Makeup Beauty Lounge

Yes for me .

~ biased reviews can be dangerous at times .. Share your thoughts in the comments . Mention your skin or hair type & your Skin tone .

I would strongly recommend reading more than one review before buying a product. Go through swatches on different skin color to get a better idea how it would probably look on you.

*Just Please don't mention any blogger's name in particular here. This post is not meant to hurt any sentiments . What worked for her, may not work for you !

I am clearly not in a mood for a "makeup" post today. The weather is pleasant but being cloudy am unable to take a single good picture! Sigh. With nothing fruitful to post, here comes "My daily routine". I totally respect all girls who maintain a successful blog beside having a full time career .

A Regular Weekday in my life

8 AM :

I usually set my alarm for 8 in the morning... but that "snooze" button is one evil. So, snooze..8:15...ughhh...snooze... 8:30.... alarm off... I lay in my bed for 5 more mins and finally get up at 8:35

8: 35 to 9:10 am:

You call me now.. you are so dead. Hello, I need to reach hospital within 9.20 sharp.So all that morning ritual of brush, bath , breakfast needs to be done within this time.

Few days back I brushed so hurriedly I hurt my gums bad and they were bleeding :-/

Breakfast is my favorite meal in the whole day and I love my cearals. At the moment Kellogs K is my fav! Not sure if it helped me in cutting my flabs.. but it's tastes sweet and I get my morning dose of glucose. Oh n on Tuesdays, the hostel mess has "alu paratha" so I make a point , not to miss it.

9: 15 am :

Wear that apron and rush rush rush.. thankfully, my hostel is in campus and the hospital is just 10 mins walk . And then I need to sign my attendance at 3 places !!! ( camera's would catch any proxy). This 10mins walk-run is my only daily ahem " exercise"

9:30 am :

At the department, indoor rounds, feeling up mundane registers , chitchatting with colleagues

10 am - 2pm :

Telling patients, how that cosmetic cream is harming her, not to oil her hair when she is having dandruff, and taking care of all those "itchy" patches. Though dermatology is basically medicine oriented, I love dermato-surgery more ! I had always loved surgery.. so if a OT comes by, moi happy :D

Sisterji brings in a round of coffee midway!

2 - 2:30pm :

Lunch time. If it's too hot outside ~` bath again

3-5.30 pm :

If there is no class, I click photo's for my posts, do eotds/ fotd's & Edit them...Write the post. Or, edit and schedule guest posts

5.30 - 6pm :

Need my cup of caffeine. Read newspaper..or just browse fb, check mails..reply to them

6- 10pm :

Evening rounds . Back to hostel and Study ! Yeah.. I need to, cause that's ultimately gonna give me my bread and butter. If there is a seminar and I need to do a ppt the time need to be increased.

10- 11:30pm:

Have dinner, browse youtube. I usually check out other blog's after dinner and reply to comments in my blog

11:30 pm :

Study again

12:50am :

Think I should sleep by now..totally...but wait ooohh see a new video frm my fav vlogger....

1:30- 2am :

At bed ! WTH it's 2 already..how am I supposed to get up??? :X

That's it ! This is a brief account of my not so exciting life.. And now since the wedding is also postponed indefinitely, I have practically nothing else to do other than studying and blogging ! But every single day I look forward to my "monthly" holidays, i. e 5 days in total. Either I go Kolkata (n shop) or visit my native place . The boy is now in Delhi, so there is no chance of meeting him "in person" for at least a year.. and that kinda sucks ! With he being at Kolkata , I could meet him every month and the "long distance" was more bearable... anyways, I need to look at the bigger and brighter picture in my life now! ( and skype! yeah am new to that thing )

Oh and my habits are damn unhealthy and should not be read by children without adult supervision ! (I should have put that disclaimer at the beginning.. but let it be.. m too lazy to edit..)

Of course I love my makeup brushes.. but I still feel, my fingers are my ultimate solution for blending ...be it my eye -shadow, concealer or foundation.More so, because of the total lack of quality brushes in India. So,a couple of months back when Faces & colorbar launched their makeup brushes in India I literally did a brief jiggy and got a couple of them !

Ever since I started using my Inglot cream concealer (will review soon), I have felt the need of a good concealer brush, particularly for my under eyes.I was using Faces foundation-concealer duo brush and was quite content except for one tiny thing (will share that in my review of the same, soon). Faces concealer brush is a bit pricier than the duo brush and here's my thoughts on it.

What Faces Concealer Brush Claims :

Create an airbrush effect with the Flawless Concealer Brush using any liquid or powder concealer. The unique rounded shape allows you to contour and cover areas easily. Create buildable coverage from light to heavy for a customizable look that is smooth and flawless.

Dimension - length -17.7 cm

Price : 249 INR

What I love about Faces Concealer brush :

The flat brush is firm yet flexible.It has soft densely packed bristles.
Helps to achieve precisely clean application
No shedding even after 5 washes, no fading colors
No streaks of the product
Works well for under eye and around the nose area. Good for covering up acne spots too ( but I prefer fingers for the later)
Comes in a zip lock packaging, hence it is easy to store and I feel a bit more hyegenic
Affordable and easily available

What I don't love about Faces Concealer brush :

Though the brush is of standard size, I would have loved it more if it was shorter. I am just not comfortable using long brushes. Also for travelling, you need a big pouch.
The brush could have been a bit more denser/thicker

My Rating : 3.75/5

(i know that's a bit weird for my rating but 4/5 is too much and 3.5/5 was too less)

Final Verdict : I really really love this brush.Regular faces brushes and makeup tools are my favs..I think I should be exploring more of their face brush now.I won't compare them to Sigma F70 or the likes because I haven't used them. But for being affordable and available in India, I can't help but love it.

