Review: Sleek Makeup Limited Edition Caribbean Collection Blush in shade Aruba

I got this beauty from a friend in UK and the first thing that came to my mind when I swatched it is - Darn, why dont we have brands like this in India and why dont brands like these ship economically to India!!!
I love this blush- that is the summary.. :)

Now for the details - Sleek is a UK based brand and this blush was part of their LE, so it is not available now in their website. A good alternative seems to be their Blush By Three shade in Pumpkin - I dont have this, so cant really commit.

This color is a bold in-your-face orange and I just absolutely love it! :) I have not seen such a bold shade for blushers anywhere else and if my friend hadnt gifted me this, I am not sure I would have got as this looks a bit intimidating to try.

The blush is superbly pigmented[the above pic shows color from a single swipe] and blends beautifully. As with any bold color, I apply this by layering and blending and layering again till I get the color effect I hope for. I admit that this is not a shade for everyone- this shade suits the darker skin toned ladies [wooohooooo! :)] The fairer your skin tone, the sheerer your application must be.

This is a blush strictly for Summer/Day/Beach/Outdoor wear. It is matte, so I wouldnt suggest this for a party-kinda application.Overall, I love this blush and I am planning to get some more from Sleek at the next chance.

Review: Gokul Sandiva Face Powder

I find it easier to review a product by matching what the maker claims as opposed what is actually the result - if a product doesnt claim to be long-stay, why rate it bad for staying power! So, I will make my review short and sweet [not very!] for this product.

Gokul is a South Indian brand that is famous for its talc powder; I remember my aunt using it on her face religiously after a bath. I have fond memories of this brand, so when I was in a retail store in Chennai and found this product, I was much intrigued and didnt hesitate to buy this. For around 100 bucks, it was not a costly experiment and I felt that any foray into makeup world by Indian brands should be encouraged....

This is what the product claims [from medplusbeauty website] :

Gokul Sandiva Sandalwood face powder is a natural make up made from pure sandalwood, saffron, rose extracts, sandal oil and natural minerals. This therapeutic blend works all day to give you a clear, glowing complexion. The natural fragrance of sandalwood enhances your mood and keeps you feeling fresh all day.

The words like Sandal, natural makeup, saffron etc got me real excited and I kinda hoped for a mineral-makeup effect from this powder. So much for my great expectations. Let me start by comparing what they say against what I got:

1.   natural make up made from pure sandalwood, saffron, rose extracts, sandal oil and natural minerals - Makeup? Not at all... Makeup is something that is something to be a layer on your face, giving an effect... so sandal-colored-talc-powder :- not really makeup at all. Again for a product that claims to be completely natural, I would have expected a complete listing of ingredients - not so!

2.  clear, glowing complexion - Again, no! How do they expect a talc powder to provide clear glowing complexion??? On layering the product, I got a whitish cast -  that is not glowing complexion! 

3. Sandal fragrance - yeah, got that right!

The packaging is nice, with a gold color lid, but the product fall out is very high. The texture of this powder is very rough, it actually felt harsh on my skin. It doesnt apply well, it is not a makeup product- its not even a good talc! The only use I derive from this product, is as a setting powder if I dont find anything else to do the job!  

Review: Diana of London Pure Addiction lipstick in shade Pink Dawn

When I was a teenager, the only makeup brand[s?] available or about which there was some information was Lakme, Revlon was high-end and if you are looking for other options, some shady brands in cheap plastic packaging...Now my cousins debate over which brand product is more good in terms of lip color payoff and I must say, I am lovin it.. !!! :)

Enough of nostalgia; about Diana of London - I have couple of lip products from them- 2 lipsticks and a lipcream. I have no like for the lip cream but I do like their lipsticks very much. DoL is a brand which is a bit confusing especially if you check their website - I mean, whats with Diana and London, when the company Maxcare is supposedly based in Dubai or Pakistan [I dont know exactly where!]. Also, I find it kinda bugging that no contact details are given anywhere in the website- hmmmm.... One good thing I got from website is that they apparently dont test on animals - yaaayy!!!

