochane Angels on Bare Skin, które są mi o wiele bardziej potrzebne do szczęścia, dlatego chociaż korcą mnie inne wersje - pewnie powstrzymam się przed zakupem kiedy (pewnie niedługo!) wykończę mój mały słoiczek. Ale jeśli szukacie jakiegoś drobnego prezentu dla siebie samej, czegoś, co nie jest do końca niezbędne do życia ale zdecydowanie potrafi to życie umilić - polecam!

Essence Me & my ice cream LE

Essence products can be found in many drugstores in Istanbul, but the funny thing is that all of them can have different LE displays at the same time. And luckily I found the newest LE, Me & my ice cream, in two of the Gratis shops - some products were already sold out, but I grabbed two out of four nail polish shades in the first one and then a cream blush in the other one.

And just in case you were wondering what the whole collection looks like - here it is (pictures taken from the official essence website):

Those "shimmer pearls" look amazing too, don't they? ;)

Unlike the previous pastel polishes I wrote about those are opaque. I bought two colours - 01 Ben & Cherries and 03 Ice, Ice Baby (there was also a peachy colour, but those don't look good on my hands, and a minty shade, but I have far too many minty polishes already). Both colours are very summery, girly and fresh, both have a bit of shimmer, both look great with a bit of a tan. But there has to be a "but" - the brushes! They make weird bruises when I'm applying the polish, it's almost impossible to create a pretty, smooth surface, so I had to be very careful and patient.

And then the blush. It applies like a dream (I use my fingers), blends out nicely and the colour is so pretty! It's pink with a hint of coral, I think it's perfect for the summer, looks great with a tan, creates a fresh, girly look. It has a bit of shimmer, but when blended it's hardly noticeable, it just makes your skin look healthy and radiant.

Dotarła do nas limitka Me & My Ice Cream! Z jednej drogerii wyszłam z dwoma lakierami do paznokci (Ben & Cherries i Ice, Ice Baby), z drugiej z różem w kremie. Lakiery są o wiele lepsze niż mój ostatni pastelowy niewypał, nieźle kryją, oba zawierają delikarny shimmer, ale w obu jest też tragiczny pędzelek - podczas malowania robi dziwne bruzdy w lakierze, do uzyskania gładkiej, jednolitej warstwy trzeba więc mieć sporo cierpliwości i trzeba mocno uważać. A szkoda, bo i buteleczki i kolory bardzo mi się podobają, a przez pędzelek pewnie nie będę po nie często sięgać. Za to róż jest cudowny! Ma śliczny różowo-koralowy kolor, ma drobinki, ale po roztarciu produktu na policzkach ciężko jest je zobaczyć, róż daje skórze po prostu śliczny, świeży, dziewczęcy wygląd. Moim zdaniem świetnie komponuje się z lekką opalenizną. 

Flormar Ligh Summer collection

I am obsessed with pastel, almost white nails this summer, so when my friend gave me 3 polishes from the newest Flormar collection, "Light Summer", I was very excited.

They look so pretty! But I like my polishes to be opaque and those ones are definitely not. The pigmentation is awful and they are extremely sheer. If I had to choose a favourite - it would be the ligh purple one (LS01) - the pigmentation is definitely the best in this one, but it doesn't mean it's good.

As you can see the purple polish doesn't look that bad (3 coats), it gives this "milky" finish that a lot of people like. But then the other ones...

Above you can see 3 coats of the peachy (LS08) and the minty (LS05) polishes. I don't like the effect on my hands, but that can be because of my skin tone - it can look amazing on you. But again - they are not opaque, the pigmentation is rubbish and I am not a fan of a pearly finish. I can see a lot of people enjoying this line, as the colours are very subtle, delicate, and I think the purple and peachy colour can have their fans. But the minty colour? I think it just makes my hands look unhealthy. Those are all the colours available in the Light Summer collection (taken from here):

