Addicted to Blush

Our Studies Show...

2012-01-29T14:27:00.000+05:30

Ever read this on a product:

Daily use of our lotion provides an 82% increase in moisturization or a 90% increase in the skin’s water content.

Apparently there are companies abroad that specialize in *creating* such studies - they are known as claim substantiation / generation companies.

They tend to doctor & create experiments in such a way, so that the product seems like a miracle product & substantiate all it's claims.

For example, in a skin-care study to establish whether or not a product gets rid of wrinkles, the subjects participating often begin by washing their face and then stripping it clear with alcohol. The company then takes the “before” photos and measurements (such as wrinkle depth, skin tone, and water loss, among other parameters). With that starting point, it’s hardly surprising that the “before” situation is much worse than the “after” results.

What would the results have been if the woman had started by using a gentle cleanser, a good moisturizer, and a sunscreen (for example, effective ones different from those being tested)?

Or, what would the effects of any other products have been if compared to those of the product being tested? Perhaps dozens of other products could have performed as well or better. - Paula B (The Original Beauty Bible)

In essence, in examples like this, what the words “our studies show” are telling you is that, when compared with plain, unmoisturized, washed skin, the moisturizer made skin moist! That isn't exactly shocking. The use of any moisturizer would show the same results.

Now, I'm not saying that all companies do this, but just asking you to take all claims with a pinch of salt - be it skincare or haircare.

And what do you do to avoid being fooled out of your money, read consumer reviews online before purchasing - be it on makeupalley.com or your favorite blog or site. Consumers, will generally give you a better idea of the product's efficiency and whether it lives up to the claims.

Do such claims like "Studies show..." tempt you to purchase? Do you believe such stories? Who do you turn to before making a purchase?

Nail Polish Trends for 2012

2012-01-26T02:14:00.000+05:30

I know it is late in the night, but I have to share this story with you. I was all set to leave for Goa today for a short vacation, but my train tickets didn't get confirmed despite me booking 3 months in advance. They were stuck on WL 8 & 9 since I booked. My return tickets were confirmed, but since my to tickets were not, I had quite an eventful evening. I came back early from office, packed & was about to leave for VT hopeful that by the time the chart would be prepared, my tickets would be through. But no such luck.

So as I sit wondering over the ways of the universe (why me? I think all of Mumbai is in Goa except me), I decided to divert my mind with some beauty reads.

One of the things I read were some predictions about nail colors that would be trending in 2012:

1. Green: Apparently, green is the next big shade in nail paint, and my green they mean the milky pistashio green shades - it is soft, yet striking. But I personally feel that green nail paints are a bit of hit or miss. Not everyone can carry them off. I personally don't like matt greens on my nails, I need my greens to have a shiny, metallic shimmery finish.

Neutral shades are in

2. Orange: I am wearing this on my toes right now, a shade from Maybelline. I thought it would nice on the beaches of Goa in flipflops. I was right half-way. It does look nice & summery, and apparently is a color that is here to stay. My feet do look good propped on the coffee table. But this color doesn't look too good on my hands. It makes my hands look darker. I think I might keep this for the feet only. I feel a better shade actually is tangerine - you know that reddish - orange with a bit of coral. This is a close, warm cousin to orange, and a shade a lot of girls can carry well.

3. Nude Beige: The color of skin, nude beige or milky pink nails are going to be really big this year. I have a milky pink from Jordana that is really gorgeous, one coat & it is MNBB (my nails.... you get the drift). Three coats - it is a very feminine, girly pink. Creamy shades of gray, white, pale pink, and soft beige look refreshing on fingers, contrasting against the many printed clothing and accessories. Perfection is key with these shades, though—no chips, scuffs or slacking on the upkeep.

Of course nail art remains hot as ever, with newer techniques.

What do you think of these trends?

I quite like them, but I do wish that red & dark navy blue nails were also in the offing. I have lots of red nail paints (it's a classic for office wear too), and I can't find a decent shiny dark navy blue anywhere.

I would also like to see silver - grey nails paints - I really like them as well and it would be cherry on the cake, if instead of milky green, milky blue nail paints trended instead (I have cool undertones, and am able to carry off blues & greys much more easily than oranges & yellows)

Let's see if the predictions of the experts turn out to be right. What nail colors would you like to see trending in the coming year?

Blisscovered - My experience

2012-01-21T11:13:00.000+05:30

Ok Girls, you know that it was raining Blisscovered Boxes this week. Just one box is too less to pass a judgement on these guys, so I'm not going to "review" review them. I'll just share my feelings about the first box and it's contents.

Ok, so in case the pictures in the earlier post were not clear, my box contained the following (I have added the approx prices for the samples in brackets. These prices were calculated using the full size retail prices of these products)

1. Lancome Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate - 5 ml (This is of Rs. 541 in value). The 60 ml bottle of this costs Rs, 6500

2. Diesel Loverdose - 1.5 ml (Rs. 84). Full size 75 ml costs Rs. 4200.

3. Forest Essentials Honey & Vanilla Bath & Shower Oil (Rs. 244). Full size 200 ml costs Rs. 975

4. The Nature's Co.
a. Lemon Peel Exfoliating Body Wash - 10 ml (Rs. 31) Full size: Rs. 775 for 250 ml tube.
b. Coffee Face Scrub - 5 ml (Rs. 21). Full Size: Rs. 525 for 125 ml tube

5. YSL Top Secrets Natural Action Exfoliator (Rs. 450). Full size: 75ml for Rs. 2250.

So in all the box delivered is around worth Rs. 1371, which I think is a pretty good deal.

