Tuesday 18 December 2012

Faces Go Chic Lipstick : Twig

I am basically a lipgloss person (this would have been my statement some 4 to 5 months back). But things have turned upside down in the past few months. I don't really know what made me turn into a lippie person. Maybe I've realised that the variation in the shade of lipsticks are a lot, lot more than lipglosses and also the staying power is also more compared to glosses. So today I'll be reviewing one of my new shade.



Price: Rs. 199 for 4.5gms.
I think its a very affordable for such a quality and quantity.

Ingredients:
Phenyl Trimethicone, Octyl Palmitate, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, White Soft Paraffin, Shea Butter, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ozokerite Wax, Performalene PL Polymer, Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax, BHA , Propyl Paraben, Castor Oil, Mica, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Octyl Methoxy Cinnamate , Benzophenone-3 , Vit-E-Acetate , Perfume, Colors.



My Experience:
The packaging of the lipstick is very attractive. It has a full shiny black plastic body with a silver ring in the middle in which faces is written. The lipstick opens and closes with a click and is very much travel friendly as there are no chances of the cap opening in the bag.



Now coming to the texture, I'll say it's not really creamy and moisturising as the Maybelline Moisture Extreme ones but neither is it hard. It glides on easily and it has the right texture. People with chapped and dry lips might need a balm underneath but otherwise it can be directly applied on the lips. It doesn't make my lips dry.

Pigmentation of the lipstick is good. One swipe is enough for a day look/office look.But the staying power is not that much good. It stays on my lips with full glory for around 1.5 - 2 hours but then gradually fades.



Now coming to the toughest part, the description of the color. Well I am very bad in describing colors but still, the color is sort of brownish coral. It appears almost to be brown in the bullet, but when applied it turns out to be a nice coralish brown :P ( sorry for that one.. I really don't have anyother way to describe the color). I am wearing this color almost every alternative day to office. Am currently obsessed with the shade. Moreover, the quality and the price of the lipstick is a total value for money.




Goods:
  • Texture just perfect.
  • Price
  • Nice shade (my love for the color is overflowing)
  • Trendy packaging
  • Good pigmentation.

Bads:
  • Staying power ( Hope it was a bit more)
  • No spf.

Rating:
  • 4.5 out of 5 







   

Sunday 16 December 2012

Aroma Magic Grapefruit Face Wash

Hello there :D .....
I recently did some hauls and so thought of reviewing on of them for you all. Okay so I finished off with the Aroma Magic Neem Face Wash and had a mixed feeling with it. So some time back I was in search of an alternative face wash as I was not interested in continuing with the Neem Face Wash and came across this Newly Launched Face Wash from Aroma Magic called the Grapefruit Face Wash.

Ingredients: Aqua, decyl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, olive esters, cymbopogan martinii oil,  aloe barbadensis leaf extracts, grandis seed extracts, citrus medica limonum extracts, fruit derieved beta carotene and citrus aurantinum oil. ( Most of them sounds like Hebrew to me).

Price: Rs. 125/- for 100 ml.



Claim: 100 % free of paraben, soap, alcohol, artificial colouring & fragrance. Cleans, lightens & brightens skin with grapefruit, lemon & aloe vera extracts. Tighten Pores with Vitamin C and beta carotene. Mattifies and revitalises skin with blend of palmarosa and neroli oils.




My Say about the Product:
Aroma Magic has recently changed its graphics on the packaging which is quite eye catching and I fell prey of its new packageing. Well I've been using this face wash twice a day for the past 2 weeks or so. The first thing I noticed was that it left my skin squeaky clean. It has a light citrusy smell but nothing overpowering. The smell is quite refreshing to me. The colour of the face wash is light lime. The consistency is just right. The tube is semi opaque that lets us see the product left in it. The impressive point till now is that I didnot have any breakouts or rashes on my sensitive area (forehead). But one Caution mentioned in the tube is that mattifying sunscreen during the day is essential and NOT recommended for DRY SKIN. Well while buying I was not aware of the caution and was quite sceptical to use it as most of our's skin tend to become dry in the winters. But I've not yet have had any problem.

Now suming up, I really like the product and think it's a quite impressive product and does full fills most of the claims. 




Thumps Ups:
  • Squeaky clean face
  • Paraben free
  • Not tested on Animals
  • Brightens the Skin tone
  • Refeshing smell

Thumbs Down:
  • Not 100% satisfied with all the claims (although nothing serious cons).


Rating: 4 out of 5






Thursday 13 December 2012

Handicraft Fair @ Kolkata

I know its been ages since I've written on my blog. Its not that I was not interested in doing so but there were things that kept me away from blogging. I really felt bad for doing so. Nevertheless I am back with a post that is very close to my heart.
Since the past few years whenever this handicraft fair is put up I make it a point to visit the place. Every year I really enjoy the fair thoroughly. So this year I though of why not capture these beautiful art and handicrafts in my camera and share it with all of you. These kinds of fair compels us to cherish the immense amount of talent that is present in our country. The persons who put up their stalls are mainly from the interior villages and the get hardly paid for their hard work and art they make.