Od jakiegoś czasu mam fioła na punkcie pastelowych, prawie białych lakierów do paznokci, dlatego kiedy moja znajoma dała mi trzy lakiery z letniej kolekcji Flormaru, "Light Summer", bardzo się ucieszyłam. Ale radość nie trwała długo, bo te lakiery są dokładnym przeciwieństwem tego, co lubię - bardzo słabo kryją, nie dają równomiernego koloru i mają perłowy połysk. Najlepiej z całej trójki wypada fiolet, ma najlepszą pigmentację i na paznokciach daje delikatnie mleczny efekt. Ale dwa pozostałe to tragedia - pierwsza warstwa obu wygląda jak bezbarwny lakier (z odrobiną perły). Po trzech warstwach nadal efekt nie jest taki, jakiego bym oczekiwała. Nie wątpię, że kolory (zwłaszcza fiolet i brzoskwinia) znajdą swoje oddane fanki, bo efekt jest bardzo delikatny i subtelny. Ale mięta? Moim rękom nadaje bardzo niezdrowy kolor, ale może to po prostu kwestia koloru mojej skóry. Powyżej możecie też zobaczyć wszystkie kolory dostępne w kolekcji.

A tutaj jest bardzo fajne, japońskie rozdanie: http://nawsiwjaponii.blogspot.jp/p/kosmetyczna-rozdawajka.html

Maybelline Hydra Extreme - 340 Raspberry Sorbet

When I saw this picture on Essiebutton's blog I became obsessed with the raspberry colour she used on her lips. I can't get the exact product she used (probably if I really wanted it I would somehow find it and get it, but delivery costs are something I like to avoid), but I decided that I will find something similar to it. And Maybelline Hydra Extreme in 340 Raspberry Sorbet was my first try.

There was a tester in the shop, but it was almost used up, there was just a tiny little bit left so I tried to swatch it on my hand, it looked pretty, the name was promising, it was on an offer (it cost around 6TL - more or less 3 euros) so I thought "why not?".

When I unwrapped the packaging I was very disappointed - not only was the colour nothing like what I was hoping for, the lipstick was glittery! My obsession with glitter in lip products ended when I was around 12, so I wasn't happy. OK, the glitter is very fine, it's more like a shimmer, so maybe I should stop complaining:

In direct sunlight

It's my second Hydra Extreme lipstick from Maybelline and just like the previous one it glides smoothly on my lips, doesn't dry them out, but because of the glitter/shimmer it has a slight tendency to accentuate dry areas, so make sure to use a lip scrub and/or a lip balm before you use it. It is quite sheer, but can be built up a bit (I guess the final effect will mostly depend on the natural colour of your lips).

I've used it a couple of times and I don't know if I like the colour or not - I think it looks ok on my pale skin, it's yet another shade that makes my blue eyes pop and the blueish shimmer makes my teeth look super white. But the shimmer... it kind of reminds me of the lipsticks my grandma's friends wear - pearly and super shiny, and that is not the look I am going for. I will try to make it work and in the meantime - I'm still looking for that perfect, creamy, opaque raspberry lipstick. Any suggestions?

Doesn't look that bad, right? But it's not as opaque as I would like and a bit too shiny (it looks a tiny bit darker in person than in this picture)

Pod wpływem zdjęcia wypatrzonego na blogu Essiebutton zakochałam się w malinowych ustach i zaczęłam poszukiwania czegoś, co pomoże mi osiągnąć taki efekt, jaki otrzymała Estée. Pierwszą próbą jest kolejna szminka Maybelline z serii Hydra Extreme (poprzednią możecie zobaczyć tutaj) - 340 Raspberry Sorbet. W sklepie była jakaś marna resztka testera, wygrzebałam odrobinę na rękę, wyglądało nieźle, nazwa brzmiała zachęcająco, dodatkowo była jakaś promocja, więc zgarnęłam ją do koszyka. Po rozpakowaniu przeżyłam lekkie rozczarowanie, okazało się, że szminka ma mnóstwo drobnych, błyszczących drobinek, a przestałam być fanką brokatu i świecidełek w produktach do ust gdzieś około 12. urodzin. Na ustach wygląda to trochę lepiej, zwłaszcza z daleka, chociaż mnie takie wykończenie odrobinę za mocno kojarzy się z perłowymi, błyszczącymi szminkami używanymi przez znajome mojej babci (a nie taki efekt chciałam osiągnąć). Konsystencja jest świetna, nie wysusza ust, niebieskawe refleksy optycznie wybielają zęby, ale za to drobinki mogą podkreślać suche skórki, więc szybki peeling albo balsam do ust na pewno nie zaszkodzą. Jedno przejechanie szminką po ustach nie daje mocnego krycia, ale już kolejne pomagają zintensyfikować kolor. Będę starać się przekonać do tego koloru, ale w międzyczasie trwają u mnie poszukiwania idealnej, kryjącej, kremowej szminki w malinowym kolorze - jakieś sugestie? 

