Tejasvini Chander - Makeup, Hair and Beauty

My Current Makeup Kit Favorites

2013-01-27T05:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a post about my most favorite things from my make up kit at the moment. Things that I cannot imagine working without and things that make work so much more fun and easy.

The most hassle free cleanser that is hypoallergenic and suits all skin types is Bioderma Crealine H2O. It is my go-to corrector liquid. Its perfect for just dabbing on a Q-tip to quickly clean up any errors and it does not leave the skin too greasy or too dry as opposed to other cleansers. It feels just like water and is a rinse-free formula. The only downside is that it is not very easily available and can be a bit pricey outside of France.

A thin and sturdy eyeliner brush and a few drops of water is all you need alongwith the Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner. They do quite a few colors but I love the black (Ebony). Its so easy to do the thinnest line or the most graphic eyeliner look with this. Most importantly, it just doesn't budge.

An eyeshadow palette that has all bright matte shades and is super inexpensive is quite the dream. I did not want to spend a lot of money in buying every single matte bright shade as I don't use it very often unless doing a very editorial sort of a look. I use my Sleek Ultra Matts V1 palette to create all really strong and colorful make up looks. Sleek is a such a great brand for the medium and ethnic skins as the colors really pops. To make it even more intense I like to dip a wet brush into colors.

Have you ever wondered what a really teeny weeny fan brush is meant for ? It completely changed the way I put on mascara and made it so easy to add volume and color right from the roots to the tips. I find it to be a much more hygienic practice while using the same mascara on many different people at work. Just take some product from the mascara wand onto your fan brush as shown. You could use wet eyeshadows instead of regular mascara to wear crazy colors on your lashes and then use a coat of clear mascara to seal the color in place.

Its what I like to call the "Cadillac of eyelash curlers"
Aside from looking absolutely gorgeous in my brush roll, the limited edition 24 carat gold plated Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler is so ergonomic in its design that there is practically no chance of pinching the skin or getting funny looking crimped lashes. If you haven't had an eyelash curling accident before then you must know that it could cost you your eyelashes if the rubber pads slipped off of the the inexpensive one that you might be using. The investment on this highly acclaimed big boy was completely worth it, as the curl lasts much longer, the mushroom shaped pads stay put and seem to absorb my clumsiness.

Best ever moisturizer to wear underneath make up. It does the job perfectly without a even a hint of breakout. I have always had foundation or tinted moisturizers make my skin look flakier than usual but not while I wore Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentré before applying any foundation or base. This is believed to be a tad cheaper alternative of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream.

Hope you enjoyed reading this.

Have a great one !
xx.
Tejasvini.

Choosing The Right Acne Treatment.

2013-01-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

Happy 2013 beauties..
I thought the new year will be a perfect time to give you new skincare advice especially that which will not only help you deal with acne but also help you brighten up and look like you have an all new skin.

Here's hoping that this post will help you to choose acne treatment for your skin type merely by looking at the product composition. I am going to enlist a few ingredients that are essential for fighting acne. Knowing these will immediately help you to identify a product that is a suitable treatment for your condition.

1. SALICYLIC ACID

Salicylic Acid works best for skin that has no inflammation. It helps keep pores clear by plunging out the dirt, thus preventing breakouts in the first place. Salicylic Acid can cause some irritation on the skin too. It could burn, peel or flake. You could pair it up with a light oil free moisturizer to control these side-effects.
Asprin is known to contain salicylic acid... You could crunch it up and mix it in a wee bit of water and use it as a spot treatment for acne.
Always look for products that have salicylic acid in at least 2% or more.

2. BENZOYL PEROXIDE

This reduces the amount of bacteria on the skin. The bacteria that cause acne cannot survive in an oxygenated environment. Benzoyl peroxide being a bleaching agent introduces oxygen into the skin and this kills the acne causing bacteria. It also acts as an exfoliant. It is most effective for mild to moderate acne. The side effects are similar to those of salicylic acid which can be controlled with a light moisturizer. It is best to start with the lowest 2.5% treatment of benzoyl peroxide and let your skin adjust to it. There are higher concentrations but they often irritate the skin.

3. SULPHUR or SULPHURIC ACID

Products containing sulphur (as high as 10%) work as an excellent spot treatment. These can be very very drying and should not be used anywhere else but the zit.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is one such product that contains Sulphur as well as Salicylic Acid that helps eliminate spots.

4. RETINOL or RETIN-A

Retin-A or Retinol work wonders for treating aging skin or skin that has been overexposed to the sun and has fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinol, available over the counter, contains very very light dozes of vitamin A which can be applied to the skin every night. This increases cell turnover over a period of time and will cause the skin to look more radiant and have less breakouts because it starts exfoliating a lot faster.

