Saturday 13 December 2014

L'oreal Paris 6 oil Nourish Conditioner and shampoo

Hi!
Today I am going to review my favorite conditioner till date-L'Oreal Paris 6 oil nourish Conditioner that have become a really popular choice in quite a short time.I was actually looking for the smoothing conditoner of the same brand and picked this one up by mistake since they both have identical packaging(No longer though,L'Oreal have changed the packaging of their smoothing shampoo and conditioner to a flaming shade of orange).I did not even look at the label until I was home but I feel that day was blessed for my hair that I made the mistake.
My scalp and hair combination is the worst possible one I suppose-super oily scalp and super dry wiry-curls frizzy hair.I just cannot make up my mind about which one to treat first.I was happily indulging in the Lush Jumping Juniper shampoo which wiped off every drop of oil from my scalp.But once it was over that I actually noticed how dry the ends of my hair has become.I was already using this conditioner along with that shampoo and the result was good but not as good as it is now when I am using it along with the shampoo of the same range.So I began searching for a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and finally settled for the shampoo and conditioner from this range.
So I will first talk about the shampoo.Next the conditioner.
6 Oil Nourish Shampoo
My take:
Comes in a golden yellow bottle with brown semi transperant cap and black flip-open lid,and measures 100ml,200ml,and 400ml respectively.There is another,I suppose,600ml bottle that comes with a pump dispenser.I got the 400ml bottle that cost rs.259.The 200ml bottle costs Rs.135.If you keep a lookout you can avail the 400ml bottle+150ml conditioner just for Rs.230-259 at Big Bajaar during their various sales.
Texture of the shampoo is neither creamy thick nor very runny.I like this consistency as,unlike all other L'Oreal shampoos that I have tried so far,this feels much more lighter.The color of the shampoo is same as the bottle-golden yellow with micro-shimmers-sort of reminds me of egg yolks though it smells heavenly.




















Though it is a blend of six oils,it is not as oily as I had expected.But it was tricky to master the perfect amount of shampoo required for my hair and scalp as I have oily scalp.If I overdid the shampoo,followed by the conditioner(I never skip conditioning no matter what),my hair would get damn greasy the very next day.For your reference,I have shoulder lenght curly frizzy hair and I use about 3-4ml of shampoo and rinse only once if I haven't pre-treated my hair with oil massage.In case I apply oil and then shampoo,I use the same amount each time I rinse my hair which is usually twice.The shampoo lathers really well and feels like some very light oil while lathering.The smell is seductive and the best part is that it lingers for at least a day in my hair particularly when used alongside the condiotiner which have similar scent but not exactly the same.However on the downside,this shampoo contains SLS.Now did it make my hair healthier than it was?I have finished one 200ml bottle,and another 400ml is on the verge of getting empty and now my hair do look healthier than it was-more shiny,much less dandruff,no split-ends even if I forget to oil massage before shampooing,much less frizzy and best of all hardly any hair-fall.The shampoo does show results but slowly and works best when used along with the conditioner.
6 oil nourish conditioner
My take:
Almost identical packaging as that of the shampoo,except that the base is rounded unlike the shampoo bottle.Still,there is high chance of confusing the conditioner for the shampoo for careless buyers who don't care to read the labels.Priced at Rs.150 for 175ml.
Texture is lotion-like and yellow in colour.The scent is really strong-the perfume reminds me of a typical Bengali wedding.There will be always someone who had an overdose of this particular scent.Personally I hate this scent but once I have applied and rinsed of the subdued version smells so good.The conditioner is light weight,something that is quite surprising to me given it works as good as the smoothing conditioner of the same brand and that was really creamy.
Now this is a scalp and hair conditioner which I like.I just take enough to cover my hair and then massage it in for a minute.Next I leave it on for as long as I can which is usually anywhere in between 3-10minutes and then rinse off.The longer I leave it on,the better my hair looks after drying.Another point to be noted that,if I blow dry my hair now-a-days,my hair looks better than it did earlier-less dry and more shiny and sleek.
Pros:
  • Both the shampoo and conditioner are budget friendly
  • both easily available
  • both very hydrating
  • makes hair healthy with consistent use
Cons:
  • shampoo contains SLS.
  • Both have a long list of chemical ingredients
  • conditioner smells really strong(may not be a con to others)
Overall they have become my favorite shampoo and conditioner at the moment.But I wish they had lesser chemical ingredients though.
Rate:4/5 for shampoo
Rate:4.5/5 for conditioner

Sunday 30 November 2014

Maybelline Bold Matte-MAT 02 review

After sleeping through a lazy Sunday morning I thought of studying but seriously couldn't concentrate so now here I am-Blogging away!Wedding season is on and so I thought of reviewing a lipstick that I feel is perfectly complimentary with the mood of weddings.Today's review is about Maybelline Bold matte lipstick in shade MAT02.
The Range comprises of 5shades of the red family.I swatched all of them except MAT03 which the SA said does not "exists".Really woman,you think customers are dumb?It was such a stupid lie anyways given that they are numbered serially.Anyone with minimum sense will question why then are they numbered as 1-2-4-5?If you don't have the stock then say you don't have it,why lie so bluntly that it doesn't even exists?I was in a really good mood because my mom was gifting this to me and so didn't want to make a fuss and spoil my mood.
Now coming back to the lipsticks.MAT01 is a fire engine red and the boldest of the range.MAT02 is a unique blend of coral.red and pink bordering on neon in the bullet but swatches as a elegant and soft germanium that can be build up for a bolder look.Though I did not swatch MAT03 I know that it is a very wearable orange.MAT04 is a red with hints of pink and MAT05 is a cranberry red with blue undertones -a perfect color for Indian Brides if you are thinking of donning bold lips on your wedding day.
Price-Rs.375(got it for Rs.350)
Quantity-3.5g
My take:
Packaging-The lipsticks all come in silver twist up round tubes with a square base and semi transperant matte-finish red plastic cap of the same shape as the base.The name of the lipstick in written at the base of the tube.the top of the cap has a silver glazing that is reflective and can be fairly passed off a substitute of mirror in emergencies."Maybelline New York" is engraved on the silver tube in very tiny letters but apart from that you will hardly be able to tell the brand unless you are familiar with the packaging.But I love how classy the tube looks and it is quite sturdy.The cap click-shuts and hence travel friendly.
Texture- Though it is a matte lipstick I won't call it a classic matte.It is creamy to apply and do not tug and pull at your lips.But after a few minutes settles down as matte and powdery to touch.
Wear time and pigmentation-Given it settles down as matte and powdery the lipstick has amazingly long wear time.It survived for 5-6hours easily with meals and the best part is that it do not transfer anywhere unless you are intentionally rubbing your lips to leave a mark.I have had this on for 8-9hours and by the end of the day there was a pink stain left behind uniformly all over the lips.But it does highlight chapped lips and settles into lines and looks awful if your lips are even minimum flaky.Pigmentation is medium but buildable and 2 swipes completely covers up the natural pigmentation of the lips.The stain is difficult to remove but easily comes of with baby oil.
Colour-The trickiest part is perhaps the shade itself.It is not a daily wear colour that I would have preffered.I was so tempted by the beauty of the shade in the hand swatches that I got it.It looks coral pink in the tube and the photos hardly did any justice to the shade as it looks orange in the pictures which is nowhere near the real colour.In the hand swatches below it looks more red but in reality it is germanium shade.The first time I tried it on it made me look so sickly and the true shade hardly showed up on my lips.It looked worse on my sister.I was so crestfallen about what to do with this one now.So I started experimenting with it to make it work somehow.My lips are full and averagely pigmented and looks much like the shade of Maybelline Hypershine Lipgloss mirrored mauve.My skin is neutral and fair but tanned and perfectly matches with Maybelline Dream Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in shade Creamy Natural Light 5.this reference might help you to understand whether this lipstick will suit you or not.This lipstick looks disastrous on me when I look tired or my face is greasy.It looks better when I wear it as a stain and skipping some sort of base(I usually use maybelline BB sticks Fawn and Radiance mixed together) is an absolute no-no with this lipstick.After much experimenting I found out that it looks best if I blend it with another orange lipstick and the resultant is a fire engine red with yellow undertones(I use Colorbar Obsessed Orange)-my perfect red when I am in those rare moods for bold lips.Another way is prepping my lips with a foundation thus toning down the true pigmentation of my lips hence the real colour shows through.Another thing that I observed is that this colour looks good on me during morning or midday in natural light(preferably sunny weather) but makes me look sickly under artificial light when wore directly on my lips during night time.I think this lipstick will best suit someone really fair and with less full lips.You can see for yourself in the following LOTDs:
Pros:
  • Matte finish but creamy to apply
  • Availability
  • Budget lipstick considering the quality and finish
  • sturdy and beautiful packaging
  • staying power is awesome
  • do not transfer
  • beautiful shade for those who can carry it
Cons:
  • not suitable for dry lips or winter season unless you have moisturized and exfoliated your lips well
  • highlights chapped lips
  • won't suit all skin tones
Rate:4/5

