MEOW! Avon Cat Manicure Set | Mega Effects Mascara, Etc.

Oh, so very MEOW! Doesn't she look fabulous?!

So, one Friday evening, when I reached home, I saw a Avon brochure outside our front door, leaning on the wall next to the doormat. It felt kind of surreal. In August, I'd made this post about the Mega Effects Mascara, and then I felt lazy about ordering it on Ebay. When I laid eyes on the brochure, the mascara was the only thing that popped in my head. I thought, 'Meant To Be'. Tucked in the brochure was a receipt/order form where I was supposed to write down what I wanted to order, and on it was also a note saying I just had to leave the brochure out again on Monday morning, so the Avon rep could come and collect it. Now that, ladies, is a super cool way to shop. Doorstep Shopping.

As I was flipping through the brochure, I saw something else that I ended up wanting more than the mascara. A pink heart-shaped Cat Manicure Set. In under 5 seconds, it stole the show - like an underdogcat.....

 It's made of some kind of leather. Plain pink at the back. I thought the pink bow would be a real pink ribbon. It's not, in case you're also delusional... hehe.

 It holds Scissors, Nail Cutter, Cuticle Cutter, Tweezers, Filer. LOVE that the heart print!

Photo Diary With Maybelline Color Show Nail Polishes ~ Day 10-06

Hello, Color Show! These were launched not so long ago in India, and everybody is going ga-ga over them, because:

• Their price tag is as rare as a celebrity without botox. At Rs.75 | $1 | £0.73 a bottle, I think they are flying off the shelves.
• They're available in 40 shades. I saw some ladies buying ALL 40 shades at once! I'm guessing they thought: 'When in doubt, buy both all.'
• Price & variety aside, we can agree it all comes down to quality. For me personally, these feel no different from the ones that cost more. They are creamy & glossy, and can look opaque with just 1 thick coat. All swatches here are 2 coats. Drying time is minimal too. I'm sure of this because I a-l-w-a-y-s see small scratches on my nail polish (usually from my long hair, I don't know how), but I did not see any on these, surprisingly. 
• They don't chip for 5-6 days on my left hand nails. Right hand nails, well, the same with every other nail polish, maybe 3 days tops. I think the main culprit is the steam from cooking.

I've got 10 shades with me, but to avoid crowding one blog post & skimping on photos, I thought it's better to split the post up into 2 parts. I'm putting up Photo Diary Day 10-06 now, and will be posting Day 05-01 shortly.

From front to back (R-L): Lavender Lies, Blackcurrant Pop, Coral Craze, Bold Gold Fantasea Green, Shocking Seas, Pink Voltage. They will also appear in the same order below.

Day 10:  Lavender Lies #217 & Blackcurrant Pop #402

These are like sisters, so I had to wear them together. Lavender Lies is a lavender color (duh!), while Blackcurrant Pop is lighter and looks like a faded version of Lavender Lies. Two shades that could create a perfect ombre effect when sponged over one another. Don't you love the name Lavender Lies? {"Lavender lies! Not white, lavender lies!", Lily yelled at Rose angrily.}

♥

I'm A Pretty Pink Nail Polish. What's My Name?

"I pink your nails pretty,

Without making your purse hungry.

Oh, and look! I match CZ's favorite teacup!

If you can GUESS MY NAME,

I will ask a Pink Fairy to grant one of your wishes this Christmas....

Pinky Promise!"

 

 ♥ 

C'mon, let's play! =)

I will reveal it's real name in a few days.

Facebook | Bloglovin' |  Instagram | YouTube

Too Many Cuties.....

TOO MANY! E-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e I turn there's something cute....and pretty....and dreamy....and unaffordable.

Bourjois Glamour Perfumes ~ Good Gawd! I wouldn't know which one to choose! Chic, Lovely, Excessive, Fantasy....probably Lovely....no, Fantasy....maybe Excessive...Chic too....ahhhh.... leave me alone!

Benefit Lolli Tint ~ A lollipop pink lip & cheek tint, like the Benetint.

Haul: Makeup, Primark 'The Wonder Wrap'

You may be surprised with the photos today. I clicked them at night with flash. It starts getting dark at 4 pm here these days, I think I may have to do it often. So....I dropped in Boots & Primark today, and got a few things....

