NEW! L'Oreal Skin Perfection For Pixel-Perfect Skin

Spotted! New L'Oreal skin care range in fuchsia pink-cum-white packaging. Named Skin Perfection, the range claims to Pixel-perfect your skin.

What interested me most was the Magic Touch Blur, a silky pore minimizing primer. I tested it on my hand and it feels different from all the other products like it that I've tried. It was thicker, felt less greasy, and made the back of my hand look smoother and plumped up. What stopped me from getting it was the Dimethicone in it, which breaks out my skin. Although I'm still tempted to try it.

The BB Cream is available in 2 shades- Fair & Medium. I thought it felt similar to the Garnier Original, but it's probably different.

All priced at £8.66 to £11.32 |  Rs.800-900 in Superdrug.

Haul: New Cleansing Oil, New Concealer, Etc.

Apologies for the after-midnight post to readers in India. I was cleaning the whole day today. Okay, mainly my makeup area and bathroom. It's special cleaning, because sometime next week somebody is coming to our apartment "For Inspection", so we want to make a good impression... hehe! 

I went to Superdrug to get only a replacement cleansing oil, but of course the inevitable happened.....

• L'Oreal Skin Perfection Cleansing Oil ~ My holygrail makeup remover, MAC Cleansing Cleanse Off Oil,  is finishing, so I decided I'd try this less expensive one. It has mineral oil, which MAC doesn't have, btw. Price: £5.32 | Rs.483 from Superdrug.[MAC Cleanse Off Oil Costs £19  | Rs.1724. Sigh]

• Bio Oil ~  I've been using my old one quite religiously, so only a few drops are. For those who have not heard of this famous oil, it's for stretch marks, scars, etc. Yes, it works! Price: £8.99  | Rs.815 for 60ml from Boots.

• Maybelline The Eraser Concealer in Nude ~ If you've been going through my wishlists, you'd know this used to be on one of them. It's an interesting concept with a spongy applicator tip that claims to erase dark circles & wrinkles. It's available in 2 shades- Light & Nude. Price: £7.99  | Rs.725 from Boots.

• Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Liner in Hollywood Red ~ Just a deep cool-toned red lip liner. Price: £3.99 | Rs.362 from Superdrug.

I will let you know how I find them in sometime. They will probably be mentioned in a monthly favorites posts. 

♥

Enjoy your weekend, all. It's so hot here in Scotland these days, it feels like Delhi's fall/spring season. Actually, it feels quite like Shillong (my hometown- Scotland Of The East)

Okay, now I'll go fry some mushrooms & eat lots. I know I've gained weight.... and.... AND....my shoes are fitting better! I guess I gotta eat my way to better shoes! =)

India Beauty HAUL, Etc + A New Life Change.....

They didn't all fit on the window sill, so I took them to the backyard table. The biting cold forced me to scatter them haphazardly. For the first time, the wind didn't knock any of them off where they lay disorderly....and none of them fell through the gaps on the wooden planks. "Little joys.", I thought to myself. A minute later, I saw the first 10 drops of rain on the little black boxes.

These are the beauty products I brought back with me from our brief India holiday.... apart from the beauty bags I already had with me =D

Products shown in random order:

• Heart Box, pink brush holder thing, eyeliners, etc are from Dubai
• Nars Loose Powder & Blush 
• Inglot 10 Eye Shaow Palette that I've yet to put together.
• Colorbar: Triple Compact, Creme Touch Lipstick, Eyeshadow, Nail Polish
• Illamasqua I'MPERFECTION Collection 
• Too Faced Eyeshadows
• Sunsilk Perfect Straight Shampoo & Conditioner ~ I LOVE! They work!
• The body Shop Coconut Oil
• Dabur Rose Water Spray
• Dove Elixir Nourished Shine with Hibiscus & Argan Oil
• Palmolive Thermal Spa Skin Renewal With Crushed Coconut Body Cream Wash ~ My favorite! 
• Garnier BB Cream (Indian version)
• Maybelline BB Stick 
• Lakme Enrich Satin Lipsticks ~ 2 shades from the newly launched range. 
• Stila In The Garden Eyeshadow Palette.
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Timeless Black ~ I was glad to find this in Dubai. I think have never seen a black shade in UK & India...but I don't know. ?