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Virgo nail Buffer

Hi friends today I am back with a review of a nail buffer that I use some one year back and have been dying to rave about.I recently became a bit too obsessed with nail-care after I discovered that a perfect home manicure completely changes the look of my hands.But unfortunately I really cannot resist biting my nails and they are always in an utter mess.The nail buffer I am going to review is from a brand called "Virgo"-I never really heard of them.I happened to come across their products(that includes combs,brushes,pumice stones,pedicure and manicure kits etc.) at Big Bajaar.I was looking for an affordable nail buffer and this one was the cheapest available.I liked that this one had 6 faces and a cute shape so I got this one.Read on to know my experience with it.
Virgo 6-in-1 nail buffer:
Price-Rs.75
 My take:
The first thing you will notice is the bright colours of the faces.When I started to use it though the first problem is came across was understanding which side was meant to be used after which one-there is no number coding or anything as such to imply that.You can easily tell apart the one meant for "step 1"(refer the image on left) but the ones from step 2-step 5 is a complete guessing game.
Rub it on your nails and feel your way through the manicure.It was a bit annoying at the beginning but once I got a hang of it and was patient enough to complete the whole process the results were worth the trouble. In the image below you can see the 4 faces,the other two are yellow and buff coloured.The yellow side is the emery board for step 1.The buff is the shiner or for step 6.for step 2,3,4,and 5 you are suppose to use the teal-blue,green,pink and violet respectively in the order I have written the names.My nails do not have much ridges and are bit frail so I went easy with the emery.The whole process took around 30 minutes.The resultant shine and glow of the nails lasted for more than a couple of weeks.The shine was equivalent to a top coat.However the buffer is a bit difficult to be maneuvered at corners of the nail so the shine was not uniform throughtout.
 This is the end result right after buffing.You can easily see the difference in the way my nails look in the before and after pictures.
Pros:

  • Cheap
  • 6 faced hence ensures smoother and shinier finish
  • looks cute
  • one buffer lasted me 8-9months given I used it on my sister,mom and myself.
  • the effect last much longer than applying a clear nailpolish
Cons:

  • availability-I did not find the Virgo products when I went to buy my second buffer(had to settle down for "faces" 4-in-1 buffer instead which was quite a disappointment given it is a "Faces" product-review coming soon)
  • no instructions about which side is meant for what-it is pure guess work.
  • bit difficult to maneuver at the edges or corners.
Overall, it was a good buy and I would like to get another one of them if I can find this brand anywhere again.
Rate:3.75/5

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Maybelline Color Show Nail enamel-Constant Candy 401

Hello and welcome to yet another nail polish review from the much hyped Maybelline Color show Range.I used these almost a year back and finally managed to review it.Please ignore the image quality because they were pictured with my old cellphone.
The shades I am going to review are called "Constant Candy"-a perfect french manicure pink and "Porcelain Party-102"-a creamy milk white,perfect for french manicure tips.Till date I have used quite a few of the nail polishes from the color show range and each colour has it's own characteristics.As far as the chipping resistance,color intensity,nail polish texture and finish is concerned,this shade is very similar to "Porcelain Party"-a creamy shimmer-free white from the same range.SO I would not be dedicating a separate post for that one and include its swatches here as well.
My take:

  • Price-Rs.75
  • Quantity-6ml
  • Texture-Creamy and quite thick.
  • Pigmentation-Very good.1 coat give almost opaque finish and 2 coats gives true color as seen in the bottle.
    Constant Candy

    Porcelain Party
  • It dries real fast on the nails-around a couple of minutes and even after drying it retains a glossy finish.But on the downside since it is characteristically a quick drying nail polish,it thickens in the bottle and become impossible to be used quickly.
  • If you are not much into doing household works,then it will last without chipping for 3-5days,otherwise 2-3days.But both the shades tend to peel off like some plastic from my nails.I really don't understand why."Downtown Red" of this nail polish range worked so very well for me.
  • Since they are the lightest of the colors offered by Maybelline Color Show they don't leave stains.
  • The packaging and brush both are very practical for use and pretty at the same time.The brush is really good and perfectly shaped for covering up the nails within 3 strokes.
  • The pink has very fine silver shimmers that are invisible on the bottle and even on your nail they show up only if you are looking very closely.They only add a tiny bit of sheen to the nails.


Overall,they are good shades but did not really work for me as they kept peeling off every 3days.Even a top coat did not help with keeping them in place.I don't think I will nut them agian-maybe some other shade but not this two.
Rate:3/5

Tuesday 18 November 2014

DIY #Beauty

Hi!
It has been a hectic day but a fun one.Today's post is going to be a short one on a few DIYs.I am a really lazy person in general but when it comes to interesting and fun things,I don't mind laboring a bit :) .The DIYs I am going to share today are partly my innovations and partly things I learnt from my mom and the net.

The first one is an oil for hair.Like I mentioned earlier,my hair is really dry at the ends and I suffer from hairfall.So I treat my hair with hot oil massages like twice a week at the least.Following is the "recipe" for the oil I use.I am not very regular with my hair care regime but still the results are quite noticable and positive.My hair feels softer,more hydrated and there is lesser hairfall compared to prior following this routine.I usually heat the oil before massaging it and leave it on for a couple or hours or more then shampoo and condition as usual.While leaving it on,I wrap my hair in a damp towel and blast the towel with hot air from my blow dryer rather than wrapping a towel dipped in boiling water.
Now the recipe:
You will need:

  • 100ml coconut oil
  • 4 hibiscus flowers(the petals,and the carpel,you can leave out the green base)
  • 1 amla,chopped and de-seeded
  • 1flat tea-spoon methi seeds
Procedure:

  • In a heavy saucepan,place the oil and amla.In low flame,start simmering the content.Then put in the methi seeds and the flowers.Bring it to boil until you see fumes surfacing over the saucepan and also the petals geting discoloured to some extent.Turn off the flame and cover it and leave it undisturbed until it cools down to room temperature.
  • Using a filter,pour the oil in an empty bottle,preferably glass(if not available,plastic will do).The oil will be reduced to around 85ml.Now etract some of the methi seeds from the residue and add it to the oil.Let it stay there.
You can store it for a couple of months though if you routinely use it for even twice a week,it won't last that long.

The second one is a real crazy one-Eyeshadow primer.I like using eyeshadows but hated how some really beautiful shades just don't show up on my oily lids or hoe the shadow sreases and becomes patchy.Then I discovered there is yet another elemental makeup product called eyeshadow primer.Now,there is really no drugstore eyeshadow primers in India as far as I know(do correct me if I am wrong) and those that are available will definitely burn a hole in my pocket.So I started googling for substitute of eyeshadow primer that will provide equal results in minimum price.I discovered that one recipe has been repeated all over the internet and I was not very keen on trying that ditto so I tweaked it a bit and this is what I came up with:
                                                                                 You will need:

  • a empty air tight container
  • baby powder(I used the johnson baby powder)
  • thick face/eye cream(I used my mom's ponds age miracle night cream)
  • foundation of your skintone/bb/cc cream
  • toothpick/q-tips
Procedure:

  • Using a q-tip scoop out little of the cream and add very little powder to it.Mix them together thoroughly.Your end product should be more on the powdery side but not like stale dough.
  • Add a small drop of foundation to the mixture and again mix well using the q-tip or toothpick-it will yield a lighter shade of the foundation that is bit more powdery and thick.
  • Tweak the amount of powder,cream and foundation to suit your need-the oilier your lids the more powder you add yet it must not be too much that it end product feels rubbery.You should be able to spread and blend it evenly on your lids.If you add too much powder it will be visible as small lumps and flakes over your eyelids.
  • when kept air tight,it lasts for couple of weeks though I would recommend to make really small batches and use it up within one week.I observed that if left for too long the mixture loose all moisture over time and it becomes impossible to be used.
  • Now you will find this recipe all over the net but most will ask you to use cornstarch which I replaced with baby powder.Why?It is because cornstarch is a food product and it seemed too weird to be used on my eyes and secondly since it is edible I doubted that it will become "rancid"-perhaps you do get what I mean???In short it would have become the breeding ground of bacterias.Why I replaced It with Baby Powder?That's because it's major ingredient is talc which is also a major ingredient in most eyeshadows and since it is meant for babies it should be milder than most cosmetic products available.And lastly,powder can't become "stale",can it??
After vigorous rubbing,this is how the swatches looked.
swatches of an eye shadow with the primer on-as you can see the middle stripe is more vibrant than the other two,that is where I applied the primer. 