NOTD: Triaccent

I admire people who can do nail art - my nail art is limited to applying a glittery top coat to one or two nails and that's pretty much how advanced my skills are. But I saw Leigh Ann's tutorial a couple of weeks ago and I thought I would give it a go.

It was impossible to catch it with my camera, but all the polishes I used are holographic - the pink and purple ones have a very subtle, fine holo glitter, and the triangle is pure holo glitter. It was super easy to create, I like how it looks and I am sure I will try other colour combinations. 

These are the polishes I used: Claire's Nail Polish in 92, Flormar in 392, Catrice in 420 Dirty Berry (I love that colour!) and my favourite top coat Essence Nail Art Sealing Top Coat.

Nie umiem tworzyć pięknych wzorków ani obrazków na paznokciach, moje zdobienia ograniczają się do nałożenia na jeden albo dwa paznokcie top coatu z brokatem i tyle. Ale na stronie Leigh Ann zobaczyłam niedawno jak ona bawi się z kolorami i wyglądało to na tyle prosto, że stwierdziłam, że też spróbuję. Wszystkie lakiery, których użyłam mają holograficzne drobinki - kolorowe lakiery mają ich mniej i są one bardzo delikatne, a lakier, którym zrobiłam trójkąt na środkowym palcu to sam holograficzny brokat. Wykonanie jest bardzo proste, mnie się bardzo podoba i pewnie wypróbuję jeszcze kilka innych kombinacji kolorystycznych. Lakiery, których użyłam to Claire's Nail Polish 92, Flormar 392, Catrice 420 Dirty Berry (uwielbiam!) i mój ulubiony top coat Essence Nail Art Sealing Top Coat

Summer freshness - Burt's Bees Cleansing Cream and Body Wash

I don't know about you, but when the temperature and humidity are skyrocketing I'm sold for anything that says "freshness", "cooling effect" or "refreshing", and that applies to beauty products as well.

 

Those two little gems come from the same kit as the Coconut Foot Cream. I didn't really appreciate them back in January, I forgot about them for 6 months and now I'm glad I did, because they are perfect for the summer!

Let's start with the Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream. It's a white, thick cream that smells like mint and fruits, it's fresh and very pleasant. It doesn't foam at all, so bear that in mind. When you first apply it to your face it doesn't seem like anything special, but after a couple of seconds you start feeling the minty, tingly coolness. Avoid the eye area, it might be a bit too harsh for the sensitive skin! Once I decided to leave it on my face for a couple of minutes (you know, to get a double deep cleanse ;) ) and that was a mistake. When you leave it for too long it gets really tingly and can make your skin a bit red. I will never make that mistake again. I love that the cooling effect and the pleasant tingly feeling stay on my skin for at least 15-20 minutes. I use it in the mornings, I never use it to remove makeup. I especially enjoy using this cleansing cream after a workout - it really is an instant refresher.

The Fabulously Fresh Peppermint & Rosemary Body Wash smells just like the After Eight chocolates. It has this sweet, powdery, minty smell. Before I used it I thought the consistency was going to be very watery, as it seems so in the bottle, but when you pour it on your hand it feels kind of thick - magic? Anyway - it lathers up quite well, especially when you use it with a loofah. And this works just like the cleansing cream - at first it seems like a normal body wash, but a couple of seconds after you put it on your skin it gives you this tingly feeling that lasts for a very long time. Also amazing after working out!

I love both of those products, I love the ingredients, I love the philosophy behind them, and I am inclined to buy the cleansing cream soon (but not in Turkey, the prices of Burt's Bees products here are just crazy). I think I won't buy the body wash, I just can't justify spending so much money on a shower gel, I will cherish the sample and I hope to find a cheaper alternative.

