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 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!

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!!

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)

Teal Smokey Eyes (Party Makeup look)

Hi Everyone,

Today I'm here to share a 'Teal Smokey Eyes' look that I created recently. I have worked with Blue before, in eyemakeup looks & you can read about one HERE. Since that one was done with pigments & some of you gave me feedback that it was slightly difficult to re-create, I thought why not try something similar with eye shadow. This can be a great look for a party or for a special occasion where your outfit is all black. Your eyes will surely stand out :-)

Here's how I created this look -

1. For the base, I used my all time favourite, Lakme CC Cream in Bronze. To set this, I used the Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder in 005 Sily Beige (read review HERE). Along with the CC cream, the powder too, has become a staple in my kit.

2. Using any black kajal pencil, make a thick line on your upper eyelid (make this where you'd place your liquid eyeliner). Some good kajal options available are the Lakme Eyeconic Kajal in Black, Maybelline Colossal Kajal, Loreal Paris Kajal Magique or the Lotus Herbals ColorKick Kajal (read review HERE). Blend this with your ring finger across the moving part of your eyelid. The ring finger has the least amount of pressure and wont harm the eyes or skin. You can also use a small blending brush if you wish to. This is now the 'base' for the smokey eyes.

Vov black eye shadow, Revlon Shadowlink in Khaki,
Blue shade from BoraBora quad & Lotus Herbals Colorkick Kajal

3. Apply a small amount of green/khaki eyeshadow on inner 2/3rds of your eyelid. Top this off with some blue eye shadow to get a good mix. Since I was aiming for Teal, I mixed these two shadows - Revlon eyeshadow link in Khaki & a Blue eye shadow from the BoraBora quad that I received in my Fabbag (See another look with it HERE). If you wish to keep this all one colour then, apply whichever shade that you want.

4. On the outer 1/3rd of the eyelid, apply a matte black eye shadow. I used my trusty VOV matte eyeshadow in Black. Blend this color inwards, towards the blue shade, till they appear to blend together, dont mix them ;-) just make them look like they come together to blend at one point. Using whatever little black is left on the brush / finger, use this in the crease of your eyelids.

5. Use Kajal again on your lower lashline & smudge this out with the blue to complete the look. To finish off the look, I applied the Calvin Klein Mascara on the lower and upper lashes. Wait, before you judge me, let me clarify that I'm a budget-product junkie & this CK Mascara came to me in a makeup swap lol :-P Moving on...I chose to skip liquid eyeliner that day as I wanted to keep the look undefined, but you can line your eyes if you wish to.

Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in 405 Yummy Plummy
Sorry, I couldnt seem to find the blush while clicking pics, but you can see it HERE.

6. For blush, I used my current favourite, the Lakme 9 to 5 Blush in Peach Affair. This is a beautiful, peachy blush for fair to medium skin tones & goes with mostly any kind of look. For the lips, I wanted a subtle shade so I used the Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in 405 - Yummy Plummy.

Hope you liked this look & will try it out some time :-) I have been playing around with a lot of colours while creating different looks but somehow didn't find the time to share a 'step-by-step' post with you all. I will try to be more regular in doing these kind of posts...pinky promise! Sorry, I have been watching way too much Disney Junior!! ;-)

Until the next post, Ciao!!!

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!!

Lips Don't Lie (Simple Care for Lips)

Hi Everyone,

Being a lipstick junkie means taking extra care of your lips. Even otherwise, it's absolutely essential that one takes care of them, throughout the year I mean...not only in winters.

Your lips need exfoliation and moisturizing just as the rest of your body. Many of you might already be aware of the steps involved in caring for your pout , but here’s sharing nonetheless –

1. EXFOLIATION - in order to get rid of the dead skin cells and dry flaky bits on your lips you need to exfoliate regularly. This not only gets rid of the dead skin layers but also helps the growth of new skin cells by promoting blood circulation. Here are 2 ways I do this –

a. DIY Sugar and Honey Scrub – Mix 1tsp of granulated sugar with 1tsp of honey to make your own DIY Lip Scrub.  If you’re a fan of flavoured lip scrubs then you can add the flavor of your choice. Add coffee for a nice ‘kick’ or a small drop of Vanilla essence. Adding drops of Lemon juice, also helps lighten pigmented lips over a period of time. Caution – these can be totally yummy, so don’t go eating them up!! Save some for your poor lips! Lol take some of this mixture on a clean finger and use it to gently scrub away the dead skin by using circular motions. Wipe away with a damn cloth or wash with water.

b. ELF Lip Exfoliator – This comes in a Lipstick like form, with a bullet that has a mixture of Sugar, Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oil. These retail for about $3 to $4. You can either order them online or ask someone who lives abroad, to send them across. Use them just as you would a lipstick, and swipe/rotate the bullet in circular motions on your lips.