This is how it looked on the eyelids.I used the primer on my left eyelid and the difference it made is obvious.
This Is how it looked.My eyeshadows does look more vibrant,and the best part is they do not budge off unless I rub it off with water.But on the downside blending the shadows feels a bit difficult than usual with this on.

So this is all for today.see you in my next post.Good night!

Monday 17 November 2014

Streetwear Ultra Moist Lipstick-Crisp Caramel 21

As promised,I am back with my review on the newly launched Streetwear Ultramoist lipsticks in shade Crisp Caramel-21.I was looking for a nice nude shade that I can use daily as well as to compliment smokey eyes.I already have a similar shade from Lakme but in the LOTDs they are way different from each other though not so much when seen as a bullet.

This new range mostly comprises of really vibrant shades of reds,pinks,orange and brown.This is the most subtle colour that I could find.I saw these beauties online but wanted to see them "live" before buying them.Virtual shopping and color cosmetics are mutual enemies anyways.So I started looking for them everywhere and thankfully they were available easily in all those shops that stocked streetwear products.

Priced at 180 rupees,these lippies are a steal.I got this at a discounted price of Rs.155.It's quantity is 4g.
My Take:
Firstly as you can see the packaging is apparently really cute with the black plastic body,transparent cap and a dash of pop art.However the bullet,protrudes about 1cm outside the plastic body even after completing the swivel. This is a really major problem as I have to be really careful while opening and closing the cap so that the bullet is not damaged in any way.Even then I have scratched it in a few places as evident from the lipstick sticking to the cap's base.Also the bullet itself feel a bit fragile and the plastic packaging quite cheap.Then again,it is really no use complaining given it is priced so low.
Next,the texture of the lipstick is really creamy-They truely mean it when they say "moist" but there is nothing "ultra" about that moisture.It glides really smoothly on the lips and do not feel drying or heavy on the lips.However after 3-4 hours of wear it does fell a little dry but not like parched-dry.
The pigmentation is awesome.Though it is the lightest shade available in the range,2swipes of the lipstick provides opaque colour.The staying power of the colour is good-around 4-4.5hours with light eating or drinking.After that it fades leaving a nice stain which also vanished in another hour or so.It do not stain the lips-at least nothing that a cleanser cannot get rid off.But it does leave marks anywhere and everywhere my lips come in contact with.Well,it is a creamy lipstick and not matte,so this much I have to accept.
The colour lastly-though named as "caramel",the shade is actually a cross-over of brown and

peach.It is more of peach and coral and less of brown though in the bullet it looks otherwise.On my lips it appears a true coral-peach with a hint of brown-a very unique colour.


This is how it looks on my lips when freshly applied:
(2 swipes of the lipstick only on bare lips-photograped in tubelight without flash)
Pros:

  • Easily available
  • Dirt cheap
  • beautiful shade
  • good staying power
  • suitable for daily wear as well as on occasions
  • well pigmented
Cons:

  • The packaging is awful-there is always a risk of damaging the bullet
  • apart from this one most shades are too vibrant for my taste(may not be a con for you)-at least they appeared so on the hand swatches
  • leave marks on everything your lips come in contact to.
Given its price,we are actually getting more than our money's worth and this shade is truly unique.I am going to buy a backup of this shade soon in case they are ever discontinued.I can't really say that it is my MLBB shade but it has replaced my go-to shade-Elle 18 Coral Romance.
Rate:4/5(-1 for packaging)

Streax Perfect Shine Hair serum

Hello everyone!
Today I am going to review a hair serum that I got almost 1 year back and it is high time I review it.It remains cooped up in a corner of my study table ever since I started using the Mythic oil.I was in search for a hair serum because I read that they are helping with taming frizzes and ever since I started using a blow dryer at home I felt my hair getting rougher and frizzier than usual.Thankfully I have at last overcome that obsession for hair styling and hence my hairs are saved.After the Garnier serum (reviewed here),I wanted to try out something new and better.After reading a few other reviews I zeroed on this one as it is most easily available everywhere and do not burn holes in your pocket.I sort of share a love/hate relationship with this one.Read on and you will know exactly why.

Price- Rs.175
Quantity-100ml
Packaging-transparent yellow ocher bottle and yellow ocher cap with pump dispenser.Transparent plastic label.THe bottle is plastic.It is sturdy and the cap click-fits and hence quite travl firendlt though I prefer to make sure it stays erect inside my bag just as an extra precaution.

My take:
The serum is colourless and has a very sweet smell,rather floral.My shoulder lenght hair required 2-3pumps to properly coat my hair.I usually use it after shampooing though at rare times I did use it on second-day dry hair as well.The results were better when usd on damp hair.On dry hair it made my hair slightly oily.
It does tame frizz but only for a few of hours after that you have to re-apply.The smell lingers for about an hour or so.Another problem is that if I re-apply through the day,by the end of the day my hair feels a bit sticky-something totally undesirable.Otherwise it is ok-I will prefer to call it an average product-better than the garnier one because this one is far less chemical-y.
Pros:

  • Easily available
  • Really cheap
  • Beautiful scent
  • do not contain too much of chemicals
  • travel friendly
  • transparent bottle hence convenient to keep track of amount used
  • though feels sticky in my hair type if re-applied too many times-it did add some shine and healthy look to my hair
Cons:

  • Makes hair oily when used on dry hair
  • feel sticky if reapplied
  • hair gets frizzy after a few hours post application if not re-applied through out the day
It is a OK-OK type of product for me.Good but not good enough to make me return to buying another bottle of it.
Rate-3.5/5

Sunday 16 November 2014

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick-Thrilling Pink

Hello!
Today I am going to review a pretty true pink lipstick from the Colorbar Velvet Matte range.This is my second lippy from this range the first one being Obsessed Orange.While I really love the orange lipstick I hated the hideous stain it left on my lips that just refused to budge off even with a cleanser.On the other hand,I have to admit that the pigmentation,staying power offered buy these lipsticks at INR250 would put much high end lipsticks to tough competition.So after much dilemma I got this one.I had actually went to look for the newly launched Streetwear Ultra Moist lipsticks in the shade Crisp caramel and had in mind the shade "Bare" from this range should I not get the Streetwear ones.But in the end I ended up buying two lipsticks on the same day-the streetwear one and this one reasoning that I do need a pink lippy in my stock.Makeup does become an obsession after a point of time. How I wish I had searched for a similar pink among the streetwear ones then I could have saved some 150 bucks!Why I say so?That's because the streetwear ones provide almost the same quality sans the stain and at half the price.This pink stains the lip horribly!

Price-Rs.299- yeah they have actually increased the price though I just don't see any point to it!Have they improved the formula?No.Then what's the price hike for??
Quantity- 4.2g
There is nothing new to be said of the packaging,it is same as ever.Practical but very ordinary-nothing eye-catching about it.However they have changed the shape of the tip of the bullet as you can see in the picture at the right.I find the new shape more convenient to use.Another thing I like about these lipsticks is that they have both name and number.This shade is numbered 61P.

My take:
The colour-As you can see the bullet in a bright rose pink but on application the colour is less vibrant-much like how it appears in the left picture's color-coded bottom.
Staying power-6-7hours maximum with minimal eating and drinking.the color remains intact upto 4-5 hours after which it leaves behind a uniform pink stain that is pretty but hard to remove.
Texture-Though named matte,these lipsticks are more on the creamy side.It applies smoothly without any tugging and has a glossy sheen.How ever with time the glossiness fades and it starts feeling bit dry on the lips but despite that it stains every thing it comes in contact with.So unlike my maybelline bold matte lipstick which at least did not stain things unless I deliberately pressed my lips tightly to aomething to stain it.
Now,my lips are averagely pigmented and its true colour is much like dusty mauve-pink.This is how this lipstick looks on me.If you have similar lip-colour it hopefully will look the same on you.
Pros:

  • good pigmentation-2 swipes give full coverage opaque colour covering all pigmentation
  • perfect shade for daily wear as well as parties.
  • good staying power
  • convenient and practical packaging-color coded backside,transparent cap makes it easy to locate if you have more than one from this range
  • easily available
  • reasonably priced(though I suppose the previous price was good enough for the quality)
  • specially designed tip makes application easier
Cons:

  • stains the lips like hell and just refuse to come off even with a proper cleanser
  • settle into fine lines of the lip
  • stains anything and everything my lips comes in contact with on the slightest touch
  • odd smell
All in all,I would have called this a good-buy rather than bidding it goodbye had I not experienced something equally good at half the price.Next time I want a pink lipstick I will try out "pink pirouette"(not sure of the name-it was definitely called pink something...) from the streetwear Ultra moist range which seemed to be the exact dupe of this one at least in the hand swatch.Sorry Colorbar,but I just couldn't help making a more comparative study and less a review.To find out why I am so raved about the streetwear lippies stay tuned for my next review on them.Till then goodnight!

