When it comes to makeup, I’ve had to slowly catch up on some of the products and skills that have been missing from my repertoire.

In the past, if I used blushes at all, I’d always use powder blushes. It’s only now that I’ve begun to play around with cream blushes.

So recently, I acquired 2 cream blushes. In addition, I also purchased a nice little blush brush. 

Because the first lesson I’ve had to learn when it comes to makeup is that good BRUSHES are everything!

They don’t call makeup an art for nothing.

So! Today we’re going to have a look at these three…

1) Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Cream Blush
2) Alverde Naturkosmetik Cream To Powder Rouge
3) UNE Blush Brush

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MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Cream Blush

I bought this blush for a greatly discounted price during a vide-grenier (a boot sale if you will). I think I paid around €10 for it.

The first thing I noticed about it is how richly pigmented it is. Meaning you need to use just an itty bitty drop of this to get a real pop of color.

Because it’s so pigmented, it’s really easy to build up for a more dramatic look.

At the same time, I found it a little tricky to apply because it dries fast. So you have to work quickly to blend it.

This blush comes in 14 different colors with fanciful names.

I have color #12, which is called “Mandarin” on the Make Up For Ever site but everywhere else it’s known as “First Kiss.”

I would describe the color as a peachy coral, edging on orange. The finish is matte, without the slightest hint of shimmer.

The color looks really pretty on the back of my hand. But on my cheeks? it’s a completely different story.

When I wear this blush, it looks like I’ve been kissed by the sun… a little too long.

So I thought I’d build up the color instead and go for a more dramatic look. But nope. My cheeks just ended up looking dramatically burned. Like red lobster kind of burned.

It’s not the most glamorous color on me. But I sincerely think this color could go well on other skin tones.

My favorite part about this blush is that it stays on for hours! I timed it at around 5 and a half hours.

This cream blush comes in a plastic pump container. I think it’s the first blush to ever come in this form. Many people have complained about the pump; that it’s too wasteful because it’s hard to get out only the tiny amount that you need.

But not me! Who knows, maybe I have a softer touch

The positives:

+ Highly pigmented.
+ Color stays on for hours (5+ hours).
+ Even though it’s so small, the product can last you for a long time.

The negatives:

- Tricky to apply, you have to work fast!
- Could be tricky to pump out of its container

How Much: Normally, €27.50 for 10 ml

Conclusion: If only I had found this in a color that suited my skin tone… I would have been a big fan of this blush.

It’s got two strong points going for it though. It’s long lasting and richly pigmented.

But if I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t have bought this blush if I hadn’t found it at such a good discount.

***

ALVERDE Naturkosmetik’s Cream To Powder Rouge

This blush was given to me as a gift by my dear friend and fellow beauty blogger Luchessa!

I don’t know much about the brand Alverde. But after a bit of looking around, I’ve learned that it’s a natural and organic brand with incredibly affordable prices. But sadly, I don’t know if you can find this outside of Germany.

The interesting thing about this blush is that it’s a hybrid between a cream and a powder. It’s definitely not as creamy as the Make Up For Ever blush.

When you you touch this blush, it feels smooth and slightly moist. Then it begins to dry and feel powdery if you rub your fingers together.

This blush is not heavily pigmented. And for me, that’s a good thing as I like my everyday look to be more subtle and natural.

The color that I have is #20 Winter Rose. It’s a dark shade of pink that gives my cheeks a warm, flushed color. 

The resulting look is soft, with a diffused glow.

What I like most about this brush is that it’s really easy to apply! It spreads easily and evenly across your skin.

I noticed however that this blush is not as long lasting as the Make Up For Ever blush. It begins to fade after  3 hours.

When I saw the retail price of this blush, it seemed suspiciously low.

But then I looked up the ingredients and I was very surprised to find a short list of good quality natural ingredients. Like minerals, jojoba oil, olive oil and chamomile extract.

The positives:

+ Easy to apply.
+ Soft natural color.
+ Adds a soft, healthy glow.
+ Natural, organic ingredients.
+ Incredibly affordable.

The negatives:

- The color doesn’t last very long.
- Only available in Germany.

How Much: €2.95 for 4.7 g

Conclusion: This is a great everyday blush for people who like soft, natural colored makeup.

Its good quality organic ingredients along with its incredibly affordable price makes this blush seem almost miraculous!

Now… where to find this?

***

UNE Blush Brush

This is a flat-end blush with densely-packed bristles made from synthetic fiber.

