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Showing posts with label Hair Color. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hair Color. Show all posts

9/4/19

Life Without Instagram......


To my Instagram family.......

I miss you too
I'll be back soon.

I deactivated my account for various reasons. 
Mainly for me to not be distracted by the rest of the world (...and nonsense-but-hilarious memes) & spend too much time on my phone.

SELF DISCIPLINE, they say. 

Honestly, I don't miss it at all. I guess it's because I don't really like social media & what it has become lately.
But I miss interacting with my blog readers & other bloggers there in dm's & stories.

My screen time hasn't decreased much tho, because I play Solitaire on my phone now 😄 


10/30/17

Confessions From A Beauty Salon


"Spread your legs.", she said, and we both burst out laughing.
She, amused.
Me, red-faced. 
Though it's not my first time.

******

Okay, we'll get to that later in the blog post. 

 I have been meaning to do this post for quite some time, just because I feel like not many people 
talk about salon services in detail. Most of the time, I never get a satisfying review 
or information on certain services/products that I'm curious about. 

So, I'm just gonna ramble about the things I've gotten done on myself, just to put it out there.
I say ramble, because this is a very hotchpotch blog post. Most of the photos are old. I had to search for them in my emails and computer, because I always had to clear out my phone's storage space (damn iphone!)

Anyway.....

One Word: Rica 

I can't get enough of their White Chocolate Wax!
Ever since I started choosing this over the regular wax, my hair has been growing at a much slower pace, become softer, and my underarm hair have definitely lessened. 

This is the Rica Aloe Vera one, which I prefer lately, 
coz my legs are very easily agitated these days.

***ALWAYS TELL THE BEAUTY THERAPIST NOT TO MAKE THE WAX TOO HOT BEFOREHAND.***
Doesn't matter how reputed the salon is or how experienced the person waxing your body/facial hair is. If the wax feels too hot, it is too hot and it will burn your skin....and like in one of my underarm waxing sesh, it will peel the skin off! (Which healed, thankfully!)

Price: Rs.1799 for full body. Depends on the salon.


*

5/15/14

I Transform Into A Pop Star | I Transform Series Look #1

*** AMETHYST'S New Album, eccentric, is out now! Hope you'll go out and BUY it! ;) ***

Welcome to the first post of a new series I'm doing! Been planning to start this for over 2 months. This one wasn't supposed to be the 1st look, but it just happened, since I did the glittery purple eyes, so I went with it. More about the series at the end of this post. For now, I'm a purple-haired Pop + R&B Star named AMETHYST (real name, not just stage name)........

2/16/14

Look Of The Day ~ New Haircut

If you read my last post where I talked about my Dream Layered Haircut, you might have been expecting to see the result. So here it is: my new haircut....oh, and my first LOTD post from India! =)
Where I got the haircut: Affinity Salon, New Delhi. It's not the kind of salon I'd want to go back to. It's over-staffed & I didn't like the vibe. Forget about tea/coffee, they're stingy with friendly/welcoming smiles too. A few people have also said the same, and now I know why. They have many branches in Delhi, so I hope the other branches are nicer!

Price: I paid Rs.1250 for wash, cut & blow dry. After seeing the prices in UK, I thought it was a bargain =D
 Color: It's still the same as last time. I used Nice & Easy 106 Natural Medium Ash Blonde & L'Oreal Feria Extreme Ombres Kit F02 Platinum Ombre.
Here, it's 2nd day dirty. I washed and blow dried it on Friday, used my Babyliss Volume Waves Curling Tongs yesterday. I thought I should leave it straight-ish so you can see the cut.
Aren't we all annoyed with that chunky bang? Hehe  =D

11/20/13

The Countdown: My Last 1.5 Months In UK | Backup Favorites Shopping List

Ahoy! Can you believe we've reached this point? This blog post? Tickets back to India are already booked for early January. There's that bittersweet feeling again. I'm very happy to go back home, but I'll surely miss this place. Oh, boy! Now comes the saddest part about leaving dear UK. The shopping. No more Boots, Superdrug, New Look, H&M, PRIMARK!....no more easy access to all the new launches. So I'm stocking up on my favorite things, and I made a list. I don't know if I'll be able to take ALL of them, but here's hoping.....