About the product- Let me start by saying this : DoL folks, KUDOS for the awesome packaging! Seriously! I absolutely like the fact that they got the idea that we ladies would like some color other than black or brown or even silver. The carton [sorry I dont have it here] is designed in the same color theme as the lipstick casing - a red/silver combo that is beautiful.I have only 2 complaints regarding the packaging -
1. No expiry date     2. No shade details

Regarding the product, this is what the company says -
" Its ultra soft texture provides feeling of lightness & absolute comfort. 
  Luminous & excellent color patoff. 
  Velvety finish with vitamin E & anti-ageing properties.
  For a perfect finish, outline your lips with a lip liner selecting a shade similar to the lipstick shade chosen, and fill in with Pure Addiction lipstick."
 And yes, the misprint "patoff" is also displayed proudly in the company website as well... :) Some one tell them about the invention called Spell Check!

Its easier to measure a lipstick by checking if it delivers on the promise- after all, you cannot rate a lippie bad for color-stay when the product doesnt claim to be long stay! So, starting from the claims:
1. Ultra soft, light, comfy - True, this lippie glides on very softly, is nicely creamy and gives a good coat of color in 1 swipe

 2. Luminous - No idea what the marketing team meant here! If they were trying to say this gives a glossy finish, I do agree- you dont need a gloss unless your lips dry out fast. But if they are saying, it is shimmery - no it is not! 

3. Excellent Color Payoff  - Agree, it gives a nice coating in 1 swipe, though the color does come off a tad bit sheer, but it is buildable 

4. Velvety finish with Vit E & Anti ageing properties - Agree on the 1st, Vit E- not sure and Anti-ageing? Really? How do I even check if my lipstick does anti ageing? And if it claims to be Anti ageing, shouldn't it have an SPF? Anyways, I dont bother about it since, I always use a lip balm.

So I guess this lippy delivers most of what it promises and I would really love to check other shades. This shade is a pinkish red with blue tones that is a tad bit bright bubble-gummy pink for my lips... Pink lippies with blue tones suits fairer skin tones [skin tones with a rose undertone] better than for me with my yellow-toned skin.  I have recently started reading some books on Makeup and I may be sprouting some gyan soon.. :)

And regarding the other factors: No bad scent, non irritant, short color-stay [1-2hours], doesnt settle on fine lines, feathers a bit and is more suited for day wear than night.

So verdict - If you like creamy lip colors and dont mind re-touching lipstick, then go for this range. They have some nice variety of colors, so enjoy! :)
You can get them usually on some nice discount at Medplus.

Review: Colorbar Eye shadow in shade Flirt

Once again I start with a disclaimer: I am not a fan of eye shadows...

Yes, I know -its absolutely stupid considering eyes are one feature that everyone can so beautifully play up... There is no excuse except that I am freakishly health conscious about anything to do with eyes...

I prefer to keep them clean, I try to minimize use of any eye product other than kajals..

I regularly throw out even unused mascaras if they so much as cross the 6month line..

So it is pretty unusual for me to use eye shadows except when the occasion demands it... I prefer to stick to safe colors like brown-gold-silver-khaki even when I am buying an eyeshadow. So I surprised myself when I got this brilliant blue shade from Colorbar , a brand which I like very much. When I got it, the price was around 250, now its 300, so buy from this range asap, cos Colorbar raises its prices very very fast!! :(

Check out the shades available at Medplusbeauty, they update their stocks pretty well.

Back to the product details: I like CB's silver packaging - a change from usual black. And it is packaged pretty well since you can easily see the color of eyeshadow. It has a good mirror if you bother enough to flip open the bottom lid. The only down part is the completely useless brushes they provide- is it that costly to add a nice brush with your product???? 

The color is a brilliant sea blue with beautiful shimmer.. words dont do justice to this, I hope the swatches will help. The pigmentation is just awesome - the swatches are from 1 swipe of the product, so be light with your application. The texture is soft and applies beautifully; no complaints there. No fall-outs and it doesn't need a primer- it stays easily for 3-4 hours [beyond which I usually never wear an eye product continuously, so dont know if it stays longer]  I only wish I'd gotten more colors of this range before I left India.

