weekend in photos

If you follow me on instagram you'll know that I love flowers (nature really).

There was a teacher/parents meeting for Jakov's class and I saw Jakov's work of art on the wall...I think I'm going to have to frame this one. :)

Due to my obsession with AHA's I picked up Cosmel's New Cell Cream AHA 8% + Green Tea and so far I'm really liking it! It's still to early to say but first impressions are great!

xo

swatch it - vapour organic beauty

So I made a little order at Naturisimo. My husband and son both like Schmidt's Tea Tree deodorant (I bought the travel size for them to test out).

I also ordered a sample of Vapour's Mesmerize Eye Color in Flash. It is GORGEOUS!!!

The only problem is I have really REALLY dark eye circles (always have and it seems they're getting darker as I get older) and to show you I'm sharing this photo of me on my wedding day (I'm looking down so you can see my eye lids). I'm not wearing a stitch of eyeshadow!!! I've had girls ask me what shade I wear on my lids! LOL! 

It doesn't show up on my eye lids so I tried putting it on my cheeks and it gives me a nice sun kissed look! I actually really love it. It blends like butta! Just gorgeous! I wish I had normal eye lids! lol.

xo

naturisimo happy mail

Naturisimo is one of my favourite on line shops for natural beauty. The customer service is great and quick delivery (they are based in the UK). They deliver worldwide. 

Besides carrying so many gorgeous products their packaging is beautiful and eco friendly.

Before I talk about the yummy lipstick I ordered I want to share the samples I got. I bought Schmidt's Tea Tree deodorant (a mini) for my son and husband to try out (they really like it so far) and I got a mini in Rose Vanilla (my daughter and I love this one).

I've always been curious about these two REN products and I got a little sampe of Vapour's concealer.

So the main reason for this little order of mine is this GORGEOUS lipstick! I've been eyeing Axiology lipsticks for a while now and decided to treat myself with Devotion which is described as 'a copper burnt-sugar base and an echo of rose quartz, Devotion is the girl-crush of natural-look lovers. Its buttery luster keeps lips flawlessly moisturized and supple.'

This is not a colour I usually tend to wear but I wanted a little something different.

The packaging is gorgeous. 

The colour is beautiful and it wears amazingly. I'm surprised how long it lasts on my lips for such a moisturizing lipstick. I LOVE it and you know what this means now.......I need more!! Well I don't need more...I WANT more! Axiology has recently come out with Lip Crayons!! I LOVE me a crayon!

xo

new cell serum + new cosmel website

Hello!

I'm back with another Cosmel product that I'm loving AND some exciting news.....Cosmel now has their very own website/shop! YAY!

Back to this New Cell Serum. This is my second jar so yeah I really do love it. What's so special about this serum, well it's got 10% AHA and vitamin C. Now that I have been using AHA's for a while I will never go back. It has improved my skin as far as clarity, texture and brightness.

This serum is to be used at night (and make sure to wear spf during the day whether or not you're using AHA's). One thing I noticed is that the colour of this serum changes (turns orangey). I had an idea why this happened because I remember watching or reading about a certain natural product review (can't remember which one) but I did ask Cosmel and they confirmed my thoughts. 

The vitamin C oxidizes and therefore the colour changes but it doesn't effect the quality of the product. All Cosmel products are tested and then tested some more. The vitamin C remains stable which is very important or else you don't get any of the benefits of the vitamin.

My main reason for using this serum is for my hyperpigmentation (which I have noticed a tiny improvement, it takes a very very long time to see improvment with hyperpigmentation especially if you're not using non perscription products). It layers nicely with other products like creams or oils. I will sometimes use Pai rosehip oil together with this serum. 

In the morning my skin is so so soft and smooth!

Serum s voćnim kiselinama (AHA 10%) za izbjeljivanje kože idealna je podloga ispod noćne kreme. Priuštite si tretman i osjetite promjenu na vašoj koži. New cell serum smanjuje pigmentacije nastale od sunca i u zreloj dobi. Sadrži ekstrakte bilja – tratinčice, lipe, zelenog čaja i aloe vere kako bi vašoj koži dala vlažnost i svježinu.

Some of the gorgeous ingredients include Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis oil (sweet almond oil) which is awesome for all skin types, lactic acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice which protects the skin from UV damage, and because of the salcylic acid and high antioxidant value, aloe is used in skin-care products as an anti-aging and healing agent. Jojoba seed oi, daisy flower extract (brightens skin), rosehip oil (high in vitamin C, anti aging), glycolic acid, citric acid......what did I tell you, awesome ingredients!