Let's start from the back left corner:
  • False Eyelashes ~ It's damn hard to get quality falsies in India, so I'm getting LOTS. Mostly from Eylure, I think.
  • Blonde Hair Colors ~ Day before yesterday, I re-colored my hair with this Clairol Nice & Easy in 106 Natural Medium Ash Blonde, and I really like it. I'm getting a backup and maybe another one from L'Oreal too. *Light shades are hard to find in at-home hair colors in India.
  • Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes ~ I've gone through a couple of these. They are always 2 for 1 pound in Superdrug, and I always end up picking them up on my way to the till. I rarely use them on my face, coz I prefer to wash it properly, but they come in really handy when I'm swatching makeup on my arms. But they are nice for the face too, the few times I've used it- removes waterproof mascara and everything, and moisturizes face at the same time. But they are heavy, so I may be able to take only one.
  • Sleek Makeup Eyeshadow Palettes ~ I love Sleek eyeshadows, so I want to pick at least 2 more palettes. Don't know which ones, though. Decisions, decisions!
  • La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo ~ I have finished another tube, and I NEED more! I know it's available in India, but there's a good offer at Escentual right now, so I think I should pick a couple before I leave.
  • Rimmel Foundations/Concealer ~ I think I will get a Stay Matte Foundation for the hot Delhi summer; another shade of Wake Me Up Foundation; a backup of Wake Me Up Concealer (LOVE!)
  • Bourjois Color Boost Peach On The Beach ~ This is probably available in India, but I might get one with 3 for 2 offer at Boots. I really adore this shade. Swatched here
  • L'Oreal Paris Glam Shine Stain Splash ~ I hope these launch in India. I will get 2 more shades I really like, in case they don't!  Swatched here.
  • Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer ~ Most long-lasting concealer! When it sets, it sets. But I just hate that the concealer oozes out and makes it messy every time I finish using it! My shade is Medium 03. I'm getting 5 backups!
  • Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks ~ 1-2 shades more. I've swatched 06 & 107 here
  • Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara ~ This is a thicker version of The Falsies, which works better on my lashes than the original version (review here)
  • Topshop Cream Blush & maybe some other products ~  That is Head Over Heels....umm...and I carved a bow on it. No, I won't show you =D
  • Bio Oil ~ NEED this! My skin is stretching a lot these days, and sometimes itch like crazy! At first I thought my skin was heating up too much because of the radiators, but then I realized it's because I'm expanding...haha! I'm liking the fullness (meat), but we gots to keep the stretch marks away.

7/4/13

My DIY Ombré Hair Color ~ What I Used

Nostalgic moment, coz that photo was taken in Newcastle. And yes, L'Oreal should send me a gift...hehe!
Since some wanted to know what hair color I used, I thought I should do a post, and "explain" that it's not just one specific color, or two, for that matter. Read on to see my journey to Ombré.....
Please note that this is just what I did, and I'm sure there are much better ways to do it. Also, the same colors may not turn out the same for your hair. Results will vary depending on hair types. 

 What I Used:
  • Hair Color 1 : L'Oreal Excellence Crème 8.1 Natural Ash Blonde ~ This was my base color, before I decided to go ombré. It came out at least 2 shades darker than the model's hair.
  • Hair Color 2 : (Ombré) L'Oreal Preference Wild Ombrés 3 ~ This is an ombre kit that comes with a comb brush that made it quite easy to color only the tips. You squeeze the cream on it, and then comb it through the ends of your hair from chin down. To give the color a gradient effect & avoid an obvious line where the ombré begins, you simply backcomb upwards. If you're using a regular hair coloring brush, try to do the same. I think a toothbrush would work well for this method, too.
I somehow forgot to take pics of the kit. This is what the brush looks like

 
But it came out too orange, as you can see. That's my least favorite hair color on me, and I was horrified!
*TIP: If you're going to use this kit, don't leave it on for too long. Keep checking it. If you see that it's made your hair a light ash brown, wash it off ASAP! Because within seconds, it will strip off all the brown pigment in your hair and reveal the underlying orange. It's what happened to me, it looked fine when I checked in between.
  • Hair Color 3 : L'Oreal Récital Préférence 10.1 Helsinki Very Light Blonde ~ The kit comes with a generous tube of conditioner, and a High Shine Elixir that you put in the mixture. I picked this shade because I thought the ash in  it was going to lighten the orange to a cool blonde. I used it all over my hair, starting with the ends. Unfortunately, it did not do much, and the color looked pretty much the same..... 

