This reminds me a lot of Nivea Cream Care. Small size, subtle scent, multi purpose, travel size cream. Unlike Nivea, this one has a fruity fresh scent (frangipani and a not so noticeable coconut). With very similar packaging, there is the For You/Für Dich version, with peach and papaya.

Balea Pflegecreme mit Liebe
With love. With frangipani and coconut scent.

BRAND: Balea

LOCATION: dm / drogerie markt

PRICE: 4.99 RON

QUANTITY: 30ml

PROS

• wonderful fruity scent
• long lasting scent ♡
• practical, easy to fit in a small purse
• hydrating

CONS

• the tin is a bit unhygienic to use

Would I buy this product again? Yes!

This hand cream was a bit of a let down, but not because of its quality (I find it to be better than the Balea one). I was simply looking for a Christmas scent but I didn't find it here, oh well. Can't say I love it, can't say I hate it. Some other options for these hand creams (and shower gels) are: Irish coffee, black cherry, watermelon, strawberry, pear, grapes and mango!

Dermacol Aroma Ritual Hand Cream Belgian Chocolate

BRAND: Dermacol

LOCATION: [order] elefant.ro

PRICE: 12.99 RON

QUANTITY: 100ml

PROS

• nice subtle smell
• hydrating

CONS

• i don't smell any chocolate in it
• leaves behind a thin layer of grease

Would I buy this product again? Yes, but not the hand cream. Maybe the shower gel from the same line will have a more intense fragrance.

A delicious and sophisticated scent from Benetton Italy, Cheering Rose is a refreshing body mist of good quality and it's not as pricey as Victoria's Secret body care line (which I have never tried, but I'm planning to). Having 12 different options to choose from, you're sure to find a scent you fancy! Here are their names: Smoothing Orchid, Relaxing Violet, Magnetizing Jasmine, Stimulating Aqua, Charming Frangipani, Refreshing Apple, Appealing Lily, Warming Mango, Arousing Watermelon, Sparkling Guarana, Energizing Pitanga, each of these trying to represent a certain country.

Benetton Spray de corp Cheering Rose
Refreshing body mist. Natural spray - Use all over your body.

BRAND: United Colors of Benetton

LOCATION: [order] elefant.ro

PRICE: 19.99 RON

QUANTITY: 250ml

PROS

• refreshing rosy scent with a sour kick
• very cheap for this quantity
• wide range atomizer (1-2 spritzes are enough)

CONS

• poor lasting time, only a few hours
  (compared to Zara Body Mist)

Would I buy this product again? Yes! I can't wait to try them all! I find them to be a perfect fit for summer, when you don't want to overwhelm and suffocate people with strong nauseating scents.

Wanna save some money while still wearing your favorite scent? Curious of how some high-end perfumes smell like? Then why not try some cheaper smell-a-likes?
Refan is a Bulgarian company that sells perfumes and skin care products. Sadly, these can be hard to find (there are no such shops in my city, but I ordered from the capital).

As of last year, it is forbidden to advertise the name of the perfume Refan is copying, so they only use a code number to identify each perfume. But the sellers can still tell you the notes or the name if you ask them hehe. That being said, I currently have the numbers: 145 (Kenzo - Jungle L'Elephant) and 100 (Chloe - Chloe).

I can't tell you that they match the originals 100%, but I can say the Kenzo one smells very very close to the original (I smelled it on one of my teachers once). They come in 5ml, 30ml, 50ml and in different bottle types and scent strength/concentration.

BRAND: Refan

LOCATION: [ordered]

PRICE: 40 RON

QUANTITY: 50ml

All in all, I am very satisfied with their products, not only the perfumes, but also their: soaps, shower gels, face masks and creams. If you find one of their shops in Europe, be sure to give their products a try!

Would I buy this product again? Yes!

Ain't the prospect of hair removal a pain in the ass? Sometimes you just don't wanna waste time with it or you find it boring or painful, depending on what method you use. Well, this shaving foam from Balea will surely entertain you with its smooth fluffy texture and wonderful fragrance! Shaving has never been this fun.

Balea Rasiergel Winter LE Oriental Flower
Shaving gel. Oriental flower. With the oriental scent of amaryllis. Sensitive skin

BRAND: Balea

LOCATION: dm / drogerie markt

PRICE: ? RON / 1.15 EUR

QUANTITY: 150ml

PROS

• no cuts on my skin (soaked in warm water beforehand)
• lovely smell
• fragrance persists
• easy to keep track of where your razor's been

CONS

• nothing as of yet

Would I buy this product again? Yes! Can't wait to try all the versions!

Image @Unsplash.

I’ve been struggling with oily hair for a long time now and I have learned a lot from my experience.
Some of these tips might seem very very basic… but I’m gonna leave them here anyway.

• Do not wash your hair every day! Do not wash your hair every 2 days! Your scalp will get used to producing more sebum and you will smell awful a few hours after washing. Instead, wash about 2 times per week.


