Beauty

Indian Tourism

WHAT’S IN MY L’Occitane 40th ANNIVERSARY TRUCK?

October 24, 2016

What do you do when a beauty brand gifts you something artistic and out-of-the-box (quite literally)? You take pictures, blog about it and show it to the world! L’Occitane, a name associated with fine beauty and bath products recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary in India. While the main celebrations took place in Aamchi Mumbai, the other parts of the country with their prominent stores too witnessed the enthusiasm over limited edition products and other great hampers! I too, obliged by the celebrations and visited L’Occitane Saket, Delhi to meet Mr. Aidan Goddard, CFO & COO – Asia Pacific and Mr. John Ho, General Manager – South East Asia; as they spoke volumes about the brand, its legacy and how impressed they are by the feedback they’ve received from the Indian consumers. Agreeing to the point that India now takes beauty very seriously and doesn’t invest in a product unless they are satisfied by its purity and results; be it a drugstore line or an ace beauty brand like L’Occitane itself. Given the fact that L’Occitane is all about bringing natural ingredients into good use, with minimal chemical introduction to the production, I have been quite convinced with the quality of this brand since quite a few time. To celebrate their 40th Anniversary with Indian Consumers, L’Occitane has also come up with a ‘Limited Edition’ collection of Hand Creams and a few other products. Luckily, I got a chance to take back few LE products from their range, apart from a cute L’Occitane truck that definitely needed a special feature for its artistic appeal. While I celebrate L’Occitane 40th Anniversary, I suggest that you visit the nearest L’Occitane store and grab a few LE hand creams since these are absolutely divine and pocket friendly as well! Also, if you plan on gifting something to your …

Himalaya Tan Removal Orange Peel-Off Mask Review

October 17, 2016

Himalaya Tan Removal Orange Peel-Off Mask is unlike your regular masks that promise soft, glowy skin. Because it provides you a much deeper sense of ‘mask-cleaning’ your face. And with the biggest reason of skin related problems being the harsh sunlight, this Tan Removal Orange Peel-Off Mask is everything you need to take care of the dullness and ageing symptoms that arise out of a sun-tan. On my review-table for this month, I am quite happy with the results so far. Given that October is all about Indian festivities of 2016, I was actually looking for some home-remedies to keep a check on my facial cleanliness, give the fact that a lot of outdoorsy events have (and will be) taken place this month. THE PACKAGING Quite light, travel friendly and neat. The flip-cap squeeze bottle ensures no leakage of the product and provides hygienic application. A well informative packaging with easy-directions manual to use the product. THE USAGE Simply squeeze out a finger full of the mask gel and spread evenly on the face and neck area. The consistency of this mask is thicker than the other regular gel masks, the product doesn’t drip and smooths out very easily on the face. Due to its thick consistency, the gel doesn’t dry off immediately, letting the applier spread the product on the skin conveniently. But of course, the peel-off mask has a tangy orange fragrance that provides a refreshing feel upon application. The fun part is, removing the mask from your face. Post 15 minutes of application, you can start peeling off the mask from your face. The mask is gentle on the face, eliminating any harshness or scratch on the skin; upon peeling. You can either wash your face post peeling, or simply pat your face with a wet towel …

