Fast clean and effective hair wash? Try KP namboodiri's Ayurvedic Antidandruff Shampoo

I saw this when I was browsing a local store and KP Namboodiri’s is an old brand known for tooth products so I thought why not!

I am very happy I did cos this costs just under 20rs and gives atleast 15-20 super clean fresh hair washes.

I don’t think its very effective against dandruff for long term but then unless it’s a treatment I doubt if anything is that effective!

Aroma Magic Beautiful Skin blended oil - My latest Love!

Beautiful Skin Oil

(Skin Rejuvenation)

Blended Skin Oil Benefits

Rejuvenates the skin, diminishes fine lines on face & neck & makes it firm & smooth. For normal & aged skin

Quick Overview

Aromatherapy Oil for complete skin rejuvenation.

Details

The oil enhances the growth of new cells and helps diminish appearance of fine lines on face & neck. It works as a skin vitalizer, which restores youthful radiance and makes skin smooth and silky.

How to Use

Cleanse face & neck and then apply 4-5 drops of oil. Use every day in morning and at night.

Qty

15ml

I just love love love this oil.. I decided to start on aromatherapy recently after seeing a friend who is totally glowing now, post trying all hoolas with oils and massages and everything. I use this in various forms:

-          directly on my face at night after warming it up between my fingers

-          mixed in the water I use for doing steaming

-          mixed in face packs and creams

-          mixed with olive/coconut oil for a face massage.. [this is the most effective one!]

The effect is just awesome. I had some marks on my face due to a recent allergic reaction, which totally faded and my skin looks tighter and younger [which is a big deal now that I am on the wrong side of 25 L]. Also the fragrance is so refreshing….. I just love em..

Jordana Easyshine Glossy Lip Color in Mango Delight

I have a love hate relationship with Jordana.

I hate hate hate [no words enough] their horrible quickliner for eyes.

But then I do love their blushes [will be reviewing soon] and this one.

It is a fun product. Check my review in IMBB here: http://makeupandbeauty.com/jordana-easyshine-glossy-lip-color-mango-delight/

Cheers!

Some FAQs and personal experience on Glycolic peels

I had recently written an article in IMBB on Glycolic peels.

Please check it here if you plan to do one and wish to avoid some rookie mistakes [Which I didL]

Link:  http://makeupandbeauty.com/glycolic-peel-treatment-personal-experience/

Cheers!

Faces Canada Moisture Rich lipstick in shade First Lady

I absolutely loves FACES Canada brand. They come up with some nice product ideas and they have superb shades in their range also.

Another best thing is their range is available in most online shopping websites: Urbantouch.com, cosmetix.in, healthkart.com, medplusbeauty.com, stylecraze.com, snapittoday.com.

I picked this one on offer from Healthkart.com and I love this.

This has got to be the most creamiest lippie I have ever tried.

It is so creamy that it melts almost like the NYX ones.

Price is around 349 INR but you can get it for 270+ on offer through various sites.

Enjoy the pictures.

I love the transparent bottom showing the color but I wish some indication was also available in the top cover as well.

Check the melted tip .. L

Neha has reviewed this in IMBB. Check it here: http://makeupandbeauty.com/faces-canada-moisture-lipstick-lady/

I am planning to buy more stuff from this range… Love em!!!!

Online shopping experience with Goodlife.com

Online shopping experience with Goodlife.com

After moving to a small town area post marriage, I stay far far away from the nearest shop where if I ask for a lip balm, people will give me Tiger balm! L No kidding, happened to me. So most of my shopping is now restricted to online and I am very very happy that our e-commerce world is expanding very nicely.

Recently I had to buy baby shower gifts online from Firstcry.com and I noticed that they had a sister site, goodlife.com. I was reminded of websites like apothica and drugstore which have more than 1 site within site, so people can buy different items from the 1 location. I really liked the concept and the website is also designed nicely enough.

However, checking recently I found that they have not updated their brand listings but they have added some products from various nice companies like bodyshop, bioline etc.

This is how their order history page looks like:

They have a detailed order page with the tracking details mentioned.

The best part I liked was they provided free shipping [ a nice deal considering even UT now made free shipping only for 300+ orders] and they have COD option for INR 200+ orders as well, which is a boon for 1^st time buyers.

Now the only gripe I had was with AFL courier people who took around 1 week+ to deliver this to me! However, the CSR at goodlife.com called me and assured me that he will track it and close it and was closely following if and when I received this. So additional marks for good Customer care.

This is how the package came.