Okay now lets start with the visual tour.






Now starts the actual fair...





By Far the Best (small size) Maa Durga and her Family I've seen



Jewellery Counters


Random Clicks




Till next time...take care...Bye...








Sunday 1 July 2012

KHADI MAURI FRUIT FACE PACK REVIEW


Hello Everyone…
As mentioned earlier, I bought some Khadi products for the first time. I must say, am really satisfied with their quality. In my Khadi Cucumber water review I said that the fruit face pack really did work for me. So I decided to write up a review on it.


By the way, I don’t remember if I’ve mentioned before that I have a combination type of skin. My T-zone does become a bit oily during the summers, but otherwise it’s normal. Whatever acne I develop it’s always on my forehead portion due to the heat and sweat. Ok, so lets start with the review J
PRICE:
Rs. 75/- (I bought this particular face pack from the Khadi Showroom near my home)


INGREDIENTS:
Gulab, Chandan, Narangi, Haridra, Khubani, Methi, Chandan Oil, Mulethi, Besan, Gulab Salva, Kaolin, Bentonile, Jal Seed, Pudina, Multani Mitti.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Controls acne, pimples, removes blemishes and scars from skin, improves complexion, lightens the skin, fades off wrinkles,makes skin fair,smooth and luminous.



DIRECTIONS TO USE:
Mix 2 tablespoon of the powder with water/ milk/ curd to produce a smooth paste. Apply the paste on the face and allow it to dry and then rinse off with fresh or luke warm water.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH KHADI MAURI FRUIT FACE PACK:
I never used face pack or ubtan before this one. I had no idea about the possible results. I saw it on the shop and thought of giving it a try. As khadi is a certified Institution under the Khadi Village Industries Commission (Govt. Of India) so had the impression that it would be total heral and no artificial ingredients would be used.





The pack is in powder form. It has a distinct chandan smell. You will have to make it into a paste before application. I generally donot use water. Instead I use Rose water, cucumber water and also a few drops of tea tree toner. In the first application my paste was a bit thick but from the second time I try to keep it a little watery but not runny in consistency otherwise it won’t stay on the face. Although in the directions it is said to use 2 tablespoon of the power but for my face one tablespoon of powder is more than enough. While applying the paste it gives a cool cool feeling. But as time passes and the pack dries and your face becomes stiff. I really can’t give any sort of expressions during that time. It does take a time of around 30 minutes to dry completely. I hate seeing myself in the mirror during that 30 minutes. Most of the time I become fed up and wash it off with luke warm water. After washing off the pack I do always follow up with a moisturizer. After washing off I find my skin a lot fairer and fresh. My skin looks happy( really I feel so). I apply this pack atleast once a week. Oh one thing I would like to mention here that the pack comes in a steel cylindrical container and I had a real tough time opening the cap of the container. But lastly I want to say that I totally love this face pack.

PROS:
·         Totally herbal
·         Pretty economic
·         Gives a healthy glow to the skin
·         Availability is not a problem as it’s easily getable through many online shopping sites.

CONS:
·         The packaging.
·         Face becomes too stiff.

RATING:

4.5 out of 5



Saturday 30 June 2012

MAYBELLINE WATER SHINE EXTRA VOLUME LIPGLOSS REVIEW: VOLUPTUOUS BROWN



Hi everyone,
Glosses are one thing which I can’t do without.  Today I'll do a review on Maybelline Water Shine Extra Volume Lip Gloss in the color Voluptuous Brown. 


 To be very frank, about a year back, the brand which covered almost 70 % of my make-up stuff was Maybelline. I still have no clue why this brand attracted me so much then. I guess I’ve tried everything that Maybelline had launched till then. At the same time, it’s not like I’ve stopped using Maybelline stuff, but yes, surely have reduced my investment on that particular brand. But I’m still a big fan of Maybelline products.


So let’s start with the story behind this product… I had a patent lip gloss color from Maybelline (Full Bodied Wine) which I was totally obsessed with. But somehow Maybelline discontinued that color. I searched almost all the Maybelline counters in Kolkata as well as all the shops keeping Maybelline products near my home but all of them were sold out. So while checking out new colors I came across this Maybelline Water Shine lipgloss in Voluptuous Brown.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Maybelline Water Shine Lip Gloss gives you the voluptuous dazzling lips you’ve always wanted. Hi-shine liquid format for perfectly supple brilliantly shiny lips.



PRICE
Rs 180 for 3 ml (the time I bought it)

INGREDIENTS
Not mentioned

MY EXPERIENCE WITH MAYBELLINE WATER SHINE EXTRA VOLUME LIPGLOSS: VOLUPTUOUS BROWN
Although the color says brown but its not exactly brown. Its actually orangish brown. More of orange and less of brown. I am absolutely in love with this color. It’s a very wearable color both in day as well as night. I also top this gloss over natural shade lipsticks. It’s not sticky. But the lasting power of these glosses are very less. Hardly one hour.  