LOreal Paris-Mythic oil Rich Oil Review

Hi friends!
After been away for nearly 6 months,feeling that I just can't keep balance between my blogging and studying I am back.Today I am going to review a hair oil/serum that I have been using since May and I suppose now it is high time that I review it.It belongs to the professional range of L'Oreal hair products,specifically the Mythic Range-Mythic Oil and the variant I am using is Rich oil.
If you have been through my previous post you would know that my hair is dry at the ends and oily at the roots.It gets awfully rough if I don't condition it for once and neglect oiling my hair before shampooing.
My hair got really dry last winter and when I went on my first hair trimming trip to the parlour after the winters the hairdresser coaxed me into getting this serum,after depressing me with lectures about how awfully thin my hair has become since the last time she saw me.She said that the "mystic oil"(yeah that's her version of pronunciation) was a "miracle" remedy to everything from split ends to hair nourishment etc etc.Even I will sprout new hairs!Really,as if I was going to believe that!I got this solely because it is mainly composed of Argan oil which is famed as a natural heat protectant and that there was raving reviews of it all over the internet.But did it really live up to all the claims and hype?read on to find out.

Physical appearance:

  • Golden yellow press-down cap and translucent yellow bottle made of plastic.
  • transparent label mentioning the name and variant of the oil and the logo of the range of product.
  • It also says "controlling oil for unruly hair".
  • the carton it comes in is sturdy white paper with all the prints in gold.The packaging is really classy and beautiful.
Price-Rs.950
Quantity-125ml

Ingredients-
My take:
The product's consistency is light and non-sticky though it is actually an oil.The smell is heavenly.For my shoulder lenght hair 1-2 pumps is enough.Given it has a pump dispenser and the cap closes tightly it is quite travel friendly.I usually use it on days after shampooing as a serum and as a styling product before blow-drying.Though I was recommended by the hairdresser to use it regularly as a massaging hair oil as well but somehow seeing the chemicals in ingredient list I preferred to stick to my home-made oil blend(recipe coming soon).
Now,as a serum it works fine-better than my Streax perfect shine hair serum but nothing that is miraculous. When I pay proper attention to my hair care routine my hair is not that rough or frizzy.Using this serum only imparts a little more shine,softness and manageability but not throughout the day as claimed by many bloggers.Maybe the results vary from person to person.The scent lingers for quite sometimes though.Since it is very light and non greasy it gets easily absorbed in my hair and do not make it limp.But if I use it on my dry hair or hair washed only with water,it does feel like I have applied something oily after sometime.It is damn costly given the results are nothing spectacular but on the up side a little goes a long way.My sister and me,have been sharing this bottle since May and still 1/3rd of it is left.another thing to be mentioned is that it cannot be used as a substitute of conditioner particularly if you have dry hair like me.I tried a couple of times when I had run out of conditioner but my hair felt like straw within 3-4 hours post application.

Pros:
  • smells really good and the scent linger for quite a long time if used on wet hair
  • does control frizz to some extent without making hair greasy 
  • when used before blow-drying hair,my hair looks healthy and shinier compared to blow-drying without applying this serum.(I apply 1 drop before blow-drying and 1 drop after I finish setting my hair)
Cons:
  • Damn pricey!
  • need to be reapplied through the day to maintain the frizz-free look
  • results are nothing spectacular or unusual as expected of a product with such a price tag.
  • for best results your hair stylist will recommend you to use the whole range which comprises of a shampoo(rs.750),conditioner(approx. above rs.500),this oil and a hair masque(rs.600-1000 depending on the size you opt for).
  • Availablity-only at l'oreal,wella salons and a few cosmetic shops around and in New market,Esplanade that stock professional range products.(I know only for Kolkata,no idea about other cities)
Will I re-purchase?
Nah,The results are nothing that I expected.I am currently using the 6 oil nourish shampoo and conditioner together and after a couple of weeks of using my hair is completely frizz free,though it tends to get oily at the roots and hence limp on the 2nd day if I am not careful with the amount of shampoo I use.
Rate: 3.75/5

Thursday 20 March 2014

Loreal Paris Smooth Intense Smoothing Shampoo

Hi,today I am back with a review of a shampoo that I had been using through the winter months this year.I finished up the whole bottle finallu and now feel confident enough to share what exactly I feel about this shampoo.I had tried Loreal conditioner looong back that to on the recommendation of the local parlour and after that never again.Not that the conditioner was not good but then Loreal was not exactly available over the counter and the professional ranges at the parlours were too pricey and had to be availed from the parlour only and I hated visiting parlours.After that somehow I never felt like trying this brand again as I was quite happy with my Sunsilk shampoos.Recently,now that I have gained a bit more knowledge about need-specific shampoos,I started looking for ones that will exactly suit my requirement and this is how Loreal Paris Smooth Intense Smoothing Shampoo took it's entry in my life.
First let's begin with my hair type-I have wiry-curly shoulder length hair,that is not very dense and gets really frizzy specially during winter months.While my scalp is oily during summers it gets dry in winter and this year it got too dry and I got dandruffs!But my hair is pretty dry which gets even more so during winter.I wanted a shampoo that will have moisturizing properties and smooth out my frizzes.I suppose my scalp got so dry because I had been using my Lush Jumping juniper even during December.So when I saw these shampoos at the More store,I was instantly sold to them as it promised everything I was looking for.Moreover it contains Argan Oil which is really good for hair.I researched a bit online and bought the small bottle of both the shampoo and conditioner from the same range.
Packaging:
It comes in a creamy golden bottle made of plastic with a flip-top cap with a brown border.The Label with the brand name,product nam,the ingredient list are all in a combination of brown,gold and cream.I was actually very much attracted to the packaging-the cream colour is so rich.The packaging is sturdy as well and the cap click locks quite firmly.The colour of the shampoo is a tad more lighter than the colour of the bottle and contains minuscule shimmers.
Price:Rs.69 for 90ml
What the brand claims about the product?
"For the 1st time the L'Oreal Laboratories have suceeded in combining Argan oil and Silk Protein which is naturally reach in essential fatty nutrients:
1.Deep Norishment:the creme formula nourishes and smoothes your hair from root to tip making it look more smooth and manageable.
2.48hr Protection:the formula shields your hair from the effects of humid and dry weather ,like unruly,unmanageable hair."
Now I am not going into the details of the oh-so-long ingredients list.I will just mention some key ingredients though,which are not really desirable at least by me in my shampoo.The shampoo in "Surfactant based", contains SLS as the 2nd product in the ingredient list,contains paraben("sodium methylparaben").
My take:
The shampoo is mildly fragrant and is quite heavy-this was my first impression and a impression that stayed on as long as the shampoo got over.I have always used lighter formulas so this shampoo felt exceptionally heavy on my hair.You need loads of water to remove this entirely from your hair,even then it leaves behind a slight sticky feeling-no wonder this shampoo is a "smoothing" shampoo!When I didn't have the patience to keep washing and washing my hair-I ended up with my hair weighed down by the shampoo and conditioner since I never skip conditioning.Hence my hair would easily get sticky and dirty,collecting all the grime in the city in the curls of my hair!However when I did wash it well enough,it left my hair shiny and visibly smooth and soft-even more so when I blow dried my hair afterwards.The fragrance lingers for quite sometime but is quite pleasant specially when topped with the conditioner.As for the 48hr protection claim-I really don't know-my hair felt sticky when I was not patient enough to wash it all off and even when I did manage to do so,my hair got quite frizzy the very next day after shampooing even though I almost ritually conditioned then applied a smoothing serum.Another thing is that I experienced comparatively more hairfall as long as I had been using this shampoo.With my lush shampoo maximum hairfall averaged at 2-3 post-shampooing,but in case of this one it got increased to 9-12!However it is no doubt moisturizing.Overall it is a fair choice if you are looking for a budget moisturizing shampoo and don't have any high and extraordinary expectations and if you are patient enough at shower. :P
At a Glance:
Pros:
  • budget-friendly
  • travel friendly
  • smooths hair visibly
  • makes hair soft and shiny
  • easily available
Cons:
  • contains Parabens and SLS
  • requires loads of water to wash off
  • makes hair sticky and weighs down hair if you do not wash your hair well
  • increased my hairfall
  • not the permanent solution for frizzy hair(not that I expected it to be)-hair gets frizzy again the very next day after shampooing
Will I repurchase?
No.I am extremely happy with my little Jumping Juniper and I suppose I will try some other moisturizing shampoo that is easier to wash off.
Recommendation?
Not that bad but neither too good,get it at your own risk.Who knows?I might work really well for you.
I don't realy like the shampoo much but the conditioner from the same range proved excellent so far-A perfect pair to my Jumping Juniper.I will soon review it,once I have finished up the bottle.Till then,good night and wake up bright!

