Beauty Haul + Mini Review ft. The Body Shop, Ananda Spa, Batiste etc.

I keep a list of products I want. These are the ones I’ve heard good reviews of but I’m waiting for them to go on sale so that I can buy them with lesser guilt. Believe it or not, some of them have been on my digital wishlist on every e-commerce website I stalk - because why should I miss out on a good deal, eh?

Review: Snackible - The Healthy Snacks Subscription Box

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about snacks instead of makeup on my blog today. Well, I was in search of some off-beat healthy snacks since I’ve started working out and that’s how I discovered Snackible. I haven’t seen many reviews on it so I decided to talk about it here.

Natural Remedies for Dry Damaged Hair - Apple Cider Vinegar

Its not been long since I started using Apple Cider Vinegar on my hair. I started using it in March this year, and we’re nearing the end of May now. I have stated previously in posts such as My Hair Story tag about my hair problems. The bottom half of my hair is dry - damaged. Any chemical based product I used failed to cure it from being damaged. To top it off, I also started getting dandruff. My hair was pretty much the definition of damaged goods.

BG Img Src

Favorite Summer Pastel Nail Polish Colors + Recommendations

When it comes to switching makeup between seasons, playing up your manicures is the easiest place to start. For me though, pastel & bright nail polishes are my JAM. I literally wear them all year. So when summer rolls around, I have plenty of colors (& polishes) that I can recommend you to try out asap!

Review & Swatches: theBalm INSTAIN Long-Wearing Powder Blush in Argyle

The foremost reason why I bought theBalm Instain blush is because it has gotten a lot of positive reviews for being a long wearing blush. The cute packaging was of course, secondary ;)

Three Great Organic Clay & Rice Based Face Masks for Summers

I love using face masks and I think that every girl does! I have discovered so many great face masks over the years and I realized that of late, I’ve seen best results from natural face masks than chemical ones. Today I will be talking about three organic clay based face masks, which I think are great to detox your skin during summers!

Most Affordable Liquid Lipsticks in India- Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Creams Shades 15A,17A, 08 Review & Swatches

For the whole of 2015 I wanted to get my paws on the Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Creams as they are dupes for the NYX SMLCs, but I didn’t know where to get them. I was wary of ordering them online (through Instagram) because they were overpriced there! Finally I got them, basically, they are available in every beauty shop in Mumbai & I was totally unaware of that.

The Body Shop Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Review

Almost everyone I know has had dandruff at some point. I felt that I was so lucky because I had never gotten it. Then I ran out of this good fortune last year, because I also got it :(

Under Eye Color Correction, Concealing & Highlight - Guide & Tutorial

Hi everyone! Welcome to my 200^th blog post. As with each milestone post, I decided to write about something special in this one too. My 100^th blog post was about the Liebster award & the 150^th one was about My First Lipstick Purchase.

Review n Swatches - Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gradation Mauve1

If there’s one brand that keeps coming out with new collections that are super affordable, its Maybelline. Right after they launched the Fit Me! collection in India, we were rewarded with Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gradations (also known as Color Blur in US).

Makeup Revolution London Iconic-1 Redemption Palette // The Urban Decay Naked 1 Dupe

­­The Makeup Revolution London Iconic 1 Redemption palette was on my wishlist for a long time because I assumed it would be the dupe of the famous Naked palette - the original one that started dozens of alternatives after its introduction. I had a hard time getting the Iconic 1 during sales because it always got sold out first. Then one day I got lucky & was able to grab it at half-off…score !

CURRENT MAKEUP FAVORITES [SUMMER EDITION]

Summers in India are something different altogether. We are blessed with hot, tropical climate that can get pretty humid in coastal areas. This post isn't about my favorite makeup that will last if you're outside whole day in summer. Its simply about what I'm loving on a daily basis to work, in spite of the weather.

My Hair Story Tag

Hello dear readers

Today I'm going to be doing a tag post, like the title suggests. No one has tagged me, but I have been battling so many hair issues simultaneously that I thought, what the hell, let me just put it all in one place so that I can use it as a reference for future posts. The only fun way I could think of doing that is this tag. I think its pretty cool and I was able to get out most of the information about my hair, just one thing though, TMI alert. I hope you won't be grossed out by some of the stuff you read !

MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Brick-O-La

Confusion, thy name is Brick-O-La…Have you ever met a shade that you couldn’t put into any single color category? Described by MAC as a mid-tone berry, in my eyes, the color couldn’t be farther away from berry.

