Let
me tell you, the Cosmic Pink colour you see in the pictures and the
colour you get on the nails is quite different. The bottle looks a bit
purpleish or cherry-ish, but it is not. This is a very girly, festive
and Cinderella-ish pink. I guess the glitter bits distort the colour in
the photos because even in the photos of my hands, the colour doesn't
look as prettier as in real life .
The polish spreads easily and
evenly. One coat is nice enough and has decent coverage, but two coats
make perfection. Despite the glitter, one coat dries off quickly
This
polish has a rugged textured finish not a smooth one, which can be
expected from any glittery polish. It smoothes out a bit with a clear
top coat, but the textured finish won't disappear despite this. Beware,
as with any glittery polish, it takes a bit of more effort to remove it.
The polish chips off but not overly so, so a new spot application is
enough as the polish is thick enough to cover the spot without needed of
a full coat.
This is a travel-size tiny size (see my photo
beside an average polish bottle), and, this being the case, it's a bit
pricey for what it is. This explains the four stars not the five. On the
other hand, as I have small hands, I find this sizing perfect for my
DIY manicure and the brush is perfect for my nails size.
The brand is vegan and cruelty free, something that's really important to me. This is my first Mavala polish, and I will repeat.
Very good quality flexible kitchen silicone lollipop molds in vibrant colors. The package contains 8 molds with its correspondents sticks, plus an extra spare stick. The first impression is that these would be a bit too wobbly to hold anything upright in the fridge. However, after using them, there is no issue, whether the mold is empty or full. They do what they're supposed to do. As the silicone is flexible, it's super-easy to remove the ice-cream from the mold by putting each individual mold under running warm water for like 5 seconds, and the ice-cream comes up in one piece and very easily. The sticks don't break or deform with use. Super-easy to clean, too.
Overall,this
is a good beautiful percolator that makes good coffee, but it has a
design issue and it's the messiest coffee maker I own.
THE GOOD STUFF
> Beautiful, trendy and elegant, this caffettiera looks great anywhere.
> Plenty of capacity. I don't use it for espresso but for my daily milk coffee, yet it gets me three generous cups.
> Despite the size, this percolator is quite light.
>
The handle is comfortable and has a comfy grip. Also, as the handle is
off the percolator body of the, it doesn't heat up as much as other
stove coffee makers.
> The silicone seal is quite tight and allows
perfect percolation. I've found that this is really important, as I own
other stove coffee makers, and the seal is the culprit for the bad
quality of the coffee as the water doesn't go through the coffee
properly.
> The spout pours beautifully.
> The upper body rolls on the lower body without difficulty, without getting stuck and without having to force it.
> Easy to clean, just wash it out with clean water; that's it. Despite the dripping, the white coating is not stained.
>
The ethical/charitable scope of the company is something important to
me. I've spent my money on a caffettiera that funds Grosche's Safe Water
Project. Also, the company is carbon neutral, environmentally friendly,
it's managed by women, and ticks all the ticks you want companies with a
social conscience to tick on.
NOT SO GOOD.
> Aluminum, not stainless steel, which I would expect for the price I paid for this coffee maker.
>
If you put the stove burner a bit high, the coffee will spit out
profusely. That happened to me the first time I used it and, it dripped
over the caffettiera itself, and all over my stove and bench even though
the upper container wasn't even super full. I learned the lesson, now I
put it on a medium heat and no problem.
> If the container is
full of water, like below the screwing ridge and on or over the valve,
the coffee will still spit out and drip all over the stove and kitchen
bench. No inner line mark to indicate maximum height of water allowable.
You have to learn the lesson by trial and error.
> You have to
wait for the percolator to cool down so the spitting inside has
finished; otherwise, you'll get a mess in your kitchen as the inner
spout is too big and, as it keeps spitting coffee not only inside but
also outside. This is a design problem. I don't have this problem with
other similar percolators, as I prepare the coffee and pour it
immediately without a mess. So, this one is quite annoying.
> You
can call it Milano, you can point to the made-in-Italy vale and mention
Italy many times, but except for the valve this is a made-in-China
product as per the box (see my photo).
