Addicted to Blush

Is lip balm addiction for real?

I can't say about you guys, but I do always need a lip balm on my lips. Or a gloss. Or a lipstick. Basically anything - even if it is regular petroleum jelly, I need to have something smooth on my lips.

There is a site lip balm anonymous that talks about lip balm addiction with the same seriousness as if it were cocain addiction. Frankly the site seems like a very bad joke, and looks like a spoof. I first saw this site two years ago but dismissed it as urban legend.

Now as it turns out, lip balm addiction does exist and it is for real. This article by the Beauty Brains explains that using lipbalm slows down the production of new moist lip skin cells as it leads the lower layer of cells to wrongly beleive that there is no need, as the surface cells are moist, therefore new, all the time.

Since the production of new moist cells is low, the lip surface largly consists of dry, dead cells. When we don't apply the lip balm, our lip skin surface st…

What it Claims: this Shampoo reinforces weakened, fragile and brittle hair by depositing a super charge of Incell. Hair is left feeling stronger, softer and shinier.

Formulated with Glycocell, a combination of Incell and royal jelly extract, Serie Expert Force Vector Shampoo works to fortify and protect the hair fibre. Used in conjunction with the accompanying masque, you’ll not only feel, but also visibly notice the difference that the advanced technology from L’Oreal Professionnel makes. Distressed, weakened hair will be left with strength, health and vitality.

Directions of use:
Distribute evenly throughout wet hair and lather. Rinse out thoroughly. Repeat the process if necessaryPrice: Rs. 400 for 250ml bottle

Available at: All L'oreal Enrich Salons, Alfa (Irla) & Beauty Centre (Khar)

Pros:
1.  This is a clear gel like shampoo that leaves my hair so soft, so supple and very smooth. I have been using this for 2 months now and have noticed that my hair is looking better. It app…

For the last 2 years or so, eye make has been in the limelight - with smokey eyes & colored mascara galore. All this meant that the lips naturally were pared down in "nude" shades.

In India too, most girls like to go for the strong kajal eyed look, which for day time is paired with Nude Lips.

I have noticed that a lot of people equate nude lips with light beige colors, which frankly to me, makes them look washed out & ill. This is a high fashion look seen on a lot of ramp models & magazine covers, but this generally looks good only if you're doing a very intense black smokey eye look. That too only on magazine covers where the skin is photoshopped to matt perfection.

To me a modern nude lip is when the lips look natural. When looking for a nude lip color, one thing to remember is that natural lips are not nude, pale or beige unless a person is seriously ill.

Natural lip colors are more likely to be slightly red, rose or brown hued. So look for lipsticks t…

Lakme has launched its new collection - Night Fever by Sumeet Varma. The new range adds to the existing line in terms of more intense shades, be it lipsticks or eye make up.

3 new additions have been made to the existing range of Glide On Eye Colors. (Read original review here)


What Lakme says: Deep, intense, molten hues in a silky soft, creamy texture. For eyes that reflect the stars. Edge, smudge, line, shadow, color or blend with the greatest of ease. Wear the colors of the season from subtle green to warm cooper and plush purple.
M.R.P. : Rs. 275/-


Below are the swatches: 





From top to bottom: Plush Purple, Aqua Green & Warm Copper


I like Warm copper the most in this line. Aqua Green is pretty too but doesn't go very well with my green-grey eyes. It will look very nice on brown eyes, I think. 


Plush Purple I don't like at all. It is a milky light bluish - purple, I prefer my purples to be more deeper, intense & richer - like aubergine. Darker actually, and they bring out …

What it claims: Best if you want to: Get a more radiant complexion with a soft-bristle face brush that gently loosens dead skin cells and impurities while stimulating the circulation.


Suitable For: All Skin Types

Features:

Fits neatly in the palm of your hand for maximum control. The soft bristles are made from nylon and 100% vegetarian. Directions


Splash warm water onto the face and neck and apply your cleansing product. Gently massage into the skin, using the face brush, in small circular movements, then rinse with warm water. Price: Rs. 250/- Pros: 1. A little bigger than a one rupee coin, this brush is a very strong exfoliator. It does really get all the dead cells off and my skin glows each time I use this. Skin feels smooth & soft. 2. It comes with a clear plastic cover that fits tight and helps cover the brush and keep dirt away if you are travelling with the brush. 3. This brush is a very good exfoliator on areas like feet and elbows. 4. Easy to clean and maintain: A wash in hot…

Lacto Calamine is a favourite of the oilies amongst us.

Even though I don't use it because it dries out my skin with everyday use, I do like to keep a very tiny 10 ml bottle (it is the size of your pinkie finger) with me. It is very cheap at 10 bucks and serves as a good on-the-go remedy for a lot of make up & skin situations.

