MAC Candy Yum Yum Matte Lipstick - Review, Swatches

In my eternal quest to lose weight, I am again on a diet. Well not really a diet per se but just trying to eat healthy and limit my intake of fried foods and sugary treats. And believe me it's a pain! Everytime I see a chocolate cake, my heart goes 'Oooo yess grab it' and my head goes, 'that's 500 calories you dimwit. Put it back'!! So basically candies and chocolates are a big no no for me now. But what I am going to indulge in shamelessly is this new candy in town. MAC's brand new addition to the line of permanent lipsticks in India - Candy Yum Yum!

This is not really 100% new. It's been around for long and launched in LE collections earlier. Last year it earned itself a place in the permanent lineup in the US and ever since I saw the pictures, I've been craving for it. The color is a neon magenta pink with cool blue undertones and believe me this baby is BRIGHT. Party Parrot, Pink Pigeon, Impassioned are actually babies in front of this. You need to grab attention, two swipes of Candy Yum Yum will do the work for you.

The color is gorgeous but it needs some work to make it look gorgeous. You have to exfoliate your lips before wearing the lipstick else it will latch on to the dry bits, make every lip line very prominent and start flaking away very soon. Even though this is a matte finish, I did not find it to be particularly drying. There is a creaminess to the texture that makes it very comfortable to wear. Even though the color is so bright, it does not really go opaque in one swipe. You will need a couple to cover your lips completely. Candy Yum Yum lasts for about 6 hours and leaves a bright pink stain on fading which looks very pretty as well.

This is a color that looks scary in the tube but on the lips is fab! Even though this has blue undertones, I feel it will look best on darker skin tones than on the fairer ones. When you are wearing this, make sure only your lips are in focus. Keep the rest of the makeup to a minimum. A winged liner, a wash of light color on the lids, a light blush, neon pink lips and you are out to rule the world.

This is how the color looks on me. My camera absolutely refused to capture the gorgeousness of the shade in its entirety and I dunno why the blue undertones are so prominent when it's actually a lot pink. I clicked nearly 20 pics, got frustrated and did not have the energy to click more. So here's the best of the lot.

Pssst....a very very close dupe of Candy Yum Yum is the Maybelline Vivids in Fuchsia Flash. Saw the pictures online and they look exactly the same just with a different finish. But then Maybelline refuses to launch the Vivids in India God knows why so if you can't get the Vivids, your best bet is to go buy the MAC original for Rs 990. Check out and see the "lipstick dreams were made of"!

Do you like wearing bright lip colors? What's your favorite?

L'Oréal Paris Goes Colorful & POP!

L'Oréal Paris goes outrageously POP and launches the Poptastic collection for a touch of flamboyant color, new from Paris! 

What makes the POPTASTIC collection so awesome?  



It’s outrageously colorful, it’s outrageously POP.  Rock your beauty must haves for this season with glamorous hot shades from the latest Poptastic Collection by L'Oréal Paris. This collection is the perfect way to completely jazz up your beauty wardrobe. L'Oréal Paris introduces a set of products that will add that extra element of oomph with fun colors and exciting prints so you can live life on the brighter side!

The Poptastic collection has something for everyone. Indulge in the latest shades from the Color Riche Le Vernis for your nails, Glamshine Balmy Gloss for a luscious pout and the Color Riche Eye Pallette to add that extra sparkle to your eyes! With happy hues like pinks, corals, blues and tangerine, you can go bold and funky by sporting a new bright look every day.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honeysuckle Perfume - Review

Winter is soon approaching and it will be the time for muskier and richer fragrances but if you still want to hold on to the carefree days of spring and summer, then go grab a bottle of Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea Honeysuckle. The original Green Tea is by far one of the most popular fragrances till date and Elizabeth Arden over the years have launched many variants. This year was the turn of Honeysuckle and Cherry Blossom.