Famous Bollywood Actresses And Eyeliner Trends From 1940s to 2016

October 3, 2016

Think ‘Smokey Eyes’ is the trend of ‘Modern Times’? Well, let me rephrase it for you. Think Indian women have always and have only been capable of just excelling the art of kohl-manship? It’s time to take references from the Era gone by, because the trendsetters from as early as the 1940s till date have taken their eyeliner trends quite seriously. Presenting to you a list of our Famous Bollywood Actresses And Eyeliner Trends 1940-2016. 1940s Suraiya One of the first actresses and highest paid performer of the Indian cinema was Suraiya Jamaal Sheikh, popularly known as ‘Suraiya’. Not just on-screen, but Suraiya loved keeping her make up and fashion style on check at all times as well. 1940s was the era of femininity and minimalism, as far as makeup was concerned. But even in such times of limited beauty products, Suraiya managed to adorn ‘Soft Smokey’ eyeliner style with a prominent flicked eyeliner, smudged to perfection. Madhubala Hello Classic Bar! Bollywood’s very own Madonna, a.k.a. Madhubala was surely an enchantress. Her beauty is still praised about and her natural and muted make up swayed many a hearts away. No fuss Classic Bar eyeliner style was Madhubala’s all time go-show trend. A fine eyeline coating across the lash, slightly thickining up towards the edge. 1950s Meena Kumari The ‘Pakeeza’ actress was all about royalty, glitter and dramatic personal style. This not only reflected on her clothing, but the make up as well. If 1940s was all about minimalism, then 1950S was definitely a flip-side to the muted trends. Meena Kumari’s eyes spoke volumes with her Winged Eyeliner style stretched up till the edge of the brow. Waheeda Rehman The era also saw Waheeda Rehman Guide-ing the masses how to look less dramatic and still make a mesmerising statement. Playing a …

Indian Tourism

Aayna Clinic Delhi

August 22, 2016

Comparitively a newer concept in India, but a fast growing trend in the beauty industry of the country is these professional ventures that profile world class services on Cosmetology and Dermatology to the consumers. Their is no questioning on the fact that the secret behind a celebrity’s flawless looks is much more than just eating healthy and exercising right. While staying fit and marking what you eat goes a long way in assuring a healthier lifestyle, their are certain skin and hair issues that develop with factors ranging between age and genetics; that need professional rituals and services. Thanks to the ‘Vampire Facial’ promoted by Kim Kardashian, the idea of getting anything ‘Dermatology’ became a big no-no or much of a too-much-pain-for-gain myth that people assumed it to be damage worthy of your skin; scarring you for life! When in reality, Dermatology is all about beautifying you, correcting the natural flaws that you have, with minimal to no side-effects; whatsoever. Now, if you’ve been taking up ‘Cosmetology Facials’ or those special ‘Chemical Peels’ from your regular salon, that’s the type of procedure which are dangerous! No, the chemical peels are not dangerous in self, but applying the right formula post analysing the condition of the skin and judging the timeline of application and rest is a crucial affair. While I will be writing a separate post on this issue, what I’d really like to address is that the science has to be right for a successful Cosmetology procedure. Dr. Simal Soin is one of India’s leading and internationally respected name in the field of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Dermatology. She holds experience of over 15 years, dealing with clients both nationally and internationally. It is her passion for promoting Dermatology and providing her skillful services to the customers that has brought forward a compilation of …

Indian Tourism

M.A.C. Makeup – Tarun Tahiliani Couture 2016

July 23, 2016

Say bye bye to red lips as it’s all about looking beautiful in your own skin; this season. ‘Brown Girl’ avataar was what scored the runway beauty department for Tarun Tahiliani’s show at the FDCI India Couture Week 2016. Hues of Mocha with bronze and copper shimmers were what dominated the colour palette for Tahiliani’s couture collection. Wanna learn how to achieve the look with M.A.C. Makeup? Mickey Contractor, Director of Makeup Artistry, M.A.C India who constructed the flawless look broke down the sequence for M.A.C. lovers. Check it out! 1. Start with Fix+, an aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. It adds radiance and helps prepare the skin 2. Use the Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, an ultra-light formula that intensely hydrates and leaves skin more supple and luminous 3. Next apply the Prep + Prime Moisture Infusion, a lightweight serum that saturates the skin with a concentrated boost of hydration 4. Correct and Conceal using the Pro Conceal and Correct Palette 5. Use the Select Sheer Pressed Powder, a lightweight pressed powder with a silky, natural matte finish and a soft-focus effect 6. Sculpt the face by using the Shadester Sculpting Powder and then finish off the cheeks by applying the Mocha lipstick 7. For the eyes use the Sketch and Rice Paper Eye Shadow along with the Chromagraphic Pencil 8. Use Lash No. 7 for added drama and top it off with Haute & Naughty Mascara for extra volume 9. Line the lips with Strip Down Lip Pencil and fill them in with Amber Lights Eye Shadow & Reflects Gold Glitter All images have been taken from the press releases, except for those that hold the logo of www.kalapalette.com.

