The Body Shop Lily Cole Collection [Cruelty Free] Review, Swatches, Look

If you want pink & cute.... If you adore cutesy Korean/Etude House make-up products.... if you believe in Cruelty-Free make-up products.....take a look at The Body Shop Lily Cole Collection! All products are Limited Edition, so if you fancy anything, go get them before they are going.... gone!

Lakmé Eyeconic Kajal & Curling Mascara Review

If you were intrigued with the newly launched Lakmé Eyeconic products, you are in the right place. This is a review in which photos will speak louder than words, so.....

Makeup Haul & New Products

I have not done a haul post in quite some time now, and I know many of you likes seeing ze hauls. So, I thought I'd give you a sneak peek of most of the brand new goodies in my vanity.

New! Lakmé Eyeconic Kajal & Curling Mascara

Woot! Woot! Make way for Lakmé's latest launches- Eyeconic Range. I know exactly which familiar products these will compete with, and you & I will be there when it happens! ;)

The new Eyeconic Kajal by Lakmé is literally iconic as all you need is one sweep of kajal and it lasts for 10 hours. The product is waterproof, it doesn’t smudge and it is even safe for the eyes since it is dermatologist tested.  Complete your look with lots of Eyeconic Curling Mascara. 

Most Used Beauty Products

Yesterday, I had an attack of short attention span (the infamous Gemini vice). I was going to blog about something.... then I decided on something else....then something else.... it was amazing how my mind went from China to Turkey in minutes. I wanted to pull my hair, coz I couldn't settle on a topic, yet I was editing photos & writing like a maniac. Then late at night, I ended up making this collage instead- far far away from China & Turkey.

These are some of my Most Used Products. I've repurchased some & I'm begging a few not to leave me!

L'Oreal L'Or Electric Collection Photos & Swatches + GIVEAWAY (India Only)

I'm very excited to show you some products from the L'Oreal Paris L'Or Electric Collection for Cannes Film Festival 2012 , today. There are some very interesting products, and I'm already playing favorites. I will do a look with them sometime soon, hope you enjoy the photos & swatches for now....and if you're a reader living in India, do try your luck in the GIVEAWAY at the end! =)

The products came to me in this purple clutch =)

May Favorites

Before we say goodbye to May, my favorite month, here are all the things I have been loving. Some everyday necessities, and some very random things:

365Gorgeous Online Beauty Store Review & Haul (Psst...Giveaway Alert)

I got to experience another online beauty store called  365Gorgeous. 'Coz you gotta be  gorgeous every single day of the year, yo!' It houses brands that aren't available in India like: Bobbi Brown, Essie, China Glaze, etc. Other popular brands include: Maybelline, L'Oreal, Colorbar, Lakmé, Revlon, Lotus Herbals, MAC, Lancome, and lots more.

The Good:

• 5% OFF on most products like Maybelline
• Earn Points when you shop
• Cash On Delivery 
• Free Shipping above Rs.250
• Delivery within 2-5 days
• Products were packed in a little white box & they were bubble-wrapped properly.

 

The Bad:

• What really bothered me was, the different shades of a product weren't put together in one page. Like, each lipstick shade has it's own individual page, which is very frustrating. I like to see them all in one page- saves time that way, don't you think?
• 'View All' option is not there. You have to keep flipping pages. I'm a view all kind of person (read: impatient)
• Many products I wanted were 'Out Of Stock'. 

What I put in my cart: 

• Joy Pure Aloe Oil Control Face Wash, Rs.38.00
• NYX Trio Eye Shadow in Pink Purple Prune, Rs.520.00
• Maybelline Crayon Liner Pencil, Rs.118.75
• Maybelline Hyper Curl Volum' Express Mascara Waterproof Black, Rs.166.25
• Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum, Rs.194.75  (One of my favorites & most-used blushes!)

1 Make-up Pictorial, Over 1 MILLION Pageviews!

Hey IVC Readers,

Happy Friday! Hope you're all doing well. Me, I've been feeling kind of low this week, until I spotted something that picked me right up again.

I noticed one of my tutorials/pictorials has over 1 MILLION Pageviews! I thought these things happened only in Youtube, not in blogging world, let alone blogging world all the way in New Delhi, India. 

I'm talking about the Easy Cat Eyeliner Tutorial I did last year:

Full post here

This tutorial has been lifted by many websites & shared in Facebook by people who pretend it's their work. So when you see it, please remember it's mine (mine!) =D. I have revamped it & watermarked it properly now.

Just look at that jump! I have never cared that much about traffic & pageviews. Honestly, I don't even know what "Demographics" really mean. Let's just say, a few PR companies who ask for details about my blog's traffic must think I'm an idiot.... and a few are still waiting for a reply. Numbers have never been my favorite topic. My math genius Mr.CZ got a little annoyed when I asked him "So, that's 1.94 Million, right?" [Yes, yes, now I know it's 1.09 million.]