Although I clicked when my hair was still wet (because it was getting dark), you can make out my hair's still orange and didn't change much. I think this works only on hair that's already very light. *Therefore, an unnecessary step.  
  • Hair Color 4 : L'Oreal Sublime Mousse 600 Pure Light Brown ~ In the end, I turned to old faithful light brown, and the orange turned a light ash brown. I applied this all over my hair, as well. I was not impressed with the 'mousse' , because it's more watery than mousse-ey (It's not all all like the Liese Bubble Hair Color) but I was happy that it toned down the orange.
For weeks the color looked uniform, showing little ombré-ness, but eventually the ends of my hair got lighter after every wash. That's why it's better to judge a hair color after a week or two. I did everything in March, and until May, this is what it looked like.....
If you want to see more pics, please click here

In the end, I was quite happy with the results, and even though the L'Oreal Wild Ombré kit gave me a brassy orange headache, it was what made the ombré possible.
If I had to it all over again: I think I would use the Ombré kit first, and then use the 1st base color L'Oreal Excellence Creme 8.1 (or a 7.1) all over. I think.
When hair turns orange: I won't use warm colors, like shade numbers with .3 (golden), .5 (red), .4 (copper), as they'll add more warmth. I'll stick to natural colors, like shade numbers with a whole number, like a 6 (light brown) or 7 (dark blonde) OR cool-toned colors with .1 (ash/green). I would also use something blue-toned, like .2 (blue/violet), to neutralize the golden orange (blue is opposite orange in the color wheel). But then again, even hair coloring is an art, and to get it right means the right mixture of this & that. Correcting colors don't all come in at-home box hair colors, that's why people still go to salons.
Presently, my dark roots have grown out about 2-3 inches, and the ombré tips look a little brassy, so I'll be using something cool-toned soon just to touch-up & tone it. I'll try not to pick L'Oreal again! =D 


3/5/13

Want DIY Ombre Hair & Darker Eyelashes/Brows?

I got these yesterday though I've been tempted to get them since last year. This year is about being adventurous!
 
  • L'Oreal Preference Wild Ombres 3, £6 (Rs.500) ~  I got this one instead of  shade 1 or 2 because I don't want any warm/brassy tones on my hair. Comes with a brush for easy application. Seen good results on others, so *fingers crossed*

  • Colorsport 30 Day Mascara Eyelash & Brow Dye Kit,  £6.98 (Rs.580) ~ So scared to test this, but worth a shot if you have nothing lashes like mine. You get tiny bottles of solution, color cream and applicator.
 
Got both from Asda

Will let you know how both of them fare this weekend or early next week!



♥ Cynthia Z *.*

2/12/13

L'Oreal Excellence Creme Goes PINK!

I've used L'Oreal Excellence Creme many many times, but this is the first time I'm seeing pink. So loverly.
I got it a couple weeks back, and have not had a chance use it yet. It's gonna be done before V-Day.
Shade: Natural Ash Blonde 8.1 

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

10/15/12

WIN L’Oréal Paris Casting Crème Gloss Hair Color [CLOSED]

Hi guys,
This couldn't have come at a better time. I've just colored my hair with L’Oréal Paris Casting Crème Gloss 613 Iced Mocha. It's a light ash brown color. My hair is darker now, and all the brassy tones gone! (Post on my previous hair color here)
 L’Oréal Paris India is running a 'Say Yes To Colour' campaign, which I support. You know I like me my hair colors. They kindly offered me a pack of Casting Crème Gloss to try out, but since I'm here in England & you know it's such a hassle to ship liquid products, I asked them if they'd be interested in sending it to one of my wonderful readers in India, instead. They said YES!

