StudioWest Haul & Review (Skincare)

Hi Everyone,

I had been wanting to get my hands on some of the StudioWest products ever since they were launched recently. Somehow, my timings didn't allow me to get to the mall & I settled only to see their pictures on other blogger profiles on Instagram :-P. One of the long weekends, around 3 weeks ago, I had a few errands to run & some shopping to do so I decided to check out the StudioWest line as well.

I almost missed the StudioWest counter thanks to the MOB of ladies there...LOL Do I blame them? Nope! If I had been there 15 mins early, I'd be a part of that MOB as well ;-) My disclaimer / apologies before you read on - This post does not have any makeup products as I didn't pick up any. I usually don't pick up makeup without swatching & that particular day, it was too crowded for me to stand, swatch & buy. :-) So here's what I randomly picked up from their skincare counter -

StudioWest Radiance Aloe Vera & Green Apple Deodorant Body Spray (Rs.185/-) :

StudioWest Radiance Aloe Vera & Green Apple Deodorant Body Spray

The spray scent is fresh & 'citrus-y'. If you like Green Apple as a scent, you'll definitely love this one! It has a lovely combination of Green Apple & Aloe Vera; you wont feel that one of the scents over-powers the other one. It reminds of summer & I'd have loved to use this during that time, if only they'd launched earlier this year ;-) I have been using this every single day since I bought it. The deodorant hasn't caused any burning sensation or inflammation to my skin, in fact I'd say it's mild but still very effective. The product stays on my skin for about 5-6 hrs even on an 'excessively sweaty' day.. lol sorry to gross you out but hey! I'm reviewing a deodorant right? ;-) I can only say I love the product & this will be a definite repurchase!!

StudioWest Radiance Aloe Vera & Green Apple Nourishing Body Butter (Rs.399/-) :

StudioWest Radiance Aloe Vera & Green Apple Nourishing Body Butter

This one was a slight disappointment...for a couple of reasons. First, the body butter fragrance does not match the deodorant :-( I was hoping that just like The Body Shop, an entire range will have the same fragrance irrespective of the product for eg. TBS Strawberry Body Butter & TBS Strawberry Body wash have the same scent. The Aloe Vera & Green Apple Nourishing Body Butter by StudioWest doesn't smell anything like the deodorant that I love!! The body butter has a more tangy, more sour fragrance which is a slight turn-off when you try & take a whiff from the tub. Once applied and blended into the skin, the sour fragrance goes away. Now I don't know if I got a bad batch, or they made it that way, but for a person like me, who loves "anything Green Apple", the Body Butter scent makes me cringe just a bit when I am using it.

Second, this Body Butter takes much more time to blend into the skin. Again, I've used TBS Body butters & my skin tends to soak them up quickly, but this one takes time to blend in. The trick I have discovered is to leave it as is, in the last leg of blending it in. If I keep it that way for a min or two on my legs & move to my hands, I see later that the product on the legs has been absorbed on its own & the skin is well-moisturized! It's very weird lol please don't ask me why that happens, I wont be able to explain why since I haven't done this with any other body butters I've used :-) I will be definitely finishing this one off for sure since I have bought it for 399/-, but will not be repurchasing it in the future! P.S. - The Body Butter tub doesn't even have a picture of Green Apple anywhere...isnt that a little weird? :-|

Overall I feel, I've had only 50% luck in this haul since I only bought two products. I'm yet to check out their makeup products & will keep you all posted on Instagram, when I haul some! Speaking of Instagram, here's a quick look at the pic I posted there raving about their nail colour. My friend S, whom I'd been shopping with, passed it on to me from her haul. I remember to have applied it on a Saturday & apart from slight chipping at the cuticles, this baby didn't budge till Thursday!! :-) This nail colour wasnt technically part of my haul, but since it's a really nice quality nail colour, I just had to share it with all of you! The nail colours get a 'Thumbs up' from me!!

StudioWest Maaya Nail Colour in Silver Saga
(Applied on Saturday; pic taken next week on Thursday)

Hope you liked this quick review & it helps you in some way when you go shopping next time! :-)

Until the next post, Ciao!!!

Durga Pooja Makeup Look

Hi Everyone,

Today I'm here to share a makeup look that I created for Durga Pooja. The festive season is a busy time & this look is simple, easy & quick to create if you've not had a chance to plan your look :-) I have kept the focus on the red bindi & red lips, trying to build the rest of the makeup around these signature features. Hope you like it...

