TAG: The Wanderlust Tag.

Heyy guysss,

Yes another Tag post, but I promise the next post will be devoted to the Rimmel Appocalips. I have finally made my decision about them. Keep a watch out to know whether I like them or just simply dislike them. Okay back to the Tag, I saw Essiebutton do this tag and then Miss Glamarazzi and Catrific too.. And I loved the answers so I figured why no give it a go too! So here it is:

QUESTIONS:
------------
1. Your most treasured passport stamp?

   Uhmm, I think I am going to go with France as it was a much awaited trip and I thoroughly enjoyed my new years at the Eiffel Tower. *swoon*


2. Can you recite your passport # from memory if asked?

    Absolutely, Although i wouldn't share it here! (hey! People could rob my identity! lol, no but seriously i can't post it for security reasons.)


3. Preferred method of travel; planes, trains or automobiles?

Airplanes! I hate cars as I feel like I can't move around and am stuck to one particular seat and trains are a no because they take too much time as compared to planes.
 
4. Top 3 travel items?

Travel Makeup Kit (sooo expected!), A Good Reading Book, Laptop (hooray for free hotel internet!)

5. Hostel or hotel?

Hotel is a better option for someone like me with OCD

6. Are you a repeat visitor or do you explore new places?

I would say explorer, although I sometimes do go back to my most loved places.

7. Do you read up on your destination (culture,history,safety) or do you wing it?

I am a reader! I hate surprises and want to know everything in advance, so I read up and also once I reach the destination and we go to the hotel, I am one of those girls that picks up all the little flyers and city maps from the reception/travel desk and hold on to them till I am on my way back home.

8. Favorite travel website?

I love getting amazing vacation packages from http://www.LuxuryLink.com/

Also on a side note, Once I am at my holiday destination I love looking up on Yelp which is an app on my iPhone to look up local restaurants or sightseeing or even shopping areas. Yelp is the best! 

9. Where would you recommend a friend to visit? Name city & why.

London, of course! For those that know me, know that I have practically grown up there. Learnt all my important life lessons and all that *yeahright* Honestly I think London is such an amazing city! I love the atmosphere and love how diverse it is, from  utmost luxury in kensington and chelsea to street pani puris and dhoklas *typicalgujju* at Wembley! This city has my heart! Did I mention the shopping? Lets just say its fantabulous as if I start to describe it in detail, your looking at a PHD thesis right here!

10, You're leaving tomorrow, money is no option, where are you going?

Uzbekistan ;) 




So that was the tag and my answers. I would love for you all to do this tag and send me a link so I can stalk you.. lol I would really love to know your answers. 


xx

Shivani.

Product Review: Lush Grease Lightning.

Lush Grease Lightning Review

I have being using this product for quite a while now and thought I should share this with you as it is the only acne controlling and soothing product that has worked for me so far from the 1 gazillion products I have tried. Now for a recap my skin is not acne prone but changing weather and that time of the month can do "wonders" *sarcasm* for my skin.This product is a spot treatment for acne and its main ingredients are tea tree, witch hazel and aloe vera. The main contents of this product are:

• Tea tree is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and is routinely used as an alternative to benzoyl peroxide. 
• Witch hazel promotes blood circulation and thus acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. 
• Aloe vera (which can also be taken orally for acne) helps accelerate healing because it provides skin with the "scaffolding" needed to repair itself quickly.

The product comes in a bottle with a spray like nozzle that dispenses just enough product. The product comes out as a clear gel. Its not sticky and has the fragrance of tea tree oil which people may or may not like, personally for me, I love it. Due to the Tea Tree in the product when you apply it to the face it has a little tingling effect which also I do enjoy. The tingling sensation does not really last for long. 

Morning after, I feel like my acne has considerably become less of a huge deal on my face and my face hasn't dried out or become flaky. I love that it doesn't dry up my skin but works towards drying out my pimple. But let me tell you it works better on moderate acne rather than cystic or extreme acne conditions. Therefore quite honestly I cannot judge how great or how effective this maybe for severe acne as I have not really been in that situation. 

