Saturday 30 November 2013

Almost natural eye make-up tutorial

Hi friends!
This is the first time ever I am doing a tutorial,feels weird actually.Even a couple of months back,I never thought I would end up tutoring about make-up someday.But anyways,I have tried it here and hope it is up to the mark.
Products used to achieve the look:
the products used

  • Lakme Eyeconic eyes kajal
  • Streetwear Mascara
  • Oumeidie 24 Shades Eye Shadow pallette
  • Garnier Fructis BB cream
  • Golden Eye Pencil(it's called 'Bourjois Paris' but I am sure its a duplicate but nevertheless the pencil is really good.I think its fake because of the price-35INR!)
  • brushes(obviously!)


Steps to create the look:


  • Prepare the face:
The face was thoroughly cleansed( Himalaya daily Exfoliating Face Wash) and then a mask was applied(Everyouth Golden Glow Peel Off Mask).After the mask was thoroughly dry,it was peeled off.One have to be careful to peel it off completely.A light moisturizer was applied(Nature's Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel) and topped with Garnier Fructis BB cream.Pat on lightly with face powder to tone down the shine(optional).
  • The eyes:
First fill in the eyebrows with eye pencil.Brush over half the eyelids with shade no.1(or any light peach colour) from the pallete.I used the wet brush technique.Its simply wetting the bristles of the brush under running water,blotting off excess water and applying the shadow.Then blend in the shade no. 2(or any copper-golden colour) as marked in the pallette along the outer half of the eyelids.Using a angled brush apply the shade no.3(or any dark champagne colour) along the crease of the eyes.Blend it well with shade no.2.Now with shade no.4(black shadow) lightly trace along the crease and blend well.Do the same along the outer corner of the lower lid but not along the full rim-just the outer 1/3rd.Now with a brown kohl line the rim of the upper lid lightly,it should be sheer,not overpowering.With black kolh pencil fill in between the eye lashes just on the upper eyelid.Coat the eye lashes with marcara to add volume.Highlight the inner corners with golden eye pencil.

  • The lips:
Line it with any neutral lip pencil and fill in with your desired shade of lipstick.These eyes will go with any lip color.I have used Colorbar Obsessed Orange.
  • Outfit:
Preferably ethenic or indo-western dress.I paired the look with a white kurti and dark blue jeans.
Here are the pictures taken from different angles and different lights:




So,was this post helpful?I hope so.If you have any queries and suggestions I will always be glad to here them and try my best to answer all of them.For today,this is all.Have a nice day!Take care.

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Lakme CC Creame-Bronze

Hey friends!
The winter season is almost at our doorstep and so is the beauty hazards related to it.Dry lips,scaly skin,dandruff and what not!But still it is a favorite season of mine.Just imagining sleeping late in the morning under the blankets makes me long for my bed.Poor bed!it must be lonely without me since I haven't laid down for 48hrs at a stretch..Yeah,I am super-lazy but sometimes I do like taking a break from laziness. :P
And that's when I write for those wise beauties who always run a background check for everything ranging from lip balms to boyfriends and husbands!Yeah,those living two-legged "things" too required to be selected carefully after a good background check.No offence guys!You too have your share of fun at our expense..
Well,enough of bantering and beating around the bush-lets's get straight to the point.Today's post is again a review-I know this won't disappoint anyone as reviews are the most useful thing when it comes to selecting cosmetics and I have got to many in stock yet to be reviewed so lets get over with them.Then I can buy a new stack of things!(LOL!I hope my father doesn't read this) Today my porst is about as you have already seen the heading-Lakme CC creams.
When the Indian cosmetic market is flooded with a new trend of BB creams,Lakme came up with yet another new addition and innovation-The CC creams.This creams have been in trend for quite some times so I suppose none of you will require a lecture on what are BB creams.For those who do require it follow this link and read up the first two paras. And as for CC creams this is what Lakme says about their new addition.You can read it up directly from their website,here. Sorry,I am lazy-Didn't feel like writing this extra part.
I wasn't at all interested in trying this out because I never use any creams even in winter and really don't give a damn about "complexion correction".I am a very self satisfied person when it comes to my looks and styling.Also I did not want to throw away 250 bucks just like that in case the cream did not suit me.So instead I opted for a cheaper BB cream just to give this things a try-going with the trend you know.And fortunately I have quite fair a complexion so I did not need to worry about the limited shade choice of garnier BB cream and so far I am very happy with its performance.This CC cream got into the household through my sister who got inspired by the glowy effect of bb creams but couldn't find a match for her dusky complexion and I was naughty enough not to mention that since garnier bb is quite sheer it won't be a problem to be used on her Bacause I wanted her to buy something different so I can try that out as well.She did her own research to find her match and zeroed for CC cream in bronze shade.I must say she did make a wise choice.
ABOUT THE PRODUCT:
The CC cream comes in two shade-'beige' for fair skin and 'bronze' for dusky complexion.I am going to review the bronze one.The tube is 30ml and the price INR 250.It come in a sturdy matte yet slightly shiny maroon carton.The tube is a warm beige colour and quite slim with a silver cap.It is a normal tube(doesn't have a nozzle)But the opening is minuscle so there is no chance of over-leaking of the product.The design is very eye-catching and sleek.The 'beige' shade costs less-30ml costs Rs.199.But I think the 'bronze' shade is the ideal one for 70% of Indian women.