Here's how I went about creating this look - 

Base Makeup:

After moisturizing my face, I applied the NYX Photo Loving Primer (purple variant for anti-dullness) & waited for it to settle. Then I used my HG "foundation" the Lakme CC Cream & set it with the Rimmel London Stay Matte powder. I swear I've not been reaching out for foundations at all & I've already gone through almost 10 tubes of the Lakme CC Cream :-P I used the Derma Color Camouflage concealer under my eyes to cover up the dark circles. (PS - Since I had about 20 mins before my lil tornado would get up from his afternoon siesta, I unknowingly missed out on clicking a couple of products. In this pic, the RL Stay Matte Powder :-( )

Eye Makeup:

I primed my eyes with this liquid eyeshadow from the tube; you can skip this step but I wanted some base for my eyeshadow could hold on to. I used the 'pinkish' shade on the right, from the Faces Canada eyeshadow duo & dabbed it in the inner half of my eyelid. On the outer half, I wanted something deeper, so I used the Calvin Klein brown eyeshadow to create a V-shape on the outer half. Went all out with my fav Sugar Cosmetics eyeliner in 'Eye Told You So' to create a winged eye. With the Lakme Eyeconic kohl in Black, I lined the lower lashline & later smugded it out with the same CK eyeshadow so that it doesnt budge. I used the MUA eyebrow pencil in brown to fill out my eyebrows. (Missed out of clicking the Sugar Cosmetics eyeliner, Lakme Eyeconic Kajal & MUA eyebrow pencil... sorry :-( plz dont kill me! You can use any liner, kajal or brow pencil you might have.)

Lips & Cheeks:

I used my one of my favourite red lipsticks, 'Pure Rouge' from the Pure Reds Collection by L'Oreal Paris. This is the famous Freida Pinto shade :-) I applied the Makeup Revolution baked blush in 'Loved Me Best' which has a reddish tone, since I wanted to tie in the bright red bindi & lipstick.

Finishing touches:

I applied a bright red bindi which I was very skeptical about at first. I have a round face already & I didn't know if this would suit me, but when I saw my pictures later, I felt it looked really nice & come on...this look would NEVAAA been complete without the signature red bindi!! It's an absolute MUST & I love it :-) I brought out my festive earrings (they're really heavy & I dont wear them often) to bring the look together. 

I really liked how the look turned out. The red-pink toned makeup, the bindi & the lipstick, the gold from the earrings...everything just seamlessly blended together!! The best part is that you can use the products that you might already have & re-create this look.

Hope you liked this post. What's your favourite feature to play up during Durga Pooja? The eyes, lips, blush or face? Leave me your comments below ... I'd love to know your thoughts :-)

Until the next post...Ciao!!!

October Fab Bag 2015 - Review

Hi Everyone,

I'm here to share my thoughts on the October FabBag today. I received this bag right in the beginning of this month, so I promise not to crib about 'delayed delivery' in this post ;-) Good Job Team FabBag!! As I've had my time to use these products & form an opinion, let's quickly get into the review...

Themed as "Get Set to Celebrate", this month I received a beautiful, ethnic looking bag in vibrant, truly-Indian colours! Pink & Red are totally apt for the festive season & I was happy to get yet another bag that can be actually used as a clutch for those special occasions when I choose to wear Indian outfits! Without any fuss of zips etc, this time the bag is shaped like a traditional pouch with a button and loop to fasten it shut. 

The very 'festive' October Fab Bag

1. Palladio Eye Shadow Quad in 'Blue Suede':
Tell me this isn't gorgeous! Come on, I dare you ;-) lol And the best part is, I got to choose it to be a part of my Fab Bag..!! This is the one product I honestly haven't touched as yet...its so beautiful, I'm afraid I'm gonna mess it up. Having used Palladio shadows before, I know for sure that they're decently pigmented & extremely easy to use. You need very little to create a vibrant look. Waiting to create an eye look with this baby & share with all of you! I feel I've been gravitating too much towards Blue this year (check out my Instagram account for different makeup looks - HERE), this time I want to try something different with this quad!

Palladio Eye Shadow Quad in 'Blue Suede'

2. Nyassa Tiramisu Body Scrub:
Look at the little tub and you'd know if I liked this one or not ;-) LOVED it! If you love Chocolate or Coffee or Tiramisu, or ALL of them, you'd surely like this exotic scrub. It leaves the skin feeling nicely polished...exfoliated yet moisturized! Since it's finely granulated, it's gentle & not harsh like a walnut scrub is. One of my favs in this month's bag... I'm going to finish this sooon!! I hope I still have some left to use on 28th Oct, which is 'National Chocolate Day' BTW!! (did you know? I didn't!)

Nyassa Tiramisu Body Scrub

2. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion:
Palmer's is usually raved about & seems to have worked very well for a lot of people. I like it but its nothing to write home about (completely my opinion!!). It's particularly nice for my dry heels & elbows. It's slightly greasy to be used as an overall Body lotion & I'm currently using the Parachute Advansed Coconut Milk lotion which I'm quite happy with. For the face, I feel the Cocoa Butter Formula is going to be too greasy for my already-oily skin. I'm thinking of holding on to this one for the winter months; maybe I'll like it better then, dunno!!

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion

3. Spa Ceylon White Jasmine Facial Masque:
Another fav from this bag, the masque is great for quick 10-min pampering sessions. I find it slightly strange that its very thick in consistency for a masque; so much so that I can hardly pick it up with my fingers. I used a small spoon to dig into it just like you'd 'dig' into an ice-cream tub! Oooh Ice cream!!...no wait I'm getting distracted. Coming back to the masque, it cleanses & refreshes the skin throroughly. Although it leaves my skin a bit dry after I take it off, I don't worry too much because I use the Kama Ayurveda Rose Water Facial Mist to re-hydrate. Overall, I really like the masque & its lovely Jasmine fragrance!

