Date-Night Makeup Tutorial (Simple & Step-by-Step)

Hi Everyone,

Being parents to a very active 5yr old, we don't usually get to have date-nights. Either the kiddo tags along or we order-in & spend chilled out evenings at home.

So when the Husband & I realized that he has to leave for a tour on my birthday this month, we thought of going out to dinner. We called it an "Early Birthday Dinner + Date-Night". Since these evenings out are a rarity in my case, I thought of trying to put in a lil extra effort into my makeup look. It turned out really well & I was very pleased with it. It's actually very simple & with little practice, you could put this together in about 10mins flat.

Here's how I put it together -

1. Apply deep black kajal on the entire moving eyelid. Don't go above the crease though. Smudge out the kajal with a brush or your finger. This forms a nice base for the eyeshadows that follow. They'll stick on & last longer. If you're a beginner, I strongly suggest staying away from deep blacks & using a deep brown as they're more forgiving & easier to blend.

2. Apply a grey eyeshadow on the inner & outer corner of the eyelid. On the middle, dab a shimmery eyeshadow (I used a shimmery gold) with your finger. Blend the edges of 3 segments, to make it look gradient. So, they should look something like this - Grey-Gold-Grey lol I'm so sorry I'm really bad at describing this process.

The Gold in the centre of the eyelid, makes the eyes pop & looks beautiful. 

3. On the crease of the eye, you can blend in a deep brown or any earthy toned eyeshadow to deepen it. This will ensure an overall blended look. Tie-in the look by lining the lower lashline with the same deep black kajal & smudging it with a brown or black eyeshadow. 

So here's how the eye look turned out -

For this look, I used the New-trals Vs Neutrals palette by Makeup Revolution London. You could use any palette or single eyeshadows you own. You can also switch up the colours, while keeping the same technique to create a "Spotlight Effect" :-)

On another random note, I've been away for about 2 months now & it feels great to be blogging again. Hope you liked this simple tutorial I put together. I write at nights when my lil one's asleep & I do so on my phone. With his school schedule & everything else, the post takes sometime to make an appearance on the blog hehe, completely my fault...Guilty as charged!! 

Leave in requests for other posts & I'll be happy to come up with them!

See you all around soon! Ciao!

Project Pan 2017 - Update 1

H‌i Everyone,

As you all know, a couple of my blogger buddies & I started Project Pan early this year. In case you want to know what it's all about, you can catch up by reading THIS post.

It's been a while & I thought I must update you all on what's been happening with the products. Before I begin, I must confess I don't have pictures for all of them. Firstly, I was traveling, along with helping my lil boy study. And secondly, it's difficult to show how much eyeliner I've used or how much mascara still remains in the tube, with pictures. So without a lot of pics to show, I'm going to keep it simple & be brutally honest to you all. Meaning, if I have not used a product or used it less, I'll update it accordingly. No fibs here...cross my heart!!

Here goes -

1. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Adis Ababa - Okay, so I'm gonna be honest here & tell you, I haven't been reaching out for this one at all. I have been traveling and although I've taken this along with me, I've yet to break the hiatus I've put this beauty on :-( Sad init? Love this shade... I promise to use this more often from now on. 

2‌. MAC Lip Glass (shade unknown) - Again, not reaching out for this gloss. I'm such a matte-loving Lipztickaholic that I don't see myself using this soon. Aarrghh, Neha come on.. You can do this.. Go on.. Gloss it up sometimes!!!! 

3‌. Lotus ColorKick Kajal - Good news here! I've almost finished this lil guy.. Yay for me! I've gone through so many of these that I'm getting slightly bored hehe (that's the beauty blogger in me speaking).. I think I wont be re-purchasing this one, instead I'll try out something new next time.

‌4. Maybelline Falsies Mascara (Waterproof) - I've been regularly using & loving this mascara Guys!! I've used it particularly on days when I don't wear any eye make-up. It lengthens my lashes like no one's business & looks amazing!! See HERE. Too bad I can't show you a pic of how much I've used this up ;-) Definitely a product I will re-purchase.