W zestawie próbek Burt's Bees, który kupiłam zimą na lotnisku w Berlinie poza kokosowym kremem do stóp znajdowały się też między innymi te dwa produkty - Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream oraz Fabulously Fresh Peppermint & Rosemary Body Wash. Obie rzeczy świetnie sprawdzają się kiedy na dworze panują warunki przypominające saunę. Żel/krem do twarzy jest chyba moim ulubionym produktem z całego zestawu - pachnie niesamowicie świeżo, miętowo, ale z owocową nutą. Po nałożeniu na twarz na początku wydaje się być zwykły, niepieniącym się myjadłem, ale po paru sekundach można poczuć delikatne mrowienie (dlatego lepiej omijać delikatną skórę wokół oczu i inne podrażnione miejsca), niesamowicie odświeżające uczucie, które utrzymuje się na skórze przez dobrych kilka minut po myciu. Raz zostawiłam krem na twarzy na dłużej (żeby mieć efekt podwójnie głębokiego oczyszczenia ;) ) i to był wielki błąd - skóra stała się czerwona i mocno piekła. Ale przy normalnym myciu, jako poranny oczyszczacz sprawia się świetnie, równie świetnie odświeża po ćwiczeniach. Żel pod prysznic pachnie jak miętowe czekoladki, ma zapach słodkiej, pudrowej mięty. Lekko się pieni i podobnie jak krem do twarzy daje uczucie lekkiego mrowienia i świeżości na kilkanaście minut. Kolejny świetny produkt do używania po wysiłku fizycznym. Oba produkty są cudowne, uwielbiam je nie tylko za działanie, ale też za skład i za politykę prowadzoną przez firmę Burt's Bees, ale rozważam zakup tylko pierwszego z nich (krem do mycia twarzy widziałam na Allegro za około 70zł), wydawanie większych pieniędzy na żel pod prysznic zupełnie mnie nie przekonuje. 

QVS Bronzer Brush

I am still building my collection of make-up brushes, I have the basics covered, but of course when I find something that looks interesting and is quite cheap at the same time I just have to get it. Also my powder brush looks like a fluffy flower, so when I was going home I was thinking about getting a brush that looks a but more serious, because I was convinced my sister would make fun of me if she saw my purple and pink flower shaped brush. I know this brush is supposed to be used with bronzers, but I thought it would work just fine as a travel powder brush, and it was just 10TL in Watsons.

The moment I opened the packaging I started regreting my purchase. The bristles are extremely hard and stiff, some of them were much longer than the rest, so as soon as I got home I grabbed scissors and cut them. The brush feels so rough on my face, it almost scratches it.

It reminds me of the brushes men use for applying shaving creams. I kind of consider giving it to my fiance or my dad, I wonder if they can get better use out of it.

I used it with powder, bronzer and a blush and ok, the results were not bad, but the experience was very unpleasant. For that price you can find other, much better brushes, this one is definitely not worth 10TL.

Dopiero buduję swoją kolekcję pędzli do makijażu, uczę się co do czego służy i sprawdzam co mi najbardziej odpowiada, dlatego rzadko kupuję droższe rzeczy. Przed ostatnią wizytą w Polsce szukałam pędzla do pudru, bo ten z Eco Tools służy mi głównie do bronzera, a ten, którego używałam (i nadal używam i uwielbiam) był w formie różowo-fioletowego kwiatka i wiedziałam, że jeśli z nim przyjadę to moja siostra nie przestanie się z niego śmiać przez cały mój pobyt w domu. W drogerii Watsons znalazłam taki oto niepozorny pędzel firmy QVS, w teorii do bronzera, ale stwierdziłam, że nada się też do pudru. Chyba nigdy do tamtej pory nie zdażyło mi się tak szybko żałować zakupu - wyciągnęłam pędzel z pudełka już na ulicy, pomacałam i się przeraziłam. Pędzel jest niesamowicie twardy, włosie jest szorstkie i nierówne (w domu natychmiast musiałam je wyrównać nożyczkami). Spróbowałam go mimo wszystko użyć i sprawdza się nieźle i z pudrem i z bronzerem i z różem, ale doznania nie należą do najprzyjemniejszych. Kosztował 10TL (około 17zł), zdecydowanie nie polecam.

My glorified trash - empties!

I've managed to use up quite a lot of stuff recently (a full big size bag from Lush!) so I thought I would share my thoughts on those products with you. I quite like empties blog posts and vlogs, I believe those are the most honest opinions and impressions. So here goes mine.

Probably half of the things I used up came from Rossmann. I don't really buy Turkish cosmetics - I think they are very much overpriced and the quality is definitely not worth the money. So when Rossmann opened their first shop in Istanbul I was extremely happy - I know a lot of their products, they are affordable and the quality is amazing.