I shared one of those tips in my previous post on Makeup for Rainy Days, here are some more:

1. Pimple buster: feel the pimple coming on? In college or office with nothing in sight? Apply a dab of LC to bring down the swelling & redness untill you can lay hands on your anti-acne medication. It also provides decent coverage on the pimple because of its tint and thickness

2. Nose suddenly turning oily on you: Sometimes my T zone acts up & my nose turns totally oily. A swipe of a tissue to absorb the excess oil, a dab of LC and things return to normal

3. Caught without Sunscreen: Of course, you know you ain't supposed to step out without that …

It has been raining, nay, pouring here in Mumbai for the last week. The weather is amazing, the winds are gusty and I am loving every minute of it even though I have gotten drenched everyday in the last 3 days - either while on my way to office or back home. I still think the rains are fab.

The weather around is a pale grey, everything looks deary and even at 2 pm it looks like it is 7 pm in the evening. Despite the watery hurdles, I still enjoy 'making up' my face for the day.

Below are some of the tips that come in handy for me during the rains for daily make up

1. Lots of women carry makeup to their office during the rains and apply it once they reach. This is a good option to ensure that your make-up never faces the wrath of the Rain God.

2. No Foundation for me: I skip foundation, base, concealer during the rains. No point really. I just use a good moisturiser as base. That's it.

3. Eye Make up: I trust only Maybelline Mascaras for the monsoon. The waterproof versi…

What it Claims: Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum is a unique formula which helps repair damaged hair and cuticles, and mend split ends and frizziness. This totally indulgent blend of organic weightless coconut oil and silk and keratin proteins promotes longer hair by helping reduce everyday damage while adding strength and elasticity to weak and brittle hair.

Ingredients:
Cyclomethicone, Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, C2-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Silk Amino Complex, Vanilla Bean Oil, Shea Butter, Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Egg White Proteins, Vitamin E, Fragrance.
Directions:
Apply a small amount of Organix coconut milk anti breakage serum to palm, rub hands together, then apply to surface of damp (towel dried) hair working through ends.

Price: Rs. 350 for 4 Oz (120 ml)

Purchase at: Beauty Centre & Alfa (Irla)

Pros:
1. Is pretty good at controlling fizz. For those who live in high humidity areas this is a major concern. (Friends Fans - refer to episode with Monica in Barbedos for Ross…

I have been getting some queries on stores where Colorbar Cosmetics are available in Mumbai. Below are some of the stores I know of with Colorbar counters.

1. Alfa - 2 at Irla (Vile Parle W)

2. Big Bazzar (at least the one in Infinity Mall has it. Can't say about others)

3. Beauty Centre at Crawford Market

4. Beauty Centre at Kandivali

5. New Beauty Centre on SV Road, Khar (W)

6. Beauty & More on S V Road, Khar (W)

However do note that most of the counters tend to be out of stock on one thing or another. This has been happening for the last 6 to 8 months. Either the eye liners are out of stock, or the blushes or the lipsticks or the eye shadows & so on.

I am yet to see a Colorbar counter at any of these stores that carried the entire range. There seems to be some distribution problem that they are unable to solve.

Their website does have an online shopping option. Those of you who can't locate a counter or a need a certain product can opt for that.

I hope this help…

What it claims:
Innovative pigments provide immediate, high-pigment color release on lips to give rich color in just one swipe Unique Elasticolor technology hugs lips with an explosion of color that feels virtually weightless Contains film-forming polymers for longer wear and skin conditioning properties Moisturizers and anti-oxidants, including Sweet Almond Oil, improve lip texture Beautiful packaging, with premium bullet lipstick case and embossed Revlon logo on bullet
Price: Rs. 550 /- for a tube (3.7 gms) Range: About 18 shades, some of which like Blush and Hazelnut have some shimmer. They have not launched some like Soft Nude and Lilac here (makes sense, these two would suit very few Indian women) I have  Rosy Nude - A light pink muted with brown. A very natural lip colorSoft Rose - Light muted dusty pink. No browns here. Said to be a dupe of NARS Dolce Vita Lipgloss (read here for comparison)Blush - Shimmery light brown set off with a pink - peach tint with shimmerRaspberry - Cool t…

Most of us who have oily or combination skin grapple with a ton of problems like acne and skin dullness. Add to that blackheads and enlarged pores and you complete the misery circle.
Enlarged pores give the skin a rough, coarse look and make you look older and the face unclean.

It is important when treating large pores to understand what causes enlarged pores in the first place.