MY TAKE ON THE PRODUCT:
Since it belongs to my sister,I did not get many chances of trying this on myself and the colour is bit too warm for my complexion.So most of my views I am penning are actually my sister's observations.I will add few of my own observations from the couple of time I used it at the end of the post.
First,the formulation-it cream is quite thick in consistency,little less than foundations but by far more than BB creams and tinted moisturizers.So the coverage is quite good.But it is required to massage well to evenly spread it all over the face.Initially it seem overwhemlingly illuminating the complexion which can be intimidating and look like you tried too hard to look fair but eventually within a few minutes it smooths out and give the face a more perfect yet natural look.
Second,suitability in different skin types-it will work ideally for normal to dry skin but a moisturizer is a must underneath in case of dry skin.It comes with SPF 20 which is a plus and you can skip a separate sunscreen.
Its staying power is really good-6 to 7 hours on normal skin and my sister never complained of the cream transferring anywhere.But as for oily skin,which is my type,I did not find it as satisfactory.The worst part is that the only time I used it,it smeared my cellphone after about 4hours of application as I received a call.It also feels heavy on my skin.Another problem is its availability-while the 'beige' shade is easily available and always in stock,this one is always out of stock.Underneath are two images of my sister before and after application:
before application
after application


















A SUMMARY:
PROS:

  • thicker coverage compared to BB creams but lesser than foundations
  • SPF 24
  • Comes in two shades so can be availed by beauties of different complexions
  • does not transfer/rub off/fades on normal to dry skin.stays put for as long as 8hrs
  • very sleek packaging
  • travel friendly
  • mild fragrance- non-lingering and not overpowering
CONS:

  • not so suitable for oily skin
  • must use a moisturizer underneath specially during winter for dry skin
  • sticks to flaky skin if any
  • does not spread easily if applied lightly
  • transfers if used on oily skin
Will I purchase?
Not sure really-I might try it out in beige shade once my BB cream gets over.
Will I recommend?
Yes of course-If you have normal/dry/combination/and mildly oily skin this one will really work great for you and you might even forget about your foundations and compacts!
Anyways this is all for today,stay tuned fot my next updates and till then take care and stay pretty!
Also if you have already used this product do drop in your opinions as comments.I try my level best to answer each and everyone of them and love reading your ideas.