Retin-A (Prescription drug only) makes your very skin red and itchy. It will make the skin peel like no other and you are likely to think that you are having an allergic reaction but its actually Retin-A just doing its job.

It could take anything between a month to six months to notice a visible difference as retinols work towards giving you a whole new skin that is clearer and smoother.

5. GLYCOLIC ACID

Glycolic Acid or Alphahydroxy Acid peels off the top layer of the skin. It tingles the skin quite a bit after application but leaves it quite glowy looking. One must use a generous amount of sunscreen to avoid any sunburns post the intense peel. It is great for clogged or enlarged pores. You could use with a 2-5% dosage to begin with.

One must NOT use these many different types of products on their skin at one time. It can be very unhealthy and can cause too much irritation.
These are just some ingredients that you can look for. You can start with over the counter dosages and see if they help. These are just some things that I have tried out and worked for me. If you are an extreme case of acne, you must consult a dermatologist and get heavier dosages of the treatments that are suitable for your particular skin type and condition.

Hope this helps. :)

Cheers to a gorgeous new you in the new year.. Good Luck.

What's causing you to breakout ?

2012-11-08T05:16:00.000-08:00

Acne is a major concern not only for young adults but grown ups too. For sometime, I will be posting all about understanding acne breakouts and things you can do to prevent or treat them.

The Chin:

Hormonal imbalances are known to be a major cause of acne around the chin area. You may find that the you are more prone to breaking out on your chin around the time of the month when the hormone levels are a little more spiked than usual.

The Forehead:

According to ancient chinese medicine, DEHYDRATION is the main cause of breakouts on the forehead area. I cannot reiterate enough, the importance of drinking plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

Your forehead could also be breaking out because you have oily hair or are prone to dandruff and have bangs (hair that falls on your forehead) on your forehead. The oil or dandruff flakes seep down to the forehead and cause breakouts.

Try to change your shampoo/conditioner and see if it is your existing brand of shampoo/conditioner that you are allergic to.

The Cheeks:

Many a times, breakouts on the cheeks are caused by food allergies. For example, Dairy or Gluten Allergies. Try a gluten free diet and see if it works for you. Eliminate nuts and dairy products for sometime and look for a difference.

Always remember to disinfect your cellphone and pillowcases. These two are a breeding ground for all the dirt of the world which ultimately comes and sticks to your face.

The Nose:

There isn't a particular reason that is known for breakouts on the nose other than that the nose has larger pores and as a result of which it is more prone to bigger breakouts. The nose needs special attention in terms of plunging out all the dirt. Make sure you exfoliate really well on a daily basis.

Stay tuned for a post on what kind of products to look for while trying to prevent or treat acne. Till then I will just just leave you with some cliched advice that you already know but still don't use it enough.. just drink tons of water, keep your hands off your face and keep your skin squeaky clean !

Thank you for reading. May your day be just as beautiful as you.

Good luck !

Blow Drying - Pro Tools & Tips.

2012-10-24T10:41:00.002-07:00

This post will take you through all the steps right from the point where you get out of the shower to finishing your style using the blowdryer. It might help you find some absolutely awesome products that are Pro favorites.

After you are done shampooing and conditioning, towel dry your hair (about 50% dry) so it stops dripping and you are ready for your favorite serum. John Frieda Frizz Ease, Toni & Guy Glamour, L'oreal Smooth Intense (with Argan oil) are a few really good ones that will help your hair behave a lot better during any kind of heat styling.

Depending upon your hair type, you might want to prep and prime your hair with a product that will help retain the style you create for a longer time. For instance, if you have really fine hair prone to a lot of breakage while styling, then the Redken Extreme Anti Snap is a great leave-in treatment for you. Similarly, the Redken Power Tame 16 is a straightening balm to prep coarse and unruly textures. Do not forget to use a heat protectant before you subject your hair to any kind of heat. L'oreal Techni Art Iron Finish and the Tresemme Thermal Creations are my favorites. Try to stay away from Silicon serums for heat protection.

Having done that, rough dry your hair to about 80% dry. I like to use a Parlux 2800 for more heavyduty drying or a Panasonic Ionity for lighter use. Always remove the nozzle while rough drying and use maximum heat and maximum airflow. Make sure you burn dry the roots before you move to the rest of the hair shaft because as heat rises from the scalp, it takes the moisture down and can ruin any styling you have done at the mid-lengths before drying the roots. Move the drier back and forth quickly while at the roots to prevent burning them.