The box was done up very professionally and I liked the personalisation.

I haven't tried much from the box yet, save the Diesel Perfume & I quite love it. I think I might get the full size version of this.

In addition to all this, they have also sent a Rs. 300 /- voucher that can be redeemed against any of the above mentioned products. I liked that they have sent us some good quantities and not just 1 ml sachets.

Some people might argue that these are "free" samples that one would get in any case if you were to visit these counters & purchase a product. But then I'm not likely to saunter in into a Lancome or YSL any time soon and drop a bomb on a product just because I like the way it sounds and feels on the basis of a one time trial. This is a good way for me to use & really decide if the product works for me.

What I didn't like was the Nature's co Body wash. The quantity is too less and this 10 ml would barely last me two uses (I'm a lot of lather girl). I think I'm gonna unselect body products in my preferences form because I realize that the quantities are going to be less & this will be a bit of a waste.

And yes, there was no makeup in this box, despite me selecting that option. But I'm not really bummed about it. I was pretty okay getting a skincare box as well. Just as I'd be okay getting a box full of makeup too. I love both equally. :-)

I'm just very glad they didn't send me either the Omved lip balm or the FE Hair oil. I just bought Kiehl's lip balm two weeks ago & don't really want any more now & I can't use Hair oil in my relaxed hair.

I have signed up for the February box now. I was initially gonna sign up for the 3 months deal, but then I decided to wait & watch for a while.

So what do you feel about the box? Have you signed up for the Feb one?

January Blisscovered Box is here!

2012-01-19T21:08:00.000+05:30

Wooohooo!

My Blisscovered Box finally arrived today afternoon!! I was so excited. I reached home ten minutes ago & I have already ripped it open & am posting about it.

I want you to join me in the journey...

The box!!

Ok, nice packing, so what have you sent me??

A list of what I got

More packing!! The suspense builds!!!

Finally!! Woohoo!!

I do a more detailed review on my experience tomorrow as I am really tired today.

But I'm pretty sure I'm signing up for the 3 month deal now. :-)

PS: I tried Diesel Loverdose - it is awesome!!

Shit Beauty Gurus Say...

2012-01-15T10:46:00.001+05:30

Hi Guys! (ok, that's from the video).

If you a fellow beauty blogger & watch videos of Beauty Gurus on YT, the video below is totally gonna crack you up. I found the bit about "To enter my giveaway, all you gotta do is...." so hilarious :-)

Also that bit on "I am totally going for a natural look as you can see..." & "This is going to be a mini-haul, because I only got 30 things..."

Ok, I'll let you watch the video yourself. :-P

Ok,

So, Bye Guys!!!

Reader Query: This Just In & After an Hour look

2012-01-13T13:41:00.001+05:30

Amrutha from Banglore had a query:

As you had mentioned about the 'make-up' culture of your workplace, the place I work is just not into any kind of makeup, and sometimes I feel I am doing too much even though the max I do is: matte moisturizer followed with compact + light pink lipstick, a touch of blush and rarely a purple or blue eye pencil.

My problem is the immediate result as soon as i put on these products. I love it after an hour, but till then I feel it looks too prominent on my skin.

The products I use are :

1. Pond's Flawless White Day Cream
2. Bourjois Organic Compact in Dark Beige (Alternatively I also use Maxfactor Compact Powder in Nouveau Beige or sometimes the Pond's Age Miracle Tinted Moisturizer)
3. Bourjois #33 Blush
4. Revlon Velvet Rose Lipstick
5. Revlon Colorstay Eye Pencil

My Q: How to avoid the 'this-just-in' look that I feel when I put these on and how to achieve the after-an-hour look immediately? My skin is rather oily, though in winters oiliness goes away.

Amrutha!

I loved the way you framed the question - This Just In Look & After An Hour Look - I was laughing hard for a good 10 minutes after reading your question. You have a delightful sense of humor :)

I deal with your problem bit by bit, so hang in there.

There are a couple of reasons why makeup seems too prominent or the "This Just In" Look

1. Day cream: Does your cream take some time to sink in? Because if it does it may be interfering with the blending of your makeup. But once it sinks in maybe it makes things ok. Also if the cream tends to leave behind a whitish film on the face - it may be making the products seem much brighter than they are. But once it is gone and the products are now against the color of your skin, they seem normal?

2. Lighting: Some homes have bright, white neon tube light lighting - which isn't the most flattering for makeup and makes it seem obvious. Worse, it makes mistakes seem like 10 times more obvious. The only solution for this is to do makeup in a place where you get plenty of sun & tube light.

3. It's in your head: A freshly scrubbed and clean face in the morning always looks better than after piling on the makeup. So maybe you are comparing it to that and feeling like it is too much, but as the day progresses you become ok with it and start linking it

4. Blending: Another issue maybe that you are not blending in the edges properly, so it seems obvious. For this I suggest you arm yourself with a good bunch of brushes & watch Lisa Eldridge videos a few times over.

