Participate in my Makeup The Eyes Contest and Win an e.l.f Studio Beauty Palette

Hiya Pretties

Thank you to all of you who responded to my earlier blog post and relieved me of the dilemma of choosing between dramatic eyes and funky nails. Eyes won hands down (should have guessed!) and now here I am with the details.

To participate in my Makeup the Eyes contest, you will need to come up with an eye makeup look keeping in mind the theme - 'Colors of the Monsoon'. How you interpret this is entirely up to you. 

Just follow these rules:

1. The contest starts from 1st September and will end on 30th September. It is open only to Indian residents.

2. Every participant can send a maximum of three entries. Minimum is one. Also write a couple of lines on why you think your eye makeup look represents the Colors of the Monsoon.

3. Along with your entry, you will need to follow my blog via GFC, like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter (@PoutPretty). If you have already done them, just send in your email. If not, these are a must. Else, your entry will not be considered.

4. Leave a comment below so that I know you have participated.

4. Mail me your entries at poutpretty@gmail.com.

5. The winning entry will be selected not by me but my public voting. The most popular entry will be declared the winner and will receive an e.l.f Studio Beauty - on - the Go Single Palette in Beach Retreat. The palette consists of 10 eyeshadows, 2 lip colors and 1 blush. Voting will be open for a week from 1-6 Oct to both my blog and Facebook readers.

Get Creative girls and send me those killer eye looks.

I'm waiting....:))..All the Best!

Love

D

MAC Solar Ray Mineralize Blush From the Heavenly Creatures Collection - Preview and Swatch

Yesterday when I came home from work, my heart did a double turn when i saw what was lying on my dressing table. A mineralize blush from the latest Heavenly Creatures collection from MAC that has launched in Kolkata!!!

My mum had gone to the mall where she saw these beauties and said that they looked so good, she couldn't resist buying one for me (Love you Mum!!). She got the shade Solar Ray, a " Peach and Gold Melange". The blush is made of two swirls, a light coral pink and a darker gold. Believe me, it looks so pretty, i actually felt bad to dip my fingers into it to show you the swatch. From what I see, there is quite a bit of shimmer and it might require a heavy hand to make it visible on my skin tone but the texture is really smooth. Will do a review soon. For now, take a look at the pics.

Liking what you see? :))

The Body Shop Shea Body Mist - Review

The Body Shop has for long been one of my favorite brands for bath and body products. Every time I'm in a mall, I always make it a point to visit the TBS store. The colors, the fragrances, the cute bottles and tubs, everything is such a mood 'upper'! Because of my love for the brand, the recent controversy regarding them selling expired products in India really came as a shock. It was definitely not something I expected out of TBS but decided not to write them off on the basis of a few incidents.You still have not lost a fan TBS! 

The new line of body mists are mostly floral, fruity and citrus scents. The Community Fair Trade Alcohol that goes into these mists is made from organic sugarcane and is grown in the foothills of the Andes. I picked up the Shea Body Mist during the recent sale and yes, I must have checked the labels around 10 times just to make sure I was being given a fresh product! I was!

The plastic packaging of the erstwhile mists have been replaced with glass bottles and even though they look very classy and chic, are quite cumbersome to carry around. The plastic ones I could have just have thrown into my bag without worrying about them breaking but for the glass ones, I have to be extra careful. 

I tried four of the mists before picking on Shea. Strawberry I found way too strong, Moringa was really fresh and floral but I've used so much of Moringa that I wanted something else, Coconut reminded me of coconut oil and Vanilla, simply yummy. I'll definitely pick up Vanilla next!

Shea was my pick because of the warm nutty fragrance that's sweet but not sickeningly so. It's a fresh, clean and subtle scent that is just perfect for day wear. On me, the mist lasts for around 3 hours before fading away and I think that is the average wear time because of the light fragrance. 

Pick this up girls if you want to smell delicious without giving yourself and the others a headache! Totally worth Rs 645 if you do not like strong perfumes. 

Have you tried any of these mists? 

