Spotlight: Awesome News For Online Shopaholics

I’ll just go right ahead and say it Macy’s Ships To India.

If you already knew about it then I’m sure you must be thinking “hello! good morning”, but I just discovered this awesome piece of information.You see a while back I was designing an e-commerce web store for a client and she wanted me to model her store on the lines of Macy’s online.Needless to say I spent hours browser shopping (online version of window shopping ;) since they didn't ship to India at that time.And today while chasing an elusive pair of Steve Madden’s I discovered, yup right Macy Ships To India.

After my initial euphoria settled down a notch, I got down to the dirty business of dissecting the website for anything that would change the grin on my face to a frown.I searched and searched and found nothing.Every second I spent, my itch to shop just kept bubbling.

So here what Macy’s offering

• Overwhelming collection of shoes, bags, watches and clothes(my personal order of preference)
• Shipping starting at Rs 400[ah-mah-zingh]
• Top notch designer brands like Ed Hardy, Steve Madden, Calvin Klein, Guess, Chinese Laundry, DKNYC to name a few
• And a 10-15% discount promo code FOURTH valid till 5th July, 2011

So my advice in a nutshell, ladies grab your credit cards and shop till ya drop.Here’s the website for your reference:
http://www1.macys.com/
 

Steve Madden Bellah Pumps, the lovelies that attributed to my discovery

Image Courtesy Macy’s

Read More

My Take: Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

What It Claims
This exclusive flat top synthetic kabuki was designed to deliver a flawless makeup application. The Sigma Makeup F80 is a buffer brush that can be used to blend powder or liquid products. The short and dense bristles make it easy to buff your liquid foundation. The long handle adds comfort to your makeup application. The synthetic fibres are ideal to be used with liquid products and can be easily cleaned. Made of Synthetic Sigmax HD filament.

Price
$16(around Rs 800) + shipping

The brush is well constructed with a fat sturdy handle

The Good

• First things first, this is the best damn brush there is to apply foundation.Unlike a stippling brush which can only spread liquid foundation, this baby can spread, smooth and buff liquid/cream/mousse/mineral foundation seamlessly and effortlessly.
  
• It has a sturdy design and construction.Not at all flimsy.A firm handle with a snug fit.
  
• It’s versatile and can be used with powder, liquid or mousse products giving different results for each one.
  
• It’s a combination of kabuki and buffing brush giving the best of both the worlds.
  
• The bristles are quite dense preventing the product from seeping deep into the bristles and causing any wastage.
  
• The hair is synthetic and super soft without feeling scratchy.Even after washing it 4-5 times it has retained it’s softness.Plus it has never shed even once while applying or washing(not even a single strand!)
  
• It’s perfect for blending and buffing cream based bronzers and highlighters since it does not leave any patches.
  
• Spreads foundation to give an even finish.
  
• Has the perfect size, not too big nor too small.

The bristles are dense enough for the brush to stand on it’s head

The Bad

• It’s pretty darn expensive, specially because I would have to pay extra for shipping.
  
• Only available online.
  
• Though I love the dense bristles, cleaning them of product can be really tricky.Plus it takes a really long time to dry.
  
• It’s supposed to work great with all kinds of textures but I found that when used with powders it tends to pick up excess product for example setting powder which if I’m not careful to dust off, proves difficult to blend.

Love It Or Chuck It
 
Ordinarily I would balk at the notion of buying such an expensive brush and that too online, but after using the Sigma F80 for almost two months I might just concede.It’s the perfect tool for applying foundation.It gives such amazing results and that too with minimum input.And ever since I’ve been using it, all I can think about is how to get hold of the other two siblings from the Synthetic Face Kit.The Sigma F80 has earned it’s place in my permanent makeup fixtures.Love It for it’s versatility and ingenious design.
You can purchase the Sigma F80 from the sigma website here.If you spend over $30 you also get yourself a surprise free gift.Or stay tuned for a Sigma F80 Giveaway coming soon.

