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Review: Alima Pure mineral makeup

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I have been using mineral makeup for 5 years now. Trying out many different brands eventually led me to products I was really happy about. Just recently I was planning to make a blog post about my all time favorite beauty products but I had to postpone it because there was a big change in my makeup bag. Hint: I discovered something even better.

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The biggest issue I’ve had with mineral makeup is that the result can be powdery & dry. And I’m one of those who’s obsessed with everything radient, glowy & luminous. So when reading the names of Alima Pure products, I was intrigued. Luminous shimmer blush, radient finishing powder, satin matte foundation… Will they work as promised?

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The answer is YES. Honestly, this brand changed my makeup game completely. First application and I was in love! It was just as radient, glowy & luminous as promised.  

Alima Pure is a luxurious mineral makeup brand with products that are crafted from the purest natural ingredients. Their formulas are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, dimethicone, petroleum, talc, bismuth oxychloride, and nanoparticles. Also they’ve never tested on animals. I think that says a lot about the brand.

If you haven’t tried any mineral foundations or you’ve had some bad experiences, I suggest you to keep reading!

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PRODUCTS


Alima Pure Satin Matte foundation is one of their bestsellers and with a reason. First of all it comes in 45 shades which is great for people who are always struggling to find the right one. Because of its hypoallergenic ingredients, it is also suitable for very sensitive skin. I have always struggled with mineral powders making my skin look dry and flakey but this one doesn’t do it! I feel like the name “Satin Matte” is describing the finish very well. For application I like to use a mini kabuki brush and with gentle circular motions I keep applying the product until satisfied with the coverage. It is easily buildable and it has an amazing coverage creating a beautiful base canvas. “Beige 4” is the shade I have but it’s a bit dark for me right now as the summer is almost over and I’m not that tanned anymore. I will go and pick up a lighter shade, so I can mix & match. 

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Alima Pure powder concealer is probably my favorite Alima Pure product. I got already excited when I was just reading the description and let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint. For me it’s too heavy to use creamy concealer + setting powder underneath my eyes, daily. I don’t need that much coverage. But I do need a little. So this little product is like an answer to my prayers. Think of it as a brightening powder with concealer coverage. But remember that a little goes a looong way with this product. I like to apply it to my chin, nose, between the eyebrows and underneath my eyes. I also love it for cleaning up the contour on my cheeks & making it more precise. It is such a good product! Comes in 4 different shades and I use  “Sand.” I feel like it’s not too dark, too light or too yellow. Just perfect!

Alima Pure Radient finishing powder is my second favorite product of this line. With other mineral makeup brands I haven’t really been into finishing powders. I think of them as another layer on my face. But for the sake of this review I tried out this one and I’m so happy that I did! Like the name says “Radient finishing powder” and this is exactly what it does – it creates a radient base and blends everything together. I use the shade “Augusta” as it is for medium skintones.

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Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer blushes have beautiful pigments with a touch of shimmer. They come in 5 different shades. I picked “Freja” but I also like ”Rosa” & “Leigh.” I feel like a lot of people skip this step but for me blush is a must. After creating this beautiful and flawless base, you need to add some color and depth. Otherwise the result will be very flat. “Freja” creates this naturally blushed look and I love it. If you’re struggling with your skin being too shiny, you can easily just use this blush and skip highlighter as it already has some glow to it.

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Last but not least I tried Alima Pure highlighter in the shade “Whisper.” It is a beautiful beaming highlighter with pink undertones that blend together with rest of the makeup. It just gives a finishing touch. The product is not too powdery or glittery. I use it on top of my cheekbones, on the bridge of my nose, inner corner of the eye, on top of my lips and a little bit on my eyelids aswell.

To talk about how long these products last once applied to the face… well, I could easily go 14 hours without touch-ups (keep in mind that my skin is normal to combination). On hot days I would probably touch-up my t-zone. So, in general I would give 9 out of 10.

That being said, picking out the right shade online can be tricky. So if you’re not sure and want see & touch & smell everything, I suggest you to visit Tradehouse store. And then order online if you would like to get a discount.

By using the code “MUURJA” you get 20% OFF when ordering Alima Pure products from

http://www.purecosmetics.ee
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Arrivederci, my friends! 🇮🇹

Smileo9(2)

TEETH WHITENING 101

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“What do you do with your teeth? They’re insanely white!” – is one of the most frequent questions I get. To be honest I’m actually blessed with naturally white teeth. However I do like my coffee. So, I need to take an extra step to keep them white and bright!

