April 2011 ~ Beauty And The Blog

My Take: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush-Peach Satin

I’m not much of a blush person.I only have a couple of powder blushes and most often than not I skip it.But when I saw this one I had to have.But not to appease my blush desire but to appease my pot desire (if you don’t know already I’m crazy about stuff that come in cute pots).Also this one was being touted as “THE” blush to try if you’re a dummy in the blush department like me.After much procrastination I went ahead and bought it.And I’m happy I did cause not only did it satiate my pot fixation but it actually proved to be “THE” easiest blush to apply and use.And it brightens up your face in a jiffy with zero efforts.I must say Maybelline is getting me addicted to their products high and dry.Read on to get my take on this baby and to learn an awesome dupe using it.

What It Claims

Air-whipped mousse blush feels satin-soft on skin, glides on smoothly, and blends easily for seamless colour and a natural finish.
Long-wearing formula provides luminous, long-lasting colour on cheeks without clogging pores.

Price
Varies between Rs 180 and Rs 200 for 5.75g

Being an Avon rep has only resulted in making sure that every month I have some Avon stuff in my mail.Yup that is why I did become a rep in the first place but lately I’ve been wondering whether the habit is getting out of hand.But trust me I just can’t help it.Flipping through the Avon brochure each month has become one of my favourite activities.I actually snack while flipping through.And that too not once or twice but half a dozen times.Although these monthly hauls do lighten my purse strings there’s not much to loose since the products are just awesome and priced decently.
And since I love haul posts so much I thought I’ll share with you my current Avon loot, though this is actually a two month combined haul.I’ll review these in the coming weeks.

Spotlight: Zenni Optical - Quality Prescription Eyeglasses From $6.95

Shopping online has become the latest fad these days.And mostly we gals hunt around cyber space looking for clothes, shoes and most importantly makeup all at a great bargain.But the realms of the internet extend beyond that too.Now you can order prescription eye glasses online for as low as $6.95.Just head to Zenni Optical to find one of the most extensive inventory of prescription eye glasses.And you won’t have to shell out a fortune for shipping either.International Shipping starts at $9.95.

Features

· Affordable prescription eyeglasses starting from $6.95.And the reason why these are so economical is that the product is delivered straight from the factory to the customer with no middlemen involved.

· Wide selection of frames including full-rim, half-rim, rimless, sunshades and goggles in different shapes like rectangle, oval, aviator and round in various shades including some unique ones like burgundy, blue, cedar, rainbow (multicolor), tortoise, yellow and pattern.

· You have the option of choosing between Single Vision, Bifocal and Progressive lens.

· All glasses include anti-scratch coating, thin and light 1.57 index lens, lens edge polishing, full UV protection, protective case and microfiber cleaning cloth at no additional cost.

· USA shipping for entire orders at $4.95 and international shipping at $9.95

· And my favorite feature of all: The Zenni Frame Fit. Zenni has just launched a new feature.You can upload your picture on Zenni's Frame Fit and try on any and all glasses.Try on all frames and share it on Facebook.Ask your friends which frame looks the best on your face.For me it does not get better than this.

Try On Feature on The Zenni Website

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Zenni Optical.Read Blog Disclaimer for more information.

My Take: Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Daily Scrub

I’m really vary of scrubs since they never do anything for my skin except aggravate and work it up into a frenzy.Maybe because I get a little carried away when using it or maybe I never found the right one.Until now.This scrub is what real scrubs are made of.At least for morons like me.I actually never bought it for the blackhead clearing claim.I have been rid of them ever since I started using Deriva.But I actually bought it cause of the sample size pack its available in.I thought even if it turns out like all the other scrubs I’ve tried I can still ditch it since it’s only a tiny tube.Never knew the tiny tube would change my perspective.

What It Claims
A unique blend of micro-scrubbing beads work to breakdown trapped dirt, oil and dead skin cells that can cause blackheads.Next the natural apple extract formula penetrates deep down into the pores to help soften stubborn blackheads and prevent new ones from forming.Its gentle exfoliating action gives you visibly less blackheads in just 3 days for a clean clear beautiful skin.

