Ajda Sitar /

At the moment my apartment is wrapped in a scent of fresh peonies. The reason behind it (besides being one of my favourite flowers) is the newest L’Occitane collection named Pivoine Sublime (peonies were absolutely needed for creating this post, the photos just wouldn’t be the same without them). The collection came out about a month ago and I got the chance to properly test out some of their products while also having a lovely facial (with a private tour of the L’Occitane store in the centre of Ljubljana). Not to exaggerate, this collection is a true stunner with a heavenly scent and a beneficial peonie extract from the Drôme Region of France.

L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream (38,10€ for 50ml) is formulated with skin-perfecting peony extract and mineral-based optical correctors. It’s suitable for all skin types and it promises a fresh, luminous and rested complextion, with an immediate radiance boost. It does an amazing job reducing pores and fine lines (in a natural way), while giving my skin optimal hydration. Having a rather thick gel-cream consistency, it’s still easy to apply and spread, while it feels light and absorbs relatively quickly. It feels soft and velvety, my face looks fresh and radiant after use. It’s a bit more pricey, however totally worth the splurge in my opinion. Not to mention, the scent of this product is to die for – who wouldn’t want to smell like fresh-flowery-peonies?

L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime CC Skin Tone Perfecting Cream in Light with SPF20 (28,50€ for 30ml) combines skin-perfecting peony extract with unifying CC pigments and illuminating pearly particles. It’s light in consistency as well as in coverage, which makes it perfect for the upcoming “no-makeup” summer days. It works amazing on its own as well as a makeup base, providing a natural look. It comes out of the tube white and it transforms on contact with the skin. The shade actually matches me quite perfectly, which is a huge plus (it’s not to yellowy, not too pink or orange and it’s a nice match for paler skin tones). The finish is supposed to be illuminating, in my case (normal to dry skin) it’s somewhere in between matte and healthy (definitely not glowy nor illuminating on it’s own; maybe with some help of an oil or illuminating primer). Overall, it’s my daily pick when I am looking for something to give me just a hint of colour and provide me some sun protection.

L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime Tinted Lip Balm in Rose Nude with SPF25 (16,30€ for 4g) is, as the two previously mentioned products also enriched with perfecting peony extract. This creamy balm nourishes and protects (with SPF25) the lips while giving them a slightly rosy-red shade. The scent is subtle, (of course) flowery and a bit sweet at the same time. On the lips it feels comfortable and nourishing enough for my rather care-demanding lips. The packaging itself is a true stunner – weighted metal with a unique closing mechanism preventing it from opening itself. There are actually four lip balms in the newest Pivoine Sublime collection (three tinted ones and a transparent one), they are rather pricey, but still worth checking out. My Rose Nude is one of my go-to product especially on those “no-makeup” days.

If you are a true peony lover, you will only need one sniff to properly fall in love with this collection. It promises and provides lovely results, while leaving a heavenly scent. These three products won my heart for sure, I’d gladly try out some of the other from this collection (Perfecting Mist and Perfecting Essence came out as well).

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Ajda Sitar /

Superfoods are more than just a trend right now, they have become a habit for many who aim to eat and live »right« and healthy. There’s no surprise beauty brands started adding all sorts of superfoods into their products; in principle, they are healthy for your body, why shouldn’t they benefit your skin as well? A while ago Avon launched the Nutra Effects skin care range with an Active Seeds Complex, combining chia seeds, Strelitzia extract and pomegranate seeds. There are four lines catered for specific skin concerns: Hydration (normal to dry skin), Balance (oily to mixed skin), Radiance (for dark spots and dull complexion) and Ageless (for fine lines and wrinkles). I’ve been sent two creams to review from the Hydration line, suitable for my dry-normal skin type with occasional dehydration.

Avon Nutra Effects Hydration Daily Cream with SPF 15 (7,90€, 50ml) is a light protective day cream promising smoother, softer and healthier looking skin. It has a very light texture, therefore it’s easy to apply/spread and it’s quickly absorbing. I read in a few of the reviews it leaves a glow behind, but not my case – I mean, it’s definitely not mattifying, however I wouldn’t call it glowy either. It’s a nice match for my skin, I can see it working well even for combination skin types (while it’s probably not the best for oily ones). I love the fact that it has SPF protection (a rather low one, but still), it leaves my skin hydrated and it’s not irritating. Has a pleasant fresh scent and comes in a heavy glass pot (which is not the most hygienic, at least it looks pretty) and it works great as a base for any foundation. A bargain worth checking out, if you have dry or normal skin!