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Garnier Fructis 24/7 strengthening Hair Serum

Hey beautifuls!How are you all doing?
My days are so monotonous.Home-college-tuition and back to home.And I am getting pretty addicted to my new found hobby-blogging.I always enjoyed writing and beauty blogging is fun.I can share all that I feel about anything I am using and also get to know what others think about them.I have become a way more conscious and matured fashion shopper than I was a couple of months ago and all credit goes to this new addiction.Anyways,lets get back to the point of my blog-providing mu readers with as clear an impression about products as I can. So today I am back with a review again!
Today's review is about a hair product-A hair serum.As you all might have guessed by now that I am not a great believer of expensive=quality.I always strive for quality within realistic prices and believe it or not there are really great products at very affordable prices out there.The product I am reviewing today is a garnier fructis hair serum-Garnier Fructis 24/7 Strengthening Hair Serum.
I have never been a great fan of Garnier because of  their high chemical concentration but I really wanted to try out a hair serum and this one seem to be the only affordable option.I was actually looking for a tiny bottle at a 'normal' price because in case I hated the product I can easily throw it away without feeling guilty about the wasted money.This cutie bright and transparent green bottle caught my eyes as I was browsing through the cosmetics section of Big Bazaar for a new tube of face wash.The packaging caught my eyes and so did the price and amount-Rs.80 or 90 for 40ml of the serum. Quite reasonable.But I did not instantly buy it but instead researched a bit online.There were very few reviews about the product but all were positive so I plucked my courage and bought it and I was not disappointed!It really is worth the money-both in terms of quantity and quality(if you can ignore the chemical factor).
PACKAGING:
The product comes in two sizes-40ml and 100ml bottle.The 40ml bottle as mentioned earlier costs Rs.40 and the 100ml bottle costs Rs.199.Both a bottles look similar except for the sizes.The shape is sleek and tough bottle green plastic transparent bottle.The front is marked by a transparent label with the name of the product while the backside contains direction of use etc. But their is no mention of ingredient list.the back label at right bottom corner reads-peel over for the ingredient list but I didn't find any.the cap is flip top and green and very secured.But I suffered little spilling the first day I carried it in my bag but after that never again once a liberal amount of the bottle was emptied.So I suppose it is travel friendly once you have used enough of it so that even if it is titled within the bag it won't leak.Shelf life-2years.
MY TAKE ON THE PRODUCT:
The product claims:
  • Smoothens hair to make it silky- Yes.It does this job pretty well.My hair is averagely frizzy and doesn't really get tamed in any manner.The serum do not guarantee that my hair would be plastered flat to my scalp(and I do not want that much taming honestly) but it flattens frizzes comparatively better than I experienced with only a conditioner.Even without conditioning it works equally well.
  • Detangles unmanageable hair- I am not so sure of this.When used along with conditioner(I use silk n shine leave in conditioner) the detangling effect is smoother.But without it I don't really feel much difference.
  • Gives radiant shine- Not radiant but hair do appear comparatively shiny after application but need to be re-touched evry now and then to retain the shiny effect.
It is not greasy which is why I love this serum.Application is usual-just take a coin sized amount-rub in between palms and apply the end 1/3rd of your hair.Since my hair style is layered.I take the pain of rubbing it on individual lock specially the little ones over my forehead which are most inclined to getting frizzy.The product do not make the hands oily.But one must be careful not to rub it in the scalp.The smell do not linger and is light.Some don't like the smell but I don't have a problem-it is the usual chemically yet fruity signature garnier cosmetics smell.Earlier I had used livon "I love my hair" potion and I must confess this one is the better of the two.I don't regularly use it-just in case of parties or occasions and I haven't noticed any damage or reaction from my hair unlike the livon serum which triggered huge hairfall even with occasional use.
The only con I can think about is that it contains silicone extract and silicon is harmful on the long run.
AT A GLANCE:
Pros:
  •  non-sticky/non-oily.
  • easily spreads so a small amount is more than enough for my shoulder lenght hair.
  • 40ml bottle is sufficient(my bottle is just half used yet and its 7months since I bought it)
  • cute bottle
  • travel friendly
  • inexpensive(Rs.80 for 40ml)
  • can be applied on hair as well as wet hair.
  • does not make hair appear weighed down
  • ok-ok smell-does not linger.
Cons:
  • no ingredients list
  • contains silicone extract(found this information online)
  • smell can be offensive to few.
  • bottle leaks if kept upside down when almost full.
  • high chemical concentration.
This is all for today.Do share your experiences with hair serums.Till then good night and keep reading for my new posts!take care...below are the some pictures of the product-
front view