The texture of this serum was a surprise to me. The serums I use all have a light gel like textrure and this serum is like a very thick cream (but not greasy or heavy). I did have the chance to talk with the owner and mad scientist (I mean that in the best way) behind this brand) and she prefers the texture of creams for her face products.

As for the smell....it's a bit weird, not bad but hard to describe. It's not strong and it doesn't linger on your skin

I've mentioned this before but if you're new Cosmel is an all natural brand (natural organic dermo cosmetics since 1990). They do not test on animals, handmade, no artificial colours and fragrances, paraben free and all their packaging can be recycled. Awesome right?! :)

I'm so happy that I can now shop Cosmel on line, unfortunately they only ship within Croatia but I'm hoping this will change. Shipping is 20 kuna and you have serveral options to pay including PayPal.

That's it for now.

xo

skin food

Hello!

I thought I would share my thought on Weleda's Skin Food. This is a universal I'm gonna say balm. It relieves dryness anywhere from head to toe. I have used this on my face, hands, feet, elbows and knees (on my kids and husband). It's very thick and oily (it's base is made up of oils and beeswax) so I don't really use it on my hands during the day because it does leave your hands oily rather I use it when I go to bed (feet and hands). The smell is 'natural' if you know what I mean, which I love.

Skin Food is free from synthetic fragrances, colourants, preservatives or raw materials from mineral oils.

INCI: Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Glycerin, Limonene*, Viola Tricolor Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Sobitan Olivate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Arginine, Zinc Sulfate, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Coumarin*. * from natural essential oils

I've lost count on how many times I've repurchased this (I buy mine at Muller). It's a must have and I highly recommend you give it a try. :)

xo

New Cell Serum AHA 10% + C Vitamin

Hello!

I just started my second pot of Cosmel's New Cell Serum AHA 10% + C Vitamin so I thought I'd share my thoughts. The fact that I repurchased it suggests that I love it...and I do!

I've been applying this serum on my face (after cleansing and toning) every night (I follow with Cosmel's Melli Cream or Pai's rosehip oil). I was surprised by the texture. All the serums I have used before were a gel like consistency (watery and thin) and this one is like a cream and quite thick. 

A little goes a long way and the smell is hard to describe. It's not a pretty smell (like the Melli cream which smells devine) but it doesn't stink either and it doesn't linger on the skin.

This serum is a skin exfoliant and reduces hyperpigmentation (which I have).

You might feel some stinging especially if you don't use AHA's. I have been using AHA's for a while now and I wish I started sooner. My skin is softer, smoother and brighter. I asked if the vitamin C is stable (I read that for the vitmanin C to have any affect on your skin it must be stable) and they ensure me that it is.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondisiachinesis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cetyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-12, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid.

It's very important to make sure you protect your skin and use SPF of at least 30 when using AHA's.

The packaging is cute. The jar is a frosted glass and you get 15ml of product. 

I hope Cosmel opens up their own webshop soon.

Well, that's it for now!

xo

cosmel - tri care cream

If you follow me on instagram you'll know about the Cosmel and Jane's Doodles giveaway! To play along click here (it's open to Croatian residents). And you'll also know I'm a fan of Cosmel products. I've blogged about it here, here, here and here!

Cosmel is giving away 5 Tri-Care Creams and along with these creams you'll get a Christmas card kit made by me, all stamped, coloured and ready for you to cut out and put together (more on that tomorrow).

I thought it a perfect time to give my review on this cream. I used up the whole jar. I actually got this cream by accident (about a year ago). I asked the sales lady (at Lavanda Mia) for the eye cream and she gave me this...I didn't even look in my bag until I got home and realized it's not the eye cream (which is one of my favourite Cosmel products). Because it says it's also to be used around the eyes I figured I would just use it for my eyes and also test it out on my face too.

In short this is a beautiful cream perfect for sensitive skin (I would think any skin type except for maybe really oily skin). It's so gentle and nourishing. That is one thing I notice about all of Cosmel's products is that they are so nourishing.

I mostly used it for my eyes and neck (because I already have my face oils and creams) but I did use it on my face for a good two weeks to see how my skin would respond. All in all it left my skin soft and hydrated. Didn't leave my skin feeling oily at all (I had my skin tested and it's pretty much normal, a little dehydrated. During hot months I would say it's combo skin). Didn't irritate my eyes. I also used it on my husband. He has some redness ( mostly around the hair line) and this cream was perfect for him.

This cream is made up of organic oils like almond, grape seed, apricot, peanut, marigold, linden, geranium, lavader oils.  It also contains vitamins A, E and F. It helps with wrinkles and dark circles. Accelerates the formation of collagen, soothes, tones and softens skin. I has medium UV protection.

