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New Lakme Absolute Illuminating Eyeshadow Palettes Royal Persia, French Rose Review, Swatches

New Lakme Absolute Illuminating Eyeshadow Palettes Royal Persia, French Rose Review, Swatches

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New Lakme Absolute Illuminating Eyeshadow Palettes Royal Persia, French Rose Review, Swatches

Hi guys,

In my previous post on the Lakme Absolute x Sabyasachi’s ‘Illuminate & Shine’ Collection, I reviewed the new bronzer, highlighter and shimmer brick. (See HERE)

These two eye shadow palettes are also a part of the Limited Edition Sabyasachi Collection.

Lakme already has the day Gold and night Silver palette in this Illuminating Palette range, see the swatches of the Day Palette HERE.

Claims:  They say it’s the eyes that gives you that extra sparkle. So as you prep for your festive looks this year try the new Lakmé Absolute Illuminating Eyeshadow palettes to add to the glam quotient. These limited edition eyeshadows by Sabysachi Mukherjee have 6 versatile colours to play with and create stunning looks that are bound to turn heads.
Whether it’s the lovely plum tones of the Royal Persia palette or the warm earthy shades of the French Rosé palette, these unique shades are absolute must-haves.

Limited edition eye shadow palettes designed by fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee
High intensity powders
6 versatile shades that blend beautifully
Suited for most Indian skin tones

MRP: Rs.995/- each for 7.5g (Buy Royal Persia HERE and French Rose HERE)

Royal Persia has more purple/pink tone shades and French Rose has more warm browns/coppers. From the first look of it, I absolutely love French Rose! The shades are stunning and so apt for the fall/winter/wedding season currently. I can think of 9-10 different eye looks immediately looking at the palette.

French Rose is definitely very versatile and very flattering on Indian skin tones.

Both palettes have the usual packaging with a mirror and a double ended sponge tip applicator.

Honestly except for 1-2 shades, I was not so impressed with the pigmentation of the shadows in the previous day palette. This time I am blown away and how!

I had huge expectations from the palettes as the shades looked really pretty. And I am so glad Lakme has worked on the pigmentation this time, all the shadows are super creamy and buttery and these swatches are just one swipe each!

Top Row:

A coppery bronze, close to MAC’s Amber Lights (Amber Lights is slightly more gold)

A matte plum brown, this was the only shade with little less pigmentation compared to the other 5, but is easily buildable

A satin finish pinky red

Bottom Row:

A matte dark chocolate brown

A satin finish peachy pink, close to MAC’s Expensive Pink (Expensive Pink is a little more pinker)

A matte burnt orange with some gold shimmer

Each and every shade is super pigmented! This palette is a must have for all brides to be, it’s a perfect addition to your trousseau. I will be creating a look with this palette super soon.

Coming to Royal Persia,

Top Row:

A satin finish aqua blue

A matte purple, again the only shade in the palette which is not that pigmented

A matte slate blue

Bottom Row:

A satin finish plum

A satin finish light pink

A satin creamy beige with gold shimmer, very creamy.

This palette has more cool toned and grey based shades, and more on blue and pink lines.

All the shades in both the palettes are very creamy and buildable, except for one shade in both, all are pigmented and blend well into each other.

If you like warm shades, you can go for French Rose and if you like cooler shades, you can pick Royal Persia.

For me personally, I absolutely love French Rose and if I have to recommend one, I would say French Rose 🙂

I hope you liked the review, let me know your favourite in the comments below.

Lakme Sun Kissed Bronzer, Moon Lit Highlighter, Illuminating Shimmer Brick Review, Swatches

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Lakme Sun Kissed Bronzer, Moon Lit Highlighter, Illuminating Shimmer Brick Review, Swatches

Hi guys,

So as you all already know, Lakme launched these new products in their ‘Illuminate and Shine‘ collection during the last fashion week. This is a Limited Edition range brought in collaboration with Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

This range also has Illuminating Foundation and Shine Line liquid eye liners which I guess are permanent, only the bronzers and highlighters are LE.

There is one bronzer, one highlighter and two shades in the Illuminating Shimmer Brick i.e. Pink and Coral.

Lakme had this bronzer and highlighter earlier too and it was LE at that time too, so those two are like a relaunch. But I love the new addition of the Shimmer Brick.

All three come in same packaging, a flat round pan with a clear plastic cap. There is no brush, no mirror, no other compartment. The product is stand alone.

Sun kissed Bronzer

Claims: 

  • Limited edition makeup bronzer designed by fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee
  • Contains luxurious micro fine pearls
  • Blends effortlessly for a natural sun kissed glow
  • Dermatologically tested

MRP: Rs.725/- for 9g (Buy for 600 HERE)

The bronzer is half and half with one part being lighter and one darker. It is very smooth in texture and though shimmery, the shimmers are not gritty or chunky. I found it slightly orange though, I wish it was a little more brown based. Also if one part could have been matte, that would make it ideal for contouring + bronzing

Moon Lit Highlighter

Claims:

  • A limited edition highlighter designed by fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee
  • Ideal for strobing
  • Reflective shimmer finish
  • Contains fine velvet pearls to give your skin a stunning glow

MRP: Rs.725/- for 9g (Buy HERE)

Coming to the Moon Lit Highlighter, one part is a white based lighter highlighter and one is a dark brown based highlighter for deeper skin tones, which is exactly the same shade as the bronzer. So this is actually be a bronzer-highlighter duo.