Disclaimer: Product sent by PR for review.Read Review Policy for more information.

Read More

Whipped TLC: Beat The Heat

 Monsoon has arrived.And it’s here to stay with miserable heat and humidity. Unfortunately my skin has been paying the price since I stay glued to the AC 24x7 to combat the weather.Which means bouts of dry, flaky skin combined with clogged pores.It’s like my skin is suffocating.Luckily I managed to put my whipping abilities to great use and come up with a couple of cooling packs which will not only help you beat the heat but also help your skin breathe and provide relief from the harmful effects of being subjected to the air conditioner.

Refreshing Cucumber & Aloe Pack For Normal To Oily Skin
Aloe Vera has been known for it’s cooling properties, it is also hydrating and is perfect for providing moisture to oily skin.Rose Water and cucumber apart from it’s cooling effects also provide astringent properties and help unclog pores.Clove is great to help with any redness or zits threatening to pop as a result of clogged pores.Plus it imparts a delectable spicy aura to the pack.
 

2 tbsp aloe vera gel
2 tbsp grated cucumber
1 tsp rose water
1 clove crushed to a powder

Mix the aloe gel with rose water and clove powder.Squeeze the grated cucumber to release juices and add to the aloe gel.Refrigerate the pack for 15 minutes.Also refrigerate the grated cucumber separately.
Apply the pack on a clean face with your fingers.Massage the pack into the skin.Divide the grated cucumbers into 2 parts and put on each eye.
Let the pack stay on for at least 20 minutes.Rinse off with cold water.

Hydrating Yogurt & Honey Pack For Normal To Dry Skin
Yogurt contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid which is ideal for dry skin and prevents premature aging such as fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. It is also rich in Zinc and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, thereby making it ideal for acne-prone skin.Honey has moisturizing properties which will help relieve dryness.When combined with the cooling effects of mint you get the ultimate face back to beat the monsoon heat.

1 tbsp hung yogurt
1 tbsp honey
8-10 mint leaves ground to a paste

Mix the honey,mint paste and yogurt to make a smooth paste.Refrigerate the pack for 15 minutes.
Apply the pack on a clean face with your fingers.
Let the pack stay on for 15-20 minutes.Rinse off.

Read More

My Take: Makari Clarifying Soap

  
What It Claims
An exfoliating soap for face and body. Designed to effectively cleanse, brighten, and even tone the skin while providing resurfacing benefits. Thanks to its natural properties, this triple action soap is designed to effectively brighten, cleanse and even tone the skin while providing resurfacing benefits. Gentle enough to use daily, this unique formula has ingredients designed to lighten and protect the skin with topical anti-oxidants as it helps condition the skin and retain its moisture level. The soap offers an ideal treatment to prepare the skin for the enhanced effectiveness of the entire range of Makari de Suisse Skin Clarifying products.
Suitable for all skin types. Use daily in the bath or shower. For maximum effect of the soaps whitening properties please keep lather on for at least 5 minutes.

Price
Rs 800


The Good

• It lathers up really well and gives you loads of sud(as expected from any soap).
  
• Has an awesome smell.It kicks your senses into action specially in the morning.
• Normally I don’t use soap on my face but I braved this one in the name of product testing and surprisingly it did not dry out my face(currently combination with very dry cheeks).
• I’m already fair so I cannot really corroborate on it’s whitening properties but it did brighten up my face immediately after using.
  
• Since it lathers up so well, the soap has a pretty good life and will last a while.
  
• It does not become a gooey mess when used for a while unlike other moisturizing soaps and retains shape.

The Bad

• The scrubbing particles are very scratchy when you use the soap directly on skin.It actually gave me a rash on my upper arm.Since then I lather up the soap in my hands and apply the foam.
  
• Despite being an exfoliating soap the scrubbing particles are few and far in between.You will get an exfoliating action if you use it directly on the skin but in that case you will end up scratching your skin badly.So the entire purpose of exfoliating has been defeated.
  
