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?

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 :

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. 

My TOP 5 Best and Disappointments from THE BODY SHOP // What you should get from the 25% off 3 + FREE Shipping Sale

The Body Shop website has had FREE SHIPPING since almost 2 months and I resisted purchases simply because I had done a big haul just before their free shipping period launched. However, I couldn't resist anymore when I saw that they still have free shipping and an additional 25% off  3 on some products. So here are my recommendations in case you also couldn't hold back =)

The Best : (I LOVE all of these !)

1. Lip n Cheek Tint in Rose Pink 01 | Rs.850

A long wearing pink cheek stain that makes you look naturally flushed. Everyone I’ve recommended it to has fallen in love with it ! A good buy for beginners as well. This shade is glitter free, it is disappointing that TBS doesn’t have more shades in this variant. Full review & swatches here.

2. Warming Mineral Face Mask | Rs.1195

This clay face mask makes 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. Full review here. Since it is pricey, this sale is the time you must check it out!

3. Rainforest Coconut Hair Oil | Rs.695

I have this hair oil since an year. During some months I have been irregular but whenever I regularly use it, I’ve noticed that it has boosted my hair growth! Therefore I have repurchased it as well :) This is also pricey, but you get a lot of quantity!

Winter Friendly Skincare and Body care Haul !

Nothing says you’re back for good like a large haul. I hope the plethora of skin and body products in this post makes up for my unplanned hiatus! These are a couple of necessities I bought recently as well as almost a month ago.  

June FAB BAG 'Take Charge' Products Review - Votre, Cuccio, Ananda Spa, All Good Scents + Discount Vouchers

FAB BAG is a monthly beauty bag subscription in India. They select 3 products exclusively customized for each member and send them to your doorstep every month. The theme of the June FAB BAG is to "Take Charge" of your life - be it for yourself, your career or your relationships. It contains products from the brands Ananda Spa, Cuccio, Votre & a bonus product from All Good Scents. All of the brands are new to me. I received my June FAB BAG on 13th June but instead of an unboxing, I decided to use the products so that I can give a first impressions to you! The FAB BAG comes with FAB Post, which is a digest/magazine that contains various articles and discount vouchers you can avail at the FAB BAG website. This month, you will get a Rs.1000 off at L'Occitane spa!

This month's bag seems to be made of faux leather, it can be easily reused to keep makeup items like lipstick, eyeliner, concealer in your purse.Its not big enough to store brushes though.

Cheap & Chic : Nail Polish Remover Wipes from eBay

Have you ever tried nail polish remover wipes/pads? They are awesome! A must-have for any girl, really. Its literally one swipe & whoosh, your nails are clean of any nail polish. They also contain oil so you can condition your nails while cleaning them. Its such a refreshing feeling, compared to using Nail Polish removing liquids, because even though they are acetone free, my nails feel dry after using them. I first heard about these from my sister, she had gotten a box of just for Rs.50. But those were not available anywhere so I searched online & I found wipes from Bare Essentials but I was not willing to pay Rs.140 for them when I knew that the real cost is much cheaper. So ultimately, I found a good deal on eBay and decided to go ahead with it. I’m very happy with my purchase, these nail polish remover wipes are cheap and effective!  They are very thin wipes/pads that remove + condition the nails. They leave your nails oily, but its okay, it can be washed off. I won't really call the effect of the oil conditioning though. One wipe/pad is good enough for 5 nails. The only time I faced a problem was when I was trying to remove glitter polishes, I needed one wipe/pad per nail in this case.

Product Name: Liboni Nail Polish Remover Pad

Price : Rs.155 for 3 boxes, number of wipes/pads in each box is not mentioned. They are available in a variety of flavors but you can't select the flavors, they are randomly given.

Its Acetone & Toluene free

The one reason you really need nail polish remover wipes is because they are a great quick fix and a great alternative to carrying a bottle of polish remover and cotton balls.

I definitely recommend all of you to try them out, they make life so simple!

Update : they are also available on Shop Clues

Empties #2 - Empties And Some Nearly-Empties

So finally my second empties is here! Yay! I never thought I’d reach here so soon :P This time I have stuff that’s completely finished and stuff that’s nearly about to, just like 2-3mls of the product left.  A lot of the products haven’t been reviewed here so I’ve kept a couple of mini reviews in here as well. For more mini-reviews check out my Empties #1 post and Skin care post.

(These are the nearly empties)

(l-r) VS Mist, Pucelle Mist, Neutrogena Cleanser

Stuff That's NOT Working Out #2- Why I Will Never EVER Buy These 'Makeup Removers' Again

You know that Taylor Swift song which goes like, 'We are never, ever, ever, getting back together.....

When I remove my makeup, I expect that its going to be one of the last things I do that night in the cleansing department. The max I’m willing to do after removing makeup is to use a cleanser just to get rid of any residue from the remover. And that’s not the last step of my night time skincare, I follow it up with a toner, eye cream and moisturizer, if I have some pimples coming through, then I’ll have to apply a pimple buster as well. My point is, there is so much to do at the end of the day that anything which requires extra steps just pisses me off! 