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Lakme Enrich Satin Lipstick-142

Hi!Today I am going to review a lipstick from a very popular range by Lakme-The Enrich Satin range of lipsticks.My relation to this one brand that Indian beauties can boast about as their very own have always been really like a tug-of -war game-while I love a few of their products,most have proved to be disastraous for me and not to mention their sudden  price hike for all their new launches making it impossible to invest on them,specially for those who are on a tight budget.Now coming down to this range of lippies-they have been around from time immemorial,they were the definition of lipstick for me a kid and they are one range that haven't altered much over time.I am not much into lipsticks and this range repulsed me always with their collection of all the aunt-ish colours(I am sincerely sorry if I have offended all the mauve-purple-dark maroon-magenta-sprakling lipstick lovers).But recently after they added 26 new colours to this range and I happened to stumble upon a very pretty true pink-peach shade(143) that my curiosity about this long-forgotten range was again evoked.I did a bit of research which really did not help so much given I was sorely disappointed seeing that all the shades except 143 were actually variety shades of brown.But they were better than the almost black-browns and magentas and purples and since I was looking for a nude lipstick to add to my collection within a budget I decided to give them a go after all these years.I went to my local cosmetic store with a few shades in mind and swatched only them so as not to get confused and finally got 142.

The packaging is the same old eternal classic(?) boring maroon rectangular plastic tube with a golden band reading "Lakme".The only difference that I find is that the plastic has a matte finish which I like unlike the earlier glossier version .In general I hate the packaging but I suppose it's no use complaining given the price they are charging and the 70 shades they are offering(though most look like twins and triplets!).The cap click locks but is quite flimsy and will break for sure if you drop it too hard.There is a maroon sticker both above the cap and at the base of the lipstick tube mentioning the shade number which can again be very confusing if you own too many of these lipsticks.Priced at Rs.225 for 4g approx,this lipstick is a winner pigmentation-wise. Shelf-life is 3years.A single quote give near opaque coverage and double coat increase the depth of the colour.Staying power is average-around 4hours with light snacks and after that it leaves a even brownish stain which is not very pretty to my eyes at least.Another part is the smell-It is quite overpowering but the plus point is it does not linger too long.This particular shade appears light burnt-seinna brown in the tube but swatches look more like a mixture of peach and brown and on my lips it looks like a cross between rust and brown.There is no shimmer in it and does not bleed.It do not settle into lines either.It does not transfer too much either,especially when worn with a primer beneath.Now I got this lippy during mid-January and the season was quite cold in Kolkata.It felt quite hard on my lips and did not glide easily.Hence application was also patchy.I had to solve this problem by warming up the bullet by rubbing a couple of strokes on my palm.Also their were minute granules of god knows what in the bullet.It's mid-March now and already it is scorching hot specially during the midday.To my amazement the bullet feels so buttery now-almost brittle and is sweating.While on the up-side,it has turned real buttery and easy for application,the down-side is that it is melting and broke from the base today even though I did not apply much pressure.This shade will suit fair to medium skin tones and even dusky divas when a couple of strokes are applied otherwise it may wash out on them.This works great when paired with dramatic eyes and rosy cheeks.A perfect colour for office or formal occasion,this will look equally well with ethnic or western outfits.Brown tend to age people but somehow I don't find this issue with this shade.It is my go-to colour whenever I am doing a black smokey eye look.
Tubelight-with flash

The lipstick

the bullet

hand-swatches

primed lips with maybelline bb stick-radiance and then topped the lipstick
 
When worn alone it imparts a bolder brown-rust colour,but when layered over primed lips,it looks a very light peachy brown-almost like you are not wearing anything.My lips are neither too pale nor too pigmented,and on covering up with bb stick,it appears slightly darker than my skin tone.This way,as I have observed the lipstick survives much longer as well.
At a glance:
Pros:
  • Very affordable
  • Good pigmentation
  • Good staying power
  • does not transfer too much
  • 70 shades available
  • easily available
  • cap click locks hence travel friendly 
Cons:
  • awful smell
  • boring as well as confusing packaging 
  • hardens during winter to the extend that application gets patchy
  • melts during summer-my bullet broke actually!
  • flimsy packaging in terms of the material of packaging
  • most of the shades out of the 70s are actually variety of browns-brown-peach,brown-plum,brown-black,brown-purple... Do I need to go on? and maroon.Exceptions are 356-siren red,143-pink-peach.
I am sure everyone has tried at least one of these.They are a nice and very easily available choice at a reasonable price but not the best.You can get much better quality at similar price or a few more bucks from Avon and Colorbar.Which of these do you like?And do share if I have missed any of their "different" shades,that is any other shades that is true to its origin and not mixed with browns and maroons.I don't think I will again buy one of these unless I am looking for a siren red just to experiment how it will look on me.Good night and stay tuned,I will soon be coming up with tutorials once my upcoming exams get over.

Friday 14 March 2014

Maybelline Color Show Nail enamel-Downtown red

Hi,today I am back after a long time with a review on a recently launched nail enamel that became an instant hit-you can guess I am talking about none other than the Maybelline color show nail polishes and today I am going to review the shade "Downtown Red " from the range which is also the first nail polish that I tried from this range.
This range comprises of 40 vibrant shades within a large spectrum of colour-ranging from sparkling golden to pastels,neons and even a white nail polish!Since I don't like to spent too much on nail polishes as they dry up in the bottle before I can finish with them,I always preferred those within a budget of Rs.100.My all time favorites are the Streetwear and Elle 18 ones.But I am biased towards Maybelline since anything by them works brilliantly for me so I was dying to lay my hands on at least one of these babies.The local gift shop didn't have all the 40 colours,but only the sparkly ones except this.So I got this one.I thought I would hate it because I never really liked maroon but this became my favorite nail polish and I suppose I will again and again buy this,read on and you will know why.I also own 4 more shades from the range-Sweet Sunshine,Constant Candy,Porcelain Party and the base coat and I find them displaying different traits so I will dedicate individual post to each of them.
Quantity-6ml
Price-Rs.75
The bottle is cylindrical with a black cap that flaunt the name of the range and the brand,I find the packaging comfortable to handle and funky.The shade name and code are written on top of the cap.The bottle looks big enough to be a 9ml one but holds 6ml so I must admit the glass is pretty thick and hence packaging is sturdy.
 Pigmentation is really good as one coat goes almost opaque .It also dries up fast within 1-2mins and the formula is rather creamy.And the best thing is,particularly this shade,does not chip easily.It stayed on for 5-6days without any chipping on my nails and also retained the initial gloss of the colour.The colour is not exactly maroon-a single coat impart a true maroon colour while on layering another coat it becomes a wine red.Initially I really regretted buying this shade as I always hated maroon and also it looked odd on my short nails as you can see in the swatches.So I just kept it off till my nails grew a bit more.This time I really liked how it looked and to add some to my glee-I got lots of compliments about how flattering the colour looks on me from friends and often some complete strangers.So,I also started really loving this colour.You can find dupes of this shade in any brand,Elle 18 and street wear too has one each but somehow this colour feels more deep and sofisticated compared to them.
The only downside of this range(and I faced this problem with sweet sunshine as well) is that it leaves behind hideous stains-even with a top coat!I don't know how that is possible but it did on me and I really hate that as I loved my original pinky nail bed so much.Another thing that I observed compared to the other nail enamels that I have used so far,this range tend to dry up in the  bottle real fast.
Pros:
  • Wide color spectrum
  • affordable
  • easily available
  • really good brush
  • this is a really beautiful all purpose red-bridal or office-it will work anywhere.
  • good pigmentation
  • chip resistant till 5-6 days
  • retains the glossy effect for quite some time
  • dries on your nails quickly
Cons:

  • stains the nail
  • dries too quickly in the bottle
Will I repurchase?
Yes,this shade and the shades whose dupes are not available in Elle18 and streetwear and also the lighter ones so they stain less.
Recommendation?
Do I need to?Everyone is after these beauties ever since they are launched.But I wish they wear not so staining on the nails.A single nail polish altered the natural colour of my nails with one application!I so hate that!