5. Maybe you are applying too much: And with time it wears off a bit and looks more settled?

My Suggestion:

Long & Money Saving Method:

I'm not sure which of the above is true for you. In case you have no clue either. I suggest you scale down your makeup for a while - which means practice bit by bit and then move on.

So first just practice getting your base right. Every morning, just spend time doing it slowly & right. Then in order to avoid looking washed out, add a nice lippie and go to work. Do this for a few days / weeks till you feel you have mastered it and can do it quickly. Next add the eyeliner & use a blending brush or smudger to remove all the harsh lines. Practice this very well. And now finally add your blush to the routine.

In the mean time watch a lot of Lisa Eldridge videos to get tips on application & blending.

Quick Fix:

Get yourself a bottle of MAC Fix +. It is widely known for helping makeup settle and look less powdery & makeup-y. Before you get it I suggest you try it a few times, wear your makeup, go to their store & try it. (If you don't have MAC there, you can duplicate this at home with glycerine & water in 1:3 ration. I have never tried it - so I don't know what to make of either)
Replace the day cream with a primer. I like Loreal primer, but you get what suits you.

This is all I could think of, right now. Amrutha, do bear in mind that I am not a professional. This is just my experience.

Fellow bloggers & readers - any suggestions for Amrutha?

Blogger has Threaded Comments!!

2012-01-13T09:25:00.000+05:30

Fellow "Blogger" bloggers would have noticed - blogger now has threaded comments!!

Which basically means replies are now made directly below the main comments.

I know I have been terribly lazy in replying to comments since a few months - primarily because of the sucky comment feature that blogger had.

But since I found out about this yesterday, I have been sitting and replying to all your comments. It'll take me a few days but I have decided to get this done first. I feel it is important. I'm starting with the most recent posts and then moving back.

I know that some of you may have even forgotten what you wrote on a particular post - and I understand if you wouldn't want to revisit it again. I'm cool. No issues, I took forever to reply, so I get it :)

I just wanted to let you know about it - that's all.

Thanks a lot for sticking around, reading & commenting on my posts - I really appreciate that you take out the time & make the effort to do so.

P.S: A big shout out to fellow bloggers & readers on twitter with whom I chatted yesterday. It was great fun, Y'all! In case you wanna follow me, my twitter handle is TheaSelene

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo - Review

2012-01-07T11:20:00.000+05:30

The empty bottle poses :)

It Claims: Hair often feels rough and dry after a hair wash, that's because ordinary* shampoos strip your hair of its natural oils. New Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo is enhanced with Vita-Oils that go deep inside the hair fiber and help lock in the nourishment of oil; making hair smooth, shiny and beautiful with every wash.

Vita Oils Systems:

1. Revolutionary Non-greasy formula
2. Unique blend with natural coconut, almond and sunflower oils that are so fine they are rapidly absorbed to deeply nourish and replenish essential vitamins.

Ingredients: Refer Image

Price: Rs. 123 for 200 ml bottle

What I liked:

1. Ok, let's be realistic here. I really don't expect my shampoo to be full of oils that absorb and nourish rapidly. A conditioner, yes. A non-herbal shampoo at best should be mild enough to not strip your hair. While this claims to be a shampoo that has oil to prevent dryness, I actually liked for quite the opposite reason. I have very fine, straightened hair with an oily scalp. This means that I have to *literally* wash my hair everyday for it to look good, or else it looks limp and stuck to my scalp. The shampoo that I was using earlier was sulfate-free, so while that was gentle on my hair and made it very soft, it also made my hair kinda clump together a bit. When you have fine hair, you are looking for maximum volume. This shampoo delivered, it removes all the oil from my scalp and gives my hair the body it needs.

2. It is quite economical. It took me 3 months to finish off this 200 ml bottle & I tend to be a bit extravagant with my shampoo. It also smells nice & lathers pretty decently.

3. The bottle is pretty sturdy. I had carried this with me on my trip & it didn't leak at all.

What I didn't like:

1. It seems to be a bit too drying, I *have* to use a conditioner & smoothing serum with this shampoo to avoid dry as hay hair. So much for claiming this won't strip out your natural hair oil.

2. It seems to have given me a spot of dandruff because it dries out my scalp.

Overall: If you have dry hair, I don't think you are going to like this.

As for me, the bottle in the image up there is completely empty & I'm going to re-purchase this. Not because it is the perfect or the best shampoo I have ever used. But because it comes pretty close - it makes my hair look voluminous and quite lush. I make peace with the drying effects by using a lot more of my spray leave-in conditioner from schwarzkopf.

Product was sent for consideration by Company / PR

Makeup @ Home?

2012-01-02T14:37:00.001+05:30

No, I'm not talking about just wearing makeup and vegging in front of the TV.

I'm talking about when you have friends / relatives over. When it is a planned visit that you know about - you get out of your grey well worn slouchy track pants & get in to better looking clothes, maybe comb your hair as well into a neat pony.

But what do you do about makeup?

I know that most girls would go the whole hog when they have a prospective groom or the boyfriend's parents coming over.

I tend to wash my face well and get some lip balm on. That's about it. Anything else & it looks like too much effort for the host, I feel. It is after all your house & one should feel comfortable.

And when I am going over to someone else's home then I'll replace the lip balm with a natural looking lipstick and some Tinted Moisturizer.

