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Cheap, no frills – but it just might have landed at an airport too far away for Irish sensibilities.
Clumsy analogies aside, Ziaja is claimed to be Poland’s leading skincare range and is unbelievably affordable to our ripped off Irish eyes. This skincare range is massive and everything is priced from €2.95 to €10.95
So what do you get for your pocket money? You get very basic skincare that’s dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and cruelty free. So that’s all good. But it is very basic and the packaging does look like it cost 1c to make (fair dues, it probably did).
I tried out some of the products from the cucumber range: the cream cleanser, the exfoliator (worryingly called skin peelings) and the moisturiser. The textures aren’t great to be honest, but the products do what they say on the tin. If you’re looking for a budget alternative to the products crowding our supermarket shelves give this a go – but I think you might like the Lidl (Cien) or Aldi (Siana) ranges better.
It would be great if some Polish ladies would comment and let us know what they think of Ziaja (pronounce it Ji-ya). Maybe you find it rocks and I didn’t give it enough of a chance…
Ring 01 8369967 for stockists or have a look at www.ziaja.ie
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Now that Twitter is involved, does that mean you won’t be announcing competitions, or the winners, on this blog? If I am not a member of Twitter, how can I find these important things out?
Cj – no, it doesn’t mean that at all, don’t worry! We’ll do both.
It’m more like “Shy-ya”, Aphrodite
nevertheless, Ziaja have some really good products – being a Polish lady I wouldn’t call it a leading Polish skincare range, but it’s certainly popular and great value for money.
Personally, I don’t think much of the cucumber range though
I have tried and tested a lot of their products and there’s a few really worth having a look at, but I can’t find them on the Irish website! Some of the ranges are just missing – including my favourite one, Calma HLC, for ultra-sensitive skins… is it possible that Ireland is getting a raw deal from Ziaja? Not impressed.
Olaola – very interesting! What sort of brands does it sit along side or compete with? And also, how respected is Dr Irina Eris in Poland?
Admin, we’ve got lots of good stuff at the mo, actually! I’d say Ziaja is the cheapest one, most of their face moisturisers would set you back around 2 euro when you buy in Poland…
I just looked though the wesite closely, and can reccommend a few bits and bobs from what they do offer to Irish girls! So, here goes:
- make-up removers are said to be the business, especially the duo-phase one
- toners are good value for money, watch out for the marigold and cucumber ones, they are lightly scented and just do te job, without leaving this weird, sticky layer some toners giva you
- natural olive cleansing gel has been praised by hunreds, and I mean hundreds, look here: http://www.wizaz.pl/kosmetyki/produkt.php?produkt=13713 – I know it’s in Polish, but it’s got five stars out of five, with over hundred people having voted
NOW, body care:
- “body spray”, as they call it on the website, is basically a cocoa oil atomiser. Smells lush, although very sweet, and keeps your skin very supple.
- body butters are all yummy, with olive one smelling slightly citrussy (citrusy?). Cocoa one smells exactly like the oil I metioned above, and vanilla is sweet and buttery. Haven’t had a chance to try amber.
- shower creams – they’re HUGE (500ml) and really good and not drying. Cocoa butter and olive are yum, haven’t tried goat’s milk though, so no idea abou the smell.
- I don’t value hand cream myself, as they are too light for me, but I know lots of gals who swear by them, so you might wanna give them a try!
Pfff, that’s about it!
Admin, I’ll answer your question in a new comment, just not to cram too much info into one
I hope it doesn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth like Ryanair does….!
wow – thanks Olaola!
No worries Admin
have a look here, that’s Ziaja’s Polish website: http://www.ziaja.com/offer/pl/kosmetyki_1/twarz/kremy_2/prod:krem_biolipidowy – that’s the moisturiser I mentioned in my previous comment. It’s great for dry skins, VERY moisturising, quite greasy but it’s never clogged my pores. It did get rid of the dry skin around my nose within one night though! I suppose it would be worth emailing them to ask if they’ll sell it in Ireland.
Ok, Admin, so you were asking about Eris.