Review & Swatches: The Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation / Best Drugstore Foundation ?

The Maybelline Fit Me range finally launched in India a few months ago. To the collective relief of all, it was priced pretty well and suited even the stringiest budgets. I wasn’t able to buy much from the collection because the concealer & blush shades were too light but fortunately, there were more shade options in the Fit Me Matte + Poreless foundation range.

The Original Beauty Blender | Worth the Hype? | How To Use?

The Beauty Blender sponge is the most talked about makeup tool. I would never have considered buying it, till I saw it on sale at Luxola & along with free shipping as well ! I’m glad I didn’t think twice before buying it because now Luxola is stopped shipping to India & there’s no other way for me to get the Beauty Blender for cheap

Sad moment aside, is the Beauty Blender Worth The Hype ?

For the everyday glow - Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

If you see my complaints on other bloggers’ blog posts, till date, there probably isn’t a product I’ve expressed more dissatisfaction against than the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer. The dissatisfaction was simply because the product took a long time to dispense, and that would frustrate me. However, when I finally got it to work quicker (thanks to Khushi’s tip on NotOnlyMakeup), I could see why everyone praises the Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer.

Review & Swatches ~ Lakmé Absolute Sculpt Hi-Definition Matte Lipstick in Mauve Fix

Lakmé Absolute Sculpt Studio Hi-Definition Matte Lipsticks launched last year and because they were priced quite reasonable I immediately picked up a shade to try out. The collection doesn’t have a good variety of shades if you’re medium-dusky skin toned and are into nudes and rosy pinks. The only shade that I was drawn to was Mauve Fix.

March FAB BAG Women's Day Special ft. SUGAR, Wella, Nykaa, Suganda

The MARCH FAB BAG is a WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL bag. The theme is 'More Power to You'.

Kryolan Lip N Cheek cream in Lily / Review, Ingredients, Swatches

My love for Kryolan products has been well documented on my blog. Its natural to want to explore a brand more once its products work out well for you. And if the brand is not a heavily-priced one like Kryolan, there’s a lot of options to choose from. Last year I picked up this Lip & Cheek cream from Kryolan in the lovely shade ‘Lily’

Guide - Deep Cleaning Makeup Tools the Right Way // How to make your Beauty Blender spotless.

One thing I’ve learnt from being a beauty addict is that its never to late to learn to do things the right way. I’ve messed up correctors, contour powders before, but continuously watching makeup tutorials has taught me how to do them right. In the same vein, I felt that I have been washing makeup brushes the wrong way. I always used Johnson & Johnsons Baby Shampoo to clean makeup brushes & sponges….

BRIGHT PINK LIPS ft. Revlon Vivacious Colorburst Lacquer Balm

I have reviewed the shade Tease from the Revlon Lacquer balm range earlier and today I’m going to talk about another shade I have from the range. I love the shade Tease very much... Vivacious on the other hand wasn’t a love-at-first sight color...

Empties #3 - Body care products I used up in 2015-16 ft. Iraya, The Body Shop etc.

I have wayyy too many empties guys, some these products have been sitting in my house since 2015. Instead of piling them all into post I decided to divide them in to sections – body care, skincare & makeup. So today I’ll be talking about the body products I managed to finish.

Everything you need to know about StrawberryNET orders- Shipping,Delivery,Customs Tax,Refund info

Last year I placed an order with StrawberryNET, it was the first order I placed with them. I have heard about StrawberryNET since years but I always found the UI of the site very primitive and that made me think its some fake site. But last year I saw that they have really upgraded their site. So when there was a 10% off on makeup promotional offer, I decided to take the leap of faith and place an order for 2 makeup items that I had been coveting for a while. The good thing about StrawberryNET is that they have a couple of offers for newbies.

Nykaa Pastel Nail Enamels Hasta La Pista, Mint Meringue Review and Swatches

Nykaa Nail Enamels or their nail polish collection launched in November last year (I think). The only reason why the collection caught my eye is because of the abundance of pastel shades. It really reflects how the brand understands women & what they want. When Maybelline Colorshow range released I was happy that it has so many shades at an affordable price, but my heart always longs for pastel colors. Therefore I picked out polishes from the Pastel range of Nykaa Nail Enamels.

BBLUNT Climate Control Anti-Frizz Leave-In Cream Review

I’ve never used leave-in conditioners before this BBlunt Anti-Frizz Leave-In Cream. My hair is dry-damaged. I don’t have thick hair but its not thin either. I am using the L’Oreal Mythic Oil serum but I decided to replace it with the BBlunt Anti-Frizz Leave-In Cream to see how it fares.