The perfume has a blend of creamy honeysuckle and fresh green tea leaves and smells light, feminine and flirty. What I love about the fragrance is that it's not overpowering yet strong enough to last for nearly four hours. I'm no fragrance expert regarding top notes and base notes so have taken the following information from fragrantica.com to give you an idea of how this smells.

Top notes are bergamot, lemon, green tea, tangerine and boysenberry; middle notes are honeysuckle, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, green tea and tunisian neroli; base notes are peach, musk, birch and ambrette (musk mallow).

Crux of the matter is, I love Green Tea Honeysuckle because it smells clean, fresh, citrusy floral and is perfect for hot summer days. I bought the 50 ml for around Rs 1900 a month back and also got a free Elizabeth Arden makeup palette with it. This particular SA at the EA counter was extra nice to me so you might not get the palette everywhere. However I did see that EA has a 20% off now at Shopper's Stop so if you are in the mood for a new fragrance, check out the counter.

What is your favorite perfume? Do share in the comments below.

The Body Shop Blueberry Body Butter - Review

Ahh it feels great to be back on the blog after a short break. If you want to know why I haven't been posting much, it's because I've been breaking my back practicing for a dance performance in office. I would have never put in my name but it's been made mandatory for senior management and I'm stuck! Hats off to all of you who can dance. I have a pair of left feet and it's been a struggle to get the steps right. The performance is next thursday so wish me luck ladies. Just pray that it's not a disaster of epic proportions!!

Coming back to beauty, I'm in love with this Body Shop Blueberry body butter. No, it's not available in India yet and I got it from Singapore but this thing smells divine!  I'm usually not a fan of fruity smells but this one is not 100% fruity. It's like a milky blueberry kind of a smell and I love it. It's specially for dry skin and made using cold-pressed blueberry seed oil sourced from America. True to its description, the Blueberry Body Butter:

• has a buttery texture
• hydrates very well  
• leaves skin soft and smooth
• absorbs fast and does not leave a greasy film on top of the skin

 

The con is that the smell does not last for too long but if you have dry skin, want long lasting hydration and live somewhere where this body butter is available , get it. For oily skin, it will be too heavy but you can definitely use it in winter. I am going to use it extensively in the coming months.

What's your favorite TBS Body Butter? Do share in the comments below.

Elle 18 Launches New Range of Makeup Products

Be dramatic and cool. Stand out and get noticed with Elle 18’s all new make-up range. For the first time ever, this iconic youth brand launches an entire range from glamorous lip balms, eyeliners to face-make up, making it the perfect pick for trend setters around the country.  Elle 18’s new range is sure to be ‘the go to’ beauty mantra for all young fashionistas.

The Nature's Co Newly Launched: Beauty Wish Box on Subscription!

Be ready to get beauty-struck!

Specially for all you beauty addicts, The Nature’s Co. launches the ultimate beauty indulgent box full of natural surprises.

The Beauty Wish Box, a pampering treat that contains a gorgeous array of 6 deluxe size sample beauty products in a dedicated theme from The Nature’s Co. – ranging from hair care to skincare, body care and fragrances – delivered to your doorstep monthly, so you get to sample the products before buying it and acquaint yourself with the alluring experience.

And the journey does not end there – inside every box are vouchers, free gifts and much more from some top notch brands! For our first month we have Sia Art Jewellery, a renowed jewellery brand giving exclusively to the Beauty Wish Box subscribers their discount vouchers.

This festive and holiday season, we shine the spotlight on three beauty boxes, October being the Wedding Special Beauty Wish Box, November the Winter Special & December the Travel Special.

All subscriptions purchased by 10th of each month will receive the current month’s box. Any subscriptions post 10th of each month will receive the following month’s box.

Subscription costs are as follows:

Month Subscription – Rs. 595/-
Quarterly Subscription – Rs. 1645/- Save Rs. 140/-
Half Annual Subscription – Rs. 3215/- Save Rs. 355/-
Annual Subscription – Rs. 5950/- Save Rs. 1190/-

Also get 35% Discount Vouchers on full sized products on subscription to sample size. 