 I had posted my 1st haul  here, so I won't mention them here.

NEW! L'Oreal Mythic Oil Hair Care Range

Discover the legendary Oriental secrets of haircare with Mythic Oil by L’Oreal Professionnel

No one knew this better than the people of the Orient, who transformed this knowledge into legendary traditions. These Oriental haircare secrets, which used to be at the heart of cosmetics for the empresses of the ancient world, are now yours thanks to Mythic Oil by L’Oreal Professionnel.

Mythic Oil, launched globally in 2011, took the haircare world by storm and continues to be the star product of L’Oreal Professionnel. And now, it is set to transform into a total haircare platform, with Rich Oil, Mythic Oil Shampoo, Mythic Oil Masque and Purifying Oils coming to the Indian shores.

Turning sublime haircare gestures into enchanting, indulging moments, Mythic Oil promises you the biggest beauty asset a woman can have – strong, beautiful hair.

Mythic Oil products have proven to be suitable for all hair types from fine to thick; so whatever be your hair type, we have just the right answer for you! Born through the confluence of L’Oreal’s hair expertise and partnerships with leading hairstylists, this is a multi-sensorial haircare experience that brings together ancient rituals and modern technology to appeal to your senses as well as your emotions.

Inspired by the early Oriental rituals of blending oils into concoctions known as ‘Oils of life’, each Mythic Oil product reinvents this tradition just for you. The uses and benefits of the products are as follows-

Rich Oil: Rich Oil is a perfect blend of two essential oils – Rice bran oil and Argan oil. While rice bran oil is known for its intensely moisturizing and regenerative properties, argan oil is known for deeply nourishing and disciplining properties. Together they are mixed in a rich, wrapping texture, which provides rebellious tresses with deep nourishment, anti-frizz protection and makes them soft, smooth, shiny and effortlessly detangled. Rich Oil can be used as both a construction and a finishing product.

Shampoo: Mythic Oil Shampoo is an alliance of Argan oil and Cotton seed oil. The wholesome powers of cotton seed oil have been documented even in early Hindu remedy books, while argan oil has been the guarded beauty secret of European women. They come together to deeply cleanse and rejuvenate your hair. Also, the oily texture of the shampoo lends an opulent shine to your tresses and makes them look alive and radiant.

Masque: The Mythic Oil Masque, like the shampoo, is a brew of argan oil and cottonseed oil. It is to be used as a finishing product, after a nourishing wash with the shampoo, for a comprehensive cleansing experience. Its rich, creamy texture gives a new life to your hair, making it glow like never before.

Purifying Oils:
The Purifying Pre-Shampoo concentrate is a powerful alliance of three essential oils – citrus oil, cypress oil and tea tree oil. As part of the Mythic Oil back bar service, the concentrate offers you an intense and refreshing experience. It treats your scalp with a gentle soothing effect and gives your hair a new vigor.

So the next time you want to pamper yourself with a multi-sensorial, pleasure-driven haircare experience, right from salon backwash to home, ask for Mythic Oil by L’Oreal Professionnel!

*Press Note.

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

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 *.*

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 *.*

Most Used Beauty Products ~ January '13

I almost didn't publish this even after I've written everything. I don't know, I'm a very unstable person. I clicked this pic last week, and put my used products...then I realized I'd forgotten to put my shampoo & conditioner, a nail polish....a couple more things. Oh, well.

Anyways, these are my most-used products this month....

• L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil ~  I got sucked into buying this after I saw the ad on tv while watching HIMYM one night (watch it here). It was so enticing, I watched it with my mouth open, and couldn't stop thinking about it until I purchased it (...at the cheapest price, too.) TRUTH: After using it, I found out "Extraordinary" is stretching it a bit. It is  a flowery-smelling hair serum-cum-heat-protector, that has helped the tips of my hair look less brittle, but I don't find it detangling enough. I use it before washing my hair,  before & after blow-drying. I'd still use it, but I sure wouldn't buy it again.