(Pr Product)

MAC describes Brick-O-La as a “mid-tone berry”, on the web site but that is really very little on such an amazing lippy. AA and I were at the MAC store, swatching, removing and swatching again, to get the perfect lipstick, and we finally came down to two lipsticks which were quite similar to each other. While I selected Brick-O-La, she went for Apres Chic, and I must say, I loved the other color on her, and my color on me more than the vice versa situation. We both went back home, happy with our superior taste in makeup.

MAC has a number of lipstick finishes, and amplified is one of my favorites, possibly because it is really hydrating on my lips. The packaging is traditional MAC and this is one of the colors that can be called a very wearable office-going shades. It is sturdy, and I have carried it around in my purse where it does have this tendency to melt when exposed to higher temperatures. Thankfully Kolkata has been quite comfortable to live in recently, and so, this one went into my makeup bag.

The smell is a strong vanilla one, and I for one think that this one smells a lot more vanilla than other products. Maybe it’s the inherent creaminess of the lipstick. It glides like butter on my lips, going opaque after one swipe. As a rule, I always line my lips before applying a lipstick, and this one actually fares well after lining, because it has a tendency to bleed very slightly. It is a shade of berry, with hints of brown, plum and pink in it. On my lips, it assumes its true color, reflecting my orange-toned skin and deliberately downplaying my lip’s little imperfections. For that, I will give this color top grade for being discreetly corrective. It does not flake at all, or make my lips dry.

The color is possibly one of the most wearable shades I have found, and it is definitely one which does not demand to be noted, although it is very noticeable, and I have been asked after this lip color, and what shade it is, by a number of people. This is my second tube of it, after I finished the first one in 2011. Amplified finish generally tends to be slightly bleeding, but I don’t mind this finish, because it is really hydrating as well. I have worn this lipstick as part of my office gear, in parties, and when I go out for dinner. I love wearing this as part of my office gear, and to places where I need to be professionally perfect, because this color is warm on my skin, looks good, without being too loud, which is a great thing when you want to look the lady.

The lasting of this lipstick is another thing. Generally, hydrating lipsticks do not last long on lips, right? But, get this, Brick-O-La lasts for an average of 4-5 hours on my lips, WITH EATING AND DRINKING, and fades evenly to leave a gorgeous berry-brown tint on my lips. I generally touch up after I have eaten something, so that is not a problem for me, but if you are one of those unfortunate lipstick eaters, then this is a good color for you. It can also be worn as a stain, or matted down with powder. In all its forms, it looks amazing.

Swatches :

The swatches I have done for this post were all freshly applied. The creaminess is visible clearly.

Pros:

Great color suitable on virtually every skin tone
Lasts 4-5 hours easily
Glides on perfectly
Very hydrating
Does not flake or dry out my lips

Cons:

Bleeds slightly

My Rating : 5/5

Final Verdict :I do not consider MAC’s prices, especially for the lippies, a con. In fact, the quality of the product is quite sufficient for me to buy it and repurchase.

Guest Post by Poorna

Now, now..don't kill me for being MIA (*fancy term used for Missing in action*) for one week !! I have my umpteen number of ~~excuses~~ ~~alibi~~ reasons for that. I have been neck deep in work. Back to back classes and emergency duties drained me out totally.. and also bsnl baba made matters worse, by being down and unresponsive for most of the time ! Anyways, hopefully* am back and IA (in action) now.

Rimmel Asia was my part of March haul ! ( I know, its June..pls don't roll your eyes ) I was in a N*de lipstick phase and going through multiple swatches in firang beauty blogs, I thought this was a pretty pink shade and bought it.

What Rimmel Claims :High colour impact for up to 8 hours wear. Colour that turns heads !Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick is create smooth creamy texture for comfortable wear all day long.

Price : 215 INR for 4gms

Ingredients : ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, candelilla cera/euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax/cire de candelilla, octyldodecanol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, myristyl lactate, vp/ hexadecene copolymer, ozokerite, lanolin, castor oil/ipdi copolymer, meadowfoam estolide, myristyl myristate, silica, parfum/fragrance, benzyl benzoate, di-ppg-3 myristyl ether adipate, dipentaerythrityl hexa c5-9 acid esters, sorbitan sesquioleate, tocopherol, propylparaben, cera carnauba/copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax/cire de carnauba, ascorbyl palmitate, benzyl salicylate, benzyl cinnamate, linalool, aqua/water/eau, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower/ leaf extract, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, cinnamyl alcohol, tin oxide, eugenol. [may contain/peut contenir/+/-: mica, iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), titanium dioxide (ci 77891), d&c red no. 6 barium lake (ci 15850), d&c red no. 7 calcium lake (ci 15850), fd&c yellow no. 5 aluminum lake (ci 19140), fd&c yellow no. 6 aluminum lake (ci 15985), d&c red no. 27 aluminum lake (ci 45410), d&c red no. 33 aluminum lake (ci 17200), fd&c blue no. 1 aluminum lake (ci 42090), carmine (ci 75470)].
Swatches :

*in natural light*

On my Lips ~

What I Love about Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick Asia :

Very pretty shade of pink. N*de pink for medium fair to fair complexions
Pigmentation is incredible. 1 swipe and we are good.
Buttery texture. Glides on lips smoothly
Does not make lips dry
Very Affordable

What I don't Love about Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick Asia :

Would wash out medium-dusky skin beauties. Am NC 30-35ish and I like to wear it with a peach liner underneath...otherwise I feel it isn't much flattering
I am not much fan of the bubblegum fragrance
Availability is an issues in India (only Slassy.com stocks it online)

My Rating : 3.5/5

Final Verdict : I love this shade.. its a very pretty pink. But it won't suit all Indian skin tones.