• Expensive for a soap.

Love It Or Chuck It


I do love it for it’s sweet smell and cleansing properties but honestly I would never spend 800 bucks on a soap specially one that scratches the hell out of me.Yup when lathered up separately and used it works great and in fact did brighten up my skin tone, but I prefer using the bar on it’s own.A little more scrubbing action with less severe scrubbing particles and this product would have been on my fave list.

Disclaimer: Product sent by PR for review.Read Review Policy for more information.

Read More

Massive Discounts & Offers @ Coastal Scents

Coastal Scents is running an awesome sale with really amazing discounts and offers.So if you’re in the mood to shop head over to Coastal Scents and make most of the discounts.
Buy any of the following Hot Pot Palettes at 40% OFF: Fall Festival Palette, Winterberry Palette, Think Pink Palette, and Combo Set 9.




Purchase any three individual Lip or Dual Eyeshadow Pencils and receive a FREE Pencil Sharpener; limit one free pencil sharpener per order.

Purchase any three False Lash pairs and receive a FREE Lash Curler; limit one free lash curler per order.


And that’s not all.They have also extended their last week's SALE of 33% OFF Select Palettes!







These were some of my favourite palettes.Check the Coastal Scents website for more palettes.
SALE EXPIRES 06/30/2011 AT MIDNIGHT EASTERN STANDARD TIME, USA.

Read More

My Take: Avon Little Black Dress Skin Softener

What It Claims
A non-greasy softening cream that leaves your skin silky soft and pleasantly fragranced.
To use: Apply a generous amount to hands and body and massage in circular motion until it is fully absorbed.

Price
Rs 195 for 100ml

Fragrance
“Top notes are cyclamen, coriander, African ginger, jasmine and apricot blossom; middle notes are gardenia, , ylang-ylang and pink peony; base notes are sandalwood, Tonka bean, musk and Japanese plum.”
Described by Avon as Oriental fragrance for women, it’s floral with hints of sandalwood and musk. It is quite overpowering at first but mellows down eventually.

The Good

• It lives up to it’s name of being a skin softener.It instantly moisturizes and softens skin.
• It’s a generic cream and can be used on your face, hands, feet, elbow.
• Lightweight with the consistency of a lotion which means it spreads easily.
• It gets absorbed instantly without making skin overly oily.
• It smells exactly like the Little Black Dress EDP and the fragrance lingers for a while.It has a sweet undertone to it without being too nauseating.
• You need a really tiny amount, so the tube lasts a while.
• Love the fact that it comes in a tube.

The Bad

• A bit overpriced.I know perfumed creams are supposed to and I would gladly spend 200 bucks on it, still I find it expensive.But this is a staple in the Avon catalogue and is frequently discounted.
• Only available through Avon representatives.

Love It Or Chuck It


Have Loved It since time immemorial.In fact I have little lip balm jars full of these tucked away in each of my bags( crazy right), with a jar always handy.I have a crazy obsession with lathering my hands and feet in cream every 5 minutes and this perfectly serves my obsession.It smells awesome and gets absorbed instantly, and is versatile.By far my favourite Avon product(with the Avon lip balms a close second!!!).This is one LBD that you simply cannot do without.

Read More

The New And Improved ‘Beauty And The Blog’

 
 
I’ve been busy for the past week revamping, decluttering and renovating the blog design(the reason why posts have been M.I.A), and the whole thing turned out to be one crazy caffeine drenched saga with tugging of hair and fits of rage involved.

I had actually wanted to redesign when I had made the switch to custom domain, but sheer laziness prevented me until a rude comment by my sister inspired me(yup that’s all it takes to inspire me).The whole job would have taken a normal person a maximum of 2 days, but me being the control freak that I am, it ended up hogging the entire week.It took two days just to zero in the perfect template and another three days customizing.Finally when I uploaded it yesterday, to my horror everything except the header vanished god knows where.After umpteen permutations and combinations(swearing, bickering, drowning in coffee) I discovered the culprit, rectified it and finally it started taking shape.