I’ve gone through a lot of makeup removers and the first one I tried was the old Maybelline remover & it was way too oily and really put me off oil based cleansers completely. Which is why I came across 3 really bad makeup removers, they aren’t completely useless, but they fall quite close to that line. So when you go out to buy a new makeup remover for yourself, keep these bad eggs out of your shopping list.

My Summer Skin Care Routine For Combination Oily Skin and Some Skin Care Tips For You

I have a combination skin. Its normal to dry in winters, rest of the year its combination-oily with a little dryness on and my nose. My T-Zone and inner cheeks also tend to get oily soon. I've been using a couple of products since April and they have become staples in my routine. I've also gotten the habit of doing a night time routine no matter how tired I am, and this has really helped me. Recently I made a few changes in the way how I go about my routine,(after watching Michelle Phan's graduation tips video) and that's been pretty beneficial as well so I decided to share them with you!

Here are some things I follow:

• Using ice as a toner: Sometimes when the heat is unbearable, I take an ice cube and rub it all over my face, going over my cheeks in circular motion. I've been doing this since years and it really helps soothe and tighten the skin, ice is a natural toner.
• Patting, instead of rubbing: Earlier I used to rub moisturizer in circular motions on my face and when I'd wake up, my skin would be super grimy. Ever since I tried 'dab-dab' motion I've woken up with much less residue on my face. Now I'm all about patting/dabbing; whether its face cream, eye cream or pimple creams, I only dab. It helps the product sink in to the skin hence its more effective.
• Always apply and ice pack to sore eyes: There are alot of times when I end up sleeping late, like 3am or so and when I wake up my eyes feel really sore. I take an ice cube on a hankie and apply it to each eye until it melts off. This is very soothing and instantly lifts up my eyes.
• Use face mask after face scrub: I don't even know why I used to do the opposite. But seriously, using a scrub prior to face mask helps the face mask sink in to the skin and work better. 
• Always remove makeup before sleeping: This is pretty self explanatory and since I've gotten the hang of doing a night time routine I always take off makeup at night.
• Sunscreen, always: Again, I don't need to tell you why. Always keep sunscreen in your hand bag as well!
• Drink water every waking hour: I find myself thirsty all the time and end up drinking water every hour and this has really helped hydrate my skin. Of course I also make a lot of trips to the bathroom, but its worth it. 

Now here are some products that I use regularly, each one is not used everyday, just as per my needs. Not all of them have worked for me. Most of these are easily available in India: 

The Cleansers:

• Neutrogena Deep Clean Black Head Eliminating Scrub, 100ml: This is the most gentle scrub I've used! I used to use it everyday but since last week, my skin feels quite normal so I use this only when I'm feeling extra grimy. Its nice for gentle exfoliation everyday.
• Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser, 100g: This cleanser packs some serious cleansing power. I use it once I get up in the morning, it cleans all the residue of my night routine and leaves my skin squeaky clean. Its best suited for oily skin. It can dry out skin if you're not regular with a moiturizer.
• Loreal Hydrafresh Gel Foam Combination to Oily Skin: This is the least used product here. I purchased it on a whim online and I'm not happy with it. It has SLS as a second ingredient and I guess that's harsh for my skin. Its quite pricey as well. I won't recommend this to anyone. I use it on days where I don't feel the need to use a strong cleanser like the Neutrogena Deep Clean.
• Neutrogena Liquid Face Cleanser, 150ml (not in picture): I've done a full review of this HERE. Currently I'm just using this because I want to finish it off. I use this to get rid of residue once I'm done with makeup remover.

Empties #1 - A post I thought I'd never do!

Whoa! Here’s one post I never thought I’d do. I’ve barely finished any makeup product in my life. Most of the stuff I manage to finish is skin care and bath related, but only if I don’t get bored of using them before they get empty. This isn’t a planned post, I didn’t set a target to finish x products by this month, I just happened to successfully finish a lot of products around the same time. Whilst recovering from the semi-shock and awe that I actually managed to do so, I decided to do a tiny post including their mini-reviews, because I’ve never talked about them on my blog. These products were finished around the mid May actually, yes, it took me so long just to take their pictures. 

Here’s what I managed to get rid of!:

Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Scrub and Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser:

The scrub is very fine and non-abrasive. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like a scrub. Its very good for gentle daily exfoliation for my combination skin but I’ve seen no difference on the blackheads on my nose(only ones I have). I’ve been using it since July and it got over in May which means its very good value for money. During winters I used it every alternate day but otherwise, it was used daily.

       The Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser is meant for oily skin types only. One wash with this and your face will be striped off all impurities. It can give that dry stretchy feeling sometimes when I’m not regular with my moisturizer. But its my favourite cleanser for the summer season because it leaves my face instantly fresh and dirt, sweat free.