Denman D4

After rough drying, brush out any knots or tangles you may have with a Detangling brush like Denman D4. You can start creating the style after replacing the nozzle back on. Its common knowledge that for creating volume, you must always blast the air moving from the roots to the tips. Always start at the top. This prevents moisture or it its weight from falling to the bottom ends and taking away their volume. You could use a Paddle brush, a round termal brush for more volume/big curls or a thermal straightening brush.

Thermal Straightening Brush

Thermal Round Brush

Finish your style with a few blasts of cool air as that brings the shine back to the dull hair that has been subjected to a lot of heat. To get rid of any flyaways, spray a tiny bit of fixing spray on your hand or your brush and go over the flyaways. You could also use a tiny amount of Paul Mitchell Gloss Drops worked into the palm of your hand in order to tame any last minute flyaways, frizziness and to keep it looking naturally shiny and lustrous.

If you are like me and would wear perfectly styled hair everyday, then most of these products are a really good investment. However, I do believe that blowdrying after every wash is not a healthy practice at all. I try to leave my hair to dry naturally as often as possible. I don't recommend blowdrying your hair more than thrice a week.

Thank you for reading.

Hope you have many beautiful hair days after reading this.

Good Luck !

Toss 'em out..

2012-08-21T03:47:00.001-07:00

This post is a shout out to all the make up junkies just like me who would love to own all the make up in the world and never ever throw any of it out. I know you love every little product in your vanity but it is absolutely essential to de clutter and get rid of things that are just not fit for use and have been sitting in your drawer way past their shelf lives. For optimum use of all your cosmetics and brushes, be sure to maintain very hygienic conditions for the products, tools and the environment you store them in.

Your MAKE UP BRUSHES are probably the only thing in your vanity that are likely to last you forever. If you treat your brushes well in terms of storage and cleanliness, they are always going to be with you. An important tip for cleaning brushes is to make sure that no liquid goes into the part where the bristles are glued. Heat or liquid can loosen up the glue and cause the bristles to fall out. Find ways to store them upright and in a way such that they don't scratch each other.
Make up sponges, however should be cleaned after every use and must be discarded after a few uses.

I see tons of people holding onto bottles of FOUNDATION which are some 5 years old and are shaken before use only to not realize how disintegrated they actually are. A good water based foundation with a pump has a shelf life of no more than 12 months. The ones with an oil base could still go up to 18 months or so. The life of a CONCEALER is also about 12 months.

Just be sure to always use a properly sanitized brush or sponge and never contaminate your face powders/bronzers. This way you can squeeze out a couple of years from your POWDERS. As long as your powder does not smell funny or looks like it changed colors and is of an even consistency, it is good to use.

Most Lipsticks, lip glosses and lip liners can last up to 2 years. It's always best to store silky textured lipsticks with a weak bullet in the refrigerator and far away from a lot of heat, moisture and direct sunlight.

MASCARA is known to have the shortest shelf life of them all. 90 days is what experts say. I find myself squeezing out about 5 months of use from each tube. Its all good as long as it does not smell fishy. NEVER share your mascara with anyone else. If you use any eye make up with an infection, discard as soon as the infection is over. To know more on how to get the most out of your mascara and tips and tricks for application, CLICK HERE !

EYE SHADOWS & EYE LINERS will easily last up to 4-5 years. I actually want to say that your eye shadow palette could last you a lifetime if maintained and stored properly. Always sharpen very old eye liners before use to get rid of any dirty or infectious deposits on the tip.

A few other tips:

Refrigerating your perfumes helps them last much longer as the scent does not disintegrate or change colour at lower temperatures. Nail Polishes are pretty sturdy and and can be made to last for as long as 2 years as long as the acetone in them does not evaporate. Always store packets of Facial Wipes (Make up remover wipes) upside down in order to prevent the moisture on the wipes from drying out. Creams and cleansers are good to go for about a year or so.

The golden rule to understanding if it has gone bad or not, is to check consistency, colour and smell. Needless to say, if it's really old and irritates your skin, it most definitely belongs in the garbage.
Take good care of everything you use on your skin and I promise it'll pay you back..

Thank you for reading. Have a beautiful day. :)

How awesome is your little jar of vaseline !