So it's 2 in the morning and all the craziness has finally paid, though the blog is still in Beta, which means that  there are bound to be loads of bugs and glitches.And when you come across one please let me know.I would love to hear from you guys on the new design and whether the week was worth it or not.


PS:This redesigning business turned out to be more than I had bargained for so I’m sure you agree I deserve a big gigantic break.Translation:  I’ll be on a hiatus for a few days.But keep the comments coming and miss me !!!

Read More

Style Diary: Fringe And The Face

Fringes have been in style since time immemorial(a bit of an exaggeration I know but I do like the sound of it).The fad travels a sine wave and fortunately for most of us it’s back on the scene.Why fortunately you may ask? Well fringes are the perfect way of experimenting with your hair style without meddling with your hair length.Though the key to getting gorgeous bangs lies in your face cut.And if I have lost you in the translation, here I have the whole thing sorted out.  

The Face:  Square

Wide forehead and prominent jaw line.

 

The Fringe: Curtain

A long fringe style that can be centre parted to swish down each side of your face. Heavy side swept bangs will add softness to a defined facial structure. 

Anne Hathaway, Kim Cattrall, Mandy Moore

The Face: Round
Full Face with chubby cheeks and rounded chin.


The Fringe: Angular
Angular bangs with gentle layers will work miracles to minimize the fullness of a round face, and highlight your eyes.Avoid the blunt fringe like plague since it will add to the fullness of the face.

  Kirsten Dunst, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Hudson,

The Face: Oval
A face to die for with all its even proportions in glory.


The Fringe: Practically Any Kinda Fringe
Oval faces are the most versatile, especially when it comes to fringes. Oval faces are blessed with even length and width so a blunt fringe looks as good as a wispy asymmetrical fringe.

    Jessica Alba, Ashley Tisdale, Kelly Rowland

The Face: Heart

Wide cheeks  and pointed chin.

The Fringe: Claws
A long fringe, with little claws adds volume to your face.It takes the blunt fringe one step further.Best way to wear the claws is to unevenly part these feathered bangs, so they are lightly scattered across your forehead. 
 

Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria

So which fringe will you sport this summer?

Read More

Winners: Makari Sample Bag Giveaway

Here are the winners for the Makari Sample Bag Giveaway picked via random.org



Congratulations

14 Prachi

26 Tanveer

76 Nivedita

27 Rashmi

42 Lakshmipriya

I’ve sent out mails to all the winners, please reply back with your addresses.

UPDATE 13/06/11
Tanveer did not respond with her address, so regretably I had to choose another winner in her place.I used raandom.org to pick the winner(won't post screen shot since I've been super busy redecorating my house):
 
69 Noble Beeyotch

Read More

My Take: The Brush Guard Variety Pack

What It Claims

• The Brush Guard is an entirely new product that keeps your makeup brushes like new!
  
• The Brush Guard makes cleaning brushes easy and keeps them in perfect shape which extends the life of your brushes and protects your skin from breakouts.
  
• The Brush Guard is a flexible, breathable sheath that slips over a brush’s handle and over the bristles to give makeup brushes the best possible protection.
  
• Only The Brush Guard allows brushes to dry bristle-down so water can’t damage the ferrule. The brush dries in perfect shape and lasts longer!
  
• With The Brush Guard in place, makeup brushes can go anywhere safely.

Price
$5.50 (plus shipping ) for a variety pack containing 1 Extra Small, 2 Small, 2 Medium, 1 Large

Read More

My Take: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil In Oyster

What It Claims
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil could be used for lining as well as shadows. Containing mineral oils and powders, the pencil does not dry out your eyes and applies smoothly without pulling or tugging.
Ingredients:
Ceresin Wax, Candelilla Wax, Bees Wax, Squalane, Hydrogenated Styrene,
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Mineral Oils, Polyisobutene, Butylated Hydroxy Anisole,
Propyl Paraben, Mica, Talc, C.I.77499, Pearl Powder.