But if I am going over for dinner then I tend to apply some matt neutral brown eyeliner / eye shadow as well as there tends to be a high possibility that one might go out to a restaurant. I generally skip mascara, highlighters, sparkly blushes & eye shadows as all this tends to look really tacky under the glare of a tube light.

What about you? When your cousins / friends are coming over, what makeup do you do?

Also when you are visiting your cousins or your friends at their home, do you wear makeup then?

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T08:30:00.000+05:30

I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second.

~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

Have a beautiful 2012 Girls!!

And if you ever do feel down, take a look at the video below & feel fierce - becoz "Who runs this world? Girls!!"

Blisscovered: Too good to be True?

2011-12-31T07:30:00.000+05:30

Many of you would have read Mehak's post on Blisscovered (if not go here).

Basically Blisscovered is India's version of Birch Box.

Which means for a fixed price you get to try 5-6 different products, in case of Blisscovered - it is Rs. 700 for a 4-5 products from the list below:

1. MUFE

2. Diesel

3. YSL

4. Ralph Lauren

5. Om ved

6. Kiehl's

7. Forest Essentials

8. Armani

9. Clarins

10. L'Occitane

11. Guerlain

There was a rapid exchange of tweets yesterday night between Mehak, Zara & me, wondering if this is too good to be true.

What if all we got for 700 bucks was 5 of 3 ml sachets. (Imagine the look of horror, followed by anger on our faces, upon opening the box)

Being the swashbuckling adventurer (or money burning blush crazed blogger) that I am, I reasoned with the other two - that it was worth one shot - we buy duds all the time, I felt it was worth the gamble to try it once.

Lucky for me they are offering a one time trial.

So in short I signed up last night, I opted for single trial and COD - just to be safe. I did get a confirmation mail from them - confirming my order, but it didn't say by when the parcel would reach me. They have asked for some time so that they can customize to my skin & hair & makeup preference type (you have to fill in a questionnaire when ordering).

So I sit here, fingers crossed. I'll post immediately as soon as I get the box - on the dope. Is this for real? Is it too good to be true?

ATB - Rules of Engagement

2011-12-30T11:58:00.001+05:30

I have already updated my "Who is Addicted to Blush" section, but I thought I would post it here as well just in case some people miss this.

As a blogger I receive mails requesting for product reviews, I have certain "Rules of Engagement" when it comes to these products:

1. All the products reviewed on "Addicted to Blush" have been paid for by me. Products that are sent for consideration have the same information listed clearly in big, bold letters below the post. I do not accept compensation for product reviews.

2. Products / Samples sent to me are for consideration only. I do not provide any guarantee of review, positive or negative.

3. The review will not be submitted to the company / PR for audit or for any kind of revision prior to publication on this blog. I retain the final say on the review & its contents - which is based on my experience with the product only.

Fake Vaseline?

2011-12-29T19:32:00.001+05:30

I have, on many occasions spotted fake MAC eyeshadows, Revlon as well, Nivea lip balms in small shops, but I never thought there would be a fake version of Vaseline.

Apparently there is, according to the press release below. Take a look if you think you may have been thugged out of your money.

PS: I always buy my Vaseline from Alfa, somehow that imported version works 100 times better for me than the one I buy locally. I hope I am not using some fake version that seems to work better for me :-p

Is your skin feeling dry even after applying Vaseline Petroleum jelly? Does it leave your skin looking rough and bruised? So are you using the original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly? Nowadays the market is flooded with cheap products that look like the original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly and are available at cheaper prices. But these moisturizers only last for a short time,making the skindrier whichcan cause more harm than good to your skin.

The Original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly is a combination of mineral oils, paraffin and microcrystalline waxes, which makes it translucent and gives it a smooth texture. It goes through a three step purification process, which involves hydrogenation to remove chemical purities in the jelly. Further, it undergoes double filtration to remove the finest unwanted particles, thus making it the purest and smoothest form of jelly.

Dry skin is caused by the loss of moisture in the layers of the skin, which happens every second of the day due to exposure to harsh chemicals and rough weather conditions. Fake products use either Glycerine or Menthol, which moisturizes only the top layers of the skin for a short term and eventually leaves your skin dry and dehydrated.

The Original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly is absorbed rapidly into the skin and provides even moisturization through all three layers of the skin, locking in the skins natural moisture and helpingit to repair itself from within naturally. It also forms a protective barrier on the surface of the skin to avoid the damage that is caused by harsh weather and polluted environments,thus resulting in soft and supple skin all day long. Original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly is your ultimate skin expert, boasting of multiple skin uses. It’s not just a body moisturizer but can also be used as a night cream, make-up remover, to protect against nappy rash, minor bruises, post shaving etc.to name a few.

Always, buy the Original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly after testing its four unique identification marks, i.e. the Original Vaseline logo in Blue and Silver, the triple purification seal, the pure skin jelly trademark andthe correct spelling “VASELINE”.

The Original Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly is available in three variantsacross all retail outlets pan India. So rush to your closest outlet to buy the Original Vaseline Petroleum Jelly to get healthy and glowing skin!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T01:36:00.000+05:30

It's the time of the year when I snuggle up with a hot coffee for a re-run of my BBC Series Pride & Prejudice series (yup, the one with Colin Firth, teee heee) and wish that I were in the English countryside right now in pretty muslin gowns.

Wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! I hope that either Santa left you a ton of goodies, and if he didn't go get yourself some - you deserve it for being such good gals throughout the year :-)

Addicted to Blush Beauty Awards 2011 - Makeup

2011-12-24T18:20:00.001+05:30

This is the 3rd year I'm doing this, although I will have to admit that I tried far lesser products this year than I did in the previous two - partly because of the fact that I lost my MAC, MUFE, Inglot Makeup while shifting & also because I got a bout of Molluscum Contagisium so I steered clear of makeup for a bit, and spent a lot more on skincare, comparatively. Also I kind of realized that I had not prioritized well enough the split between makeup and my shopping needs - like clothes & accessories.

But nonetheless I did try some stuff this year. I haven't reviewed it all, but I will in the coming weeks, as my laptop is still defunt. :-p

Foundation

Medium to Heavy coverage:

Bourjois Healthy Mix –I didn't buy any foundation this year!! I still have this bottle from last year & am trying to finish it off. It wins simply because it is so easy to blend, and also it doesn't appear fake even on close inspection

Light coverage:

Ponds Age Miracle Tinted Moisturizer with spf 15 – Nothing knocks this product out for me in this category. I've been using it for 3 years now. I love it.

Concealor
Colorbar Instant cover up concealor Stick - I use the first one, and it suits me very, very well. It is soft enough to blend but dry enough to stick on to my acne spots. The only issue is with sharping it. It won't sharpen nicely in my lakme one, and I don't wanna pay so much for that overpriced Colorbar one.

Loose Powder
Lakme Rose Powder light, airy, fine powder. Does a decent job.

Compact Powder

Lakme Perfect Radiance Compact in 01 - I liked this one a lot, and am on my 2nd pan now.

Primer

L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base - The names says it all, it is *magic*, I am a believer.

Eyeshadow

Powder

Single - Bourjois Intense Extrait Eyeshadow: I have the black one (10) and am going back for more!! Silky texture, intense pigments.

Palette - Revlon CustomEyes in Naturally Glamorous. Very good quality, colors suit all eyes & complexions - plus the plaid design on top looks really pretty.

Cream

Lakme Shadow Artist Shimmer Stick in Astral Blue - This creamy color pencil made smokey eyes a breeze

Eyeliner

LiquidLakme Fantasy Shimmer Liner in Astral Green - Once at NBC, I convinced a random stranger to get this for her eyes, coz I loved it so much & feel that every girl should have this. Really, it is that awesome. You have this one, right?

Pencil

Faces Pencil Eyeliners - These knocked out every other eyeliner I had been using. I have re-purchased these many times now. My favourites - Black Sparkle & Solid Brown.

Gel
MAC Fluidline in Dark Diversion - You got green or hazel eyes? You gotta have this!

Kajal

I bought only one this year - the Colorbar one in brown - but it stung my eyes like hell. So this goes vacant this year.

Mascara
For the second year running, this goes empty. None of the ones I tried this year merited a re-purchase.

Eye Base

Didn't buy any this year. Still using NYX in Pearl.

Blush

Powder:

I didn't like any of the launches this year.

Liquid

I would have said Inglot Liquid Face Blush in #81 - But I lost it :-(

Bronzer

Colorbar Blush in Cinnabar – I'm still using this from last year.

Cream

NYX Cream Blush in Red Cheeks - This is the one blush I have to, have. It looks the best and most natural on me.

Lipstick

MAC Lipstick in Hot Tahiti
I have been pretty much using this non - stop since I got for KC. I love this red lipstick - day or night, office or coffee shop, dressed up or dressed down - it looks perfect on me. Those of you who saw my Diwali Trip pics on FB - this is the lippie I am wearing in each & every picture. It looks so natural on me, I think this is my life lipstick color. This is "The One", lol.

Lipliner

Inglot AMC Matt Lipliner - I have this in shade 20, I'm gonna get more soon :)

Gloss

Jordana LOL (Lip Out Loud) Lip gloss. I loved these last year, I still love them this year. They are my HG lipglosses.

Tint

Colorbar Lip pot in Bitten Berry - Not really a "tint" tint, since it is quite creamy. But then this is the only one I tried this year.

Breakthrough Products of the year:

1. MAC Lip Prep + Prime: On my 2nd tube. I use this every day, it not only is an excellent lip balm but it makes my lip stick last really long - 6 hours at least. I love this one, this was a great find for me.

2. MAC brush in 219: Dramatically up-ed the way I apply my eyeshadow. It all blends beautifully now.

So gals, that's a makeup synopsis this year for me. Coming soon are the posts on skin & hair.

What were your break - through, must - have, the - best products of the year?

The Body Shop Christmas Sale

2011-12-18T10:47:00.000+05:30

Christmas always warms my heart - the smell of coffee & vanilla. Green & Red splashed everywhere. It's also a great time to shop :-)

Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Scrub - Review

2011-12-10T18:54:00.001+05:30

It Claims: Himalaya's Purifying Neem Scrub removes impurities and dead skin cells. It also removes excess oil from the skin's surface, which is the root cause of acne.The scrub is blended with the goodness of Neem, which clears blackheads and acne, and Apricot, which hydrates the skin. The natural ingredients cleanse, nourish and moisturize your skin to make it soft, fresh and radiant.

Indications:Suitable for oily and acne-prone skin.