Bronzer part feels exactly the same as in the Sun Kissed Bronzer, I love the lighter highlight part. It gives the most stunning soft, natural highlight. You can use this on an everyday basis and no one would know that you have highlighted! But if you prefer stronger highlights like me, layer this twice over a creamy highlighter and this will stay in place whole day, giving the most blinding highlight ever 😀 See it in action in my video HERE

Illuminating Shimmer Brick

Claims: 

  • A limited edition blush palette designed by fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee
  • Comes with a hint of shimmer
  • Luminous silky formula makes your cheek glow
  • Blends effortlessly

MRP: Rs.725/- for 10g (Buy HERE)

My most favourite out of the three is the Illuminating Shimmer Brick. I have the shade Coral. Both the shades Coral and Pink are beautiful! Both would work for all skin tones, but if I have to suggest one, I would say Pink for fair and medium skin tones and Coral for deeper skin tones.

It has 5 strips of color, with the top ones being more highlighter like and the bottom ones being more blush like. So you can either use them individually or just swirl the brush all over and use on both blush and highlight part for an all over glow! The peachy coral tones work really well the gold based highlight colors and together combined, they give the most amazing peachy gold glow. This product is perfect for brides too!

All blended together

The best part about all three is that they double up as eye shadows and look really good on the eyes. As the colors are bronzer and warm toned, they make nice lid colors and highlight for inner corner and brow bone or just a wash all over the eyes.

Overall, in my honest opinion, I would say go for the illuminating shimmer brick and the moon lit highlighter. You can skip the bronzer as the darker part in the moon lit highlighter is exactly the same. But if you are deeper skin tone and prefer deep highlighters only, go for the bronzer and skip the highlighter 🙂

I hope you liked the review, do let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

November 2016 My Envy Box Review, Unboxing & 20% Off Discount Code

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November 2016 My Envy Box Review, Unboxing & 20% Off Discount Code

Hi guys,

So I just got my November My Envy Box and it is so good, that I had to share it immediately!

First of, this box is beautiful! The summery pastel floral colors and design is so, so pretty! The theme for this month is ‘Handmade’, so all the products are natural and organic i.e. chemical free

MRP: Rs.850/- (Available HERE)

Products I got:

  • Neemli Naturals Shea Butter Body Polish/Scrub -Full size (Rs.475/- for 25g)
  • Aerth Hair Protein Pack- Full size (Rs.275/- for 150g)
  • Vert Lip Scrub- Full size (Rs.450/- for 10g)
  • The Green Meadow Lip Butter – Full size (Rs.400/- for 15ml)
  • Fuschia Verve Face Mask – Full size (Rs.450/- for 100g)

We have all 5 full sized products in this month’s My Envy Box! This has to be one of my favourite My Envy Boxes in a very long time!

Not only that, all products i.e. the lip butter, lip scrub, body scrub are perfect for the current winter season. My lips are dry as a desert currently and I am only surviving on lip scrubs and lip balms! So I am glad I got those two. Plus a good body scrub is always welcome to exfoliate those dead skin cells on the body.

Hair Protein Pack also sounds nice, this one has fenugreek, Bengal gram and all things good! Definitely trying this soon!

And last but not the least, Kiwi Asparagus Face Pack! I have never tried this combination but kiwi is super rich in Vitamin C, so I am definitely most excited to try this one.

I am super happy with this month’s My Envy Box, all products total up to Rs.2050/- and I have a 20% off discount coupon for you guys. I got a card in the box in which I found this discount coupon, use ‘REFER20‘ and get the box for Rs.680/-

Five full sized natural products for Rs.680/-, definitely a deal you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend this month’s My Envy Box.

What did you get in your My Envy Box?

Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Matte Mousse Lip & Cheek Color Review, Swatches

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Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Matte Mousse Lip & Cheek Color Review, Swatches

Hi guys,

So Lakme launched new lip and cheek colors in their 9 to 5 range, I attended the launch few days ago and got three shades to try.

Here are my thoughts..

What the Company claims: Say ‘No’ to touch ups with this perfect for office wear, Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Matte Lip and Cheek Color. Lakme’s first lip and cheek color comes in a mousse texture that’s weightless, giving a powdery matte finish to lips and a soft blush to your cheeks. Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Matte Lip and Cheer Color is ideal for daily office wear adding charm and lasting long. Its dual benefit makes it a high functional product for the busy and on the go working woman. Its Looks and feels weightless because of the light weight formula. Since it’s a mouse texture, it absorbs well giving an intense color that long-lasting. The applicator brish glides on seamlessly making is east to apply and giving a smooth and even finish. There are 10 vibrant shades designed especially for both lips and cheeks.