About L’Oréal Paris Casting Crème Gloss Hair Color : It is a semi-permanent hair color that has NO AMMONIA. Lasts for up to 28 shampoos. 
If you want to WIN one for yourself, please read the rules & comment below this post.
Mandatory Rules:

Optional:
  • Follow L’Oréal Paris India on Twitter
  • Follow Indian Vanity Case on Twitter  
  • Tweet this: I want to WIN @In_VanityCase & @LOrealParisIn Casting Crème Gloss Hair Color Giveaway (followed by a link to this post)
Contest closes on 22nd October '12 at 11:00 PM IST.
Open to Indian Residents Only. 
WINNER will be picked via Random.org & will be announced on Indian Vanity Case Facebook Page  shortly after the closing date. Your Casting Crème Gloss will be mailed to you by L’Oréal Paris India.
Since dear dear Rafflecopter isn't working today, we have to do this manually. Please comment below in the order given & fill whichever is applicable:
  • Subscriber/GFC Follower Name:
  • Facebook Profile Name:
  • Twitter profile:
  • Link to your tweet: 
Good Luck, everyone! =)

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

9/28/12

Liese Bubble Hair Color Platinum Beige Review, Swatch & LOTD

I know, I know. I'm very very late with this review. It's one of the pending ones from India, and I've had these pics for 4 months! My dark roots are already about 3 inches, and I'm thinking about changing the color again. So, I want to quickly show you how Liese Bubble Hair Color Platinum Beige looked on me.
I love Liese hair colors mainly because the bubbly foam makes it very easy to color evenly without missing any spots at the back of the head.
Platinum Beige is an ash brown shade. 

6/20/12

Confessions Of A Beauty Blogger ~ #1 When We Feel Uninspired To Blog

Her fingers hover over the keyboard, a forlorn expression on her face. Substantial ideas seem to have evaded her. Either that, or she over-thinks more than she sleeps.

Something forms in her mind....but before she can grasp it, it disperses into a puff of nothingness. She utters a word that's thrown around like a vowel, it doesn't sound like a bad word anymore.

Frustrated, she decides to entertain you (hopefully) with the following randomness:

  • The LOTD/OOTD she never posted. Minted.
  • The Forever 21 Haul she never showed you. She'll just show you the earrings. (L-R): Filigree Teardrop Earrings- Rs.349, Mint Lace Earrings- Rs.199, Tiered Filigree Flower Earrings (made up name), Rs.249.

6/18/12

What's IN?

A lot of things. Too many! But here, I'll list the 6 at the front of the queue in my Trend & Whims Book 2012:



  1. Caviar Nail Art ~ I prefer one color to the multi-colored up there. Very easy to DIY, if you can get hold of teeny-tiny beads. Crackle nails are OUT for the moment- in my book.
  2. Waxing ~  True story: I started to get my body & underarms waxed only in December last year & now I'm hooked. I just love how my skin feels after waxing & it even removed some of my Goa tan! Shaving is OUT-OUT-OUT! Period.
  3. Ombre Hair ~ Darker at the roots & lighter at the ends, like a gradient. LOVE! I just colored my hair a very light brown during the weekend & I'm gonna find a stylist who can ombre the ends after a few weeks. Fingers crossed.
  4. Toner ~  I did some thinking & experimenting, and concluded that if you want to prevent pimples, use a toner! Angry bacteria... alcohol in toner will prevent it from growing & forming a  pimple. I've been religiously toning my face after cleansing for over a month and..... those pimples I usually get a week before that time of the month are no longer cystic.  I loved The Body Shop Cucumber Water, and I'm now trying Nivea Sparkling Glow Toner. Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize- I get it now.
  5. Rose Gold Watches ~  Michael Kors set the trend, and now they're seen everywhere! The rose gold watch of my dreams looks somewhat like the one right there- with some bling, basically. Whatever the price (under Rs.20,000), I will work hard (and err....save =\) & hopefully get it before December ;)
  6. Hi-Low Dresses & Skirts ~  I was obsessed with Hi-Low/Asymmetrical dresses back in high school & college, and I had a few tailored. Now they ARE trending & I couldn't be happier! I recently ordered a skirt....waiting impatiently for it. If you only wear traditional Indian suits, you can make the kameez high lo & wear it with fitted churidar pants- fab! (Want!) 

Have a good week, everybody!