This came in a cardboard box similar to healthkart and fashionandyou packaging. I don’t mind this packaging but I do wish the cover was more weather-proof. The logo was clearly printed on both sides. The invoice was pasted over the front of the box, which I kind of wish they didn’t as I don’t want to advertise all the products I buy to the courier personnel! A copy of the invoice was also kept in the box.

All the products inside were bubble wrapped nicely and came without any damage.

On the whole, I found the experience was okay, but I will definitely ask them to try another courier for my city!

On the whole, this is a promising website and I hope they will expand it and make it interesting for buyers. J

Online shopping experience with Medplusbeauty.com

I was lamenting the lack of a wider variety of makeup products online when I happened to stumble across this website and I couldn’t believe my luck. The sheer variety of makeup brands took my breath away [they have recently added Givenchy!!!!!]  I have seen medplus medical outlets but I was still apprehensive about buying from this website as I couldn’t find any reviews of this website anywhere. Still, I was tempted to check this website out and here is my experience.

This is how the website looks:

This is their order details page. I couldn’t find the tracking number in the website but they send me an email with the tracking details.

They provide free shipping for orders above 300 and so I tested the waters by ordering some stuff that will get me free shipping. J  They have COD offer only within Hyderabad for now, but I hope they will extend it to the rest of India as well.

They send the package via Bluedart and it promptly reached me the 3^rd day. This is how the package looked. The logo was printed on all sides of the cardboard box.

All the items were bubble wrapped together and they also left an invoice copy inside.

The best thing IMHO is the range of brands this website provides. I was so happy to see most of the Bourjois products, Diana of London and some other brands which I couldn’t find locally. I do wish they’d add some sales and discounts and offers etc, but they have a value point system in place, which I am not very sure of. 

Another good thing is the makeover application they have [see the snap shot]. I got a Tips and Toes luster lipstick based on the shade the model was wearing but unfortunately it turned out much darker than the shade in the picture [but thankfully a nice shade for winter, so I am okay!].

On the whole, this is another website I am gonna watch out for and I hope they will add more sales offers  and make it interesting for buyers. J

My recent IMBB posts

Hi,

Check my latest IMBB posts!

Revlon Vital Radiance Moisture boosting lip color in Melon 020
http://makeupandbeauty.com/revlon-vital-radiance-moisture-boosting-lipcolor-melon-020/

Tips and Toes Eye pencil in Jade Green
http://makeupandbeauty.com/tips-and-toes-eye-pencil-jade-green-review/

Review: NYC blushable creme stick in Plaza pink

Hi Everyone,

This is a nice one from NYC and i unfortunately picked the wrong shade.
Check my review in IMBB here.

Review: Khadi Vit E Hair Cleanser Soap bar

This was an impulse buy and unlike my other impulse buys, I dont regret this at all!!
It has the most lovely scent that a hair cleanser can provide or so my husband claims.. :)

The ingredient list is not that clear but I am not bothered as this is a Khadi product. Now as a pure cleanser, this doesnt work that well cause it makes even my inherently oily hair rough and frizzy. 

I use this after my hair cleansing. I just rub it briefly over hair to get a mild lather and then wash it off.

Always remember to condition if you are using this, else you are going to curse this all the way.

An alternative is to use a mild hair potion like silk and shine which is non-fragrant.

The cost is INR 55 and it lasts for a long time also. This is a nice product if used as a "perfume for hair".. :)

Review: VOV Dupe products in market!!!!!

I think VOV, M.A.C and Loreal are 3 brands which must have 1000s of dupes in market. I have seen M.A.C eyeliners in stores for 150INR, so you can guess how much of a "MAC" it is!

Check this VOV dupe I found in a store in Kerala. I picked this up just out of curiosity, mainly cos it was just 120INR. Well, as you can guess, I dont use this product except when I am doing experiments which I do on my arm.

It contains a mirror + foundation + shimmer powder, which can be used for setting.

Can you see anything from the powder swatch? No? that is cause it is useless and doesnt show!

All I have say is, BEWARE of DUPES!!! There is nothing like WOW-products for WOW-price..its always WOW-products for "OH-MY" price :)

Review: VOV Glamshine Liquid liners in 3 shades - Gold, green and red

Hi Everyone,

Everyone buys duds of products, but then it falls to my lot i think, to buy all the possible duds you can ever expect to find in any sale!!! :( I dont know why this happens, I can only blame Online shopping problems and trust that if I were to buy these from shop after swatching I might buy differently.

I got these from Fashion and You sale on VOV. I must say that the gold liner is decently pigmented and is a nice bright gold shade. Ruby red is also okay dokey. But the green! Wow! The most useless eyeliner you can find!
Its almost like buying cheap glitter from shop, mixing it with water and trying to apply it over your lids.

