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Monday 23 September 2013

BEAUTY SWAP PARTY




hello beautiful ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Have you bought a lipstick or nail paint that you don't like any more. Its just hatching eggs in your makeup closet, cause you don't know what to do with it............That happens with most of us these are just side effects of impulsive buying!!!!  How about you get different products WITHOUT PAYING A PENNY!!!!

And how is that?????????????



well......I am hosting a "BEAUTY SWAP" party on 5th Oct. 2013.Saturday at 4 pm at Bangalore. 


You can bring with you, any beauty products that you wish to swap, eye shadows, pigments, brushes, lipsticks, nail paints etc etc... the list is endless... and you can bring in ANY brand and ANY number of products!!!!

Whats more? Apart from the delicious cakes and pastries, you can meet more makeup enthusiasts and take back home different products that you would ACTUALLY use!!!!  Plus, learn more tips and tricks from others!!!!


Be there on time cause its first come first served swap!!!!!

Watch out this space for the location!!!!



Disclaimer: Pictures are sourced from Google and various other websites.


Thursday 19 September 2013

sshhhh... The REAL Tricks!!!

Thats right I am gonna share the tips and tricks to know before buying basic makeup products. So the next time you visit the makeup store (read candy store) you wouldn't give in to impulsive shopping which we ladies are very famous for! These are the tricks which will actually work for you.



FOUNDATION: The very first thing to know is your skin type. Most of us have a oily T zone. Also, knowing the 'undertone' of your skin tone is very essential.  We Indians are mostly yellow under toned thus the foundation too should have a yellow undertone as against to the pink ones. So, those are the  basic steps to remember while buying a foundation. In certain cities, where the weather reaches extremes you may tend to have a different skin  type during the winters and a different one during summers and choose the foundation type accordingly.


 So, whenever you go to buy a foundation of any brand please do not rush into a decision. Always ask the salesperson to apply it on your face and leave it on for the rest of the day. You would also like to chose a day to try out the foundation when you are on your daily chores, which means if you sweat it also, it would still help you to decide better by the end of the day. Else, you can try it on before sunset. This will help you see yourself in the sunlight and well as the artificial light. To choose the right shade its always advisable to apply on your chin area (above your jaw). The shade should match your face AND your neck colour.  Also take a lot of pictures of yourself, as the foundation at times tends to look very 'artificial' in pictures. Be completely sure that your face isn't looking "cakey" or where everyone would instantly know that you have applied "layers" of makeup. You wouldn't want to take a chisel to chip off the makeup for your real skin!!!
 Trying it out this way will also help you identify if you skin has any break outs.
Most of the brands do let you take a wee bit of a sample to try it on yourself. Trying it yourself also means that you can test your comfort level in blending and application. So you might wanna take small empty pots to carry with you the next time.
Generally we ALL make the same mistake and realise it much later. Yes, we all like our skin to look flawless but that doesn't necessarily mean that we pick up 2 shades lighter than our actual skin tone. For a "fairer" look you can try talcum powder. The key to look great is to buy a foundation that is the SAME as your skin tone or a shade lighter IF there is not much of a shade difference. Gone are the day when people celebrated "fair" skin, the sun kissed or olive skin tone is more favorable now!
Rule of thumb:
Oily skin should go for a water base, or oil free foundation which will give you more of a matte finish.
Dry skin: go in for liquid foundation which would make your skin look supple and well moisturized.

CONCEALER: The same technique should be kept in mind while choosing a concealer. It has to be same shade or you can go to a maximum of 1 shade lighter to your skin tone even if you are choosing it for your 'oh so ugly' dark circles! Girls with dry skin should opt for liquid concealers and the ones with oily skin for a
cream base or a oil free concealer.The best method of applying the concealer under the eye is using the ring finger to blend it in. Since the skin under the eye is very delicate the ring finger helps in applying just the right amount of pressure for blending.


APPLICATION: There are many schools of thought on the techniques of applying foundation. So the best method is which you are confident about. It could be various types of brushes, sponges or just bare hands. Which ever method you are opting, 2 important things should be kept in mind. A. The brush/sponge/ hands should be clean. B The foundation should be well blended!

Another school of thought is that concealer should be applied first then the foundation followed by a compact or loose powder. Remember girls in makeup there are now rules! If you like to apply just the foundation or concealer and skip the rest of the steps then you can or apply the concealer- foundation- concealer you can.  its just about what works the best for you. 


EYESHADOW: Since we Indians do not have light coloured eyes we can choose our eyeshadows without having to worry too much about the shades which will extenuate the eye colour.  They can be selected according to the colours you like which match your skin tone and your hair colour. Since neon is the trend this season, you try out bold colours like yellow and orange with the same confidence. You can opt for a matte finish for everyday use. Other textures include pearl, glossy, satin and frost finish which can be used on different occasions. Gold, bronze, pink, mauve are a few which go well with the Indian skin tone. 'Smokey Loo'k colours not only include the traditional black but can also be done with different shades of green, blue, maroon, brown, grey etc. 
The key to get a complete look is by blending the eye shadows together especially if you are using 2 or more colours. You would want to smooth-en any harsh lines for a beautiful finish.