• Maybelline Color Show Brocades Collection in Knitted Gold ~ So gorgeous I couldn't resist! It's like sequins with pink and gold bits. Price: £3.99 | Rs.402
• Maybelline Color Show Vintage Leather Collection in Turquoise Temptation ~ This is a matte-like leather finish nail polish. Price: £2.99 | Rs.300
• Rimmel Lasting Colour Rush Balm in Give Me A Cuddle ~ Another lip crayon to try. I love that name! Price: £5.99 | Rs.603.
• Bourjois Color Edition 24hr Eyeshadow in Kaki Cheri #04 ~ This is a cream to powder eyeshadow, somewhat like the Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo, but it definitely feels different. I picked the most unique color- khaki green with gold shimmer. It's available in gold, plum/prune, silver, electric blue, pink champagne. See all here. Price: £6.99 | Rs.704.

*3 for 2 offer at Boots.

Primark The Wonder Wrap  ~ I saw this a week ago when I'd gone to get my ghost nightie, but I didn't buy it, although there was only one Size 6-8 left (because I wasn't really supposed to shop, okay.). I though, 'Eh, I'll come another day. I'm sure they'll restock the sizes.' WRONG! I kept going to check after that but only big sizes were there. Today, I decided to just pick up Size 10-12, which is about 2-3 inches bigger than the smaller size. Size 6-8 was available in other prints, but I wanted this pink lips one. It's basically a dress towel that you secure with velcro in the front. Price: £7 | Rs.706.

Moral: ALWAYS buy it if it's the last one left! You can be sensible another time.

Primark Hair Turban ~ Last time I thought, 'Okay, I'll buy that turban only if I get the Wonder Wrap. Matching!' This turban is available in a few other colors too, including hot pink, No, it's not the same pink as the lips on the wrap, so I picked white instead =D. Price: £1.50 | Rs.150

Uff, now I'm not liking this posing photo. Trying on the wrap. It has to be cinched/pulled a little more towards one side, but it's fine. See, it even has a heart pocket! ♥

Please excuse my hurrr. I was supposed to pick up some hair color too, but it was already closing time. It really needs to be refreshed. Trimmed too, but that's another frustrating story.

Next time, I will wear Wonder Wrap & turban....apply face mask and body scrub on arms and legs.... I'll  stand in balcony  front of the mirror....hold a hairbrush like a microphone....and sing....Tu Mile....Dil Khile....I came in like a wrecking ball.....

Happy Friday, everyone! Gonna watch 2 movies tonight- Hours & Paranoia.

8 Products I'm Obsessed With ATM....

By Obsessed, I mean I'm really really enjoying using them. I reach for them everyday, or every other day. Bath....Skincare....Makeup....

Etude House Minnie Mouse Collection ~ Haul

 

My Facebook Status, 15th October :

My heart....
beating....
in slow motion....
beating....
beating....

....as I'm about to click 'Proceed To Checkout' on Ebay....entire Limited Edition makeup collection in my cart. Didn't "consult" with Mr.CZ first....

beating....

{to be continued} =D

♥ CZ.

***

  Continued....

I clicked on it.....beating.....I was on the 'Confirm Payment' page within the next few minutes.....beating....Okay, maybe I should remove some items, and order them another time. That way the total amount will be split up and ....No, I want them ALL!  They all belong too-gad-der (together). The phone rang suddenly! It was Mr.CZ saying he'll be home in 5 mins. It was as if he knew I was about to do something behind his back! Long story short, I left the payment page as it was & waited till he got home before clicking the final button. Yes, I chickened out, sheesh!  =D

You don't know how much I wanted to talk about this collection! To say that they're on their way to meeeeee! But you know I'm kind of superstitious. Jinx and all that. What if I post in my blog, and the products don't turn up at my door? I thought, don't count your  chickens  Minnie Mouses before  they  hatch  postman delivers them.

NEW! L'Oréal Paris POPTASTIC Collection

It’s outrageously colorful, it’s outrageously POP.  Rock your beauty must haves for this season with glamorous hot shades from the latest Poptastic Collection by L'Oréal Paris. This collection is the perfect way to completely jazz up your beauty wardrobe. L'Oréal Paris introduces a set of products that will add that extra element of oomph with fun colors and exciting prints so you can live life on the brighter side!

The Poptastic collection has something for everyone. Indulge in the latest shades from the Color Riche Le Vernis for your nails, Glamshine Balmy Gloss for a luscious pout and the Color Riche Eye Pallette to add that extra sparkle to your eyes! With happy hues like pinks, corals, blues and tangerine, you can go bold and funky by sporting a new bright look every day.