Check the pics below:

From top to bottom, the shades on the swatch are gold, ruby red and green. Notice how sheer and less pigmented the green shade looks!

 The only good point is that it is just 180rs per item but still i feel like I could have used that 360 INR for something I actually would use! What with no ingredients listed, not able to find this product in VOV website, I am very disappointed about this purchase. I think all of these are VOV dupes!!!!

Review: L'OCCITANE en Provence Cherry Blossom Heart Solid Perfume

Hi Everyone,

There is one thing I do regularly, that is check on all new makeup shopping and review sites as soon as I reach office :) shocked?
I got this beauty from a 99labels.com sale. I dont remember the exact discount I got, but most probably it was lost in the shipping+COD charge they have. It retails for INR 600.

This is what L'occitane says about the perfume:

All the delicacy and the softness of Cherry Blossoms in a heart shaped solid perfume, for fragrant touch-ups throughout the day.

You can check and buy the product if available here [It is mentioned that this is a limited edition product].
Why I love this?Hmmmm, It is a very nostalgic scent. I dab this when I feel down or when I am stressed and I feel good. It is a very flowerly smell and last for an hour or so on me. Doesnt cause any irritations. In fact I feel pampered when I use this.. :) I would definitely like to try other L'Occitane products including their Immortelle range.

Review: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner in Green Twinkle

Hi Everyone,

I love shimmer eyeliners, though i dont have much uses it for it. So when i saw this beautiful forest green shade from Revlon for sale in Healthkart, i went for it.
Please find my review on this product in IMBB here

Review: Deborah 24 Ore Eye pencil in black

Hi Everyone,

Deborah Milano is now a familiar now with any makeup lover who checks online shopping sites like Urbantouch or Healthkart. I purchased this from healthkart while they were running some offers.

Please find my review in IMBB here. 

Review: Meylon Terracotta Eyeshadow in Gray

Hi Everyone,

I am excited when i find below-100 INR-but-decent stuff in shops, when I am on an impulse purchase spree.
So when I found this eye shadow in a shop in Ooty, I didnt waste time in buying it as it was only Rs. 85.

I couldnt find the complete list of ingredients as the price sticker was covering most of it [check the pics] and I could not find any decent website or entries of this product though I have found Meylon products for sale in Fashionandyou.com, many times.

Thankfully, it had the expiry date marked clearly as "12/2013" so I am happy :)

Packaging: This is a decently sized and packaged product. I couldnt find the quantity information. Also No brushes but I guess for INR 85, all that is too much to ask for!!

This looks like baked eyeshadows that you can find for higher end products.
As you can see, there is some fallout of the powder around the edges.

Pigmentation: This is very decent and stays on without primer for around 2-3hours. I use it for instant-smokey eye effect on top of my eyeliners.

It doesnt have any reactions on my skin, but then it is very rarely that my skin shows any reaction, thank god!!!
I dont like to use this as a daily wear product but this is decent enough for occasional wear.

Rating: 8 out of 10 [-1 for no brushes and -1 for powder fallout].
Will I buy again: Hmmmmm..No..i got this is in a bronzy shade and thats it for me. I prefer not to use cheap products too much on my eyes!

Review: Online shopping with Healthkart.com

Hi Everyone,

I see so many ads of various online shopping websites and most of the time, i am tempted to buy something too, what with all the coupon codes available online and any shopaholic's motto "I am saving money by buying all this when there is a sale!!!".

So when i got this 100 Rs off coupon from Healthkart online, I didnt hesitate. I went and bought the FACES CANADA moisture rich lipstick in shade "First Lady" [will be reviewing them soon] and some other stuff.

 This is how the package looked.



It looks waterproof with all the stickers and wraps over it.


Now this is where i got the shock!! The products were just randomly kept in the card board box.
I read a review of this website in IMBB where the products were shown bubble wrapped.
I honestly hope Healthkart normally bubble wraps their product, or else I cant imagine what state things will be when they are delivered!



There was also a duplicate of the online invoice inside.



I got a referral code using which any one can get a 100rs off on their 1st purchase.
devividya6D88AV - this is the code, use it and enjoy.. :)


Rating of the website: Everything is decent except for the weird packaging and their option of free delivery only above 500 rs!
Will I use this again? Yeps, they seem to have nice products and nice offers. I hope they introduce more and more nice products, i am all for online-makeup-shopping boom, considering how difficult it is to buy makeup products outside of metros!