back side


flip-top cap

Monday 11 November 2013

Nail Art Ideas-Gradient nails

Colour used-elle18 69
and street wear-11,barely nude

Colour used-elle 18 69,Street wear no.11 barely nude,Lotus herbal-peach perfect

colour used- w7 white,elle18 69,elle 18 65,lotus herbal peach perfect,colour life 222(scarlet)

street wear romantic pink and elle 18 65

Himalaya herbals protein hair cream

Hi friends!
Today I am back with a review on a product from one of my most trusted brands-Himalaya herbals.I have always been a fan of their face washes but did not try out other products.I am not at all experimental with my skin or hair so I never use anything on them unless I am quite confident of the result.Similarly I did not want to try out a new product anticipating disasters.I was introduced to this product by my sister who in turn came to know of this from her classmate.It worked wonders for my sister and so I tried it out a few times and the results were instantaneous.
This miracle cream ,for me, is called Himalaya herbals Protein Hair Cream.We all are quite familiar to oils for hair but a cream is something quite different.I never really imagined rubbing in cream on my scalp.Lets come to the composition and content of the cream:
"A unique herbal formulation with extra nourishment of natural proteins derived from chickpea and Wheatgerm.Enriched with Eclipta and Amla that promote hair growth." 
That's all that is said about the ingredients on the container.
"Each ml contains: Exts.Amalika(Emblica officinalis)*6mg,Chanaka(Cicer arietinum)*6mg,Gpdhuma(triticum sativum)*4mg,Bhringraja(Eclipta prostrata)*4mg
Ref,: * API #Bhava Prakasha
Inactives:methylparaben IP,Propylparaben IP"
As written below the pot.
The product comes in a flat cylindrical plastic pot white in colour with a screw-cap that is green.Both the cap and the pot has a "himalya" label with the product name so it is easy to locate when kept among similar pots.
It's net weight is 175 ml and costs Rs.100.
himalaya herbals hair protein cream
 The cream is white in colour.It smells like medicine-I really don't have a better description for the smell.I suppose most people will find the smell quite repulsive.The cream is oil-based.Application procedure is quite simple.Just massage it into your scalp with your fingertips.A small amount spread as a thin layer all over the scalp is sufficient.You can apply it at night before going to sleep or half an hour before bathing.


MY TAKE ON THE PRODUCT
I have oily scalp and dry hair.Using this cream is quite an substitute for oil for me.In fact it makes my hair quite oily.I always apply it at night before the day I shampoo-About three nights per week.But if you have normal to dry hair you can use it every day without the hazard of greasy hair.In fact,it works as a good conditioner for my sister who has dry scalp and dry hair that is quite thick.As for the claims it make-it fulfills almost each and everyone of them.I had suffered from daily hairfall but after using this cream a couple of days I had noticed visible reduction of hairfall.I have already finished using a whole pot and felt quite a difference in my hair's health.It has become more strong at the roots,the strands are thicker and it seems to appear more voluminous.But however I am not very sure about hair regrowth.I have heard from other users that it truly stimulates hair regrowth but perhaps that is further slower process.But overal it has changed the quality of my hair for the best.However,I do not like the smell and the worst part is that it is quite strong and lingers as long as I don't shampoo my hair.Another problem is that,it makes my hair greasy which I absolutely hate!But after trying many things this cream has worked wonders for me so I can somehow overlook these cons.And it is dirt cheap compared to its quality.I really can't demand more for 100 bucks!And one pot lasts me nearly 1.5months even if my sister and I share it.Another problem that I personally feel can be changed is the container.The flat pot container is quite unhygienic as we repeatedly have to dab our fingers in it transferring dirt in the whole lot of the cream.But overall it is quite good product.
AT A GLANCE:
PROS:
  • Hair cream and not oil
  • can be applied according to your leisure(but not really so for oily scalp)
  • very cheap-175ml for Rs.100;shelf life-2yrs
  • herbal formulation
  • easily available
  • travel friendly container
  • can be substituted for a conditioner if hair is thick and dry to normal type.
  • small quantity is sufficient
  • fulfills most of the claims succesfully-i.e. adds health,shine,volume,thickens hair strands,reduces hair fall,strengthens roots. 