Ingredients Include:

Azadirachta indica (Neem, Nimba)
Prunus armeniaca(Apricot, Urumana)

Use Directions:

Apply in a circular motion on the face and neck. Rinse with water and pat dry. Use at least once a week for clear, acne-free skin.

The product is dermatologically-tested, noncomedogenic and hypoallergenic.

Price: Rs. 65 for a 50 gm tube.

Pros:

1. It's not very abrasive as compared to some other scrubs I have used, the green scrub granules seem like synthetic beads. The white base it is suspended in is also not drying.

2. It's kind of like a cross between a face wash & a scrub - so it is a good replacement for your daily face wash if you need daily exfoliation.(I know the company advices it be used once a week, but I actually used this everyday)

3. Economical & easily available.

Cons:

1. It didn't really help my acne, but I guess it needs to be used as part of an anti-acne regime.Also I didn't really feel it made any major difference to the overall health of my skin.

Would I re-purchase: No, this is a decent scrub at a good price, but somehow it didn't quite cut the ice for me. I really can't pin point what exactly I didn't like, coz honestly there is nothing that really put me off. It's just that I know that I won't be purchasing it again. In fact I didn't even finish the one 50 gm tube I had bought.

I somehow prefer the Himalaya Gentle Exfoliating Face wash to this. You can read that review here.

Make-up Chauvnism in Bollywood

2011-12-02T21:09:00.001+05:30

I read a very shocking article in the Open Magazine today.
Apparently, the Cine Costume Make-up Artistes and Hair Dressers Association, considered as bollywood’s official body of these ‘professionals', since its inception in 1955, has never granted a make-up card to a woman.

The reason is simple and explicit: to keep out competition from half the human species.

‘Since the formation of the Association, no make-up artiste card has been issued to female members till date. This is done to ensure that male members are not deprived of work as make-up artistes.
If female artistes are given make-up artistes’ cards, then it will become impossible for male members to get work and they will lose their sources of livelihood and will be deprived of their earnings to support themselves and their families, because no one will be interested [in engaging] the services of a male make-up artiste if a female make-up artiste is available, looking to the human tendency.’

While many female make-up artistes are professionally trained, a majority of their male counterparts have not even gone to college; they latch on as assistants of senior artistes and then try to strike out on their own, using a network of contacts. To keep things the way they are, the Association is also adamant that women not be allowed to work as make-up artistes for TV serials, music albums and ad films, and if any woman continues to do such work, ‘appropriate and strict action will be initiated against her’ (even if the person is not a member of the Association).

If this is true, this is wrong on so many levels. I was outraged when I read this article, and decided to post about it to create awareness about this issue. How the hell can you stop women from persuing a profession on the stupid "excuse" that you need to keep out competition?

I know some friends who are aspiring MUAs. I hope they don't have to face such an issue.

I would always wonder why we in India have so many male makeup *superstars* but have no women unlike abroad (Bobbi Brown, Lisa Eldridge amongst the ones I can think off hand). I have never heard of Vimi Joshi doing makeup in any movie, I always thought it was because she was not interested, maybe she really isn't but now I know there could be another reason.

What do you feel? To read the original article go here.

Avril Lavigne (Smile) Makeup

2011-11-30T20:01:00.001+05:30

I've been listening to Avril Lavigne since my college days. I really enjoy her music & have loved how she has transitioned over the years from rock to a fusion now of pop-rock music. & No, I don't think she is traitor to rock music, no more than Bryan Adams is. :-)
I have also always loved her trademark makeup look - the gothic smoky eyes, pale skin & light pink lips. In college I would try to recreate her look, but then I didn't have enough money to buy products that could do it, and neither did I have the expertise.

Now that I have the products & some idea how to do it, I don't have the right place to wear it to. I certainly can't wear it to office, and it is a lil too made to wear it on the weekend while grocery shopping.

But it still tempts me. This week I caught the video of her new song "Smile" and it tempted me again. She still sports her lots of kohl look, but there is twist this time. The lid is bare but, just in the centre of the lid is a dab of florecent, neon green - the same color as her hair extensions. You see it everytime she blinks, or looks down. It just looks lovely, to see such a pop of color in that smoky eye. Also her smoky look is not at all powdery, it looks very creamy.

Another thing I noticed was that she has not coupled it with nude beige lips. Instead she sports a glossy pale pink peach shade, it is just wonderful. It is understated and neutral, yet so fresh & makes her look so young.

Her skin looks flawless and other than highlighting, there is little evidence of a blush. I loved the look, because it actually gives one a lot of ideas & new trends for the coming future. So much so that I want to try it out now. Maybe I will, this Friday :-)

For those of you who also like to listen to her songs, the video link is below:

Are you too bored of the same old combo of smoky eyes - beige nude lips? Have you seen anything interesting lately that has caught your fancy?

Nargis Fakhri's Makeup in Rockstar

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000+05:30

I saw Rockstar around 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately I also lost my cell phone that day. But I still enjoyed watching the movie.

Ranbir has acted quite well, and Nargis, uhhh, looks very pretty, I shall say & leave it at that.

I quite liked her makeup in the movie, where she plays a fresh faced Kashmiri girl. In fact I have named it - Color without Texture Look.