Price  
Varies between $3 to $4

Read More

Spotlight: Designer Cosmetics At Discounted Rates

USE CODE SONIABLOG FOR A 10% DISCOUNT

What will you say if I tell you that you can shop for your favourite designer cosmetic brands at crazy discounted prices? You would like any normal cosmetic crazed girl hit the go button on your browser faster than you can spell go.So be ready because by the end of this post you will be doing exactly that.

I stumbled onto this veritable pot of gold while chit chatting with a fellow blogger and boy Am I happy or what.The Cosmetic House has all the cosmetic brands from your regular high street ones right up to designer brand haven, all at unbelievable prices.Now you will not have to pay exorbitant prices online to buy the Urban Decay Primer Potion or beg one of your relatives to get you a box of Coralista while on their trip to India.You can order these and more yourself at amazing discounts with nominal shipping.

Read More

Thrifty Makeovers: Eco-Friendly No Sew Shoulder Bag

Everyone knows the harms of plastic and yet most of us cannot part with our faithful polybag.I hope this tutorial will make you ditch the polybag for a more eco-friendly alternative which you can create in less than 5 minutes.

This bag is made using the ancient Japanese art of Furoshiki, which uses a simple square of silk or nylon cloth for wrapping and carrying just about anything.Since Furoshiki uses silk or nylon, the knots are not only durable but easy to untie too.

So have fun this World Environment Day with this easy Do It Yourself.

What You’ll Need

• A square scarf or a dupatta folded in half or any stray square piece of cloth preferably silk/nylon/satin.The bigger the dimensions the bigger the finished bag will be. I’m using my granny’s silk scarf.
  
• Knot tying abilities

Read More

The Lust List: Sigma Beauty Cleansing And Polishing Tool

If you are a beauty fanatic like me you already know about the Sigma Beauty Cleansing And Polishing Tool.Ever since I saw it I’ve been lusting after it along with the rest of the beauty blogging world.And here’s why.

Description From The Website

Say goodbye to dull and uneven skin! With the new Sigma Beauty Cleansing and Polishing Tool you can polish your skin to be perfectly smooth and flawless before and after your makeup application.
Price : $39 + shipping

Read More

Pretty In Pink:Breda Victoria Pink Watch

USE COUPON CODE BEAUTYBLOG FOR 30% OFF YOUR PURCHASE FROM BREDA

A while back we discussed Designer Watches and now I have my own to flaunt: The Breda Victoria Pink Watch.It sparkles and glows and is the current love of my life.Here’s a lowdown on the beautiful Victoria Pink.

 
This watch tells more than just time. It tells everyone who sees it that you are classy, fun, and a trend setter. Clear crystal frames the case, while the mother-of-pearl dial and faux sub dials gives your look a little glitz. Clear crystal dial markers and illuminated hands, on the dial, are an added detail that are sure to be sophisticated enough for any fashionista. The pink crocodile genuine leather band and silver buckle secure the watch on your wrist.

• Highest standard Japanese Quartz movement
  
• Silver case with a crystal embellished bezel
  
• Adjustable pink genuine leather strap with metal buckle
  
• Mother-Of-Pearl dial marked with 3 chronograph dials and 8 crystal dial markers
  
• Water-resistant to 99 feet (30 M)

Read More

Celebrating 100 Posts With A Charm Factory Giveaway

It feels awesome to have completed 100 posts.This blog has been a confidante and a friend in every way imaginable and most importantly introduced me to all my beautiful readers.Keep the love pouring.

And now to celebrate the joyous occasion I’ll do what any female beauty blogger does these days, host a giveaway.


Here’s what you can win, a European Style Finished Beaded Bracelet of your choice.Visit Charm Factory and choose your favourite bracelet from the European Finished Beaded Bracelet section and let me know in the form.

Do check my review on the Pink And White Bracelet From Charm Factory.

All the best !!!

Read More