‌5. Maybelline HyperGlossy eyeliner in Electro Shock (Blue) - I'm making a sincere effort to use this up before it dries up. It goes really well with any top & my fav pair of Blue Jeans. Need to finish this before it gets all crumbly like my Maybelline Hyper-Matte black eyeliner,which btw was awesome but dried up in a matter of weeks :-(

‌6. Sleek I-Divine Original Palette - I've been drawn to the more neutral and safe shades in THIS palette. Need to spend some time doing bold eye looks too if I want to hit pan in 2017. Phew, I know I can do this.. Buck up, buck up!! 

‌7. Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream in shade Medium - Bought it, didn't like it so didn't use it enough, however I've come up with a way to finish this up. Call it a cheat if you will but I mix it up & use this with my daily BB cream hahaha!! I'm gonna use this up soon. Nothing else to say about this one, I'm still working on it ;-) Not a re-purchase for me.

8‌. Miss Claire Studio Perfect Anti-Redness Primer in 01 Clear - Yesss... I'm at it! I use it every single time, without fail, before I throw on my BB cream. It's kinda nice & I need only a very small amount. Very silicone-y texture & helps the cream glide on well. Doesn't fill in pores like the Balm Pore-fessional but definitely reduces the redness of my perpetually flushed face. Doesn't greatly help the longevity of make up. It's not a product I will re-purchase.

9‌. Loreal Face Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer - Haven't touched this one since the last post Heheh I told you, I'm gonna be brutally honest in this series. I think I'll wait until I use up a good amount of the Miss Claire Anti-Redness primer :-) But I have to tell you, this one's really nice. Lovely product..this is my 2nd tub. I'll share more in my next post.

‌10. Chanel Illuminating Powder with Shimmer - Doing my best to use this up too. It doesn't have tons of shimmer and can be used on a daily basis to perk up dull skin.

That's it from me, as of now :-) Read about Project Pan updates from my friends, Pankhuri @ AddictedShades and Krupa @ IshtyleAWhile.

 Until the next post, Ciao!!

Celebrating my Valentine with IGP.com

Hi Everyone,

"Every gift from a friend is a wish for your happiness", said Richard Bach. So true isn't it? Recently we were at my aunt's place and she pulled out 2 huge bars of chocolate for me and my sis-in-law. We grinned like lil kids!! Firstly, YES it was Chocolate.. More importantly, it  was the thought that got us excited.. even as adults!! Receiving a gift from someone always, always makes us feel special :-) So, when IGP.com gave me a chance to send a gift to someone special, I jumped at the opportunity.

About IGP.com -  Indian Gifts Portal or IGP.com was established in 2001 & is one of India’s largest online gifts store specializing in gifts for all ages and occasions. They specialize in flowers, cakes, chocolates, personalized products, festival merchandise, kids, home & living, fashion categories & other unique Valentine's Day gifts. That's a whole bunch of absolutely exciting gifting ideas!!

Office work is a drag? Work in Style!

A Bouquet to say 'I Love You'

Chocolates that "melt" any heart!

IGP. com ships orders to 150+ countries (including USA, UK, Australia, Canada etc) and 7,000+ pin codes within India.  It also has same day delivery network in 300 cities in India.

Let these grace those delicate yet hard-working hands

Make Gymming look good ;-)

The website is very simple to navigate and has a wide range of gift ideas. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you should definitely look into the site for some wonderful, classically romantic options like Cakes, Flowers, Chocolates, etc. The site also has other options like Gymming Gear, Personalized Office Stationery, Ties, Jewellery, etc

If you wish to make Valentine's Day special for your grandmother, your brother or maybe a friend even; IGP. com gives you a chance to gift, based on how you know your loved one! Just type in options like Aunt, Brother, Friend, Cousin... & a list of possible gifts pops up on your screen. Isn't that awesome for Confused Shoppers like some of us? ;-) 

My experience with IGP.com -  I decided to surprise my sister in Mumbai. She's been my rock last year & I'm so thankful for having her in my life :-) She's just got a new job & I wanted to gift her something special at work to say, "All the very best! I love you!!". What better than an early Valentine's Day surprise ... an early lil birdie sent in to tell her she's loved & cherished!!