I’ve had my eye on this blush brush ever since I got a free makeup session with UNE. Actually, I waited quite a while to finally get this. You might not believe me, but I do follow a beauty budget!

I’m going to be honest and say… when it comes to buying makeup brushes, I have no idea what I’m supposed to be looking for.

But when I saw this, I just fell in love with it!

I love this brush because it’s so small.

I’m a small person with a small face. And makeup experts say, when it comes to brushes, size does matter! 

I’m also really into the clean, white design of the handle and the bristles.

But it wasn’t just about looks.

I love the way that this brush feels on my skin. Ok, so what if it’s not the softest brush in the world!

I just like the way that you press the round flat-end of this brush and then use soft, circular strokes to blend color over your cheeks. The motion in itself is the essence of pampering.

The one bad thing I noticed right away is how the bristles have frayed a bit and fallen off around the sides. But after a couple of uses, it doesn’t seem to be fraying and breaking off as much anymore.

The positives:

+ Small, dainty brush.
+ Soft, blended finish.
+ Love the design.
+ The price is not too bad.

The negatives:

- Bristles fraying and breaking off.

How Much: €13.50

Conclusion: I recently had a problem with my UNE powder foundation crumbling and falling apart. I was very annoyed about this because that ish was expensive and I’d barely gotten to use it.

So. We’ll see how long this UNE brush lasts me…

 

Klorane is a french cosmetics brand that’s synonymous with hair care.

It’s one of the brands you’ll find in every french pharmacy (which are beauty clinics masquerading as pharmacies), along with well-known beauty brands like Caudalie, Nuxe, La Roche-Posay and Avène.

Even though Klorane is not a natural and organic brand, I’ve been drawn to their products mainly because they are somewhat price-friendly! Of course, it’s all relative isn’t it? What I mean to say is, Klorane is “price-friendly” compared to other french pharmaceutical brands.

But… are the products actually any good?

Ah, that’s the question.

Well, today we’re going to have a look at these 3 different Klorane products that I’ve been using:

1) Klorane Dry Shampoo with oat milk
2) Klorane No-Rinse Day Cream with abyssinian oil
3) Klorane Shampoo with mango butter

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk

Dry shampoo has been all the rage.

On days when you don’t have time to wash your hair, you can use dry shampoo to soak up oil and dirt from your scalp. So it’s quite convenient and practical.

It’s also a good idea to limit the number of times you wash your hair as washing your hair too often can strip away natural oils. And if you already have dry hair to begin with, you really need those natural oils!

After reading loads of great reviews about it, I picked out and purchased Klorane’s dry shampoo with oat milk.

This dry shampoo is formulated with a mix of starches, clays and flour. It comes out of a non-aerosol squeeze bottle.

Meaning you squeeze the bottle, and dry shampoo puffs out onto your scalp.

My experience: I really wanted to love this dry shampoo…

For the first 24 hours, this works to keep my scalp clean and prevent my hair from getting greasy. My hair also maintains its volume, so it doesn’t weigh down my hair.

Alas, I can never get that truly clean feeling that I normally get from washing my hair.

And the worst part for me is that this dry shampoo creates this icky build-up on my scalp, which after 24 hours becomes too itchy and unbearable. Then for the next week, I have to work really hard to rid my scalp of the build-up.

So…

The positives: 

+ Keeps my scalp dry and clean within the first 24 hours.
+ It doesn’t weigh down my hair (doesn’t necessarily create volume either).
+ The squeezable bottle is easy and safe to use.

The negatives:

- My scalp never felt properly clean.
- Produced a very thick build-up on my scalp.
- After 24 hours, my scalp became too hot and itchy from the build-up.
- Difficult to rid my scalp of the residue.

Conclusion: Even though I had a terrible experience with this dry shampoo, I’m not going to completely swear off dry shampoos yet!

I’ll wait to try a different dry shampoo and see if it’s this product that creates this icky build-up or if it’s just dry shampoos in general.

How Much: 11€ for 50 g / 1.7 oz

 

Klorane No-Rinse Day Cream With Abyssinian Oil

(For dry, frizzy hair)

This is a rich and nourishing leave-in cream that works to soften the hair and protect it from external aggressions.

It shouldn’t be confused with a conditioner, which works more to hydrate and detangle the hair.

The cream consists of emollient nutritive ingredients like abyssinian oil, which creates a protective film around the hair cuticle. Tricglycerides, which softens the hair shaft, and a complex of essential fatty acids. And phospholipids, which nourish the hair down to the fiber.