• "But my hair will look and smell like shit!" you're gonna say. Yes, that is why you should invest in a good dry shampoo. Batiste offers an effective and cheap product that absorbs grease and adds a pleasant smell to your hair roots. Balea Dry Shampoo is also an option but it's a bit less effective than Batiste.


• "But what (liquid) shampoo should I use?" A good shampoo shouldn't be too harsh or too moisturizing for your scalp. Avoid 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner because they never work as intended. If your hair is greasy then avoid those "oil/serum/extra-super moisturizing/repair/dry-scalp" kind of shampoos for they will be easily absorbed by your scalp and roots and barely absorbed by the ends of your hair (that actually really need moisture and repairing). Try pH neutral shampoos for sensitive skin if you have greasy hair but also flaky and dry scalp. My current favorite is the Balea Vitalizing Shampoo for normal and greasy hair, for example. Good luck finding your best match!


• "I have dry hair and split ends too..." This is where conditioner plays its role! Only apply conditioner to the lower half of your hair, far away from your roots! Still not silky smooth? Try a hair mask! Don't be fooled by advertisements and pretty packaging: split ends will never magically disappear from a good moisturizing; they'll only look a little better and come back after not using conditioner. Cut them away when they become unaesthetic or use a little bit of hair wax on them to make them stick together.


• Dry your hair as soon as possible if you live in a humid environment. I've noticed that sleeping with my hair wet over night during fall/winter makes it lose all its volume and it becomes noticeably greasier.


• Wash twice when washing your hair! "Uhh ...Do what?" Yes, the first wash will help remove the general grease from your hair. This will make your hair strands stick less to each other, allowing the second wash to properly clean the leftover dirt or grease. You will notice you need a smaller amount of shampoo for the second wash and you will feel cleaner. So: wash, rinse, wash, rinse, done!

Now, I'm not some professional hair person. These are just tips that I've found useful and that might not work for everyone.
My only proof is my personal experience.

...and why I do NOT recommend.

A new company emerges. You see its wonderfully designed product packaging, you see the very affordable prices.
Some many products to choose from... you can't NOT find something that you fancy so you order/buy right away.
What's next?
Disappointment! (At least in my case)

IDC Institute, part of Aquarius Cosmetic, is a spanish company that sells its products in Europe. I've seen them in French, Italian and Romanian web stores.
Like other people, being pleased by the nice designs, I bought 2 things: a body spray and a bath foam, both disappointing.
Moreover, after reading the label, I can say that these products are 'made in PRC' (China) and 'developed in EU' - which explains why I was not at all impressed with the quality.

IDC INSTITUTE Body Spray Warm Lavender, 150 ml

• the picture on the bottle is that of lilac, not lavender...
• the smell has nothing to do with lavender
• doesn't last long
• the atomizer was broken

IDC INSTITUTE Bath Foam Lilac and Lavender, 1000 ml

• the picture on the bottle is that of lilac only haha
• did not make much foam
• felt very drying

I ended up using the bath foam as a shower gel (combined with others, since it didn't make much foam) and the body mist as a room freshener (after transferring it in a bottle with a working atomizer).

Would I buy these products again? Definitely no.

Oh, the struggle! Finding a good face cream that doesn't make you look like you bathed in oil. Worry no more, my dears, I have found my perfect match so maybe it also suits you.
I used to have oily skin and dry skin flakes on my T-zone. Now I only have oily skin haha. But what I want to say is that cleaning my skin regularly (getting rid of those dead cells) and moisturising made a huge difference. So invest in a good cleanser and face cream! Which brings me to this product by Balea.

Tagespflege 24H Pflege mit Fruchtsäure mattierend
For every day. With fruit acid.
(24H version is the new packaging, same product)

BRAND: Balea

LOCATION: dm / drogerie markt

PRICE: about 11.99 RON / 1.95 EUR

QUANTITY: 50ml

PROS

• smells great, like fresh green apples
• not too fluid, not too thick, 'just right' texture
• feels light
• very easy to spread
• fast absorbing
• really does mattify
• good price
• doesn't break me out (good for acne prone skin)
• good make-up base

CONS

• starts to slightly shine after a few hours
• might not be the best option for winter if you need extra hydration
• not the best option for summer either (no SPF)

Would I buy this product again? Yes!

Winter is still here, sadly, and my hands need all the help they can get. I bought this hand cream back in November, hoping it would be great, since Balea has gotten a lot of praise for their products. I wasn't impressed though... I checked the fragrance of all of the available options and nothing made me say 'wow!'. So I got this (random) lemon one thinking that maybe the hydration would be good.

Handcreme Buttermilk & Lemon
With the fresh scent of buttermilk and lemon. For dry hands.

BRAND: Balea

LOCATION: dm / drogerie markt

PRICE: about 5 RON / 0.85 EUR

QUANTITY: 100ml

PROS

• smells nice, like lemon pie
• it’s cheap

CONS

• doesn’t hydrate that much
• feels greasy
• not suitable for winter

Would I buy this product again? No.