I've
been using OPI An Affair in Red Square for several years now and it's
my fav red shade on the nail polish stratosphere. OPI is also one of my
fav nail polish brands. Yet, there are some issues with this specific
shade that I want to mention:
> This shade is one of the thickest
OPI polishes I own, and I own many. One coat over a base coat and under
a top coat suffices to have full coverage and to look spectacular.
>
Two coats of the polish look great, but, when I apply two coats, the
polish takes a lot of time to dry off (more than other OPI shades) and
it tends to smudge easily even when it's almost dry.
> This shade
polish starts to thicken when the bottle it's mid way, in a way that
makes it difficult to apply without resorting to adding acetone to
clarify it.
> This being the case, and despite this being of one
those polishes that I always have in my beauty case, it is pricey,
because I usually bin the bottle midway.
> This red, as most red
shades, chips easily, that's why I reserve the second coat for when my
nails are totally dry but I need to cover the chipping.
Beyond that, this is just a classy wonderful red that never goes out of fashion and I never get tired of.
If you, like me, have a sour teeth, skittles will make you soar to the sour. I love the crunchy coating, the chewy core, the fun colors and, most importantly, their level of sourness. The flavors in the package are lemon, orange, strawberry, green apple and grape. The flavors are very good and they taste of what they are meant to taste plus the sour punch. The initial coating is sweet, although not overly so, and the sourness comes after you chew them.
On the flip side of things, these lollies are loaded with artificial colors and thickeners, so that's why I buy these now and then to appease my sour yearning.
The package size and amount of skittles in it are considerable for the price, so this is good value for money.
This is a good solid tamper, quite heavy for the size. The base and handle can be unscrewed, so I can replace the handle for something different in the future if I feel like it; like a metallic colored handle or a wooden handle. The size is a bit odd for the two stove coffee makers I have, as it's a cm large for one, and a cm short for the other. However, I use it no problem with the latter, while I use the handle flat top as press with my small cafetiere.
Sugarless
jellies are indeed sugarless, gluten free, artificial colors and
artificial flavors free but they still have several chemicals in them.
Like
with any sugar-free product, I expected the flavor not to be as good
as those that have it. However, these gummies flavors are too light to
be fully noticeable to be labelled as yummy or appetizing. Besides,
there is no extra punch, like a bit of acidity or a bit of extra
sugarless 'sugar' sprinkle or something that would enhance the eating
experience. The packet still makes a nice snack if you need/want
sugar-free snacks, but I won't order them again.
The packaging is
misleading as the gummies, as per my photo,don't look like those on the
package photo. Not much product for the price either.
This
is a beautiful fun large Christmas card, made out of good card stock,
beautifully presented and printed. The card as an insert pouch/sleeve
where the cute greetings note is held, so you don't have to ruin the
card scene. The front is also movable, and you can slide Santa left to
right and vice versa. The envelope is plain but very good quality paper,
too.
My only criticism is that the scene is too central, in the
joint between the two card sheets, so it's a bit stiff and the card
doesn't sit totally flat on any surface, something that might have been
prevented if the scene had been divided in two sections, one on each
card sheet. This is me just being picky, as this is a great card that
will delight the addressee. Perfect for kids.
These mini rainbow rolls are a hit with me and with anyone I've shared them with in the last month. It isn't just the colorful packaging and the mini size, which makes me feel less guilty at eating anything sweet, but also the chewable flavors: strawberry, grape, orange, watermelon and yuzu. Sweet, but not overly so. Flavors are totally different between each item but I'm not sure if they fully correspond with the names given to them. Very lovely overall. Ingredients are not too chemical for a lolly, something that I always appreciate.
This
is a wonderful oil that spreads well, absorbs quickly and leaves my
skin hydrated and nourished without any greasy residue. In a way, it is a
dry oil not an oily oil.
I use this oil instead of my regular
hand/arm cream when I notice signs of irritation or redness in my skin, I
had some cuts or wounds that I want healed, to rub my cuticles when
doing my DIY manicure, and also to remove hair-color stains after DIY
tinting my hair.
I love the vintage-look bottle and the branding.
The drop dispenser is great to prevent using too much product and
using the right amount.