I found a wonderful Adidas Perfume and Deo gift set for my Sis. The website also gave me an option of writing a small personal note to the her which she would receive along with the gift. Within minutes of placing my order, I received a confirmation email stating the purchase, shipping details, etc. It also gave me an ETA on the delivery.

Unfortunately, the set I ordered was out of stock. Although, I wish I would have been informed about this on the site itself; the team did send me a personalized email (mind you, NOT one of those "copy-pasted template" responses) and offered to send another set instead. Once they received my confirmation, they processed the order right away! 

My Sis got her gift at work & was so suprised!! Here are some pics she sent across -

The set was packaged well

The Adidas 'Get Ready' Gift Set

A personalized note I sent with the gift.
Sorry, cant open it.. Top secret Sister Stuff! lol

Overall, I really liked the website. Apart from the fact that 'Out-Of-Stock' gift items glitch, I have no qualms about gifting through the site.

1. The navigation & ordering process was smooth & simple. Here's how it works.
2. I got a peronalized email from the team when there was an issue &
3. It was great that it was sorted in no time!!

IGP.com is definitely going to be one of the gifting portals I use & recommend, this Valentine's Day. :-)

Disclaimer : The website sent a voucher in exchange for a review. The opinions expressed here are my own, honest & unbiased.

Project Pan 2017

Hi Everyone,

To begin with, let me explain what Project Pan means. It's a term mostly used in the beauty-blogging sphere & means "hitting pan" or using/finishing the product before buying another one. I have been at it for quite sometime now, but officially beginning it for 2017, with this post :-) Compared to skincare, Makeup products are a challenge to use to up, so I've selected only those this time.

For me, Project Pan means showing more love to older products that I haven't used in a while. I plan to work them more into my daily rountine or create something new & dramatic with them once in a while. Here are my 10 contenders -

Lip Products - 

Used only once or twice

• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Adis Ababa - This was a git from my Sis-in-Law, M. She knew how much I loved the Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Creams & thought I should try out NYX too.
• MAC Lip Glass (shade unknown) - I picked this up from a blog sale in Dec 2015. I used it for sometime and then somehow forgot about it. 

Eye Products - 

Kajal used once, Blue eyeliner used 2-3 times
& Mascara used 5-6 times

• Lotus ColorKick Kajal - My favourite for quite some time now. Reviewed HERE. I don't know how but I now own 2 of these; I seemed to have picked this up on one of my random grocery shopping trips..so now I have 2. I'll work on finishing at least one.
• Maybelline Falsies Mascara (Waterproof) - I remember sending a text to Krupa, my fellow blogger & my friend, about this 5 mins after I applied it; I got THAT excited about it. I absolutely love this one. BTW - Did you know that Mascaras have a shelf life of only 3 to 4 months? Need. To. Finish. Soon.
• Maybelline HyperGlossy eyeliner in Electro Shock (Blue) - I saw this on my friend, T & just had to have it. It's a gorgeous electric blue liner & my reasoning with myself was - "It's BLUE!! I don't need to match this with anything. It goes with my blue JEANS!!" buahaha, don't ask me why I didn't show it any love later. 

Used some of the Neutrals; Bright shades used sparingly.

• Sleek I-Divine Original Palette - I went all out to proclaim my love for this "sprightly young laddie" .. Reviewed HERE. I wish to renew my vows this year *wink wink* 

Face Products - 

• Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream in shade Medium - Bought it, didn't like it so didn't use it enough. I might have some ideas on how I can use this up. Watch out for an update post!
• Miss Claire Studio Perfect Anti-Redness Primer in 01 Clear - Don't judge. Honest mistake. I had misplaced it & didn't even remember having it. So, no more Benefit Pore-fessional for me until I use this baby up.
• Loreal Face Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer - Loved Pore-fessional so much that I didn't bother with this one. The Loreal primer is a great product & was my 1st ever face-priming product. This lil tub is my 2nd. I've also loved & almost finished the Nivea After Shave Balm - reviewed HERE. Speaking of primers, don't have an eye-primer? Read THIS.
• Chanel Illuminating Powder with Shimmer - My best bud, V gifted this to me. Hoarder that I am, I saved this gift up for special occassions. It does have finely milled shimmer but not so much that it can't be used on a daily basis. 

