TOP MISTAKES IN "MAKING UP"

My first stint with makeup consisted of Lakme lipsticks, nail polishes from TipsNToes and the occasional Yardley or Charlie perfumes that adorned my mom's dresser. Since childhood I was curious about makeup and the moment I started getting my pocket money all I did was splurge on experimenting with various types of cosmetics. I wasn’t happy with only lipsticks and nail polishes, I wanted more! I wanted blush, I wanted mascara, I wanted foundation, I wanted kajal… Yes... You do get the drift right? So I experimented to my heart’s content.

Now when I look back to my experimenting days, I cringe. I keep counting these faux passes that I committed and want to now share with you all the top mistakes that we are bound to commit while starting to make-up for the first time! So here I go…

While applying Foundation
Who doesn’t want a flawless complexion, radiance and glow on one’s face? And the shortest way to achieve it (if not naturally) is by applying foundations. Applying foundation is exactly what it sounds to be. It is preparing the foundation to your makeup. You screw up your foundation, you screw up your makeup. Direct proportion you see :D

The most common mistakes we make while applying foundation is as follows:

1. Using a foundation shades lighter or darker to your skin tone: Buy/apply foundation that
matches your skin tone! If not well versed with this process, do ask the SAs for help!
2. Choosing a wrong formulation for your skin type: Oily skinned people should opt for light,
oil free foundations. Likewise, dry skinned people should opt for base makeup with added
moisturizers and light reflectors.
3. Applying base makeup too heavily: One must apply foundation with a light touch.
4. Not setting your foundation: Once the foundation has been applied, one must apply a compact of a shade similar to one’s skin tone.

While doing up the lips
Makeup they say can virtually change the way you look. It can highlight one’s salient features and can be also be used to hide one’s flaws. Changing the shape of your lips, altering its width is all possible by using lipstick.

The most common mistakes we make while applying lipsticks is as follows:

1. Using a lip liner of a shade much darker than the lipstick shade: The lip liner used to define
your lips must be a shade matching your lip color or the lipstick color.
2. Applying lipstick directly on chapped lips: One must exfoliate one’s lips and make it smooth
before applying lipstick.
3. Applying dark lipstick on thin lips: One must avoid using dark shades of lipsticks on thinner
lips as darker shades give an effect of thinning your lips.

While doing up the eyes
Eyes are windows to one’s soul and hence it is important to make our eyes up in order to ensure that our soles are perceived as beautiful ;)

The most common mistakes we make while applying eyeliner are as follows:

1. Crooked lines: One must ensure that our hands are stable enough to draw “uncrooked” lines
before venturing into liquid liner territory.
2. Clumping your mascara: Ensure non-clumping of mascara by adding a second coat on your
lashes before the first coat dries!
3. Matching your eye shadow exactly with your clothes: It is always advisable to complement your clothes with an eye shadow that complements the color of your clothes rather than matching them directly.
4. Applying a cream based eye shadow without a primer.

While applying blush
The way base makeup provides foundation for your makeup, in the same way blushers provide the finishing touches to one’s makeup. It could make or break the overall effect of the makeup one might have very painstakingly applied.

The most common mistakes we make while applying blushers are as follows:

1. Applying a little too much: In order to avoid looking like a clown one must first practice by
using a minimal amount of blush and swirling it on one’s cheeks with a fluffy blush brush.
2. Not matching the blush to your skin tone: Important rules to follow here are using light
shades in the daytime, colors like pink, rose and coral for fair skin and tawny brown for tan
skin tones.

Skin Care for Winters: Part II

In the part I of my Winter Skin Care post I spoke about how two of my fav body oils help me battle dry skin during the Winters. In this post of mine I would like to introduce you to my collection of Moisturizers and body lotions :) You see I am a moisturizer freak and I just keep hoarding them! I even ask my friends to gift me moisturizers when they are at a loss thinking about what to gift me ;) But there is a catch too. I am very picky bout my creams as well :P My skin is very dry and so very oily type of lotions suit me...