• MUA Eyeshadow Primer ~ I know I have mentioned it before, but I just wanted to say it will never beat UD Primer Potion & TF Shadow Insurance. It's okay, it just creases after a while.

• Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream ~ Been wearing this almost everyday for over a month now. Not only for review purposes, but because I don't hate it. Review is coming shortly.

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Candy Apple ~ To be honest, I've been wearing this as a lip balm too just because it's always in the kitchen. Review & Swatches here

• Max Factor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush Mascara ~ LOVE this. It lengthens, it volumizes, it curls. It is definitely better than the False Lash Effect Mascara.

• Benefit Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain ~ Product Of The Week! Before, I used to wonder what the big deal is with this lip & cheek tint. Now I get it! It's a rose-tinted stain that makes me look blooming (you know, like youthful sweet 16 type...almost). It makes lips look really kissable. Really, I'd want to kiss my own lips hehe.  You know how some lip tints gather up unevenly where your lips meet? That never happens with Benetint. This is a generous sample size that I got free with Marie Claire mag, but I will definitely buy a full size when it's finished. 

• Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette ~ I've been using this palette almost everyday  this month. Probably the same neutral look as well. Review & Swatches here

• The Body Shop Lily Cole Compact Mirror ~ Because I don't have a big mirror for makeup application, I need one I can hold close to me when applying mascara. This is awesome because it's got a magnifying mirror on one side. Btw, The Body Shop UK is putting this & other good stuff on SALE, so do check it out. I've made good use of it myself. My haul here

♥

What are your most-used beauty products this month?

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Schwarzkopf Strait Therapy & L'Oreal Hair Spa Review

So many of you have asked me about hair straightening, so I thought I'd talk about the 2 treatments I got done- Schwarzkopf Strait Therapy (Permanent Hair Straightening) & L'Oreal Hair Spa Treatment.

In these pics, I'd just gone for the L'oreal Hair Spa Treatment at a salon in Delhi a few days before leaving.

*OMG that looped hair is driving my crazy! This is what happens when I'm not in control of the camera.

Schwarzkopf Strait Therapy- This is a permanent straightening procedure which lasts upto 6 months. This is my 3rd time getting it done, I think. I got the Lakmé Hair Serenity, and my hair was calm and manageable. But when I reached my hometown, it became very frizzy because of the humidity there. It would pouf up & wouldn't fall, you know what I mean? So, I went for it. I knew that I'd want to get it done eventually, and it'll cost more in Delhi & UK. I was very happy with the results- straight & heavy hair. BUT it made the ends very very dry & frizzy, they completely lost their elasticity. They would get tangled together which made it impossible to comb through without breakage. So....yes, time for some TLC. Uff, one problem after another!

• Tip 1: If you don't want your hair to get burnt, tell your stylist not to make the straightening iron too hot, or iron it too much. My friend doesn't let them iron at all, and her hair turned out just fine.
• Tip 2: Avoid getting it done during monsoon season, because your hair ends will frizz more. That's what I experienced.

Price: Rs.4500. It costs above Rs.7000 in the New Delhi. I know some small salons do it for Rs.2500, but very risky....haha! If you want it done for somewhat FREE (you'd probably have to pay only for the straightening cream), go to a Hair Academy, where students will do it for practice. I've done it on other people while I was studying in one, and they were happy with the results =)

The Worst Beauty Products

Hope you're all doing well. Today, I'll be showing you some of The Worst Beauty Products I've ever used.

*Please note: I'd used these products for a considerable amount of time, and I did give them the benefit of the doubt before I made up my mind. Also, they might have not worked for me personally, but it's very possible that they're wonderful products for others. That's one of the reasons why most of the ones mentioned are still flying off the shelves.