ELF Lip Exfoliator

Bullet with scrub melts into a smooth scrub on application

c. Good 'ol Toothbrush – Use any old soft toothbrush to exfoliate your lips. Do not use your current one or try to do this while you’re brushing, it beats the purpose!! Silly me tried this to save time and the fluoride in the toothpaste made my lips all the more chappy and dry!! ***Sigh***

2. MOISTURIZING – After any kind of exfoliation, the skin needs to soak up as much moisture as possible. Lack of moisture after exfoliating your lips, can lead to extra dry and chapped lips, so be sure to keep your lipbalm handy. Here are a couple of options I’ve tried and that have really worked for me.

                a. Maybelline Baby Lips Lipbalm – Pick any of the flavours, you won’t be disappointed! Trust me on these, they’re God-sent!! With an SPF 20, you can use them even when you’re stepping out without having to worry about Sun damage. My favourite ones for summer are Mango Pie and Berry Crush ( or maybe Berry Blast, I don’t remember hehe). From their recent Electro Pop range, I absolutely love Berry Shock …Yes, yes I love Purple and therefore I love Berry … yay, mystery solved! **Paadum Pum Phoosh!!** (Chandler Bing reference which you will understand only if you’re a fan of F.R.I.E.N.D.S!!)

Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Pop in Berry Shock

     b. Oriflame Tender Care – This has the consistency of a petroleum jelly and it extremely hydrating and moisturizing.  It comes in different flavours, but two that I have tried in the past, are Blackcurrant and Coconut. There’s a non-flavoured one too which I'm currently trying to finish.

Maybelline Lip Balm and Oriflame Tender Care

     c. Nivea Lip Care Fruity Shine – Absolutely yummy lip balms! I never knew these existed until my pal, Yamz, pulled out one from her bag to use it. An absolutely yummy guava fragrance made me sit up and take notice. She gave me the details of the lip balm and I was scampering the local supermarket for these, right after she left . I have tried out the Pomegranate, Guava and the Cherry flavours from this range. They're scrumptious!!

So go give your lip some extra TLC this summer!! Try out some of these tips and let me know what you think! Do share in the comments section, some of your lip care tips so I could try them out....

Ciao!!

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

Hi Everyone!

Sorry about the late post, I am guilty for not being as regular with my posts as I’d like to be hehe... I usually write whenever I feel like and whenever I can, but mostly the two don’t happen together. Today was different, I felt that I had to sit myself down and write this post or else I’ll burst!! LOL Has that ever happened with you, that you feel the strongest urge to sit down and just write your heart away? Hey don't worry though, I will try to keep it short, crisp and to-the-point!

Today I will share how I created this 'Shimmery Blue eyes and N*de lips' look. It turned out really well that day and the best part about it was that I hadn’t planned on doing this. It just happened and turned out really great (or so I feel!!).

Here’s how I did it –

• For the Base, I used my trusty Lakme CC Cream and set it with Blue Heaven Compressed Powder for a matte look.

Lakme CC Cream in 'Bronze' & Blue Heaven Compressed Powder

• For the Eyes, I started with using a little foundation as an eye primer and set it with the same powder as mentioned above.
• Next, I took a flat shader eye shadow brush and dampened it by spraying a little water on it. I picked up the Faces Canada Blue Sparkle Dust with this brush and dabbed it all over my eyelid, being careful not to go above the crease. Since the pigment is wet, there is less fallout and the flat shader brush also helps. ('Fallout' is the extra eye shadow that 'falls out' on your cheek during eye makeup). In case, you do have fallout, wipe it off with a baby wipe or a dry brush gently, so that you don't mess up your foundation. Or better still, first finish the eye makeup and then go for foundation!