Get ready for your monthly beauty splurge & let the pampering begin!

Heavenly Feel of Peachy Soft Skin - The Special Edition Vineyard Peach Range by The Body Shop

Life’s a Peach!

You asked us for it back… and we just couldn't disappoint. Special Edition Vineyard Peach has returned by popular demand. Now that’s just peachy.

You Love It!

This delectably indulgent body care collection quickly became one of our global best-sellers. And after receiving worldwide requests for its return, we knew Special Edition Vineyard Peach had to make a comeback just in time for summer.

Peachy Soft

Bursting with precious peach kernel oil, Special Edition Vineyard Peach is a sweet delight for the senses. Its juicy fragrance, like freshly picked peaches, will transport you to the sun-kissed slopes of the Mediterranean where deliciously juicy fruit grow in abundance. And thanks to 24 hours of thirst-quenching moisture in our Special Edition Vineyard Peach Body Butter, you can enjoy the heavenly feel of peachy soft, velvety smooth skin all day long. Bliss!

Body Lotion MRP Rs 595

This lovely light lotion sinks straight in. Use daily for skin that feels soft and smells divine.

Shower Gel MRP Rs 395

Revel in the feel-good peachy fragrance as you lather up with our nondrying, soap-free shower gel.

Body Scrub MRP Rs 995

Scrub up! Containing ground peach seeds, this gentle exfoliator leaves skin silky smooth, soft and lightly scented.

Body Butter MRP Rs 995

We think our velvety, creamy Body Butter is perfectly peachy-keen! Apply all over for 24 hours of deep moisturisation and peachy-soft skin.

The Heart Inside

The Special Edition Vineyard Peach range contains nine different Community Fair Trade ingredients, sourced from around the world. Thanks to our Community Fair Trade programme, we positively impact the lives of over 300,000 people and their communities every year.

My Chinabuye Haul

Some months back I was given the opportunity to shop for a specified amount from a website Chinabuye.com. I had never heard of it and honestly, was not even sure about the quality of the products. However, the very sweet lady who was interacting with me said "Just take a look once and I'm sure you will love our website". And boy oh boy! Chinabuye.com is like a treasure trove of all kinds of stuff. From electronic goods to watches, clothes, jewelry, makeup products, this site has everything. What first caught my eyes was the banner that read Free Shipping Worldwide but later got to know that it's only for bulk orders. However, shipping charges are actually pretty minimal. For Registered Airmail (China Post) its $1.98 and for Registered Airmail (Singapore Post), its $2.98. It's best to go with Singapore Post because it takes a lot less time. My stuff took me nearly 1.5 months to reach via China Post!

Coming back to the website, there's nothing that you cannot find here and they do have pretty weird and quirky stuff too. In fact, I've seen here clothes, jewelry and accessories that I've also seen in some of the online shopping websites and Facebook stores. Yup, now I know where most of them source their products from! I was in a big dilemma when I had to choose my products. At first I thought I'll get some accessories, then decided for some nail art, then makeup palettes, then brushes. At the end chucked all of them and got stuff which otherwise I would have probably not bought. Here's what I went for.

1. Strawberry Soft Sponge Hair Curlers- These are made of foam and you have to twist the hair around the stem and keep it for a while. I got a pack of 6 but should have got a lot more. It's tough to keep the hair around these for a long time as they come off pretty fast but if you manage to tightly fasten them, these really work. You can get pretty tight curls. Just need a lot of patience and you will look quite a sight with all those foam strawberries hanging from your head!

2. Rings - I got two. One of a cute fox and the other of a pretty ferocious dragon. Now the dragon did not quite turn out to be what I wanted. I thought it would be much smaller and would look cool. It still looks cool but is huge and very heavy! I wore it once and I had a lot of people staring at my fingers. More than a fashion accessory it's actually a very good weapon. One whack with this and I can cause a lot of pain to a body part!