While reading up on the lush site about this product I also realized that apart from the 3 ingredients mentioned above there are some other great ingredients in this product which are so good for your skin such as thyme, lavender, rosemary, sea water and grape juice.

I think this product is love and I am absolutely positive that this is my holy grail treatment for acne and a great alternative to salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as my skin is super duper sensitive. 

Have you tried the Lush Grease Lightning? What are your thoughts? If not, whats your go-to product for zit zapping?

xx

Shivani

Product Review: MAC Lustre Drops Pink Rebel & Sun Rush.

Product Review: MAC Lustre Drops Pink Rebel & Sun Rush.

Heyyy guys,

MAC Lustre Drops Pink Rebel

MAC Lustre Drops in Sun Rush

Lets get straight to the point, a lot of you know that I used to have a youtube channel before this blog but I decided to shut it down as I shifted to India and did not know what was next on the cards for me, well while I still had that channel MAC UK sent me a few products from their collections at that time which I did not really use or even swatch for a while, but I have rediscovered them after attempting to clean my makeup closet!  The two products are you can read from the title are their lustre drops. The Sun Rush lustre drops are a part of their regular collection whereas Pink Rebel make an entry and exit pretty often. The Pink Rebel in the UK is available at the moment in their Baking Beauties Collection and was launched in a couple of collections before that (Summer 2009 To The Beach Collection and a few others since) I really do hope MAC India brings this product as I think its just a fantastic product and its multipurpose.

First up for discussion is the MAC Lustre Drops in Sun Rush. This beautiful rich golden product has a smooth, creamy and even texture. This stuff, mixed in with your favorite foundation can turn your matte finish to an instant glow (very Kim Karadashian-esque) in seconds. The Lustre drops have a pearl finish and when mixed in with your favorite foundation look glamourous yet in no way does it effect the color of the foundation itself, so don’t worry about that (as long as you don’t apply too much of course!!). It just makes your skin look more sun-kissed, more dewy and glowing. It’s like the best of both worlds! The MAC website describes it as a bronzer but I think its more of a highlighter. I use Sun Rush mixed in with my tinted moisturizer and apply evenly all over my face with the beauty blender and it looks amazing! 

    

With Flash                                             Without Flash

 

MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel: Now, now there is a lot of confusion about this product. One SA told me that this product will be added to their permanent collection while one told me it’s a part of their Baking Beauties Collection and will be limited edition but launched quite frequently. Either way I'm happy to have it as long as it gets re launched after every 4-5 collections. The pink rebel has a pink base with golden shimmer. This product is amazing as it can be used as a highlighter but on days when you want bright eyes and lips , you can tone your makeup down on the cheeks by using this as you blush and highlighter and it works perfectly well. It gives your cheeks a pinkish glow. I am undecided whether I would mix this in with a foundation though as it may mess up the yellow tone in my foundation and make my face look whiter or pinkish-ghostly. But as a highlighter & blush this is fantastic.  

 

With Flash                                            Without Flash

 

Rating: 

Product: 5/5

Consistency: 5/5

Range: 2/5 (They discontinued a darker bronze and a lighter bronze shade) 

Availablity in India: Available to order in India from  OrderMakeupUK.

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/ordermakeupuk/)

Have you tried the MAC Lustre Drops? What do you think of them?

xx

Shivani

Tag: My Seven Deadly Beauty Sins!

TAG: My Seven Deadly Beauty Sins

I saw Renu from My Beauty Junction (links to her blog below) do this tag and I absolutely enjoyed reading it and thought I should give it a go too! So here it is..

1. GREED: What is your most expensive beauty item?

    I have a couple actually, (Yes, Yes we all know now that I have no self control) Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick which cost me £ 31 each, Tom Ford Lipsticks which cost me £ 36 each.

2. WRATH: Which beauty item do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Bronzer for sure! I sometimes love the way they make my face look but if I ever use it in a hurry I look like I've slapped on mud on my face and start to detest them. Another one would be mascara although I love how it makes my lashes look I hate the painful procedure I endure taking it off!

3. GLUTTONY: What brand makes up the biggest chunk of your make up collection?

   MAC, well what can I say! MAC has some of the best eye shadows that I know of and I love how one palette can provide for all my eyeshadow needs for a holiday or just in general.