Anyways… So, as I was saying, my creams collection is this:



Lemme take you through my collection and tell you about each one of them :)

1. GARNIER FRUIT NATURALS BODY COCOON
This body lotion is my favorite of the lot and I just cannot live without it! I apply it on my face, neck, arms, legs.. my whole body in short :) The best part about it is that it is odorless and hence does not interfere with the fragrance I might be choosing for an occasion. It is extremely oily and really really takes very good care of my skin. I apply it any time of the day. It doesn't react against my skin, it is very soothing, very oily and very very pocket friendly :)

2. VASELINE COCOA BUTTER DEEP CONDITIONING BODY LOTION
This is another body lotion i swear by, and that is mostly because of its flavor/fragrance. The yummy cocoa fragrance helps me relax and pampers my inner senses. I generally use it as a body lotion after a hot bath before I go off to sleep. I treat myself to this "spa" generally when I am low and need some perking up. Else my nightly routine is oiling myself with Olive and Almond Oil. The delicious smell this body lotion has helps me sleep better and I am more fresh and relaxed in the morning. The texture is of course very soothing to dry skin (it's a Vaseline product!).

3. BATH & BODY WORKS BODY LOTION IN JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM
This lotion was a gift from my best friend when she went to the US for work. She got me this lotion and I have been hooked to this ever sense. The scent of cherry blossoms that this lotion imparts is to die for and I have always been complimented about it's fragrance whenever I have used it on me. It has a very feminine smell. The texture isn't very oily but is perfect for my hands and legs :) I simply love this lotion and I really cannot get enough of it! I dunno what I'll do when it gets over… I'll need to look as to where I can find it in India :(

4. FABINDIA SEABUCKTHORN BODY LOTION
This was a gift from my sister out of her first salary. It's FabIndia and that speaks for itself! The lotion is not very oily but I use with a few drops of Almond oil and it becomes perfect for me :) The smell of this lotion is pretty over powering but all my friends say that I smell yum whenever I apply it :)

5. BATH & BODY WORKS BODY LOTION in MOON LIGHT PATH
This lotion was a gift from another very close friend of mine from the US. It has a very very fresh fragrance to it and it instantly perks me up whenever I apply it. She also gifted me a body mist of the same smell and I obviously love the pair of it :) The consistency is certainly not oily and hence I keep it in my purse or in my car's glove compartment to give my hands an instant "spa". They are great for my hands and I simply love the way it leaves a fresh fragrance to anything I touch :)

6. ORIFLAME SUN CARE PHOTOSTABLE SUN LOTION
This is the only sunscreen I use or rather am allowed to use by my skin. Let me repeat, my skin is naturally very dry and hence I need a sunscreen that is not only high on SPF but also imparts an oiliness to my skin and thus this lotion became a favorite of mine! It's gives an extremely oily feeling to my skin but as such when you look at yourself in the mirror you don;t really seem to be dripping any oil ;) It doesn't have a very strong smell and rather the smell dies down as soon as you have finished applying it. I love it for this!

So, here was my description of my favorite creams and lotions. Next I want to add the Pond's tinted moisturizer to this list :)

Skin Care for Winters: Part I

Many of us face a problem of dry skin and the condition tends to get worse in the Winters when the humidity is low. This gives rise to itchy skin,
"stretchy" skin and sometimes in severe cases leading to "cuts". I live in Pune, which isn't really known for it's cold winters. It's almost as if the winters just pass us by and it's time for Spring again! But you see, there is a problem… Cold or no cold my skin starts getting stretchy and tight just as October starts to roll in… It's as if my skin "wakes up when September ends"… ooh! now that sounded clever ;)

Anyways, after a period of research and experimentation, I have finally discovered the perfect combination of products that have now become my favorites in helping me combat extreme dryness during winters… My skin just loves them and they in turn pamper my skin to bits :D You see there is so much love here ;)

The products that I want to tell you guys about can be categorized into two types:
• Oils
• Creams/Moisturizers

