School Drop Off Makeup Look (for busy mornings)

Hi Everyone,

My little one's school teacher always stands outside the class to receive the kids and wish them, early in the morning. She's always bright, cheerful and turns up looking fresh and presentable. The kids have a big smile on their faces when they see her & we (especially Moms) wonder how she manages to do all this early in the morning. While I will ask her the "secret" one of these days, it has definitely inspired me to look fresh & presentable while dropping my kiddo to school. This simple look hardly takes 5 mins & requires minimum products; but believe me when I say it makes a big difference.

1. I start off with washing my face with a face wash & then apply my normal moisturiser. 

2. I top off the moisturiser with a good sunscreen.. it gets bright, sunny & quite humid even at 7.30am here in Mangalore. I use the Lotus Herbals Safe Sun Matte Gel sunscreen with SPF 50. It gives my face a matte look & provides good oil-control. For more coverage, you could also use the Lotus Herbals 3-in-1 Matte Look Tinted Sunblock.

3. I powder my face with the Maybelline SupraFresh Compact powder. It comes with a mirror & a puff so this step can be done in a jiffy. BTW, this lil guy is great for on-the-go touch-ups too. I use the Chanel Illuminating powder on days when my skin looks dull and needs a perk-me-up. If you're wondering why this "budget product junkie" uses Chanel.. lol It was a gift!!

Products used

4. Next step - Kajal.. I use the Lotus Herbals ColorKick Kajal (reviewed HERE). I've also been liking the Maybelline Super Black Colossal Kajal. If you aren't a kajal person, you could choose to line the upper lashline. A little something on your eyes, brightens them up & gives your face overall structure & definition.

5. Lastly, apply a lip balm or light lipstick of your choice. Ahem, (cough cough) I'm a "BoldLips" kinda Mommy, so I throw on the brightest shade on most days. Today, I wore the Maybelline Lip Gradation lipstick in shade PINK2. Wearing Lipstick is one step I don't miss out on, even if I the skip the rest. You won't usually find me without lipstick..like anywhere.. lol.. have you noticed the name of the blog? **wink wink**. However, You do You... take these steps & tweak them the way you want.

So that's it! That's the 4-product routine ... With my kiddo already ready for school, this simple routine takes just about 3 - 4 mins & we're out of the house!! While some have judged me, most of the Moms have been really sweet & nice. They have come up to me & complimented my lipstick or asked me how I look so "awake". Some have told me they have a bunch of hardly-used products & asked if I could show them to use them. See? **GirlLove** again!!!

The look I put together this morning

So next time, you see a happy, fresh-as-a-daisy, cheerful mommy at a school drop off ... Don't judge! Early mornings are hard for her too & maybe throwing on some makeup is her way of feeling great & confident ... Appreciate that! :-)

Hope you liked this post. Would you like to see more such "Mommy-related" posts? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Until the next post, Ciao!!

Loreal Silkissime Liner in Purple Punch - Eye Makeup Look

Hi Everyone! 

I've been guilty of drafting this post and not really completing it for such a long time now. I just had to sit down and do it today.. lol I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I didn't ;-) 

I have followed Shikha (from dressnmakeup) on Instagram for over a year now and I adore her profile. I won the Loreal Silkissime liner in Purple Punch in Shikha's giveaway and have been itching to use it in a makeup look. I created this makeup look some time ago for an evening out with friends. 

Step 1 - Apply your favourite eyeshadow primer. A primer will help your eye makeup stay for a longer time without creasing. Dust a flesh-toned eyeshadow shade all over the eyelids and all the way up to your eyebrows. This will set the primer and brighten the area for more colour. 

Step 2 - Apply the Purple liner on the upper lashline. Don't worry about being perfect like you would be with a liquid liner; just apply it right above the lashes. With a pencil brush / smudger brush, smudge the purple liner. 

Step 3 - Take a light brown eyeshadow and apply it over your crease area to deepen it. Let it blend in well with the purple that's below it. You can always reapply the purple later to make it stand out. 

Step 4 - (Optional) Line the lower lashline with kajal to add some definition to your eyes. I usually do this step when I'm using a bold colour on the eyelid. You can skip this if you like.