2012-08-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

So many of us go around looking for the perfect eye make up removers, lip butters or cuticle oils. I've tried so many different products yet nothing proved be as much of an all rounder as my 20g pot of aloe vera vaseline. It sure says lip therapy but I use it as so many different things. After you finish reading this, I bet you will be hunting for your little baby jar of vaseline to make it your beauty BFF ! :)

Take vaseline on a Q-tip to get rid of eyeliner and mascara from every nook and corner of the eye. It also helps meltdown the lash glue from false lashes to ease out the removal. Thereafter, take a small amount and warm it up between your ring finger and thumb and massage it onto your lashes for some nourishment and conditioning. This has worked wonders for me. In just a few weeks, I noticed longer, thicker lashes. It reduced lash fallout considerably.

Massage vaseline every once in a while to your cuticles. It locks the moisture in, improves circulation and promotes nail growth. I like to do this after removing nail polish and filing my nails as both these activities have a very drying effect on the nails. I hear of so many people complaining that their nails take too long to grow out. Try conditioning your cuticle with vaseline and let me know if it worked for you.

If you don't like how your brows are shaped or if the growth is just scanty in some parts then vaseline can be of such awesome help. It nourishes the roots of the hair and promotes hair growth when applied regularly. I once decided to rehabilitate my brows. I had to go without threading for quite some time and to speed things up, I used vaseline on my brows every night before going to bed. I finally managed to get some strands on the arch where I never had any hair. It also eases out eyebrow plucking. Lube the under skin before plucking. It will hurt a lot less. Hence, I love vaseline. :D

We all have that gorgeous pair of heels that are insanely uncomfortable within flat 15 minutes from the time you slip into them. You obviously can't not wear them because they are gorgeous but what you can do is work around the discomfort part of it. After wearing them for a short while you would have figured out where this beloved pair bites you. Just rub some vaseline onto those areas and put these babies back on. "Whaaaaat ?" Yeah, that's what I said when I heard Elle Fowler say this but it actually works. And no, it wont ruin your shoes unless the vaseline touches the suede portion of the shoe.

My nightstand favorite is always by my side to help me keep my lips, knees, elbows and heels hydrated, soft and supple at all times. :)

Hope you enjoyed reading this !

Take good care. :)

Lip Plumper !

2012-08-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

Apart from the many many tricks, one simple product can help you get those luscious looking lips. These products typically work by irritating the thin, delicate skin of the lips with ingredients like menthol or camphor. This makes the lips swel l slightly, which may also diminish the appearance of fine lines in that area. You know its working when you feel a tingling sensation on your lips.

A quick home remedy for plumping lips is cinnamon oil. Apply a single drop not more than twice a week. Frequent use of cinnamon oil can be rather damaging for the lips.

Its best to apply lip plumper and let it sit for a few moments before you start applying other lip products. It may even be wise to wipe it off after you get the desired results as some of the lip plumpers are not a very good base for lipsticks and could make your lips chap.

Where to buy: Now, a lip plumper is not a very common concept here in India. I am aware that not many cosmetic counters carry a lip plumper. I still managed to find a website that has one or two good ones.

Click on:

http://www.urbantouch.com/makeup/lips/lip-plumper.html

I suggest the NYX or Sally Hansen if you're looking to try this out.

Good luck ! :)

For the love of FULLER lips.

2012-07-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

If you aren't already blessed with a pair of naturally plump lips, these are a few tips that may help you achieve the fuller look you've always wanted to see on yourself. The results are almost as good as those of surgery.. temporary nonetheless. ;)

As we grow older, our lips tend to lose volume and start looking shriveled. And a common mistake made by older Indian women is the use of darker shades of lip colors.
While fuller lips make you look younger, brighter lip colors end up making them look smaller and more like a thin, contour less bright line across the face. No matter what age you are, If you feel your lips are on the thinner side, bright pinks and reds are not the best option for you.

A lip liner closest to the color of your natural lip is always a great investment. And so is a matte lipstick in the ditto same shade.

To begin with, camouflage the natural shape of your lips with the help of a concealer. lightly tap a concealer that matches the rest of your face onto your lips. Be sure to have your lips nicely hydrated and scrubbed (if need be) before doing this otherwise the concealer pigments get caught onto the dry flaky skin.

lined along the 'V' of the cupid's bow.

Start by using a flesh toned lip liner. Amp up cupid's bow (V of the upper lip) and whiskers very slightly. Go a little over the natural line and blend inwards. Concentrate on the outer corners more as this is what makes your lips look thinner. At the same time, try not to make it look unnatural by going all the way out. If you look ghastly, you'll know you've overdone it. Be very careful while at the outer corners unless you're dressing up for halloween ! :P
Use your lip color the way you normally would. Try blending in with your liner as far as possible for a more natural and smooth look. To counterbalance asymmetrical looking lips, use a lighter a lip color and darker lip liner.