And hey have you entered my giveaway yet ?? Only few hours left!!! Click Here ~ Win 3 free span sessions at four fountains spa

Hi Beauties,

Today I am reviewing the newly launched - Olay total effects 7 in one – cream + serum duo with SPF 15. The company claims it to be more effective than the other products of the same range. I was on the lookout for an antiageing cream and I have always loved products from Olay and so I got attracted to this product.

In Europe this has been launched as the Moisturizer + Serum Duo with SPF 20.

Please go through the review to know more about the product and how it fared for me.

What does Olay claim?

WHY IS TOTAL EFFECTS Anti-ageing + Fairness Cream RIGHT FOR YOU?
This is most concentrated Total Effects moisturising formula* with SPF 15 and combines an anti-ageing cream PLUS a boost of whitening serum.

THE RESULTS? Visibly fairer younger looking skin

Product information

1. Fine lines and wrinkles: reduces the appearance of fine line and wrinkles
2. Uneven Tone: balances and Evens out skin tone
3. Age Spots: reduces appearance of Age spots
4. Uneven texture: smoothes and evens out skin texture
5. Dryness: provides nourishing moisturisation to give skin radiant look
6. Dullness: gives skin a healthy radiance
7. Pores: minimizes the appearance of pores

Dermatologically tested ;Non-greasy formula
Application instructions
Apply liberally and gently smooth onto your face and neck.

Full ingredients
water (nước), glycerin, ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, niacinamide, tapioca starch, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, octocrylene, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, acetyl glucosamine, dimethicone, behenyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, panthenol, stearyl alcohol, tocopheryl acetate, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, benzyl alcohol, polyethylene, titanium dioxide, isohexadecane, methylparaben, nylon-12, dimethiconol, allantoin, ethylparaben, peg-100 stearate, propylparaben, fragrance (chất tạo hương), cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, polysorbate 60, sodium peg-7 olive oil carboxylate, stearic acid, disodium edta, camellia sinensis leaf extract, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, ci 77492.

Price – Rs.369/- for 20 gms.

My thoughts ~

Packaging– It comes in the typical Olay Total Effects pump dispenser. The pump has to be pressed gently to release the product. A pea sized amount is needed to cover the entire face area. The bottle is transparent and the product is seen through it.

Consistency and colour– The cream – serum duo is creamy in consistency but gets absorbed quickly without leaving any residue or oiliness. The colour of the product is white but a yellow stream is seen through the plastic bottle. The presence of iron oxide is responsible for this.

On the skin – The product gets absorbed on the skin very soon and does not leave any residue or traces of oil. It gives my skin a nice glow. My skin felt hydrated and nourished. I sit in the AC for a long time but this did not make my skin stretchy or dry. In short my skin felt hydrated till the end of the day. I apply compact over it in case I happen to use too much of the product. Overall, dry skinned and combination skinned beauties will love it. Those who have extremely oily skin will prefer to use this only in winters.

Smell – It is a pleasant smell which does not linger long.

Effects – First and foremost it moisturizes the skin well and gives it a nice soft glow. I personally believe that no product can make you fair but this does help in making the skin tone even. I had tanned to some extent and this has helped in making my skin tone even and has reduced the severe tanning. I do not have a lot of lines and wrinkles so I cannot comment on that but it does remove dullness and gives a nice fresh look to the face.

Pros of Olay Total Effects 7-IN-ONE Anti-ageing Fairness Cream Serum Duo SPF 15 :

Comes from the trusted house of Olay.
Multitasking product which hydrates, nourishes, makes skin younger looking and has SPF 15. So all those who are lay and those who do not like using multiple products will surely love this.
Is dermatologically tested.
Though it appears to be very rich and creamy it gets absorbed fast and does not make skin oily.
Hydrates the skin well and gives a glow and removes dullness.
Most of claims like evens out skin tone, smoothening of skin texture and removal of dullness are true.
Pump dispenses only a little of the product.
Easy to carry as the bottle is sleek, does not leak, has a cap and is of plastic.

Cons of Olay Total Effects 7-IN-ONE Anti-ageing Fairness Cream Serum Duo SPF 15 :

No testers available. Olay should take this into consideration and should provide testers at all leading stores.
Some might find it pricey.
Oily skinned beauties will like this only during winters.
Has only SPF 15. So if you are traveling and are exposed to sun this might not do.

My Rating– 4 out of 5.

Final Verdict– It is a decent product which hydrates, nourishes and takes care of our skin. All those who are on the lookout for anti-ageing product and those who are too lazy to use multiple products please do get this.

Will I repurchase this – Yes, I will.

Guest Post by Deepa

Given a chance , what would you steal from Mac ~ Name only one product !! :D ;)

If you ask me, it would be Russian red ..

Hello everyone,

as promised here are the 3 winners of my giveaway !

Winner 1 : will receive a 60min full body spa session

Winner 2 & 3 : will receive a 30mins partial body massage.

I have picked up he winners via random.org. Thank you all for participating

And, the winners are ~

Winner 1: Ipsita Sahoo

Winner 2 : Sayed Maria

Winner 3 : Prerna Sinha

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mail me your email id at fewunnecessarystuff (at) gmail (dot) com

I will send them to Four Fountains Spa and they will send you the e-vouchers

Respond within 48hours or I will have to choose a new winner

Let me start with a Blooper ! yeah a " behind-the scene" stupidity. I thought of taking a sultry smexy snap of my eyes wearing the liner, and ended up including half of my face (blurred obviously) . My mistake? Is it??? I seriously feel my camera has started to hate me. See, all day I "use" it to take hundreds of pictures ,of me and the products I review. But once done, i really don't take care of it ( not the cuddle types but more seriously I forget to feed it *charge it* ) So, this time,instead of giving me my patent "oh-so- cute" " aww- so-sweet" snap ~ it decided to be in the frame and shoved me to the corner :-/

So, ladies pls give a round of applause to my sony cybershot !!!