To make all this more exciting & fun, my blogger buddies, Krupa from IshtyleAWhile & Pankhuri from AddictedShades are also launching Project Pan on their respective blogs. We will be posting updates, every 6 weeks all the way up to 25th December 2017, which is our deadline for the project.

Until then, go ahead & show us some love! Leave us your comments below. If you're new & visiting me from my friends' blogs, then a big HELLO to you.. I'm Neha - I love make-up & doing ditzy things like saying Hello at the end of the post ;-) 

Wish us luck ... & pray for me... *Come on Gurl, you can do this!!*

See you in my next post, Ciao..!!

Lakme 9 to 5 Crease-less Lipstick - Wine Order (Review)

Hi Everyone,

WINE ORDER ... the name itself makes this Lipstick-Junkie, slightly woozy ;-) Ahem ahem.. let's get back to the review now, shall we? 

Price : The lipstick is priced at Rs. 450/- but you can always get online discounts.

Shade : Wine Order is a deep, rich pinkish-wine shade. It's definitely suitable for all Indian skin tones. Some of my friends tell me, they prefer this shade only for evenings, but I mostly like wearing it during the day.

Left - under artifical light; Right - in natural light

Texture / Formula : I love the texture of the Lakme crease-less range. The lipstick glides on smoothly & does not tug at the lips. The formula is Semi-matte and sits well. It's smooth & creamy in a way that it hydrates the lips & doesn't accentuate the creases. However,  it DOES NOT really give a "Crease-less" look to the lips as it claims.

Pigmentation : Great pigmentation on this one! One swipe and you get amazing colour-payoff.

Wear-time : This lipstick looses points from me, on wear time. It lasts on me, for approximately 1 - 2hrs only. I've never been a fan of creamy or satin finishes for this reason. I don't like more than 1 or 2 touch-ups and this baby needs a lot of re-work to be done on it during the course of the day :-( Wine Order isn't transfer-proof and I see lots of it on my Coffee mug, my lil one's cheeks and all the Snacks I might have had. Basically it transfers Big Time on anything & everything!!

Overall Experience : I have absolutely loved the shade & my current lipstick tube is my 2nd in this particular shade. I've gifted it to friends and family who have loved it as well. It's a beautiful shade that would suit mostly all the Indian skin tones.

So overall, I'm so taken in by the shade that I have repurchased this & also overlooked the fact that it transfers a lot. This is one of the few "non matte" lipsticks that have made the cut to this matte-favouring Lipztickaholic's collection :-) If you're like me, you're totally going to love this lipstick! 

By the way, have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone for a product & ended up loving it? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Until the next post, Ciao..!!

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!!

Top 5 Most Popular Posts

Hi Everyone,

I'm really blessed to have blogger friends who shake me up sometimes & ask me what's happening to my little blog. It makes me so happy to know that even though they're professional bloggers themselves, they care & support me enough to message/call me to say ''Hello, what's up with you? Haven't seen a post from you in a long time now!!'' Now that's what I call **GirlLove**

Being a Mom means being on call 24/7, this is irrespective of whether one has a day job or not. Sometimes, I just don't feel like writing & when I do, I get a serious case of ''Writer's Block''. So, inspired by Miss Kay from IshtyleAWhile, I decided to sift through the comments & see what you have liked to read throughout this journey of mine. I wanted to go through your comments, your likes, your feedback all over again because they are very important to me. You all make me feel like I'm doing a good job! That encourages me to sit down and blog regularly...more importantly...blog better!! So I decided to grab a coffee, shake away the ''lazy-bugs'' & get down to writing :-) 

So while I work on an exciting post that's coming up soon...here's a round-up of the Top 5 most popular posts that have received so much of your love & appreciation. 