Finish with gloss. Gloss catches light and add adds depth to the look. Dab on some gloss at the centre of the lower lip and smack. Add another swipe if necessary.

The above tips and tricks create an illusion of fuller lips than what they actually are. However, to actually plump up your natural lip, you could use a lip plumper ---> Read here to find out all about it !

Here's hoping that boosting up the shape of your lip just a little bit, will help boost up your confidence immensely.

Thank you for reading ! :)

Beauty on a budget & Best Buys < INR 200.

2012-07-15T05:39:00.001-07:00

Despite the fact that I love every single beauty product on the planet and can go berserk buying anything at any price, I am always looking for awesome inexpensive alternatives or dupes of the more pricey cosmetics. So I thought I'd share some of my best findings of the Indian market with you too.

1. Garnier Anti Dark Circles Tinted Eye Roll On

Price: Rs.199/-

This is a beautiful answer to the problem of dark circles at a beautiful price. It works as an excellent concealer if you have a medium amount of darkening around the eyes. May not give a very good coverage for severe dark circles though.
I believe there are 2 shades available : Fair & Medium.
The tinted eye care product is dispersed from a cold metal roller ball which feels great on the under eyes and the massaging action helps reduce puffiness. The water like consistency of the product makes it very simple to blend into the skin by merely taping the product into the skin and it looks just perfect. It does not crease into the under eye wrinkles at all and manges to make the entire eye socket look just as even as the rest of the face which is great ! you might want to re-apply once more during the course of the day.This also works for concealing any redness around the nose, chin and forehead.
The product also claims to reduce dark circles as it is enriched with caffeine and lemon essence. I have not noticed any visible reductions in the darkening around the eyes but it continues to be a GREAT CONCEALER !

2. Maybelline ClearGlow Bright Benefit Cream

Price: Rs.199/-

What a hassle it is to wear layers and layers of products before you can start doing your make up. I have a hard time layering up moisturizer, sunblock, foundation and setting powder especially during the summer time. Thanks to this tinted moisturizer (that I like to call 'Pure Perfection'), I don't have to go through the ordeal of slapping one product over the other every single day. I just pat this across my face and I am done. It has SPF 21/PA+++ for sun protection and because it is tinted it gives you an even-toned complexion and hides imperfections. There, you already don't need sunblock or foundation. It gives you a nice dewy finish and claims to control sebum and shine for about 5 hours after application. All-in-all, I find this 18mL (which lasted me for more than 2 months on daily use of a pea-sized amount) to be a great purchase for just Rs. 199/-

It has a limited shade selection of 3 shades. The lightest being 03 Natural and the darkest being 01 Nude. Don't let the opposite numbering confuse you.

P.S. Did I mention that I lovvee the packaging? The only downer is that you can't really tell as to how much product is left in there as the tube is pretty opaque and reflects light.

3. Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom

Price: Rs.99/-

I fell in love with this the day I bought it and its the one thing that is always in my bag or in my pocket. Both the colors come in gorgeously packaged sticks that are so sleek and cute that you could walk the earth with them.

Pink Blossom gives a lot more color than the peach does. If you are looking for a very slight tint in a lip balm, then Peach Blossom is your pick. I often use these lip balms on top of nude matte shades of lipstick to brighten them up a little.

This is so much more than just a regular lip balm. Apart from keeping your lips really moist for hours, it gives UV protection. The importance of UV protection for the lips is only known to those who have had their lips burnt in the sun. So if you are looking for a lip product that protects your lips while you are out in the sun then Color Bloom is the thing for you. I feel swiping the pink shade 3-4 times gives you so much color on your lips that it could substitute for a pink lipstick. After a few hours, when the moisturizing effect from your lips is gone, you will still see a pretty pink stain on your lips. However, you may not get as much color from the product if your lips are on the darker side.

4. Maybelline Hypercurl Volum' Express Mascara

Price: Rs.175/-

I never knew that one could get a Mascara at this price. I recommend this to anyone just starting to use Mascara as it is the least expensive drugstore Mascara and is just perfect to begin with because it does not have difficult to handle dramatic kind of results. It has a very daywear and natural looking feel and does not add too much volume. The curvy wand helps to separate lashes and curl them even without using an eyelash curler and the mascara holds curl pretty well up to 5 hours or so.

It does not flake or smear and it wouldn't go anywhere till you decide to remove it. It really lives up to being waterproof which is why you must use an eye make up remover to get rid of it.

