Saturday 28 April 2012

My Rasta Mani - Trial and Tutorial


Okay so you guys know my extreme inexperience when it comes to  nail art, mainly because I like my nails just as they are thank you very much! plus office kind of makes it difficult, but I have decided to do my nails every weekend! Last couple of weeks I have seen my eye wander to the nail art posts and nail paint displays in stores so I decided to try something. Rastafarian is a movement from Jamaica and one of my Jamaican friend is seriously into the lifestyle and this was inspired by him :) So lets get started!

What do you need: 
  • nailpaints in red, yellow, green and black.
  • Top coat if you wish.
  • Scotch tape
  • Scissors

Step 1:
Paint your nails green on the top, and red on the bottom, with roughly equally wide stripes and leave an are of same width between them.(Don't worry about being tooooo neat, it will be taken care of later) 
Step 2:

Paint the yellow stripe and do atleast 2 coats for each colour to make it opaque.We need the colors to be bright!
Step 3, 4, 5:
Cut the scotch tape into strips (as wide as you like) and place them on the DRY nails.Here you can do any shape you like, I did a random cross :) BE CAREFUL TO PRESS DOWN ON THE SCOTCH TAPE HARD AND LEAVE NO SPACES.
Step 6: 

Slap on some black paint like its your new best friend! Do a double coat if you like. Now go do your thing.Watch TV, vegetate, dance the cha cha and wait for the black paint to dry :!!
Step 7:
Pull off the scotch tape in one quick pull (like pulling off a band-aid but without the pain and a lot more excitement :D) Be sure that the nail paint has dried before you pull it off, I was impatient (yeah nothing new for me) and messed up my pinky finger  :/  Finish with a top coat if you want!
Admire your new Rasta mani :) 

To read more on the Rastafari movement go here : Rastafari


Wednesday 25 April 2012

NARS shades inspired by the Indian Market!

THAKOON is a Thailand-born, Nebraska-raised designer whose clothes have graced chic, modern women around the globe, including Jessica Alba, Marion Cotillard, Rachel Bilson, and  Michelle Obama. For the first time ever, NARS has paired up with a fashion designer in the nail category.


Funny Face Beauty's 30th Birthday Bash - 30 Prizes!


Super prizes include YSL, Dior, Physician's Formula, Revlon, Bourjois and MAC! Ends 8th May!


Click Here to enter!

My Take - MAC Lipglass Lovechild

I am a total lip junkie! If you asked me to survive on nothing but one kind of product, I'd ask for lipsticks! I can multitask with these small bundles of color, I have been known to use them as blush, eyeshadows and even bronzers to highlight! B-)  Yep just pop the right one in your bag and ur all set for the night! :-bd
Lip products are versatile and the range of colors is nothing short of amazing. No wonder whatever I am looking to buy, I always head to the lipstick counter no matter what store it is.MAC is one of my favourites because of their range not only in lipsticks and lip liners but also lip glosses.The lipglass Im reviewing today is one of my go-to ones.Presenting......................Lovechild (Is that name cute or what?!)

Tuesday 24 April 2012

New Package From Cosme De Com and Website Review


You know how I love ordering online but the shipping and handling charges are always so high you feel its not worth it.You might be buying goods worth 15 dollars and pay 13 dollars for shipping Jeez!
So I went to Baba Google Dev and asked for  a couple of free International shipping sites and this was one of them. Presenting Cosme-De.com ......................
Pros:
  • Great website - well designed
  • Carries brands like Anna Sui, Guerlain, Bobby Brown,Laura Mercier, NARS, NYX,Skin Food, Skin79 (ttheir BB Cream is supposed to be the best) and Benefit
  • Super fast delivery -I placed my order on 18th morning and it reached me today!
  • They mail you at the stage of order completion and dispatch
  • A lot of good East Asian brands like skin food and the face shop are also included
  • The goods are really packed well - with bubble wrap and then sealed airbags
  • Each good is separately tagged with a scan-code
  • Good offers of discount etc.
Cons:
  • Minimum number of items required to complete order (but you can mix the items)
  • Limited goods from the brands.


So this is what I got: 2 sets of travel brushes from Lilyth and 1 heated eye lash curler from Betty Boop.Aint it cute!! The brushes are sooooooo soft! The biggest one is the closest I have found to The Body Shop Mineral Powder Kabuki!