Features & Benefits :

Mousse textured light weight lip color

Can be used on lip and cheek

Matte lip color

Long stay

Ultra matte

Available in 10 shades

Ingredients: PVP/Hexadecene copolymer, Nylon powder, Cyclomethicon

How to use product: Swipe on the product – with the foam tip applicator evenly over your lips. Apply a second coat of the weightless mousse, to deepen the shade and give your lips a powdery, matte look. To add a soft blush to your cheeks, dot the mousse under your cheekbones in a half moon shape and use your fingertips to blend.

MRP: Rs.575/- (Buy HERE)

Shades Available:

  • Burgundy Lush
  • Pink Plush
  • Cocoa Soft
  • Rose Touch
  • Crimson Silk
  • Blush Velvet
  • Coffee Lite
  • Plum Feather
  • Fuchsia Sude
  • Tangerine Fluff

I have the shades Pink Plush, Burgundy Lush and Coffee Lite with me. They come in a sleek blush pink tube packaging with a rose gold cap. While the outer packaging was kept same to match the 9 to 5 Weightless range, I wish there was some color demarcation. It is difficult to find one particular shade and you have to read the shade name behind each time if you have more than one shade.

It has a warm vanilla scent exactly like the MAC lipsticks, love the smell. It has a bendable doe foot applicator and is quite easy to glide on.

It has a smooth, velvet mousse like texture. A little more airy and light than the NYX/Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Creams. These are super pigmented though, once you take the applicator out, you wouldn’t need to dip it again as you can get two swipes and opaque coverage at once.

But as a blush, you need to work really quick with these. They take about 30-40 seconds to set and once set, they are difficult to blend or smudge.

They give a matte finish but are very light and comfortable on the lips. I was testing these at home and I forgot I had anything on my lips. My lips didn’t feel dry or didn’t crave a lip balm, they were very comfortable.

If you have dry lips, you will need to exfoliate though coz the lip colors cling on to the dry patches and accentuate them.

The lighter shades stay on for about 3-4 hours and the darker colors stay on for 5-6 hours. These do not transfer on cups or bottles and survives light snacks and tea. However, won’t survive full meal and would fade from the center and need re-application. But they are easy to reapply and do not crumble like matte liquid lipsticks.

In terms of shades, I wish there were few more nudes/browns/taupes and plums/grey beige and some unique colors. However not all those shades would work as a blush, so there is a limitation as this is a dual use product.

As a blush too, these are very comfortable and easy to blend. However, use a tiny bit as these are very pigmented and blend super quick, one cheek at a time 😀

L-R: Burgundy Lush, Coffee Lite, Pink Plush

Pink Plush is a neon coral pink

Burgundy Lush is a brick/burgundy red

Coffee Lite is a taupe with mauve undertone, my favourite out of the three!

My only con here would be the price. I wish these were priced around 450-475 as it’s Lakme 9 to 5 range and not the Absolute Range. Also different color packaging or shade demarcation below would have been great. Lighter shades won’t show up as a blush on deeper skin tones.

Overall, I quite like these and I am glad Lakme is coming up with new, innovative products. This one is perfect for office and apt in the 9 to 5 category. Lasts long, pigmented, no. of shades, comfortable, dual use.

I tried and swatched all the shades at the launch and my favourites/must haves/recommended ones are Blush Velvet and Coffee Lite. If you want deeper shades for fall/winter, Burgundy Lush and Cocoa Soft.

Are you excited about the new Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Matte Mousse Lip & Cheek Colors? Your favourite?

LIME CRIME Velvetines Matte Liquid Lipstick Cashmere (Grey Beige) Review, Swatches

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LIME CRIME Velvetines Matte Liquid Lipstick Cashmere (Grey Beige) Review, Swatches

By Linda

Hey ladies,

As we are now heading towards festival and wedding seasons,we have a good reason to shop for new goodies. I’m always on hunt for different makeup products, so this time I decided to buy a liquid matte lipstick from LIME CRIME’s Velvetines Matte Liquid Lipstick collection in shade ‘Cashmere’.This is the first time I purchased a product from Lime Crime.This brand is available online in USA, and in India it’s available online ( Flipkart /Amazon). Earlier in the year 2015 there was a controversy regarding this brand but it has been sorted by now. I haven’t tried buying this shade online, if any of you have please share the information. I personally purchased this lipstick during a Makeup Exhibition that happens once a year in Kuwait (Middle east) and believe me I got it at a very good discounted rate. Let’s know more about this lipstick.

What Lime Crime Claims: Long lasting matte liquid lipstick is a bestselling grey-brown ‘greige’ hue. As per me the hint of grey is a little higher than brown or rather beige , that’s why “greige”. Inspired by the luxurious texture of rose petals, Velvetines liquid matte lipstick dries to a touch-proof velvet finish. Remove with waterproof makeup remover or oil.

Additional Claims: Certified Cruelty and Vegan Product. The products do not contain any animal derived ingredients. And no animal testing is ever performed at any point. So Ladies !!!!! we now have better reason to purchase and use this product..