*clap* *clap*

Anyways, What would be the one makeup item you can't live without? Most of us ( specailly, us, the Indian girls) would scream "kajal" without blinking their eyes. Yes we are a kohl obsessed fraternity.But as much as I love my jet black kajal I have a soft corner for my brown eye pencils ! Brown eye liners give you a soft look and is perfect for daily wear imo.

Let me get this straight ~ Bourjois Effect Smokey Eye Liner Smoked Brown is my most favorite brown eye pencil of all times !

What Bourjois Claims :
A smoky look available in 5 deep and intense shades achievable in 2 simple steps:
1) Outline the eye with the pencil
2) Smudge with the brush
Its soft, easy-to-blend tip glides along the lashline for an intense outline in one stroke. Its ultra soft brush made of natural bristles perfectly smudges the formula. The result: a subtle but incredibly sexy smoky look in just 2 steps!
- High tolerance formula
- Tested on sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers
- Enriched with natural waxes and vitamins E & C*.
*Vitamin derivatives.

Price : Rs 385 for 0.89gm

am a horrible in sharpening pencils ! :(

Swatches :

*in daylight*

*in sunlight*

EOTD :

*smudged on both upper and lower lids*

What I Like about Bourjois Paris Effect Smokey Eye Liner 71 Smoked Brown :

It's a cool toned chocolate brown with a hint of plum . Has a bit of golden shimmer which is very fine and nothing over the top
Has an inbuilt soft brush smudger
Soft, smooth texture. Glides on eye lids easily
Does not sting or irritate my eyes ( however I wont advocate using it on waterlines)
Blends and smokes out easily
Stays on my lids ( not very oily) for 3-4 hours after which it fades
Great for everyday wear – for creating soft smokey looks
Available online and through Bourjois counters

What I don't Like about Bourjois Paris Effect Smokey Eye Liner 71 Smoked Brown:

The brush could have been stiffesr and have more packed bristles. This one is soft on eyes and blends/smokes out the liner perfectly ~ but could have been better
I am not good at sharpening. It leads to a lot of product wastage. If it were same formula in retractable packaging ~ me likey
Price is bit on the higher side
Staying power could have been better

My Rating : 3.5/5

Final Verdict : I may repurchase it just because it looks pretty on me (and faces long wear metal brown and colorbar i- glide cocobar have both raised there prices :/ ) But honestly I feel at this price the quality of the brush could have been seriously better . Same goes for the amount of product. And I want it to be in a retractable packaging !

And, no Sony didn't pay me for that ! :P

Don't they look like bright magic wands?? Pull out the wand..swipe across your pout and as maybelline claims , add a *pop* of color to your look this summer.

Maybelline colorsensational high shine lip glosses have been recently launched in India and they have created quite a flutter in the beauty-blogosphere. I have done a First impression on the shade Captivating Coral along with swatches HERE. Today, its a full on review of both the colors I had recently bought from Myntra.com

Maybelline says : “Maybelline’s Color Sensational High Shine Gloss is the perfect product to add a pop of shine and color to your lips this summer. With its wax free formula, the product gives you a crystal clear base that provides the purest colour and an untouched shine that is never hazy or muddy.”

Price : Rs 350 for 5ml

80 GLEAMING GRENADINE IMAGES

Swatches

On my lips ~ ( layered up)

40 CAPTIVATING CORAL IMAGES

Swatches

On my lips ~ (applied Sheer)

What I Love about Maybelline Colorsensational High Shine Lip glosses :

Gleaming grenadine is a beautiful red with slightly pink undertones(when sheer). Captivating Coral is a gorgeous bright orange lip gloss
Makeup beginners , precisely those like me who are bit shy when it comes to wearing bright shades would love these ~ because they are sheer. A singlw swipe gives just a hint of color
The lip glosses can be layered to give a opaque finish ( but you need too many layers)
Non sticky when applied sheerly ( 1-2 coats)
Gleaming grenadine has a raspeberry/ strawberry-ish fragrance/flavor ; while captivating coral has a tangy citrusy fragrance to it
With Captivating coral I had noticed slight tingling on my lips but it did not act as a "lip plumper". No such effect with Gleaming grenadine
Love the doe tip slightly slanted brush in both the glosses.
Wear time is 2-3hours witout meals. Then it fades with a hint of color
Amount of product for the price is decent

What I don't Love about Maybelline Colorsensational High Shine Lip Glosses :

The packaging is boring. The labeling peels of in the very first use
Initially the application seems streaky and uneven. You need to be patient with the wand and keep on layering for bringing out the color
When layered up, it feels heavy and becomes sticky. Hair in mouth type sticky :(
I thought these would be creamy and opaque-in-one-swipe, but it isn't. The glosses are very sheer

My rating : 3.5/5 (for both)

Final Verdict : As I am beginner with bright lip colors, I kind of like them. They can be worn sheer. But many girls I know love full on color. These glosses are not for them. Also the layering up is a big pain and the formula is sticky. I feel that's a major con. I feel these are good glosses simply because the range have some good colors. But do not have any major expectations!

Hey everyone, I had announced the results of my giveaway on June 10 HERE. But Winner 1 Ipsita Sahoo, failed to claim the prize by mailing me within 48 hours.

So, I have selected a new winner !

I had used random.org to select the winners previously and this time too. I am not putting up screen shots, but if you want I will do that.