1. Colorbar I-Define Pencil (Midnight Black) ~ Hard & dry. Would work better on paper, not eyes.
2. Inglot Gel Liner (Shade 75 Purple) - Not creamy enough, and dried up before the gel liners I bought way before it. I was gonna use it this one time, and found a purple rock!
3. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer ~ Caused big painful cystic pimples. It feels like a dream, but works like a nightmare.
4. Bourjois Elastic Mascara ~ No volume, lashes looked uneven in length & the formula burned my eyes. By far, the worst mascara I've ever used.  
5. Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush (Shade #6 Quickie) ~ Dried up before I'd even used it properly. I was shocked! Really not worth $26 (Rs.1400) You are better off mixing a powder blush with moisturizer.
6. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion ~ Extremely drying & it neither prevented nor cured pimples. The only thing it cleared up was all the moisture from my skin. On nights when I used it, I was afraid I'd wake up in the morning and see my skin had cracked!
7. Revlon Colorsilk Luminista Hair Color (Medium Blonde 175) ~ Burned my scalp like a chilly paste during developing time. Had the color not turned out brassy, the unexpected sting would have been so worth it.
8.  L'Oreal Re-Nutrition Shampoo + Conditioner ~ Re-Name, Re-Grease, Re-Dull. 

I told you mine. Please tell me yours!  

♥ Cynthia Z *.* 

NEW Product Launches ~ Lakmé, Pond's, Maybelline New York, L'Oreal Paris

Don't we all just love it when new beauty products enter our Indian market? That's because it's so.....rare.

Below are some recently launched products by 4 of my favorite affordable brands. 2 skincare products, 2 make-up products. Only 3 really appeal to me.

Lakmé Absolute™ Bi-phased Make-up Remover ~ It is enriched with the goodness of various antioxidants. The product is designed to break down and rinse off the chemicals in make-up that ordinary soaps and face-washes can't. Hello, it comes with a pump! Me likes it already! Price - Rs.210 for 60 ml.

Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGENFacial Foam ~ Pond's announces the extension of its range with the new Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam, that’ll counter dullness and enhance your skin’s radiance! The new Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam is a unique combination of Intelligent Pro-Cell Complex™, a system of vital Bio-Actives:  CLA, Retinol, Two Retinol Boosters, Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Glycerin with gentle micro beads that come together to deeply cleanse skin and help remove the dead cells and impurities to reveal visibly youthful skin! With the success of of that Regenerist range by that other brand, I'm glad to see a cheaper ReGEN face wash! Price - Rs.215 for 100 ml

Look With L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows

I'm so infatuated with L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in 'All Night Blue', and wanted to show you how it looks. The blue is so striking & glam, that it makes my eyes look brighter. I'd wear these eyes with a black dress, jeans/white shirt combo & royal blue Indian wear (not that I have one). If it's too loud for you, you can apply it only on your lower lash line, like a colored liner.

You know me by now, I just had to hang something on my head, and this time a giant earring =D

I used the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows from L'or Electric Collection (swatches here)-used All Night Blue all over my lid & Forever Pink on the inner corners.

WINNERS Of L'Oreal Paris Contest

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who participated. I read each & every one of your answers, both here & IVC Facebook Page.last night, and appreciate ALL of them.

Before I reveal the winning answers, let's take a look at the percentage each of the fashionistas, Bollywood sweethearts, and L'Oreal Paris Ambassadors, scored:

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan- 51%
Sonam Kapoor- 24%
Freida Pinto- 23%

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan beat Sonam & Freida put together. WOW! New mommy has really earned a lot of admiration & respect. Well-deserved, I must say, especially with all the boo-hockey she has to put up with constantly. Yes, I would have picked her too =)

And now for the winning answers! The 1st Prize Winner was an easy choice for me, but picking the 2nd Prize Winner was TOUGH! 

Drum roll......

1st PRIZE goes too.....