Alterra is Rossmann's natural range, it includes hair care products, skincare, body care and a make up range. I try not to use any harsh detergents on my hair (namely SLS and SLES), I also avoid silicones, and this range doesn't contain them.

•  Alterra Glanz Shampoo (with apricot and wheat) smells amazing, does the job well, as all Alterra shampoos it contains Sodium Coco Sulfate, so it's not the most gentle shampoo ever, but all those shampoos work well for me so I will keep on repurchasing them. 
• Alterra conditioner with Aloe Vera and pomegranate - a decent product, the only Alterra conditioner available in Turkey as far as I know, it's quite thick, works very well, smells nice - enough for me!
• Alterra hair mask with Aloe Vera and pomegranate - funny thing, it's less thick than the standard conditioner, the results are also similar to what the conditioner does, I buy it once every couple of months just to mix things up, since there are not many (affordable), silicone-free conditioners to choose from in Turkey
• Alterra Papaya and Almond oil - I love all Alterra oils, I have tried all of them and I was never disappointed. This one smells extremely sweet and fruity, it works great on my hair, my face, my body, as a make up remover... 

• Facelle intim - probably you can tell what it is supposed to be used for just from its name, but I also use it as a very mild shampoo or a delicate face gel. It's a very universal product, contains no nasty chemicals, can be used for pretty much anything. The consistency is a bit thick and I noticed that if I don't rinse it well it can cause some breakouts, but apart from that - a great product.
• Alterra Dusch-Shampoo Parfumfrei - a shower gel and a shampoo in one, and yet another great product. Contains only 9 ingredients, it's extremely delicate, great as a very mild shampoo.
• Isana Haarkur Intensiv-pflege - intensive hair mask by another Rossmann brand, Isana. No silicones, a lot of nourishing, hydrating ingredients, I usually use it as a normal conditioner and it works great for me. 

Two last products from Rossmann:

• Isana Nail Polish Remover - my favourite one, I have never used a better nail polish remover. Works with any nail polish I have ever used, including glitters. Doesn't dry my cuticles or nails out, lasts for a long time, extremely cheap. 
• Babydream Kopf bis Fuss Waschgel - another very universal product, this time from the baby products range. I use it pretty much for everything - washing my hair, face and body. No bad ingredients, no sulfates, no mineral oil, lasts for ages, smells like most baby products (but I don't mind it).

My only make up related empties:

• Essence Studio Nails 24/7 Nail Base - quite a decent base coat, protects my nails from discoloration, but I don't think it makes the nail polish last longer. It dries to a matte finish. 
• Essence Stay Natural Concealer in 03 Soft Nude - believe it or not, my first concealer! 03 is the lightest shade, so check the colour before you buy it, the numbers are not in correct order. It works well, doesn't give the best coverage, but it does make your skin look better. I used it both under eyes and for blemishes - it creases a bit under the eyes, I had to set it with a powder pretty quickly, it doesn't fully cover the blemishes. Overall I liked it, but I will try something different next time.
• Essence Nail Art Sealing Top Coat - the best top coat I have tried so far. Dries up quite fast and really makes my polish last longer. The only problem for me is the packaging - the bottle is painted white, so you can't see how much of the product is left (hence the scratch on the side).

I don't usually have that many body scrubs, I got the first two from my friend when she was leaving Istanbul:

• Farmona Sweet Secret Almond Body Wash Peeling (Sweet truffles and almonds) - wow, that smelled sweet, just like marzipan. Not gonna lie - not the best scrub I have ever tried, I felt like most of the beads just didn't stick to my skin, such a waste of product. Not the best results either, my skin didn't feel any different after using this scrub. I am glad I had a chance to try it, I liked the smell, but I will not buy it in the future.
• Watsons Brightening Body Scrub (Strawberry Extract) - this one was a bit better, the beads were smaller and seemed to stick to my skin. The beads were really small though so the effect was quite subtle. It wasn't bad, but I don't think I will buy it either.
• Ziaja peeling myjący gruboziarnisty (Coarse Body Wash Peeling) - now this is my favourite scrub, ever! I think I will have to write a separate post about this product, but just to quickly sum it up - the smell is extremely refreshing, the consistency is perfect - sticks well to the skin, contains a lot of coarse, irregular beads that leave your skin soft and very happy. It lasts for ages and it's super cheap. 

