Bourjois Smokey eye trio in 10 Gold Smoking: swatches, review and EOTD

I have a thing for pallets... They're so cute and compact and usually contain enough stuff for a complete makeup look. Hey, everyone likes to arrange stuff in palettes. No other way to explain all the "de-potting" videos on YouTube right?
So this one from Bourjois is really cute and comes as a trio of 3 colours to create a smokey look. Bourjois is pretty well known for its baked blushes and eyeshadows and these pallets have 3 baked mineral eyeshadows in pretty colours. The Bourjois Smokey Eye Trios are prices at Rs.645 each for 4.5g and are available at Bourjois counters or a few online sites. I picked this up form Medplusbeauty.com at a discount.

The shade I have is Gold Smoking which has a dull orange-y gold shade that's not too sparkly or metallic but just right. The darker shade in this palette is Black (or is it dark dark brown?) with subtle bronze shimmer throughout. The lightest shade is a pale pale white gold shade. The shades are all average when it comes to pigmentation with the gold having the best pigmentation and the white gold having the least. The white gold isn't smooth at all and goes on patchy but makes a nice subtle highlighter! But I don't really use it so much and love the other 2 shades in this palette.
Now this is a baked shadow palette and the shades are slightly hard. You CANNOT use a brush to apply this. You won't get any product at all! You can only use the foam tip applicator that's been provided with this. This applicator is pretty good. It's not the usual sponge tipped one..this is more like foam. This doesn't get shredded like the usual sponge tipped ones in a couple of uses. I only use this applicator with this palette. You can even blend pretty well with this applicator. Surprising, I know!
The shades themselves have no fallout whatsoever and adhere really well to the skin without even a base or a primer. It's also pretty long lasting and doesn't crease even after 6 hours. I guess it's coz the shades are so hard. I'm not quite sure if I like the hardness. While it makes it adhere to the eyelid well and stay put, it also results in poor pigmentation and you really have to dig into the shadow and pile it on to get it to show. Mixed bag, really.
But the colours are gorgeous and you can create a lovely gold-black smokey look how I've shown here. I really like how the colours are so unique and have this nice sheen to them without being overly blingy or loud and bright.

Yay for:

• Beautiful, unique shades
• Nice sheen, not too blingy or bright. Just right.
• Can be worn in the daytime or at night
• Never goes on cakey
• No fallout
• Doesn't crease. Lasts 6 hours.
• Adheres well to lids even without a base or primer
• Applicator provided is pretty good. Foam tipped instead of sponge tipped.
• Easy to apply. Blends well. Beginner friendly.

Boo for:

• Very average pigmentation
• Baked shadows, so these are slightly hard. They might further harden with time.
• Applicator might be too small for comfort for some
• Cannot use makeup brushes to apply these

Overall, the Bourjois Smokey eye trios are a mixed bag really but this particular shade Gold Smoking is quite unique and definitely nice to have. You can easily create stunning smokey looks without looking OTT or too bright with this. Would definitely recommend this one to others.

My rating: ***

The best Lotus scrub and facewash for oily skin

Lotus Herbals as a brand has never let me down. I've always been impressed with their products that live up to the claims they make. IMO this is the best "herbal" brand out there and is better than Biotique and Himalaya. However, Lotus is not free from parabens and SLCs etc so I dunno how they can claim to be "Herbal". Maybe they do have herbals extracts but still use parabens to preserve those. Sigh. Anyhow, I'm totally loving a couple of products from their line right now. Oh btw you know it's good it switch up your skin care products every once in a while coz the skin gets accustomed to it and stops responding properly to it. Yup, perhaps that's why I keep trying out new products every time. Or maybe it's coz I get tempted easily and the shiny packaging doesn't help either. :p

Ok so the first one is the Tea Tree Wash for oily skin. Costs Rs.125. This has tea tree and cinnamon extract so it tingles when you use it. I love the feeling! So fresh! And it has mild exfoliation granules..some tiny white dots floating in a clear thin gel base that really make your face squeaky clean. Though it doesn't say so, I think it does a great job keeping blackheads at bay too. I've been using this regularly for the past month and my blackheads n whiteheads around the nose have significantly reduced. Wowza! It has a medicated smell that is strangely pleasant. Didn't break me out, feels great while using and has gentle exfoliation too. Winning combo. Also it doesn't make the skin feel stretched or dry after use. Pick it up if you have oily skin.