First of all I have decided to upgrade my previous winners. Which means , Winner 2 , Sayed Maria is the new winner 1 and winner 3, Prerna Sinha is now winner 2.

So, the New Winner 3 ( who wins a 30 mins spa session) is ~

Milonee Savla

Mail me your email address at: fewunnecessarystuff(at)gmail(dot)com

You have 48hours from now, otherwise I will have to select another winner!

I love Inglot lipsticks and their refill system is my favorite in terms of the widest variety of shade selection at such affordable rates. I own 7 of these now and keep picking more whenever possible. This particular shade was suggested to me by 2 of my blogger friends and I recently picked it up.

Product Description: Paraben free formula. Not tested on animals
Vitamin E, evening primrose, avocado butter and special esters and silicones allow for an easy and even application from this lipstick that combines a cream gel formula with a unique long lasting shine.

Price: 250 INR for 1.2 g (Price increased to 300/- now)

My views on the Inglot shade #85:

Shade: The shade 85 is a pretty mauve-pink color that would suit all skin tones easily. It’s a very nice girly shade that can be worn anytime. The color looks deeper in indoor lighting but looks like a nice pinkish plum in natural daylight.

Texture: The lipstick is creamy and glides effortlessly on the lips with the help of a lip brush. Though at first it looks a bit glossy but later it settles like a creamy matte shade on the lips. It is quite pigmented and gives a good color pay-off with one-time application. It doesn’t dry out my lips. It would not bleed or feather nor settle in lines.

Staying power: The shade stays on for 4 hours on me with a full meal in between. While fading, it leaves a pink stain on the lips. Shade is not easily transferrable.

Packaging: Very well know metallic refill housed inside a transparent plastic case. Better get a lip palette to store these refills as they are not good enough to be carried alone like this.

Swatches :

LOTD ~

Pros:

Beautiful deep mauve-pink shade.
Creamy and smooth in application.
Good Pigmentation.
Matte finishing
Not drying for the lips.
Does not transfer easily

Cons:

Buy an additional lip palette to store these.
You need a lip brush for sure to use them so they are not quite handy to carry inside your handbag alone.

My Rating: 4.3/5

Recommendations: I would like to suggest this shade to college going girls and even to working ladies as it adds the right amount of color without looking OTT anytime.

Guest Post by Nids
(Skin tone : Fair-Medium , Mac NC37 | Skin type : Normal-Dry)

Inglot Cream Concealer Review

No, am not dead yet but my broadband connection was! (It is reviving but still getting hiccups every now and then)~ the sole reason I was missing in action. Anyways here goes a long pending post about my current favorite concealer from Inglot.

It might sound criminal for a beauty blogger but Inglot cream concealer is my very first concealer.I never had much issues with dark circles or blemishes , until recently long hours at the laptop and a whimsical attitude of my skin made me get one. I have been using this Inglot concealer for almost 2 months now and here’s my review

What Inglot Cream Concealer Claims ~ PARABEN FREE FORMULA NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS
Price : 590 Rs for 10ml/ 0.33 US FL OZ.

Available at Inglot flagship stores or online at www.majorbrands.in

Ingredients:

Shelf Life : Mentioned

My Shade : 24

Swatch :

What I Love about Inglot Cream Concealer :

The texture is neither too thick nor too runny.Inglot cream concealer is light weight and easy to work with
Blends easily when applied on well moisturized skin with gentle patting with fingers or a wet concealer brush
Covers moderate dark circles well. Also works well for covering up acne spots and blemishes. I think this would work well for those who have severe dark circles .
The finish of Inglot cream concealer looks more natural to me and I prefer it over Inglot AMC cream concealer
Very little amount of the product is needed, hence it would go a long way
Does not crease on me. I have normal under eye skin.
Stays on me for a 4-6 hours easily without budging. After that I notice the product setting into the fine lines
I love the tube packaging.
Would work well for normal-oily skin .
Affordable
Paraben free and not tested on animals

What I don’t Love about Inglot Cream Concealer :

It may be slightly difficult to blend if used on dry skin, resulting in uneven coverage. There can be issues with streaking. I suggest to use both ~ a damp flat concealer brush and fingers for blending
Not much moisturizing
Inglot stores are present only in few cities and buying online may not be a good idea.

My rating : 4/5

Final Verdict : I love this concealer from Inglot. It’s very affordable, has a nice finish and does a good job in covering up dark circles as well as acne spots and other marks. The amount needed is very little. You just need to be patient enough to find out the best way to apply. I just wonder why did they name it as “cream” concealer ,quite a misnomer.

Press release : Stay Rooted with L'oreal Paris fall Repair3X

"Every shampoo today speaks about strong hair, but what really matters is the roots that make the hair strong. Only strong roots can give you strong and healthy hair. L’Oreal Paris Fall Repair 3X is one such shampoo that takes care of your roots.

Fall Repair 3X is an Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo that delivers a triple anti-hair fall action. It nourishes the hair root, restructures hair fibre and helps the hair grow stronger from root to tip. Only Fall Repair 3X is enriched with Arginine Essence. Arginine is an essential amino acid that is vital for hair’s constitution. It is known for nourishing the scalp to improve micro-circulation.

Stronger the roots, lesser the hair fall.

And we believe that real strength of people comes from their ‘roots’. Hence our campaign for the next month is called “Stay Rooted”

‘Stay Rooted’ is all about remembering your roots and knowing that whatever you are today is because of your roots. It's about taking time out to thank and appreciate people, things, places etc from your past that have made you "You". Your roots are the main reason for your strength & L'Oreal Paris Fall Repair 3X is giving you a chance to connect to your roots.

Here's a video where we have captured people from across different sections of society telling us about that one special person who they’d like to go back in time and thank.