It’s a well respected brand and their skincare ranges are MASSIVE and they’ve got loads of them. Dr Irena Eris started producing moisturisers etc probably about 20 years ago and the brand has gained a lot o trust over the years, the packaging is obviously much nicer than it used to be and the technologies much more advanced. They also do make-up, but I only tried a foundation aaages ago, and didn’t rate it too high. But then they’re not experts on the make-up subject and they are on skincare, so it’s definitely worth trying!
The company is really successful and they have just launched they’re own perfume as well.
Here’s their US website, I don’t think they have a British/Irish one: http://www.eris-usa.net/catalog/
When it comes to other big names on the Polish cosmetic market, I think AA Oceanic is interesting (where AA stands for anti-allergenic), they’re also a respected company and are more “phamaceutic” than the competing brands. http://www.oceanic.com.pl/en/marki.htm
Have a look at Dermika, which is probably the most expensive one of the brands I mentioned… it’s got elegant packaging and uses new technologies too, so it’s got a completely different target than Ziaja. They do everything from bath and body ranges to specific anti-aging skincare. http://www.dermika.pl/engine/index.php
When it comes to Ziaja again, they also do a proffessional range that’s just targeted at beuty salons, much more expensive than the products on their normal website. It’s possible to get it at auction services though, and I’ve tried algae face mask which is brilliant.
Unfortunately, I don’t know how easy it is for you to try anything from the brands I’ve listed
I can offer to send you stuff next time I’m in Poland though 
hello ladies
couldn’t believe my eyes when seen Ziaja on the Beaut.ie!!!
)
I would agree in most with Olaola
I can’t say bad word about the brand, it does what it says on the tin and for great value, its not fancy pansy but does the job on very low budget and I don’t know any Polish girl that wouldn’t use at least one of its products ( and look at us we are all beautiful hi hi
The amber moisturiser is lightly self tanning sort of J&J’s holiday moisturiser and it was in shops years before.
I use Ziaja’s feminine hygiene lotion I think is brill (I was surprise that, there is not much of this sort of product up here, what are ye ladies use? soap!?) I always bring few months of supply whenever going for a visit home.
When I was in college and broke, Ziaja was a life safer, some of my friends still use eye cream as its for sensitive eyes (apparently any other brand gives them allergic reaction) marigold was my favourite range and I used to love they “greasy “ winter face moisturiser excellent for below zero temperatures and ski holidays. I also own “acid face peel” from their professional range which I used to clean my face before wedding and done wonders but wouldn’t recommend for home use (could get nasty if wrongly used)
I tell ya ladies in those economic times get your hands on those babies from Ziaja
Olaola and passghirl – you are brilliant – thanks so much for sharing all your info!
I am currently using Siana (Aldi) night cream. Bought after reading all the good reviews and not so impressed. It kinda doesnt feel pampering at all and doesnt moisturise enough for me in this weather. I think that I wont be buing again. The price is briliant though.
I quite like the Aldi range! A few years back when I was between jobs, I used to the food shop with Dad in Aldi (I’d go around and get the food he’d wait in the car till he saw me near the till). I used to get alot of this range…the deodorant was one that was brilliant…might take a trip to Aldi tomorrow!
Hmmm, doesn’t look like you can buy it on-line… Where can you get these babies?
I’m having my bimbo day today – it’s said in the post – for stockists see website
The goats milk moisturiser is fantastic!!
I’m from Lithuania and used Ziaja a number of times, and might I say – it’s lovely!
Great to see some new products being introduced! I am currently getting to know the Natural Olive moisturizer. I am usually going for health store moisturizers but last time i ran out and had to get whatever was available in the local chemist.
So for the sake of nostalgia I picked this over nivea or l’oreal and I must admit I am pleased. Didn’t spot many harmful chemicals or preservatives on the ingredients list; the smell is a little too “grannyish”; the packaging isn’t exciting, but it does moisturise well and doesn’t irritate my ridiculously sensitive skin so I would recommend giving it a try! And I like that this has a best before date on it!
I am from Estonia and I remember from the old soviet times how my grandmother used to go for holidays in Poland and bring back all kinds of cosmetics and skincare products for all the women in the family and neighbourhood to keep us going for a year!
I tried the deep Moisturising cream from the Marine Algae line from the Ziaja range after seeing it advertised in one of the daily papers last week.
It was around the €8 mark. The scent off it was a really fresh scent that made me want to smell it more and more and i found the cream really good as i’m a typical Irish woman and my skin is very sensitive and i found this really good. I usually used nivea but i was pleasently surprised with the results after only using the cream for a few days.
