Favourite Lipsticks Series - Top 5 Everyday Shades

Hey Everyone,

One look at the top drawer of my desk & you'd know that I'm a certified "Lipztickaholic" ;-) More than the usual suspects like night creams, moisturizers, lip balms, etc, you'd find lipsticks lying around. Last year, I became more organized thanks to the blog & began regularly rotating my makeup. I have now made it a point to keep only 5 lipsticks in the top drawer for easy access. 

Since I keep rotating my makeup, I add & take-away a lot but I have noticed that these 'Everyday Beauties' have somehow managed to creep into the list time & again :-) 

Hand swatches 

1. Miss Claire Color Rich Lipstick in No.40 - 
A really lovely n*de shade with rosy undertones. I'm not very fond of n*de shades that tend to make me look sick & washed out. I like some color in them, to be able to pull them off & this one fits the bill perfectly! I feel it's a very close dupe to the cult-favourite 'Bare' from the already affordable Colorbar Velvet Matte range. This lipstick however has a cream finish & moisturizes the lip well. I'm wearing it HERE

2. Chambor Powder Matte Lipstick in 156 Rose Fresque - 
If you're looking for an everyday matte shade that adds slight color to your face without seeming too bright, this is a great shade for you! It's subtle, 'rosy' makes it appropriate for work too :-) Don't let the name 'Powder Matte' scare you, it's not as 'dry' as the name sounds. Looks completely matte but is extremely comfortable to wear.

3. Maybelline Colorshow Creamy Matte Lipstick in M402 Madly Magenta - 
Another scary name - Magenta! lol I was pleasantly surprised when I loved the pinky-purpley shade (gosh! where do I learn these words, I have no idea! Pinky-Purpley!!). As the name suggests, its a creamy matte finish & I would definitely recommend it to someone who loves creamy lipsticks & is looking to venture into mattes. Also, someone who loves their mattes but would like to wear something that moisturizes the lips (Read..ME!!).

4. Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick in 016 Heart Breaker - 
A simple & pretty pink shade that's absolutely budget-friendly & great for everyday wear. It has a demi-matte finish & will not dry out your lips. I have reviewed this lipstick HERE

5. Colorbar Kiss Proof Lip Stain in shade 006 Mauve Dusk - 
A beautiful, deep mauve that brightens up your face, without screaming for attention :-) This is a very pretty shade that can be sported by all skin tones. This long wear lip stain (read .. almost liquid lipstick) is a boon for anyone who hates touch ups. A great combo of long-stay formula combined with a non-drying texture. There are other lovely shades in this range, but I just love this particular one to bits! I have reviewed this lipstick HERE

Lip swatches

So these are my 'Everyday shades' that I like to keep handy. In spite of being, simple & subtle, they have great coverage & will cover pigmentation (if any) on your lips. 

Hope you liked this post. Do let me know if you'd like more such series in the future. Here's another one from the 'Favourite Lipsticks Series' - HERE . What are your favourites for everyday wear? I'd love to know... Do share them in the comments section below :-) 

Until the next post, Ciao!!!

Note - I feel the hand-swatches haven't done justice to the shades; I clicked them in the harsh afternoon sun. For the true color, plz refer to lip-swatches :-) Thanks!

Quick & Easy Makeup Look (6 products only)

Hi Everyone,

I'm here to share a very simple look that I created today & ended up really liking it :-) The best part is that I used very few products for it. Multi-task with these & you're done in about 10 mins!! It's something that you can quickly put together when you're pressed for time. Here's the finished look & how you can go about it - 

1. Concealer & Pressed Powder

2. Black Kohl & Mascara

3. Bronzing Highlighter & Lipstick

1. Concealer & Pressed Powder - Skip the foundation or BB cream & use the concealer only where required. I used the Derma Color concealer & blended it on the T-Zone (Above & between brows, bridge of the nose, under eyes, cupid's bow & chin). Set the concealer with any pressed powder; I used the Rimmel Stay Matte powder for this step

2. Black Kohl & Mascara - Using your ring finger or an eye shadow brush, first apply the bronzing highlighter as an eye shadow all across your moving eyelid. This step will bring the light to your eyes & make the kohl (to follow) stand out! :-) I used the Revlon Highlighting palette in 030 Bronze Glow.

Using the kohl, line your waterline & lower lashline; remember to go slightly thick on the lower lashline. I used the Lotus ColorKick Kajal here. To ensure the kohl stays put, pick up the darkest shade from the bronzing palette on a pencil brush & use it to smudge the kohl on the lower lashline. Pick up more eyeshadow & repeat this if required as the eyeshadow will combine with kohl and hold it in place. The idea in this look is to skip using any liquid liner as it requires a certain amount of precision & time as well. Bring out the lower lashline with thickly lined kohl :-) Add 2 -3 coats of mascara to the lashes (I used the Maybelline Hypercurl Mascara) & later fill out the brows with the same kohl to complete the eyes (brows & mascara are optional steps!). 