There are these two oils that I swear by, one being Olive Oil and the other Almond Oil. I have been using Olive oil for quite some time now but I have just recently realized the potential of Almond oil and how much it works towards making my skin supple and glowing.
Let me take you through each one of them :)

Two of my fav body oils :)

OLIVE OIL
Olive oil is a fantastic source of Vitamin E and can be used all over the body on your skin. My skin being on the extreme dry side simply laps up the oil and makes me feel all conditioned and loved :) It's consistency is a lot on the oily side (it's an oil after all), so I generally use it on my hands and legs before I go to sleep. This helps me wake up all happy and smooth. Olive oil is generally found in three types- "Extra Virgin", "Virgin" and "Pure". Extra Virgin Olive oil is the purest form of oil and contains negligible additives, while the other two forms contain more additives. The pure olive oil is generally a mixture of virgin and refined olive oils.

Olive Oil

Benefits:
✓ Can be used as a night cream due to it's richness with Vitamin E
✓ Can be used as a lip balm
✓ Applying Olive oil to dry skin helps the skin regain it's natural moisture.
✓ It also helps in reducing damage caused by sun exposure.
✓ The Vitamin E in Olive Oil makes it very beneficial as an anti-aging product.


ALMOND OIL
Almond Oil is another oil that is a very rich source of Vitamin E and hence there are no prizes for guessing how good it is for your skin. This is one oil which is compatible with all skin types. Moisturizing with almond oil eases rashes and chapped lips and skin. When used regularly it provides a healthy glow and hence I apply it to my face and neck every night before going to sleep. I have been using this for less than a week and yet my friends and colleagues have been telling me about how my skin has started to glow :D Yay Yay Yay!

Almond Oil

Benefits:
✓ Improves complexion and retains glow
✓ Relieves dry and itchy skin
✓ Moisturizes deeply
✓ Lightens dark circles
✓ Delays the aging process
✓ Cures chapped lips and skin

Winter 2010: Makeup Trends

With the advent into the end of the year and with the festive season starting, it is now time to get rid of the Summer trends and welcome Winter with new smokin’ trends! This years Summer and Spring trends tended towards nude and colorful looks respectively. So, dramatic eyes and defined lips come as a no surprise for this year’s Winter Season.

This Winter, it’s all about Smokey eyes in any color. The lips need to be defined in not necessarily Red but also Metallic Purples, Coral, and even Magenta!

Dior now is out with it’s “New Look Dior Smoky Fall 2010 collection” showcasing color trends that see a lot of smoky purples, seductive and shimmery shades, bold red lips and glamorous eyes.

REVIEW: Lotus Color Dew Nail Enamel

As asked by Mehak (from PeachesNBlush), I am reviewing The Lotus Herbals Color Dew Nail Enamel in this post. Like I had said in my previous post this was the first time I was trying Lotus, so I was pretty skeptical and hence bought only one shade in 920-Rose Petal. Actually, I had been attracted by the nail polish bottle with its long and slender form that stood out from other brands in the store.

The bottle is really attractive and long. It has a long brush applicator, which actually makes the task of applying nail polish very simple 

The enamel as such has a very “liquidy” consistency and if you don’t remove the excess polish from the brush, it could just flow freely onto your fingers. But once you have managed to get the right amount on your brush, the enamel application becomes a dream… Even though it is quite thin in viscosity, two coats of the polish are enough for a smooth, glossy and a long lasting finish.

Now comes the part where I describe the part about how my nails look with the polish on. Well, honestly I haven’t seen such gloss on my nails ever before from any other nail enamel. The coverage is awesome and oh so glossy! I removed the nail paint from my nails after four days (cause I was preparing to review another polish) and there were no chips even then!!

Another important feature that totally bowled me over is that it was really really Quick Dry! By the time I finished painting my other hand the coat on the first hand was already dry!

Each bottle costs Rs.95/- and I must say that the enamel is worth every rupee.

