Forest Essentials HAND POUNDED ORGANIC FRUIT SCRUB

FOREST ESSENTIALS HAND POUNDED ORGANIC FRUIT SCRUB

For the last few months, my post count is in the decreasing order and I totally feel horrible about not being able to blog frequently. I am currently in India and from the day I landed here, it has been terribly bad with 2 cyclones creating havoc in my city and the death of the CM of Tamilnadu causing shut downs and hence I was not able to do all my pending work. The cyclone Vardah left behind a devastated city and it took 4 days for the power and internet to be restored. Nature is kind of playing against Chennai every December and there is nothing that we can do about it.

Now, my ramblings aside, I have interesting updates coming up in life and will keep you posted on that in the coming weeks. My husband and I went on a shopping spree in Chennai because we were tired of buying just white & black coloured simple clothes back there in Singapore and I got excited seeing colourful garments. I also got to try some skincare stuff from Kama Ayurveda and Forest Essentials because I basically love sniffing their showrooms and of course you cannot come out without buying anything.

H&M All Day Liquid Foundation in Caramel Review & Swatch

H&M All Day Liquid Foundation in Caramel 

Light-weight foundations are my go to favorite because the heavier ones can clog the pores when used on a daily basis and blocks the skin from breathing.Light-weight foundations provide medium coverage and look very natural on the skin. The latest light-weight foundation that I tried is from H&M and I am loving its texture and staying power.H&M Beauty section has several shade selections in their foundation and lipstick departments. Finding right foundation shade is yet another tough thing to do but I felt so happy that H&M had so many shades with different tones to choose from.

Catrice Cosmetics All Matte Plus Powder in 030 Warm Beige Review

Catrice Cosmetics All Matt Powder Warm Beige

August has not been a great month for the blog because I have been quite busy with my makeup course and hence only 5 posts till now. My Alexa rank has fallen terribly which I am quite concerned about but there is nothing that I can do till mid-September when my exams would get over and I would secure my Diploma. A little bit of sacrifice for the something bigger is worth it.

I have talked enough about Catrice Cosmetics in my previous posts and this All Matte Plus Powder is one of the best buys ever from their range. Their products are so affordable and of great quality which is why it makes me go crazy for their products. 

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Grey Review

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Grey 

I am the laziest person when it comes to filling eyebrows while doing my makeup. I kind of skip it if the occasion is not an important one and do it light handed if the need arises. The reason why I dread filling eyebrows is that one small mistake, your face would look totally funny.  Moreover,  I have naturally asymmetrical eyebrows which are quite tough to be tamed. Since I started attending makeup classes, I have worked with more complicated eyebrows and hence gained confidence in shaping them. I was using NYX's eyebrow pencil in dark brown which I felt was a bit lighter for my dark black hair and decided to try out a black eyebrow filling powder. NYX offers really affordable products and there was no element of doubt in choosing the brand.

Aroma Essentials Hydrating Night Serum Review

Aroma Essentials Hydrating Night Serum 

How important is a night cream or a leave-on mask ? It is as important as a day cream because, at night, your entire body rejuvenates including your skin. It is important to cleanse your skin well at night and use a good night cream so that it can recover from the damage done by the pollution and the sun. I love using oils these days and some days when I am not in a mood for heavy oils, I go for creams that can give a soft, supple skin when I wake up the next morning. Aroma Essentials is a chemical free brand available in India and I love their products because they are natural and provide great visible results in few uses. I have been using Aroma essentials Hydrating Night Serum for the last few weeks and have been loving the effect on my skin.

Freeman Pomegranate Facial Revealing Peel Off Mask Review

Freeman Pomegranate Facial Revealing Peel-Off Mask 

I am getting crazily busy these days with makeup classes every single day due to which I hardly get time to sit and blog. I have not gone makeup shopping in a while too and I feel kind of sad because of that. You get motivated when you have something new to try on and review on the blog. I am planning to go for some shopping real soon just to feel good and get motivated. I use a sunscreen when I head out in the morning to class, but when I return, I remove my makeup and sunscreen because we try out new looks every day and we remove it at the end of the class. I already have enough products to carry and hence do not take my sunscreen. I just finish my class and head home because I am already hungry and have no time for BB cream or sunscreen. Due to this negligence, I have got badly tanned and have been trying out various masks since the last 2 weeks.

Today I have a mask from the most affordable Freeman Range and it is their Pomegranate Peel Off Variant.

A Triangular Makeup Sponge or a Beauty Blender?

Beauty Blender Dupe Vs Normal Triangular Sponge

I always was a supporter of a Buffing Foundation brush until I discovered how useful a sponge can be when it comes to blending of foundation/concealer/color correctors & other cream based products. A buffing brush is useful for liquid foundations and works like magic with them by giving a flawless airbrushed effect. Sponges, on the other hand,  are not good for liquid foundations because they absorb a lot of the product which leads to product wastage and hence we go for synthetic bristled brushes.