I feel the thick kohl looks great from behind my glasses too & brings out my eyes... I wonder why 'silly me' completely forgot to click a picture with my glasses on .. **face palm** .. will put a pic up on my Instagram page soon... Follow me HERE.

3. Bronzing Highlighter & Lipstick - With a blush brush, apply the bronzer/highlighter to the apples of your cheeks & finish off the lips with your favourite shade of lipstick!! :-) I used the Sephora Color Lip Last lipstick in Meet My Pink (No.21).

This will most probably be my last post in 2015 :-) Before bidding goodbye to this year & stepping into the next one, I'd just like to say Thank-You for all the love & support you have shown to my lil blog. I started blogging just this year & I'm so overwhelmed to see the amount of appreciation that's been pouring in. It really means a lot to me!

For me, Makeup means 'Having Fun'! It makes me feel like a kid in an Arts & Crafts store. Makeup for me is about about playing around with colours, creating something new every time, being happy, creative & confident :-) Having said that, I'm confident even without a speck of Makeup on my face. So let's always remember, with or without Makeup - 

You are beautiful, You are YOU....Don't let anything change that :-) 

Have an amazing 2016!! Happy New Year!! 

Fall-inspired Party Makeup Look

Hi Everyone,

Today I'm here to share a quick makeup look that I created, inspired by the dull Greens & warm, autumnal Browns of Fall. I know there's no Fall in India, but let's just roll with it ;-)

Here's how I did it - 

1. Base - If you already don't know how I do this, then you MUST visit the blog more often..lol ;) After moisturizing my face, I applied the Lakme CC cream all over, concealed using Derma Color Concealer & set the base with Rimmel London Stay Matte powder.

2. Eyes - I used all of the colors on the right hand side of the Comfot Zone palette by Wet 'n' Wild. Dabbed the frosted green 'Eyelid' shade all over the eyelid & used the moss green 'Crease' shade in the outer corner of the eye to give it some depth. I used the 'Browbone' shade from the palette to highlight the area beneath the brows.

Then, I lined the upper lashline with Sugar 'Eye Told You So' eyeliner & the lower lash line with Lakme Eyeconic Blue kajal to offset the greens on the eyes. Finished the brows with my MUA eyebrow pencil in 'Brown'.

3. Cheeks - I used the 'Pearlescent Pink' blush by Wet 'n' Wild (which is a supposed dupe for the NARS Orgasm blush) & topped it off with the Wet 'n' Wild Rose Champagne Glow highlighter which I've been loving lately.

4. Lips - I mixed an old Oriflame pinkish lipliner with Maybelline Colorsensational 'Bronze Orange' lipstick which is quite a cult favourite when it comes to n*de lipsticks.

This look doesn't need the same products I've used & can be easily re-created if you have similar shades in your makeup stash :-) You could also create this look for your upcoming NewYear's bash!! 

Hope you liked this quick makeup look! :-) Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Until the next post...Ciao!!

Festive Makeup Look (Budget Products)

Hi Everyone,

I was feeling a little creative today and wanted to play around with my makeup to create a Festive look for the season. After creating the look, I realized that all the products I used are really affordable brands which are easily available in stores or online. The shades are so versatile that you can continue to use them even after the festive season is over!! I know I do ;-) So I thought of sharing this quick post.

I want to keep this post short & sweet without going into too much detail. Just a simple breakdown on how you can re-create this look :-) so here goes :

Face:
Once you have cleansed & moisturized your face, blend a CC Cream to create a clear base. I'm not using the word 'flawless' here since I haven't used a concealer or anything else to cover up my blemishes.I wanted to keep this absolutely simple!! Now, set the base, with some powder. I have oily skin & hence used a mattifying powder. If you have dry skin & wish to skip this step, that's okay too. Use a neutral blush on the apples of your cheek. A neutral shade lets the eyes & lips take centre-stage! I used the following products for this step - 

• Lakme CC Cream - Rs.250/- 
• Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder - Rs.250/- (read HERE)
• Maybelline CheekyGlow in Creamy Cinammon - Rs.275/-

Eyes:

Festive season calls for some Gold on the eyes. Dab on a gold eyeshadow on the moving part of the eyelid & blend some brown into the crease for a smooth transition. Line the upper lashline with a liquid eyeliner to define the eyes. You can further intensify the eyes with Kajal on the lower lashline. I haven't taken the kajal all the way into the inner corner as this tends to make my eyes look smaller. I used the following products for this step - 

• Revlon Shadowlinks - Copper (golden shade) Rs.175/- 
• Revlon Shadowlinks - Java (brown shade) Rs.175/-
• Lotus ColorKick Kajal - Rs.199/- (read HERE)
• Elle 18 Black Out liner - Rs.85/-

Lips:

A bold red lip would mostly suit all your outfits :-) Apply some red lipstick to complete this Festive Makeup look. Some other affordable options in Red can be found in the Streetwear Lipstick range; they have at least 5 different, very beautiful hues of Red lipstick...my fav one being the shade 'Very Vampire' (read HERE). If Red isn't for you, then a good idea would be to wear something neutral as this will make the Gold on the eyes stand out. For this look however I have used a red lipstick - 

• Miss Claire soft matte lip cream in No.10 (Deep Red) - Rs.195/-

Pair this look with some pretty earrings & a bindi for a desi touch! ;-) Hope you try out this Festive Makeup look with some of these readily available & most importantly, budget-friendly products! Save those bucks & spend on your loved ones, this season! Let me know if you liked this concept, I'd love to create more Festive looks with Budget products, for you :-) 

Note - Prices mentioned in this post were applicable when I bought these products. They may slightly vary now. Given the online discounts during the festive season, these products will still be very reasonably priced.

Until the next post, Ciao..!!!

Do check out some of the older posts for different makeup looks - 

Shimmery Blue eyes and N*de lips (Party Makeup look)

Purple themed Makeup Look

Teal Smokey Eyes (Party Makeup look)

Favourite Lipsticks Series - Top 5 Reds

Guess who's back? Yes!! Along with my help,this morning, my 'Will to Write' is back. Hahaha, its like she brought it along with her. When she was on leave (without a substitute!!) I felt like all I did was wash utensils in the sink LOL. Some of my nightmares involved falling into the sink and being sucked down the drain, Phew! Now that she's back this morning, I suddenly want to sit and write.

So since I'm feeling absolutely positive and happy this morning (yeah, our help can have that effect on us Women!!) let's make this about something that makes us feel positive, strong and confident. I'm going to make this post a tribute to my favourite Red lipsticks - 

(L to R) Maybelline - Nonstop Red, Streetwear - Very Vampire,
Miss Claire - No.10, Laqa & Co. - Siren Song and Loreal Pure Red - Pure Rouge

(L to R) Maybelline - Nonstop Red, Streetwear - Very Vampire, 
Miss Claire - No.10, Laqa & Co. - Siren Song and Loreal Pure Red - Pure Rouge

Let's dive in...!

1. Maybelline Super Stay 14hr lipstick in Non-stop Red - 

This is a bright red with pinkish coral undertones. Fresh and young, this colour would be slightly more suitable for fair to medium skin tones. Thanks to the pigmented formula, this colour stays on for hours and is a no-fuss, low maintenance kind of Red. It's more of a day-time Red for me, I'd say. It's the kind of colour that's bound to get some attention without being 'in-your-face'.

2. Streetwear Color Riche Ultra Moist lipstick in Very Vampire - 

A bright orangey red, but a little more sheer formula which isn't as pigmented as the Maybelline one mentioned above. This is also a day-time wear Red and is overall a nice budget lipstick. But then, where it gains in price point, it loses in staying-power. This isn't a long-stay formulation and needs to be re-applied every couple of hours. So if, you don't mind touch-ups a few times in a day, go right ahead and get this!! 

3. Laqa and Co. Chubby stick in Siren Song - 

I got this one in my Fab Bag in Jan 2015. The shade is a deep red with brown and orange undertones. This pairs very well with saris and any kind of Indian ethnic wear. It's a shade that will suit all skin tones. If you've got this as a part of your subscription box, well..keep it!..but I wouldn't suggest you'd go in and buy it especially. When I want to steer away from a bright red lip, I reach out for this one to give my makeup a more mature and confident look. It's got a balmy texture, yet good staying power.

4. Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip cream in No.10 - 

A rich, deep burgundy kind of red that's best suited for evenings. The formula is matte, long-lasting for up to 4-5hrs, yet creamy and non-drying. Overall, I love this range for being absolutely budget-friendly & this shade especially has to be my favourite from the Miss Claire range. 

5. L'Oreal Paris Pure Reds Collection lipstick in Pure Rouge by Frieda Pinto - 

A deep, matte true red, Pure Rouge is rich in colour, has a creamier formula, and is much more long-lasting than its more reasonably priced cousins (all the above lipsticks). I haven't owned this one for very long, but its quickly become one of my favourite reds! I wear it mostly during the day and I'm confident it's going to rock evening looks as well. This is one shade that will suit all skin tones, yep it's THAT versatile and gorgeous!! (That instant pout in the selfie wasn't intentional, I swear! It just happened..lol I blame the lipstick hehe)

As you might have guessed from the pictures, I love Matte finishes and kind of avoid glossy lipsticks. In case, you wish to glam these up with some gloss, please feel free to top these with a clear gloss and you're done!! 

Here are some hand-swatches in Natural Light - 

Hope this post helped some of you who are looking to add a new Red to your collection. 

What are some of your favourite Red Lipsticks? Which one do you reach out for most? Any particular Reds on your wishlist? Lemme know all about them in the comments section below...

Until the next post..Ciao!!