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!!

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..!!

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!

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!

Day-time Bronze Makeup Look

Hello Everyone,

Feels awesome to back at my home computer and blog away to glory!! I apologize for being away for this long & want to send my love to everyone who messaged me, wondering where I have been :-) You have been so sweet in your messages, telling me you're missing the blog & asking me to come back soon... I'm doing something right for sure :-) Thank you again for all the love & support..!!

I've been travelling for a month & have been missing my lil blog terribly :-) Now when there's travelling, there HAS to be some shopping right? So you're sure to see some haul posts coming up soon. Since I'm posting today after such a long time, I didnt want to start off with a review, so I'm going to start with something that I love doing more...creating simple, easy to wear looks & sharing it with you guys :-) I was in a mood to wear something subtle on the lips (...for a change LOL you all know I'm crazy about BOLD lip colours...hehehe) & here's what I put together yesterday.


































Let me tell you how I went about it - 

Base:

Derma Color concealer, Rimmel London Stay Matte powder,
Garnier BB Cream & Lakme CC Cream

1. After moisturizing my face, I dabbed on a mix of the Garnier BB Cream & the Lakme CC cream. I've been loving this combo - the Lakme CC cream is great for coverage, while the Garnier BB cream makes it a little more runnier & easy to apply. 

2. I then dabbed on the Derma Color concealer in D65 to the undereye area and around the nose to conceal any redness on my face. If you have dry skin, then you can skip the step, but I finished off the base makeup with my fav Rimmel London Stay Matte powder in 005 Silky Beige, since I have oily skin.

Maybelline Cheeky Glow in Creamy Cinnamon &
Wet 'n' Wild Rose Champagne highlighter

3. Then I applied the Maybelline Cheeky Glow blush in Creamy Cinnamon; this blush is great for everyday wear & I love using it during day-time. Another product that has become a fav since I got it, is the Wet 'n' Wild Fergie Rose Champagne Glow highlighter, which gives the softest glow ever!! This one, you can't go wrong with & will definitely suit light to medium skin tones. I applied this to the high points of my face - cheek bones, bridge of the nose, cupid's bow (right above the upper lip) & chin.

Eyes:

Wet 'n' Wild palette in Comfort Zone

1. I mixed the (left row) 'Definer' & (right row) 'Crease' shades from the Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone palette & used them as a wash of bronze on the eyelids, as I wanted a 'one-shadow' look that day. You can use any bronzey, warm shade you like. To brighten up the inner corner of the eyes, I used the (left row) 'Browbone' shade from the same palette.

2. I had a no eyeliner look in mind, so I just lined the lower lashline with the Lakme Eyeconic kajal in Black, to give them some definition.

Lips:

Miss Claire Color Rich lipstick in No.40

I applied the Miss Claire lipstick in no.40 (which I feel is a close dupe for Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in 'Bare'). It's a *ude shade with rosy undertones. I felt it went really well with the overall look. 

Hope you liked this post! Apologies once again, for being away for such a long time...it sure feels great to be back :-)

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)

Mini-haul at Sephora, Pune

Hi Everyone,

As a makeup enthusiast, I was very excited to visit the Sephora outlet in Pune. It opened in January this year at the Phoenix Market City Mall & I happened to miss it by a mere 5-days :-( We had a chance to visit Pune again this year to visit our families & this time I wasn't missing Sephora for anything!!

My Sis-in-law knew the 'budget-product junkie' in me & we both kinda knew that we won't be hauling too much from there. But I still managed to get products that I really wanted to try & didn't go over the budget I'd set for myself :-) Here are some 'sneak peek' pics for now, I will be reviewing these once I've made an opinion about them...

Soap & Glory

The Pore-fessional by Benefit Cosmetics

Here are some other knick-knacks I picked up from the smaller outlets at the mall -

1. A dupe for the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

2. Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip cream in a new shade 16A

3. Rimmel London Apocalips in the shade 'Aurora' (I was actually looking for the Provocalips 16HR Kissproff lipcolour, but realized that it wasn't launched in India yet). 

4. (Random purchase) Makeover Professional Matte Lipstick in the shade 'Cherry Ice'.

Hope you liked my teeny-tiny haul :-) Until the next post, Ciao!!

PS: I also tried out Soap & Glory's Sexy MotherPucker Lipgloss @ Sephora-Pune. Head over to my Instagram profile - https://instagram.com/nehavinekar/ for the pic.