That's coz she is wearing makeup in the movie, but all the products are such that it seems like she has no makeup on. The pink rosiness to her cheeks & that pinky brown tint to her lips has been done in a manner that it seems to exude from within her. But I'm pretty sure it does not.

I won't claim to know how exactly they went about recreating her exact look - but I can give you some tips to help you get close to it.

1. Avoid all products with any kind of shimmer. All glittery, shimmery, high shine liners, glosses, lipsticks are a no-go here. Avoid at all costs.

2. But you'll need a highlighter. A good non-shimmery one. At least it shouldn't be discernible shimmer.

3. Get your skin in place. Make sure the look is very dewy, with highlighting. No heavy powder or compact. I think one can either use Tinted Moisturisers with a good creamy concealer for this or else if you use powder, follow up with something like MAC Fix + to remove the power look. Primer is also a must for this look - it will help your foundation go on smoother & as a result you'll apply less of that.

4. Now that your skin is in place, go for a cream blush that is high on pigment. Matt blush, no shimmer, ok? I'd suggest NYX. Go for pink or peach - no muddy brown tones. Apply with a light hand. You just want a *slight* hint of color. Please don't overload your cheeks like how Kareena Kapoor does at times. It won't work in this look. You just want that natural rosiness that living in the hills in winters gives you.

5. For the eyes, I felt they went in for very neutral cream or eye tints or else matt eyeshadows in simple, neutral colors. They defined the crease and used a dark brown eyeshadow powder to line the upper eyes in a thin line, the lower waterline sported a white/skin colored eyeliner to give her a innocent, wide-eyed look, except during the initial college scenes where you can see her wearing a Kohl liner. Simple regular mascara completed her look. No shimmer was used, and the eye shadow colors were all very soft browns, pinks & greys.

6. Something was off with Fakhri's lips. I think she went in for some kind of plumping treatments as her lips were too puffy (like a blow-fish). In some scenes she is wearing a light berry tint on her lips (kinda like benefit - you can recreate that look by using Lakme 432 lipstick as a tint or else you can just use a berry tinted lip balm) and in others she has a pink-brown lip tint. Again no shimmer or uber-glassy looks. The point is to get the color on the lips in such a manner that there is no hint of texture of any lip product, like the creamy finish of a lipstick. They have used a clear gloss in certain sections of the movie to make the lips look more lush, esp in those scenes where she uses a pale pink lipstick.

Have you seen the movie? Did you like Nargis's look in it? Any tips to re-create it? Do Share!

Miss Claire Crackle Nail Paint - Preview

2011-11-26T19:37:00.001+05:30

I'm sorry I haven't been posting recently. I just came back from a holiday & as usual there was a truck load pile of work waiting for me in office. Plus my lappie is still defunct. As a result I'm not really in touch completely with other blogs & I am really missing that.

Crackle nail paint has been a real craze in recent times. Colorbar has launched a black & white version but it is priced at a hefty 500 bucks.

If you have been eyeing crackle nail paints but don't wanna shell out too much dough in these times of Greek debt & impending recession, I've got news for you.

Miss Claire has launched their crackle nail paint in about 10 colors. I had gone shopping today & I picked up silver, golden, emerald green, black & white (not in pic). They also have hot pink, red, maroon, blue & dark green from what I remember. I'm most probably get those depending on how well the Five I got perform.

Miss Claire is some Korean brand I think, coz the bottles say "Made in Korea". I have seen their stuff at Alfa, I once got a pink lipgloss from their range which was really nice, but I haven't tried anything much.

Please don't mind the swatches in the pic above. I was wearing Jordana nail paint in Blackberry, which is a deep berry shade. I was a little sceptical that these nail paints would actually crackle so I asked the sales guy to let me test them. He applied these, so it isn't the neatest application. But this pic is just to show you that these indeed do crackle.

Now here is the best part. These cute babies cost only 150 bucks at Khar Beauty Centre. Since I bought 5, I bargained a bit more & paid 140 per bottle of 15 ml.

These are also available at Alfa - 2 in Irla, but they sell it for 180 & seemed to have a slightly limited stock.

I'm very excited about these nail paints & will try them out in the coming days.

Have you tried either Miss. Claire or any other brand's crackle nail paints? Did you like them?

Nail Art: Anyone fancy Moustaches?

2011-11-13T16:06:00.000+05:30

I'm not really into nail art & all (being the clumsy & time constrained person that I am), but I just couldn't resist sharing this very cute Moustache nailart video with you all..

So what d'ya think? I think it is really tough. One's gotta be so neat & all. But I do wish someone wld do this on my nails for me. It's totally enticing me.

Road Trip Across India - Beauty Musings..

2011-11-12T11:52:00.000+05:30

Hey Girls!

I hope all has been well with you over the last 3 weeks.

I'm back from my quasi - road trip. I travelled across from Mumbai - Pachmari - Jabalpur - Manali - Delhi - Jaipur - Mumbai route.

Manali - River Beas

As usual I had packed a lot of makeup (10 colored eyeliners, 6 lipsticks, 15 eyeshadows (Inglot, NYX, Jordana Palettes), Mascara, cream blush, brushes, TM, compact, concealer, primer, 5 lip glosses; basically the works) in the hope of using it all as I don't get to indulge in it much during the work days.