I’m strongly thinking of trying other products from the same line.
I’ll keep you posted on the results!!
Lisa – please do!
Hello ladies,
I am not Polish, but I am an American from NYC who visited Poland a few years back. While there it was very cold and my skin dried out. The friend I visited at the time recommended Ziaja. She told me that she often had very dry skin and always used Ziaja and that it was a must have for all Polish women. I said I did not want to spend a lot of money, and of course she told me how inexpensive it was.
Being a skincare enthusiast, I was doubtful, but interested. We went to a drug store in Warsaw and she recommended the chocolate line Masto Kakaowe krem. She said at first it will feel very thick and greasy, but after a while it evaporates into your skin. It smells delicious, and I love it. Before the end of the trip I bought out a whole drugstore. At the time it cost about $1.50!!! You really can’t beat that. I am still using it.
I can’t speak for all Polish women, but my friend, her sister and mother all used Ziaja and swear by it. And these ladies were quite well-to-do and could afford to buy whatever product they wanted, and they preferred this one. (they also had great skin!)
Unfortunately they don’t offer this product in the US, but if I happen to be in UK, I will stock up again!!!
my sis came across the goats milk body balm/lotion…we both have psoriasis so very dry skin…..this stuff is brilliant! really rich so very good for dry skin and smells lovely too. leaves skin feeling and looking sooo soft and smooth. have just asked a polish workmate to get me some sent over. the hand cream is also very good!can’t believe its so cheap, we are missing out big time!
Hi to all.
I used the Marin algae line from the Ziaja range and i really saw a difference in my skin.
There is a lovely face mask in the line and it really smelled lovely when i had it on and my face felt great when i pealed it off.
The cleansing water in the range is realy gentle as there is no alcohol in it and it didn’t dry out my skin unlike one of the last cleansers i was using.
I got it in a pharmacy in Galway when i was down there for a weekend.
I asked the girls in the pharmacy if i could get it in Dublin and they told me to check the ziaja website.I did and i was very happy to see that they have a few places in Dublin that stock the range.
In case anyone is interested i put the website above.
I did the womens marathon earlier on in the year with a few friends and when we went to the RDS to register with the and get our t-shirt and number ziaja had a stand there. I got a load of samples from stand and i was told by a member of ther staff that they will be selling it online soon so i won’t even have to leave the house. I still haven’t found the site but when i do i’ll let you all know.
Take care all…….
I mean’t to put the website in there, It was http://www.ziaja.ie i looked at.
Gals, a good cosmetic is a simple cosmetic.
My fiancé rates Ziaja just next to Vichy for it’s uncomplicated use of chemical ingredients and for being just righ in terms of effectiveness. She has relatively sensitive skin and only Ziaja, Vichy (and La Roche-Posay) work OK.
Perhaps, it’s not outperforming the top ranges, but as I say, less invasion is probably healthier for your often tired skin. Most importantly, don’t associate Ziaja’s lower price with lower quality, especially in this case.
BTW, I hope, McCabes will restock with Ziaja again.
I know, because I buy all these mysterious plastic containers all the time and can judge on performance.
I got lots of samples last week at the beauty show in the RDS .Had never heard of the products before.I’m really impressed!!I am loving the fruity cranberry moisturizing cream.It feels so light on my skin.Also tried the olive oil cream too and its fab too.I’m defintly going to give them a try.
I can recommend those Ziaja products I have tried:
Feminine hygiene gels are must-have and they come in huge variety of smells and kinds (yep, different effects.
Sopot spa mincelar make-up remover – not greasy, cleanses well.
Sopot spa gommage – very gentle and moisturazing, I leave it for a whole night.
Goat milk hand cream – heavier then other Ziaja hand creams, but not greasy. Don’t worry, it doesn’t smell like goat milk! I would say it smells very similar to dark blue Dove products.
I also used black sculpting spray for arms (Oh, that belief in cosmetics). I used it all over my body, because my skin can’t stand heavy formulas. Hydrates and has nice, spicy smell.
Exfoliators are called ‘peelings’ in Poland, I guess it came from beauty salon treatments, like acid peels. Plus it’s easier to pronounce