Today I want... #11

For those of who don't know already, I'm leaving for London in a few days! I'm going there with school to do an intensive English course, and I just can't wait. We'll be there for a week and I can't even imagine all the fun (& shopping) I'll have with my friends! I have an endless wishlist of things I want to get there, but for this post, I've only chosen a few. I'm really looking forward to trying Barry M Hi-Shine nail polishes, I think they look so pretty! Nail polish-wise, I also have my eyes on Models Own Utopia and Butter London Disco Biscuit.

One of the products I won't go back home without having bought is Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I don't even know the exact number of the bloggers I've heard praising this products because they're so many! 

I think I'll also get my hands on a few (euphemism) Soap & Glory products. I'm in love with their packaging and I've recently been trying some of their stuff, which I'm really enjoying.

And last but not least, the best of the British brands in my opinion: Topshop! I can't even believe I'm able to visit their Oxford street store after two years. Three floors of pure heaven. 

I'm definitely going to tell you everything when I come back so stay tuned! :)

L'Erbolario Mandorla bodywash

Pics overload! I was really inspired today, haha! Anyway, on to the review. Last month I picked up this L'Erbolario Almond body shower because I could get a free calendar with purchase, and I love their calendars! I've been using these for the last two years and I just couldn't skip 2013! 

L'Erbolario is an Italian natural skincare & bodycare brand, but they also have a little cosmetic line. I love them because they don't test on animals, they use recycled paper and most of all, their products are amazing. I've loved everything I've tried from them over the years and this body wash was no exception! As you can see from the photos, the packaging looks gorgeous. There are also some Pablo Neruda words on it! 

This product contains fluid sweet almond extract, proteic almond hydrolized and almond oil surfactants, so it's supposed to be super gentle and nourishing. It's great for sensitive and dry skin types, and even though I don't have particularly dry skin on my body I find that during the colder times of the year this body wash has given my skin some extra moisture. It has a good, thick consistency (I hate runny body washes), it smells great and ladders up nicely! 

I'll admit it's a bit pricey at €9,50, but really, what you're paying for is a high quality product.

Have you ever tried anything from L'Erbolario? What do you think about them?

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting primer

Last month I purchased a Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting primer in Adjust on a whim. You know that feeling when you're making a mistake buying something expensive but you're in front of the cashier and you just can't turn around and run away? That's what I felt when I purchased this. I knew it was a mistake since the beginning, and I wasn't wrong. After I gifted the beauty store with €47, I went back home and looked for reviews of the product on Makeupalley.com.. 90% of them were negative. Still kinda hoping the primer would work on me, I applied it on my face and... it did not do anything. The consistency, though, was super silky and it glided on my skin extremely easily; but the thought of having pure silicone (that's what made it so silky soft) on my already problematic skin made me feel claustrophobic. I gave it another few tries (by itself, with a water-based foundation, with an oil-based foundation) but truthfully, I just wasn't enjoying it. I have acne-prone skin and I often have spots, but at the moment my biggest problem is acne scarring. This Smashbox primer did absolutely anything to help with that. I don't know about the other primers from the Smashbox range, but I think this one is no good.

Have you ever tried it? Do you have any suggestions for a good primer?

M.A.C Red

I love MAC lipsticks. I love their simple yet luxurious feeling packaging, I love the little 'click' sound the cap maskes when I put it back on, I adore their smell, love the names, the formulas and the shades (The only thing I hate about them is the price, now that I think about it). Last month I was happy to be able to include the most classic red to my collection, M.A.C Red. It's a true red with blue undertones, the type of red you'd see on Marilyn Monroe's lips if she lived in this era. Colour-wise, lots of people on the internet have compared it to Russian Red or Ruby Woo. I don't have any of those, but I guess that since M.A.C Red is a Satin finish, it glides on smoother and it's not as drying. It's very opaque and pigmented, but still it has a tiny bit of shine. As all MAC lipsticks I've tried, it's creamy and gorgeous and perfect and I LOVE IT SO MUCH! It's just the most perfect classic red lipstick. I'm sure it'll suit all of you, go try it!

Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil

I have been testing out these products for a few months now and now I'm ready to share my ideas on them with you: I'm talking about the Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo, conditioner and mask. After hearing lots of bloggers rave about them, I was very interested in trying Argan oil products, so I chose these three. Let's begin with saying I have very long hair (they come almost down to my bellybutton!), they're not straight nor curly - someway in between. They're quite frizzy, too. Using the three products together I have seen improvements in the texture of my hair - it's much softer and shinier. It also felt so much more nourished! When I went to have my hair cut, I asked my hair stylist if she thought my hair was damaged and she said it wasn't, at all.

All three products have a nice consistency, lather up nicely and don't leave any residue. They have a pleasant smell, nothing too intense, but it's nice nonetheless. These products are great and I really like them, but if anything, they're not really helping with the tangliness of my hair.. but my hair is the tangliest hair of the world anyway.

The price of the shampoo, mask and conditioner changes from brochure to brochure. Their full price is about €7 each, but there's always some good offer on them! If you have long, damaged hair I really suggest you try at least one of the three.

Have you ever tried anything from the Avon haircare line?