MAC Satin Lipstick Rebel Review . Swatches

How are you all my pretties <3

Does the name of a particular lipstick get stuck in your brain and gets played over and over again until you get it? no? well of course it happens to me and trust MAC to always come up with awesome catchy names to make me be a little more unkind to my poor purse

The lipstick today is such an example- Rebel . The sheer name exudes raw power, energy and strength *yes yes I do get a little carried away :P*. I had never even tried it on but wanted to only because of the name! the first time I saw it in the bullet..eeks :-/ it was a scary, daunting dark rich plum which definitely I felt I could not carry!But oh boy was I wrong, on my lips Rebel came out as a beautiful just-bitten into a plum sort of reddish juicy plum color which I had to be in love with .

What MAC says-Rebel is described as “mid-tone cream plum.” By MAC .

Price- 990 Rs (permanent range)

My take on Mac Lipstcick : REBEL -
Rebel, like other lipsticks of the permanent range comes in the typical black and silver MAC packaging with a click-shut tight cap which makes it travel friendly.

The lipstick comes in a satin finish which according to some makes it a bit drying. I however, faced absolutely no such problems or discomfort and am really loving the finish! The lipstick is madly pigmented, applies smoothly even on dry lips and goes opaque in a single swipe!! It does not dry out lips at all or cling to dry patches <3

MAC Rebel, as I have already raved about is a rich, sexy reddish plum color and IMO no lipstick lover should leave this out. It’s absolutely a cult shade much along the likes of mac lipsticks Impassioned and Ruby Woo which is worth raving about! It goes on seamlessly across all ladies of any complexion transforming them all in an instant

In the lasting department too, it lives up to all expectations and lasts easily through 5-6 hours withstanding even sumptuous meals and loads of gossip.When it fades though, it starts fading from the center, so looks a bit weird :/ its best to touch up :D

Swatch- *in daylight*

On my lips- (w/o any gloss or balm applied above or beneath)

Pros of MAC lipstick in Rebel-

Classy typical MAC packaging
Awesomely pigmented, goes opaque in a single swipe!
Juicy reddish-plum color which looks gorgeous and befitting almost any lady I have seen it on!
Satin finish, glides smoothly on lips, does not dry them out
Lasts for a long time through approx 6 hours.
Yummy vanilla fragrance :D

Cons of MAC lipstick in Rebel-

It starts fading from the center which looks very weird if not touched up

My rating- 4.5/5

Do I recommend?

Rebel is a gorgeous diva-like shade which makes me transform from drab-to-diva in an instant! The bullet looks very vampy and err..kind of horrid *totally not my color that is* but once it goes on my lips I fall in love with the awesome color every time and yes, Rebel is such a cult of MAC that it inspired its own fashion set along with its matching lipglass and nailpaint .So you can well understand the craze it generated! If you find this in your store nearby do NOT hesitate in picking it up!!!

Till the next time ladies muuahhs and keep smiling <3

Guest Post by Agnirupa ( Skin tone : Fair . Skin type : Combination-Oily)

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil 004 Black Brown Review & Swatches

Move over fancy (time consuming ) eye brow kits ~ Rimmel London eye brow pencil is here! They say ,groomed brows can make a lot of difference on the way you look. Most of the times I skip the eyebrow routine, just because I am not patient enough to sit through the whole ritual. Lakme eye brow pencil has been in the market for a while for lazy bums like me for a while but is available in only one shade and that is black.

Few months back when www.slassy.com stocked up on Rimmel London products I knew I had to grab their much raved professional eye brow pencil.

What Rimmel London Professional EyeBrow Pencil Claims :Rimmel London Eyebrow Pencil is used to enhance and refine the shape of the eyebrows. It can be used to fill gaps or lengthen the arc of the eyebrow to create the desired look.

Price : Rs 175 for 1.4gm /0.05 oz

Shelf Life : Mentioned

Ingredient List : hydrogenated palm kernel glycerides, hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogenated palm glycerides, synthetic beeswax, cera carnauba/ copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax/cire de carnauba, hydroxylated lanolin, propylparaben, tocopherol, ascorbyl palmitate, lecithin, glyceryl stearate, glyceryl oleate, citric acid [may contain/peut contenir/+/-: titanium dioxide (ci 77891), iron oxides (ci77491, ci 77492, ci 77499)].

Swatch :

What I love about Rimmel Professional Eye brow Pencil 004 Black Brown:

The texture is neither too hard nor too creamy. It’s just perfect for doing eye brows.
Comes with a brush attached to the cap.It is for blending in any harsh lines. The brush is very hard and bristles are coarse.So, you need to be gentle while working with it
Doesn’t fade at all and remains almost all day long on me
Travel friendly
Affordable and more shades are available

What I don’t Love about Rimmel Professional Eye brow Pencil 004 Black Brown :

As with all other eye brow pencils, this may not give that soft definition
Not widely available in India.
Sharpening leads to product wastage

My Rating : 4/5

Final Verdict : Rimmel professional eye brow pencils are very affordable and works decently.I definitely recommend to try this one .Not much fan of the brush ..but at this price it works well.I love it specially because it doesn’t smudge or budge. Stays long..and most importantly saves a lot of time!

Mac Cosmo lipstick swatches review dupes

Mac Cosmo has to be one of my favorite n*de lipsticks of all time. I won't say it's my HG lipstick from Mac .. but yes, if I had to pick a couple of my go-to shades, mac cosmo would be one of them. Another reason I adore it, is simply because its my very first mac lipstick ( I got it along with my first mac blush MOCHA )

MAC describes Cosmo as "Pink Coco" and the finish is amplified cream.