The Body Shop Indian Night Jasmine

May 24, 2016

The first time I laid my eyes on The Body Shop Indian Night Jasmine parfum range, I knew that this fragrance edition needs to be added to my personal collection asap! I have always preferred floral fragrances over fruity scents and this one was an instant hit with me. Boxed in a very artistic packaging, the Indian-ness of this edition reflects well right from treating your eyes to your smelling senses! As per the older reviews available online, the packaging was very different which has been customised and restocked on the extensive demand of the product. What’s The Body Shop Indian Night Jasmine? Since ancient times, Indian women have used jasmine flowers to perfume and adorn their hair. Jasmine’s small, fine flower reveals a strong scent that reaches its most powerful intensity at night. In India, we extracted Jasmine essence from hundreds of freshly-picked flowers to compose a unique warm and intensely heady white floral fragrance at heart deepened by notes of sandalwood and vanilla. My Experience Hands down, I have been sold on the idea of Mughal inspired Jasmine fragrance by The Body Shop. Having been born and brought up in Delhi, I have always had a soft corner for everything Mughal. The wild bushes of Jasmine flowers are spread across the capital city of India and are loved and enjoyed by every resident of the city, each summer! Loved the Orange against a monochrome Mehendi design packaging of this one. The actual EDT bottle is a glass bottle and has has an old fashion parfum silhouette to match the Mughal feel of it. The fragrance is of medium strength with a base tone of course being the jasmine flower. The top and medium notes consist of a strong tangerine hint which evolves from the concoction of orange, sandalwood, musk and vanilla fragrances. I can …

Himalaya Herbals Lip Care Range

April 4, 2016

Lip care is on top of every girl’s mind and it is incomplete without a decent lip balm. Not to mention the role of a lip balm when it teams up with Kajal to give us that minimal look we all are always vying for! I keep no inhibitions in admitting that chapped lips make me really uncomfortable. Moreover, it keeps me distracted from whatever I am supposed to be doing. Being an admirer of non-artificial stuff, I always seek 100% natural products. However, most of the brands available in market use petroleum and silicone substances and contain preservatives. My aunt understood the issues I had and suggested me to try Himalaya Herbals Lip Care range. A combination of safety and satisfaction in a product was hard to find until I laid my hands on Himalaya’s herbal range of lip balms. I find it convenient and easy to trust a brand like Himalaya that has not only been in business for more than seven decades but also guarantees the goodness of Ayurveda owing to their commitment to herbal tradition. They made strides in products of personal care and wellness in 1999 and have ever since offered us the fruits of their constant. This time Himalaya has come up with a luxurious and glamorous range of lip balms which is sure to appeal to the youth. The Natural Soft Vanilla Lip Care is a luxurious lip balm which helps us combat dryness and further softens the lips. It has an anti-inflammatory characteristic which heals chapped and damaged lips. There is Rich Cocoa Butter Lip Care that will not only give extra protection but also make the lips naturally glossy. It shields the sensitive skin from environmental damage by repairing, healing and moisturising the lips. What you get in the end are soft and supple lips! On the other hand, the peach …