Newly Discovered Beauty Products - Part 2

While I finish a make-up tutorial, take a look at some of the beauty products I recently stumbled upon. Most of them I'm going to try out sooner or later......

 

Zoya Nail Lacquer 'Cynthia' ~ Yes, you read correctly. There's a Zoya nail polish named 'Cynthia'! And it's a deep blue - my decided fall nail color! A few weeks ago, Magali tagged me on a picture of this nail polish on Zoya's Instagram page (Thanks Magali!) Price: Around Rs.1000-1100 in the UK. I don't even want to spend Rs.300 on a nail polish, so you can imagine how torn I feel about it- buy, don't buy? Couldn't I just write my name on my nails? NO! It's not the same!

 

MSM Cream ~ As I was doing my usual googling of acne and skin problems, I stumbled on a post that opened my eyes wide here. The writer raved about a certain MSM Cream that minimized her acne scars. MSM cream is made with Sulphur, and  is used to treat acne. Some have even called it a 'Miracle Cream'. I am ordering mine soon. Just wanted to know if any of you tried it. Price: Around Rs.1350 on Amazon UK, but it's only around Rs.500 on Ebay.

Fingertip Rings & Fall Nails

Hello! Last night, after a long time, I spent more than 5 mins painting my nails. I have also decided that one my fall nail colors will be 'BLUE' - deep & dazzling blues. Sometimes with some bling bling, coz I don't have the patience for much else. This is the only blue nail polish I own right now, so I need to go hunt for a couple more, although I'm trying not to buy too many nail polishes because of my living situation.

You know fingertip rings or 'midi rings' all all the rage now. I find them cute, but I think I would end up losing them a lot, or worse, they follow the water down the sink! I guess I'll have to take them off before washing my hands.

 New Look Fingertip Rings ~ bird, hearts, heart, leaf. One size fits all (nonsense).Price: £2.99 | Rs.303

Classic Chic Nails ~ Clipping & Shaping Tutorial

Hello! I wanted to post a different kind of tutorial today ~ Nails! Classic Chic Nails that are comfortable, go with everything, and are appropriate for everyday & every occasion. Hope you'll like! I'm sure many of you don't need a tutorial for nail shaping, but I've been asked how I do mine several times, so.....

1. Position the clipper horizontally& clip straight from one side, stopping at the center of the nail. And behold my explaining skills....

2. Move clipper to the other side and clip in the same way, straight in.

3. If the corners are too sharp and pointy, clip a bit diagonally.

4. Do the same on the other side. 

5. Start filing. Straight. Back & forth. Use little pressure, and file evenly, until you get the desired length & shape ~ square with rounded edges here.

6. Should look something like that. *Wash or wipe off powdery nail bits, before next step.

7. Apply a beige or nude nail polish. 

8. After 2 coats, it looks like that. *You could apply a top coat if you want.

9. Apply some Vaseline or cuticle oil on the cuticles. That is, if they look dry.

DONE! =)  

[I do the same on my toenails as well.] 

What I Used:

• Nail Clipper: Small & light nail clippers. I prefer small ones, to the big chunky types.
• Filer: Scholl. Very old, but nothing works better. Even with filers, I prefer the sleek and thin ones. 
• Nail Polish ~ Maybelline Colorama Balé Clássico. My favorite neutral nail polish. More pics here
• Cuticle Moisturizer ~ Vaseline Pink Bubbly Lip Balm. More pics here

♥

Personally, I've always preferred square & squoval (squarish-oval) shapes, sometimes even rounded. Pointy claw-like nails are a big NO-NO. Please. Don't. Chaku hai, chaku!

(Chaku = knife)

What's your favorite nail shape? 

NEW! Lakmé Absolute Royal Collection ~ Limited Edition

Revisit the magnificence of the past with a truly precious limited edition collection by Lakmé that pays tribute to the reign of queens – Lakmé Absolute Royal. Inspired by the era of the royals, this new collection introduces limited edition shades for three amazing products: Lakmé Absolute Crème Lip Colors, Lakmé Absolute Royal Nail Colors and Lakmé Absolute Shine Line Eyeliners that will help you create an elegant look for the festivities this season. With this new collection, Lakmé lays out the beauty statement for the season that is dominated by imperial velvet red lips and a unique play of light pink and gold for the eyes. These rich hues, reflecting modern opulence, will take center-stage at the Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013 Grand Finale by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. 