More about the giveaway tomorrow.

I know I'm writing in English. First, most Croatians know English (svaka čast) and my Croatian is horrible BUT if you have any questions about my post just ask (samo pitajte)!

xo

AHA love

Adding AHA's in my skin care has made the biggest impact, I wish I had started using AHA sooner. 

 Alpha hydroxy acids are natural acids derived from fruits such as oranges and lemons. In facial skincare products, the acids are often listed as sugar cane extract, glycolic acid, malic acid, triple fruit acid or lactic acid.

AHA's act as chemical exfoliants, which help to loosen and get rid of the dead skin cells on your skin's surface. The acids are more effective than abrasive exfoliants, such as scrubs and cloths. 

Some benefits are improvement in skin pigmentation, decrease of fine lines and wrinkles, increases absorption of active ingredients in your skincare creams, serums etc. 

Two AHA toners I love are Alpha H Liquid Gold and the recent discovery Cosmel's New cell Intensive Cleansing Lotion (which is made in Croatia). Like I said I love them both but I'm leaning more towards Cosmel. I feel Cosmel's is more gentle despite having 10% AHA. After using Liquid Gold I feel a tightness on my skin and the need to moisturize right away where as when I use Cosmel's toner my skin doesn't feel tight at all.

Another difference between the two is the price. Cosmel's is less expensive in price but the quality in my opinion matches Liquid Golds.

Cosmel 10% AHA ingredients:

Aqua, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, PEG-40, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene

Cruelty Free

Handmade

No artificial colours and fragrances

No Parabens

Recycle

Alpha H Liquid Gold (5% AHA) ingredients:

Aqua, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Hydrolysed Silk, Glycolic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract.

Keep in mind when using AHA's to use sunscreen.

xo

melli cream royal jelly

If you follow my blog you'll recognize this packaging and brand. Cosmel. I love them so much that I actually got a pharmacy near my home to start carrying their products AND the girls who work there (who are incredibly lovely and helpful) using their products. 

Why do I love this brand. Many reasons.

Organic

Handmade

No parabens

Not tested on animals

No artificial colours and fragrances

Recycle

Made is Croatia

They are super friendly and helpful. They've answered all my questions (in English to top it all). You can send them a private message on Facebook if you have any questions.

Their knowledge was gained at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology with use of organic chemistry in cosmetology. The company was founded in 1990, family run, handmade with an abundance of knowledge and love.

I promise...I do NOT work for them! LOL!

The product I'm sharing today is this gorgeous Melli Cream Royal Jelly.

It is for mature sensitive and problematic skin. This jar of gold packs a punch! It feels divine on the the skin and a little goes a long long way. 

The smell is divine. A soft hint of honey and vanilla. So subtle. It contains ingredients like royal jelly, propolis, honey, beeswax. Oils such as raspberry, apricot, olive, evening primrose. It also contains shea butter and vitamin A, lavender and ginger.

YES!

Strengthens skin tone and hydration, stimulates production and collagen, reduces wrinkles and hyperpigmentation (which is what I struggle with), restores the natural pH 5,5 skin balance. Natural sun protection (not sure but I believe it's spf 15).

I only started using this cream so my first impressions are positive. A little goes a long way. My skin feels extremely nourished and hydrated. I will report back after using it for a longer time.

xo

biobaza

Biobaza is a Croatian affordable natural cosmetics brand which does not contain preservatives, perfumes and colorants. They do not test on animals. 

I've tried several Biobaza products and these two are my absolute favourites and I will continue to repurchase. 

Natural Deo Pure Nature (deodarant without alcohol, alumminum, parabens and other nasties) is by far the best natural deodarant I've tried so far. It's a roll on which I really don't prefer but I LOVE this one.

Face Cleansing Micellar Oil - LOVE! I bought this cleanser when we went on vacation this summer and I'm so happy I did. I cleanse my skin with oils or balms and this cleanser is a combination of oils and micelles that melt all the make up and water proof mascara off. I massage it on my dry face, then wet my hands and massage again and wash it off (no cloth needed). 

xo

pumpkin masks + iherb link

It's fall which means all things pumpkin are showing up everywhere and when I mean everywhere I mean pinterest! From pumpkin home decor, card making, pumpkin latte's, pumpkin cupcakes and cookies even face masks!

I just ordered this Andalou Pumpkin Honey Glycolic mask from iHerb. First time buyers could use my link and get $5 off their first purchase!

http://www.iherb.com/Skin-Care?rcode=QML078

For the record I've ordered from iHerb a few times now and I am very pleased with the international shipping prices they offer as well as their assortment of brands and products at great prices!