Postives
Great coverage
Long Lasting
Very glossy
Quick drying
Reasonable at Rs.95/-
Didn’t make my nails yellow like Lakme does.
Love the bottle. It looks awesome on the dresser.
Long brush applicator makes it easier to apply.

Negatives
Lotus nail paints are not available easily at all stores. Only a few stock them 
Limited colors in the range

Will I buy another shade? Oh yes! I plan on buying all shades that are available :D (Greedy me!)

Oriflame, Lotus, FabIndia and maXfactor made my Day

Hola! This week has been extremely lucky for me and I have got to share my makeup haul with you guys! Like I said in my previous post I was out shopping with Sucharita for her wedding when I picked up a few goodies for myself as well… And as luck would have it just yesterday my Oriflame consultant delivered the products I had ordered for last month :P And then my sister who was in an awesome mood because of getting her first salary this month gifted me something. So all in all it has been a great week for me so far ;)

So, here I go! Lemme list it out for you…

1. Lotus Color Dew Nail Enamel – 920 Rose Petal
2. Lotus Lip Balm – Cherry flavor
3. maXfactor KOHL Pencil – 020 Black
4. FabIndia SeaBuckThorn Moisturizer
5. Oriflame SunCare Photostable Sun Lotion- SPF10
6. Oriflame Visions Quick Dry Nail Polish – Silver Pink, Crushed Damson
7. Oriflame Visions Quick Dry Top Coat
8. Oriflame Visions Soul Mates Eye Shadow – Adam & Eve

Phew! Now that was quite a Haul Huh? :D

I was trying the Lotus brand for the first time in my life and I was totally blown away by the nail paints! Are they awesome or what? The consistency of the polish was on the thinner side but with two coats I was totally ready to go! It’s my third day with the polish on and not a single chip as yet… And the polish is so glossy! My nails look fresh as ever. Since the day I bought it I have been gushing like a fool :)
And the bottle is so pretty and elegant looking!

The Lotus lip balm on the other hand was so-so. I mean nothing really special. It met my expectations but certainly didn’t exceed it!

The maXfactor kohl on the other hand has me all singing praises… It is truly smudge proof and very very long stay!

FabIndia’s SeaBuckThorn moisturizer comes in this very cute bottle with a pump and looks really pretty on the dresser. The moisturizer is soothing and I found the smell ok ok. A bit overpowering.. but fresh!

Oriflame’s SunCare Photostable Sun Lotion is something my skin loves especially in the winters. It gives medium protection from the Sun and is oily. Oily skinned people might not really like it!

Oriflame’s Visions Quick Dry nail polishes are good. Very reasonably priced and give good coverage and are fast drying. My only qualm is that they don’t offer a variety of good shades. A rainbow of colors is available in the more expensive range of the oriflame product family.

Finally, the Visions Soul mate eye shadow Duo… Honestly, this is the first time I will be trying it out and so you guys would need to wait for a review :)

I promise to give an in-depth review with price and pics of each product in my upcoming posts :)

Cosmetics Shopping

Ok let me make no secret of it, but I was like down in the dumps over this weekend. For no particular reason I just wasn’t very happy with everything around and was maybe for the first time suffering from Weekend-Blues (if anything like that exists at all!).

Now honestly, nothing really perks me up as does shopping for make-up and so I tagged along with this friend of mine who is getting married next month. She had to buy these cosmetics as a part of her wedding trousseau and so I was actually looking forward to being pampered by the SAs. You see here in India, when you announce in a shop that you are getting married and have come for your wedding shopping, you are pampered to the fullest by the Sales staff. It is a one of a kind experience (also depending on the number of times you plan to marry in your life. LOLZ).