3. Beauty Blender dupe - I've wanted to try the famous Beauty Blender for a really long time but unable to find one so I got myself a dupe for about $2. Yet to use this but the sponge does feel nice and firm.

4. Epi Roller - This is a very interesting product and very very handy for emergencies. This is used to get rid of facial hair and it involves no batteries. All you need to do is roll this on the area you need to remove hair from and the tightly coiled metal spring will yank the hair from the roots. The sensation is similar to threading. Maybe slightly less painful but this thing does work. It's great for doing the upper lip and chin area specially if there's not a lot of growth. 

5. Moustache Watch - I love this and it looks so cool! The quality is great and does not look cheap or tacky at all. The price was around $7-8. 

That was my Chinabuye haul. Took ages to reach but thankfully no customs since the package came via registered post. Take a look at the website and I'm sure you will find plenty of stuff to buy at very very cheap prices. 

P.S - The products of my choice were given to me free of cost by the website. 

MAC RiRi Woo Retro Matte Lipstick - Review, Swatches

If you are a regular reader of my blog, I'm sure you know of my fascination for knockout bright red lips and let me tell you that this fascination keeps growing everyday. I spot a new shade of red lipstick and immediately there is this intense craving to buy it. So when I first came across the news that MAC will launch a shade similar to it's iconic Ruby Woo lipstick, I had to have it. I could have skipped it coz I already have Ruby Woo but then RiRi was Limited Edition and I had to check out what the fuss was all about. The hitch was that it was not available in India (still is not) and the MAC store had no clue whether it would ever come. So what did I do? I reached out to Shivani Cheda of Order Makeup UK, a Facebook store that gets makeup from UK and US brands not available in India to us unfortunate people.

I have shopped from Order Makeup before and it has been a great experience so far. Shivani is lovely to interact with and I've rarely heard her say no to anything. Just today I was asking her if she can get me OCC Lip Tars and she said yes. Yayy! Obviously the price you pay to get these products is considerably higher than what you would pay on a website or if you get them on your own so that's a slight problem. I paid Rs 1650 for RiRi Woo including shipping. Dunno how much MAC will price them here when it launches finally. It took me nearly four months to get RiRi Woo and the wait was pretty much unbearable in the end but all's well that ends well! I got my package two days back and inside along with the lipstick were several samples and a lovely handwritten note from Shivani. I really liked the personal touch. I got everything in one piece so no complaints but next time, I hope the products are packed more securely just in case something does go wrong in transit.

Here is what RiRi Woo looks like. A cool red in a retro matte finish that is pretty much the same color as Ruby Woo. RiRi is probably slightly darker but you can only make it out when swatching. On the lips, both are exactly the same. I noticed a slight difference in texture. On me, Ruby is more drying than RiRi but I still need to exfoliate my lips and apply a balm before putting this on. Else after a while, it starts to cling on to the dry patches and flake. If you are a Rihanna fan, you will like that the lipstick has her signature engraved on it. I am not a fan so not really bothered but it does look pretty cool.

RiRi Woo is a color that will instantly make you look glamorous and make your teeth look a lot whiter! Everytime I wear Ruby Woo, I get a lot of compliments and it's the same for RiRi Woo. The red is just gorgeous! I've told you that both these shades look pretty much the same on the lips. Now it's up to you to decide which one you want to go for :)

Here are the swatches of both Ruby Woo and RiRi Woo to help you decide better.

Which is your favorite red lipstick? Share in the comments below.