Review: W7 Sparkle eyeliners in Green and Pink, Photo and Swatch

Hi Everyone,

Online shopping is something I started recently and I am always on the lookout for snazzy eye makeup products, so when I found these eyeliners from W7 listed in ebay, I didn’t hesitate. Good for me! J

Product being reviewed: W7 Sparkle eyeliners in pink [shade 04] and green [shade 06]

Price: INR 199 each for 6ml of the product though I found it for sale in Amazon UK for £1.00 each and for £1.50 in fragrancedirect.

Colors available: I found around 6 shades [black, silver, gold, blue] in total in ebay and in other websites

About the company: Warpaint cosmetics Ltd., SLO 9HW, England[no website available, which is weird espl in this online-ecommerce age!]

Expiry date/Shelf Life: Not mentioned and I couldn’t check it online [checkcosmetic.net- this site is very useful espl if you’re buying things from online]

Ingredients: Aqua, butylene glycol, PVP, Acrylates/C10-30Alkyl acrylate cross polymer, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, sodium hydroxide, +/- Mica, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylates copolymer, CI 77000, CI77499, CI77891.

Weirdly enough, I found that the colorants listed for both pink and green are the same!!

I am slightly scared whenever I read all the chemicals listed espl when its to be applied over eyes. So I am categorizing things as safe and not so safe. Here it goes:

Butylene glycol (BG) (1,3-Butanediol, CAS No. 107-88-0) is a common humectant and solubilizer used in cosmetic and food preparations. – Safe [as per FDA]

imidazolidinyl urea - These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are well established as a primary cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology) – Scary!!!!!!

PVP/VA Copolymer — A petroleum-derived chemical used in hairsprays, wavesets and other cosmetics. It can be considered toxic, since particles may contribute to foreign bodies in the lungs of sensitive persons. – Okay, not great but not too bad huh!

Polyethylene Terephthalate occurs both as a transparent material and as a white, semi-crystalline material. In cosmetics and personal care products, Polyethylene Terephthalate is used in the formulation of foundations, leg and body paints, nail polish and enamels, and hair coloring products. –Safe as per FDA

Sodium Hydroxide is used to control the pH of cosmetics and personal care products – Safe as per FDA. Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a non-toxic thickener suitable for use in formulations, which demand superior appearance – Safe as couldn’t find anything seriously bad. Colorants and parabens are obviously not so good, so overall this is an okay product if not used daily.

What the product says [from website]: “Glitterize your eyes with W7 Sparkle EyeLiner. Create a dazzling effect with these amazing colours, which contains glitter for beautiful eccentric looking eyes.”

Packaging: The transparent tiny pot is cute with the long black cap and its plastic casing so no worry about breaking it [thank god, cos I dropped it already like 4 times!] The ingredients are clearly listed alongwith batchcode in the sticker attached [see pic] which I found was really good as compared to the tiny indistinguishable writings often found on the plastic cover of the products.

My experience:

This is a sparkle eyeliner and it has loads of glitter but they are not chunky or cheap-looking. I honestly didn’t expect much from a glitter eyeliner except to add some effect on top of normal eyeliners for some party makeup but this is good enough to be applied on its own with decent pigmentation. I applied this on the upper lid and did not experience any irritation. There was a mild cooling effect, a wait of 10secs and voila! the glitter liner was set. The wand applicator is very good and soft against skin, but the problem is its difficult to create thin/fine lines, but then with a sparkle liner who is going for low-key!!

Why I like this?

• Glides on smoothly to create a thick but nice line of glitter liner with decent pigmentation [the above swatch is with just 1 swipe and as you can see the color is very clear]
• Dries fast enough -10secs is all it takes
• Wand applicator is very soft and smooth
• No irritation, no heaviness of eyes and no drop-off [thank god, I hate glitter all over my face]
• Stays for upto 4-5 hours [even then no flaking or dropping off] after which I removed it with soap
• Cute and useful packaging- I hate when my makeup container breaks!
• Affordable [not sure if its cheap]

Why I should probably chuck it?

• Chemicals listed espl the urea one..
• Precision lining is difficult with the thick tipped wand
• It has a very chemically smell which is not very evident as its an eye product
• Expiry date not mentioned
• Availability- I have not seen this in shops, and I found it only in ebay so far

Finally my rating: 7 out of 10 [minus for no expiry date, for urea and for availability]
Will I buy it again: Sure, planning to buy the blue and the silver ones, after all a girl needs some glitter!!! J

Miss Claire Eyeshadow in Pink

I got this Miss Claire eyeshadow in Pink from a local store. Unfortunately the SA sold me a piece that got expired a month back, which I did not notice then.. :(
That is sooo sad since these eyeshadows are value for money at 85rs!
Look at the pics, the shadow is so nicely pigmented...
Check Neha's review in IMBB for other shades here and here