So anyways, we go to this store called Dorabjee’s in Pune, which has a newly opened cosmetics section and well well well, is it awesome or what?! All major cosmetic brands have outlets there, except for maybe “maXfactor”… Now you see my to-be married friend Sucharita already had a list ready with her, so she knew what she wanted to buy, my other friend Manu is the practical one who is sometimes skeptical of newly launched cosmetics and I am someone who resembles a kid left unattended in a candy store. So you see, all three of us exhibiting varied traits have come cosmetic shopping wanting to have a good time! :D

Sucharita went about buying her listed items ticking off stuff from her list. Manu was trying out the new products and was especially tickled by Maybelline’s new gel liner. Well you see Maybelline has come out with this gel based eyeliner. It is actually nothing but a glorified “desi kajal” with a super soft brush as an applicator. I loved the jar of the kajal and the brush was of a really good quality! Did I buy it? No… Did Manu buy it? No… Did Sucharta buy it? YES! :D The SA tried it out on Manu’s eyes and I have to give it to you that it looked fabulous. Plus the carton claimed it to be water resistant and smudge proof!! What else does a girl need out of her kajal/eyeliner?

Sucharita also purchased a blush from Maybelline and a few colored eyeliner pencils. On buying these Maybelline products, Sucharita won a free Vanity Pouch of Fuschia Satin with black polka dots :)

Next we took on the Lakme counter by storm… With the launch of the new Gypsy collection, we wanted to try out a few products and if satisfied then buy them as well ;) We were already armed with crashing reviews of the gypsy collection’s kajal and lip gloss, so were more interested in trying out the Lip Palette and the eye shadow palette. The swatches of the lip palette that the SA showed us on Sucharita’s hand made us really really fall for it and Sucharita was so thrilled to get 5 shades in one case for 600 bucks that she immediately bought it! My only crib… There was only one shade of palette available :(

We also ended buying lakme eye quartet in Tanjore Rush! Really interesting and warm colors that suit the Indian skin tone. Sucharita also got a Golden colored clutch purse free with the Lakme products that she bought :) Yay!

Finally we hit the Revlon counter. We already knew what we wanted and this purchase was my favorite purchase of the day. We bought a Revlon Skinlights Face Illuminator. I had used this in the past and had been introduced to it by my mom. We both swear by it and now Sucharita loves it too :)

These were the highlights of out cosmetics shopping spree. I have left out the smaller purchases like nail paints and deos and stuff.. All in all it was a day well spent and we all came home tired yet happy and content!

Did I purchase anything? Yes I did! But that’s for another post :)

REVIEW: ORIFLAME Visions Peach Me Perfect Skin Glow

I have always been scared of foundations and hence have always steered clear of them. They scare me, they intimidate me and they totally make me want to run for my life! I am a sucker for natural looking skin and hence I could never get myself to put a mask on my face and go around town. But... yes there is a but ;) But there came a day when my friend who is a consultant with Oriflame showed me one of her catalogues. Oooooohhh... The yummy looking Visions Peach Me Perfect Skin Glow was on discount! and it looked so tempting and so so sinful in that catalogue that I just couldn't stop myself from buying it. Phew! and there went my resolution to be a smart make-up shopper out of the window!

Anyways, now that I had bought, I had to get it to some use. So, first I tried the traditional method of using it as a foundation all over my face and well I have to give in and tell you honestly that it was good! It was more than good. It felt light, did not have the powdery/matte effect that loads of foundations do and it gave an instant glow! I loved it! It blended really well into my skin and the glow it imparted did not look OTT and could be worn even to the office :D Yay!

But,,, yes there is that but again (no pun intended!), but like I told you before I totally dislike the feeling on something on my face and so the foundation effect made me not use it for a while. Aaaah! what a waste of a purely good and a competent foundation you'd say... and well yeah I felt the same and so I thought of a new way to use it :) LOL... Yeah I used it to tint my daily moisturizer i.e. my Garnier Body Cocoon, which I have already reviewed HERE.

Anyways, coming back to my stint with tint (awesome! I love the way it sounds), all I did was take a tiny circle of the foundation on my palm, put some regular glob of moisturizer mix it with rubbing both my palms together and applying it on my face and neck as usual. Dude! It was amazing! My moisturizer moisturized well, like it is supposed to and the foundation mixed in my lotion imparted that subtle glow and glitter to my face :) I simply loved the effect :)

Let's now discuss the pros and cons of this product.