• Tołpa micellar water - I wrote about it here if you want to know more about it. I like it, I will only repurchase it if I see it on an offer.
• Dalin Baby Cologne - Floral - first of all the idea of putting this cologne over your baby's skin makes me cringe (it's mostly alcohol), but it seems Turkish babies don't mind it. I bought it for myself as a body mist for the summer, to have something to just throw in my bag and spray on my wrists when I get too hot. It smells nice (not floral at all), like Vichy Normablend skincare range. Lasted for like two years, I liked it.
• Lush Ocean Salt sample - I read a lot of great reviews so when I was in Lush I asked for a sample. The smell is amazing - it smells like a cocktail. But I won't buy the full size version - I could taste the salt every time I used it (not the nicest experience), the effect was also not as good as I expected. If you consider getting it make sure there are no cuts or sensitive patches on your skin, since salt can irritate it even more.
• Cettua Oil Control Tissues - I wrote about them in my summer essentials post, I like them, I will continue using them during the summer.
• Vaseline Essential Moisture - I was looking for a nice, light body lotion for the summer so I got a small tube of Vaseline's lotion. It's ok, it sinks into the skin quickly, keeps it hydrated and soft, but I didn't quite like the smell of it. I have a lot of other body butters and lotions at the moment, so I probably won't get the full size of it.

Rzeczy z Rossmanna są Wam pewnie świetnie znane i nie ma sensu o nich zbyt dużo mówić ;) Zdecydowanym hitem tego denka jest mój ukochany peeling do ciała Ziai, jest cudowny, zawszę muszę mieć spory zapas, bo nie wyobrażam sobie nie mieć go w łazience. Największe rozczarowanie? Peeling z Lush'a Ocean Salt - biorąc pod uwagę cenę (w TR około 60zł za małe opakowanie) nie robi zbyt wiele z twarzą, a sól rozpuszcza się w wodzie i jakimś cudem za każdym razem kończyła w moich ustach, co zdecydowanie nie było czymś przyjemnym.

Sylveco light creams

I've been trying to be a bit more "natural" with my skincare lately. It started when I decided to include more oils into my skin and haircare - I noticed it works extremely well, so I then began my search for other simple,  natural products.

Before going to Poland earlier this year I started researching face creams - I don't like buying them in Turkey, because there is not much of a choice and everything is very expensive. A lot of people were recommending Sylveco creams, so I decided to try them. I have the birch and the marigold creams.

I think the birch version is a tiny bit lighter, more moisturizing. I used to use it as a day cream, but in the summer I will be using it only as my night cream, it's a bit too rich and heavy for my skin right now (but I would still be using it if I was in Poland). It works great under foundation.

The marigold version is a bit thicker, it has more soothing properties. It works great if my face is a bit irritated and red. I have used it only as a night cream, but I think it can be a good day cream in the winter.

Both creams have no fragrance, are hypoallergenic. My combination skin tolerates them very well - no breakouts, no clogged pores. You can also use them around your eyes and I do it - they definitely don't irritate the sensitive skin. They contain a lot of natural ingredients - oils and herbal extracts. There are no nasty chemicals or preservatives. If you have a chance - try them, they are truly amazing! They are also very cheap - about 25 zł/50 ml (about 6 euros).

The light birch cream/lekki krem brzozowy:
Aqua, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Xylitol, Sorbitan Stearate and Sucrose Cocoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Seed Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Betulin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract , Allantoin, Oleanolic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract, Lupeol, Oleanolic Acid, Betulinic Acid

The light marigold cream/lekki krem nagietkowy:
Aqua, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Sucrose Cocoate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Glyceryl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Betulin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract, Lupeol, Oleanolic Acid, Betulinic Acid