The smell is nothing I would use in
aromatherapy as it is the oil natural scent and it isn't especially
aromatic, not bad but nothing that I would put my nose to it, if you
know what I mean.
Mind, the oil can stain your clothes if falls on them, as it has the oil natural yellow-orange color.
Good product but a bit pricey.
This
is a good cream overall. It spreads evenly, it's absorbed quickly and
leaves my hands moisturized without any residue or greasy feeling. The
mouth dispenser is well designed to prevent wasting product, something
that it's really important as this cream is not such, but more a body
milk. I have sensitive skin and I haven't noticed any reaction to this
cream, which is great. The tube has a considerable size and it's good
value for money.
On the downside, although I like this cream, I
don't find it especially healing or really not better on my hands than
other creams or oils. I have mixed feelings about the scent, too. On the
one hand, it's subtle, but on the other, it's also odd. I would say
that it has a wax/honey-ish sort of scent, but the scent is quite
peculiar and it's one of those that polarize people. In my case, I find
it odd but not unpleasant and it doesn't clash with my perfume, yet I
don't find it appealing either.
Overall a good cream, but not
intensive or really healing and it is not especially natural. No
indication on whether the cream is cruelty free or not, or tested on
animals or not.
Yummy selection of Chupa-Chups. This was a hit with my co-workers an with me. It has four popular flavors: cola, watermelon, strawberries and cream, and strawberry. To me, the cola and watermelon flavors are the best of the lot. The other two are yummy but also a bit too sweet for me. Overall a great taster bag
This
is a good quality lip treatment, that spreads evenly and leaves my lip moisturized if I use it overnight, giving it time to do its job. A tiny
amount of product is enough to cover my lips, and the tiny container can
fit even in a wallet. I love the brand and the fact that the product is
cruelty free, too.
However, t I find this treatment as good as
any other lip treatment out there if you leave it overnight, but it's
more expensive. Flavor is minimal. As the product has peppermint oil in
it, there is a slightly hint/after-taste of it, something I dislike.
To
be fair, this is a good product, does the job and is not glamorous,
but does the same job as cheaper products I've used in the past.
I
have been using this body wash for several years now as I have
irritation-prone skin tat gets really itchy with other body washes in
summer.
This isn't an oil per se, but an oil-ish body wash mostly
made out of paraffin and colloidal oatmeal.I don't use this on a sponge,
just directly on my skin. It spreads evenly despite not foaming, and
leaves my skin supple and moisturized without any itchiness. I have
tried other sensitive-skin washes by the same brand and by other brands
and this is the best for my skin.
I love the marzipan-like smell
of the product, something that puts off some people. The most important
thing is that this is my fav body wash when my skin is showing signs of
irritation, rash or itchiness.
The 1L bottle is great value for money, not only because it's does wonders for my skin, but also because it lasts me for months.
I love the fact that the product is vegan and non tested on animals.
I
bought this packet to sample the three flavors. By far, the cola flavor is my favorite. It really replicates the taste of any main
bubbly cola drink out there, and the balance of flavor and sweetness is
great The tropical and orange flavors are true to the flavors of
known brands fizzy drinks, but, this being the case, they are also very
sweet or too sweet for me These lollipops are bigger than the average
Chupa Chups and are flatfish not round. Value for money.
28/10/2022 CHUPA CHUPS CHEWS
These
chews are really addictive, in a good way, and they've been a hit with
my coworkers. The bag has a good amount of lollies. They come in three flavors and I love them all, but my pals have their own preferences as
some of them prefer just one of the varieties in the package. I love
the fact that they aren't overly sweet and that the flavors are what
they've meant to be. They don't stick to my teeth as badly as others do,
which is really great. On the other hand, the individual wrapping is
not the best as it tends to stick to the lollies and they are sometimes
difficult to open. Also, the amount of the three flavors is not equal,
and some of the flavors are over-present in some of the bags. I wish
they did this in other flavors, too. I've already bought 4 packages of
these, and a bag disappear as soon as I share them, which doesn't always
happens with other sweets my pals and I share. I will buy again.
