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!!

Biotique Botanicals Bio Pineapple Oil Control Foaming Face Cleanser (Review)

Hi Everyone,

Makeup removal should be effective, yet simple. I need something quick & easy at the end of the day. It's my time to unwind & anything that's more than one step is too time-consuming.

Couple of months ago, I discovered the Biotique Botanicals Bio Pineapple Oil Control Foaming Face Cleanser that claimed to remove makeup too. I tried it out and here's what I think about it.

Price - Rs. 149/- for 120ml (Steal, isn't it?)

Claims - 100% soap free cleanser dissovles makeup, purges pores & purifies complexion. Organically Pure & Preservative Free, Dermatalogically tested for safety & No Animal Testing.

Texture - Just like a normal face cleanser, this product is quite milky and runny in texture. 

My experience with the product - I really like this face cleanser. It's a saviour, especially on late nights when you just want a one-step cleansing system. 

I take some product in my palms and rub them together. I apply this directly to my face (without splashing water on it, although the packaging says 'apply on wet face'). After massaging it on my face, I take some water and apply it to my face so that I dilute the product a little & it can be easily spread over. At this point of time, I see most of my foundation or BB cream, the eye shadows, lipstick, etc breaking down and coming off. After massaging the face for about a minute or so, I rinse the cleanser off. My face feels fresh & squeaky clean but not dry. I prefer using a moisturizer post a wash, but I don't need to hurry up since the cleanser leaves my face soft & moisturized. 

If I have to name a drawback, then I'd say that with this cleanser you'd find it slightly difficult to remove water-proof mascara. I have tried doing so while reviewing the product and while I could remove it eventually, it takes some time. I wear mascara very rarely & so on a daily basis, its nice & easy for me to use this product without any worries. If you tend to wear mascara, you might need to use a proper makeup remover like the Maybelline Total Clean (another favourite!), which breaks down even the toughest of mascaras. 

Skin Types - If you have Normal to Oily skin, do give this a try...especially in the summers, you'll surely love it! For Dry skinned beauties, this might not be the ideal product for you. If you do wish to try it out, I'd suggest using a moisturizer after this as your skin may feel parched. Do give it a go & let me know your thoughts.

Hope you liked this post. Leave me a comment to tell me how you remove your makeup & if you have any favourite makeup remover. 

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!