To use, you need just a quarter-sized drop to spread on your hands and then distribute evenly through your hair with the help of a wide-tooth comb.

My experience: This day cream really does work to soften my hair! It’s hard to tell what’s going on, so I’m just going to assume that it’s also working to protect my hair from external aggressors and seal in moisture.

But just because it’s formulated for frizzy hair does not mean this cream does anything to make my hair any less frizzy!

The positives:

+ Nourishing.
+ Protective.
+ Softening.
+ Light pleasant scent.
+ A little goes a long way.

The negatives:

- Not at all hydrating.
- My hair’s still buzzing with frizz.

Conclusion: I’m happy with the way this cream softens and (supposedly) protects my hair.

But for your hair’s daily dose of hydration, you’re going to need to use a regular conditioner in addition to this day cream.

How Much: 9.50€ for 125 ml / 5.07 fl oz

 

Klorane Shampoo With Mango Butter

(For dry hair)

According to the Klorane box it comes in, this shampoo works to nourish and restructure dry hair, smooth the hair cuticle and fill in the gaps in the hydrolipidic film that protects hair from dehydration.

Although Klorane capitalizes on the nourishing and restorative properties of mango butter, the first three ingredients (after water) are detergent and surfectant agents, like sodium laureth sulfate, which creates lots of foam and bubbles. Followed by some other stuff. Followed by conditioning agents like glycol stearate and guar gum. And then finally you get to the mango butter. And then the parabens. And then the coloring agents.

My point is, the mango butter thing is just bit of a marketing ploy. I didn’t look too much into this shampoo before buying it. I just grabbed it because I saw the “for dry hair” label.

I know… shame on me!

My experience: This shampoo is just a little bit more hydrating than my very basic cleanser (the aroma zone base lavante).

Besides that, this is nothing more than your average run of the mill shampoo with a price-tag that’s higher than your average run of the mill shampoo.

The positives:

+ Nice scent.
+ Doesn’t leave my hair looking like a dry, frizzy mess.

The negatives:

- Terrible ingredients.
- Costs way more than it should.

Conclusion: A very average shampoo that costs about 3 euros more than it’s worth.

How Much: 6.5€ for 200 ml / 6.7 fl oz

 

Thoughts About Klorane In General

To sum things up… I tried 3 different haircare products by Klorane and liked only 1!

I had a terrible experience with the Klorane dry shampoo and a rather ho-hum experience with the mango butter shampoo. The only product I was mildly satisfied with was the no-rinse day cream with abyssinian oil.

After being underwhelmed by 3 different Klorane products, I’m going to go ahead and say that it’s time for me to switch to a different hair care brand.

Suggestions, anyone?

I was instinctively drawn to the skincare brand Mad Hippie because I myself am a mad hippie!

But as I am also a serious skincare fanatic, products need more than just a clever name to capture my interest.

I like my skincare products to be highly natural. And full of top notch quality ingredients. And I want them to work!

So when I read the ingredients in Mad Hippie skincare products and saw that they were loaded with super star ingredients from natural sources, I was very eager to try them and see just how well they work.

A quick word about the brand…  Mad Hippie is a small, new-ish American cosmetics brand from Austin, Texas. Their products are made with a high content of natural ingredients.

Though they do not carry the organic label, it does not necessarily mean that they are cutting corners. I’ve found some cosmetics brands before who refuse to put the organic label on their products because they do not agree with how low the standards are in order for a company to be labelled organic.

Maybe Mad Hippie is one of them? I promise I will look further into this matter of why they do not have the organic label on their products.

In any case, on to my review of the two Mad Hippie products that I’ve been using for the past six weeks… the Vitamin C Serum and the Eye Cream!

MAD HIPPIE VITAMIN C SERUM

This serum is packed with eight active ingredients, including Vitamin C and E, Hyaluronic Acid, and Ferulic Acid.

Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant in skincare. It fights against free radical damage and slows down aging. It has been shown to regenerate collagen and improve the appearance of wrinkles. In addition, Vitamin C lightens pigmentation and helps to brighten your overall complexion.

I was originally looking at Skinceutical’s C E Ferulic treatment, which costs a whopping $153.00! But then I saw that Mad Hippie’s Vitamin C serum also contains Vitamin E and ferulic acid, for less than a fourth of the price. Obviously, I went with Mad Hippie.

Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid are also anti-oxidants that can prevent the signs of aging and protect against environmental pollutants as well as against the damaging effects of UV rays.

How To Use: The serum comes in a glass bottle with a glass dropper. This actually makes it really easy to apply. You can use the serum either in the morning or the evening. And then follow it up with your regular moisturizer.