There you go!! Your ''Purple Eye Look'' with the Loreal Silkissime Liner is ready..!!

Bonus tips - Here are some other ways I like to use this gorgeous purple liner ...

1. Use the Loreal Silkissime Liner on upper or lower lashline. I skip kajal when I do this to make the liner colour stand out.

2. Use it for a sumdged-out look, like I've done in the above look. To define my eyes better, I like to use kajal when I do this.
3. Use the shade as an eye shadow all over your eyelid for a more dramatic evening look.

Use any colour of your choice & get creative! Always remember to have fun with Makeup!!! If you liked this post, leave me a comment below showing me some love :-) Also tell me what's your ''go-to'' look for the eyes. It could be a simple, elegant black kohl or an all-out, glamourous winged liner but I'd still love to know about it...

Until the next post, Ciao..!!

Garnier Ultra Blends Shampoo - Mythic Olive

Hi Everyone,

I've always shared reviews of products that I've really liked, on my blog. But Blogging for me isn't only about sharing information about products I like; I feel that if there's something that I've tried several times and still hasn't worked for me, it's got to come up on the blog too, so that you all can make an informed decision.

I'm here today to share my views on the new Garnier Ultra Blends Shampoo in Mythic Olive. **spoiler alert** I don't like this one.. and I mean AT ALL... :-( Read on to know why.

Let's first see what made me pick this one up - 

• Scent - It's got a lovely, olive-ey fragrance to it, which made me get this variant in this first place.
• Beautiful packaging - Great job on the packaging. In fact, all the variants in this range have an attractive packaging that is very different from each other.
• Price point - ₹120 . The budget-product junkie in me did a lil dance in the aisle.
• Product claim - Since it said that the shampoo was for dry & under-nourished hair, I was more intriguied. It said that it could make the hair silkier and smoother. I thought wow! sounds great for my kinda hair.
• Paraben Free & has Natural Extracts - I was really happy to know that the product was paraben-free. That sealed the deal for me & the shampoo successfully made it's way into the shopping cart.

Here's why I can't get myself to like it inspite of using it for over 5 washes now -

• Makes hair extremely dry and frizzy - BBBIGGG turn-off!! I can actually feel my hair getting extremely dry and tangled during the wash, yes you heard it right...DURING the wash. I dunno if I got a bad batch product, or it's just my hair but I have other shampoos doing at least 50% of what they claimed in terms of smoothening & softening...certainly didn't expect this one to do the complete opposite. :-( I wanna cry now...!!

• The more I kept it on my hair during the wash, the more dry and brittle my hair became. After the 1st wash I thought, maybe I need to keep it for a couple of mins more. Dry Hair. I thought maybe I need to reduce the time, so I tried that. Dry Hair. By the 4th wash, I dreaded the product but still went for it cuz you know... 120 bucks man! lol

Here I have to confess that I haven't picked up the conditioner in this Olive variant. I'm not sure if they have one because I didn't see one on the shelves that day. Also, generally, I don't have the time for a conditioner, every time I shampoo. The conditioning bit happens every now and then, but not always. Yes, of course it is a ''bad beauty habit'' I have :-( but don't tell me there aren't others like me :-P

In the end, I ended up feeling like I HAVE TO buy the conditioner to get the best use out of this shampoo... which is very silly. Shouldn't the shampoo be cleansing & slightly nourishing on the hair, by itself? Anyway, I'm planning to pick up the conditioner soon, cuz without it, I do not... I repeat... DO NOT see myself using this product again. So basically, to salvage the money I spent on buying this, I have spend some more :-( Not recommending this to anyone!! Okay I gotta go cry some more... :-P

Have you tried out the Garnier Ultra Blends Shampoo in Mythic Olive? How was your experience? Let me know your thoughts on it, in the comments section below.

Until the next post folks, Ciao..!!

One-Toned Makeup Look (Ideal for Workplace)

Hi Everyone,

Feels so good to reconnect with everyone through my lil blog! Yes, I have been away but that hasn't kept me far from my makeup & most importantly - playing around with it & creating different looks. One such look struck me as something I should share with everyone who likes minimalistic makeup. This look is ideal for your workplace but can be worn anywhere you like.