Saturday 21 April 2012

StyleCraze's New Series "The Insider" - 1st Article Features Moi!

Hey my lovely ones! I guess we are all familiar with the Stylecraze community, a truly ground-breaking platform for beauty bloggers, enthusiasts and all-round general readers to share and learn about fashion and beauty.The community has over 1000 members and is growing at a rapid rate. They have recently launched a new series of interviews that take a closer look at the experts behind the beauty scenes and what makes them tick.

The 1st interview featured in the series is none other than that of yours truly! So wanna learn more about me? Read it on "The Insider"!!

Click HERE to read my Interview!

Thursday 19 April 2012

Lilura's International Giveaway

Lilura Begiak is giving away some awesome items for a fun giveaway.
Its open Internationally and ends on21st April, so HURRY!!
Click here to enter!

Wednesday 18 April 2012

My Take- Inglot Freedom System Lipstick #62

Okay, I have a confession to make, ever since I bought these round lil pots I have been using them Everywhere! Office and market yes, but also to visit neighbors and even on my power walk!They are that awesome!I bought 3 shades and I will be reviewing #62 for you today.

This is a peachy shade with strong hints of pink. An everyday shade if you would like a break from pink or tangerine thats in vogue this year.It applies really smoothly like all the Inglot lipsticks and even covers most of my pigmented upper lip.Stays for a good 4 hours without eating and fades leaving behind a slight tint.It does not settle into lines and even acts as a filler to reduce the ones you have in your lips, giving them a smoother look.

KONADLICIOUS' $500 AWESOME 3,000 FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY!!


TWO major prizes.One to cater Vintage Queens and another for Nail Polish Queens!

Prize #1:
Miskonduct Clothing -$100 gift certificate.

Prize #2: 
NAIL POLISH:


Cult Nails - $50 store gift certificate!
Ninja Polish - $25 gift certificate!
NerdLacquer - All Of Time and Space.
Glitter Gal Australia - LIGHT AS A FEATHER & BLUE!
All That Glitters Nails - $25 store gift certificate!
Jenna from Laquistry - "THE KONADLICIOUS"
Dollish Polish. - $20 gift certificate!
ORLY - Prelude To A Kiss & Steel Your Heart + Orly Bonder and Orly Polished.
Le Beauty - 8 polishes from their current line!
You Mix Cosmetics - $30 gift certificate!
Beady Wendy - handmade glass earrings!
OPI - mini pack of their New Dutch Treats Collection
Pretty And Polished - Pool Party!

GIVEAWAY CLOSES 16th MAY 2012. OPEN INTERNATIONALLY.

Monday 16 April 2012

Monday Haul from DLF Promenade!

I love window shopping! And if it turns into actual shopping, well no one can blame ya!  I had taken a half day because mom needed me to take her shopping before she flies to the US next month and who am I to say no for shopping? While mom picked up a bunch of her clothes n shoes, I decided to spend time in my favourite places....check out what I hauled home this time:

3 Inglot Freedom System lipsticks in shades #03, #39 and # 62
and a 5 pot palette(2 of my shades were out of stock - will need to buy online)
Nailpaints-(L-R) NewU Metallic Pink (Mom's) ,Flormar 003, Flormar 423, Flormar 424, Maybelline Colorama 40 Graus
Two pair of earrings - they are woven like cloth in shiny black and silver, perfect for clubbing!
The purple glittery nail file was the gift of the month at NewU.a bit meh but this is pink and glittery so I picked it up.

So how do you like the stuff? Will be posting the reviews of the lipsticks real soon.Stay tuned! :)

xoxo

Sunday 15 April 2012

My 1st Nail Art DIY (Under Pressure) :D

Okay Ladies Lets talk about nails today!
I wanted to post this just before I dash off to work and you'll see why later.....
I am one of those people who likes her nails buffed and polished but NOT painted. Seriously my nail color collection consists of 5 polishes in total and none of them is anything beyond the palest pink.In fact that comes across so pale in 2 coats, I can actually call it MNBB!! Here is my collection in all its glory, and the red nail paint(2nd from left) is Wet N Wild Espionage and belongs to my mum.....um yeah she has more risque colors than I do 8-|


Being a working girl means no serious nail lacquer during the work week and even then you have to keep looking after them because you know that chips and cracks just don't look good (I've talked about Corporate dressing here).So I prefer to stick to my simple clear base or French Manicure. This weekend however my 15 year old cousin came by to visit me and being fond of nail art (albeit amateur) she wanted to do my "janitor nails". Yep thats what she called em! :-O 

Saturday 14 April 2012

My Higher Self's 1st Anniversary Giveaway!