Thursday 13 March 2014

The Body Shop Body Mist-Moringa

HI!
Today I am going to review my first body mist and my first ever product from the Body Shop.While in many ways,Kolkata is a great city and I really love my city a lot,it sucks when it comes to availability of major cosmetic and beauty brands.There is Lakme,Maybelline,Lotus,Himalayas that are most available but even then they don't keep each and every product launched by these brands(I face this problem specially with Himalaya Herbals).High end brands like MAC,Inglot,Lush are only available at the Forum Mall which is located so far away from my home.Kryolan is not even there or at least I haven't yet been able to locate it anywhere and I happen to have visited almost all the big cosmetic stores of central and north Kolkata.So,when The Body Shop store opened at the mall within 5 minutes walking distance from my home I was literally jumping with joy.I was always fascinated by the reviews and range of their products.
I was real confused about what to try first.
I was looking for a strawberry scented body wash or perfume or whatever and TBS had quite a few products meeting my demand.I settled for the body mist reading after reading the review that the Body Polish scent don't linger long enough.I tried their testers but the strawberry scent was way too strong,almost gagging me.But it was yummy and I had a hard time deciding and choosing only one from the 7-8 scents.So I made a mental note,went back home without anything and sent back my parents with a list so they can try only those tester and choose one.I had short-listed shea butter,strawberry,vanilla and moringa.My parents ended up choosing Moringa.I was bit upset that they chose this one as I was thinking about shea butter but now I just don't have any regrets at all.
I prefer scents that are not overpowering and subtly balanced-I don't like to reek of my perfume and make other's nose burn.When I had tried the tester of moringa,somehow it had felt ok,but nothing heavenly.But at home,when I tried it on again,I was just swept of my feet.Read on to know why.
Now moringa is nothing but the flowers of drumstick tree,called "sojne danta" in Bengali and the drumsticks are widely eaten all over India.I have seen this flowers hundreds of time in the tree,and after getting this perfume and knowing that moringa is actually drumstick flowers I even tried smelling the live flowers.They don't smell anywhere near this body mist-in fact they have no distinctly strong smell at all-just a hint of earthy smell if you closely smell them.Before this body mist,I was only interested in the drumsticks and not the flowers,they are delicious!I never imagined such ordinary flowers could be used for such a heavenly smelling scent.
Ingredients:
Alcohol Denat(69.9%),Aqua/water/eau,Parfum/Fragrance,Linalool,Benzyl Salicylate,Propylene Glycol,Geraniol,Glycerin,Moringa Olifera Leaf Extract,Sorbitol,Eugenol,Denatonium Benzoate.
Direction of use:
All over Body Spray.Flammable.Do not Apply to face.For adult use only.
As you can see the ingredient list is full of organic compound and what puzzled me is that it says clearly that it contains the leaf extract and not flower.The bottle however show the picture of the flower alone.The packaging is very simple glass bottle with a silver cap,containing 100ml of the body mist and costs Rs.745.
The smell is not too floral or heavy.It is a light fragrance that is similar to Jasmine.I find it difficult to describe,it is unique.If you spray too much it stings the nose a bit for a while but once the alcohol evaportaes the floral smell left behind is sure to turn heads.However the lasting power is not at all up to the mark.It vanishes within 2hours post-application.I can only smell it when I hold my wrist to my nose that too very very faintly.It seems to last longer when I spray it on my clothes and at the nape of my neck below my hair,specially after bath.You won't get that puzzled "what is that smell?"-look from passersby through out the day even then until you keep topping it up through the day,which is again impossible if you are travelling sinc it is made of glass.After experimenting in several ways I managed to make it last around 4hours on me.I just sprayed it liberally on my wet body after towel drying at pulse points,sprayed it on my clothes and within my wet hair before blow drying.The mist feels great on the skin specially during summers as it feels cool.Overall,it is a awesome perfume and I love this one only for the scent if not anything else.
Pros:
  • no animal testing
  • heavenly smell
  • 100ml will last forever for me-since I use this only for special occasions,the rest of the time-my Yardley london English Rose deo is the savior.
Cons:
  • does not last long enough
  • not travel friendly at all-glass bottle
  • not widely available-I suppose TBS Diamond plaza is the only TBS in Kolkata
  • overpriced compared to the performance
Will I buy it again?
Still in dilemma because I love the perfume so much and equally hate the bad staying power.
Will I recommend?
Yes,if you like floral scents that is not overpowering or feels artificial and if you are ready to cope up with the bad lasting power,and of course if you are not on a budget then go for it.Otherwise be a little more patient and keep hunting for your signature perfume.I am sure there are many lesser known brands providing far more long lasting and equally good-smelling perfumes at the same price.And do let me know if you get one,I want to know my options once this gets over which is not going to happen in a long time though. Till then take care and have a great day ahead.

Thursday 27 February 2014

Make-up kit for college goers

Hi,I suppose this is the first time I am posting something at a regular interval.So,I won't start rambling and go straight into the topic.Being a college goer myself,I face a very common problem faced by almost all college girls-What exactly should include our beauty regime?College years are the beginning of fashion experimentation for many of us and with exposure to so many new products and brands we often get overwhelmed and hence overboard with make-up.The end results is often a clown face rather than a diva-not at all desired.So what can be done?The easiest,cheapest and most effective way to prevent this is stop buying more than you need.Yeah,I know many will kill me for saying this but this is the best way.But almost no one can help getting tempted seeing the array of cute bottles and tubes and tubs in the cosmetic shops.Today's post is a compilation of those thing I feel necessary and enough for a college girl on budget like me.
College years or 18 to 22yrs age is perhaps the best years in a girl's life in terms of health,beauty and of course the fun at college.A girl is always glowing from within,so why cover up that with dollops of foundations,concealers and what not!I say until you are a severe case of pimple and acne scars,heavy coverage foundations and concealers are completely unnecessary.First understand why you make-up.It intensifies our best features hence boosts our confidence,make us look nice and presentable and sometimes we make-up for loved ones or to attract appreciative glance from our crush, ;).But really,one very true things about guys-they love to see us with the minimum make-up possible.Some girls might find this very helpful while others will die rather than not wear make-up.I,personally expect three things from the products I buy-Budget-friendliness,good for skin and no side-effects or permanently damaging and makes me pretty.So,today's post might be quite useful to those who share similar views.

Face:

Sheer to medium coverage base is the best for this age unless you have a extreme condition of spots and scars.Tinted moisturizers/suncreens,BB creams and sticks and sheer foundations that also have benefits of moisturizers and suncreens work best.But I will rather not recommend the foundations as they tend to clog pores and quite damaging on the long run.Here's a list of things that I have already used and liked for their qualities:

  • Ganier BB Cream- Rs.89 for 18ml,Coverage-sheer,only one shade available but compliments almost all complexion-build able to some extent,does not get cakey,contains SPF 24,can be wore easily during the day,quite moisturizing if you have oily skin.dewy finish but melts if you sweat or secret oil a lot.easily blendable.The bad thing is it stings a bit on my face and I don't know if this experience is personal or universal.The 18ml tube lasted me for approx 8months.for details click here
  • Lacto Calamine Lotion for oily skin-Rs.80 for 40ml,coverage-sheer,tinted moisturizer.the tint suitable for fair skinned people,on dusky beauties this one might look ashy.Easily Blend-able. No.No SPF.A good moisturizer if you can bear with the smell.
  • Maybelline BB Stick-Rs.250 for 10ml,coverage-medium and build able,SPF 21,comes in two shades Radiance and Fawn for fair skin(pink undertone) and dusky skin(yellow undertone) respectively. Blend-able but not as easily as the creams mentioned here.Powdery matte finish.Emphasises dry patches if you have any so moisturization is a must even if you have oily skin.Waterproof,lasts at the most 8 hours.
  • Lakme CC cream-Rs.250 for 30ml for the shade bronze and Rs.199 for 30ml for the shade beige.Coverage-medium and build-able.SPF 20,the shades suits the generally yellow undertoned beauties of India very easily.Need to work on blending a bit.Transfers if your skin is oily.not very moisturizing.For details click here
  • Boroline-Rs.17 for 10ml.No,I am not asking you to apply boroline all over your face and go to college.But I felt this product deserves it's place here solely because of it's health benefits.It works miraculously on smoothing any dry or broken or rough patch of skin.I always keep one tub handy in my college bag for emergencies like accidents at sports day,or instantly smoothing out broken and dry patches of skin that suddenly start showing up during winters and even summer time.I just massage a liberal amount on the place,scrub it lightly with a towel hanky, wash it off and pat-dry my face and I am ready with a very naturally flawless skin without even applying any complexion correctors.
  • Lakme rose powder-Rs.99 for 40g
  • Maybelline clear glow compact-rs.185 for 9g-available in 4 shades,sheer coverage,can be used in wet form,contains SPF 24,I bought the wrong shde but use it more as an matte beige eyeshadow and for making my kajals smudge-proof at the lower lash-line.
  • Lakme invisible foundation-rs.215
  • Lakme foundation Rs.100
  • Lakme mousse Rs.99 
  • Maybelline cheeky glow blush-Rs.225 for 7g-Available in 3 shades-adds a natural flush of colour-is build-able-moderate pigmentation-lasts 3-4hours-suitable for day wear-does not break out skin.
  • Faces creame blush-Rs.350
  • Blush is really not that important.But when you want a glow but don't want to spent much on having an huge assortment of different shades of blush you can do the following thing-just with the cutting edge of your lipstick in the shade of blush you want draw a line on your cheels and blend it super well and you will have the desired shade of flush on your cheeks.I use my elle18 lippies for this purpose.
Lips-
Lipsticks are really not always perferable specially when it leaves hideous stains.Glosses look gross and feels sticky specially when you have full lips.Balms do not impart that much colour that you would have liked.Here is a list of some of the lipsticks and balms I found to be quality products at good budget.

  • Vaseline jelly-Rs.5,cheapest and the best balm for your lips.Ok,not the best but it's works really well given the price and is available even a that road-side tea and pan stall!
  • Vaseline Rosy lips-Rs 109 for 4g,pigmentation good given its a lip balm,moisturizes upto 2-3hours after that you need to re-apply.A nice substitute for lipstick but the other available shades are not as pigmented.
  • Maybelline Baby Lips-Rs.150 for 4g but the ads are showing that they have reduced the price to Rs.99.Yippeeeee!!Available in 6-7shades out of which the 'cranberry' shade is best pigmented.Moisturizes for maximum 5-6hours and makes the lips soft with regular usage.Again a very healthy substitute for lipstick for daily wear.Fro details click here
  • Elle 18 lipsticks-Rs.100 for 4.2g,sheer coverage for light colours,medium to dark coverage for others - available in large number of shades-moisturizing to some extent and staying power is 3hours min and 5hours max-transfers quite a lot.does not stain your lips unless it is a really pigmented shade for eg.Rosy Blush(27).A good beginner's choice if you like experimenting with looks and colours .Some of the best shades of this range are Coral Romance(42),40(forgot the name,probably something ending with peach),mousse melt(16),Rusty(29),Rosy Blush(27),constant candy(forgot no.),Cinnamon bun.For details click here
  • Avon Simply pretty lipsticks-Rs.169 and Rs.109 when on offers.good pigmentation and really good range of colours-quite moisturizing-good staying power-avaragely non-transferring.ONly drawback is you have to find an avon representative for getting these.
  • Lakme Enrich Satin lipsticks-Rs.225.Good pigmenation,80+ colours but mostly on the browny side,not very moisturizing,stains a lot-ugly packaging-the plus point is that it is budget friendly.must have shades from this range are 352,149,421,356,143,142.
  • Colorbar Velvet matte lipsticks-Rs.275.Great pigmentation,huge range and variety of colours,slightly drying formula,stains a lot,good staying power-upto 6hours without meals-suitable when you are in the mood for bold lips.The plus points are the cost and variety in shades.I wanted a true orange in my collection and hence got colorbar because it offered one.For details click here
  • Maybelline bold matte lipsticks- Rs.375.Matte lipsticks in a budget.very good staying power upto 7-8hours,not at all transferring-bold colours suitable only for special occasions.Only 5 shades available of the same color family-pinks,orange,coral and red.coverage is opaque in one swipe except for the shade MAT03.All the shades are a must-try if you can carry them.
  • Lotus herbals lipstick rs.185
Eyes-
Kajals,eyeliners,coloured eyepencils and neutral matte eyeshadows are the best for daily wear and a eyeshadow pallete with bolder colours of your choice for special occasions.

  • Maybelline Colossal Kajal-rs.175
  • Lakme Eyeliner Rs85
  • Lakme eyeconic Eyes Kajal-Rs.199
  • Lotus Herbals Kajal-Rs.115
  • Avon Glimmersticks
  • Faces eye pencils-Rs.249
  • Lakme Eyeconic eyes colour kajals-Rs.250
  • Lakme eyebrow pencil-Rs.45
  • Maybelline color tattoo Eyeshadows-Rs.350-best colours-the bronze,gold,teal and orange one.
  • Maybelline Diamond quad Eyeshadows-Rs.495-best one is the neutral quad and the pink quad
  • A beige Eyeshadow-I use my maybelline compact in sand beige shade for this purpose
  • A matte brown-peach and a shde darker brown eyeshadow-For this I use the ones in my ADS travel-size makeup kit priced rs.112.
  • A highlighter shadow-the compact provided in the ADS kit.
  • A Peach Eyeshadow-The blush in the same kit.
  • Ouemeidie eye shadow palette-Rs.120 for festive occasions.
  • Maybelline hyper-curl Mascara-Rs.250 for daily use(available in waterproof and non-waterproof variant)
  • Maybelline Collosal Mascara-Rs.350 for occasuions(")
Nails:
A look is never complete without a dash of color on your fingers and toes.here is an assortment of a few best nail polish at reasonable price available in India.

  • Elle 18-Rs.50
  • Streetwear-Rs.55
  • Lotus Herbals-Rs.110
  • Avon simply pretty-Rs.65
  • Tips and toes-Rs.60
  • Maybelline coloroma-Rs.90
  • Maybelline Color show-Rs.75
  • Lakme enrich satin-Rs.150
  • VOV nail paint-rs.20-40
A few miscellaneous yet vital things:

  • A face wash specially suitable for your skin type-here are few for oily skin-Clean and clear morning energy face wash-green apple variant,Himalayas fairness face wash
  • A body sunscreen-Lotus herbals and Biotiques make some of the excellent ones.
  • Q-tips
  • A set of 5 or 7 vital make-up brushes-plenty of Chinese brands flood the Indian markets which are quite good as beginner's brush.they cost from Rs.100-Rs.120 bucks in Kolkata.If you are from Kolkata just search through the right-hand footpath stores in Hatibagan,there are many options.Even individual brushes are there reading "MAC" and "Bobby Brown" and "Avon"at around rs.120-150 each(the price is very much negotiable and if you are really good at bargaining you can get them for Rs.80 at least).Don't get elated-those are fake but nevertheless very good in their quality-at least good enough for a make-up newbie.
  • A pocket-size bottle of rose water and cotton swabs.
  • A nail-paint remover-lakme nail paint remover is the best priced at Rs.65 for 30ml.The blue Heavens one is also good at Rs.28-32 for 30ml.
  • A make-up remover.You can use Baby oil for this purpose,even the Ayur Cleansing milk is a great option.Maybelline also sell a Make-yp remover at a reasonable price.
Now that we have the list of some great budget friendly options but how to assemble your own kit?