Oil Free
Won’t clog pores
Visibly less blackheads in just 3 days

Shopping is our birthright. We can never get enough of it. And the fact that we can now shop online for all the coveted brands/products have only fueled our addiction. I was totally fine with shopping at the local malls and markets until I saw what the internet has to offer, although nothing and I mean nothing beats the joy of shopping with girlfriends, bargaining and bickering all the way. And even though I’m an active shopper online I had my share of worries and doubts(still do), so I thought I’ll put my experiences together to come up with a guide to shopping online.

What You'll Need
A secure internet connection (no internet cafe's please), which is a must for any e-commerce website and a credit/debit card. But I would strongly advice on using PayPal or Google Checkout. These are the two most popular payment gateways available.

“A payment gateway is an e-commerce application service provider service that authorizes payments for e-businesses, online retailers. It is the equivalent of a physical point of sale terminal located in most retail outlets. Payment gateways protect credit card details by encrypting sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to ensure that information is passed securely between the customer and the merchant and also between merchant and the payment processor.” – From Wikipedia

This was the first thing that I bought the moment I became an Avon rep.And throughout the year I’ve added a couple more to my collection.I have used the Lakme Nine To Five retractable eye liner and both of them are good but this one is a lot cheaper and has lasted longer than the Lakme one which finished up in a month flat.

What It Claims
“ Vitamin enriched formula provides smooth and even application.Waterproof and self-sharpening ”

Geeky is in.Who would have ever thought that sporting spectacles would become a fashion statement.But that’s exactly what has happened to the fashion scene.And I’m happy cause I sport one and now I have an excuse.Fashion.But no ordinary specky’s would do.If you have to sport the geeky for fashion’s sake sport it in style: designer frames.All shapes, sizes and colours.So here are some tips on how to carry off the geeky look combined with the geekiest of accessories:spectacles of course.

Frame Wisely
Glasses come in all kinds of frames.Choose one which not only suits your personality but makes you feel comfortable.Oversized frames might look good on Scarlett Johansson but look what happens when Britney decides to wear them.Disaster (and lets not go anywhere near that dress).

Lakme Fruit Blast Face Wash-Melon Melt Review

It took a really long time for me to find my HG face wash in Pond’s White Beauty Face Wash.But lately I’ve been having a spell of dry skin and plus I’m really bored of it.So wanted to try out something new.When I saw this one in the shelves I simply loved how it looked in the tube (yup I'm known to buy on such outrageous whims) and got it immediately even though I’m a bit vary of Lakme face washes (haven't got a very good history there).But I’m glad I picked it up since it didn't turn out to be such a big dud.

What It Claims
“Experience the quenching ability of Watermelon and Muskmelon extracts with this face wash that rehydrates every pore while the natural luffa fruit fibers gently brush away impurities.So you skin stays tingling fresh with the fragrance of natural melons.”

Directions For Use
Squeeze a small amount into hand and work into a rich lather.Massage on wet face.Rinse thoroughly with water.

I’ve been bitten by the online shopping bug.It’s actually become a compulsion to buy whenever I come across a new online store.So when I read good reviews about Buy In Coins I jumped in line to get me some.I had around $5 in my PayPal account (and now that account is broke) so I thought of using it up to see how much I could buy since I didn't have to shell out on the shipping.I ended up with a 7 piece brush kit and a gel eyeliner+angled eyeliner brush all within $5 plus I saved some change.It would have been totally awesome had the package arrived on time(the site claims delivery within a couple of weeks).I had ordered on 17th March and the package finally arrived exactly a month later.But the moment I saw the package all my grievances were lost to dust.
I got around to opening it and the first impression was awesome.Makes me regret that I didn't order more.

Dupe It Yourself: MAC Paint Pot/Eye Primer

A lot has been said and written about the MAC Paint Pot.And yeah all of it is correct.So before you scramble to buy one give this humble homemade paint pot/eye primer a chance.You’ll love it and plus save a thousand bucks in the bargain.