Spa Ceylon White Jasmine Facial Masque

A slight bummer this month was that the Team sent only 4 products instead of the usual 5. Since they pampered us with the 3rd Anniversary September Fab Bag, I'd overlook that bit ;-) I really like this month's bag as well, I feel the Team's really upping their game month after month. Apart from sometimes sticking to the usual suspects, they're introducing new brands every month; this month they've brought us Spa Ceylon & Palmer's. Keep up the good work Team Fab Bag!!

Get Set to Celebrate!!

Hope you liked this review! Are you subscribed to Fab Bag? What were your favs from this month? Do leave me comments 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)

Himalaya Pure Skin Neem Facial Kit - Review

Hi Everyone,

Today I'm here to share my review on the Himalaya Pure Skin Neem Facial Kit which I have been using for the past 2 months. Spoiler alert : I freakin' love it!! Haha, now if you wanna know why, read on...

Price: Rs.175/- ... Say Whaaaa? I mean I was stunned & did a double take on the packagaing. This was a Himalaya owned store & so I checked with the guy at the counter again, "Excuse me...is this whole kit for 175/-?". He smiled & said, "Yes Ma'am!" ... Me thinks he gets that a lot ...especially for this product. We have always loved Himalaya for its brilliant quality, affordable products for the entire family; but this was a pleasant surprise!! I got it for 175/- but I'm thinking you'd pay much less if you shop online for this.

Contents: The Himalaya Pure Skin Neem Facial Kit consists of 3 components, all of which are best-sellers in their own right! :-) 

1. Purifying Neem Face Wash - 50ml: I have been going back to this like its my Mothership, even since I was an acne-prone teen :-P It's got a gel-like consistency & keeps the skin, clean and fresh, all day long. Thanks to its antibacterial Neem & Turmeric properties, it prevents breakouts without drying out the skin. The best part is that since its not specifically an oil-controlling product & doesn't strip the skin of its moisture, it can be used by any skin type. 

Purifying Neem Face Wash

2. Purifying Neem Scrub - 50gm: An awesome exfoliator for daily use! Yes, I said daily use :-) The Neem & Apricot beads in this scrub aren't harsh on the skin & hence can be used on a daily basis for a quick scrub down at the end of the day. If you're still skeptical on exfoliating everyday, try using this on alternate days to see the difference. 

Purifying Neem Scrub

3. Purifying Neem Pack - 50gm: This is my favourite product in this kit!! Even if I use another cleanser or scrub sometimes, this is the pack I have been using ever since I got the kit :-) On days that I decide to wash my hair, I apply the Garnier Fructis Oil-In-Cream on my hair & this Neem Face Pack on the face around 15-20 mins before a shower. I let the pack dry & then wash it off under some luke warm water :-) It leaves the skin feeling squeaky clean & fresh! The first time I used it, I could actually 'see' a difference around my nose & cheek area; pores were tighter & visibly cleaner!! 

Purifying Neem Pack

How to include this kit in your skincare routine: As the name suggests, the range is meant specifically for purifying the skin i.e. getting rid of impurities, dirt, grime & bacteria that cause breakouts. The face wash, one can use without having to worry about your skin type, as it tends to cleanse the skin without stripping away the moisture from it. The scrub, can be used every other day or if you don't like the idea of exfoliating frequently, then twice in a week should be good enough. The face pack is the star of the whole kit for me, although one of my friends has reported a slight tingly/burning feeling when she used this pack for the first time. So I'd suggest to use it only if you have used face packs before & are comfortable with the warm feeling that face packs can sometimes give you. If this makes you uncomfortable, then you might want to check out the Himalaya Oil Clear Mud Face Pack (with Multani Mitti & Walnut).

My experience with the kit: I have had a great experience with this little kit. 50 gms is a decent size tube to travel with & I have actually traveled with this whole kit. It's compact & quite travel-friendly, if you're looking to carry more skincare rather than makeup :-) This little kit has last me almost 3 months now & still has some more product to go! Overall, I'd say I haven't had too many break outs in these 3 months, apart from this one time I was exhausted after a party & slept with my makeup on :-( My skin just couldn't handle being 'taken for granted' like that & I woke up with a big zit which got angrier in the next 2 days. Once I was back to this kit for skincare, the zit dried out & died! ;-) So basically, this kit is a definite repurchase for me! 

Comes packaged like this :-) Cute init?

Pros :

• Affordable Price
• Great quality products that actually work 
• Travel-friendly

Cons :

• Face-pack may tingle a bit depending upon your skin's comfort level (Id' still say that's the pack doing its cleansing bit on the skin, so not really a con for me :-))

Hope you liked this review! If you've used this kit or any products from it, do let me know your views on them. If not, let me know some of your favourite products from Himalaya :-) Do you have any skincare routine that you follow & wish to share? Please leave all the info in the comments section below ...

Until the next post, Ciao!!!