Maybelline Colossal Kajal 12 Hr Formula - Review

When Maybelline first launched the 6 hr formula of the Colossal Kajal, it had become my HG kajal for a number of reasons - it was very black, went on smoothly, stayed on the lids for 6 hrs and more without smudging, did not irritate my eyes and it was very cheap (they did jack up the prices later but it was still pretty cheap). This was the only eye liner/kajal I was using and I must have repurchased it around 10-12 times till one day I realized that I should venture out and try something new. In came brands like Faces, Ikonic and Sephora and I gradually eased out of my relationship with Colossal. But now, it has come back in a new avatar and it has managed to win me back again. 

I'm on my second Colossal Kajal new 12 hr formula and it is better than the earlier version. I don't find any difference in pigmentation but this one is creamier and softer and definitely lasts longer. I've not worn this for 12 hrs so dunno if it will last that long but I've worn it for 9 and it's performance was impressive. There was slight smudging on the waterline specially towards the inner corners but on the upper lids, Colossal was intact after 9 hrs. I don't have oily lids so liners and pencils usually last longer on me but if you have oily lids, this might start to smudge earlier. My only problem with the kajal is that it gets over very fast and I hope we get more quantity. My first one did not even last a month and it's not as if I was using a lot of it everyday. 

Leaving the getting over soon part aside, I really like this newer version. The quality is great and so is the price. If you are looking for a budget-friendly eye liner/kajal, go for the new Maybelline Colossal 12 hr formula. Don't think you will find a better one at this price. 

The Maybelline Colossal Kajal 12 Hr Formula is priced at Rs 175. For more details, click this link - http://maybelline.co.in/catalog/product.aspx?prdcode=P5025101&catcode=F1_Kajal

Have you tried the new Maybelline the Colossal Kajal? Which is your favorite kohl? Share your comments below!

PS - Sample provided by brand PR. Review 100% mine

This October L'Occitane unveils Collection De Grasse from the Precious extracts of extraordinary flowers

L'Occitane unveils Collection De Grasse from the Precious extracts of extraordinary flowers

Explore the divinity of new floral range

L’occitane’s love for nature can be easily seen in the new La Collection De Grasse. The two exquisite fragrances are a two by two combination of four rare flowers and that makes this collection the special launch of the year.

Precious extracts from close & distant lands

Magnolia from the Far East, blackberry from the South of France, green tea from Japan, bitter orange from Tunisia, jasmine from Grasse and Egypt, bergamot from Italy, vanilla from Madagascar, narcissus from France. The list of extracts chosen for this collection already takes you on a wonderful journey...

Jasmin & Bergamote

JASMIN ET BERGAMOTE EDT 75ML – Rs 4600

Day and night

Evocative of- A light, graceful, sensual dance.

The spirit - It showcases the olfactory variations of a delicate flower observed in the light of dawn. 

The fragrance -

Bergamot discreetly lights up the scent and continues to retain a lingering presence. Contrasts blend with ambivalence, while jasmine reveals all its facets. To convey this ambiguity, at least two types of jasmine

would be needed: a jasmine from Grasse and a jasmine from Egypt. The balance fluctuates between petals and leaves, freshness and sensuality, day and night.

Key raw materials - Jasmine absolutes from Grasse and Egypt, Bergamot essential oil from Italy.

Family - jasmine floral

designed for - women

Notes

Head notes: mandarin orange, BERGAMOT

Heart notes: JASMINE, lemon leaves

Base notes: sandalwood, cedar

JASMIN BERGAMOTE SHOWER GEL 175ML – Rs 1000

JASMIN BERGAMOTE BODY MILK 175ML – Rs 1500

Magnolia & Mûre

MAGNOLIA ET MURE EDT 75ML – Rs 4600

A mysterious coincidence

Evocative of - Shimmering, crimson velvet.

The spirit - A fragrance composed around a tender and deep chypre accord that reveals itself slowly, in hushed tones.

The fragrance -

Between flower and fruit, the magnolia essence provides the prelude to wild and slightly musky blackberry notes. Present throughout the fragrance, blackberry gives a tenderness to the woody structure. Its velvety seeds soften the solemnity of patchouli. Over time, the fragrance asserts its character.