Tina from My Higher Self is giving away the ultimate in Prizes: An Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV palette for her blog's 1st Anniversary!! Congrats Tina!


Click Here to Enter! Hurry this giveaway ends tomorrow!

Indian Vanity Case -International Too Faced Giveaway

Cynthia from Indian vanity Case (love that name!) is giving away a Too Faced Smoky Eyeshadow Palette and a sample of Shadow Insurance to one lucky winner!


It ends on 5th May 2012 so you have a lot of time to enter and its open to international reader also.
Click here to enter this fabulous giveaway!

Friday 13 April 2012

MLBB - Revlon CBL #65 Rosy Nude


Hey Everyone!
Whats the sign of a truly great lipstick? Ripping the package open in the car, putting it on in the unforgiving natural light of day (sans makeup and sporting my glasses & a ponytail, no less) looking in the rearview mirror and immediately thinking to myself, "YES!" :D I  picked up a Revlon shade that appealed to me hence the drama in the car :P It’s the shade Rosy Nude or #065 in Revlon Colorburst Lipstick.

Thursday 12 April 2012

Friday Review - L’ Occitane En Provence Petal Soft Hand Cream

I hate it when my hands get that dry stretched out feel after I wash my hands, and I wash them a lot. This constant washing was turning my hands into rough rags that even I didn’t want to touch. Enter L’ Occitane En Provence Petal Soft Hand Cream and Voila! My problem is cured!

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Ankita's ‘Love your Eyes’ International Giveaway International

Ankita from Corallista is giving away a hamper of her favorite products

Prizes are:

  1. MAC Smolder eye kohl 
  2. L’oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara 
  3. Inglot 446 Pearl eye shadow 
  4. Aroma Magic Almond Under eye cream 
Ends in 22 days! Click here to enter!

Wise She & Soulflower Rs1000 Gift Card Giveaway

Im joining in the Wise She & Soulflower Rs1000 Gift Card Giveaway.Its time to pamper ourselves.


Ive used Soulflower soaps before and I loved them (Review Here).There will be one winner and giveaway is open to Indian readers only! Ends in 15 days!


Click here to Enter!

Fab India Rose Geranium Face and Body Gel Scrub

I bought this scrub in February during a random haul (read post here) when I was looking for some skin treatments during the iffy weather. I have been using it regularly for a while and it has lived up to its name. It gently scrubs while providing a layer of hydration at the same time.
Though the instructions say to apply it onto wet skin and scrub, I love to leave it on my face for 5 min before I start scrubbing because it imparts such a cooling and hydrating sensation to my skin. Almost like my skin that was tired after the long office day is waking up and saying “good morning!”

Tuesday 10 April 2012

My first HG product - Pond's Pore Tightening Facial Foam


This Facewash has given me what no other facewash has – a skin with smoother pores (for a while anyway!)
My face has a weird texture, with small pores in the forehead and temples and cheeks and huge pores on the nose. My entire journey of beauty products began with the search for a suitable facewash/toner that could close these pores and give me a smoother surface if only for short periods of time. I tried facewashes from Forest Essentials, Garnier, Olay, L’Oreal, Lakme, Aroma Magic, Biotique and even Pond’s. The search stopped with Pond’s …….. Presenting Pond's Pore tightening Facial Foam

Monday 9 April 2012

Giveaway: Too Faced Goodie Bag!!

Rochelle is hosting a  one last giveaway before she takes some time off to plan her wedding (Best of Luck R). 



One winner will get:
  • A damask make-up bag
  • Lip of Luxury samples
  • Lash Injection deluxe sample
  • LashGASM deluxe sample
  • Cocoa Puff & Honey Pot - Eyeshadow Duo
  • Shadow Insurance (original) full size
  • Shadow Insurance (Candlelight) deluxe sample
  • Beauty Balm (Nude Glow) deluxe sample
  • Primed and Poreless deluxe sample
  • Pink Leopard Brightening Bronzer in mirror compact
  • Sun Bunny Bronzer 
  • Limited Edition Flatbuki Brush
There ARE Shipping charges to be paid unless you get the goods delivered to an address of a relative in the US.Giveaway ends on April 15th 2012


Hit the Motherload with Stylecraze's 1000 Members Celebrations!

