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..!!

MAC Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick - Review

Hi Everyone,

Being a 'Budget-product lover', I had always stayed away from buying MAC products. Sure, I lusted after the lipsticks like crazy .. (lol I wont lie to you..) but never got myself to buy any :-) In 2015, the (Makeup) Universe said "Enough of this wishful thinking...there you go!!" & one by one, I saw MAC lipsticks dropping into my life through some divine (read - Weird!) intervention ;-) One of these beauties is 'Flat Out Fabulous' (FOF) which the Husband very sweetly bought for me on one of his trips.

Keeping my 'concise posts' aim in mind, I'm here to share a quick review of this lil beauty with you today -

Price: Around Rs.1500/-

Shade: Flat Out Fabulous is a bright, plum-toned fuchsia shade which would compliment all skin tones - Light to Medium & Medium to Dark. It's a beautiful, happy shade & is best worn during the day.

Texture & Formula: FOF, being a Retro Matte (more dry than regular MAC Matte), slightly tugs while applying & dries out your lips a bit once it settles down. Exfoliating & moisturizing your lips before hand is definitely a MUST with this one. Mostly, all MAC Retro Matte lipsticks tend to dry out the lips, so I've got no specific complaints here .. I'm pretty used to it now!

Pigmentation: FOF goes on slightly patchy due to the sheer dryness of the product. It requires to be swiped at least 2-3 times to get completely opacity. Layering it is a good idea & I do that quite often.  ;-) Here are the swatches of shade -

Left: 1 swipe; Right: Multiple swipes

Wear-time: FOF lasts on my lips for about 4-5 hours not considering meals & drinks. It seems to slightly fade away from the inner part of the lips after a meal & glass of water. I don't always remember to 'touch-up' my lipstick, but FOF has never left me 'bare-lipped' (lol if that's a word!).

Overall Experience: I have loved wearing this shade because it just seems to brighten up my day :-) I have just recently got this lipstick some time ago & have worn it about 6-7 times till now. But please believe me when I say that I have been asked about which lipstick I'm wearing....every single time!

*** Lol, nope I aint gonna Photoshop those undone brows!! I'm a busy Mommy & sometimes it shows...BIG DEAL ;-) ***

Anyway, I love my matte shades & have gotten used to the dry feeling that comes with especially the MAC ones. So yes, this shade dries out your lip quite a bit but is rather lovely to sport if you like 'purpley-pink' (plz tell me people use this word...or is it just me? lol). Flat Out Fabulous is beautiful & I prefer to wear it with white/off-white tops & black ones, where I know the lipstick (rather than the clothes) will take center-stage. I also wear it with pink & purple toned kurtas, where somehow it seems to match them & hence doesn't stand out that much :-) See THIS Instagram photo with my lil one.

Do you own any other MAC shades that you'd like to share here? Do you have a similar shade, by another brand, that you wish to recommend? Leave me all the information in the comments section below!

Hope you liked this quick review. Until the next post, Ciao!!

'SOAPER HEROES' by Soap & Glory - Review

Hi Everyone,

This post has been long overdue & today I just had to sit down & complete it, to share it with all of you! 

I have watched reviews & skincare videos which include Soap & Glory products & these got me very curious about the brand. I felt like if not anything else, I must definitely pick up something from Soap & Glory on my first trip to Sephora this year (ahem...in August).

I brought home the Soap & Glory 'SOAPER HEROES' set.. lol clever play on words there! ;-) The set has 5 different best-selling products, all in convenient, travel-friendly sizes. After having tried out all of them, for over 3 months now, here's what I think about them :-)

Price : Around Rs.1800/- (... Rs.1820/- if I'm not mistaken...)

Packaging : The packaging is totally adorable & vintage-y! Extremely girly, this packaging is sure to catch any shopaholic's roving eye ;-) The products come tucked safely into a thin plastic moulding which has 'SG' embossed all over it. This gorgeous little gift-box contains small travel-sized versions of Soap & Glory's bestselling products. Let's go through them one by one...!!

1. GIRLIGO Scented Moisturizing Body Mist - 100ml

This body mist has found a permanent place on the side-table in our living room. Why? Cuz it's spray mechanism comes in handy when I have exactly 0.256 seconds to moisturize dry elbows, knees, spots on a 3.5yr old hurricane!! Also, the product doesn't really come out as a mist, it sprays out but settles on the skin like any other moisturizer & has to be blended into the skin with your hands. Having said that, it's quite easily blend-able into the skin & the skin feels nice & soft after using this. Girligo might have a 'girly' name but is much loved by my lil macho man..!!

THE RIGHTEOUS BUTTER body butter - sorry I couldnt click this earlier :-(

2. THE RIGHTEOUS BUTTER Body Butter - 50ml

One of my favs from this set & a definite re-purchase next time around, would be this Body Butter. With the original Soap & Glory scent, this body butter has a clean & fresh fragrance. Deeply moisturizes the skin without getting greasy. Freshly showered skin soaks up the rich buttery cream and is left soft & supple for the whole day. Love this one!! Recently done with this :-( 

FLAKE AWAY Scrub

3. FLAKE AWAY Scrub - 50ml

I love the fact that I got this in a small tub that's totally travel-friendly :-) I have used it once every week from the time I have bought it. It's a yummy-smelling scrub with the original Soap & Glory scent. The sugar-like granules are tough but not harsh on the skin. I recommend mixing the scrub with your finger once before using it, in fact I'd say mix it every time before you use it; the oily base tends to separate and come up once the tub is left unused for some time :-) (see pic). This doesn't hamper the product in anyway but mixing it once before application, will ensure all the ingredients combine to give you a great effect!! 

