Holiday Catalogues: Avon C16/2013 and Oriflame C16/2013 and more

The campaign launches on November 7th nationwide and it's already running for the trendsetters.
Unfortunately, I could only find a Moldavian version of the catalogue in Russian, but the pictures are more important. The campaign launches on November 11th or 18th (I honestly don't remember).
And since I was in a mood for flipping magazines today, I found two that were very entertaining. The October issues of Bello and Harpe's Bazaar. Enjoy
 


                   
I do not own any of the materials posted here, I am just collecting them from other sources!

Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quad review

Official description:

Reveal your most alluring eyes with NEW True Color Eyeshadow. Our quads are numbered so getting those fabulous eye looks are as easy as 1,2,3...4!

With True Color Technology:
The rich color you see in the compact is the same color you get on your eyes.
Rich, vibrant color with crease-proof wear
Color saturated shades designed for every skin tone
Numbered shades for our easiest expert eye looks ever!

Exquisite stay-true coordinated shades make every eye-look effortless.

Packaging: The eyeshadows come in a sturdy plastic case and they have a double ended sponge applicator. The packaging changed, because mine are older eyeshadows bought from an online outlet.5.6 gr (0.20 oz)

Texture: These are different from the duos, because those have a nice satin finish, while these are pretty chalky and powdery. I hope they changed the formula too when they changed the packaging, because boy, do these suck!

After rubbing and rubbing and rubbing, here are some decent swatches of the colors

What it does: My quad is in the shade Iced Dreams, and I have a white pearl shade, a lilac one, a blue pastel and a purple. I had another quad in smoky shades a few years back and I remembered I didn't like that one either but we Romanians live under the false impression the cosmetics we get here are not that good because they're made in Poland, so I thought if I get this quad made in the US, I'm gonna see the difference. Well, let me tell you these are the same. I tried to swatch these, but it was already night time and the lightning wasn't good, but those eyeshadows are just not pigmented anyway. I applied them over my usual primer and let me tell you they came across as simple highlighting colors, and I used the most pigmented two of them. So, for me, this quad isn't worth it at all and I don't want to try another even if I get it for free. This is the second one I own and the lack of pigmentation and the chalkiness are obvious.
Price: 9 lei (2 euros) on cosmetiq.ro
Re-buy or pass: Definitely not. I'm done with the Avon quads.

Avon True Color Eyeshadow Duo review

Official description:

Our new True Color Eyeshadow Duo features exquisite stay-true coordinated shades to make every eye-look effortless. Formulated with New True-Color Technology, the rich color you see in the compact is the same color you get on your eyes. You'll see rich, vibrant color in a single sweep. Best of all, these color-saturated shades are designed for every skin tone. Crease-proof wear.

Packaging: The eyeshadows come in a nice, sturdy plastic case and they also have a sponge applicator (I don't use those). I got mine without the box because I bought them from an online outlet.2.8 gr. (10 OZ).

Texture: The texture is soft,silky and they are easy to apply. 

What it does: I have the Bronze Patina duo ( a shade that's not available anymore because these eyeshadows are older) and I have the colors Rose Gold and Chestnut. I used them with my trusty e.l.f. primer and they didn't crease for about 8 hours. That's usually how much I wear make-up on a daily basis. The color seem sheer and washed out on their own, but with a primer they do pop. I like the silky texture, there's no fall out and they blend easily. My only complaint is with the colors. I bought this duo online and unfortunately, the pictures were not that clear, so I went more for the description. The Chestnut shade looks gorgeous swatched,but there's something that doesn't fit with my skin tone or maybe with my eye color, but this color makes me look tired all the time. That's a shame, because I liked the shade very much. That's a negative thing for me with this duo, but it's my own fault because I chose the shades. Otherwise, these are eyeshadows I would recommend to someone who's gonna use them for subtle looks, like going to work or casual meetings. Nothing fancy, nothing wow, but decent quality eyeshadows.
Price: 6 lei (1.5 euros) on cosmetiq.ro
Re-buy or pass: I would buy another duo, but at this price, not what they usually go for. 