For eye shadow this pigmented, its easy to apply with your fingers by tapping slightly starting with your upper lash line area and going up. Do not take it beyond crease line, keep maximum pigmentation for the outer corners to give that cat eyed effect.

The only problem I face with this color is - it doesnt suit me! There, plain as I say :( which is really sad since it is very beautiful. This or most blue shades are for very light or dark skin tones - doesn't suit medium fair to fair skin tones. Blue has a way of showing up your skin color - on very fair skin, it gives that ethereal glow or summer glow based on the depth of application; on darker skin shades, it gives that exotic look which is what is intended with the shade; on medium skin tones, it is just blahhhhh... :( It just looks so out of place; I would be very happy if anyone can tell me a way to make this look good.

It doesnt give a wintery or summery effect...it just looks weird... For medium-fair to fair skin tones, go for dark olive greens and purple shades... unless you just wanna play with colors, in which case any colors would be great.. :) :)

Would I buy again? Not this shade, but from this range -definitely!! :)

Review: Incolor Glame Shine Lip color in shade 20 Brick

Ok, 1st of all a disclaimer: I am not a gloss lover, I use it only and only for some party/events or on a night out when the costume demands a bit of shine.. Else I am a lipstick girl.. so, if you're a gloss lover, you may be more enthusiastic about this product than I am... Still, here are my thoughts on this..

Starting with why I bought: When I first starting trying out with glosses, I got a standard pinkish-roseish shimmer shade from Maybelline with brown undertones [way back in 2005] and it was such a flop! I felt that it made me look ridiculous...The color and effect looked more suited for a barbie-girl kinda cutie, than for anyone with a more mature features.. Since then, I have changed my tune and there are glosses especially from Lotus, which I like enough. This one from Incolor, is a reddish gloss [may look a bit orangeish in pics] - a shade I long wanted to try.

About Incolor: Website [no idea], Brand details [???] available online with select retailers like Snapdeal, Flipkart, Fashionandyou at times.. . Difficult to believe that a company with no background info exists nowadays!

About the product: Glame [?] Shine lip color comes in a sturdy nicely packaged casing. I like the soft wand as well. The product doesn't have any discernible scent. Expiry date is given [got to look carefully] which is  a huge PLUS! Almost all details are there, except for any details regarding the company..wonder why they wish to hide so much!

The lip gloss is sheer with reddish tint and red-blue shimmers. The shimmers are not harsh and looks good on lips. In fact, the gloss doesn't give anything on lips more than a subtle highlight which I totally like. I prefer my lipstick to show the color.. :)

The gloss applies decently enough, is not sticky [which I doubly like after having bought a sticky one thats worse than a glue!!! -review soon] and has an average staying power of 1-2hours without food[ after all, which one does!!!] Overall, I like it well enough.. It does what it says in its name - glam[e?] shine and should suit most skin tones. In fact if you have lighter lips, this could be your coral lip gloss for the summer, assuming you can buy it from store or online...

PS: Not adding any "Suggested Makeup" as this is not a commonly or even easily available product

Review: Young Discovers Youthopia lipstick in shade Petal 323

I thought I would round up today's blog posts with the review of my favorite nude lipstick - yes, I have a favorite nude lipstick, in spite of my lack of trust in nude shades.. :)

This is from Young Discovers Youthopia- a desi brand with a unique take on cosmetics, I will be reviewing their foundation soon. You can know more about the brand here

I was amazed to find a lipstick that claimed to contain ghee [clarified butter] and didnt believe it for a second, but one whiff of the lipstick - and I am transported to my mom's kitchen while she is making my favorite ghee sweet. I have a sweet spot for this lipstick just for that 1 point. Pretty sure, this scent will appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth.. :)

The bullet size is shorter than normal lipstick bullet size and I personally like it. The black casing is sleek and shiny - however I do wish companies will use the casing/packaging to indicate the color of lippy inside.

Its supposed to be a patented product and I like that they have added a wide range of shades. I decided to test this and just got 1 shade, a decision which I regret now that I am abroad and cannot get hands on more of these goodies.