Ingredients: Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Synthetic Beeswax, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, EthylhexylMethoxycinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isododecane, Flavor (Aroma), Kaolin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol. May Contain [+/-]: Red 30 Lake CI 73360, Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499, Red 6 Lake CI 15850, Red 7 Lake CI 15850, Yellow 5 Lake CI 19140, Manganese Violet CI 77742, Red 27 Lake CI 45410, Red 28 Lake CI 45410, Blue 1 CI 42090.

VEGAN/CRUELTY-FREE

Cost: $20 for 0.088 floz / 2.6ml

Packaging

This liquid lipstick is packed in a smoked/opaque sturdy plastic tube with a doe shaped applicator made up of soft bristles which makes the application much easier with minimal errors. This tube is packed in a beautiful rose printed carton with the ingredients and the shade mentioned on it.

Shade and Texture

This is a unique shade and believe me I had a hard time in describing the shade in this review. Depending on the color of your natural lip it will look different from person to person. On my fair to medium skin tone, on my lips it appears to look nude with a hint of mauve shade. It does give me a washed out look but I tend to like the look.

The texture of the formulation is creamy and soft on application.Glides on smoothly with minimal swipes. Initially, on application the product remains glossy on your lips but within seconds it dries to a perfect matte. Just in case you happen to smudge the lipstick, wipe it off immediately with a makeup remover as it dries to a matte finish within few seconds.

My take on this Liquid Lipstick:

I’m totally in love with the texture of this lipstick , as it is so easy to apply on to your lips, that it does not even bleed without a lip liner. It feels absolutely light on the lips just like a second skin.The applicator picks up considerable amount of product enough to smear over your entire lip.

Additional bonus !! it does not transfer to your glasses or cups. This product will not budge no matter what. You need a makeup remover incase to remove the lipstick.The shade Cashmere would be ideal for a daytime casual look or even if you are looking for subtle neutral shade on your lips for any occasion

After a few hours it does make your lips dry but that’s expected from a matte lipstick.I always keep a lip balm handy to revive the freshness of the lipstick. I would definitely want to buy more shades from Lime Crime , as the lipstick alone speaks for itself.

Pros:

  • Long Stay Power
  • Good pigmentation
  • Glides on smoothly
  • Vegan
  • Cruelty free
  • Convenient applicator
  • Transfer and smudge proof
  • Light weight ,travel friendly

Cons:

  • Might not suit all skin tones
  • Availability
  • May feel too dry on lips (might accentuate lines)

Rating: 4.5/5 (For texture, unique shade and finish on your lips)

Would I recommend LIME CRIME’s Matte Liquid Lipstick in shade ‘Cashmere’? Yes definitely I recommend this product and would like to try out more shades

Editor’s Note: That’s a gorgeous shade Linda! I have never tried Lime Crime Velvetines and I want to try this shade now!!

Have you tried Lime Crime Velvetines? Your favourite shade?

Top 10 PAC Cosmetics Products Available in India, Prices, Buy Online

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Top 10 PAC Cosmetics Products Available in India, Prices, Buy Online

By Sanchita

PAC is brand which I first saw on this blog itself and I loved the way Bhumika reviewed the Beauty Blender sponge which looked exactly like the Original Beauty Blender sponge. Ever since that I have been following the brand on Instagram and I love the new launches they are into. Most of the time the products turned out to be an excellent ones from various bloggers and experts across India and in fact, their products are also very high in demand. I believe they have a store in Andheri, Mumbai where you can easily access all the products and apart from that, the brushes are available on Flipkart and many other products are also on Amazon India. The only thing I don’t like is that I have to pay shipping charges for each and every product and the product are of very limited availability. The quality is impeccable which is why I really think they should expand the branches and make it more easily available for us. Another thing I would like point out is that their products are very different and something which won’t get in the Indian market easily.

So, let’s get on with the list.

1. PAC Beauty Blender Sponges – Pink Sponge (485 INR) Black Combo (745 INR) Mini Blenders (285 & 385 INR) (Buy HERE & HERE)

This is one of their bestselling product and a very close dupe of the Original Beauty Blender sponge. It is red and black in color. They also have quite a variety when it comes to sizes. Firstly, the big sponges have two variants – one with the tear drop shape and the other with the RT sponge shape. Also, the mini sponges are available in two variants as well. They have soft in texture and bloat in size when you squeeze under tap water. However, Bhumika has already updated that sponges are to be dealt very carefully as too much roughness will tear it out easily. It blends smoothly without absorbing too much product and a great option if you don’t want to invest on the expensive Original Beauty Blender.

2. PAC Brushes and Master Stroke Brushes (Price varies from product to product) (Buy HERE)

Brushes are as important as good quality makeup and I absolutely adore the collection they have. Most importantly the range is huge – from eye brushes, lip and face brushes, they have it all. Most of the brushes are also a close dupe of MAC brushes (which will cost you a fortune!) and the quality is no less. They have soft bristles, properly trimmed and blends everything like a dream. Also, they have a whole collection of Master Stroke brushes, which are available as a set and also individually. These brushes are the dupe of Artis Oval brushes and the bristles are smooth and soft like a dream. Overall, the brushes of PAC are the best investment for makeup tools.