 

Summer Splash with Avon Senses

Hi, kitties!
I haven't posted any beauty reviews in a while because during heat waves I don't feel like doing my make-up. At my workplace we have sauna-like temperatures, so it would be useless. My beauty routine consist of 3 essential things anyone should do daily: washing, moisturising and using deodorant.

Because I like to spoil myself and I'm a sucker for nice scents I love the Senses line from Avon. They had their shower gels on sale and I like the fact they have so many different scents. Too bad they discontinue old ones, because they are great. I chose 3 shower gels to have in the shower for the rest of the summer: Passion, Lagoon and Amore. They were 7 lei (1.5 euro) each, so it was a great deal.
Lagoon, the blue one, smells like waterfruits and pear, but the pear is what I get the most. Amore smells sweet, but not intoxicating, like violets, vanilla and musk. I don't like musk, but luckily I don't sense it. Finally, Passion smells like frangipan and tiare flower and it's a really nice, floraly scent.
Since I rarely use perfumes in the summer and I like body mists, I bought an after shower moisture mist, also from the Senses line, called Citrus Burst.

It smells like mandarin and grapefruit and I also feel a little lemon and orange in there, so I love it. I don't use it all over my body, I just spray a little lotion on my cleavage and I rubbed it into the skin and on my neck. So basically I use it like a perfume. The moisture mist was 9 lei (2 euro).
I think if it were up to me, I would buy all the Senses shower gels, that's how much I love them.

My summer favourites from Avon : skin care routine

You might be surprised that my current skin care routine is based on only two products, but that's because I'm not a fan of toners. I used a few and I feel like these lotions don't do anything special to my skin, so all I use is a cleanser and a face cream. My two favourite products at the moment are the following:
Naturals Herbal Dog Rose&Aloe Cleanser
 
Official description: Suitable for combination/oily skin. Eliminates sebum, impurities and make-up without drying out the skin.
Packaging: Bottle without pump containing 100 ml.
Texture: It's a clear cleansing gel. It smells like plants to me, like something you put in a tea.
What it does: The Naturals Herbal line just launched here and I needed a cleanser. As much as I would like to use anti-aging skin care because I'm already 26 years old, my acne prone skin needs products that help me control the shininess of my face. I like what this cleanser does, in combination with my current face cream, I'm just not a fan of the smell. I didn't choose something from the Solution line because I personally don't have good experiences with them.
Price: 9 lei (about 2 euro)
Re-buy or pass: I won't repurchase this cleanser, but only because it smells like plants.

Avon Care Light Moisture Refreshing Face Gel-Cream with Cucumber and Green Tea

 Official description: Not available.
Packaging: Plastic container with 100 ml of product.
Texture: It's a green gel, smells very pleasant.

 What it does: I fell in love with this face gel because my face is finally matte. In the summer (and here it's really hot already) my combination skin gets weird. My nose and that portion between my eyebrows gets really dry, but my cheeks and my forehead are shiny all the time. This gel really is refreshing and it moisturises my skin without leaving it shiny. I think it's a great product, especially since it comes from the Avon Care line (one of the cheapest from them).
Price: 8-9 lei (aprox 2 euro)
Re-buy or pass: I'm going to buy a couple more, because I plan on using this gel the entire summer.

My summer favourites from Avon: Foot Works Papaya Sorbet set review

After my favourite Avon body care products for the summer, I'll show you this 3 piece set I fell in love with and one handy tool that helped me get rid of the rough skin on my heels.
Papaya Sorbet Exfoliating Scrub

Official description: Softens rough skin and calluses, leaving feet feeling smooth and conditioned.

Packaging: Tube containing 75 ml.
Texture: The scrub is orange, smells delicious and it's not as rough as you would expect from a feet product.
What it does: I confess, I haven't taken care of my feet all winter long and I had very rough skin on my heels. So rough that my socks were getting stuck on them. Now, this scrub isn't going to fix that kind of problems from the start, but if you consider using this every day, there is a difference. Being so cheap, I don't mind buying this every month,but I don't think I'll find it in the catalogue because I think it's limited edition. I like other Foot Works products too, but the regular ones smell like medicine to me and the others are lavender an other scents I don't like.
Re-buy or pass: I'm so going to order this set this month too if it's available.
Papaya Sorbet Cooling Lotion

Official description:

Leaves feet soft and refreshed

Packaging: Tube containing 75 ml.
Texture: The lotion is not greasy, it's orange too and it also smells delicious.
What it does: Being a lotion meant for summer time, it's not that nourishing, but my feet do feel soft after using it. But I admit the scent got my sold on this entire set.
Re-buy or pass: I will repurchase this.
Papaya Sorbet Cooling Spray

Official description: Deodorizes feet so it's perfect for hot weather or after a workout - a tropical vacation for your soles!