StyleCraze.com is giving away a super huge basket of goodies! The giveaway runs till they reach 3000 members so get your entries in now!!

Brands include Urban Decay, China Glaze, Nyx, Bourjois and loads more!Over 30 products in total!

Click Here to join the biggest community of Health, Fashion and Beauty Bloggers now! And don't forget to participate in this awesome contest! Click here to enter!

Your HomeWork Before Going to Work


One thing I have always wanted to post about but constantly forget is the need to stay simple with your accessories at work, specially if you work in the corporate sector. The goal is to project the image of an efficient and a responsible person who gets the work done.
But that doesn't mean you can't be feminine right? There is a middle ground without going all Paris Hilton. Everyone usually talks about the kind of make-up one applies for office and it is an important part of one's image but there are several other factors that contribute to it also. I will be talking about these in detail today.
Quick Rule of Thumb: Everything is going to be simple, with spotlight on ONE item.
Accessories:
The watch: is your best friend.A watch can be so many things, trendy for those power suits, ethnic for the madhubani suits on Fridays, a little girly but casual for field days, its the quintessential crowning glory to your office look.
The Necklace: For an extra touch you can add a simple necklace but always remember to balance it against the neck of your top.If you feel your turtle neck or round neck top makes you shorter, add a long necklace or a chain with pendant.Both of them help in carrying the eye downwards thus giving a longer effect to your look.On the other hand a V neck shirt can be accessorised with a simple medium length chain that falls in an oval shape. 
Earrings: should be studs in diamonds, gold, pearls, CZ or even semi-precious stones matching your outfit.Select their shape at per the shape of your face: round faces should use oval or oblong stones and long faces should have round stones. Small tiered earrings are appropriate for casual days and can be matched with a simple Silver bracelet/kada. 
No bangles or chandelier earrings.Keeping jewellery to a minimum is also practical if you commute by public transport like I do plus it allows the others to concentrate on YOU rather than your outer trappings.Jangling and tinning sounds are NOT attractive in the worksphere!

Shoes: Your choice of shoes says a lot about you! I always check out the shoes of the man I'm interested in.Worn down shoes or messy shoe strings ( Running shoes with formal suits God Forbid!!) are a strict no-no.They indicate the slob-ish nature of the man. 

Similarly your heels must be of suitable length for work and sturdy enough to last all day even when you have to run between workstations. A lot of people while picking shoes overlook the possibility of having to walk in them while the truth is that in an 8 hour workday we walk an average of over a kilometer!

A shoe that is not sturdy and well made, merely pretty maybe doing more harm to your feet than you realize.Keep the shoes simple.Neutral colors like Black, grey, tan,beige are best while material like leather and suede suits all office occassions.

Pumps and mules are your best bet while slingbacks with closed toes can also be used with long trousers.No stilettos and skyscraper heels for the boardroom. Kitten heels and small wedges(not espadrilles) are great.The toes of your shoes are as important as the heels are. Court shoes are great but if your really want to go all out, keep an eye on the toes.Peep-toes are also an option, but ONLY if you take care of your toe nails, here however you are allowed to go wild with color and use pinks and reds.The shoes must be well-kept and polished with no scuff marks marring the surface.

The Handbag: is the be-all for the girl on the move.We keep papers, wallet, make-up bag, scarf, phone, an extra comb, the iPod....and the list goes on and on. Seriously, if we could find a way to fit our kitchen sink in there, it would travel with us!This is also the one place you are allowed to go all-out and pick colors, sizes, shapes you name it! Color co-ordinated or contrasted, this is one statement piece that you can really make your own! Who knew totes and messenger bags could be so fashionista!

A Handkerchief: in your bag will save you oodles of embarassment later.It not only performs its major function but also serves as a great make-up remover (remember those raccoon eyes on the day of that departmental meeting?) Otherwise I always prefer to keep 2 Q-tips in my bag and a bottle of Johnson & Johnson's baby oil. Trust me, there is no better make-up removing formula that also moisturises. A mascara may claim to be waterproof, tearproof and even hurricane proof but I have yet to see one in reality! That's when a Q-tip dabbed in J&J baby oil comes in handy.In fact, its so fantastic, my tattoo artist advised me to apply it for a week on my new tattoo whenever I could and boy was my skin happy despite the needle experience :c) hmmmm it might have something to do with my Italian hunk of an artist :D
Scarf:If you feel you have a very severe line in your formal suits etc, you can always add a nice scarf in a complimentary color to soften the look.I personally like the severe cuts of the trousers and blazer as they give an angular and leaner look to my plump figure, but I wear a scarf to add a feminine touch. But remember scarves and necklaces do not go together, wear either one.