3. PAC Eyeshadows (250-350 INR) (Buy HERE)

There are very few Indian brands which has single eyeshadows and also the variety of colors are insufficient and incompetent compared to the MAC ones or Makeup Geek. However, PAC has these single eyeshadow refills (which you can easily put it in a magnet palette and make your customized eye palette) available in a very affordable price tag. These have shimmery, frosty, pigment and matte finish along with good pigmentation and smooth blending ability for a great eye makeup look. The wear time is also nice. It is great for beginners as well as professionals.

4. PAC Lip Pots – 485 INR (Buy HERE)

These are the little lip pots which comes in small tub like packaging. The packaging includes a lip brush which will help you to apply the lips colors properly and you won’t have to use your fingers. They glide on the lips very easily and the texture is smooth and creamy. It gives a satin matte finish to the lips a very comfortable to wear for dry lips. It lasts quite long on the lips. The colors don’t fade too much or feather or bleed at all. The only thing is that it transfers slightly.

5. PAC Long-Lasting Kohl Pencil – 350 INR (Buy HERE)

The Long-Lasting Kohl Pencil has a sharpenable functionality with a smudger at the end. It has a super pigmented feature, creamy texture that glides on the eyes very easily. It gives a rich pigmented layer with a couple of strokes and great for regular kohled eye or smoky look. It doesn’t smear and hardly smudges. The kohl has a very good lasting power, around 6-7 hours with minimal fading. For the price, it is surely cost effective.

6. PAC 2 Way Big Eye Mascara – 595 INR

The PAC 2 Way Big Eye Mascara is surely an innovative one at that. It is a dual ended mascara with a slimmer wand for lower lashes and bigger one for upper lashes. It gets the job does quicker, better and easier. It adds both length and volume which is surely a great one. It hold the curls well and the unique design of the bristles help the lashes a lot. It is surely one of the best mascaras in this price and great for everyday wear.

7. PAC Eye Lashes – 165 INR (Buy HERE)

PAC has an array of Eye Lashes which is surely something to look forward to. The eye lashes look very natural yet dramatic enough to perk up your eye makeup look. They are very much reusable with a little care and carefulness. The eyelashes are very affordable and the bristles are soft. Overall, these are one of the must haves.

8. PAC Intense Duo Eyeliner Pencil – 585 INR (Buy HERE)

PAC Intense Duo Eyeliner Pencil comes in an attractive silver pencil with the retractable functionality. The texture of the pencil is extremely creamy and smooth which glides on the eyes like butter. This is surely a versatile product as you can easily use this an eyeliner and kajal. The finish is satin matte and the pigmentation is surely one of the best for the price range. The black color is rich and dark for an intense look. The staying power is also impressive.

9. PAC Studio Finish Primer – 885 INR (Buy HERE)

This Studio Finish Primer is a silicon based primer which has a thin clear gel like texture. It goes on the skin very smooth with its light weight formula. The weightless texture doesn’t feel oily or sticky at all and blends wonderfully into the skin. It also blurs out the pores as well. It helps the base makeup to go on very smoothly without any creasing for a good amount of time. The primer would suit bot dry and oily skin.

10. PAC Color Lock Long Lasting Lip Liner – 385 INR (Buy HERE)

PAC Color Lock Long Lasting Lip Liner has a sharpenable functionality with a beautiful texture. It is extremely creamy which doesn’t tug or pull at all and glides well on lips. it is better to exfoliate the lips beforehand. The pigmentation of the colors are impeccable and gives a beautiful matte finish which is comfortable to wear. They are long lasting, prevents bleeding or feathering of lip color and well-priced as well. The only con is that the shade range has too many reds and no other colors.

Editor’s Note: I liked the pink blender when I first used it, but it tore in first wash which I updated in the blog post. Also when I tried YBP, I realized YBP was much better! But double the price, so in the price range of INR 500, this is surely good. I haven’t tried their duo sponge pack yet. Neither any of the eye shadows or eye lashes. Love some of their makeup brushes, really good! You missed their Eyeliner Pen, which is my absolute favourite

Have you tried PAC? What is your favourite?

Grab these spices from your kitchen to whip skin recipes

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Grab these spices from your kitchen to whip skin recipes

By Nidhal

“What goes on your skin, goes in your skin” is the mantra that we Indians swear by when it comes to skin care. Naturally, we believe in ‘feeding’ in our skin. And since nutrition is best derived in its unprocessed, raw and virgin state from nature with minimal processing, it is small wonder that we Indians nourish our skin to the bounties of nuts, fruits, herbs and everything natural!

On that note, let’s give all Non-Indians a sneak-peak into the spices that Indians incorporate into their skin care regimen. Sounds a good idea or should we better keep our treasure trove well-guarded? Let us be benevolent for a moment and spill the beans today.

1. TURMERIC- I am pretty sure there’d be hardly any Indian mother who wouldn’t have prepared/recommended/forcefully slapped a mask predominantly yellow in colour on their kid’s face while the poor child would’ve either succumbed to her persuasion or hid himself/herself to avoid being daubed that weird-looking and (apparently) unpleasant-smelling mask. Ask any Indian mother on the virtues of turmeric and brace yourself for information will flow at a pace that even Google would hide in shame!