Price : Rs 990

Ingredients :

Swatch:

On my Lips ~

*in natural light*

*with flash*

What I Love about Mac Cosmo Lipstick :

Mac Cosmo is a very flattering pink-brown shade. It's more rosy pink than brown. It is a potential MLBB (my lips but better) shade for fair skin tones. And on me ( medium-fair) it is a love n*de pink shade
The finish is Mac "amplified cream" and honestly its my favorite finish. The texture of the lipstick is so soft and buttery and glides smoothly on lips.
It's very moisturizing ; does not settle on lines
Stays on my lips without meals for good 3-4hrs and then starts to fade.It fades with a bit "matte-like" finish.. but not drying. With meals however,it doesn't stay at all. Touch ups are hence a must.
Love the yummy vanilla fragrance
Does not bleed

What I don't Love about Mac Cosmo Lipstick :

Wish it was long staying ( for touch up lazies like me)

Probable Dupes for Mac Cosmo Lipstick :

MAC Twig is very close to Mac Cosmo. Mac Mehr ( amother lipstick that's on my wish list is close but is more pink and the finish is matte) I think if I dig into my stash I will get many similar shades to Mac cosmo if not exact dupes. For eg : Rimmel lasting finish Asia ( bit deeper pink) ,Faces ultime pro Peach blush (more peachy and matte), Lakme lip love aphrodite blush ( bit more brown)

If you know of other dupes..please let me know in the comments below :D

My Rating : 4.5/5

Final Verdict : If it wasn't for the low staying period, I would have rated 5/5. It's one of my favorite shades from mac and would recommend almost everyone ! :D

L'oreal color riche le gloss 162 blushing berry swatches and review

Hi ladies :) I had always been a clear lip gloss girl until my craze for lipsticks started. And needless to say, in my love for coral, red and fuchsia lip colors lip glosses dropped down in my priority list. Luckily, a month back my cousin gifted me this beauty. I have been using it since then and am SO back to lip gloss phase! :D But before I banter about my experience, let me first show you all what the company has to say about it.

Product name: Loreal Paris Colour Riche Le Gloss, Shade 162 Blushing berry

L'oreal Claims:“Discover our richest shine indulgence for your lips. New Colour Riche® Le Gloss is infused with ultra-hydrating Omega 3, protective Vitamin E, and Argan Oil for our richest shine experience yet. Wear alone or over your favorite shade of Colour Riche® Lipcolour to customize your look.”

Shades:” Available in 16 sensual shades from our deepest plum to crystal clear.”
I will jot down the shades for you:

Baby Blossom
Blushing Berry
Chocolate Obsession,
Golden Splash
Mystic Mauve
Naturally Nude
Nude Illusion
Nude touch
Peach fuzz
Plum Rush
Raspberry splash
Really rose
Red Ravishing
Saucy Mauve
Violet Attitude
Watermelon crush .phew!

Price: $7.95, it’s around Rs 550 in India ,I guess.
Quantity: 12 ml

Ingredients: G849192:C18-36 ACID TRIGLYCERIDE • BIS-IGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2 • PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE • POLYBUTENE • TRIDECYL TRIMELLITATE • DIISOSTEARYL MALATE • SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE • PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE • BENZYL ALCOHOL • ALUMINA • ARGANIA SPINOSA OIL / ARGANIA SPINOSA KERNEL OIL • TOCOPHERYL ACETATE • ROSA CANINA FRUIT OIL • ISOSTEARYL ALCOHOL • SODIUM SACCHARIN • CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE • SILICA • SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE • POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE • TIN OXIDE • ACRYLATES COPOLYMER • PARFUM / FRAGRANCE [MAY CONTAIN / PEUT CONTENIR : CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE • MICA • CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES •CI 45380 / RED 22 LAKE • CI 45410 / RED 28 LAKE • CI 15985 / YELLOW 6 LAKE •CI 15850 / RED 7 • CI 15850 / RED 7 LAKE • CI 19140 / YELLOW 5 LAKE • CI 75470 / CARMINE • CI 42090 / BLUE 1 LAKE ] FIL- D46376/4

Packaging: it comes in a transparent plastic tube with a slanted tip for easy application. Although I personally like doe foot applicators more, but I can’t deny that these tips are much more travel friendly. And the best part is, the tip is quite small and spreads the gloss evenly across my thin lips unlike some other glosses with wide tips.

My take:the gloss is not so pigmnted and is a beautiful reddish pink. The fragrance is a faint berry one, like the parle poppins toffees we had in childhood, remember? As promised, it imparts high shine and a flush of color to lips. I never have to wear a lip balm underneath, it is that hydrating! Ever since I have used this gloss, my daytime make up has constantly been just some smudged brown eyeliner and this lip gloss and am done .

The staying power is pretty good too, with light snacks it stays for 3 to 4 hours. I had a full meal too and the gloss was still there although the high shine had left. There was a tint of color, medium shine and lips remained totally moisturized. It never feels heavy on my lips and seldom bleeds. I am so happy with this lip gloss that I want to try some other shades too.But I am not sure about the availability of all shades in India.

Swatch -

I will sum up the pros and cons now.

Pros of L'oreal Color Riche Le gloss #162 Blushing Berry:

L'oreal color riche Le gloss Blushing berry is a beutiful reddish pink
Nice fragrancde
Many shades to choose form
Average staying power
Doesn’t bleed
Moisturizing
Non sticky

Cons of L'oreal Color Riche Le gloss #162 Blushing Berry:

Not pigmented
The price! I am using this as I got this as a gift but if I had to buy it I would have thought a lot before spending that much on a lip gloss

My Rating: 4.9/5

Final Verdict :Go get it girls! This is the ultimate lipgloss for all of us :D

Hope you find this review helpful :) bye, take care

Guest Post by Aparajita (skin tone : Medium to fair with strong "yellow" undertones; Skin type : Normal to dry)

It has been quite a while I have done a 'proper' HAUL post.Am going through a bit of mid week crisis now(may be).. and hence to perk me up and if any of you is going through the same.. I thought of doing this post.. Who doesn't love hauls anyway?? huh?