Coming soon the must have makeup brushes.

Disclaimer: Pictures are sourced from Google and various other websites.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

My Favorite M.A.C. products!!!!

Ok so let me very honest that I soo totally, truly, madly, deeply LOVE  MAC. Its my top of the list fave brand apart from a few others. The best part of it that its easily available in India.
Lot of girls that I have spoken to believe that the MAC products are very expensive. Well.. on second thoughts, its not ALL that expensive.  If you buy L'oreal or NYX kind of  products then MAC is priced just a little bit more. So its not gonna create a very big hole in your clutch!  ;)

I am going to name a product of each type. So you could try them out when you stop at the store the next time. Also, all the MAC products are highly pigmented and a little goes a long way.


FOUNDATION: I am a big fan of liquid foundations as they are easier to work on and so according to my skin I use the Studio Sculpt. I am shade NC 40. The studio Sculpt gives a complete coverage without making me look "cakey" for all day long. A little bit of the foundation is enough for the entire face and neck since its highly pigmented.  Price: Rs. 1500/- approx






EYESHADOW: This is the toughest part, choosing my most fave eye shadow. Its no hidden secret that my weakness is eye shadows! So with  a heavy heart I am going to choose one.. Its probably one if the most famous shadows world wide and is a must have in your collection. "wood winked".

In the case it looks very different than what it really is.  I would describe it as a medium bronze with a warm orange undertone once applied.The actually is a beautiful golden color and its great for office, date, dinners or even a wedding. You can create an elegant look using just this shade or you can blend it with black or dark brown and create a beautiful soft smokey look either ways its a must have for your makeup collection. Price: Rs. 900/-



EYESHADOW PRIMER/ BASE: Its one of  the MAC paint pots, and this one which I absolutely like is in shade "painterly pot". Its a very common one too. In the pot it looks pale pink. Its great for using as a base for any eye make up. How does it work you may ask. So this pale pink shade makes your eye lid an even tone. It works as a eye primer too! Your eye shadow color would be accentuated and would last longer with out any creasing. Be sure to give a minute gap for the base to settle in before you apply the eye shadow. Price: Rs. 1100/-




(L-R) wood winked, painterly pot, wood winked with painterly pot base






Coming soon... must have eye shadow shades of MAC.


Disclaimer: Pictures are sourced from Google and various other websites.

Monday 16 September 2013

The good old home remedies (with regular updates)

I am sure all of us have to listen to a long 'lecture' from our mothers when we roam around the house with some face pack that we recently bought... I often find my mother telling me that all these creams that we use these days are just a waste of time and money and  "humare zamane main" we used to use "ghar ke nuske" (home remedies)..
 we love them or hate them but we can't ignore them. I do agree that they could be quite time consuming at times but we can not ignore the after effects, even the bollywood stars use home remedies for its benefits.





So this is one post which i would be updating on a regular basis.. and trust me if not your mother, least your grand mother would be happy to see you use some of these home remedies.
  • One of my faves for a fresh and exfoliated skin is lightly massaging a mix of oats and rose water, leave it on your face for 10- 15 mins and wash with cold water. (try different flavors of oats! :P )
  • You can apply a paste of grated cucumber and rose water for the oh so ugly dark circles
  • For the crow feet at the outer corner of your eye thats been troubling you since forever, just apply a paste of honey, ginger and rose water every morning for 10 mins and wash. 
  • For a fresh glowing skin mix 1 tbsp of milk powder and gram flour with 2 tbsp of rose water. apply it on the face and wash after 20 mins and you are ready for your date!
  • A simple thing that all of us can do who are pressed for time is take a little aloe vera pulp and apply on the face before sleeping every night. This helps in clearing the marks on the face if any and also rejuvenates the skin at the end of the day. However ladies this is not a over night remedy it will take time so please have patience!!!!!!!!!!
  • Mix 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp nutmeg powder  together in a bowl, then apply the mask to clean skin. Let it sit for approximately 20 minutes, then wash off with lukewarm water, gently rinsing in circular motions.
  • Mix 3 Tbsp milk (chose whole milk for drier skin) , 3 Tbsp honey and 1 Tbsp of raw oatmeal crumbled, together in a bowl until they form a thick paste. Apply onto the face and massage for a few minutes with finger tips. Wash with lukewarm water  and pat dry.
  • A soothing  cleanser. Boil a cup of tea (1 chamomile tea bag) and leave the chamomile bag in the cup to steep and cool. Peel, seed, and mash your cucumber (1 small cucumber), then strain out the pulp with a fork to retain the juice. Stir 2 tbsp of  honey into the cucumber juice, and add 1 tbsp of whole milk. Apply this mixture onto your skin with a cotton pad or washcloth, and use your cooled chamomile tea or water to gently wipe off the milk.
  • This is an easy facial scrub. 
    Mix 1 tbsp of powdered milk, 1 tbsp honey and 3 drops of lemon juice into a bowl and gently massage the mixture on your clean face in circular motions. Rinse thoroughly. Do not save the mixture since this scrub does not contain chemicals to prevent the natural ingredients from souring. 
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice (or any other citrus juice that you like), 2 tbsp honey, 6 ounces of plain yogurt and ¼ cup ground oatmeal together and apply it to clean skin in circular motions. Allow for the mixture to to dry and rinse it off with warm water. This is a home made scrub for the glow pre festive season.