Let me summarize why turmeric is our go-to spice. Turmeric helps one bid adieu to skin hazards such as acne, wrinkles, fine-lines and imparts a bright skin tone. Face packs made up of turmeric not only help to clear acne scars and inflammation, but also diminish excessive oil secretion by the sebaceous glands. It should then not come as a surprise that, Hindu weddings have a ceremony devoted to haldi application in order to impart a winsome glow to the bride as well as groom’s face.

A word of caution from my side. Please use either Amba Haldi or kasthoori manjal/haldi only for skin care. They are exclusively meant for skin care. The one in your masala daani is meant for pakoras not packs. Kasthoori haldi/manjal (whatever you prefer to call it) can be easily purchased online. I would recommend Dhathri’s Kasthoori manjal that is, priced at 25 INR for 50 grams.

2. CLOVES- In order to incorporate cloves in one’s beauty regimen, one has to invest in clove oil for that is how its bounties are harnessed. Clove is highly potent for obviating acne and removal of scars left by the same. It is to be applied topically to the affected areas. It is often blended with face packs or massage creams for application on the skin. It gives a tingling sensation when applied. The reason behind this tingling sensation is the potent nature of clove oil.

Skin woes, such as blackheads, whiteheads, scarring, pimples and scaly skin are signs that characterize the skin ailment known as acne. Acne commonly happens during adolescence due to hormonal imbalance. So, if you’re pestered by acne, ditch those over-the- counter medicines and invest in an organic brand of clove oil or you can crush some cloves, add a heaped tbsp. of besan and rose water and voila! Bid adieu to this pesky skin woe!

3. CINNAMON- Next comes the saviour of acne-prone skin. It is tingling but boy, it is effective to the hilt. Cinnamon (Dalchini in Hindi) delivers fantastically when it comes to speeding blood circulation which makes your skin breathe thereby removing acne. This is done by drying the skin and bringing blood and oxygen to the outer skin surface. Thanks to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, cinnamon helps enhance one’s complexion.

However, please always use only a pinch (one-eighth a tbsp.) of cinnamon as a little over that can sting your skin excruciatingly. Personal experience corroborates this. So, do not go overboard 🙂 Just add a pinch of it to all your face masks and you will be good to go.

4. GINGER- Being a potent antiseptic and cleansing agent, ginger helps in keeping the skin clean, smooth and free of blemishes. Besides that, it also invigorates and stimulates one’s skin. It is the best natural acne-fighting weapon as it minimizes the rate of acne formation and eruption by killing and clearing the acne-causing bacteria. Acne-prone ladies, did I see your eyes dilate on discovering the perfect weapon to kick away those acne scars?

The next time you go grocery shopping, you have your reasons to add ginger to your shopping cart, right? Do not just brew it in your tea, let your skin savour its virtues externally too 🙂

5. SAFFRON- Now, comes the spice from the Northern corner of our country which we fondly call ‘Heaven on Earth’- Kashmir. Although this spice is going to be a bit straining for your pockets, yet its beauty benefits will compel you to turn a blind eye to its price at least once. Okay, enough of this ‘Guess my name’ game.

The spice I am talking about is kesar and this is an elixir for our skin. Is there seriously anything that this wonder spice doesn’t do? From imparting an enviable glow to one’s complexion to treating acne, blemishes and blackheads thanks to its anti-fungal content, from softening skin to making it supple, this spice is a must-have (at least 1 gm) in our beauty stashes.

Feel free to add 2-3 strands of it in whichever pack you whip. Let it stay undisturbed for half an hour and once the colour changes to yellow, it is a prefigure to not only slather it on your skin but also that you have bought authentic saffron.

Image Source: 1,2,3

Editor’s Note: Loved this post Nidhal. Have used Cinnamon, turmeric and honey a lot!

Do you use these spices for DIY skincare recipes?

Givenchy Eyebrow Pencil, Mister Brow Filler Brunette Review, Swatches, FOTD

Eye Brow Pencil, Eye Makeup, Eyebrow Filler, Givenchy, Reviews, Swatches, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Givenchy Eyebrow Pencil, Mister Brow Filler Brunette Review, Swatches, FOTD

Hi guys,

I have always had full eyebrows except the in between phase when you go to some other salon and the lady over threads and makes them super thin :/

I never used to fill my eyebrows but I have been doing it since almost 1-1.5 years now and I am obsessed. They completely change the way your face looks and makes your face look more polished and defined. Thick eyebrows also make one look younger 😀

I have been using these two brow products from Givenchy since about a week now and I am in love! From the very first use, I absolutely loved these!

Givenchy Eyebrow Pencil Brunette

What it is: A powdery matte-finish eyebrow pencil

What it does: This pencil offers precise and natural brow definition. Perfect application is guaranteed with an ultra-slim, gliding tip for perfectly defined brows. The formula, developed using talc and intense pigments, leaves a powdery matte finish, and the easy-to-apply texture creates immediate payoff. The pencil also features a brow brush on the opposite end for an all-in-one brow tool.