1. Himalaya Pure Skin Neem Facial Kit - Review

http://thelipztickaholicdiaries.blogspot.in/2015/10/himalaya-pure-skin-neem-facial-kit.html

2. Studio West Haul & Review (Skincare)

http://thelipztickaholicdiaries.blogspot.in/2015/10/studiowest-haul-review-skincare.html

3. MAC Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick - Review 

http://thelipztickaholicdiaries.blogspot.in/2016/01/mac-flat-out-fabulous-lipstick-review.html

4. Colorbar Kiss-Proof Lipstain in 006 Mauve Dusk - Review

http://thelipztickaholicdiaries.blogspot.in/2015/09/colorbar-kiss-proof-lipstain-in-006.html

5. Durga Pooja Makeup Look

http://thelipztickaholicdiaries.blogspot.in/2015/10/durga-pooja-makeup-look.html

Leave me a comment telling me which one of these was your favourite!

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram (HERE) for posts on Makeup of the Day, Lipstick Swatches, Jewellery, Food, etc. It's a mixed bag & I promise you won't be bored! ;-)

Wish me luck & keep that love pouring in...

Until the next post.. Ciao!!

Favourite Blush Series - Top 5

1. Maybelline Cheeky Glow in "Creamy Cinammon"

I started my blush journey with this one. When I swatched this blush at the mall, I instantly liked the shade; it's perfect for everyday use especially during the day. It's a "safe" shade for those who wish to start using blush but don't wish to use pinks, peaches and corals right away. 

Aptly named, 'Creamy Cinammon' is the lightest peach shade with brownish undertones. Not to worry, the brown tones won't make your face look muddy :-) It's a matte blush and can be used as an everyday shade to give your face a natural flush. Great for office too if that what you're looking for!

2. Makeup Revolution Baked Blush in "Loved me the Best"

I was in a 'bold' phase when I bought this shade online. I wanted a reddish-pink blush to add to my collection & found this perfect one on Flipkart. I have done a full review on it HERE.  

3. Miss Claire blush in no. 25

This beauty was passed on by my Sis-in-law, M from Pune. I wore this at my lil nephew's birthday party and loved it. Since she had liked it sooo much herself, she decided to let me try it out as well. 

The shade is a beautiful light coral which is best suited for fair to medium skin tones. This one has shimmer too but they aren't finely milled. I have saved this for evenings as it looks a bit much for the day time.

4. Wet n Wild Coloricon blush in "Pearlescent Pink"

 When my other Sis in law V, was flying to the US, she has asked me what I'd like from there in terms of makeup ( I have the world's best sisters-in-law... I know!!!) . I had my mind set on trying out the US drugstore Items, epsecially Wet n Wild, ELF and Physicians Formula. In my list of 'must trys' I had included this beautiful blush that is supposedly a dupe of the very famous NARS Orgasm.  

                               

It's beautiful pink blush and looks completely natural on the skin. I highly recommend this one if you're a fan of peachey blushes. However, if you like matte blushes this one may not be the one for you.. its got finely milled shimmer in it. When I wear this, I skip highlighter altogether. This shade would look great on all skin tones!! I definitely recommend this one.

5. Lakme 9 to 5 Blush in "Peach Affair"

I won this in a giveaway on Youtube. Once I started using it, I knew why it was loved so much. At one point in time, I was using only this blush and not showing any love to the other ones in my collection (which later I apologised to them for ;-)..lol) You can see the pan to know how much I have used this beauty.

Its a deep peach shade that goes very well with traditional Indian outfits. Its got tiny gold shimmers that brighten up the face. If you catch me at a function wearing any Indian Ethnic outfit, I'll most definitely be wearing this blush 😃 This shade would suit mostly all Indian skin tones. 

What are some of your favourite blushes? Do let me know in the comments section below :-)  I'd love to hear some of your recommendations too.

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..!!