My rating: ****

The next one is the Berry Scrub which has strawberry and aloe Vera extracts and this is my special occasions scrub. Retails at Rs.125. I use this before putting on my makeup and it really does make my skin glow. I have no idea which of the ingredients does that but this stuff really suits me well. I have oily skin and this suits me well. Doesn't dry out my skin nor does it leave it greasy. This has small brown scrubby bits suspended in a clear gel base and feels slippery but does a good job at exfoliation and skin polishing. But I won't recommend using this more than twice a week. The scrub is not very gentle. It has a pleasant mild fruity fragrance, love the it's not overpowering. Like I said before, I use this before a special event and it makes my skin glow. Love it. Get it now.

My rating: ****

SherSingh.com: site review and shopping experience

I saw a few ads for this site on some blogs a while ago. This site had primarily salwar suits and sarees so I promptly forgot all about it coz I don't shop for those online. I only like buying stuff that is not available locally like cute dresses or silk tops etc. And a few days back I again saw this SherSingh ad pop up everywhere- this time with Lisa Haydon wearing some very cute dresses. I was curious so I checked out the site again. And boy have they completely turned it around! Now they only have western wear- from cute linen dresses to oversized silk tops to jersey maxis and polo shirts. What the?
They have stuff for both men and women and have tops, blouses, polo t shirts and some very cute accessories as well. The clothes are very well photographed and represented. They also keep adding new stuff every week. I especially love the cute linen dresses and might pick up a few very soon.

They also have an offer of 20% off on your first purchase once you register. So I did that right away. I picked up 3 tops that I thought I'd pair with skinny jeans or jeggings and are work appropriate too. The site is very easy to navigate and I'd opted for cash on delivery option. After placing my order I immediately received a confirmation email and a confirmation call the following day and they sent another email the following evening saying my package was shipped out via BlueDart with the tracking number included. Can I saw wow! I'd placed the order on Wednesday night and received the parcel on Friday afternoon. Pretty damn cool no?

The parcel arrived in a Blue box that said Sher Singh and inside each blouse was wrapped in a tissue paper and a plastic cover and was neatly ironed and folded. Very impressive. The clothes were exactly as they were shown on the site and the sizing was pretty accurate too. They even have a return police in case the stuff doesn't for you right.

Overall, I think it's a great site for some affordable casual fashion and you should definitely check out their linen colour block dresses or oversized casual tops in silk or cotton. Also, great service and super fast delivery makes it a winning combo.

My rating: ****

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with the site nor am I being compensated for this post. Heck...they dont even know I'm doing this post. This is purely coz I found the site nice and wanna share it with others. :)

Nyx color lip balm in Xie Xie: Swatches and review

I know everyone's been waiting forever for the Revlon lip butters to hit India but looks like we're in for a long wait! But if you're looking for a similar lip product with the hydration of a lip balm and pigmentation of a lipstick do check out the NYX colour lip balms. I can't really say if they're as good as the Revlon lip butters but these seem on the same lines as those.
Sadly these aren't easily available in India barring a few retail sites like StyleCraze but you can get these from BeautyJoint or CherryCulture for $6 a pop. That's roughly Rs.300. Not too bad, right?

Ok so on with the review... There are a total of 10 shades available in this I think and all have been named Thank You in different languages. Cute no? There's even one called Shukria. :) The one I have is called Xie Xie and is a pretty peachy pink shade.
These come in a black plastic casing with a twist up thingie at the bottom like a lip balm and have a black lid. The look and feel of the whole thing is just like a tinted lip balm. But these are surprisingly not waxy at all and feel very nice on the lips. These are not too soft too like the NYX lipsticks so will withstand the Indian summers and not melt away. I guess these are nice to have in your bag for those chapped lipped days when any lipstick will do further damage.

Yay for:

• Very hydrating
• Non waxy
• Decent pigmentation
• No smell or flavour
• A nice range of colours available from nudes to bright pinks
• Doesnt feather or bleed
• Won't melt in the summers
• Easy to carry around
• Pretty inexpensive if bought at dollar rate
• Cruelty free

Boo for:

• The top is flat like a lip balm which makes application slightly difficult
• Availability
• Lasts only about 2 hours

Overall, I love how these feel on the lips. Hydrating without being waxy. I would have picked up a few more but I wanna wait for the Revlon lip butters. Hey Revlon, hurry up, will you!

My rating: ***1/2

Super primer for open pores: NYX studio perfect primer in Clear

Do you have large pores? Did you have acne as a teen? Do you have acne marks on your skin? Is your makeup going stale within an hour? Is your skin affecting your self esteem? Do I sound like a cheesy teleshopping ad? Well then look no further than this super duper primer from NYX. The NYX studio perfect photo-loving primer in clear is specially formulated for open pores. Though I think any primer should help fill pores. There's also a couple of other options available in this. There's a lavender one for dull skin and a green one for redness. My main requirement from a primer is to fill my pores (aftermath of terrible acne when growing up) and to help my makeup last longer without oxidising coz of my oily skin. Yup, I'm so blessed!
This one form NYX costs $12 if you buy from BeautyJoint or CherryCulture but costs Rs.2450 if you buy from any Indian sites for 30mL! Crazy right?