5. L'Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Leave-In Serum

Price: Rs.199/-
Serum is your hair BFF in times of frizziness and all those unmanageable fly aways right after a wash. I feel its acts as a relaxant and calms down the hair that is going crazy after having been washed. I recommend taking a coin sized droplet and working it throughout the length of your hair. You might want to use more for longer hair. Its best to apply serum mto towel dried hair before styling or blowdrying . L'oreal Paris Total Repair 5 proves to be an excellent purchase at this price. It adds so much shine to your hair on a dull hair day. I often apply this to styled hair that has lost all its lustre after being subjected to heat and it restores the shine and texture almost instantly or to hair that I just scrunch and leave for natural drying (and want to avoid the frizzy bizzies). However, second day hair looks a lot flatter after you've used serum on the first day and so, you may not want to use too serum if you have very thin or scanty hair growth on your scalp as this particular serum does take a little bit of the volume in exchange for a neater look.

Disclaimer: All the views and opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned above and was not sponsored to write this. These were just a few good inexpensive products that I loved and wanted to share with my readers so you can try them too.

Good luck.

Thank you for reading ! :)

Mascara & Eyeliner - All that you need to know !

2012-06-26T05:14:00.001-07:00

Lets say you're in a crazy rush (which is usually the case) and no can do's a lot of make but you still wanna do a little something to amp up how your face looks, just take 2 minutes to work with an eyeliner and/or mascara. I'm pretty sure a lot of you have noticed the remarkable difference that the two products can make and become absolute saviours.

Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks on how to get the most from your eyeliner and mascara and how to have some fun trying out different looks.

GETTING STARTED WITH EYELINER !
If you are just beginning to use liners/Kajal or if you are just not very good at applying either of them then practice, patience and a steady hand is the key to it. Being able to line your eyes is no rocket science and an eyeliner is the most basic type of make-up. Get your hands on a inexpensive pencil that you can work with for practice daily and soon you will find yourself becoming confident enough to play with eyeliners and the different looks you could create with them.

Smoldering smudged eyeliner.

Many a times, eyeliner application is not as perfect as you would like it to be and these are usually the times when you just cant sit down to fix the goof up. I turn to the little guy called Q-tip (or earbuds) at that very instant. No I am not reaching out for the Q-tip to fix the mess but to smudge it even more. This creates a sexy smoldering look instead of a well defined line. Be careful to not smudge a very thick line as this could give you Raccoon eyes which is never a good idea.

If you are looking for a very well defined line with a glossy finish that lasts all day, turn to the liquid or gel liners. The application of these two is a lot more controlled for both the lower lash line and water line. However, I am not sure how safe these are for the waterline as they do come in contact with the eyes. Liquid and gel liners are ideal for a cat or winged liner look. A good intermediate to pencil liners and gel/liquid liners are the felt tip liners.

If you are like me and love using the pencil liners then here is the best tip for you to make your pencil liner last all day. Make sure your eyelids are not too oily. Apply an eye-primer or just some makeup setting powder (or compact) to prevent the eyeliner pigments from fading out during the course of the day. After lining your eyes, take some matte black eyeshadow on an angled brush and pat it on your liner or Kajal. This works fabulously and the lines just wouldn't budge.

Try a white pencil for the waterline.

Most girls in India use a black kohl pencil on their lower lash line (commonly known as Kajal). Contrary to this, try using a white pencil. I personally feel that it adds more light to the eyes and makes them pop and look bigger.

Black Kajal will always be a good old favorite and was probably the first makeup item I used back in the 7th grade. And of course no ethnic Indian make-up look is complete without Kajal.

The picture above shows what a difference it would make if you used black, white or just left them nude.

Fun looks to play around with :)

PRACTICE till you have a steady hand and then try some of these fun looks with different types of eyeliners. Trace a rough line with a black eyeshadow on an angled brush and then retrace the same line with your liner. You will find that there is less chance of making errors that way. Notice how every little stroke of your liner makes a huge difference to your look. Good luck trying !

LETS TALK MASCARA !

Once you are done with the eyeliner, adding a few finishing coats of Mascara will instantly make your eyes look bigger and more awake. Just because a Mascara works wonders for your friend does not mean that it would work equally well for you too. Choosing the right Mascara for your lashes is like choosing the right type of hairstyling products for your hair. For example, if you have very thin lashes then a wet formula mascara is just not the right one for you. It would end up weighing your lashes down and clump them together. For thin lashes, I recommend using a dry and thicker formula. Pay attention to the wand too. It should have long, fine and evenly spaced bristles.

Application: Tips and Tricks !

The commonest way of applying mascara is to touch the wand to the base of the lashes (where the roots are) and wiggle side-to-side moving upwards.

Its always best to apply 2-3 thin coats for a fuller look instead of one very loaded stoke that causes clumping. Apply each coat and wait for it dry up before applying the next.