cucumber should always be your "go to" vegetable.. its one of the best things for your face.
and another tip to keep in mind while choosing a face wash always buy something which has citric benefits in it like orange, lemon etc as they are the best for a fresher looking skin!
Most of us are not aware of he fact that soap or face wash shouldn't be used for a minimum of 4 hours after applying a face mask or even bleaching for that matter. Using the soap un-dos the same. 


Disclaimer: Pictures are sourced from Google and various other websites.


Saturday 14 September 2013

Like BB and CC creams weren't enough now we have DD creams??!!!!





Yes! you heard it right after the BB and CC creams we now have DD creams.... God knows what are other alphabet would be used after these? may be BB, CC, DD cream.................... now EE creams!!! :P

so what are these creams? why is everyone talking about these creams all of a sudden?
whats the hype about them and which one should I  buy? read on for the simplest meaning of all...

BB Creams: aka "Blemish Balms" or "Beauty Balm"... it is basically a lighter version of foundation. BB creams mainly help in hiding blemishes... its best for those gals who do not like applying foundation and would like a "light" feel on their skin! Most of the times these creams are treated as all-in-one creams which include primer, serum, foundation and moisturizer.
Rs. 99 for 18 g
personally.. the coverage is not great, however it acts as a great base for foundation. Its become a new step in my beauty regime!
 Price: 
Garnier: Rs. 99 for 18g and Rs. 199 for 40g
Maybelline: Rs. 199 for 18ml
Ponds: Rs. 125 for 18g
L'oreal paris True Match: Rs. 550 for 30ml
Body Shop too has various BB creams depending on the skin type and skin tone.






CC Creams: aka "colour correction" or "colour control" as the name suggests its meant for correcting any redness, uneven skin tone and dark spots..  since our Indian skin colour doesn't really have redness as against our fairer counterparts. In India is only Lakme is offering CC creams as of now.
I haven't really bought a CC cream since I am very happy with my Garnier BB cream however I have tried the Lakme CC cream and the results were ok ok.. not too bad or either too good!!!!


Rs. 135 for 30g

Price: Lakme CC cream Rs.135 for 30g

and finally....

DD Creams: this new technology is for " dynamic do it all". these are best for aging skin and those want to focus on improving the skin tone and reducing wrinkles over a period of time. So the DD creams are probably the next generation of creams and moisturizers which would have the benefits of BB and CC creams. That is the dark spots, blemishes and wrinkles.
Currently this type of cream is NOT available in India.




so ladies let me know your experience with these BB/ CC/ DD creams!!! which one suits you the best??????



Disclaimer: Pictures are sourced from Google and various other websites.

Friday 13 September 2013

About Me.... Welcome to my world!

Hi Ladies.....

Thanks for visiting my blog!!!! I greatly appreciate your support!

To tell you about myself.... I am Radhika.  Born, brought up and settled in the beautiful garden city of India, Bangaluru (Bangalore)


I am a sales professional, (after all we need the money to buy cosmetics!!!) as well as freelancing as a makeup artist. I specialise in bridal and party makeup! 
My love for makeup started  when I was in college.. [shoot i feel old already! :( ] and i have invested some money in buying cosmetics ( ok ok.... i spend more than half my money to buy makeup)... cosmetics are my weakness!!! {so now you know what to gift me ;) }


So why should you be reading my blog????????? ahemmm... good question!!! 
well............. I would be talking a lot of cosmetics (oh just so that you know! FYI- I am NOT getting paid for writing these reviews.. these products are bought by my hard earned money and some savings... so its honest and personally my view about the product). I am solely doing this to help you pretty ladies out there so you can invest your money in products that are worth it.

Well, the main idea of this blog would be to review the products and brands which are easily available in India, well almost of it, rather than talking about those products which are available only overseas.

 Unlike other blogs where you would read great reviews about the product and then never find it locally and then if you are anything like me where you have sleepless nights dreaming about the product.. agghhh... hate it!!!
So then we google it and then pay high shipping charges or asking family and friends traveling abroad to help us source the products coz we just so want our hand on the cosmetics!!!!

alright then lets get started!!!!


Oh BTW the picture below is of my humble collection of cosmetics  dated 2012....

a little bit of my eye makeup collection !!!!