1. Genetics: people with oily skin which is hereditary tend to have larger looking pores.

2. Sun damage which accelerates photo-aging.

3. Aging makes our skin thicker. The rims of cells tend to collect around single pores, making them look bigger than they actually are, as dead cell shedding slows down. As you age, you also lose collagen. In other words, your skin loses elasticity and the size of your pores increases (since there is not enough collagen to keep them tight)
4. Poor skin hygiene leads to sebum and dirt to collect around the edges of pores, creating the visual illusion that they are larger than the…

Beauty has a price? Not true.

You don't need expensive serums & portions to look good, just take a peep into your fridge and you'll find stuff that will naturally beautify you and also save some monies. I thought I'll kick off this series with toners, as they are the easiest and simplest to make.

Toner: Looking to save some pennies. Just take half a cup of chilled water, add a few drops of
lemon juice (if you have oily or acne prone skin or tanned skin) honey (if you have dry skin) single crushed slice of cucumber (great in summer months) - for closing poresSlice of tomato (crush well and strain before use) - great for oily skin and tanned skin. Jojoba oil  - for very dry skin. Mint leaves - boil few mint leaves in water. Chill & use - excellent for oily, acne prone skin & during summers to cool down sun-burnt skin. And use as you would have used your regular toner.

Since these are natural toners without preservatives, you will have to make small batches & r…

I didn't think it was possible but the heat just got worse in May.

But it finally rained (?) or more like drizzled here in Mumbai - finally on 2nd June. So it's now time for a whole new wardrobe & a whole new set of cosmetics. But before we go there, lets take a look at products that rocked my May 2010


1. Aroma Magic Mineral Glow Scrub: Damn thing even took off my whiteheads! Shweta gave me a very good tip - leave it on for 10 - 15 minutes before washing, it will pull out all your whiteheads too. & she was right. I am loving this gentle salty scrub that reminds me of my Mithibai College Lab

2. Colorbar I - Glide in Electric Blue: Finally managed to find a shade of blue that doesn't make my green eyes look pale & grey like a vampire.

3. Colorbar Irish Rose Lipstick: Still continues from last month. Colorbar's Naked Pink lipstick is catching up fast.

4. Bourjois Lash effet Mascara: The heat in the middle got too much. So I was back to just mascara & lip bal…

I read this poll on Ashiwini's Clearly Beautiful Blog and was inspired to do it myself. I hope you enjoy reading it.  1. Mood:  Well, I just had a piece of Swiss Chocolate. So what kind of mood do you think I am in.
2. What do you do for a living?  I am an OD consultant so my work involves helping organizations, teams and people cope with business changes. Basically bringing about organizational and team culture transitions to help them stay relevant, respond faster and adapt better to changing business scenarios.
3. Who’s in your posse? Friends I have made through my journey through the years. Lots of them to name here, but I am proud of them all.
4. What projects are you currently working on? I am trying to re-organise my time habits so that I can get back to my tarot card practice, as well as get back to my “oat porridge every morning”  habit. I just recently have gotten back to incorporating reading daily in my schedule. It is all in flux right now, which is why I haven’t been able…

Life these days is a series of pit stops & travel. Through our education & professional lives, we sometimes have to re-locate to another city and stay in a hostel. Packing can be a big issue, so I thought I would put together a quick guide on what to take along with you.

First of all, do not try to carry every possible item with you. Unless you are re-locating forever, this is not necessary. You may be attached to your blushes, but the lighter you travel, the less likely the probability of losing things

Quick list of things you must carry  (skin care)

1. Face wash (if you would like to multi-task pick a face wash with exfoliating beads - takes care of both cleansing & exfoliation)
2. Body wash or soap
3. Deodorant or body splash (leave your fancy perfumes in glass bottles at home - they make break on the way, or worse used by your roomies :-D)
4. Hand Sanitizer & other feminine sanitary needs
6. Veet Emergency Wax strips (great for on-the-go)
7. Towels
8. Lip balm wit…

The recent spate of deodorant ads emphasizing on the even toned, fair underarms has got a lot of girls concerned about their own. A lot of girls avoid wearing sleeveless clothes because they are embarrassed about this condition. 
Below are some causes and solutions for this condition:
Cause #1: Shaving or Hair Removal Creams. When you shave you cut the hairs off at the surface of the skin. Hair removal creams just dissolve the visible hair till the surface. If your hair is slightly darker than your skin color or thick and coarse, they can give the appearance that your skin has a dark color when it`s really just hair peeping through.
Solution: Stop shaving and try waxing instead so you get rid of the hair below the skin surface, from the root. Since the hairs aren’t present so close to the top of your skin, they won’t be as visible.
Cause #2: Buildup of dead skin cells. Sometimes dark spots under your arms are the result of dry, dead skin cells that are trapped in the folds of your skin. Th…