I did this tutorial because I wanted to share something that might help some people, not because I expected 7 figure hits. But it did happen, and I can't help but feel proud & happy. That's why....

.... I have my pink bow shoes on & I'm off to buy myself a present ;)

Thank you all for stopping by always & enjoy your weekend!

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Brand Of The Month ~ Bourjois

You know I love Bourjois. My good friend even jokes about my obsession with it. I think I've said "It's a brand that rarely disappoints me" before? Okay, maybe I'm making that up, coz déjà vu happens to me a lot! That feeling that I'd already done/said stuff before happens so frequently, it freaks me out sometimes (like MPD does). Anyways, I am putting Bourjois in the spotlight as:

'Brand Of The Month' 

Simply because I'm loving so many products from the brand these days. Below are some of them:

Bourjois Effet Smoky Eyeliner Pencils in Sparkling Mocha & Sparkling Emerald. Price- Rs.385 each

Sparkling Mocha, Sparkling Emerald (Aren't they gorgeous?!!) If you aren't familiar with these- they are soft pencils which can be smudged easily. I've done a review a long time back here

Why My Lashes Grew Longer

My eyelashes grew a tad longer! That much. Okay, I know it may not look like a big deal to some, but for me it's something. I want to say a tad thicker too, but I don't want you to loff.

I started noticing it last month. I'd apply a mascara and think, "It never made them this long before, how come?"

It was kind of easy for me to narrow down the products that may have caused it coz I was stuck in a rut when it came to everyday makeup, I'd use the same stuff every single day.

Gossip Girl Inspired Holiday Look

In Gossip Girl 'Rhodes To Perdition', everybody was sporting glitter liners- from Charlie to Lily to Cece, and I absolutely loved the looks! They all looked so bling & fabulous. 

Favorite line from the episode:

"No one can touch me anymore. I'm a Rhodes now." ~ Charlie.

Glitter liners are THE hottest things this season, ladies! Grab yourself some- preferably in gold & bronze shades. I don't have any other glitter eyeliner except for a yellow one- Nyx Candy Glitter Eyeliner in Hot Yellow (which is actually a freebie, but see how it's there for me just when I need it the most? :)) , so it'll have to do. How I wish I had the other bronzy shade French Silk

Colorbar I-Glide Eye Pencils Review & Swatches

"Defines like a pencil and glides like liquid eyeliner, the I-Glide Eye Pencil, with its smooth formulation, gives your eyes rich colour in a single stroke and blends in easily after application. Lasts longer than 8 hours; does not feather or bleed." ~ Colorbar.

They do live up to those claims. They are some of the best eye pencils available here. You must own at least one two. They are soft & smooth but dry to a smudge-proof & long-wear finish.  I'm so glad that they have launched more shades....but I want more! 

Packaging: I love how the tails match the pencils (like matching underwear) + they have their very own matching outer boxes too.

There are 3 newly launched shades here- Amethyst Spark, Glowing Sapphire & Flirty Turq.

• Prunella:  A pearly plum shade. It may look almost brownish on your lash line. 

• Amethyst Spark: Purple with purply-pink shimmer. It is SO PRETTY! The color is very Katy Perry. 

• Glowing Sapphire: Sapphire blue with blue shimmer. It is very similar to MAC Petrol Blue Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner 

• Flirty Turq: Deepened turquoise with turquoise pearl. If you want to add a bit of zing to neutral eyes, just wear this on your lower lash line. 

• Blackout: Matte Black. Must-have.

• Cocobar: Cocoa brown. My everyday brown eye liner. Look at how short it is now :)

• Jaded: Jade green with pearl. This shade flatters most eye colors.

Urban Decay Zero 24/7 Glide-On Pencil 'Vs' Colorbar Blackout I-Glide Pencil

I have always wanted to compare these two eye liner pencils. One is a high street inaccessible brand & the other is an affordable brand in India. But what do they have in common? The word "Glide Hyphen" in their names + they are both black.

So, let's begin.

Easy Cat Eyeliner Tutorial

Cat eyeliner has got to the most unpredictable thing in makeup. You never know what shape you'll end up with. One wrong move & you'll have to think of ways to make it look right. I thought I'd share with you how I've been doing mine, because I think it's almost mistake-proof.

By the way, this is how I lined my eyes in the MAC Big Bounce Impeccably Rich post...

So, here's a step-by-step tutorial:

1. Apply eyeshadow on lid. Here I used a very light shade (TF Pillow Talk shown below). Start lining from center of lid towards the outer corner, stop after drawing 1/2 " or so- as shown.
2. Continue to line straight out. Make sure the end doesn't exceed the end of your eyebrow tail. 
3. Now join the end of the line to the outer end of your eye.
4. Line the rest of your eye starting from center to the inner corner. Try to make it thinner as it goes in.
5. Time to fill inside the lines now& tightline the inner part of your eye now, so there's no visible gaps. Tightlining tutorial here
6. DONE!