Key raw materials -

Magnolia essential oil from the Far East, blackberry infusion from the South of France.

Family - fruity chypre

Designed for - women

Notes:

Head notes: bergamot, BLACKBERRY

Heart notes: MAGNOLIA, rose

Base notes: patchouli, moss

MAGNOLIA MURE SHOWER GEL 175ML – Rs1000

MAGNOLIA MURE BODY MILK 175ML – Rs 1500

MAC Sable Eyeshadow - Review, Swatch

I ventured into the territory of MAC eye shadows pretty recently and the first one I bought was Sable, a bronzy plummy brown color in a Frost finish. I was looking for something that's not too striking, can be worn to work and a shade that is flexible enough to be paired with a lot of colors and Sable seemed the perfect choice.

The frost finish gives a light shimmery effect to the eyes though it looks a lot lighter on the eyes than it does in the pan. Since this is a frost, the pigmentation is not too intense so I do need to layer it on the lids a couple of times to get the true color but this is a really good shade if you want to go in for something 'safe'. 

The texture is super smooth, blends easily, zero fall out and stays on my lids a good 8-9 hours without fading. I don't use a primer since I don't have oily lids but even if you do, you will not be disappointed by the wear time of this shade. 

Sable is probably one of MAC's oldest and most popular neutral shade and one that looks good on all complexions. You can wear it as an all over lid color, as a crease color, pair it with practically anything. You are sure to get a ton of mileage out of Sable. I bought it from strawberrynet when they were stocking a lot of MAC's shades but you can get it at any MAC store. Think the refill costs Rs 720 and the full pan Rs 900. Pretty expensive but totally worth the money!

What is your favorite MAC eye shadow?

PRESS NOTE: Forest Essentials presents ‘Made to Order’ Ayurvedic Beauty Cream

Exemplifying ‘Luxurious Ayurveda’ in its true meaning, Forest Essentials now presents its ‘Made to Order’ Ayurvedic Beauty Cream.  Made according to traditional Ayurvedic formulations, it is an intensely moisturising natural facial cream that can be applied during the day and night.

This customised Ayurvedic Beauty Cream, curated by Forest Essentials Research & Development and their team of Ayurvedic Doctors, will combine the knowledge of one’s skin type and Dosha*, matched to an individual preference of fragrance, beauty regime and skin concerns.

Formulated with a base of hydrating ingredients including Cold Pressed Organic oils, Kokum Butter, blended with renowned Ayurvedic herbs for individual concerns, this cream will be unique and one of its kind. This delicately textured cream will reflect one’s signature fragrance that could range from fresh tangy scents of lemons and grape fruit to the muskiness of pure sandalwood or the inimitable aroma of full bodied Indian roses. Adding to the uniqueness of this custom Beauty Cream, Forest Essentials formulations will use some original and personalised ingredients, unused in the existing collections of Facial care of the brand, widely available in its retail stores. The Brand, will also create individual labelling in a signature Forest Essentials 50 gm jar, made to order with the users name and special ingredients used.

Indulge in Luxurious Ayurveda | Made to Order. Read more here: http://www.forestessentialsindia.com/indulge.html

Price on Request (between Rs 2500/- - 5000/- ) 

About Forest Essentials

Forest Essentials is an Authentic Traditional yet Luxury Ayurvedic Skin Care Brand with its foundations in the ancient science of Ayurveda. A pioneer in this segment, today it has become the quintessential Indian Beauty Brand where secrets of ancient Ayurveda have been brought to life through pain-staking research and made available to modern day consumer. It is one of the only Brands which is involved in the conception, formulation, manufacturing, bottling and retailing of the products by the Company itself. 

Notes: *Dosha (Vata|Pitta|Kapha) or the 3 life giving forces, according to Ayurveda which define an individual’s unique personality, functioning of the body and varied skin textures (Please find attached the image of the same).