I'm sharing 3 masks, all pumpkin based, that I read good reviews on and hope to try all 3 starting with this lesast expensive Andalou mask. Ingredients are:

Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) puree*, aloe barbadensis juice*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil*, vegetable glycerin, manuka honey, ananas sativus (pineapple) juice*, pectin, glycolic acid, sodium hyaluronate, cyamopsis tetragonolobus (guar) gum*, fruit stem cells (malus domestica, solar vitis) and BioActive 8 berry complex*, lecithin, saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) extract*, calophyllum tacamahaca (tamanu) and limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) oils, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), aspalathus linearis (rooibos) extract*†, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon), myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and eugenia caryophyllus (clove) powders*

* Certified Organic

† Fair Trade

 PeterThomasRoth Pumpkin Enzyme mask ingredients:

Water/Aqua/Eau, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin), Aluminum Oxide, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Edta Edetate Discodium Dihydrate Usp, Methyl Eugenol, Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate,Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol.

pinterest

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Incredible Pumpkin Peel is also available at iHerb.

Ingredients are:

Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin)*, aqua (water), 7% lactobacillus/cucurbita (pumpkin) ferment extract, glycerin (vegetable)*, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) wine, honey*, gluconic acid (glucose), aminoguanidine HCL, zingiber officinale (ginger) root oil*, ananas sativus (pineapple) stem powder, eugenia caryophyllus (clove) leaf oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*, myristica fragrance/parfums (nutmeg) kernel oil, cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) leaf oil*, vanilla planifolia fruit oil, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) water, lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower extract, lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) flower extract, alcohol denatured (grain), potassium sorbate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (plant).

*NOP Certified Organic

pinterest

I will report back about the Andalou mask!

xo

beauty favourites

Hello!

Well, it's the first day of school for us....and so begins the driving back and forth, homework, tests....did I mention school here in Croatia is TOUGH! Marko's in grade 8 now and his plate is full...math, English, Croatian, computer science, chemistry, biology, history, geography, religion, physics....and more...

Anyways, on to something more fun! ;) I wanted to share some favourites...some new and some old.

New to me are Lush's BIG shampoo, Pai rosehip oil, Jane Iredale's BB cream and last but not least Biobaza deodorant (which surprised me the most. It's a natural deodorant without aluminum and other nasties).

I've already mentioned the brand Cosmel (a Croatian natural skin care brand) and these three products I cannot live without (well I could...but I don't want to!)

. Fresh Hydro Tonic (AMAZING toner, nourishing and hydrating, gorgeous ingredients like natural spring mineral water, glycerin, aloe gel, green tea leaf extract, castor oil, orange flower water...).

 New Cell Intensive Cleansing Lotion AHA 10% + Green Tea (another AMAZING exfoliating toner which contains amazing ingredients like lactic acid, aloe leaf juice, glycerin, glycolic acid, green tea, salicylic acid, castor oil to mention a few. It's alcohol free and although it says for oily skin it is incredibly gentle and non drying. Reminds me of Alpha H Liquid Gold.) 

I already blogged about Cosmel's gorgeous eye cream here.

L'Erbolario Papavero perfume is DIVINE!! And I don't really like to wear perfumes (they give me headaches) but this one is gorgeous. I won't attempt to describe the smell so I'm quoting..

Head Note	Fruity: Peach Pulp, Red mandarin pulp, Prunella
Heart note	Floral/Mossy: Rose petals, Davana of the Indies, Lily of the Valley, Ylang Ylang, Lilac, Neroli, Water Jasmine, Poppy petals
Top down note	Vanilla: Sandalwood, Mosses, Amber, Vanilla, Patchouli

Well that's that! ;)

Take care!

sapunoteka

Hello!

I wanted to share my favourite body scrub. If you love natural products and vanilla and almonds you'll love this scrub!

Sapunoteka is a Croatian brand (and one of my favourite brands for natural products). Super friendly people behind this brand and they speak English. 

There is also a lavender body scrub and lemon body scrub.

Let's talk about this yummy vanilla and almond body scrub. The smell is divine. Because of the gorgeous oils in this product (almond, coconut, olive and vanilla oil....amazing group of oils) you don't need to moisturize your skin after you use this in the shower. The smell isn't too strong on the skin after you use it. And what I love about it as well is that you can get dressed right away, your skin is not left oily but super soft like velvet!

The ingredients are: Sea Salt, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Olea Europea (Olive) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glycerine, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) oil.

xo