CLEAN ON ME Creamy Shower Gel, HAND FOOD Hand Cream
& GIRLIGO Scented Moisturizing Body Mist

4. CLEAN ON ME Skin Softening Shower Gel - 75ml 

Can I just say this has become a family favourite? Our family loved this one so much that I had to pick up a bigger, full-size bottle of 'Clean On Me' when I again went to Sephora in Nov :-) They've stuck to the original SG scent on this one but without making it totally girly!! The body wash is creamy, runny & leaves the skin feeling thoroughly cleansed yet absolutely moisturized... a saviour in the winters!! Full size bottle restocked already ;-)

5. HAND FOOD Hand Cream - 50ml 

I have been guilty of not using this, as much as the other products. I have no excuse other than I'm slightly forgetful when it comes to hand creams. I dont remember to keep re-applying them everytime, after washing my hands. I have used this cream only at nights before I go to bed. It's thick, rich & very moisturizing. Must try for anyone who loves soft, smooth hands...

Soap & Glory is a brand that isn't easily available in India. So the next time, you spot Soap & Glory, be sure to pick up at least one product to try it out! I got the CLEAN ON ME Creamy Shower Gel for my Sis-In-Law - V & highly recommend that you get your hands on that one first. It'll surely make you want to get more from this brand. 

I apologize for the delay once again...this post should have come in Oct itself & it didn't :-) Hope you liked this post.. do leave me your comments in the 'comments section' below. Have you tried any Soap & Glory products before? Tell me all about them..!!

Until the next post...Ciao!!!

Kate Moss Lipstick & Stay Matte Powder by Rimmel London - Review

Hi Everyone,

Sometimes I feel there should an award of some kind, a medal maybe for finding the best products from a mile-high vertical display, in less than 10 mins...now that is major achievement!! LOL 

I'm here today to review two lil budget beauty finds, that were 'quick-buys' (ahem...7mins flat! Do I hear applause?) from a Rimmel counter in the Parcos store at Orion Mall. I'm going to make these reviews short & sweet, well... at least here's hoping...

1. Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss No.29 (Black Packaging) - 

Price: 275/- for 4g

Packaging: 
The lipstick comes in a matte black body which is really sleek and classy. The cap has Kate Moss' signature on it in red. The shade and number are mentioned on the bottom of the tube. It's a slight bummer that one wouldn't be able to tell the shade by merely looking at the tube, I mean what if you owned more than one?

Shade: 
No.29 (yes :-( no name!) is a Deep Purple with strong Pink undertones in it (or maybe Deep Pink with Purple undertones in it...I dunno!!!). If you know me, you'll know I love anything Purple but strangely I don't have a lot of purple shades in my stash of lipsticks. I had swatched "Shameless" from the Revlon Matte Balm range and found it didn't suit me at all. When I saw Rimmel No.29, I knew I'd found the right 'Orchid-y Purple' for myself. The price tag didn't hurt either! ;-) I'm loving this one on me!! 

Hand swatch in Natural Light

Hand swatch under florescent tube

Pigmentation & Texture: 
The lipstick is quite pigmented although you WILL need 2 swipes to cover your natural lip colour. Its a slightly frosty finish lipstick, but don't let that scare you though, even that slight frostiness disappears in a couple of minutes of application & leaves behind a beautiful colour. The texture is creamy and absolutely easy to apply; the lipstick glides on smoothly. It had a lovely formula and doesn't need a liner underneath it. 

Lip swatches in Natural Light

Wear-time: This lipstick lasts on me for a good 4-5 hrs. Fades a little, but evenly, post meals and drinks so you don't need to rush for a touch-up. It's got good staining powder and stains the lips well. 

I love the shade and bought this purely for the colour, maybe if I'd have spent more time to look for a similar shade in an absolutely matte finish, I'd have found it in the red packaging Kate Moss range. I'm not complaining, I love this and I work with it by 'turning it into matte'! Read how I turn some of my non-matte colours into matte ones & also increase staying power this way - HERE.

2. Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder (005 Silky Beige):

I hit pan on my current compact powder & wanted to try out a different one this time, so I bought the 'famed' Stay Matte Pressed Powder :-) I wish I had got it in summers to test it out better, but it's working well for for me nonetheless.

Price: Rs.250/- 

Shade: 005 Silky Beige

Pigmentation & Texture: The powder does have a slight shade to it, but nothing that will alter the shade of my foundation/BB cream that I wear underneath it. I have also tried this out without a base or concealer & even though it gives me slight coverage, I'm still happy with it because it keeps me matte for a long time. 

Wear-time: It keeps my T-zone oil free for more than 5/6 hrs. I may sweat during this time, but this lil piece of magic ensures that I don't get oily. I know it looks a bit chalky in the pic, but it doesnt look that way on the skin. I love that it takes care of the shine very effectively as per the claims!! I only wish it came with a mirror for on-the-go touch ups. 

Hope these quick (yeah right!!) reviews helped in some way! Do try out these products if you like them & if you have anything else from this range, then let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. If you wish to read about my other Rimmel London Lipsticks, click HERE.

Until the next post, Ciao!!!