4. SLOTH: What product do you neglect to use due to laziness?

Face Primer & Eyelid Primer, Okay I have to admit I am always in a hurry to get ready whether its day to day or for an event, so I always end up skipping primer!

5. PRIDE: Which beauty product gives you the most confidence?

Lipstick for sure, I love how it makes my bold lips strike out or how nude lips tone down my heavy done up eyes. I love how it brings a whole look together and makes my makeup feel complete.

6. LUST: Which item is at the top of your beauty wish list?

Burberry Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation, I think its time I place an order with OrderMakeupUK (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ordermakeupuk/) *lol*

7. ENVY: What make up product / look looks great on others but not on yourself?

Light Pink - Neon Pink lipsticks or very dark Berry colored 

lipsticks! Cream Blush!

So there you go, let me know what you think of these and also your 7 answers. I would like to tag anyone who would want to do this tag as well! 

Check out Renu's post: http://mybeautyjunction.blogspot.in/2013/05/my-seven-deadly-beauty-sins.html

Thats all for now! Another post (product review) coming up soon! <3

xx

Shivani.

Product Review: NYX Matte Lipstick in Bloody Mary

Product Review: NYX Matte Lipstick in Bloody Mary

Hey guys, I know I should post more often and not leave you waiting for a post after a huge haul post. I will become better at this in due time. Anyway getting back to the blog post. I'd like to share my views on the NYX Matte Lipstick in Bloody Mary. This product was given to my by sister who thought it would be a perfect shade for me and boy was she right. I absolutely love this shade and how it looks on me.  I love the consistency of this lipstick and although matte it doesn't dry out my lips at all which is the best part. Well done nyx!

The best part about these lipsticks are that they are super pigmented! The color payoff was actually really amazing. The lipstick goes on creamy but sets matte after a few minutes. Although this is a matte lipstick its not like a few others that look ultra matte but this has a little bit shine (not noticeable) As mentioned above they really do feel moist, and don't make my lips feel tight or dry so I am absolutely in love with it.

    Without Flash                                                     With Flash

The packaging of the product is pretty decent too. Its not like the other burberry or tom ford lipsticks I own but I have to say its pretty neat and sturdy. I like that it has a clear bit in the middle that helps you identify the color. That will be useful once I lay my hands on the other colors I have been eyeing. 

The lasting power is another thing I have to mention, this lipstick without a lipliner lasts for hours, works it way through meals and still stays put without any bleeding, fading, staining or drying up! I was pleasantly surprised! I wore this out the other day and the lipstick felt very comfortable the entire time and did not even stain my lips! (yaay! no pink teeth!) I absolutely love it and can't wait to try the other colors. I've seen a couple of them some coral, some bright pink and some true reds! 

Here is a picture of me wearing it to the football game! Loved it! And it matched the color of the team I support! ;)

Pros:

Very Pigmented
Matte
Not drying on the lips at all
very moisturizing
No bleeding
Comfortable wear

Cons:

Can't think of any!

Availability: Available to order in India via https://www.facebook.com/groups/ordermakeupuk/

Have you tried any of the NYX Matte lipsticks? What did you think of them?

Huge Haul!

Huge Haul!

(need to come up with a better name for such posts!)

Hey guys! So as it is already an established fact, I have no self restraint when it comes to makeup shopping! I went on a bit of a shopping spree over the last month and half to treat myself for finishing my masters coursework!! And boy was I happy!!! Yess indeed,  as I type this up my mind is squealing with all the happiness and I am so eager to play with, swatch and review these products for you! Please understand why this may be a picture heavy post! I will list all the things I got below for your convenience... Please note that blog post is in no way my attempt to brag or show off about the products I bought but its is intended just to share what you can expect from future blog posts and your views on the products I have could and/or should get.

So lets get started...!

So that is everything I got for now ;)  Please look at the list of products below and let me know what you like best and want to see a review for first!!