Faces Canada Sparkle Dust in Blue 

• Once I had the intense blue colour that I was looking for, I waited for it to dry. Taking a little bit of a purple eye shadow, I used this to blend out the harsh edge of the blue shadow on the crease. Since I have hooded eyes, I blended this purple shadow a little above the crease so that its visible when I look straight ahead. (Hooded eyes simply means that when I look straight ahead, there is very little space between the brow bone and eye-lid).
• Once the blue and purple were blended well, I lined my eyes with Elle 18 BlackOut liquid liner and used the Lakme Eyeconic Brown Kajal to line the lower lash line. I lined this only half-way and left the inner corners bare, to open up the eyes.

Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in 'Bronze Orange'

• For some warmth on the face, I used the Lakme 9 to 5 Blush in Peach Affair. As I wanted the eyes to be in focus, I opted for a n*de shade on the lips. I used Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in Bronze Orange to finish off the look.

I was always apprehensive of working with pigments but with practice, I've become slightly comfortable with them. I loved this look that I created and was absolutely surprised when it elicited a “WOW!!” from the Husband! Now who doesn’t like that eh? 

Do try out the look with Blue or any another colour of your choice and let me know how it turned out. Do leave me comments in the comments section below!!

Till then, in the words of my toddler, Baa-Byeee!!

PURPLE DAY FOR EPILEPSY on March 26th - Purple themed Makeup Look for ChildRaise Trust

Hello Everyone,

Before I begin with the look, let me tell you about the inspiration and thought behind it.

Mrs. Kavita Shanbhag, is a dear friend's Mum, a close family-friend and one of the sweetest, most coolest Pacchis I know (Pacchi is 'Konkani' for Aunt, sorry I have a habit of anglicizing everything!). She's an absolute darling and will always greet you with the sweetest smile and the biggest hug. Even though she's one busy woman, she will exactly remember what was happening with you the last time and check up on you. Having said that, the most strongest aspect of her personality and what I admire about her, is her passion to empower Children with Special abilities. She's the Founder of CHILDRAISE, which is a Cross-Disability Organization committed to the Empowerment of Children with Special needs and Disability Issues. (FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/childraise?ref=br_tf). I wished to show my support for her resolve and absolute dedication to the cause. 

Since I love creating different makeup looks and recently took up 'Guest blogging' for different beauty blogs, I thought, what would be better than creating a Purple-themed makeup look to wear on March 26th, when ChildRaise celebrates Purple Day for Epilepsy! Here's what I created :-) 

Here's how I created this look - 

Base- I used the Lakme CC cream as a base on my face, concentrating on the areas that needed more coverage. I topped that off with the Blue Heaven Artisto Face Stylist Compressed Powder.

Eyes- I used a Lakme Absolute Plump and Shine lipgloss (that I dont use on my lips), as my eyeshadow primer. It helps the eyeshadow last longer. (Read how to use lipgloss as eyeshadow primer - Here). On top of that, I patted the Faces Canada Sparkle Dust in Purple all over the eyelid. To blend this in, I used the MakeUp Academy blush in Blushing Coral Shade 5, as a crease color (You can use any crease colour to blend this in, I wanted the Purple to stand out, so I used Pink). I finished the eyes, with a winged liner which I created using the Maybelline Colossal Liner.

Lips- Since the eyes were to be kept in focus in this look, I kept it simple with a lipgloss that has a soft rose tint to it. For this, I used the Streetwear ColorRich lipgloss in No.6 - Party Melon.

Although, these might seem like too many products, but they just go on, one after the other to create a simple, bright and summery look! 

If you feel a little overwhelmed with these many products, but still wish to sport Purple on March 26th, then apart from your outfit, you can incorporate any one strong element of Purple in your makeup - 

• Faces Canada Sparkle Dust in 'Purple' for your eyes
• Revlon Colorburst Matte LipBalm in the shade 'Shameless' on your lips OR 
• Maybelline ColorShow nail colour in 'Lavender  Lies' or 'BlackCurrant Pop' on your nails.

Have fun! Be Strong! WEAR PURPLE TODAY FOR EPILEPSY!!!