PROS

1. It blends well.

2. Yummy subtle fruity lemony smell

3. Very good coverage

4. Imparts a very natural looking glow

5. It feels very light on the skin.

6. Affordable at Rs.249/-. Though I bought it at a discounted price of Rs.189/-. Yay! :D

CONS

1. A single shade. Dunno if it would match all complexions!

You guys must try it out ;)

The skin needs nourishment as well...

I came back from my trip to Mumbai all refreshed and rejuvenated. Of course I needed a break from all the daily routine here in Pune, but even my skin was pestering me for humid weather ;)
You see I have extremely dry skin and to top it off, I live in Pune, which has an extremely dry weather and so my short trips to Mumbai rejuvenate my skin and bring back the luster that the dry Pune weather robs my skin off. My skin loves Mumbai and Mumbai nourishes my skin as a favor ;) i totally love this relationship that my skin shares with this humid city :P

But you see with the advent of the Winter season, I needed to find a more permanent solution to this dry skin problem of mine. I needed to gift my skin something that could cajole it into liking dry weathered places as well. Thus, my quest began and I have zero-ed onto three of my fav products... And they are... Ta Da...
1. Garnier Skin Naturals' Body Cocoon Intense Moisture Lotion
2. Fab India's SeaBuckThorn Moisturizer
3. Virgin Olive Oil

My reviews for the products are as follows:

GARNIER SKIN NATURALS BODY COCOON INTENSE MOISTURE LOTION
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This is one body lotion that I swear by. It has the perfect amount of oiliness and with a next to negligible odor, it has become my favorite and something that I use daily 365 days a year! But OILY SKIN people beware! It is highly greasy and will make your skin break out in no time. However, for dry skin it proves to be what an oasis is for a desert! It has an oily consistency and it leaves my skin smooth and supple. It provides complete nourishment to my skin.

PROS
1. Extreme moisturizing nourishment for dry skin.
2. Negligible fragrance, hence does not interfere with the smell of my perfume ;)
3. Comes in two sizes- 250 ml and 125 ml. 250 ml sits well on your dresser and the 125 ml bottle fits in your handbag :)
4. Dermatologically tested and hence no allergies!
5. Perfect as a face as well as a body lotion.
6. Very easily available in all general stores and medical stores.
7. Very affordable!

CONS
1. Not recommended for Oily Skin (but the you already knew that ;))

PRICE: Rs.145/- for 250 ml and Rs.89/- for 125 ml.


FAB INDIA's SEABUCKTHORN MOISTURIZER
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My sister recently bought this moisturizer from her first salary and I have been since then singing it's praise! It smells yummy and the buttery consistency that it possesses quenches my skin's thirst. My skin feels soft and smooth after applying it and it has a yummy smell :) It has seabuckthorn oil, glycerine, almond oil and soyabean oil. No wonder it nourishes so well.

PROS
1. Yummy smell though strong!
2. Leaves my skin smooth and soft.
3. Comes in a cute "press-press" container.
4. No allergies reported so far ;)

CONS
1. The fragrance might just prove to be a tad bit overpowering.

PRICE: Rs.225/- for 100 ml.


OLIVE OIL
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I have been on the lookout for a body oil that I could use during the winters that could prevent my skin from cuts due to dryness. I have tried various options ranging from Jonhson's baby oil to coconut oil to Keo-Karpin's Vitamin E body oil. But nothing really helped until I got my hands on a jar of *** Olive Oil. Needless to say, I have found my elixir. Benefits of Olive Oil is all over the internet. From it's anti-aging properties to hair-loss prevention capabilities, Olive oil is a much favored oil.
I personally use Olive Oil to only moisturize my skin. It's benefits to the skin in uncountable and helps in the following:
1. Preventing/treating signs of aging like "crow's feet".
2. Treats stretch marks.
3. "Smoothens" and softens the skin making it supple and youthful.

PRICE: Rs.90/- for 100 ml.