The ingredients are really good and I like the way it applies on my lips. It is a bit waxy but as you apply it gets smoother and gives a nice even layer pretty easily. The color is creamy nude-ish pinkish brown with a red under tone. On my lips, due to underlying violetish pigmentation it shows up as a pinkish nude, but on fairer lips it might be a peachy nude. This is one nude shade that I would say will suit Indian skin tones- nudes usually look good only on very-fair to fair complexions and on very even skin tones and require superb makeup. Even with this shade, I apply a light layer of brownish or pinkish gloss for a brightening effect.

Dry lips needs lip balm before you apply this lipstick but it is not drying as such and doesnt settle in fine lines. It doesnt stay much long, only around 1-2 hours but then the company doesnt claim that it will. In fact, I like that the brand stresses on the goodness of the ingredients and the claims are in line with the effect of these ingredients - a refreshing change from many brands with tall claims!

I like their lipstick and the foundation, I hope they will add more products to their range like blushes etc.

Will I re-purchase: Of course, as soon as I get a chance.

Review: Physicians Formula Needle-Free Plump Potion Plumping Lipstick in shade Mauveberry Potion 1166

Physicians Formula is one of the cruelty-free brands I am interested in trying out while abroad. Its available in many local stores, but I rarely find any interesting lip products but their bronzers/blushers etc look interesting enough.

I got this one from a local bargain sale and when I checked in PF website, I found that it was no longer listed. However you can learn more about the product here.

This is whats mentioned about the product in Drugstore website:

Instant Results! in 60 Seconds

1. Instant Plumping Effect
2. Instant Shaping & Contouring
3. Instant Hydrating & Smoothing

Younger, Smoother & Fuller Looking Lips with Continued Use!

• High Color Impact!
• Long-Lasting Wear!
• Hypoallergenic
• Fragrance Free
• Dermatologist Approved
• Instant Plumping Effect

Needle-Free Results Instantly!

• Fuller, plumper looking lips without painful injections or harsh irritating ingredients in only 60 seconds!
• Instant and long-term effects with visible and dramatic results.
• Younger-looking, smoother lips over time.

3x Effect

1. Instant Effect!
   Lips appear fuller in 60 seconds
2. Instant Effect!
   Redefines Lip Shape & Contour Instantly
3. Instant Effect!Hydrates & Smoothes Lips Instantly

Our Secret Cocktail RecipeUnique, high-tech cocktail of non-irritating ingredients instantly transforms lip's appearance, contour, size and color.

• Dehydrated Hyaluronic Acid Microspheres - immediately smooth lip surface and rehydrate the skin creating a barrier to keep moisture locked in.
• Instaplump™ PF - exclusive blend of patented ingredients, creates a more colorful and voluptuous appearance for enhanced definition.
• Active Tri-Peptide Blend - known to boost natural collagen production, helps lips appear fuller for a long-term effect.  With regular use lips feel softer and appear smoother and younger, fine lines seem to disappear.

Beauty Meets Science

• Richly pigmented formula delivers long-lasting high-color impact and shine.
• Moisture-rich, cushiony smooth texture provides comfortable all day wear.
• Lips look and feel fuller, smoother, sexier!

Made in USA from domestic and foreign parts.

Here is my experience with the product:

Packaging:

Its good, looks nice but nothing special, though I like the pink casing better than the boring black.

As with all products you get abroad, this one also has no expiry dates mentioned. The ingredient list is both impressive and long.

Application:

I didnt expect much from it, I am not a fan of tall claims of 'plumping' etc etc, but I am quite impressed by this lipstick. I dont know much about the claim of plumping effect or whether it actually worked for anyone, but I could definitely notice a very smooth glossy look on my lips even without any gloss or lip balm added. 

The color is a nice mauvish pink shade that barely suits my complexion and would look better on women of fairer skin. Its definitely not a shade I'd recommend for darker skins.