Reader's Spotlight - Namitha Shares A Few of Her Favorites

Today's spotlight is on a fellow blogger whose Life is a Fairytale and she, its beautiful Princess :)..I'm sure you have guessed from the post heading who I'm talking about. Yep, it's our very own, Namitha who writes at http://lifeisafairytale-mithy.blogspot.in/.

Namitha is a 19 yr old Computer Science and Engineering student from Bangalore. She is an Aquarian and says that her blog is her outlet to talk about the things she loves, she hates, her opinions etc. It's her personal diary, beauty blog, fashion blog, fitness and diet blog, self-help blog and many more all rolled into one. (I absolutely love your blog Namitha because you don't hold back on anything and just speak your mind. Very refreshing :)

Today, Namitha shares a few of her favorites. Things which are absolutely necessary in fairytale land :))

1. Perfume - Davidoff's Cool Water 

2. Lipcolor - Colorbar's Take Me As I Am range

3. Hero - Batman (Mine too:))

4. Quote

5. Kohl - Maybelline's Colossal Kajal (We have a lot in common girl. I absolutely love this one!)

6. Accessory - 

7. Pick Me Up

8. Addiction - Definitely not last on her list. The love of her life, Jayanth!

Thanks for sharing with us your favorites Princess :)..Wish you the very best for your blog and for everything that you do. And you and Jayanth make a very nice couple :))

Love

D

Maybelline Colorama New Shades and a Mint & Beige NOTD

Maybelline has come out with some really pretty shades in the Colorama range. Think there are about 4-5 new ones but I picked only two. Absinto - a lovely milky mint and Bale Classico - a pretty nude. Both of them are soo pretty!! They take about three coats to go completely opaque but dry very fast. The finish is creamy and semi-glossy and I get about 3 days without major chipping. Great value for money at Rs 100!

Get these shades girls if you want to add a mint and a nude to your collection.

MAC Cremesheen Glass Star Quality from the Reel Sexy Collection - Pics, Review and Swatch

MAC has come out with 4 Limited Edition Cremesheen Glasses with the Reel Sexy collection. Cinestyle - a milky lilac (absolutely not for me), Color Saturation - a rich berry red with purple tones (Gorgeous!), Private Screening - a pinky beige which made me look like a ghost when I tried it out and Star Quality, a pink-red coral. Honestly, I've never really been a fan of glosses. I much prefer the intensity of a lipstick to the shine of a gloss but Star Quality was just too pretty to resist! I was caught between Color Saturation and Star Quality but picked the latter on the MUA's insistence. The price is quite exorbitant at Rs 1400 but like I said the color was just too tempting. 

This is my first Cremesheen Glass from MAC and I love the texture. It's a dream to apply, weightless, non sticky and creamy. The vanilla fragrance is a bit too strong but thankfully it's taste-free. 

In terms of pigmentation, Star Quality packs a bit of punch but it looks much more pigmented in the tube.  On the lips, it's a semi-sheer finish so I was a bit disappointed with that. This is my first Cremesheen so I don't know if this is the case with all of them but this one settles into lip lines if applied on its own. Not too noticeable but if you are as finicky as I am, it's quite an irritant! 

The staying power is around a couple of hours if applied on its own. On top of a lipstick, the wear time is longer. 

Is Star Quality a Blockbuster or a Hit?

I love the texture of the Cremesheen glass. For a non-gloss lover, this is perfect because it just glides on to the lips and there is zero stickiness. I would have loved if this did not settle into lines and was more pigmented but I guess Ill have to layer it over a lipstick to get the max out of the gloss. Would'nt say Star Quality is a blockbuster but it sure is a hit.

Are you planning to buy anything from the Reel Sexy collection?

Nail Candy!! My Avon and Colorbar Nail Polish Haul

Somebody Stop Me!!!! Seriously girls, I really need to show some control. Have been buying makeup like crazy (is it the blogging effect??). Hauled MAC, L'oreal, Faces, Avon and Colorbar. Got six new polishes last week and a couple more today. Just couldn't resist the new Maybelline Colorama polish in a lovely mint.