Tightline.

Tight lining with a black kohl pencil underneath the roots of the lashes also creates an illusion of very thick lashes. Always try and pick a waterproof mascara. It is best suited for oily skin or a humid weather and wouldn't smudge. It also contains a lot of wax that holds curl better. Besides, you could always have the occasional meltdown while wearing mascara. :p

The famous business card trick!

A good way to work with mascara and ensure that you don't goof up is to take a business card, roughly cut out a curve like the shape of your eye and hold the upper lid with the card and then apply mascara. This works well because not only does it lift up the lashes but also prevents you from messing up your eyelid.

You could use the same card to protect your cheek and under eye area from any powdery fallouts from the the wand or lashes while applying mascara.

I never use the business card trick because I am always applying mascara in a rush and I get mascara on my lids more often than not. Instead of going for it immediately, I wait for it dry up and then scrape it off gently with a Q-tip. Trying to get rid of wet mascara anywhere on your skin always smudges and creates a bigger mess.

If you find that the wand has too much product on it and you obviously don't want to coat your lashes with such a load and clump them, then just take a tissue and roll off the excess from the wand before applying. Sometimes I like to roll off the excess product on the comb-like side of the brow and lash groomer. Now use this side to just brush through your lashes. This by far has given me the closest results to wearing false lashes. It works the BEST. It separates out the lashes and gives them so much length in just a few short strokes.

Brow & Lash Groomer.

So your favorite mascara has dried up and you NEED to wear it right this second. What do you do ?

It's very simple. Just add a few drops of your lens cleansing solution or some eye drops and shake it. This will restore your mascara for a few more uses. However, it is not recommended to continue using a mascara if it smells fishy. Mascaras have a very short shelf life and give a very distinct foul smell when they are no longer fit for use which is very easily identifiable.

NEVER pump the wand in and out of your mascara tube. This dries up the product very quickly as you are pumping air into it.

Lastly, removing mascara and eyeliner properly at the end of day are an equally important step. My favorite eye make-up removers are baby oil, olive oil and vaseline. These really break down the waterproof products on your eyes and nourish them. The area around the eyes does not have very active oil producing glands anyway so you don't have to worry about breakouts in that area. Massage vaseline on your lash line with a Q-tip and on your lashes (with your fingertips) every time you remove mascara. This not only removes whatever little is left but also gives good conditioning to the lashes, makes them longer and reduces lash fallout.

Always take care of the little things and watch how they make a huge difference.

Thank you for reading !

Top 5 Bad Beauty Habits & how to break them.

2012-06-22T03:09:00.002-07:00

On careful observation of my own and some of my friends' routines, I came across a few things that we all do or don't do and end up regretting eventually. I too have a few bad beauty habits and I am not proud. :(

1. STOP biting your nails

I've often seen girls with non-existent nails and ripping apart their cuticle and the skin around the nail with their teeth. Well, not only could you be causing serious permanent damage to your nails, gums and teeth but you're also giving yourself an unattractive manicure. Many a times, dentists have had to prescribe mouth guards to nail biters. Imagine walking around with ugly hands AND a mouth guard. You don't want it to get that bad, do you ?

You can find creams, oils or nail polishes that work as deterrents. These products contain ingredients like Cayenne Pepper Extract or Denatonium Saccharide which are basically foul tasting non-toxic chemicals. You could do things to distract yourself whenever you have the urge to bite your nails or do things to relieve stress and anxiety as nail biting is considered to be a sign some kind of anxiety or just boredom.

My best idea of kicking that bad habit would be to wear fake nails and leave my natural nail alone for sometime. I feel wearing fake nails constantly for about 15-20 days could really help. There are so many nice ones available from brands like Faces and Bare Essentials in India now. These usually come with a nail glue and are reusable.

You may find many other ways to deal with nail biting that suits you best. Those were just a few I could come up with. Comment below and let me know your nail biting story and how you could get rid of it !

2. Do you touch your face all the time ? I do. x_x

Almost definitely, we have some or the other kind of imperfections such as protrusions, craters, discolouration or zits on our face. And guess what ? Touching it is not going to make it go away. Oh and popping that zit or blackhead usually comes with a sweet sense of accomplishment, right?
However what is not sweet is the redness and broken skin that takes a while to heal (Talking from personal experience of course). Needless to say, you could be clogging your pores with all the dirt from around the world by touching it. Make sure to keep your hands sanitized as far as possible.

The one good thing that BBM may have helped me with is keeping my hands off my face for the better part of the day. So thats one fabulous way to work around this habit or just sit on your hands.