My experience: I only use this serum once every third night. If you’re curious as to what my skincare routine is like, you can read about it here. When I do use this serum, I tend to be very generous with it. I put a drop on my forehead, each cheek, my chin and my nose. I then lightly massage it onto my skin with my fingertips.

The serum comes out as a clear liquid, with a sticky gel-like consistency. The scent is light and pleasant, with sweet floral overtones.

Once the serum is absorbed, I noticed that my skin feels taut immediately afterwards and takes on a bright sheen.

The Results: …are amazing! However, they became only apparent to me after one month of use.

And what did I notice? The lines that were forming around my mouth and on my forehead have been visibly reduced. My skin feels smoother and firmer. The dark blemishes on my check have lightened. And my complexion has overall become brighter.

What I Like About Mad Hippie’s Vitamin C Serum:

- The results!
- Reduced lines
- Smooth, firm skin
- Lightened blemishes
- Brighter complexion
- The price is really good for what it does
- Easy to use with the dropper
- Loaded with great ingredients
- Flower Power packaging!

What I Don’t Like About It:
- It could be a little more hydrating

How Much: $27.19 for 30 ml / 1.02 fl oz on iherb.com

Would I Buy It Again: Definitely!

Ingredients: 

Water Deionized, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate), Alkyl Benzoate, Vegetable Glycerin, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Clary Sage (Salvia Sclarea), Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis), Hyaluronic acid, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Vitamin E (Tocotrienol), Ferulic acid, Chamomile Flower Extract (Recutita Matricaria), Sodium Phytate, Xanthum Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose

MAD HIPPE EYE CREAM

This eye cream is loaded with 16 Active Ingredients. Jeeze Louise, right?

The featured active ingredients are peptides, ceramides, pomegranate and white tea. But what caught my attention in the first place were the Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. 

Vitamin K is an ingredient to look for if you suffer from dark under eye circles. The eye cream also contains titanium dioxide, which has sun-protective properties and helps to prevent further darkening of the skin.

So, I specifically chose this cream with the hope that it would help to banish my dark under eye circles.

How To Use: The cream comes in an air-tight plastic bottle with a pump. You gently massage the cream onto the skin beside & below the eyes. And you’re supposed to use this twice daily.

My experience: So I actually use this cream once a day, as I still have another cream that I’m trying to finish. The texture of the cream is light and absorbs easily. The scent subtly hints of berries.

The cream feels soothing and is excellent at hydrating the skin around my eyes! It also works well under makeup.

Results: The cream is very good at hydrating the delicate skin around my eyes. It feels soothing and helps reduce puffiness.

The ingredients are supposed to help protect my skin against external aggressors and thus, slow down the formation of wrinkles and sagging. But the result of such preventive measures are hard to assess.

As far as reducing the appearance of dark circles under my eyes however… I can’t say that it’s helped too much.

What I Like About Mad Hippie’s Eye Cream:

- Hydrating
- Soothing
- Reduces puffiness
- Loaded with great ingredients
- Helps to protect the skin against external aggressors
- Helps to strengthen the skin and reinforce collagen production
- Works well under makeup
- The price isn’t too bad for what it does
- Flower Power packaging!

What I Don’t Like About It:

- Not that effective at banishing my dark circles

How Much: $19.99 for 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz on iherb.com

Would I Buy It Again: I wouldn’t say it’s high on my re-purchase list.

Ingredients: 

Water, Niacinamide, Regu-Age, Eyeliss, Haloxyl, Matrixyl 3000, Glycerin, Vitamin K ( Phytonadione ), Titanium Dioxide, Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate), Squalene, Cholecalciferol, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Argan Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Chamomile Flower Extract (Recutita Matricaria), Vitamin E Acetate, Ceramide 3, Buckwheat Wax, White Tea (Camellia Sinensis Extract), Pomegranate Seed Oil (Punica Granatum), Sorbic Acid

Concluding Thoughts

I was very pleased with Mad Hippie’s Vitamin C serum!

But I was rather disappointed with the Eye Cream. Too bad! Keep in mind that I was looking for very specific results. So the eye cream might work quite well for you.

Also, Mad Hippie offers a 100% money-back guarantee if you are unhappy with a product and you return the unused portion within 60 days.

So I’d say, it’s well worth the risk of giving Mad Hippie a try!

Would you give Mad Hippie a try? Also, if you’ve had great results from an eye cream–especially at reducing dark under-eye circles, I’d love to know about it!