I have the MAC Paint Pot in Coral Crepe and it’s one of my favourite things on the planet.But I’m lemming towards Painterly and with no MAC in sight, I got around to duping it.

So without any further ado onto the dupe.

Hunt And Collect:

Boroline

This is the magic ingredient.Most videos and tutorials suggest using body butter.But this is way better.It has a nice thick consistency, does not dry out easily and most importantly won’t make your eyelids oily since a tiny bit is enough.And its damn cheap.A tube will cost you around Rs 20.

The world knows about my lip balm obsession (read more about it here) and how much I dote on these babies.So I thought of doing a full fledged review. I have tried Cherry,Grapefruit and Strawberry out of the lot and the Strawberry one is the lip balm line my life is tethered to.I have 3 backups just in case Avon decides to abandon them and leave me in a lurch.Yup these are that good.Read on for a full dose on these lippy life savers.

What It Claims

Light Weight and easy to apply
Glides on smoothly
Use on top of lipstick or by itself
Moisturizing formula protects lips from drying
Glossy shine and sheer colour

Price
Rs 79 for 4gms (usually on sale in Avon catalogs at buy 1 get 1 free)

Shivani was sweet enough to give me this versatile blogger award.Thanks a ton Shivani.Do have a dekko at her blog.

So to spread the blog love around I’m passing on the award to:
Poohkie from Poohkie’s Place
Rakshanda from Chamber Of Beauty
Deeptima from Beauty Unleashed With Deeptima
Anju from Indian Makeup Ways
Shalini from Shalini Dhillion’s Makeup Blog

Here are the rules:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link them back to your post.
Tell us seven things about yourself.
Award 5 recently discovered bloggers.
Let the bloggers know they have received the award.

And seven things about me that I won’t admit anywhere but here :

7. I love sleeping with books all around me.It reminds me of the good ol’ days when I only had to worry about exams and studying.

6. My idea of chilling out these days include watching makeup tutorials on you tube with a bucket of fried chicken.

5. I’m a gigantic control freak.It scares me sometimes but I guess it scares people around me more ;)

Scrubbed lips are where you should start.And the best part is that you can include it in your morning brushing routine.Right after you brush your teeth take a teeny tiny amount of toothpaste on your brush and scrub your lips with it to get rid of flakes and dead skin.Do this for a week and you’ll notice how soft your lips have become and you won’t be shedding dead lip flakes either.Once in a while you can also use a lip scrub.Simply mix sugar, honey and olive oil and scrub your lips with it.I also like adding a drop of vanilla essence to make it taste better.
Make lip balm your lip best friend(if you haven't already that is).It will help you keep you lips moisturised and help make lipstick stick better than on your dry lips.If you intend to wear a darker shade of lipstick use tinted lip balms to add intensity to the colour.Otherwise you can stick to neutral shades.Apply the balm on wet lips.Wait for a few minutes and then wipe off any excess.
Use a lip liner especially if you are using a darker lipstick.It will help you define your lips and prevent lipstick from feathering.
Apply lip gloss before you put on lipstick.Glosses have a sticky formula which makes lipstick stay on longer.You need not use a gloss in the same shade as your lipstick.Instead clear gloss works better.Just dab on the center of your lips and spread using the wand.
Finally comes the lipstick.You can apply directly from the tube or use a brush.Next use your fingers to spread the lipstick thinly all over your lips.Making sure you get the inner part of the lips as well.

Finally a giveaway.I’ve been gearing up for one ever since I started blogging but never got around to it.I started out the blog with the sole intention of giving some meaning and form to my thoughts and to appease the writer in me never realizing what a beautiful venture it would turn out to become.Needless to say the writer is hungry for more and as a bonus I’ve made amazing acquaintances.So what better way to thank all of you than to hold a giveaway.

It took a a long hard racking up of my poor brains to come up with prizes and I finally decided against makeup.I mean most of us have enough of it already.So I’ve lined up some really awesome non-makeup goodies for you, my only criteria being “Pamper Yourself Silly Ladies” .