Przed ostatnią wizytą w Polsce bardzo intensywnie poszukiwałam jakiegoś dobrego, najlepiej w miarę naturalnego kremu do twarzy. Wiele osób zachwycało się lekkimi kremami Sylveco, więc po kilku godzinach czytania recenzji i różnych opinii poleciałam do zielarni po Lekki Krem Brzozowy i Lekki Krem Nagietkowy. Oba są fantastyczne. Zanim zrobiło się u nas w Stambule bardzo ciepło używałam wersji brzozowej na dzień, a na noc nieco bardziej treściwej wersji nagietkowej. Teraz oba kremy stosuję na noc, na dzień są odrobinę za ciężkie biorąc pod uwagę temperaturę i wilgotność powietrza - ale w Polsce pewnie nadal używałabym kremu brzozowego w ciągu dnia. Składy obu kremów są bardzo przyjemne - mnóstwo olejków, brak paskudnej chemii. Oba kremy stosuję też w okolicy oczu. Wersja nagietkowa bardzo dobrze uspokaja mi skórę w przypadku jakichś zaczerwień czy podrażnień. Fantastyczne opakowanie z pompką, bardzo fajna szata graficzna. No i cena - około 25zł. Mam cerę mieszaną, latem dodatkowo skłonną do produkcji nadmiaru sebum, a żaden z tych kremów mnie nie zapchał. Lekki krem brzozowy nadaje się świetnie pod podkład. Uwielbiam te kremy! Przy kolejnej wizycie w Polsce pewnie spróbuję też wersji z rokietnikiem, czaję się też na inne produkty tej firmy.

Summer essentials - Istanbul edition

Summers in Turkey are extremely hard for me - I grew up in a slightly cooler climate, so trying to lead a normal life when it's around 35 degrees outside and humidity is so high that my hair hardly ever dries is not easy. I don't care much about makeup in the summer, I concentrate on surviving.

But if I am meeting friends or when I have to go somewhere and look like a civilized human being I rely on those things:

1. A good powder is a must - I use it all year round, but it's my very best friend in the summer. I use Rimmel's Stay Matte (in 001 Transparent) or Manhattan's Loose Powder (in 2 Beige).
2. If I want to use eyeshadows I will use a primer to make sure they stay put all day. If it's really hot there is nothing that will save my makeup from creasing, but at least I'm trying. I'm currently using Art Deco's primer and I love it. It smells a bit like men's cologne, and I know many people complain about it, but I don't mind it - it doesn't irritate my eyes and works great - that's all I need. Any mascara to finish the eyes and I'm good to go.
3. If I want to go crazy and put something on my lips I will usually reach for a lip stain - I don't have to touch it up, it stays on for hours and gives a very natural finish. I'm currently loving Catrice's Colour Infusion in Don't Call Me Princess. 

Two very important things:

1. A sunscreen, obviously. I tried to find a light formula that would not make me break out and feel all greasy and I was very happy to come across this little guy in Watsons. It's Superdrug's own brand, Solait - quite cheap, light, not really mattifying, but I have powders for that. 
2. With all the humidity I can't really use rich body butters on my skin - they just make me feel sticky and don't sink into my skin, so I opt for some lighter lotions. I recently bought this body lotion from the Body Shop in Lychee Blossom (yes, 50% off) and I really like it. It has a very strong floral/fruity scent, but not the usual, cheap kind, there is something interesting about the way it smells. It sinks into my skin quite quickly and gives me the exact amount of moisture my legs and arms need.

Two quite boring, but still important things:

1. Since I spend most of the time in sandals or flip-flops I want my feet to look nice, and this is the best foot cream I have found so far - Rossmann's 10% Urea Intensiv Creme. It's very cheap (around 3TL), but works wonders. 
2. A while back I realized that there is no way I'm going to stop sweating during the Turkish summer, I also don't really want to use very harsh sweat blockers on my skin, so now I opt for natural, mineral deodorants - they just kill all the bacteria responsible for the unpleasant smell, so unfortunately your armpits won't be totally dry.

And now for some more random things:

1. Since any powder will only keep my face shine-free for a couple of hours I need some blotting paper. I will buy whatever is on an offer, I think they all work the same. At the moment I am using Cettua's Oil Control Tissue (around 2,5TL, I bought it at Gratis).
2. Hand sanitizer is useful throughout the year, but I found out those cheap Turkish colognes are especially useful during the hot months. When you're stuck on a hot, airless bus full of people and get a bit dizzy rubbing a bit of the cologne on your hands and sniffing its sharp, lemony scent can help. 
3. I will always have a cheap fan in my bag during the summer. You can get them anywhere for like 1 or 2TL and they are the best invention ever (again, especially on the buses). I always get the cheapest ones, because I just throw them inside my bag and I don't have to worry about forgetting them somewhere or smashing them. 

And the last, extremely important thing, is my water bottle. I got it a couple of years ago and it's been frequently used ever since. If I leave the house for more than 5 minutes it will always be in my bag. 

What are your summer essentials? Anything I should add to my list?