Well except for a few this is what I shopped (Makeup & Beauty wise. ahem) last month during my visit to Kolkata. And honestly, I have never shopped so much at a go, in my life ever ! Pinky promise*

Let's start with the good news ! Rimmel and Sally Hansen is now available in Kolkata :D Not much of a Nail art fan.. but I was dying to check out Rimmel and had already made a list of what I wanted. So, the very evening I reached Kolkata.. I headed towards Shoppers Stop at South City Mall.

So, in a lone corner.. there was my Rimmel..ahh Bliss I thought in my mind. Two visibly clueless SA's were standing and there wasn't a single customer ! Aaah poor guys.. and I went to their rescue...smirking past at the Revlon,Lakme and oh so damn snob Maybelline SA's. I didn't shop that very day as most of the stuffs I wanted were oos.. but in a span of 2-3 days.. I got the following ~

Rimmel Scandal eyes Mascara

Rimmel Stay matte powder 009 Amber. ~ I saw amber was 007 at slassy.com

*wonder why* I feel it is slightly darker on my skin.. but its ok because its sheer and am bit tanned now

Rimmel Exaggerate Liner~perfect plum . Boy this is one gorgeous shade. Must have kinds .. a like head over tails in love with the color !

Rimmel Scandal eyes Taupe~ This has a story. It was on my wish list but the SA said is was oos the whole time I stayed! I missed my return train and met up with Poorna that evening. She turned out to be a lucky charm...I got the one last piece of taupe :D
Hide the blemish concealer : I was worried it would look white on me but thankfully got the right shade !

Let's happily hop to L'occitane now ! I got the "critically acclaimed" repairing hair mask. Sad they have increased the price .hmph

L'occitane is not exactly my purchase this time.. I got them last month actually. I am absolutely loving this heavenly smelling hair mask.. so yes.. this is kinda "show-off" Oh n I got a few samples of their color protecting shampoo and conditioner and I have used up most of them. I have to admit , L'occitane worked well on me ! O:)

Dove shampoo & conditioners have been my favorite throughout. I usually alternate them with my favorite The body shop banana shampoo& conditioner. Dove work on me pretty well, unless used for a long time..like say more than a year (when my hair gets used to its ingredients and stops responding). I got their new launch intense repair range. It's a PR stuff and I have been using it almost for last 3 weeks... will review these soon !

Oh and I bought their cucumber body lotion. It's am-ha-zing ! :D

Himalaya Neem face pack has turned an essential product for me these days ( as my skin is constantly breaking out ) This is my umpteenth repurchase of the product and am using it almost every single day these days.

Aroma magic stimulate oil was again totally unplanned ~ lets see if it works on my hairfall owes. sigh!

Got a few Vichy Normaderm samples from NewU. Haven't tried them yet..

Maybelline Dream Matte powder ~ Maybelline SA's .. Sigh !

I have been reading so many good reviews on this dream matte powder, that I wanted one for myself. And damn that SA (AND a dumb and exhausted-with-shopping me) got me a shade lighter than my skin tone .. Arrgh.. so I have practically bought two pressed powder one this maybelline and other that Rimmel stay matte..and have gone wrong with the shades in both cases *face palm* ( and I call myself beauty blogger?)

MAC Lipstick ~ unplanned purchase ~ curtesey Poorna again ! It's Hot Tahiti and am in love with the shade

Colorbar Lipstick ~ got one for me and one for my bestie in the same shade N*de Coral ! Gorgeous color <3

After much dil dalying over Vichy Normaderm and The body Shop Tea tree range , I decided to go with the later. Initially I thought of buying only the tea tree oil.. but then, thought of giving a shot to the whole range. So, far am loving it. I bought the travel pack for the trial but am surely picking up full sized bottles in my next visit

I needed a kabuki brush badly . I had been eyeing Bourjois Kabuki brush (at 1/3rd of the price of TBS) ~ but sadly it seemed to be oos everywhere and for a very very long time ! Hence I splurged on The body shop's kabuki.... boy ! it's damn soft. <3

The Nature's Co. I somewhat love this brand..yes they are over priced and yes you may think am being a bit partial/biased. But the major reason is that their SA's are really helpful at Kolkata. I am a big fan of lemongrass fragrance. I had loved their Lemongrass shower gel last year. So, I could not help myself and picked up a candle and their eye pillow both in lemongrass For my acne owes , I decided to try on their garlic anti acne cream.(all is well except for the Garlic part. No, the fragrance isn't overwhelming.. but still..). I bought their White rose Under eye gel as well as Water lily body mist.

Well that's all for makeup and beauty shopping. Other than which I got myself half dozen of kurtis, leggings to match, a tan belt and two irresistible clutches from Baggit. After much hunt I got a pair of Crocs for the monsoon.. but ouch! its giving me shoe bites !

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Inglot Freedom system Lipstick refill #85 : Review ,Swatches & LOTD

Inglot Cream Concealer Review

Go back in time & thank someone ! Stay Rooted with L'oreal Paris Fall Repair 3X

Mac Lipstick Rebel : Swatches & Review

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil 004 Black Brown Review & Swatches

Mac Cosmo Lipstick : Swatches & Review

L'oreal Color Riche Le gloss #162 Blushing Berry : Swatches & Review

Haul : Mac, Rimmel, L'occitane,The Body Shop,The Nature's Co.,Maybelline, Colorbar etc etc... Phew !