This comes in a clear plastic squeezy tube which has a matte finish with a shiny black screw on cap and a thin nozzle which makes it very easy to get the product out.

This primer is nothing but silicones and parabens to preserve all that silicone. So if you're allergic to silicone stay away. Others, read on. Naturally, being all silicone this has great slip and gives a silky smooth feeling. A teeny tiny bit is enough to cover your whole face. But make sure you don't apply too much coz it can make the skin look greasy. To cover the whole face you probably need only about a small pea size. Smooth this over your face and wait a couple of minutes before applying your foundation to let the primer dry n settle down. I generally apply this over moisturiser even though I have oily skin. So girls, never ever skip moisturiser.
Once the primer has set in about a minute or so you can smooth your foundation over this. This provides a great base for the foundation as it spreads more easily. You'll also be easily able to achieve a flawless look as it covers the pores too, kinda like a transparent filling and when your foundation is applied over it, it makes the surface look even. I use a stick foundation and blend it with my fingers but this should work well with liquid foundations too I suppose.
I love how it makes my skin look flawless and smooth and it also keeps the shine at bay. It makes your makeup look fresh for longer but may not necessarily affect wear time. What I mean is - say your foundation sticks on for about 6 hours without primer, then by using this also you'll only be able to get 6 hours of wear time out of your foundation but it'll stay fresh for longer. For instance, if you find your foundation oxidises or goes dull in 3 hours, this'll probably keep it fresh for 5.
I had acne as a teen and still get the occasional pimple but this hasn't broken me out. I like wearing this to weddings and parties where I know I'd end up dancing or sweating and need my face looking fresh for longer.
Top off your foundation with loose powder or compact to keep it fresh.

See the photos below for proof. Oh and I've shot the pics in super close macro mode hence you might still see slight appearance of pores in the pic with the primer n foundation. But in person, the skin really looks flawless and smooth.

Yay for:
Covers/fills pores

• Makes it easier to spread and blend foundation over this
• Gives a flawless look
• Keeps makeup fresh for longer
• Holds blusher/bronzed better
• Keeps foundation from oxidising
• Prevents skin from getting too oily
• Squeezy tube dispenses right amount of product
• Packaging allows to see how much is left
• Doesn't break me out
• Not tested on animals
• Very economical, if bought at dollar rate.
• Would suit all skintones and types.

Boo for:

• Doesn't make makeup last longer
• Contains parabens
• Expensive if bought in India
• Availability is an issue

Overall, this is a great product if you want something to fill your pores or keep your makeup from oxidising or going dull. Will hold up even if you're dancing and sweating. But make sure you buy it at dollar rate from BeautyJoint or CherryCulture coz it's just way too expensive in India.

My rating: ****

The best mascara ever: Bourjois Fast and Perfect Volume. Oh plus it rotates. B-)

I've known to be a sucker for gimmicky stuff especially in makeup and most times it flops. But this time it's a super hit. I saw this mascara and instantly knew I *had* to get it. Why? Coz it has a switch and the wand actually rotates you guys! Super cool right? And pretty inexpensive too. I feel so James Bond-esque when I'm using this. Or a stylish spy- like Salt. I could totally be this girl on a secret mission to save the planet from evil and this mascara could be my handheld metal-melting laser beam. Yeaaaah. Zzzzt..zzzzzt.. and I'd wear a cape coz capes are so stylish right? Plus I'd swish it about when I walk and I'd stomp around in my knee high boots and I'd always have perfect makeup. But, I digress.
Anyhoodles, the Bourjois Fast and Perfect volume mascara retails at Rs.850 and I picked this up at discount from StyleCraze.com.

I know I've already given it away but this mascara has a rotating wand that comes with a switch and I suppose runs on batteries which hopefully will not run out before the mascara does. The body seems like metal and is quite heavy. The lid/wand part of it is actually longer than the tube and screws on shut. The switch can be toggled to make the wand rotate either clockwise or anticlockwise, depending on which hand you're using I suppose.
The mascara itself is quite lightweight and goes on smooth. The formula isnt too thick nor too thin. Its just right, as Goldilocks would say. (forgive me, im reading nursery rhymes all day to my 6 month old) It doesn't clump at all or sting my super sensitive eyes. It lengthens, curls and adds slight volume to my lashes. Now I don't use a curler coz my lashes are already pretty curled and I only need some extra volume and length which this provides beautifully. You can get a natural effect with one coat or add one more coat for a dramatic effect. This mascara is not super dramatic but the right kinda dramatic..whatever that means! This also separates the lashes beautifully as it coats them.
Best part- you can switch it on and hold it at the base of your lashes and it will coat the lashes by itself, it just grabs your lashes and coats them. Love the effect. Also, this is a nice deep matte black mascara.