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For about 5 months now I’ve been using Teeth Whitening Kit by Smileo (HERE). I know that there are many different companies selling all kinds of products to get that beautiful white smile but what I like about Smileo is that it’s an Estonian company selling products that work really well while still being organic & cruelty-free!

Smileo offers 3 different products: Charcoal Whitening (HERE), 3D Whitening Strips (HERE) and Teeth Whitening Kit (HERE). In my opinion they all work really well, it’s just a matter of preferance. I like The Kit just because it’s comfortable to use and it doesn’t leave a mess. The Kit’s effectiveness is based on UV light technology, which is one of the most popular dental procedures. 

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How to use it:

1. Make sure your teeth are clean.

2. Attach the mouth tray to the LED light.

3. Apply the gel on the mouth tray (top & bottom).

4. Place the mouth tray in your mouth between your up and bottom teeth.

5. Turn on the LED light.

6. Wait 10 minutes.

7. Remove the mouth tray.

8. Rinse your mouth.

9. Separate the mouth tray of the LED light and wash the mouth tray.

(Repeat once a day, for 7 days!)

It’s such an easy way to get rid of those coffee stains. I’m always quite skeptical about products that promise quick results. So, I always do my research. And I’m here to say – approved! 😀

Smileo95

Because the company is based here in Estonia you don’t have to worry about high shipping costs, custom fees, taxes etc. Their prices are very affordable. But I still managed to sort out a discount code! Yay! A little disclaimer: I’m not earning anything from the sales, it’s just for you guys!


Using the code “muurja10” gives you 10% OFF on all Smileo products! (HERE)


Enjoy your Sunday! xx

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Review: SAMPURE MINERALS LIQUID FOUNDATION

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Season change also brings a change to my beauty rituals. As the weather has gotten a lot colder, my skin has been acting out and showing me that it’s time to ditch mattifying products and start using moisturizing ones.

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People who have followed me for a while might remember a blog post where I was reviewing different products by Sampure Minerals (HERE). Their mineral powder foundation (HERE) is still one of my holy grail products! But it works for my skin only during Spring-Summer. 

Therefore I’m SO happy they finally came out with a Mineral Liquid Foundation (HERE) which means I’m all set for Fall-Winter! Perfect timing!

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I’ve been using it for 5 weeks now and to be honest I’ve had mixed feelings about it. At first I hated it. I thought it was one of the worst foundations I had ever tried. It didn’t blend at all leaving me with patchy and uneven skin. I actually thought about calling it off, this whole collaboration.

But finally I figured out what I was doing wrong – I was applying too much product! Once I realized that, my opinion changed completely. This foundation actually works so well and has such a beautiful & natural finish! Light coverage but easy to build up. It doesn’t clog the pores and when wearing it for 14 hours in a row, you don’t feel like “omg, I can’t wait to wash off my makeup.” Also I think it works very well with Instant Glow Mineral setting powder (HERE) as it makes the skin even smoother!

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Here are some tips to get a good base:

✔️ Start with well moisturized skin. This is without saying the most important step!

✔️ Remember to shake the product.

✔️ Use a flat top kabuki brush or something similar. Beauty blenders/sponges don’t work because it’s an oil based foundation & sponges are all about water. Oil and water don’t mix as you know.

✔️ Don’t apply too much! Trust me on this! 😁

✔️ Use Sampure Minerals setting powder. It sets the foundation and gives you a beautiful & natural finish!

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PS! Using the code “maarjabrenner” gets you 20% OFF from all Sampure Minerals full-priced items when ordering from purecosmetics.ee!

SAMPUREMINERALS44

For my Estonian followers: Soovitan minna sel nädalavahetusel (11.-13.10) Ilumessile ja otsida üles Pure Cosmetics’i boks, sest siis saab tooteid oma silmaga näha, uudistada ja katsetada! 😉

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SUMMER HAIR CARE ROUTINE

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Oh summer! Sunny days at the beach, toes in the sand, bikinis, mermaid hair… so idyllic!

As you change out your wardrobe and swap chunky sweaters to summer dresses, you need to take a look at your hair care routine aswell. It might be time to add a few products to your regimen in order to cope with summer conditions. Salty seawater, chlorinated pools, humidity & heat damage from the sun are just a few of the reasons why you need to rethink your hair care.

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My hair is color-treated, dry and damaged, so it was a no-brainer for me to start using L’Oreal Elvital Extraordinary Oil hair care. This line is very nourishing and meant for dry to extra dry hair. I think it’s been roughly over 15 years since the last time I was using L’Oreal hair care products. To be honest I don’t think they were that good back then and so many other brands were flooding the market, so I kind of just went with the trends.