  PROS:
·         Availability is not an issue
·         Not that expensive
·         Adds shine to your lips
·         Lovely shade

CONS:
·         Lasting power is very bad

RATING:
3 out of 5


Friday 22 June 2012

KHADI FACE CLEANSER CUCUMBER WATER REVIEW


Hi Everyone…
As summer is in it’s top form, I have developed a habit of giving a temporary relief to my face by spraying chilled rose water, khadi mint and cucumber face freshner, rubbing ice cube etc etc. Although the relief in too short but it does freshen me up. Due to the weather condition in Kolkata, I sweat a lot and have developed few acnes on my forehead L, which I am desperate to get rid of. Recently I bought some face packs from Khadi which really worked for me (specially the fruit face pack). That’s why I decided to give this Cucumber Water a shot.




PRICE:
Rs 70 (I got it on Rs 63)

INGREDIENTS:
Aqua, Cucumber





PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
With honey, Cucumber extracts and barberry. Removes pimples, makes skin smooth, soft and lustrous. 






DIRECTIONS TO USE:
Wet face and neck with water, then apply cucumber cleanser with cotton. After 5 to 10 minutes wash it.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH KHADI FACE CLEANSER CUCUMBER WATER:
As Khadi products are totally herbal, it has become one of my favorite brand. Till now I don’t have any complaint about any of the products of Khadi. So coming to the packaging of the product, it comes in a white transparent bottle with a flip open top. One bad thing about the packaging is that if the bottle is not kept upright, it leaks. I did waste some by keeping it horizontally. The liquid is a translucent in nature. It doesn’t have any smell as such. As per directions, I use it on a wet face with a cotton ball. It does not sting or irritate my face at all nor does it feels sticky on your face. After washing off the liquid, it gives a fresh and a smooth feeling. One thing I don’t understand why they have directed to apply it on a wet face and not on a dry face??? Whatever, I also use this cucumber water to make my face pack. Overall it’s a good product, although nothing great but useful.



PROS OF KHADI FACE CLEANSER CUCUMBER WATER:
·         Herbal
·         Can be used in a multiple way
·         Reasonably priced
·         Cleans as well as tones
·         Gives a fresh  feeling
·         Contains no smell
·         Availability is not really a problem (thanks to the online shopping sites)
·         Can be used all round the year

CONS OF KHADI FACE CLEANSER CUCUMBER WATER:
·         The packaging but other than that I am quite satisfied with the product

RATING:
·         4 out of 5






Friday 15 June 2012

AYUR EXFOLIATING CUCUMBER FACE GEL REVIEW


Today I’ll write a review on Ayur Exfoliating Cucumber Face Gel. So I came across this face wash almost a year back. Let me tell you at the beginning, I am not at all a fan of Ayur product. Somehow they always disappoint me, specially the toner. Though the reason behind buying this product was the presence of the two words- ‘cucumber gel’. The words GEL attracts me I don’t know why.  Maybe it gives me a feeling that it doesn’t contain soap or something like that. So lets start with the review.




DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT
A deep cleansing formula helps to remove dead cells, pollutant, makeup residuals, pigmentation and under eye problem. Cucumber is a rich moisturizer and excellent coolant, which rejuvenates the inner and external skin tissues making your complexion brighter with flawless glow.


PRICE
Rs 35 for 50 ml


INGREDIENTS
SLES, Cucumber extracts, wheatgerm, milicaps, menthol, fragrance, aqua




PACKAGING
It comes in a small tube with a green colored screw cap.




DIRECTIONS TO USE
Apply it on wet face and then gently massage in circular movement till lather is formed. Wash off with plenty of cold water.


MY EXPERIENCE WITH AYUR EXFOLIATING CUCUMBER FACE GEL
It’s totally a gel like thing. It doesn’t really have any fragrance but has a smell of cucumber. There are few things that I don’t agree with the description of the product that’s written on the tube.  I have some contradiction with the words like Exfoliating, Lather and Fragrance. As I said before, it’s a total gel thing. It doesn’t contain any granules or anything that will help your skin to exfoliate. Next contradictory word is lather. This is my second file. Till now, not even once did it form lather on massaging. Lastly the word ‘fragrance’. There is absolutely no fragrance. I don’t know if they meant the smell of cucumber to be fragrance or something like that. But apart from these I like this face wash. It’s a mild kind of face wash. One good thing is this that after using, it doesn’t make your skin dry and stretchy. I get a fresh feeling after using this. The product is nothing really special but I keep this as an alternative face wash. The days when I am at home, I use this face wash to freshen up.




PROS OF AYUR EXFOLIATING CUCUMBER FACE GEL
  • ·         Cheap
  • ·         Is in gel form
  • ·         Soap free (I feel so)
  • ·         Refreshing
  • ·         Easily available


CONS OF AYUR EXFOLIATING CUCUMBER FACE GEL
  • ·         Doesn’t fulfill what it claims
  • ·         Contains no fragrance
  • ·         Nothing special about the product

RATING
  • ·        3 out of 5