What it is formulated WITHOUT: Parabens

Shades Available:
01 Brunette
02 Blonde
03 Dark Brunette

Suggested Usage:
-Brush brows to reveal their natural shape.
-Use the brow pencil to define the edges and fill in for a natural look.

MRP: Rs.1975/- for 1.1g

It is a long and sleek sharpenable eyebrow pencil with a spoolie brush on one side. It also comes with a sharpener. I love eyebrow pencils which come with a spoolie brush as they are travel friendly and very handy. You just need one pencil to carry along for your brows whenever you are travelling.

The pencil is super pigmented. I was amazed by the pigmentation, just a single, light handed stroke also gives a lot of color. So use it with light hands and make sure you soften the lines with the spoolie brush coz you can easily over fill with this and also without blending in, the color would look harsh.

It is slightly waxy and glides on very easily, it settles to a matte finish. So there is no extra creaminess and it doesn’t bleed all around the eyebrows. The texture is absolutely perfect.

The eyebrows stay in place whole day. I love how easy and quick it is to use, as with most pencils I have to go over quite a few times to fill them. With this, I am just done in one stoke and one brushing!

Since I just need one stroke and hardly use any product, I haven’t even had to sharpen it yet. This will last me really long! Even though it may seem expensive, this would last for a long time, making it very economical for the quality.

I am only using this since the time I have got it and I think I am pretty much sticking to this 😀 I can say, this is by far the best eyebrow pencil I have tried! Highly recommended!

Givenchy Mister Brow Filler Tinted Waterproof Brow Filler

What it is: A gel brow filler that dries into a natural powder finish.

What it does: For perfectly natural-looking brows, Mister Brow Filler fills in any sparse areas and flawlessly shapes the brows. Containing hybrid silicone particles, its waterproof, liquid formula instantly dries down to a powder finish on application. It naturally and evenly highlights the brows. The innovative curved brush follows the eyebrow’s natural shape for an intuitive application that anyone can master. Its waterless texture adheres uniformly to the skin.

What it is formulated WITHOUT: Parabens

Shades Available:
01 Brunette
02 Blonde
03 Granite

Suggested Usage:
-Start from the inner corner and apply following the arch, moving toward the end.

MRP: Rs.1975/- for 5.5g

Now I am more of a eyebrow pencil person and my eyebrows don’t move around a lot, so I don’t use brow fillers. But on days when you are going for a very natural, ‘no makeup’ makeup look, I would suggest using only brow filler.

Not only it brushes and combs the brows and fill them in, but it would dry and keep the hair in place all day long! Also it is water resistant, so you can wear it even during monsoons or on a humid day.

Again, even this is very pigmented and you just need to go over once on your eyebrows. I use both when I have a long day ahead with events, etc. when I want my eyebrows to look perfect and not budge at all.

The shade Brunette in both matches me absolutely well and would work for most Indian skin tones.

Here is my Before-After using both the products..

I prefer my eyebrows natural looking, so I do not outline on top and bottom and overline them and then fill in completely like those eyebrow tutorials on Instagram 😀 (mostly on Anastasia page) I find that very fake and made up. So I have filled them in naturally, mostly towards the inner part as I have more gaps there.

FOTD..

I would suggest going with the Brow Filler if your eyebrows don’t stay in place and move around a lot and/or you are not much of an eyebrow person and want just some natural looking definition.

If you are looking for a good, pigmented eyebrow pencil which is travel friendly and you have sparse eyebrows with more gaps to fill, go for the eyebrow pencil.

If you want your eyebrows to be on fleek all the times, go for both! You will be sorted, trust me 🙂

I absolutely love both, use either or both depending on the event and day. Givenchy is available at Sephora across India and also at few Shoppers Stop outlets.

Do you fill your eyebrows? Which is your favourite brow product?

P.S: PR Samples. Honest Review

Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser Review

Body Wash, Kama Ayurveda, Reviews, Shower Gels, Skin care, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser Review

By Pallavi

Hiii Beauties,

As you all might know till now that I am a skin care junkie. I like investing in skin care products. But what you don’t know about me is that I am a bath junkie too. I love bathing and thus investing in bathing products is a must for me. And that is the major reason why I shifted to shower gels and bathing gels years ago. Till date I always buy lots of shower gels. Both from drugstore and high end or luxury brands.

And trust me many of you might think that shower gels are a bit expensive. But no they are not. A bottle of shower gel lasts for at least 2-3 months. And that way you can understand that shower gels lasts quite long and are cost effective??? So, till date I have used a number of shower gels. This time I thought of why not trying with body cleansers and thus here follows the review of Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser.

Product Claims: A wonderful shower gel with Pure Essential Oils of Lavender, Patchouli and herbal extracts. Lavender relaxes the body and Patchouli cleanses and purifies. Aloe Vera nourishes and Sugar adds glow to the skin.

Price for Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser: INR 595 for 200ml (Buy HERE)

My Views:

Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser comes in a long, slender plastic bottle which is transparent. You can easily see the amount of product which is left inside. The jar has a cap opening which is quite easy to use. The jar has the packaging quantity, claims, and ingredients written all over it which is quite informative for the customers.