But now as I’ve been using this particular line for almost 2 months, I’m impressed! They have come such a long way. The level of improvement is insane! This line works so well with my hair. No joke!

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One of the biggest issues that I have during the summertime (and also during tropical vacations!) is having frizzy hair due to the humidity. Using products like L’Oreal Elvital Extraordinary Oil shampoo & conditioner, which are infused with nourishing oils, help me to deal with that problem. I usually follow with L’Oreal Elvital Extraordinary oil to tame away any remaining frizz!

PS! Extraordinary Oil comes in a small bottle aswell which is great for travelling! …and it’s made of plastic, so it doesn’t break in a suitcase!

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During the summertime I try to use hair mask more often just to keep the hair soft and healthy. L’Oreal Elvital Extraordinary Oil mask is definitely my favorite product from the whole line! It smells divine + it actually works with my dry and damaged hair. Yes Yes Yes!

I usually wash my hair twice a week. I feel that’s enough for me. In-between washes I use L’Oreal Magic shampoo (which is a dry shampoo/texturizer). I swear dry shampoo is like an espresso to the hair! 

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On very sunny days (or at the beach) I try to wear a hat or a scarf around my head – they look really cute + they make any summer outfit more put-together. You avoid getting a sunstroke & you protect your hair from the exposure!

I try to use hot tools as little as possible. Therefore airdrying instead of blowdrying. Just letting the nature work its magic.

Because summer is all about embracing your natural hair!

Love,

Maarja

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SUNKISSED SKIN 101

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Summer has finally arrived and it makes me so happy! As the weather this week promised to be ridiculously hot, I decided to come to Pärnu & spend the week here (for my international readers: Pärnu is the so-called “summer capital” of Estonia). 

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So, I grabbed my puppy & my laptop and here we are! 

To be honest, I’m currently sitting in the shade because I got sunburnt. I was a little sloppy applying sunscreen and totally forgot how strong the sun can be at the beginning of summer. So no better time than right now to talk about the importance of a sunscreen!  

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Variety of EVY Technology sunscreens (HERE)

 

Here are some very common thoughts:

– You can’t get a tan while wearing a sunscreen. Not true. Ofcourse you will get a tan while wearing a sunscreen! The SPF number is just a measure of how long your skin can be in direct sunlight without beginning to get red or sunburnt.

– All sunscreens are the same. Not true. I’m not talking about the SPF number on the bottle but the ingredients which block the sun in different ways. When choosing sunscreen make sure you pick the one that protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the ones that prematurely age your skin, causing wrinkles and age spots, while UVB rays cause sunburn. EVY Sunscreen mousse (HERE) and EVY Daily UV Face Mousse (HERE) are both marked with UVA/UVB symbols + they are made especially for sensitive skin. It means that you can use them even around your eyes and on your lips. Score!

– Makeup is enough to protect the face. Not true. It is true that makeup provides some protection from the sun. However it’s not much and it’s not a replacement for a good sunscreen. Makeup should be seen as an additional layer of protection, not the only layer.

– People with dark skin do not need sunscreen. Not true. While people with darker skin might be more protected from the sun, they should still use sunscreen to avoid premature aging and wrinkles.

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As I mentioned before I can be sloppy when (and if!) applying sunscreen but there are still certain guidelines that I follow…

For example, I hate it when my nose gets all red and sunburnt. To avoid it, I use facial sunscreen SPF 30 or a sunscreen stick to apply just on my nose. It does the job.

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At the beach I usually use EVY Sunscreen Mousse SPF 30 (HERE) but for boat days I just neeeeed to have SPF 50 (HERE). Once in Australia we went for a 3-day boat trip. Even though Australians were telling me to use at least SPF 50, I was like “Dude, I used to live in Dubai. I know my skin and how it reacts to the sun. SPF 15 is enough for me.” I ended up having such bad sunburn and sunstroke that I don’t even want to recall. So, SPF 50 on boat trips is a must!

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Applying EVY After Sun Mousse (HERE) is the best part of sunbathing/sunny days. It contains aloe vera and melon which are both so soothing. The right kind of hydration is actually how you maintain the tan!

When I was younger it was all about using baby oil while frying that skin until it’s dark, very dark. It sounds bad but this is how it was. Nowadays I prefer having just a healthy-looking golden tan. PS! The pictures in this post have a strong filter on + heavy contrast. I’m not actually that tanned. Just wanted to point that out. Otherwise I might sound a bit hypocrite.. 👀

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What I wanted to say with this blog post is that choosing the right kind of sunscreen is everything when it comes to sunbathing. Get tanned but not burned! 😉

xoxo,

Maarja