This limited edition collection will be available in stores starting 1st September 2013.

Lakmé Absolute Crème Lip Colors: Get lips that go with glasses of wine, caviar and polo matches. It’s luscious creamy color with a flamboyant, glossy finish that lasts all day. Price: Rs. 600/-

Limited Edition Shades: Red Carpet, Plum Delight, Mystery Pink, Candy Floss, Peach Blush, Bake Pink, Mauve Dream, Mauve Shimmer and Nude Rose. 

6 Disappointing Beauty Products

After hopeful & satisfying stories, I bring to you disappointing stories. Since I don't do reviews anymore, I thought I'd just put up good & bad products kind of posts. This one is about 6 products that I wasn't happy with.

***These are products that I personally did not like, and did not work for me. So, if you love them & they work great on you, don't worry & hate me. Every beauty product works differently on everybody =)

1. Garnier BB Cream (India Version) ~ I have proof (pics) that this flakes, and comes out like dead skin when layered and blended. Plus, the texture is too much like a tinted moisturizer. I use the original UK version, and I like it a lot even though it's a tad too oily. But it is soothing and I use it as a primer under foundation & powder, so it works. Garnier BB Creams are confusing, because of the different types, and the one launched in India might be a totally different concoction. I might try the Oil Free version, and see if it's similar to it.

2. MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Style Surge ~ I got this together with MAC Riri Woo, and I quite liked the finish when I tested it on my hand at the store + I found the shape of it very interesting. On my lips, it's not so interesting. The texture is buttery and slippery, so it just sits on top of my lips like it's waiting for me to wipe it off. If not for the heavy price tag (Rs.1680), I would have spared it from this list. I'll stick to the regular MAC lippies from now on.

3. Garnier Moisture Match Mattifying Fresh Cream With Green Tea Extract ~ This is super disappointing. When I apply it, I can feel the beads of silicone that take a while to disappear, like when you rub the dead skin off your lips, and somewhat like when there's lint on your moisturized skin, you know what I mean? I also find it a tad greasy. Such a shame, because I thought it was going to be different-  fresh green tea different, not silicone-packed different. I'll use it on my  legs  feet before bed.

4. Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara (Waterproof) ~ I remember liking this a lot before I started this blog, and it was one of my favorite, and best, mascaras, BUT after trying a few holy grail-good ones recently, it's deficiencies are more noticeable. The huge plastic brush just doesn't work for my thin lashes. I guess this is closure for us. It might not be so bad if you already have full plush lashes, though.

5. Carmex Lip Balm ~ The one in a jar. I realized one day that it's actually drying my lips even more! The ones in squeeze tubes are great, though.

6. L'Oreal Color Riche Le Nail Art Stickers ~ Sigh. When I wore these, I felt like I had claws. I actually scratched myself a few times. The tips bubble and don't really stick to the nail. Maybe there's a better way to stick 'em, but it's like too much work! I'll stick to nail polishes and save time (30-45 mins the first time!) and money. I have not worn the ones shown here, but I wore another set (black with gold bits)  here.

****

That's all for today. You all enjoy your Friday night! Me, no special plans, except watch Game Of Thrones & movies. I hope I find at least one good horror movie to watch. It's hard, because I've watched all of them, and the ones I really really want to watch have not been released yet! =D

 Any disappointing beauty products you encountered recently? Warn me, okay?

Quick Tip For Long & Strong Nails

I was just going to Instagram this, but I thought why not share it with everyone! Lately, my nails are growing unnaturally fast and are noticeably thick & strong. For months they've been breaking & peeling easily, that's why I noticed it more. Before I clip & file them to a comfortable length, I wanted to show you.

I think it's the Aloe Vera products I'm using:

• Carex Aloe Vera Hand Wash ~ I just love how this smells!
• Vaseline Aloe Fresh Body Gel

*But I use the hand wash more on my hands.

I did some googling, and found out Aloe Vera has nail strengthening properties. I never knew that!

Ladies in India, try with Brihan's Aloe Vera Gel. It's my holy grail product that I keep in the fridge all the time.

Have any of you experienced this? 