Stockings: When wearing skirts and trousers, always always always wear socks to work, no matter how hot it is (I take mine to work and slip into them in the ladies room). Lack of socks indicates casual wear and a casual attitude. For girls there are umpteen options from silk hoses to pantyhose to stockings and a huge variety to choose from! Length, transparency, material, color everything your heart could desire!Just make sure the mesh size is small.Fishnets are reserved for the boudoir :P You know how guys go nuts over stockings? Guess what! They do that for the short versions too! So try them on that cutie in the next cubicle tomorrow and he won't be able to resist checking you out! ;)
Who says office wear has to be boring. a little care and you are ready to conquer the world!


Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,8, 9, 10

Sunday 8 April 2012

Inglot Lip Crayon in #23


This review is especially for Radhika :)
My recent rambling took me to the Inglot store in Saket…Oh Ok who am I kidding, I went there! :P
My aim was to build a special palette of lipsticks but I wanted something different from my usual plum shades. So I went, tested about 6-7 shades in nude and pinks and came out with:
Name: Inglot AMC Lip Crayon #22 and #23  | Price: INR 680 each  | Weight: 3.8 g

Saturday 7 April 2012

A Different Beauty

The world has witnessed the ascent of many beauty queens in the past decades. Three are crowned every year and their beauty is lauded worldwide, they are toured and wined and dined and bowed and gushed over…..and then they silently go back into anonymity at the end of their Cinderella ball. Some take to the movie industry (cough*Bollywood*) and find a way to make a living hawking their pretty faces (courtesy plastic surgeons).

Yet in this world, there are some real beauties. Of the lasting variety. The hatching of an egg, the first ramble of an otter pup, the release of endangered species back into the wild.
Im very proud to be a part of this world where every day brings a new wonder to be enjoyed and the surprises never end. In this journey of marvelling at the creativity of nature, Durrell Wildlife Trust has been my guide.Its founder Gerald Durrell is the youngest brother of novelist Lawrence Durrell.

My affair with Gerald Durrell (Sorry Lee! :P) began at the age of 11 with a simple reading of the short story “My Donkey Sally”. Told with humour and satire by a similar aged boy, it brought alive the island of Corfu and compelled me to buy an entire collection of the works of the author. I have never been disappointed. He has made me laugh, made me cry, pull my hair at the obstinacy of the beauraucrats, and appreciate the dedication of the naturalists. But most of all, he has taught me to view the animal world with wonder, realise that each animal and not just species is different. While the variation in human behaviour is not all that great, it varies across the spectrum in animals, even of the same species. How a chimpanzee can insist on opening the door for you, every single time or a tapir recognize you from smell alone……those are the things that leave me spellbound.

And through this process of collection of endangered species and their conservation, Gerald chronicled his books, outlining his experiences with humour, frustration, disappointment and joy. Each of the triumphs at the successful birth of a young one become your own, and the loss of a beloved animal leaves your heart bruised.

Gerald’s dream of starting a zoo ( stated at the age of 3) has not only been realised but has grown to become one of the first captive breeding program in the world. After his death in 1995, the trust as established by him was continued by his wife Lee and has contributed to saving many species, so far so that it is now the only thing standing between them and complete extinction.

Check out a few pictures (Courtesy of Durrell.Org) of such moments with endangered babies:
 April 6 on BBC News:Eighteen Madagascan pochards - the world's most endangered duck - have hatched in a captive breeding centre.This brings the world population of the ducks to just 60.The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust lead the captive breeding programme.


A rare glimpse of a VERY young short clawed otter pup venturing out for the first time.

For the first time in eleven years, they have successfully bred the rare Lesser Antillean Iguana.

Black lion tamarin baby

One of their keepers caught them having a sneaky slow dance.Their names: William and Kate! ;)

A 20 day old Meerkat venturing outside the burrow for the first time!

To visit these cuties and their friends: http://www.durrell.org/
If you liked these pictures, don't forget to ask for cruelty-free brushes and products.

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