" Simran:

'Ash' you like it...In this case it will be "'Ash', I like It!!!" ;)

Her style, which has more misses than it gets kisses, manage to hit the 'taal' even in plain old 'Jeans' and at times makes you think 'Kuch na kaho'

Her face, so doll-like and ethereal, come rain, hail, babies or the dreaded age of 40s, make her the 'Umrao Jaan' of India

Her figure, which can make 'dhoom' and others gloom, make her more real than anyother

Her elegance, grace and confidence, leaves 'Devdas(es)' across the 'World' saying 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'

Whether she is 'Jodha' or The 'Mistress of Spices',

The 'Bride' and bahu of the 'Sarkar' of all families of Bollywood Or at the receiving end of everyones 'Prejudice',

She inevitably leaves everyone with a "Guzaarish' for more.

Because she's worth it ;) "

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 =)

L'Oreal L'Or Electric Collection For Cannes International Film Festival 2012

This year the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival is being held from 16th May to the 27th May 2012. 2012 is especially significant to us as L’Oreal Paris is celebrating a 15 year partnership with the Film Festival as its official Make Up artiste. For the last 15 years, many talented makeup artistes of the Brand have created glamorous looks for a wide range of celebrities that have walked the red carpet. 

To celebrate this year's Festival, which has been dubbed “Cannes electric”, L’Oréal Paris will electrify the event with its new "L'Or" range of makeup, entitled "L’Or Electric". This collection has been specially created for the Cannes Film Festival, and will enable L'Oréal Paris' make-up artists to create the most daring and glamorous looks on the Croisette. Eyes, lips and nails will be full of bold colour. Celebrities will sport the Glam Team's inspired creations on the red carpet throughout the 12 days of the Festival.

This collection, which is all set to electrify the red carpet, has been inspired by the extravagance of the 80s: post-modernism, neon, Studio.54, day-glo, new wave and the beginnings of electronic music. Three Indian faces- Freida Pinto, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonam A Kapoor, will sport this electrifying look on the red carpet. 

L’Oreal Paris-Femina Women Awards 2012

The L’Oreal Paris-Femina Women Awards 2012, in association with Rasvihar, commemorated the most outstanding Indian women achievers this year. Aishwairya Rai, Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and other leading celebrities graced this gliterrati studded ceremony, held at the ITC Grand Central on 22nd March, 2012 . In the first year of the awards 19 extraordinary women from diverse fields such as art, music, education, cinema amongst others were honoured.

Hosted by Diana Hayden and Ash Chandler, the evening was brimming with laughter, the audience was entertained by spectacular performances by singers Sona Mahapatra, Usha Uthup, singer-dancer Shiamak Davar and his troupe, who added to the exuberance of the evening.

Indian Beauty Addicts Are Waiting For....

Below are products that aren't available in India yet. We've talked about a few we are waiting for, so let's call this the next batch. We Indian Beauty Addicts have to wait a lot. Most of the time, for such a really long time that if they were our husbands, they'd be sleeping on the couch or out on the street. Probably out on the street.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters

Bourjois Eye Pearls ~ LOVE these quintets. I hope the eyeshadow quality is like the Intense Eyeshadows

Free Revlon Bag & Weekend Haul

Got a cute polka-dotted big-sized bag with some Revlon stuff yesterday- CustomEyes Eyeshadows in Naturally Glamorous & Rich Temptations, Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry Fraise. Also got the L'Oreal True Match Blush in Rosey Cheeks. Reviews and swatches coming shortly. For now take a look at the cool bag- even cooler coz it FREE-hee-hee...

Now let's see it....err.... strip?

The Orgasm & Coralista Look-Alikes (Blushers)

I was organizing my blushes, and thought it'd be fun to compile my shimmery peachy-coral blushers. I hope the photos & swatches will be helpful. Enjoy!

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!

Romantic Look Of The Day

I'm wearing this look today & think it looks 'romantic'. Though I'm feeling far from romantic hehe...

I'll do a breakdown of this look in case you're thinking about wearing a similar look...and hey, Valentine's Day is right around the corner! ♥

Face:

Mac Prep+Prime Line Filler as base

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse Foundation

The Body Shop Loose Face Powder

Mac Cremeblend Blush in So Sweet, So Easy