  • First get a large box for keeping your essential things.Only include those that you will require on daily basis in this box,for the rest keep them somewhere away from your sight.I keep my box on my study table!The rest are kept in the drawers of my mother's dressing table.
  • For your face,including a travel-size moisturizer is a must and any one of the above mentioned BB/CC creams.However if you are opting for Lacto calamine you can skip the moisturizer from your kit.If you have oily skin you may keep a compact or loose powder in it as well.Only one blush that will go with your complexion as well as in daytime and with any dress or look.I am fair with pink undertones in my face and find the Maybelline cheeky glow in creamy Cinnamon the perfect blush matching all the mentioned criterias for me.For dusky beauties I suppose the faces cream blush in the peach-orangey shade will look flattering,
  • For lips,keep a lip balm and an assortment of some must have shades of lipsticks or glosses.I have full lips and glosses make them even fuller so I prefer lipsticks with sheer coverage or wear them as stains.Some absolute necessary shades are a pink(daily wear),a brown(formal purpose),a red(for bold lips-neutral eyes quick make-up look),a neutral(for neutralising dramatic eyes),a quality lipstick in your favorite shade for special occasions.I have Elle 18 lipsticks in shade 42(a sheer coral pink for daily wear),16(caramel-brown for no make-up formal look),27(germanium red-I bought this thinking this one is a siren red),Lakme enrich satin 149(a neutral peach-brown),Maybelline Bold Matte MAT02(A coral-pink for special occasions),Colorbar Velvet Matte Obsessed orange(a neon orange for special looks).If you are similar to my complexion you can try them out.
  • For eyes-A kajal-preferably a waterproof and smudge-proof one.A eyeliner depending on what you like best.I am more of a neutral eye person and want to look natural at college-as if I am not wearing anything.If you like that then include a peach,brown and beige shadow.If you prefer playing with colours collect your favorite shades of Eye-pencils-but not more than 5-6 wearable colours.One eyebrow pencil.One daily-usable mascara.
  • For nails-Now nail paints are not really a must have thing.But they do add bit of colour to your look and reflect your moods.I prefer to keep a nude(formal),a black(sexy-boho look),a scarlet,a rosy pink,a maroon(because it looks really flattering on me though I personally never really liked the colour) in my kit.MY nail polish are mostly from streetwear and elle 18.For the scarlet however I prfer Lotus herbal Red chilly.
  • A nail paint remover
  • A make-up remover
  • A set of make-up brushes
  • q-tips
  • cotton swabs
  • a travel size face wash
  • a travel size rose water(toner)
  • A few more things that I also keep along with these are a hair serum from Streax and my shampoo and combs.
Quite a long post this one was!Phew!So,how did you find it?Do you have any more suggestions?Do share your ideas as comments.I would love to hear from you,till then good night..!

Sunday 23 February 2014

A few more DIYs-for Hair#1

Hi friends!
The weather changing is ridiculous in Kolkata and I had been busy with Exams in college.Today's post is going to be a fun post.Not a review but some great do-it-yourself ideas that I learned from my mother and from articles and some of them are my own innovations.
So lets begin!
I will start with hair.Everyone loves a healthy,shiny and thick mane of hair that also smell pleasant.The whole charm of good hair get spoilt when it smells like rancid food.It is an embarrassing problem that usually source its origin from dandruff,allergies,sweat,leaving the hair unwashed for too many days and product build-up.What not we try to make it smell beautiful and even sensuous at times!While hair perfumes are the quickest solution,it has it's own side effects and the smell don't linger for long.The same goes for fragrant shampoos.For some the problem is so severe that the hair starts smelling awful even a few hours after shampooing.I also face the same problem specially when I suffer from dandruff.At other times,my hair acts like a trap for the fumes and pollution of the road as a result smelling like smoke.While on usual day i just apply my Streax Serum(review will soon follow) which smells heavenly and also the only product whose smell seems to survive at least an hour.But on special occaions I prefer a long-lasting fragnance.I have experimented with quite a few scents and the followings are the ones that lasted the best.

  • Coffee mask-
According to your hair length and texture you will need coffee,honey,and a essence of your choice-I prefer vanilla and chocolate because they are very complimentary with the smell of coffee.You can even skip the essence if you want to stick to one smell.I prefer layering different scents.
My hair is wiry and shoulder-length and it requires 15sachets(1 sachet is 1/2 flat tsp roughly)coffee,2tbsp honey(this adds shine and also helps in making  thicker paste),and 1/2 tsp of your desired essence.warm 4tbsp water(not boil) and add the coffee,honey and mix thoroughly so it becomes a smooth paste and no lumps of honey or coffee is left undissolved.Next add the essence and stir it in.Apply on your hair strands concentrating at the ends and leave it on for half an hour.Shampoo as usual.
This mask not only smells great but also create brown highlights on your hair visible in sunlight.After washing I applied streax serum on each layer of hair while it was still wet and blow dried it.The resultant was a floral-caffeine mixed scent that lasted 2days given I did not shampoo my hair the next day,it survived normal rinse with water.The floral smell evaporated though in its usual time.I used loreal's smoothing shampoo and conditioner but their fragrance did not alter much of the coffee-scent.This was my own little innovation since coffee is used along with henna powder,then why not alone?
Pros:

  • ingredients very easily available
  • Adds shine and soften hair
  • my hair looks more voluminous
  • not exactly costly if you consider the price in comparison to a whole bottle of hair spray which are Rs.250 and up.
  • Lasts for 2days or rather until the next time you shampoo(the smell won't be as strong as first day but it will linger)
Cons:

  • time consuming
  • shampooing is must
  • some may not like the smell of coffee or vanilla or chocolate or honey.
  • not exactly cheap when you consider per wash cost in comparison to per spray cost.

This one,though a bit too long process is completely worth it.None other things I tried so far lasted as much.If you have the time to spare then go for it.The only problematic part is sitting idle for half an hour and it could be real sticky and messy if it spills around.Also as an afterthought I would like to add that all the ingredients used appeared to be very arousing for my boyfriend who couldn't work out at first from where exactly was he getting the smell of "coffee and chocolates and something flowery" around me but he felt it was driving him "crazy".So,I suppose this bit of information has already got your naughtier side raking her brains,who knows this might work for your guy as well.


  • Essential oil blends:
This one is tricky but works just like a normal hair spray.You will need a spray bottle,the essential oils of your choice,water.The instructions are usually written on the bottle of the oil about it's dosage,but don't use it directly or in concentrated form.Always dilute it in the recommended amount.Usually it is 2-3drops in 1tsp(10ml) of career oil or water.I used Blossom Kochar's essential oils which read that they should be diluted with water.I used Sandalwood and Rose since I did not want to spent huge amount on oils that I did not recognize and since their was no tester for them i didn't risk buying unknown fragrance.I made a batch with 100ml of water where I added the oils in a ratio of 2:3.That is,I mixed sandalwood oil to 40ml water(around 12drops) and rose oil to 60ml water(around 18 drops) since I wanted the floral scent to be more dominant.I just sprayed this mixture under my hair in every layer and dried it with a cold blast from the drier.This method  also contributed to the elongated lasting time of the scent.Shake the solution before every spray and you can keep it for quite some time but not more than a couple of months.
I came to know of this while searching the internet for ways to scent my hair uniquely.Now,essential oils are tricky things to work with,In right proportions they can smell heavenly and wrong proportions will make you stink.Also it is equally necessary to understand the purpose and nature of the oils since few like cinnamon and peppermint smells very nice but are skin-irritants.While Jasmine oil is an anti-depressant but some may find it's smell to flowery for their taste(I do).So your blend should be created keeping many things in mind like what smells best to you and also what type of mood you are in or wanting to create,The blend mentioned above smells great to me and is sensuous and very relaxing in nature-I just can't feel off as long as I can smell this blend.The staying power is not very long-approx 2hours after which the sandalwood smell evaporates and some another 2 hours and the rose evaporates as well.This is so because Rose oil is a "base-note" oil while sandalwood is most likely a "middle-note" one.I made the solution averagely concentrated,strictly as per the dosage recommended so the smell was not as strong.I do not recommend going beyond the dosage recommended by the brand unless you are a dermatologist and know exactly what you are doing.
Pros:

  • You can create your own signature fragrance
  • Once prepared,you can use this for quite a long time(You can't use 100ml in one go can you??).So no preparation time,sitting idle with a gooey mess on your head etc.

Cons:

  • Pricey-Each bottle of oil contains 15ml and cost Rs.285 per bottle so that is Rs.570.But the good news is these two bottles will yield you perfumes for the next couple of years or more depending on how fast you use it up.So then it's not that pricey.
  • Please do your own research if you wish to use some different oil than the ones mentioned here.You will find plenty of stuffs about the features of different oils online.But don't dive into the craze and end up with a bald-head.Yes,wrong usage can be that reactive.
  • Some might find the preciseness required for blending confusing and tiresome.For them-please don't try.Wrong blend won't smell appealing and accidentally dropping more than required can result in concentrated solution that is not at all good for your hair.
  • The smell don't last as long as the coffee mask.
So how did you like the ideas?Do try them and let me know how you find them working on you.I will soon be coming up with new DIys that I have in stock,till then good bye and have a great day ahead.