Here's my take on a One-Toned Makeup Look -

Base Makeup - Cleanse and prep your skin with moisturiser. I skipped foundation & went straight for concealer in this one. I used the Derma Color Concealer in the shade DFD to cover up the under-eye dark circles, blemishes & any other pigmentation on my skin. To set the base, I used my all time favourite compact, the Rimmel London Stay Matte powder in the shade 005 Silky Beige.

Eyes - Once the base was done, I moved on to the eyes. I stuck to earthy brown tones overall, in this look but you can choose the tone you want. The same makeup done is muted coral tones would also look great... Let me know if you want to see a post on that, in the comments below. For the eyes, I used two tones of brown - one lighter & the other slightly darker from the Wet n Wild ColorIcon Eyeshadow palette in "Comfort Zone". I used the lighter shade on the eyelid concentrating more on the inner half. I ditched the eyeshadow brush & dabbed the darker brown with my ring finger on the outer part of the eyelid. Then, using the same eyeshadow brush that I used before, I blended these two shades together. The lighter brown will bring some light on to the eyes, while the dark shade on the outer part will bring depth & definition to the crease.

To keep the eyes subtle, I skipped eyeliner & lined the lower lashline with my all time favourite kohl Lotus Herbal ColorKick Kajal. If you wish to see a close-up of the eye makeup, you can check it out HERE on my Instagram profile.

Products Used

Blush (Bronzer) & Lipstick - I skipped my usual blush for a bronzer this time as I wanted to maintain the earthy tone in this look. I used the bronzer from my ELF Blush-Bronzer Duo. For lipstick I used the Mauve1 shade from the Maybelline Lip Gradation range. I am so sorry I don't have a picture of that shade. I swapped it with my SIL when she was here for a visit. BTW, it looks fab on her!! Such a beautiful shade this Mauve1 is, I tell you! On another note, I bet you can take one look at the pic above and know how much love these products have received ;-)

You obviously don't need as many or the same products that I've used. You can recreate this look with products of your choice, add or take away some if u wish :-) For me, Makeup is all about having fun with colours & experimenting. It takes me away for sometime & I like that. Laugh it off if you will, but it's therapeutic in some ways ;-)

Hope you liked this simple "One-Toned" look. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below. Until the next post, Ciao!!!

Skincare Empties - June & July 2015

Hi Everyone,

I'm here today to share an 'Empties' post. You must be wondering why I'd share an empties post with you, well here are a couple of reasons. 

I get to tell you the products I finished, along with a quick opinion on each of them...well, just quick thoughts on whether I liked the product & if I will repurchase it in future. And more importantly, it's like a commitment I make to myself to use the products all the way through, not give up on them midway & report my thoughts to you ;-)

1. Himalaya Herbals Clarifying Mud Pack - Really nice for oily, acne-prone skin & those rare breakouts. Althouh I havent used this regularly (actually I should..) I use it on sudden breakouts and it dries them out within a day or two. I'll definitely repurchase this one.

2. Lakme Invisible Finish Foundation 04 - It says its water-based but this one had the sticky, foundation-ny feeling & I wasn't comfortable with it. I will not be re-purchasing this one. I've gotten pretty comfortable with my current CC cream so not really looking to change to foundation soon.

3. Lakme CC Cream in Bronze - Aah! Well, the pic says it all, I have gone throught almost 8-9 tubes of this from the time it released. I wish it came in more shades, but I like the Bronze shade of this cream, so I'm gonna stick to it :-) One of my favourites, will definitely repurchase.

4. Garnier BB Cream - I really like this one for daily use. It doesnt give much coverage but I like that it brightens up the skin for a fresh look. The lovely almond fragrance is a plus as well. I'm going to stick to Lakme CC Cream as of now; maybe I'll get this during summer next year.

5. Johnson's Baby Milk Cream - Yes, Yes, I'm a CHOR (thief) like that!! LOL My son's cream has made its way into my empties post cuz I love it for dry elbows and knees. And on rare occasions when my face feels dry and parched, this one's a saviour!