Dark circles have been my worst beauty woe for as long as I can remember.Initially I tried a lot of home remedies then resorted to products but was never fully satisfied until I found this product.And unlike other eye creams it’s not at all expensive which made me apprehensive at first.But now after a month of use all of my apprehension is in the past tense.
Though I must add that dark circles are more or less an internal problem.External use of creams might be beneficial but a good and healthy diet goes a long way in helping you get rid of unsightly circles around the eyes.Apart from using this gel I’ve also been taking multivitamin and multimineral supplements and it has definitely made a contribution.So advice would be to treat this problem not only externally but also internally.Here’s my take on Aroma Magic Under Eye Gel.

What It Claims

"Prevent fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and lips.Lightens dark circles and rejuvenates tired eyes."

Price
Rs 115 for 20gms

Foods To Slim You Down Continued …

Like discussed in the previous edition of Foods To Slim picking out appropriate food items can be very helpful when attempting to remove excessive weight. Not only can such products aid in weight loss, but in addition other health benefits are gained whenever eating nutritious food products to reduce weight. An ideal weight loss plan involves eating products that help in eliminating extra calories and furnishing additional medical health benefits at the same time.So here are more foods to help you slim down.

Bean Benefit

Befriend Cholecystokinin and you’re off to a great weight loss start.This baby is a digestive hormone present in beans and legumes.It is also a natural appetite suppressant and keeps blood sugar levels in check reducing between meal hunger pangs.Beans are one of the best lean proteins available and contain resistive starch.Although make sure you soak beans overnight before consuming to remove Phytic acid which blocks absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body.

Gel eyeliners are all that everyone is talking about and scrambling to buy.But unfortunately the good ones, MAC, Stilla,Bobby Brown and the likes are outta reach for most of us.So you make do with the next best thing.And in this case the next best thing might prove to be the best thing there is, Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner.Gel liners have become my favourite kind of eyeliners because they blend easily and are so flexible.Plus the colour payoff is way better than anything pencil or liquid liners can offer.Though my relationship with this one has been on the rockier side.I do love it to bits but, yeah there is a but or rather a few buts.And that is why I felt compelled to review the product even though it has been talked about enough.I can hear a few why’s and sigh’s so I’ll get on with the review.

What It Claims

Now gel reinvents liner:
• Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base
• Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours
• Most intense line for lasting drama
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested
• Contact lens safe

I've always been a fan of lush drop dead gorgeous sweeps of lashes and for a long time I was under the impression that you can only achieve that with false eye lashes.So I never ventured there. That’s when I discovered the power of eye lash curlers and the magic of mascara.All you need is the right product and application technique to work the magic, because everyone hates clumpy lashes and mascara flakes/gloop all over your face.

Choosing the Right Mascara
Mascara is one product in which you would like to invest in.Not an exorbitant amount because they have a shelf life of around six months, but neither should you buy the cheaper ones which would flake and might be unsafe for you lashes.My budget for a mascara varies between 300 to 400 bucks.And most often I get the ideal product.
Mascaras come in all kinds of varieties these days: waterproof, non-clumping, lengthening, volumizing, conditioning.Choosing the right one may seem a daunting task especially if you're a mascara novice.Waterproof or no waterproof depends on where you would want to wear it, but my advice is to keep one of each.Also use the waterproof one only when necessary because these are harder to remove thereby causing more damage.I normally stay away from the waterproof ones which means no crying.As for the rest pick one depending on your choice though mostly these claims are more often than not marketing gimmicks,so the best thing to do is search for online reviews and then decide.If you’re still confused the best option would be a simple no frills mascara.

Dupe It Yourself: Face Primer

A foundation or face primer is a cream or lotion that is applied before a liquid or powder foundation is applied to create a base for applying makeup.Most Indian makeup brands have not yet come up with a face primer so I never used one before, but since everyone was raving about it I thought I’ll give it a shot.I did find a couple of primers available online and a few how to videos on you tube.The do it yourself version seemed simple with easily available ingredients not too mention cheap so I tried it out and voila was I impressed or what.Since I’ve not actually tried a pre-packaged primer I won’t be able to compare it to one but it did meet and fulfill all the requirements of a face primer.