I love Michelle Phan tutorials

Recently I have started watching Youtube for makeup ideas in an attempt to stop experimenting on my skin. I admit defeat, i have no natural talent for makeup.
So when i heard about youtube gurus, i began browsing and i checked a basic foundation tutorial from Michelle Phan. The next day, i got a chance to try out things she mentioned in her video, and the result was amazing.
I got comments like "You look bright and glowing" instead "Did you put your face in a rice-powder packet? What is the matter-you are looking like an UnDead" which is very nice!!
Check her videos here

Rimmel London Lasting finish lipstick in Heather Shimmer

This was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for me..
I got this lipstick from an Ebay seller for INR 150 as they had some sale.
The seller Cosmetic Zone 2011 also has some nice revlon, bourjois and rimmel products. Check their website here. Their communication and delivery is decent enough.

I love this lipstick mainly because I didnt expect this to work and it did!
You can read my complete review here in IMBB website. My thanks to IMBB folks for teaching me lots about makeup and all those wonderful products out there!

My first post- Aura Vedic Pure Lightening Skin Polish with Turmeric and Sandalwood

Hi, This is my first review and I am excited and nervous and worried.. :) So here goes nothing...

I found Auravedic products on sale in 99labels and decided to try out after seeing some nice reviews of their products. Also words like "Herbal"," no animal testing" was enough to tempt me.

About the company [from the jar cover]: Marketed by Pure botanicas, mihir A.D.Marg, Juhu, Mumbai-49. Manufactured by Gayatri Herbals Pvt Ltd, 10-12 Palladium Industrial Estate Bldg, 72/73 Genesis Township, Kolgaon, Palghat Dist-thane.  Contact id: info@auravedic.com

This is the Auravedic website: http://www.auravedic.com/products/sandal-turmeric-skin-polish. It says no parabens, SLS, harmful chemicals and colors. This is how the product looks like:

Auravedic Skin Polish with Sandal wood and Turmeric

Its a normal fibre-plastic kinda jar with a rather cheap looking lid and wrapping..somehow i am used to seeing herbal products having an aesthic appeal in their wrapping like cute-printed covers etc etc..so this is a minor disappointment..It also has a whitish plastic lid inside the cap which prevents any spill overs.

What it claims: Pure Lightening Skin Polish with Sandal and Turmeric, For a glowing and even skin tone. Pure Skin food

Product details: INR 300 for 100gms.

Shelf Life is 2years.

Back cover- Auravedic polisher

What is written on the back cover:
"This advanced formulation is enriched with pure plant extracts to help even tone, while refining and softening skin. And its gentle enough for sensitive skin. Ideal for combination/normal-to-dry, sun damaged and uneven skin tone, discoloration and dark spots.
Usage: Scoop on to fingertips and gently massage over clean, damp skin using circular motion. Leave polish on skin for a minute before rinsing off.
No artificial colours or chemicals. Not tested on animals. Keep out of eyes.
Ingredients: Kokum butter, mango butter, beeswax, red sandal extract, turmeric extract, jojoba beads, sunflower oil, olivem 1000, oliwax, polymer granules, sandalwood fragrance, purified water, phenoxyethanol."

Auravedic skin polish

Okay, i see all these words like polisher, exfoliator, dermabrasion and i think, "okay, that is a fancy name for a scrub!".. I may be wrong here but I guess companies need their marketing language.. Anyways to the product:

Auravedic Skin food polish

First, the smell..it smells strong but kinda good..i like it..it smells partly of sandalwood and partly of something else herbal which i cannot detect.. it remains on skin for sometime but it doesnt bother me as its a mildly sweet sandalwood scent.
Next the feel of the product.. it has 2 type of butters plus beeswax..so its veryyyyy creamy..the granules are tiny and doesnt hurt skin.. i dont feel "scrubbed" so much when i massage this over face.. but it does leave my face soft, moisturized and glowing.. YAY!!!!  I have added this as part of my night-regime after cleansing for the last one week. I dont use a moisturizer after this. It doesnt need much quantity to use it for a single wash, so i think this will stay for some time.
Auravedic also provides international shipping on demand i believe.
So finally:
Why i love this:

• Nice scrub for sensitive skin, leaves skin clean and fresh
• no need to use moisturiser
• Does impart a glow
• Love the smell
• Natural ingredients-luv that list!

What i hate:

• Tacky packaging! honestly they could do better!
• Smell is a tad strong for sensitive noses.
• I have not seen any lightening effect so far, except a nice glow after wash, but may be in long term smthing myt show

Will i buy again? hmmm... may be when this finishes [around 2012 no doubt] and if i dont find a more interesting one..