6. Loreal Paris Skin Perfect Cream (30+) - I'm not the one to go after 'whitening creams' but this one sparked an interest in me since it was customized for age groups - 20+, 30+ & 40+. It was nice, not a great cream that I'll jump and repurchase. The nice yet strong fragrance & the fact that it can sometimes leave a white cast on the face on humid days, put me off a bit. I'm glad I bought a small tube & managed to finish it :-)

7. Lotus Herbals Safe Sun Daily Sunblock with SPF 70PA++ - My constant companion during all those summer days, I finally finished this cream. I won't repurchase this one again but would definitely go for another version - the SPF 40 Tinted Sunscreen by Lotus. I can swap that one for any BB/CC Cream/Foundation on my face since it provides more coverage and remains matte throughout the day...things this SPF 70 guy sadly doesn't do :-)

8. Cuccio Naturale Hydrating Butter with Pomegranate and Fig - I loved this one! Yummy fragrance, extremely hydrating & .....freaking expensive!! LOL... Read my thoughts on this lil guy, I got as a sample in one of my fab bags - HERE.

Hope you all liked this new post. Would you like me to continue doing such posts in future? What did you finish off this June & July? What's your opinion on some of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below...

Until next time, Ciao!!!

July Fab Bag 2015 - Review

Hi Everyone,

Feels great to be back to blogging! My Sis was here from Mumbai and the quality time we spent together talking about food, movies, family & just about everything under the sun, made me completely oblivious to the fact that I hadn't blogged in a while! It's like she brought along a small part of my childhood along with her. She left a couple of days ago and I suddenly realized I had all this pent up "writing energy" that I need to pour out on paper, well in this case my little blog! ;-)

So coming back to the topic, I received my July Fab Bag sometime ago and started using the products right away. I was excited from the time they released sneak-peeks of this month's bag, on all social media. The theme this month is 'Red Carpet' and the bag is a golden, blingy, clutch-like beauty. Its got tic-tac buttons (lol sorry that's what we called them when we were kids!) to close the clutch. The buttons open to reveal a zipper in the fold, which then opens up to show the contents of the bag.

Let's see what I got in the bag this month, along with a quick review of what I think about it -

1. Eye Told You So! Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in 01 Black Swan by Sugar -

I really liked the formula of this liner! Not only is it very pigmented but it also dries quickly to a sexy, matte black finish. The felt tip of the liner is neither too stiff nor extremely flexible; its just right for making wings, flicks, cat eyes or whatever rocks one's boat! Really like this one...

2. Vana Vidhi Luxury Shimmer Sunscreen -

While I'm happy that this sunscreen is 100% paraben-free, 100% vegan & is made of 10 natural and essential oils, I don't tend to use this too often. Mainly, due to the 'shimmer' factor - I don't like shimmery products during the day. Also, I don't know what the shimmer particles are made up of. I have used this a couple of time and I find it strictly okay :-)

3. Bella Pierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick in Ruby -

This lipstick got me very excited...lately any Red Lipstick tends to have that effect on me! :-P The lipstick is nice and creamy but not to the extent that it will bleed or feather out on your lips. Its a beautiful shade of red with slight orange undertones. It has a lovely formula but a very sheer finish & I need at least 2-3 swipes to get full colour payoff. It lasts on my lips for just about 3 hrs or so and fades away quickly. The lipstick leaves back a light stain on the lips, but its too light to leave it at that; I need a quick touch up for sure to get it back to its full glory! lol 'full glory' eh? wow I really seem to like red lipsticks, don't I? ;-)

4. Ayorma Spa Daily Scrub & Face Wash - 

These a chotu-sample size products that are really nice. I have tried these out & they've now found a place in my handbag because of their tiny, travel-friendly size. They leave my skin feeling nice, smooth and refreshed. I don't know about the others who have received these, but I am a little put off by the strong fragrance of these. 

Here's a simple, yet classic "Red Lips & Eyeliner" look I created using the Bella Pierre Mineral Lipstick (Ruby) & the Eye Told You So! eyeliner by Sugar: 

Overall, I'm quite happy with the bag this month. I really liked most of the products & I'm definitely going to find use for the blingy clutch that they all came in, on special evenings and family functions. 

Have you subscribed to a subscription box? Which one do you like? What are your thoughts on this month's FabBag if you have received one? Please leave your comments below to share your thoughts with me :-)

Until the next post, Ciao!!!