However when it comes to flawless, even, full coverage, and long lasting foundation, it is better to go for cream based ones which require a sponge for blending it uniformly.  For cream products, we wet the sponge, blot the excess water and then use it to blend the products. 

Kryolan Color Wheel Concealer Circle (Neutralizer)- How important is a color corrector for professional Makeup Artists?

Kryolan Color Wheel Concealer Circle (Neutralizer)

Makeup classes are getting all the more interesting and there is so much to learn both theoretically and practically. YouTube videos only give you an insight but while you practice, you realize that you are making so many mistakes and the same thing goes to classes as well. When a demo is shown, everything looks so simple but when we are given time to practice those techniques, the next step does not even come to my mind and you have to keep the time in mind as well. 

NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in the shade Gleam Review and Swatches

NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in the shade Gleam 

I am a total summer person because I love bright colors and Summers lift up my spirits.Being raised in a place like Chennai where the seasons are not that distinct, I got easily accustomed to Tropical Singapore. There always is a quick shower in the afternoon but apart from that the weather is pretty much the same all through the year.

SUMMERS IMPLY SUNKISSED CHEEKS & TANNING!

How many of us have sunkissed cheeks naturally? I am not that blessed but definitely, I can fake one using the right product. Summer is all about the healthy glow on you although tanning is a part of this journey. Highlighting & Contouring has gained importance in the recent years and I feel it is really important to learn those techniques to give your face that sculpted look. Highlighting can be an easy task if you have a product like NYX Liquid Highlighter because you do not need any brush to deal with it. Just dot a few drops on the areas that require highlighting and blend with your fingers.

Sephora Brightening and Hydrating Foundation in the Shade Medium Review and Swatches

Sephora Brightening and Hydrating Foundation

I do not stock up on foundations as much as I stock up on lipsticks because I use lipsticks on almost a daily basis. Foundation is something I don't wear on a regular basis because I feel it prevents my skin from breathing.To make matters worse is the humidity here in Singapore which holds me back from applying foundation. So I had not bought any foundation for almost 3 years and was using my MAC whenever I needed one.Since it has been the only one in my stash, it got over and I had to invest in some other foundation. I could have probably gone for the same one but I really wanted something lighter this time and also something that is not completely matte and would give a subtle glow. MAC foundations are great for high coverage and for special occasions but on ordinary days, they tend to be heavy on the skin.

NYX Eyebrow Pencil EP04 Brown Review

NYX Eyebrow Pencil EP04 Brown 

Looking beautiful in person does not guarantee the same in photos too. Lighting can be your friend or foe depending on the type and the direction from which it hits your face. If there is too much of lighting, things such as your naturally thick eyebrows could eventually appear thinner thereby giving an incomplete look. So never attempt posing for your camera ,especially with flash without touching up your brows. 

Rule No 1 for an Instagram-ready pic - Fill your eyebrows well with a good eyebrow pencil. Now talking about Eyebrow pencils, what are the shades that you have to be looking at? I have seen makeup artists use black eyebrow pencil and really wondered how fake can it make a person look on their D-Day. I am not a pro in filling in brows but I do use hem occasionally when I have to attend weddings etc so that it looks complete & fuller. I have been using the NYX Eyebrow pencil for about 6 months now and I am liking it a lot. 

Nivea Visage Mattifying Toner for Combination to Oily Skin Review

Nivea Visage Mattifying Toner for Combination to Oily Skin

Get ready to stay hydrated all day, the Summer is here and this time in full swing. It is pretty harsh with heat wave warnings mostly over several parts of Asia and I have to combat the heat well because I am officially the tour guide for my family members who are lined up to visit Singapore. It is really important to drink loads of water and also consume fresh fruits and drink coconut water which has electrolytes that will keep you hydrated.

Just like how you need to keep your body hydrated, it is equally important to keep your skin too fresh and hydrated and thus comes the Nivea Mattifying toner which maintains your skin's natural moisture balance and thus keeps your face shine free in this summer.

Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask Review

Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask

The Freeman Counter at the stores attracts me every time I cross it because of the colorful new launches and the attractive range that they offer. I keep seeing new launches every time I go to the store but I refrain from buying more because I am determined to finish off the existing ones. They have several interesting scrubs and face masks that combine several quirky ingredients to deliver good results and at the same time are affordable too. 

I have reviewed some Freeman products on the blog earlier and you can check them out here & here. Today I will be reviewing a scrub/ mask from Freeman called Charcoal and Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask.

Silkygirl Shine Free Loose Powder 02 Natural Medium Review and Swatches

Silkygirl Shine Free Loose Powder 02 Natural Medium

What difference can a face powder do to your makeup? Have you ever felt like a clown looking strangely white or felt really comfortable with your makeup? A compact powder can play an important role in giving your makeup a good finish. If you go wrong with your selection of shade or finish, it can make you look bad.