The Body Shop Black Musk EDP Review

March 1, 2016

The Body Shop Black Musk might sound like a super dark concussion of ingredients that might be a little too powerful for a woman’s application but it is actually a balanced blend of fruity and sweet ingredients. This fragrance is not at all dark, but has a powerful spirit that definitely stands out amongst the array of musk based EDPs that are available in the market. The newest fragrance addition to The Body Shop’s huge range of fragrances is the ‘Black Musk’ range that comes in perfume, EDT and EDP formula. When I first lay my hands on this bottle of goth, I was prepared to whiff overpowering tones of musk with faint hints of vanilla. But to my surprise, the formula is a pleasing balance of black vanilla with hints of musk with the sweet notes of a pear. Prolly this is the reason why it has been introduced as being ‘naughty & nice’ as it tends to blend in the powerful base notes with feminine top notes. The Packaging Honestly, I am quite happy with its packaging. Especially the EDP, that comes in a compact black bottle which is light, strong and easy to apply. The entire black with violet colour scheme of the packaging stands out amongst other delicately packed fragrance bottles by The Body Shop. It is definitely travel friendly and fits in even in my hand bag without the fear of spoiling the contents upon uncapping. The Usage I spray the EDP behind my ears and on my front neckline. The fragrance lasts for a good 4-5 hours with all the notes settling in within a span of 30-40 minutes. About the Black Musk Range Become brazenly seduced by the dual scent persona of Black Musk Fragrance. The Body Shop’s Black Musk Fragrance is the darkest and …

Indian Tourism

Faces Canada Ultime Pro Matte Lip Crayon

February 14, 2016

First things first. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY everyone! Hope you are all having a fabulous time and for those who are looking forward to an amazing night out with the loved ones, here’s something that might come in handy. I still remember my early 20s, when I was newly introduced to the world of ‘lipsticks’. Any kind of lipstain for me meant *grown up* and I usually stayed way away from applying any kind of lippie for a random occasion. But when I started blogging and attending events, I did realise that a lipstick is kind of a necessity which comes in the basic category of doing make up. Although I did struggle a bit, getting used to the art of applying lipsticks; the confusion didn’t end at that. The biggest questions of all was ‘What shade to apply on your lips?’. Oh! And not to forget the variety of applicators and textures available in the market. So the whole process is not just limited to swiping a rich shade on the lips, but also about the consistency of the shade and how long will it last on your lips. Now it’s been more than 3 years of my experimentation with the lip colours. The struggle has been real. Of course with the given variety, but my bigger concern was finding the shades that will compliment any skin tone (screaming out Indian brown colour, out loud). Now a couple of months back, I visited Faces Canada’s Saket store, to try out some of their latest beauty additions. Faces Canada is one of those brands who do improvise on their colour palette, based on regions and requirements of a particular skin shade. So I have definitely felt confident applying shades from their lips range. One of their latest ranges consisted of Matte …

Ready Face With Clean And Clear

February 8, 2016

Dusky or Fair? Just Smile with your “Ready Face” Life is beautiful. Life is tough. And it is the toughest in the teenage years because then we do not know how to deal with it. Even as adults we do not. Yet in teenage i.e., this transitory phase from childhood to adulthood, we face some kind of issues which are unique only to this age. Like those related to our self perception, our identity, the societal norms and how we deal with them. In this post, we grapple with the idea of choosing between chasing a fair skin, or a ‘Clean and Clear’ natural skin irrespective of the skin shade. Here starts a journey to uncover our ‘Ready Face‘! “How do I look”, we often ask one another without realising how demeaning that phrase is. I am not against looking good. Of course wearing an over sized furry jacket must be avoided on a sunny afternoon! I am more concerned about discarding any issues with one’s own skin! I dream of a face that oozes with confidence, without having to care about what others think. My #ReadyFace is free from the pressure of society’s expectations. A #ReadyFace is jubilant and optimistic to face all kinds of challenges that life has to offer. As a product of our society, people of all ages, seem to be misguided about the idea of true beauty. Many still believe in the ridiculous idea that only fair is lovely! It is evident in matrimonial ads where people are claiming to have a fair skin tone, or demanding the same. It is palpable when at a family function an elderly relative comes to you and congratulates, with great satisfaction, that you look fairer today. And also, when elders advise children not to have tea and coffee …