Yay for:

• Rotating wand that spins both ways
• Curls and holds lashes well
• The brush holds lashes and coats them automatically as it rotates
• Doesn't clump, goes on smooth
• Pretty lightweight, doesn't weight down lashes
• Doesn't sting
• Washable with soap and water or comes off easily with makeup remover
• Colour is jet black with matte finish

Boo for:

• packaging feels Slightly heavy
• Not water proof (I generally prefer washable mascara so it's not a con for me, but some may like theirs water proof)
  

  Overall, I'm in love with this mascara and I hope they don't discontinue it. Guys seriously, pick this up. A mascara that curls and coats by itself and doesn't clump. What more do you need?
  Available at all Bourjois counters or at StyleCraze.com or Slassy.com
  
  My rating: ****1/2

Why I have been AWOL + what all I've been buying

Guys! I know I've been missing from the scene for a while now but it's coz so much was happening. 2 cousins got married (not to each other). One of the weddings was in Bombay so had to go there. And of course I couldn't return without shopping a bit, now could I. But couldn't make it to the famed Beauty Centre. Sigh.. Next time. And another friend got married in Kerala so had to attend that too. And was travelling with the lil dude who was surprisingly well behaved on flights.

Ok now onto the fun part.. What all did I buy? Well, I only had some one hour to shop at Linkin road and couldn't buy as much as I would have wanted to but oh we'll.. C'est la vie! What? I love rasta shopping ok? Really badly wanted to go to the Kala Ghoda festival and to Colaba Causeway but really couldn't coz I was still the lil dude's only source of food and it would have gotten uncomfortable taking him along.

Also spent some time at the Pheonix High street mall where I was meeting some friends for lunch. This time I took the dude along coz Palladium has rooms where you can nurse the baby. So I didn't have much time to really shop but these powder pink skinny jeans caught my eye and I had to had to get them. Zara was on sale but I couldn't even step into the store.. Everything was in a disarray and was a total put off. Ugh. Oh btw has anyone heard of the store called MUAH? Last time I was in Bombay I picked up some very cute dresses from them for quite cheap. I remember it being in Palladium but I just couldn't locate it this time. Does anyone know what happened to it?

Oh and I did some shopping online.. I scored these items from IndianHanger just now. Have ordered for them. Will let you guys know when it arrives. Have bought 3 things- this long pearl strings chain with a Kundan brooch on the side with an emerald and diamond setting and a quirky green beads elephant pendant chain and silver kolhapuri wedges. Can't wait to get my hands on em! :)

I was just going through my wardrobe and found there are too many dresses in either black or blue. I needed more colour. Hence, this Vero Moda dress from Asos. Pretty cheap too. :)

I've also been wanting to get a nice white dress for a really long time. Something that I can wear for brunches. And I saw this Mango dress on ShopatMajorBrands and it was on incredible sale so I decided that I had to, had to get it. But....when it arrived it turned out very differently from what I'd imagined! It wasn't white, it was cream. And it wasn't a stretch jersey fabric, it's wool knit. Sigh. But it still looks good, only my search for the perfect white dress continues...

And picked up some stuff at the lifestyle sale. These 2 dresses were on 70% off and are from CODE. Dirt cheap. The printed dress can also be worn as a tunic over leggings. How could I not buy? :D

I also splurged on some makeup from FACES, MAC and Inglot from the money I made from the blog sale (thank you everyone who supported it. Muah). Picked up MAC Cosmo lipstick (which im wearing everywhere-even when i go to buy groceries), MAC paint pot in Let's skate which is a gorgeous shimmery light pink-gold one from the Glitter and Ice collection and Carbonized eyeshadow which is the perfect brown shade.
Also got a lovely duochrome pigment, a white kohl pencil and 2 rainbow eyeshadows (black+greys and browns) from Inglot.
From FACES i got a velvet matte lipstick in Jazz Berry jam which is very close to Cosmo but pinker. Beautiful shade. Full review coming up. In love with its texture, colour n everything. Also got 2 duochrome pigments- teal and white pink.

Ok I actually put in some extra money to buy all this but what the hell. :p

So that's all folks. I'm back to home base now. Oh but the lil dude isn't so little anymore and has started teething and sitting and standing up. Uff! And he's only just 6.5 months. So he's constantly moving around and pulling things so gotta keep running behind him. Which leaves me with lesser time to blog (and shop online) but will manage whenever possible. :)