Instead all I ended up using was my dark brown Faces eyeliner, Mac Hot Tahiti lipstick (I love this one, I bought it for KC, and have been using only this ever since) & the L'oreal primer on a daily basis. The rest of the makeup just sat in my case and travelled all the way from Mumbai & back. :-P

I was pretty sure I'd be sun burnt at the end of this trip,
but much to my delight I don't even have a tan to talk about. The secret: Sudocreme. Yup, that same weird nappy rash cream I reviewed here.

Market in Manali

I generally use Neutrogena Sunblock spf 55, but if I use it on a daily basis it tends to dry out my skin. I was wondering what to carry with me on my trip, when a light - bulb light up over my head. I know that Zinc Oxide is used in a number of sunblocks as a physical sunscreen, Sudocreme has 12% ZnO.That was enough for me to start my weird experiment - I hulked the tub with me in the trip & I am glad I did. It has worked perfectly for me. I would be out all day in the sun walking around with Sudocrem as my only sun protection - I didn't get burnt nor did I tan even a bit. The only issue is that it has to blended in well or else it can leave a whitish cast on the face.
I also carried some skincare products with me that worked quite well like Neutrogena wipes, Biotique Quinceseed cream, Ponds Cold cream etc.

The girls in Manali have the most pink, rosy cheeks I have seen! (well, actually even the guys have pink rosy cheeks). I don't know if it is the cold, the water, the food, the altitude, but they have really nice skin & naturally pink cheeks.

Luckily enough, within 2 days of staying at Manali, I had my own natural blush getting its act together on my cheeks. I loved it, no need for artificial blush! It lasted till Jaipur. Now it is gone..

Rohtang Pass - our car missed getting hit by a huge boulder in landslide by seconds!!

The Body Shop Hemp Face Cream really proved its mettle while I was up at Rohtang Pass (the temp was in minus over there & it was snowing!!) & in Manali - Not a hint of dry skin. Even the Cocoa Body butter passed with flying colors.

While I was up there, I washed my face with the hot sulphur spring water up at Vaishist. I started my journey with 3 huge acne zits (thanks to the new Lakme Strawberry Night Creme I was using just before leaving), which were refusing to subside. One wash with the natural sulfur water & they retreated overnight. I just have to deal with the marks now. I really should have got some of that water back in a bottle. Damn!

Delhi was a treat, thanks to some strings pulled by my uncle, I got to go & see the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's House) from inside!! I'm not sure if I can share too many details on the layout here on a public forum, but if you get the chance, you must see the gift gallery ;)

But there was a lot of fog in Delhi and my lunch date at Parikrama (the revolving 24th floor restaurant) was rather clouded, so say the least. I also was unable to go to F1 despite having tickets as I reached Delhi rather late from Manali. (long story, don't ask)

Hawa Mahal

From there on I went to Jaipur - which was my favourite part of the entire trip. I've never been to the city before, but I just loved it! They have preserved their forts rather well and along with audio guides they are a pleasure to visit. The audio guides are extremely well made & transport you back to the time of Rajputs. I particularly enjoyed Hawa Mahal.

Of course, I also visited Choki Dani & Johari Bazaar as well. I bought a ton of accessories from here, from thread bangles, to kundan work to semi precious stones. I managed to find pretty good deals, and am now the proud owner of a blue sapphire necklace as well as garnet & lapis lazuli one :-)

The one thing I noticed about the women in Jaipur (other than the fact that no one there was dressed in brightly colored clothes, I was very disappointed. I had been fed the myth that women there sport beautiful & colorful dupattas & dresses - not true, the village women do though, and they look beautiful in those clothes) is that they all use makeup!! A lot more than I observed in Delhi! They all were put together even early in the morning with eyeshadows & face powders - esp at LMB. I like :-)

In all, it was a good trip. I do see myself going back to Jaipur as I really loved it there.

Business shall resume on this blog soon, posts will start going up in a few days.

How have you girls been? All well with you?

Taking a Break..

2011-10-21T11:43:00.000+05:30

Hey Gals,

It is that time of the year again, when I take a break :-)

Posts will be slow over the next two weeks. There might be some, if the Muses decide to be benevolent.

I guess a lot of you will be busy too preparing for the festive season. Have a good time y'all!

Diwali Gifting Options - The Nature's Co

2011-10-20T19:02:00.000+05:30

Diwali is round the corner and if you are wondering what to gift your loved ones, The Nature's Co. has the perfect option for you. The Nature’s Co. your one stop shop for beauty and wellness products brings you special gifting options for your near and dear ones this Diwali, which can be completely personalized by you.

Choose from an exciting range of exotic and luxurious beauty products at The Nature's Co. Customers making a minimum purchase of Rs.1,795, will receive abeautiful wooden basket to pack their products which comes along with a diya and incense cones with a holder to add to the Diwali spirit.

Patrons who make purchase of Rs.1,995 or more, will have the choice between a Copper and Wooden tray to package their Diwali gifts from The Nature’s Co. These trays come along with a few more Diwali surprises - a diya, incenses cones with the holder, a coffee bean candle & incense sticks.

Keeping with the festivities of Diwali, The Nature’s Co. is all set to pamper customers making these purchases with a free refreshing Express Facial.

So be sure to visit any of The Nature’s Co. stores and make this Diwali an indulgent one!

Offer valid from 15^th–30^th October 2011.

For further information you can visit: www.thenaturesco.com