Avon Nutra Effect Hydration Gel Cream (7,90€, 50ml) on the other hand, hasn’t blown my mind. This light gel cream is supposedly perfect for normal and dry skin. It just wasn’t enough for my skin, few hours after application, my skin already demanded more. I passed it on to my sister (who has combination skin) and she finds it »lovely, pleasantly (fresh) smelling and hydrating«. It’s definitely a lighter version compared to the daily one, it hasn’t got any SPF and it leaves a matte finish to the skin. I believe it could work best on normal or combination skin types, especially coming handy in the upcoming warmer months, since it really lets the skin breathe.

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Ajda Sitar /

»There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be non-believers and then there will be you, proving them wrong.«

wearing:
lace shirt from NEW YORKER
trousers from ZARA
necklace from PERLA.SI
handbag from MANGO
sunglasses from ZEROUV
shoes from RELANCE VERY ME (TRGOVINA MASS)
lipstick LILYLOLO in LOVE AFFAIR

photo: Domen Blenkuš

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Ajda Sitar /

I admit; I have always had a thing for luxurious beauty products. There’s nothing like an impeccably wrapped package, luxurious formulas and the glamour of a high-end brand logo. Being in the beauty world for quite a few years now, I’ve learnt it’s worth checking out some budget-friend dupes for sure. However, every true beauty junkie knows – sometimes the best products are just priceless and therefore worth dropping a little extra cash (especially if you know you’re paying for quality). Even though I am not rolling in dough, I still believe it is smart to invest in a mix of high- and low-end pieces, in fashion, as well as in beauty. I’ve rounded up a quartet of my current favourite luxury finds totally worth the splurge.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse in the limited edition bottle (100ml = 31,57€) is definitely one of the leading beauty oils. I’ve managed to get my hands on the last year’s limited edition and used it all. This year’s looks even more luxurious, the black bottle is just stunning. For those who are not familiar with this product – it’s a multi-usage dry oil made using six precious plant oils (macadamia, hazelnut, borage, sweet almond, camellia and St.John’s Wort). The fragrance is sweet and nutty, extremely captivating (makes you feel like you’ve died and gone to beauty heaven). You can use it on your face, body and hair all year round (I prefer it on my body, especially legs, and love to mix a pump with my night face moisturizer).

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil (7ml = 22,50€) is another well-hyped beauty product directly inspired by Clarins’ expert face and body oil (which is hands down one of the best on the market). This lip care treatment is infused with rich hazelnut, organic jojoba and Mirabelle oil, that leaves a shiny and non-stick finish on the lips with a subtle sweet taste. It comes with a rather large sponge-tip applicator, which actually works nice and makes application simple. I love it because it truly works wonders for my lips – it nourishes, prevents dehydration and leaves them supple and smooth.

Guerlain Maxi So Volume Intense Volume Deep Black mascara (8,5ml = 35€) is my current high-end makeup love. This new Guerlain’s launch has won me over after the first sweep. The biggest plus is it’s formula, which is creamy and elastic. It is infused with a conditioning action to protect the lashes, enriched with adhesive oil to prevent smudging. It comes with fine elastomer brush weaves (which is my preference), that’s why catching and coating all the lashes is super easy (even the smallest ones). You can easily go deep to the lash roots. In terms of lengthening it does do it’s job remarkably well, while achieving a captivating volume isn’t its strongest suit (you can still achieve it, but you need quite a few layers of zigzaging). To sum up, your eyelashes will look intensely black and super long with this one!

Cartier La Panthère Eau de Parfum Légère (50ml = 88,80€) might be my favourite perfume of all time. I wasn’t sure whether it was even possible for Cartier to take on further last year’s launch of the first La Panthère (which is still one of my absolute faves). Both versions are truly captivating! The Légère casts the original cypress-gardenia-musk accord in a new light. The composition is illuminated with an addition of tiare flower, which makes this EDP more radiant and a bit lighter than the original. This fragrance makes me feel strong, sexy and feminine, it’s suitable for everyday or special occasions. And have you seen a bottle? If you take a closer look, you will spot that within the flask, there’s a sculpture of the majestic panther head. Considering the exterior and interior, you can totally tell this is a work of art worth every penny/cent.

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Ajda Sitar /

I’ve actually never been a huge fan of all white outfits, I find them a bit unpractical (I mean, they are definitely not for any weather). Time changes, people change, I change. Lately I’ve been loving a proper dosage of white in my outfits, white adds such a sophisticated and minimalistic touch in my opinion. I was convinced that all-white looks are meant for those skinny long-legged tanned model looking girls, however I’ve learnt that almost anyone can actually pull it off (within reason of course). And Spring is “the” time of the year, when replacing black pieces with white is really a good idea…

wearing:
jeans from NEW YORKER
sweater from NEW YORKER
handbag from GIGI NEW YORK
shoes from ASYLUM (TRGOVINA MASS)
lipstick BOURJOIS ROUGE EDITION AQUA LAQUE (01)

photo: Domen Blenkuš

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