Favorite Makeup Products June '13

Hello! I feel like I haven't blogged for weeks, and it's only been 2 days! But, somehow, June seems to have gone by so whoosh whoosh, just like us unstable Geminis. I hope July will go slowly & calmly, like Cancerians, some of my favorite people! ;)

So.....here are the standout makeup products I've been loving last month.

• Sleek Makeup i-Divine Candy Palette ~ I've been mixing these bright candy colors together and wearing it over a black base. My favorite color is the 3rd pink on the bottom row- Aniseed. Swatches here

• Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation ~ It really is PERFECT! I'm so addicted to it that I put it on even when I don't have the energy to do makeup. I personally think it is better than both Healthy Mix & Revlon Colorstay foundations.

• Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in Timeless Black ~ This is the black base I've wearing under bright colors from the i-Candy Palette up there. I love how versatile a black color tattoo is. Must-have if you love doing smoky eyes.

• Brown Eyebrow Pencil ~ I got this from Daiso Japan store in Dubai. I. My brows are not very behaved these days, so I need a pencil to discipline them. Oh, and it's got a heart on ze cap =)

• Bourjois Bronzing Primer ~ This is genius! These days, I've been sculpting my face with it, and it looks more natural than a contouring/bronzing powder. I've swatched it here

• Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Shocking Coral ~ I absolutely love the color, but it tastes a little bit bitter =[

• Bourjois Color Boost Peach On the Beach ~ This crayon is now flat because I've worn it so much. I wore in a look here

•  Bourjois So Laque Rose Imaginaire #62 ~ I just adore this, it's my favorite kind of pink for nails Swatch here

•  Real Techniques Blush Brush ~ I needed a dense blush brush for my light-colored blushes & a powder brush that's not rounded/too fluffy, and gave this a try. It does both jobs nicely.

• Real Techniques Expert face Brush ~ I wanted to see what the big deal with this brush was. It was always Out Of Stock in Superdrug (where it's cheapest), and one day I got it from Boots. It's smaller than all my other buffing brushes, and gives my foundation an airbrush finish. I love that these brushes can stand up on their own because of the flat base.

• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft And Gentle ~ I was hardly a highlighter gal, but this has made me want to explore more. It's my favorite out of all the highlighters I've used. I wear it on my cheekbones over Bourjois Bronzing Primer and a peachy blush.

♥

I also enjoyed watching this girly, funny, musical, feel-good movie - Pitch Perfect....

You might like it too!

Revenge Wears Prada....And I Wear Multi-Colored Toenails

 If I were Miranda Priestly's assistant, you know what she'd say to me right now?

"Cyn-thi-ah, how many times do I have to scream your name?" *Notices my toes & rolls her eyes* "Did you fall down and smack your little head on the pavement? Are those why my coffee isn't on my table yet? Is that your way of saying you 'understand' fashion?"

Me: "Err...I was just....err..." (She'd probably fire me if I said I was thinking about jelly beans, not 'fashion'.)

Miranda Priestly: "That's all. Now go fetch that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday morning." *Shoos me with her perfect red manicured hands*

My new thing is multi-colored toenails. They make me happy! =)

What do you think? Yay or Nay? 

I reversed the colors on the other foot. I have to ask, are your little toenails as deformed as mine? They just refuse to look normal! 

 I used: Bourjois So Laque Rose Imaginaire 62, Maybelline Colorama Absinto, Maybelline My Varnish 349, Maybelline Equilibrista, Bourjois So Laque Magenta Show 43, Bourjois Fixant Brillant Topcoat.

*I don't have any yellows & peaches with me right now, otherwise I would've used them instead of 3 pinks.

 

I just started reading Revenge Wears Prada, the sequel of The Devil Wears Prada. I'm quite excited, coz I've missed Miranda Priestly. Here are 6 pages from the 1st Chapter.......

I'm also reading Sophie Kinsella's I've Got Your Number.....

Now read the next pic ONLY if you're not going to read the book, coz I don't want to ruin the tension that leads up to it if you're going to read it.....

Look at the screen, or close your eyes for 14 seconds while scrolling.....

I laughed so hard I shook the bed and I had to stifle myself with the duvet so I don't wake up the man next to me. This is why I keep reading Kinsella - her sense of humor.

♥

Okies, that's all the reading for today. You all enjoy your weekend. I left my The Devil Wears Prada dvd in India, so I've downloaded it, and will watch it again tonight- for the devil alone.

P.S. Since I couldn't do anything tutorial this week, 'Tutorial Month' shall continue till 22nd July.