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

3/21/12

Sunsilk Keratinology Shampoo, Conditioner, Heat Protectant Spray: Review


Apologies for the late review of these babies. You know I've been so scattered lately. I'll keep it short and to the point:
  • Sunsilk  Keratinology Sun Kissed Color Therapy Shampoo, Rs.170 ~ It's a light golden color creamy shampoo that lathers thickly- like no other shampoo I've used. It makes my hair softer, clean, and I experience less hair fall with it. I am loving it a lot, and it has become one of my favorite shampoos.
  • Sunsilk  Keratinology Sun Kissed Color Therapy Express Treatment Conditioner, Rs.170 ~ It's not as thick as I'd like it to be. I don't think I'll repurchase this even if I repurchase the Shampoo. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just nothing special. Yes, it conditions hair after shampoo, but it doesn't make it as soft & silky as I want. So-so conditioner for me personally, but it could work better for virgin hair (undamaged, people!)
  • Sunsilk  Keratinology Heat Protectant Spray, Rs.400 ~ If you blow dry & iron your hair everytime after shampooing, YOU-NEED-THIS. It makes blow dried hair more bouncy & shiny, adds a little volume & the straightening iron glides on more smoothly. Before, I used to hear a trat-trat hair-against-ceramic plates sound when ironing, but not when I spray some of this before the process. I really saw the difference with & without this spray. Nope, it doesn't make hair greasy, coz it's watery. For me, it was love at first use. Must-have.

1/13/12

Revlon Colorsilk Luminista Medium Blonde Review & Comparison With Liese Bubble Hair Colour

I used Revlon Colorsilk Luminista in Medium Blonde 175 in October last year and wanted to post the review ASAP, but then I got busy. I bought it in Singapore as it was on sale. 

I was extremely excited to use it! Look how gorgeous that color looks! Of course I knew it was going to be darker on me, duh....that's exactly what I was aiming for- a cool dark blonde (Daydreams: I'd curl my hair & look like a doll or like those pretty Korean girls....hmm....)

Wait for it.

6/30/11

Liese Bubble Hair Colour- Chiffon Beige Review & LOTD


I miss my long hair. I MISS IT!!!

I got frustrated with my bad haircut last week, so I thought 'Why not color it and distract people from the cut?!' (Wrong!)


Enter Liese Bubble Hair Colour. I got Chiffon Beige- a yellow brown shade. I wish they had more neutral shades. I wouldn't have picked anything with a gold-undertone, but this looked the least reddish/orange-ish & I really wanted to try the bubble hair color.



2/21/11

Fixing A Bad Hair Coloring Job

I got my hair colored 2 weeks back at a salon, and I wasn't happy with the result. In spite of being a certified hairstylist myself, I always get confused when it comes to my own hair, especially with color. I'm not sure what went wrong, really. I told the guy I didn't want my hair to be bleached, but he (and his posse and the manager) told me it wasn't possible to lighten my hair without bleach. Then I thought it's rude to keep telling them how to do their jobs, right? So I shut up and went along with it.
They used a pre-lightener (twice, or in his words- 'refresh' the bleach) and then Loreal Majirel 8.31 (beige blonde). Here's what I looked like when I reached home (tired, with backache & apparently no lipstick)....

Managed a smile for the camera
It may not look so bad there, coz it was night time & with flash, but in daylight it looked like this...

>.< Me no likey! Leopard automatically came to mind
I paid 3000 rupees for that. Oh... the regret & the guilt!

12/6/10

NEW! Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur Hair Masks

Lined up in my supermarket are some of the most tempting-looking hair masks by Schwarzkopt.

Shea Cashmere ~ For dry & drained hair (Review HERE)

10/27/10

Wella Kolestint Hair Color Review & Swatch


Wella Kolestint is the new hair color in the Indian market. Launched by Dimple Kapadia & Jacqueline Fernandez, I found out.
I wanted to lighten my hair about 2 levelsThere are 10 levels of hair color ~ 1 being black & 10 being lightest blonde. My first choice this time was Revlon Colorsilk Light Ash Brown (which I've used before), but it wasn't available at my supermarket, so I picked what I thought was the next best thing ~ Wella Kolestint Light Brown #6/0. 
I was excited to try something new for a change.