The shower gel is of runny consistency. That is why it tends to spill out from the bottle so you need to take care while storing it. The shower gel is of light green colour and it smells of lavender but the smell is not very strong and disappears as soon as you spread it on your body. When you dispense the shower gel on loofah, you don’t need much water to dilute it and it foams easily on your body. The shower gel is very gentle on the skin.

Also, you require a very little amount per usage. So, a single bottle will last you easily 2-3 months.

Now, let me tell you how I use this body cleanser on my body. I take out a bit of cleanser on your loofah. Wet the loofah before the body cleanser. Now, apply the cleanser all over your body. Rinse it with normal water after some time.

Coming to the after effects of the shower gel, it is not at all drying on skin. Normal to oily skin types will not require a moisturizer after this. Even the dry skinned people can easily skip a body lotion in summers. But for winters dry skin people will need a heavy body lotion post usage of this body cleanser.

For dry skinned people like me this shower gel is a total thumbs up. I love shower gels which are gentle and not drying on skin. So, that I can easily skip my body lotions at least in summers. And this one is perfect for that.

Pros of Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser

1. Trustworthy brand

2. Travel friendly size available

3. Easy to use

4. Moisturising on skin

5. Cleanses the body thoroughly

Cons of Kama Ayurveda Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser

1.  Slightly pricey

Rating: 5/5

Last Thoughts: Every skin type can use it in summers but in winters dry to combination skin types will require body moisturiser.

Editor’s Note: I love lavender and have tried almost all lavender based body wash/cleansers 😀 I am definitely trying this!

Have you tried Kama Lavender Patchouli Body Cleanser yet?

Top 10 Red Lipsticks Under Rs. 1000 in India, Buy Online

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Top 10 Red Lipsticks Under Rs. 1000 in India, Buy Online

By Pallavi

Hii NLM lovelies,

NLM has made us addicted to a number of things. Red lipsticks are one of them. Every girl has it’s first love as red lippy. But when you are a lipstick beginner you won’t like to experiment with premium or costly lippies. So, why not begin with cost effective red lipsticks which are equally efficient in terms of performance.

So, here we have prepared a list of best hot red pout lipsticks which you can try under 1000 bucks.

So, let’s begin with the list –

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick – Cherries in the Snow (Price – Rs. 550) (Buy HERE)

A deep red with pink undertones in it. It is moistursing on lips so you don’t need a lip balm underneath.

2. L’Oreal Paris Pure Reds Color Riche Collection Star Lipsticks – Pure Scarleto (Price – Rs.995) (Buy HERE for 865)

Such a gorgeous rich red very apt for Indian skin tones. Highly pigmented but with a slight drying texture. So, don’t forget to apply a lip balm underneath.

3. Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick Pleasure Me Red (Price – Rs. 425) (Buy HERE for 356)

A deep red shade with very strong pink undertones. The colour looks fab on cooler skin tones. Adding to which the lipstick has a gorgeous soft creamy sheen.

4. Lakme 9 to 5 Lip colour – Red Coat (Price – Rs. 400) (Buy HERE)

Such a wearable red for your office. The collection is of office range and wearing a red colour to office is not at all easy. But this is such a fab colour for the office.

5. Lakme Absolute Lip Pout Matte Lip Colour – Raving Red (Price – Rs. 650) Review HERE (Buy HERE for 520)

A gorgeous red shade with matte finish. But unlike other matte lipsticks it feels very soft and creamy on lips. Also, the colour is not very visible so you can easily pair it at day time too.

6. Colorbar Velvet Matte Hearts and Tarts (Price – Rs. 325) (Buy HERE)

Such a fab and wearable red shade. It is a perfectly balanced bright colour and makes it a perfect choice for the day time occasions.

7. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Fatal Red (Price – 475) (Buy HERE for 400)

Such a gorgeous red for Indian Skintones. This makes it a perfect choice to brighten your complexion at the day time without going over the top.

8. Lakme Absolute Sculpt Hi Definition Matte Lipstick Red Envy (Price – Rs. 750) (Buy HERE for 600)

Another orangey red but with excessive matte formulae. Such a fab colour for the festive occasion and extremely wearable for the upcoming festive occasions.

9. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick – Love that Red (Price 550) (Buy HERE)


This lipstick is sure to brighten up your complexion And the lipstick looks fab on warmer as well as cooler skin tones too. It is such a wearable red color for the universal skin tone.

10. Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick Hot Hot Hot (price – Rs. 325) (Buy HERE)

It is an extremely pretty and hot red shade. Looks awesome and is perfect to brighten your complexion. Even it stays for extra long making it a perfect red lip choice.

So, these were some of the fab red lipsticks which you can try to enhance your pout. And they all are below 1000 bucks. Such a steal deal right.

Editor’s Note: I love the L’Oreal Paris Pure Reds Freida and Aishwarya’s Red. Freida’s Red is universally flattering a perfect red for all skin tones!

Which is your favourite red lipstick under Rs.1000? Do add in the comments below and let us know.