*It's up to you whether you want to line the lower lash line or not. I prefer to do it.
Lastly, apply mascara on top & bottom lashes. After I lined my bottom lash line & joined it to the upper wing, I ended up with this....

Products Used:

Because I have hooded lids, it's important that I contour my crease. I used Pillow Talk on lid & Like A Virgin on the crease and lower lash line. Both eyeshadows are from the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette

Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Gel Liner

Hope you liked the tutorial!


More Tutorials:

• Winged Eyeshadow Tutorial 
• Black Smokey Eyes Tutorial
• How To Tightline Eyes 

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Silkygirl Double Intense Gel Eyeliner ~ Cute, cute, cute!

About:
A creamy gel-type eyeliner that ensures easy and precise application, even for beginners. Thanks to its Silicone Polymer Technology, the gel eyeliner glides on effortlessly to deliver intense and vivid color payoff; mistake-free. It comes in a smart packaging where the eyeliner brush is neatly attached to the casing, so you don’t have to worry about losing the brush.

Shade ~ 01 Pure Black (Waterproof)

This is the cutest gel liner ever! It's so tiny & light! It fit's in my palm. That pot is even smaller than Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner. I adore it so much, I wish I could protect it from, God forbid, drying.

Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner ~ .05mm Tip!

I just liked 1 liquid eyeliner in the past, and that's the Loreal Super Liner with the felt tip brush. It was the only liquid eyeliner I used.

Until a better one came along...

Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner! A ultra-fine liner with a .05mm tip. It's very black & waterproof- hence, long-lasting. It also didn't burn/irritate my eyes or anything when I applied it close to my waterline. It is sooo....easy to use! I wish they make them all that way.

I saw it in Cleo Magazine, decided I must have it & got why the salesgirls at Watsons had doodles with liner and glitter on their eyes. 

New! Lakmé 9 to 5 Day Forever Silk Eyeliner and Kohl Ultimate

For bright and sparkly eyes all day ~ You can’t rely on the weather or the traffic, but what you can rely on is the eye make-up range from Lakmé Nine to five which promises to keep you looking fresh through the day!
Nine to Five adds to its range Forever Silk Eyeliner and Kohl Ultimate. The smudge-proof, water-resistant formula ensures a long-lasting finish.

Forever Silk Eyeliner comes in scintillating metallic shades and the soft formula glides on effortlessly. One neat stroke and you are set for the day!
The Kohl Ultimate is a kohl, smudger and sharpener all in one stick. You can create the smoky look with ease by using the smudge tip to smudge the kohl line outwards!

Kohl Ultimate:
- 3-in-1 smooth kohl stick with smudger and sharpener
- Moisturizing ceramides will smooth and soften the eye skin
- Smudge-proof and water-resistant
- Ensures 8 hours of great looking eyes
- Dermatologist approved
- Priced at Rs.650/-
- Available at all leading lifestyle stores.

Forever Silk Eye liner

- Soft creamy texture 

- Smudge-proof and water-resistant

- Ensures 8  hours of great looking eyes

- Rich in Vitamin E

- Dermatologist approved

- Available in 7 shades

- Priced at Rs.395/-

- Available at all leading lifestyle stores.

♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

Revlon For Luca Luca At New York Fashion Week ~ How To Get The Look

Revlon's global Artist Director, Gucci Westman, creates a fresh modern look for Luca Luca Fall 2012 Collection at New York Fashion Week. He paired a contoured eye with a strong lip, bringing forth the designer's vision of a forest fairytale filled with lush orange and okra hues.

"The look is about a fresh modern girl on an adventure." says Westman. "She's refined yet modern. I created an eye which is contoured but not overly done so the attention is focused on the bright, striking lip."

Revlon Products Used:

Eyes:

• Revlon Colorstay 12Hour Eyeshadow in Copper Spice, Rs.650
• Revlon Eyeliner Pencil in Toast, Rs.265
• Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner in Blackest Black, Rs.550
• Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara, Rs.470

Lips:

• Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Crimson, Rs.580
• Revlon Matte Lipstick in Fabulous Fig, Rs.500

Elle 18 Color Bombs Review & Swatches

Elle 18 Color Bombs caused quite a stir when they were launched. It's like people went crazy or something. The press release post about the products is the most popular post in this blog and till now it still gets a lot of of hits every single day. I got comments & emails with questions and more questions from people asking:  where to buy them?, how's the quality? Some even thought I'm a manufacturer and asked: "May I know wholesale price of all the products?" and "Can you send them to France?" =D

Now I have the some of the products, and will be doing mini reviews on all of them. I hope they'll answer some of your questions.

About Elle 18 Color Bombs 

This exciting and funky range of color cosmetics has been designed for young trendy girls. The range designed in cool shapes has explosively vibrant colors for lips, nails and eyes. The products are packed with the goodness of Cocoa butter, Jojoba Oil, Rose Water and Almonds.