Both of these are fragrance free and neither caused any break outs for me. I love both of them and I’ve already repurchased.

Lotus Herbal’s Vanilla Velvet Daily Body Lotion and Johnson’s Baby Milk Cream are right out of my winter skin care routine. I finished them by the start of May actually. I love both of them because they’re extremely moisturizing for my super dry skin. The baby cream was used as a hand cream, its thick but absorbs easily and leaves the skin very smooth and soft. The Vanilla Velvet lotion is quite thin and absorbs super fast into the skin. Neither of them give that greasy feeling but they’re not as thin as TBS lotions either. The baby cream is fragrance free and the lotion has a light, non-over powering vanilla scent which I like a lot! I will definitely repurchase both again during winters, unless I find better alternatives.

L’Oreal Fall Repair 3X Shampoo and Conditioner:

The shampoo is actually a go-to product for me. I don’t have hair fall problem but I use these two anyways because they suit my hair. All those that I’ve used before have damaged my hair. The shampoo is nice and cleans hair with a single use itself(I wash my hair once in 3 days) but the conditioner isn’t suitable for my dry ends. Since I use a mask every alternate wash, it isn’t such a big deal to me. I also use hair oil sometimes and serum other times to take care of my dry ends. I have repurchased both, but I’m on the lookout for a better conditioner.  They’re not fragrance free, but I  like the smell, it’s a typical ‘L’Oreal hair product’ smell.

Marks and Spencer Creamy Coconut Shower Gel:

I was super excited about this, when I got it back in January. It smells wonderful, like a coconut flavoured biscuit, I’m not a fan of coconuts so I was happy that it doesn’t smell that coconut-y. Apart from the smell, there’s nothing I like about this shower gel. It’s a gel liquid, which is not moisturizing, and makes me feel soapy even after I’ve used buckets of water. It has very high SLS content. Will not repurchase again.

So that’s it for my empties- 7 products are not so bad right? I wouldn’t expect another empties post anytime soon though :P

Is it hard for you to finish products as well? Or are you a pro at it? Comment below and let me know!

~ My Fall - Winter Skincare, Vol. 2 ~

Are you enjoying my Fall skincare and make up posts? I know I love to see what people are using, its like window shopping really, and I get to know what amazing products I’m missing out on.

 You can check out:

My Fall-Winter Skincare, Vol 1

My Fall-Winter Makeup products & More..– Most used products

This is a small update on skincare!

I’ve been using two moisturizers for face. Chambor Essential Day Moisturizer( normal to oily skin) for daytime. I’ve had this one since months and I think winter time is the best time to use it. Its not suitable for my combination skin otherwise, it suits normal skin only. Avon Solutions Moisturizer is a nice night moisturizer, I mentioned it in my previous skin care post as well. It’s meant for oily skin too, but in winters my skin is normal and this suits it well.

My Fall-Winter Makeup products & More..– Most used products.

*UPDATE: mybeautyexpress is now crazybeautyland.blogspot.com

Opps...Its been so long since I posted. I'm back in my college now, hence there was a huge delay in publishing posts; I'm dependent on college wifi...sigh. It was really frustrating to write posts and edit pictures but never get a chance to publish them!! But anyways, continuing with the fall-winter skincare that I had done last week, here’s all the makeup I've been enjoying for winter.

Starting with the eye make up:

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara: Its a great mascara, especially for my bottom lashes. Definitely false lash effect! Too dramatic to wear it to college though, but perfect for parties and otherwise.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe (Review here):

Its a lovely grey color, has certain lilac tones underneath. Its a good color for fall, I use it as a base for brown colors to make them more taupe-y. On some days I use it as it as with just a black liner and mascara.

Bourjois Ombre Stretch eye shadow in Flexi Brown:

Its a lovely brown color perfect for fall and winters, I love the gold flecks it has. However, I get a decent color pay off only when I use it wet.

Inglot round eye shadow refills in 463DS, 418P, 378M :

(From my Inglot Palette) They are the only neutrals I got from Inglot and I'm loving them. 463DS is perfect for highlighting, 418P is an amazing green color and 378M is dark brown color which is a must have for me.

Faces Single eye shadows in FES00064 and FES00232:

I love FES00064(pale pink one), its a "my lids but better" color for me, some times I use it just to give a wash of color on my lids, some times I use it as a blending color. I also mix both of these to get a nice soft brown color for blending in black smokey eye looks. 

Lakme Eyeconic Kajal in Black:

This one is a recent purchase and I'm loving it! It has got so many reviews already so I won't be reviewing it on my blog. Its a great kajal and liner, I apply it on my upper lash line and then smudge it to get a smokey look.

Maybelline Hypersharp Liner: 

Thanks to this, I'm able to draw on a cat eyeliner and winged liner which I wasn't able to do earlier with gel liner and pencil. Now I can draw them by pencil as well, I’m yet to try with my maybelline gel liner, but its all dried up and using a liquid liner is sooo easy!