Products : (in no particular order)

1) Batiste Dry Shampoo for dark and deep brown hair.
2) Real Techniques Shading Brush
3) Soap and Glory Hand Food
4)Benefit Go Tropicoral kit
5) Benefit Benetint
6) Benefit Bella Bamba blush
7) Natural Collection blush in peach melba & pink cloud
8) Sleek blush in Life's a peach and Rose gold
9) Bourjois healthy mix serum foundation in no 56
10) Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks in 16 & 22
11) Maybelline Color Sensational in 910 Shocking Coral, 175 Pink Punch & 630 Red Revolution.
12) Rimmel Stay Matte Powder  in 005 silky beige
13) Bourjois delice de poudre Bronzing Powder in no 52
14) Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight
15) Stilla lip gloss in raspberry
16) New Revlon Lip Butters in Wild Watermelon, Juicy Papaya, Sorbet & Pink Lemonade
17) L'oreal Caresse Lip tint in 300 Juliet & 200 Princess
18) Rimmel Appocalips ( all shades)
19) Rimmel soft kohl in 071 pure & Rimmel Scandal eyes waterproof kohl kajal in 01 black, 04 taupe & 05 nude
20) Rimmel Scandal Eyes Shadow Stick in 003 Bad Girl Bronze
21) Sleek Lip color in Papaya Punch
22) MUA Eye Palette in Undress me too & Glitterball
23) Sleek Eye Palette (i-Divine) in Ultra Mattes v2 Darks & Snapshots
24) Sleek Blush By 3 in 367 Lace
25) Stilla Eyeshadow in Kitten



Whew! That took a while to type up! Hope you are just as excited for the product reviews and swatches as I am.. Let me know your favorite product below and which one you want me to review first! Also you can order all the products mentioned above via

xx
Shivani

Product Review: La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

La Roche Posay is well known skin care brand and their product lines are simply amazing and cater to all skin types. If you have been there, heard about all the rants and ravings about this so called 'miraculous' product already, then this might give you the last push you need. If you're completely unaware that this exists, then it's surely worth a read.I personally wanted to try the Effaclar Duo as every youtube-r and their mother are raving about this product and how wonderful it is. 

A little back up: My skin type is dry to combination depending on weather conditions but mostly dry! I suffer from the occasional breakouts which even when untouched tend to leave behind a little nasty scar! (hello bff concealer!) Also I also experience some redness (uk weather related) on my cheek area especially in the mornings and if the weather gets too cold outside. 

Back to the product- The packaging is so classy and cool! I love the posh feeling of the tube. It comes with a screw on cap and a small sized nozzle inside which does dispense pretty little product but thats just perfect as you don't really need much anyway.

Consistency: I love that this product is so lightweight. When I apply this on my face, it feels super light, fresh and clean (hate creams that make my face feel sticky!) When I took a close look at this product I noticed very very tiny white beads that dissolve into the skin when the cream is applied. 

Understanding what this cream did to my facial skin at first was kind of difficult, it did control my abruptions and kinda make my face feel normal after my skin being dull for weeks before that but I didn't think it was doing wonders, but then again I was just being impatient. I have used the cream for almost 3 weeks now and I can now say I absolutely love it!! It has started making my skin feel hydrated but not to oily, it has worked on making my skin look fabulous and has brought back a glow and that nourished looking skin after long! I can finally wave goodbye to my dull, tired and dry skin! This may soon become my holy grail skin cream. I do recommend you wear a moisturizing SPF over it though! 

Although this cream is a little bit expensive it is worth it as you need only the tiniest amount and a little bit goes a long way! Every morning I squeeze out a pea sized amount and gently massage it into my skin. Wait for a few minutes and then do my regular makeup. If I am feeling luxurious I even treat my skin to it in the evening and I love how my skin feels the next morning! 

Final Verdict: I absolutely love this product and will continue to purchase it, my skin loves and I couldn't be happier with it. I also want to try some of their other products so watch out for a post 
about that soon :)

You can buy this product from Boots in the UK or you can get from OrderMakeupUK at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ordermakeupuk/

Ratings:

Product: 5/5
Consistency: 5/5
Price: 4/5

Have you tried this Effaclar Duo? Let me know what you think..

xx
Shivani