Review : Kryolan 'DREDB' Derma Color Camouflage Creme / Green Color Corrector

I don’t know how I did my makeup before I started using color correctors !! I use an orange color corrector almost every day in my under eye region & around my mouth. A while back I felt the need for a green corrector. One thing about my skin is that my nose gets red easily, I have no clue why ! Before putting on makeup, I cleanse & tone my face and after this step, sometimes I find the center of my face slightly redder as well. Even Color Correcting creams like the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC cream aren’t able to help me hid the redness and therefore I decided to tackle the problem by buying a green corrector.

My Current Pimple-Free Skin Care Routine (Cool Weather)

Before you begin with this post, do read my earlier skincare post where I’ve mentioned some important tips that I follow till today.

Pretty Color - Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bouquet Lipstick in REB07

When the Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bouquet Lipsticks range came out, I wasn’t interested in it at all. Firstly, I do not like the Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks; they have a very creamy formula that’s a fuss to wear. 

Natio Argan and Jojoba Smoothing Face Oil Review (Updated)

I purchased the Natio Argan and Jojoba Face Oil after fellow blogger Shubha Juyal raved about it in a favorites post. I actually asked her a couple of questions before purchasing it when it went sale online. Natio is an Australian brand that launched in India (last year, I think) and so far I have seen their products online only. They might be available in stores sometime in the future and hopefully faster than Sephora.

Purple Lipstick from the drugstore : Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Shameless

I was looking through my YouTube feed and all YouTube-gurus had come up with Valentine's day looks revolving around pink – pink eye shadow, pink blush, pink lipstick. I was like, what ? No ! How boring, uninspiring & un-original. Are you really gonna be wearing pink eye shadow and pink lipstick ?!? And why is there this pressure for Valentine ’s Day to be about wearing pink? Last I checked, the universal color for love is RED. Anyways, this trend compelled me to bring something unique to your feed– A purple lipstick.

Rose Gold Hues : Makeup Revolution London Iconic-3 Redemption Palette // Urban Decay Naked 3 Dupe

Given that the online sales for makeup are in full glory because of Valentine’s day :eyeroll: I decided to share my views on this rosy hued palette with you. I mean, everyone is click-baiting Valentine ’s Day by creating all pink makeup looks, so why shouldn’t I do the same? If you don’t already know, the Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 palette was bought by me in 2014 (I love cool toned shadows as much as warm toned ones!) and it is worth checking out, especially when you can get it for lesser than the stipulated MRP. I got it for Rs.567 (55% Off). 

The Iconic 3 palette is supposedly a dupe of the Naked 3, a rosy toned nude palette. It contains 3 matte and 9 shimmery/metallic shades.

Review : The Nivea In Shower Body Milk Skin Conditioner for Dry Skin

Today I’m going to be talking about one of my favorite winter body care products. My skin gets really dry during winter, especially my legs. To top it off, I don’t have time to moisturize them every day when I have to go to work, so they get dryer each day. I actually don’t like applying thick body lotions on a day to day basis, I like the ones that have a really thin texture, like The Body Shop Moringa Milk and the Parachute Summer Refresh lotion. However, these thin textured lotions are not sufficient to hydrate my skin during winters. So I purchased the Nivea In Shower Body Milk Skin Conditioner hoping it would be a solution to this problem. I got the dry skin variant because I have dry skin.

My Body Hair Shaving Experience, Tips, Product Recommendations

I’ve never been a fan of waxing but I’m not going to bash it just because its not my cup of tea. To each, her own. However, if you want to try shaving but are apprehensive about it or you’re thinking of getting rid of that body hair because of the incoming summers, I’m sharing some tips with you. I have been using a razor to get rid of body hair since years now and this is all my experience.

My hair has never grown back thicker or darker post shave. In addition, I’ve never felt my hair get prickly. My underarms do feel itchy if I don’t scrub them post shave, but that’s it. Hair growth after shaving is relatively faster than hair growth post waxing. When I’d get my arms waxed, hair would start growing back after 2 weeks, in the case of shaving its 1 week. But this depends on one’s age, gender etc.