I always pay a lot of attention while choosing my powder and also try to stick to my budget at the same time. Though high-end powders like MAC are on my wishlist, I often reach for budget friendly ones because powders are something that gets used up really fast for me. When my Inglot face powder was on the verge of getting over, I tried some new brand from the store and ended up with the Silkygirl compact powder.

Freeman Dead Sea Minerals Facial Anti-Stress Mask Review

Freeman Dead Sea Minerals Facial Anti-Stress Mask 

You easily do not fall in love with some skincare items because they just seem to be taking endless time to work on your skin and to impress you. It would be a cliche if I said budget beauties might take even longer time to work on you. I was thoroughly blown away by one such product off late and wanted to pen down my feelings for it as soon as possible.

Of all the Freeman products that I bulk purchased during my visit to Mustafa Centre, the only one which impressed me in first few trials was The Freeman Dead Sea minerals Facial Anti-Stress Mask. 

NYX Ombre Blush in the shade Code Breaker Review, Swatches & FOTD

How many of you have been crazy about Barbie dolls when you were young?

I used to be so crazy about them and did have a cute collection too. What is the most striking thing that one might notice in a barbie doll? The rosy cheeks are the first thing I notice in a barbie doll and it is really important for us to wear the right shade of blush in the right way to look great.

In my latest Sephora haul, I picked up a bold shade of blush which I would have usually avoided because I am an out and out coral blush lover.The blush is from NYX and is an Ombre blush with hues of bold pink and purple. Such shades of blush would look good when you are wearing silver toned accessories and I really needed one such shade in my vanity.

NYX Ombre Blush in the shade Code Breaker

Ponds White Beauty Cleansing Milk Review

Makeup removal is an arduous task, but definitely not something that you can give a miss if you are aiming for flawless skin. There are nights when I have literally started sleeping & then realized that I have not taken off my makeup and not prepared for a breakout the next morning. I have talked lots about makeup removal in so many posts and you would know it if you had been following my blog regularly.

Makeup removers, Cleansing waters, cleansing milk - all 3 of them basically do the same work, but to different extents. I have got to try all 3 of them & hands down, I would recommend cleansing Water like Bioderma,  but it can cause a hole in your pockets. There has to be some affordable alternative for them, right? So I got to try the Ponds White Beauty Cleansing Milk and so far, I have been really liking it and I have my review here.

If you are looking for a low cost, decent working face cleansing milk, go ahead & read the review:

Ponds White Beauty Cleansing Milk

Freeman Kiwi & Yogurt Facial Moisturizing Cleanser Review

I have always wanted to try Freeman's products after I tried one of their Avocado face mask in 2013 and after that, I got access to their whole set of products after shifting here and did try a few of them.I had purchased several masks and the Kiwi facial cleanser and today I am going to review the cleanser.

Freeman products usually have a strong chemical smell which I am not a big fan of but this cleanser does not have that strong chemical smell which makes me like it more.I love their product packaging which is usually very colorful and attractive to the eyes.

Freeman Kiwi & Yogurt Facial Moisturizing Cleanser

MAC Strobe Cream Dupe ? Kryolan Shimmering Event Foundation in Shade Pearl Review & Pictures

How many of you like sporting a dewy makeup look as opposed to a matte finish foundation look ? I was a big fan of Matte makeup until I realized my pictures were looking washed out and flat. I wanted something to add a bit of glow without giving a very oily look to my face.So while wondering what best can help me achieve that mild glow to my face, it struck me that a strobe cream is something that can do the trick.

I did not want to invest in MAC , since it was not in my budget and wanted to try something different. I feel Kryolan has some of the best products to ensure that you look good in snaps & hence I thought the best option is to try something from Kryolan. 

Finally I got to try Kryolan Shimmering Event Foundation in the shade Pearl which acts as a great highlighter. I do not know why Kryolan refers it as a foundation, though it has be to dotted on your skin once you finish applying the foundation, just to highlight the high points of the face to add more definition.

Kryolan Shimmering Event Foundation in Pearl 

Inglot AMC Pressed Powder Shade 51 Review

Not everyday do you have the time to do a full fledged makeup before u go out.  On some days, your face powder could be your savior because it just takes 2 mins to dab some powder to look fresh & you can head out. So it is highly important that you have a good face powder that can hide some basic flaws & give you a fresh look for a few hours before reapplying. I was using Rimmel London's stay matte powder which was my holy grail product but once it got over, I bought the Inglot's AMC Pressed Powder in the shade 51.

I have been using this for about 2 months now and here I have the review of the Inglot Face Powder :

Inglot Freedom System AMC pressed powder shade 51