Avon has come out with some beautiful colors in their Nailwear Pro and Pro+ range that is now available at an offer of Rs 179 for two. I got six of them - Absinthe - a glittery green, Sweet Mint - a lime green, Midnight Plum - an almost blackened plum and Loving Lavender, a pastel lilac. I've always been a fan of Avon's nail polishes and I'm loving the new Pro+ range. The creamy, glossy finish is lovely, dries really fast and the wear time really impressive (about 4 days without major chipping). 

Here are the pics..

Color Wheel on my Fingers!

The other two polishes I got are from Colorbar, another brand I like for their range of colors and quality. These are from the Exclusive range and priced at Rs 150. Sunstone - a pretty peachy coral and Exclusive 18 - a muted teal.

 Which one did you like the most?

MAC Matte Lipstick Heroine from the Reel Sexy Collection - Pics, Review and Swatch

By now all of you must have known about my love for bold and bright colored lipsticks. I almost never get attracted to the nudes and sheers and I hardly have more than a couple of them in my lipstick collection. But give me a bright color and I'm instantly hooked! Which is why the moment I laid my eyes on Heroine, I knew I had to make her mine. 

The MAC Reel Sexy collection has come out with 3 LE lipsticks and 1 Repromote. Pink Popcorn - a light lavender (too pale for my skin tone),  Reel Sexy - a light coral that totally washed me out, Watch Me Simmer - a bright pink orange which looked too neon on me and Heroine, a bright violet plum with a hint of magenta. I had completely overlooked Heroine when I saw the pics of the collection thinking it to be too violet and lusted after Watch Me Simmer instead. Watch Me Simmer, no doubt a very pretty color just did not suit me. I tried out Heroine and was blown away by its richness and intensity. 

I am not going to describe the packaging because it is the same as any of the other MAC lipsticks. The fragrance is the signature MAC vanilla which I love so much. Heroine is a magenta purple with a near matte finish. Despite being a matte, it applies very smoothly and there is no pulling or tugging. It's not that dry as well so unless your lips feel like the Sahara desert, you can skip applying a lip balm before the lipstick. 

 

Heroine is insanely pigmented. In the pic below, I have just swatched once and you can see how intense the color looks. In the tube, the color looks like a black-purple but on the lips, its a gorgeous magenta/fucshia purple with blue undertones. It is a bold color but one that can be carried off by anyone with ease. Don't be afraid girls to try this on! The lipstick wears incredibly well and gives me about 5 hrs and this includes eating and drinking. It also leaves a lovely fuchsia stain after fading to prolong the wear.

Why I love Heroine?

The absolute best purple lipstick I have ever worn. Rich intense color that looks great on me, doesn't dry out my lips, and genuinely matte!!!

Are you planning to buy anything from the Reel Sexy collection?

L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow Burning Black - Review and Swatch

I am officially in love!!!..Before you get all curious, no, its not with any person but with a super duper excellent product that L'oreal has come out with - The Infallible Eyeshadow range that all bloggers have been raving about. I jumped onto the bandwagon pretty late but then better late than never right? Got Endless Chocolate a couple of weeks back and last Sunday, added Burning Black to my Infallible collection (I'm getting all of them!). The name is however a mystery to me. Why would L'oreal name a gorgeous red-toned burgundy purple eye shadow with a subtle sheen Burning Black in India?? In the US, they gave a very appropriate name, Smoldering Plum. Why the change L'oreal??

I love the packaging of the Infallible eye shadows.They look good and the conserver is a very well thought of addition that keeps the shadow from running all around the place. The transparent back allows to identify the color easily.

The texture is soft, smooth and finely-milled. It is a cross between a cream, a pigment and a powder eye shadow and therefore a dream to apply.

The color is simply gorgeous! It's more intense when you apply it slightly damp but even if you apply it directly from the pot, it's still pretty rich. The shimmer is not OTT so you can use it as an everyday shadow as well. They are really pigmented so you don't need to layer it on for color. 1-2 swipes is enough to get a burst of burgundy purple on your lids. I like applying these shadows with my fingers rather than a brush because I feel that they blend better but you can always use a brush or a sponge tip applicator.