 Packaging: Bottle with pump containing 100 ml.
Texture: Liquid
What it does: I like to use this in the morning, before going to work. I also apply a couple of puffs in my shoes too.Alcohol is the first ingredient on the list, so I don't use it at night after the scrub and the lotion because I don't want my feet to get dry.
Re-buy or pass: I will repurchase this.
The entire set was 17 lei (aprox. 4 euro) if any other product was ordered from the catalogue.
And finally, this little blue guy is the main reason my heels got soft in 5 days. This foot pile is from another Avon Foot Works set and I bought this last year. It's very good quality, the razor is still sharp and it didn't get rusty. I used it every night after the scrub and after soaking my feet in hot water to remove dead skin. Don't worry, you can't hurt or cut yourself with it, it's like using a grater. I can't remember how much I paid for it and I don't know if it's still available, but I love this product!


 Disclaimer: I wasn't paid for this review, I bought everything with my own money. I'm not an Avon representative and I have no gain from promoting these products. 

My summer favourites from Avon: Naturals Watermelon set review

 I'm somewhat of an Avon junkie, I admit. I like many of their products and I'm a sucker for the Naturals line because they have a delicious fruity scent (some people say it's too chemical), but I love them. They're very cheap, so I can have different scents in my bathroom and when they're available as set, they're even more affordable.
For the beginning of summer I chose this set with shower gel, body lotion and fragrance spritz in watermelon. The set was 23 lei (aprox 6 euro).
Juicy Watermelon Shower Gel

Official description: Formulated with watermelon extract.Leaves skin feeling refreshed, cleansed and conditioned.

Packaging: Transparent bottle with cap containing 200 ml.
Texture: A transparent red gel.
What it does: It leathers well and I love the scent. I don't recommend this to someone who has very dry skin because it's not very moisturising.
Re-buy or pass: I repurchase Naturals products all the time, so yes.
Watermelon Shakes Body Lotion

 Official description: I couldn't find one.
Packaging: Cute plastic bottle with cap containing 200 ml. It reminds of those milk or yogurt bottles.
Texture: The lotion is not thick and it has a rosy color.
What it does: I use it daily, but again, it's for someone who wants to feel refreshed and loves the scent, not for someone who has dry skin and other special need. I like it for summer, but I would use a body butter in the winter.
Re-buy or pass: I would buy it again.
Juicy Watermelon Fragrance Spritz
 
Official description: Not available
Packaging: Plastic bottle with pump containing 100 ml.
Texture: Well, obviously it's a liquid.
What it does: I can't stand perfume in the summer time because I find them a bit intoxicating, so I mostly use very clean, fresh scents or these little fragranced  spritzs. They feel very refreshing and are good even for carrying around in the purse.
Disclaimer: I wasn't paid for this review, I bought everything with my own money. I'm not an Avon representative and I have no gain from promoting these products.

Avon Irresistible Sexy Mascara review

Official description: Couldn't find one.
Shade Blackest Black (there was only one shade available).
Packaging: I chose this mascara because of the cute pink tube it come in. It contains 7 ml.
Texture: Not too thick and not too liquidy and just the right amount of color.
What it does: I must say I've tried several mascaras from Avon and most of them work really well for affordable make-up. This one does a great job in adding length to the lashes and the shape of the applicator makes it easy for me to get all those baby lashes from the inner corner of my eyes, so I get volume too. I don't have anything negative to say about this mascara besides the fact that I think it was limited edition. But, like I said, you can try other mascaras too from Avon. Just make sure you don't get those which have chubby applicators, as I find them quite difficult to use.

Price: about 2 euro
Re-buy or pass: If I'll see it again in some catalogue, I would repurchase it.