CONS:

  • smells like medicine-quite repulsive and worst case since it lingers strongly till the nest wash.
  • one has to dab their fingers repetitively in the cream hence quite unhygienic
  • makes the hair quite greasy if you have oily hair/scalp
Will I repurchase?
Yes,I am already at the verge of finishing the 2nd tub.But I am going to try their anti-drandruff cream or oil next for the winters.
Recommendations:
Sure,if you haven't tried it yet give it a try.It is really effective as far as my observation on myself and two other people.

So have you used it yet?hoe did you find it?
Do share your opinions as comments.
Good night and take care..

Thursday 7 November 2013

Colorlife Nail Colour 202

Hey buddies!
Today I am back with another nail polish review from a new and a less popular brand-Colorlife.I stumbled upon this brand at my local gift and cosmetic shop and was attracted mainly by the beautiful bottle and the vibrancy and variety of the shades.There were perfect metallic shades like golden and even a matte white.I so much want to try them all but resisted because my room has become quite a nail polish go-down with different tiny bottles peeping from most unusual corners.I had finally settled on the classic and eternal red nail polish.
I find even high end branded nail lacquers like lakme,maybelline etc. peeling off my nail like dry fevicol and they take ages to completely dry on my nails.Less popular brands simply don't work for me so I was bit in a dilemma before getting this one.Firstly,because I have never before hard of this brand,and couldn't really believe a nail polish of Rs.40 can be of any good.But then I just love this shade and have been looking for a true scarlet for ages.Most of the "classis reds" I have tried so far proved to be actually a borderline shade between carmein(never heard of this shade?check a camlin watercolour/acrylic/oil/ colour set) and scarlet.This include a blue heaven nail polish in red,lakme absolute range fast and fabulous nail enamel in red,and elle 18 60,70 and 34.Though beautiful in their own way they did not satisfy me in terms of what I was looking for.But this color is simply gorgeous and exactly the shade I wanted.Surprisingly I did not find much about this brand online.The few reviews that I came across were mostly negative complaining of poor pigmentation,very runny and bad brush.But I did not find all this completely true on trying it myself.

THE PACKAGING:
The product comes in two quantities-6ml for Rs.30 and 9 ml for Rs.40.I got the 9 ml bottle.The bottle is similar to Lakme true colour nail polishes but the cap is silver in colour and larger compared to the bottle.
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS:
The nail polish is quite thin and runny but not so much that it will settle at the corner of the nails.The brush is however not so good.My one has a bristle that pokes out longer than the others.But the pigmentation is superb.A single coat cover the nail completely and a second coat provides a shinier effect like a top coat.The drying time is average,but once completely dry it do not peel off like other nail polishes I have used so far.It dries faster when used together with a good top coat.(I use lotus herbals 901 Transparent.)
THE COLOUR:
It is a true scarlet red.The colour looks like carmein at night but is a perfect scarlet at day.It colour looks at its best and true self under sunlight.A perfect and bold companion as a party colour as well as ofice,this colour simply works with almost any look.But I think it is best suitable as a bridal wear.As mentioned earlier,it is a superbly pigmented colour and works even with a single coat for me but better id a double coat is applied.Given below are some of the snapshots that I took at different times of the day to capture the possible colours.
night time-under tubelight-with flash-without top coat


shade no. 202




midday(cloudy)-by the window side-without flash and with topcoat

A short overview:
PROS:
  • Very cheap
  • gorgeous colour
  • does not peel or cheap off easily once completely dried up
  • formulation not too thick so does not easily dries up in bottle.My bottle was opened about 2.5 months ado and the enamel is still quite thin.
  • less bubble formation.
  • highly pigmented.
CONS:
  • brush not up to the mark.
  • does not dry easily(about half an hour at the least even when used with a top coat and nails kept immersed in cold water)
  • not easily available all the time
  • some of the colours of this brand are accused of poor pigmentation.
Will I repurchase it?
yes but this time I would love to try out some different shades.I have an eye out for their white,a sparkly navy blue and a orangey-golden shade(cannot remember their nos.)

So have you tried out this product?if so how did you find it?Do read and leave your valuable comments and ideas to share.This is all for today.Good night and take care!