Ladies, reward yourself if you manage to not touch your face AT ALL for even 2-3 days. I know, I would.

3. Sleeping with your make-up on. THE WORST !

If you wear make-up, you probably have pulled off the biggest beauty blunder of going to bed without removing it. No matter how tired, exhausted, sleepy or drunk you are, just take 2 minutes and just wash it off with a foam cleanser or a gentle scrub.
Ideally, go through all the steps of cleansing, toning and moisturizing if you can.

Make-up was made to make you look and feel flawless and pretty but going to bed with make up has exactly the opposite effect. While you're sound asleep with some highly comedogenic products clogging your pores, the sebaceous activity (production of sebum) goes into overdrive causing the skin to become oily and in turn causing acne and all that jazz.

A very simple before-going-to-bed cleansing routine that consists of inexpensive products and is not very time consuming at all is what I've described below:

- Just take some make-up remover that can break down all the waterproof products you're wearing on a cotton ball or a make-up removing wipes (Glamomille recommends: KARA make-up removal wipes with seaweed and lavender). Gently swipe it all over. Olive oil too works as an excellent eye make up remover.

- Wash your face with a foam cleanser or a gentle scrub (Glamomille recommends: Olay Natural White Cleanser or Clean and Clear Blackhead Clearing Daily Scrub)

- Thereafter, slap on a refreshing toner to seal your pores shut again. I swear by Dabur Gulabari (Rose water)

- Pair up a light moisturizer or night cream with an eye cream that suits your skin.

- You could pamper your hands and feet with a little hydration too !

And tada! you are ready to go to bed and your skin is so happy with you. :D

4. Are you protecting yourself from the sun with the right products?

The only way you could get premature lines, wrinkles, dark spots, unwanted skin darkening or even skin cancer is by exposing yourself to the sun without adequate protection. The good news is that each of these are easily preventable. All you have to do is MAKE SURE to add a sunscreen/sunblock to your routine. The terms sunscreen and sunblock are used almost interchangeably. The difference is primarily that sunblock contains light reflecting powders (Zinc oxide & Titanium dioxide) mixed in a heavy base that resists getting washed off easily. Sunscreens, however may contain organic sun-blocking agents that degrade on exposure to sunlight.

Things to look for while choosing your sun protection:

- Firstly, the product you choose should feel good on you. Pick up a product whose smell, texture and feel appeals to you so that you are more than willing to re-apply it throughout the day.

- SPF value between 15 and 30 (which is about 88-95% protection.) An SPF value of 15 tells you that you can stay out in the sun without any skin burns 15 times more than what your skin can survive without any sun protection. A very high SPF makes the product too heavy and unpleasant on the skin.

- Broad Spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays of the sun.

- Be sure to match the product with your facial skin type. For instance, if your skin is very oily or acne prone, go for something with a water base or a gel that does not clog pores.

Always carry a floppy hat, a scarf or a bright colored umbrella with you for a long day out in the sun. A black umbrella is never a good idea for protection against the sun as black actually ends up trapping the UVB rays of the sun that cause ageing and fine lines.

Glamomille recommends: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock.
It is available in the Indian market in the form of a lotion and a body mist, both being very light weight and sheer. The body mist may seem greasy at first but it blends wel into the skin eventually. It is very convenient to just keep spraying again to reapply several times in a day.

5. Washing your hair too frequently ?

Is your hair too oily? Do you have to wash it everyday to look presentable? What must be causing all that excessive oil secretion ? Chances are that washing it too often is what is making your scalp produce sebum in large excess.

The scalp or the hair shaft get its natural conditioning from the sebum produced by the scalp. Washing it daily is basically stripping the hair of its natural conditioners resulting in frizziness and a very dull texture. But then again, the glands on your scalp have to work twice as hard to restore the lost hydration which is your answer for all that extra oil you to have deal with everyday.

Also, wet hair is very very fragile and vulnerable. As tempted as you maybe, do not comb or brush through wet hair and DO NOT comb in the shower. Imagine pulling and tugging at cooked spaghetti. Its only going to cause breakage.

To sum up I'd say that if you are washing your hair everyday you are using up too many products that add up on your pocket (shampoo, conditioner, serum and other styling products), you are losing natural oils to begin with and later dealing with it in excess, you could also be heat styling daily causing a lot of damage and handling your hair through the delicate state of wetness. Isn't that reason enough to cut it down to no more than 3 times a week?

Hope this post inspires you to break out of a bad beauty habit soon. Comment below to share your story. It would make my day !

Thank you for reading. :)