I've been using this trolley backpack for several months now and, overall, I'm very satisfied with the product.
GOOD
>
I have carried this during raining or drizzle days, the bag was really
wet outside, but the water would not go inside or penetrate the fabric.
>
The wheels show no signs of deterioration despite the fact that I use
the bag every weekday to walk to/from work, average 80 minutes per day,
minimum 40 minutes, over flat but textured rugged footpaths.
> I
love the structure of the outside, with 2 side pockets and 3 front
pockets in different sizes. You can fit tons of stuff in. The top one is
small and perfect for your phone, or small items of make-up or a
glasses case plus cleaner bottle for example. Second pouch is quite
large and I can put, comfortably, an average umbrella and a small
cardigan with room for more small items. The third pouch is medium size
but, due to being closer to the ground, I use it to put hard cases (pen
case for ex.), shopping folded plastic bags, batteries, charger,
tissues, anything fabric. Side pockets are also very spacious and I put
there tons of stuff, like deodorant, sun-block, tissues, make-up,
muesli bars, small items of food or candy, etc.
> The handle has
its own zipped space to keep all safe, and you can put extra stuff in
there, too. This is specially good when I'm travelling and put the bag
horizontally on a travel compartment, as it prevents the handle to
protrude and get damaged or hit anyone.
> I love the fact that the
shoulder straps are protected by a zipped coat, so they don't get out
when walking. If you want to carry the bag on shoulders you can safely
velcro it to the bottom of the bag.
> The structure inside is also
good, especially the padded laptop pouch. Plenty of room for me to put
my lunch container, coffee cup, water bottle, plus any other thing to
add for my breaks.
> The fabric handle on the top of the bag is
really strong and nicely padded, so it's very comfortable to carry and
lift when the bag is full without the fear that it's going to break
> Excellent stitching all over.
> Good quality zips.
DOWNSIDE
>
The main downside is that this bag is heavy even when empty, so I think
that a child would struggle with this. I usually carry my umbrella,
water bottle, coffee cup and lunch box as the bigger items there and the
bag is heavy. If I put my laptop and electronics inside, it is really
heavy.
> The handle shape. Bar is square shaped and a bit annoying
to carry for long periods of time, as I do. The handle per se is
supposed to be ergonomic but I don't find it as comfortable as others.
>
The fine inner separator. It's too thin to hold anything strongly
(perhaps small bunches of printed paper or a notepad), but it really
annoys me when putting bulky things inside because it impedes natural
insertion without you having to look inside and hold it.
OVERALL
Overall, this is a good-quality bag and good value for money.
This is an utterly beautiful pop-up 3D card with an insert containing a blank note card to write your message on if you don't want to ruin the card. It is made or really sturdy card stock, and the colors, scene and filigree are stunning. The card is quite large and has a good quality envelope. The only downside is the hanging heart from the star, which tends to detach and fall, and the front of the card, albeit beautiful, it is a bit too red. For the rest, this is one of those cards that won't pass unnoticed. I bought it for a co-worker who's getting married and she loved it.
This is a very lovely quite large 3D pop up Xmas card. It's printed on good quality card stock and it has good printing quality. The blue envelope is luxurious and elegant. The separate beige-grey note card is equally elegant and allows me to write a separate note without having to ruin the Xmas card per se. The Xmas card colors are vibrant and fun. Most pleased with the product. I'll buy it again.
I have been using this inexpensive concealer for over a year now and it has become my fav on-the-go concealer as well as my preferred eye primer.
I use this to neutralize and cover reddish spots on my face (pimple-ish or hair plucking red spots for example) , as an under-eye foundation to cover signs of tiredness and irritation, and as an eyelid primer. Although not an eye primer per se, I use it as such. The results are fabulous as it doesn't irritate my eyelids, it settles/dries quickly, covers the area perfectly and my eye-shadow colorful palette colors are noticeably enhanced.
The product spreads easily and evenly and perfectly matches my skin tone. It's thick enough to cover any area perfectly but without being greasy or too thick. I have sensitive skin and I haven't had any problem with it so far.
Despite the item being quite small, the quantity of product is considerable for me to use it, on a daily basis, for months.