I have a pretty decent lip shape so I dont know about the claim of instant contouring etc, but this one doesnt feather, doesnt need lip liner/gloss and kept my lips pretty well moisturised for around 1-2 hours. The color is not deeply pigmented, more sheer in application but can be built and lasts for around 2-3 hours and leaves a pretty tint on fading.

The fragrance is mildly minty and refreshing -I like it!

Suggested Makeup and Setting:

Any occasion, for party/events use with a gloss for an extra effect. For formal occasion, use with a darker shade lip pencil to give a more contoured effect.

Face: Keep it light and simple with highlighted cheeks [dont go for pinkish shades].

Eyes: Highlight eyes with a smoky eye effect to go with the smooth lips for a formal setting or go with a golden/silver/copper eye look for party

Repurchase? I would have definitely liked to try a more flattering shade, but unfortunately this is discontinued.. :( :( 

Review: Wet n Wild Silk Finish lipstick in shade Dark Wine 522A

I am constantly amazed by the fact that sometimes the random-est purchases prove out really good while purchases made with much care & effort doesn't end up looking that great. This is especially true for me w.r.t makeup purchases.

 



I got this lipstick as a random purchase at the local convienience store, they had an offer running for purchases above 50$ and I took this randomly off the shelf along with couple of brushes from E.L.F. I had read about some Wet n Wild lipstick reviews when I was in India & I'd seen this in local Walmarts but somehow never got into the mood for purchasing them.

Check the product details at Wet n Wild website here

Courtesy: Wet n Wild website

One main reason could be the boring grey-silver plastic packaging -that seems pretty universal whether you're buying it from India or abroad! It costs around 2-3$ here, and can get cheaper if on offer.

The lipstick has a slight fruity fragrance which I basically like- somehow I prefer a light fragrance than a completely non-scented one- makes me feel like I am using a cosmetic product as opposed to a medical one! The ingredient list is printed but the expiry date is not given as with many cosmetic products- it is a serious nuisance! I usually do a guess work for such products by throwing it out 1 year after I bought it.

Enough of the cons - just look at the color - aint that a beauty!!! I just love it, love it, love it! If you look at the website bullet color [given above] you might not like it much as it looks a shocking shimmery pink. But it is so not shimmery and the brown-based pink shade is really good, for fair-medium-wheatish complexions. I doubt if it would flatter a darker skin as these kinda shades makes darker complexions look dull, but this is especially good for those of us with medium-fair complexions.

The lipstick applies beautifully, it justifies the name 'Silky Finish' and gives a beautiful creamy look in just 1 swipe [look at the swatch above]. It brightens up my face in an instant and it is pretty good with light face makeup as it brings attention to lips taking focus off the problem areas in face. Just one word of caution - make sure your lips are exfoliated and you have applied some lip balm as it can settle in fine lines and can also dry off on your lips. It is not exactly moisturising on lips as the company claims.

It gives a magenta-ish blue-toned pink shade on my lips but then lip colors vary from lips based on underlying lip pigmentation, so on clearer lips the brown tones may be more visible. If you're very fair skinned, I suggest using this color lightly as it can be a strong color. Its not exactly a wine color as Red-tones are not very prominent, so I wouldnt suggest this for a formal setting.

Suggested Makeup and Setting:

Informal Casual[not party or event] setting, evening/night wear

Face: Use a bronzer or brown-toned blusher. Do not use pink shades as you can look like Barbie's cousin.. :)

Eyes: Go for highlighted eyes - use gold, silver, bronze shades preferably without any shimmer or glitter. A metallic eye makeup in the above shades would suit wine shades on lips really good. If you are very fair skinned, I would suggest a light bronze color eye makeup, with a dark brown eye liner.

Would I buy again- I like this color, I like the lipstick but I am not a faithful shopper unless the product impresses me reallllyyyy well.. :)

Review: Chambor Truly Lasting lipstick in shade Truly Terracotta 911

Today I am reviewing a staid color - Truly Terracotta from Chambor's Truly Lasting lipstick collection. You can read all about the collection here

The color is displayed as shown below in Chambor website.