WHAT I USE DURING SHAVING :

Burt's Bees Beeswax Honey Lip Balm with Vitamin E // 100% Natural Lip Balm

When I first used this Burt's Bees Honey lip balm, it felt pretty dry in texture. The more I used it, its texture changed and it felt buttery. Its one of those things where you have to get rid of the initial layer so that the product works better. It’s a dry-buttery texture, like the EOS lip balm.

Ingredients :

Cera Alba (Beeswax), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Lanolin, Aroma (Natural Flavor), Mel (Honey), Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Canola Oil (Huile De Colza), Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin

This article gives a really good break down of the ingredients.

BBlunt Intense Moisture Conditioner for Seriously Dry Hair

BBlunt claims their products are specially formulated for Indian hair, in my opinion, that’s just a marketing gimmick. I like a lot of L’Oreal products that aren’t specially formulated for indian hair, which is why I believe that its all just statement. Today, I'm going to write about the BBlunt Intense Moisture Conditioner, a product I have been using for a couple of months now.

BBlunt Claims:

This moisture-rich conditioner makes out-of-control hair manageable. It smoothens, softens and adds shine. Show your hair some love.

Review // The Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Face Cleanser Leaves Me in A Rosy Bliss

My skin type : Currently, my skin is normal. It gets dry if I’m not regular with moisturizer (these months are cold after all!). I don’t have sensitive skin, however there are some products that give my skin allergic reactions. I don't have acne-prone skin. 

From the day I started using Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Face Cleanser, I fell in love with it. Firstly, the rosy scent is soft & calming. The cleanser is clear, I use two pumps of it for my face & neck. I use it in the morning & at night after removing all my makeup with a proper makeup remover. According to its description, it can remove light makeup, but I haven’t tested this out yet. It has the consistency of a runny/watery gel, I think it feels like glycerin. It spreads easily on my face and cleans it effectively. The first time I used it, my blemishes were diminished in size. When I had reviewed the TBS Aloe Gentle Cleanser, I had commented that I felt it did not clean my skin well because I still got pimples. Now, after using this KA cleanser (and other products in my skincare) I have not experienced any blemishes/breakouts. That’s one of the reasons why I love the Rose Jasmine cleanser, it purifies my face like no other. I do get small bumps on my face, but that is when I try out some new product or accidently sleep for some time with makeup (yes, it happens to everyone !).

Makeup Tools - Real Techniques by Sam and Nic Chapman : THE EXPERT FACE BRUSH Review

Another day, another Real Techniques makeup brush… I can’t help it! It’s like a jar of nutella, once you have a spoon, you won’t stop. And I’m really glad I didn’t stop, otherwise, I wouldn’t have discovered this amazing makeup brush. 

Skincare Favorites of 2015

2015 was a great year for me in terms of skin care. I discovered products that have kept my skin blemish-free, even during my period ! It doesn't get better than that, does it ? 

Here are some of the skincare that really stood out in 2015 :

Iraya Kumkumadi Facial oil - I got a lot of compliments from my family coz of how amazing my skin was looking after using this. Enough said, right ? Full review here. 

The Body Shop Warming Mineral Face Mask  - This clay face mask makes for the perfect winter indulgence; as you apply it on your face, you’ll notice that it warms up. This feeling is very comforting, especially in winters. It is able to detox my skin very well & reduce blemishes, spots and marks to a great extent. Full review here.

Just Herbs Petalsoft Antitan Rose Face Pack - I had just a sample size of this product that lasted for a good amount of time for me. I loved using this because of its rose fragrance, the whole experience was therapeutic. I want to repurchase it for the summer season, which is the time I enjoyed using this face mask the most. More deets in this post. I must say that I love how Just Herbs has amped up the packaging now, it doesn't look like the tin in my collage anymore. 

2015 MAKEUP FAVORITES !

It may be late because we are already halfway into the first month of 2016, but I also felt that it is the right time to retrospect & take a really good look at all the products I used in 2015, before I began makeup hauling in 2016. I didn't get a chance to try out every new release in 2015, lets face it-I'd be pretty broke if I did that, but here's what I loved & thoroughly used last year from my stash (in no particular order):

Kryolan Dermacolor Camouflage Cremes – Love these. They are multipurpose base products; you can use them as foundation and/or concealer. Although I use DFD every day for concealing I’ve still not hit pan on it. I also purchased a green corrector last year (DREDB). Review & demo is here. I recently went to the Kryolan store & stocked up on these.

Kryolan Translucent Loose Powder – Another product I have repurchased, albeit in a different shade. Its really hard to find a good loose powder in India without breaking the bank, but this powder. Reviewed here.