The best part about these shadows is its staying power. Without a primer, Both Endless Chocolate and Burning Black gives me around 8-9 hrs of wear and there is no fading or creasing. And I have oily lids!

Is Burning Black worth Rs 450?

Absolutely. The color is simply gorgeous and the quality top class. If I had to blind test, I would have seriously thought that these eye shadows belonged to a high-end brand. They are believed to be dupes of Armani's Eyes to Kill but I don't have Armani so can't really comment. What I can say is Get These Gals if you have'nt already. These are totally worth it!

Have you tried any of the Infallible shadows? Which one is your favorite?

Funky Nail Art or Dramatic Eye Makeup ? What's Your Choice for My New Contest?

Now that the monsoons are in full swing, I thought why not do a contest to celebrate the rains? And that's when I came up with the theme of Pout Pretty's newest contest!..What is it? Very simple. Monsoon! 

I've been thinking about this for nearly two days and haven't been able to come to a decision so being a very intelligent girl, I'm passing the buck to you:). Tell me what you would you like to do? 

Depict the monsoon through funky nail art or dramatic eye makeup? Both is not an option!!. You have to select only one. 

The choice is yours. Just reply in the Comments section on what you would like. What gets the most votes will be your challenge!

You have time till Sunday, 26th August to voice your opinion Pretties so think hard, think well and write it down below. 

Based on what gets the max votes, I will choose the prize (Won't disappoint you that's for sure :))

Looking forward to reading your comments..

Reader's Spotlight - Prachi Reviews Her Favorite Lipstick!

Today's spotlight is on Prachi, a beautiful newbie blogger who writes about her love of all things related to skincare and makeup at http://luminousha.wordpress.com. Prachi lives in Bangalore and has always been very interested in trying out new beauty products and it is this interest that led to the creation of her blog, Luminousha .She is also a big fan of Ankita Chaturvedi of corallista.com and says that she will always be a big inpiration to her.(I love corallista too Prachi :)

Prachi talks about one of her all time favorite lipsticks, Maybelline Colorsensational Moisture Extreme Lipcolor in Coral Pink. 

Packaging - Coral Pink comes in a neon orange colored bullet. The packaging is quite sturdy and travel friendly. 

Color and Pigmentation - It is a beautiful coral color with a bit of pink in it. The formula of this lipstick is creamy and it glides on smoothly on the lips. Like all the Moisture Extreme lipsticks, this is very moisturising as well so there is no need for a lip balm before applying. Since I have quite dry lips, I tend to apply lip balms either before or after applying lipstick but with this I did not feel the need to. I'm pretty impressed by the pigmentation. One swipe easily covers pigmented lips and 2-3 swipes build up a beautiful coral pink color on lips. The color will suit fair - medium tones very well.

Staying Power - It lasts for about 2-2.5 hrs with some mild snacking in between. With heavy meals it completely disappears though from the lips. I like that it doesn’t settle into fine lines after fading away from lips. There are other brands which are of the same price range but they tend to settle in fine lines on lips and are not even as creamy as this but Maybelline scores great points here! I have heard that this range of lipsticks are susceptible to fungus but I've had Coral pink for over a year now and thankfully it still is pretty neat! I really wish that it had longer staying power as frequent touch ups are always not possible for everyone!

Pros of the Product

• Its reasonably priced
• The formula is quite creamy
• It is very moisturising. One wouldn’t need any lip balm while using it
• The packaging is sturdy and travel friendly.
• Great pigmentation – One swipe easily covers up pigmented lips and 2-3 swipes gives a beautiful color 
•  It doesn’t settle into fine lines.
• It has got SPF15.

Cons of the Product :

• Less staying power i.e. about 2-2.5 hours 

Final Verdict : Maybelline Colorsensational Moisture Extreme Lipcolor in Coral Pink shade is a beautiful “Coral pink”  color which is reasonably priced and the formula is quite creamy and moisturising. I would highly recommend this to everyone!

Rating : 4.6/5

Here's how it looks on me...

I have Coral Pink too Prachi and absolutely love it! Great choice and great review :)...Wish you the very best with your blog and hope to see more of you here