Courtesy: Chambor website

You can buy this range online from Medplusbeauty.com at around 530 INR. I have not tried this shade in store nor do I have any other shades from this range. I got this one from Ankita [Corallista] on blog sale and  you can click on the link to check her review.

The bullet design is interestingly shaped but in the same old old boring black. That's one thing I liked about Deborah Milano's lipstick which I reviewed yesterday. I wish companies would try different colors, come on, we girls like fun! One big complaint here again is that expiry date is not mentioned, nor is the ingredient list given. Its very frustrating especially when you're spending 500-600 bucks to buy a product which you're not sure is expired or not! And considering we are putting this on our mouth, companies should be more responsible about such factors :(

The lipstick is a slim bullet and nicely shaped for easy application . I like the design very much. The color is a rich creamy toffee/coffee brownish shade that applies very smoothly.

 

It has a very coconutty scent that reminds me of some coconut based sweets I have tasted as a kid but honestly I would have preferred no scent or a fruity scent. It doesnt last long for me, so I really dont get the "Truly Lasting" part. Its a nice creamy lipstick which in itself kinda negates the "lasting" part, it stays around 2hours max for me without any heavy eating or drinking. Especially, if like me you apply a lip balm, then make sure you do the "apply once -bloat once - apply again-bloat again- apply again" technique to get a better staying coating.

The good thing is the pigmentation you get in 1 swipe [as you can see from the image], it immediately gives a nice creamy look on lips and I just love it. My lips are at times darkly pigmented so it helps that this lipstick gives a nice heavy coating in 1 swipe and doesnt settle into fine lines.

The color is good for office wears and on days you are feeling quite non-adventurous & would like to play safe. It is an all-skin-color type of lipstick and though at times, it makes me feel a bit nanny-ish I like it. 

Make sure, your makeup is purrrrfect to go with this lipstick else it might highlight your problem areas.

Face makeup suggested: Formal office look with basic foundation/concealing and earthy-tones blusher [make sure its flawless]

Eye makeup suggested: Basic black smoky eye with a deeper twist for emphasis on eyes. Eyes should be your highlight with this lip color.

Will I buy again: I don't know, the price seems a bit steep and I like trying new shades and new brands but this is a nice one if you like sticking with a basic brown color from a nice brand.

Review - Deborah Milano Rosetto Light Creator Shine And Volume Lipstick Shade No 3

Okay..whewwwww...the name is a mouthful! What I'd actually call it is Deborah Milano Coral Pink Shimmer lipstick and that would be describing it nicely!!

Deborah Milano has come up with some nice products in Indian market, I have reviewed their 24 Ore Eye pencil here


Well, I was about to throw it out as I'd guestimated the expiry date for around this time [it really bugs me that cosmetic firms wont put down the expiry dates on their products!!!] then I remembered that I have not reviewed it and so here we're..

Okay, nice things first. Love the packaging! Seriously the pinkish silver innovative shape is really a welcome change from boring old black bullet. Kudos to Deborah and hope others will take a note here!

This is a nice coral pink color lipstick that has enough Shimmer in it to justify the name light creator. When swiped, it gives a natural yet shiny salmon pink c color that looks so good on fair skinned girls. It'll look good on girls with really dark skin as well.

If you are a medium wheatish skin toned lady, you might want to stay away from such colors cos believe me, it will make you look sallow and dull and that we don't want and this is from personal experience...

In my opinion this is not a winter or night color. It is a good Summer color and will look good with a beach maxi. :-) But here again my uneven-or-wheatish-skin toned buddies, Stay Away!!!!!This is one of those dangerous colors which looks really yum and tempts us to put it on and then make us regret we did! :(


But my major complaint with this lip stick is that it applies so unevenly, that I've to actually massage my lips to get this over properly. Staying power is also poor, 1-2 hours if no food in between. But then they don't claim it so its fine I guess.
Verdict- Not for me but if you like coral pink shiny lippie for fun? Check this..
I got this on some offer in healthkart.com for around 400 INR Iguess.. It is non fragrant and non irritant, mildly moisturizing and with no harsh shimmers.
I like it for that color, sad it don't suit me and that it applies so badly.