Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick Midnight Rose ~ Look & Swatches

I planned to post this at exactly 00:00 am (IST), midnight, to make it poetic. But of course it didn't happen, because editing took longer. 

Lancôme Rouge In Love Lipstick in Midnight Rose 377N is a fuchsia shade. It's weird that although it's glossy, it's so long-lasting, even more long-lasting than some matte lipsticks! When layered, it passed the kissing test, and I think it could easily live up to it's 6 hours claim. When I'm wearing it, I always see it on my lips- never drying, never flaky.

Very very impressed with the unique finish & quality. I want at least one more shade from this range.

If you're wondering how similar it is to Deborah Milano Red #9: Midnight Rose leans towards pink, whereas DMR 9 leans towards red.  

What Are Your Favorite Posts On IVC? [Please Vote!]

Hi Everyone,

This blog is approaching it's 4th Anniversary soon, so I wanted to know the kind of readers I have now. What you expect every time, what makes you feel good, what inspires you, what you never miss reading. 

I also noticed something has changed, that's why this poll will help me prioritize things around here.

Please Vote below....

POLL CLOSED

Thank you to all who're still here 4 years later

&

A warm welcome to all who just got here! 

WANTED! Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume

Dear Marc Jacobs,

I just want to say good job on these whimsical perfume bottles. First ladybug, now bee. You must really like flying insects, huh?

Also, what are you doing to me?!!! 

Tutorial: Winged Cut Crease Eye Makeup

Hello! Hope you all had a very Happy Friendship Day. I thought about making a quick post yesterday, and after pondering and searching my head for a meaningful and heartfelt message, I couldn't find it. I decided against a cartoon card from Google Images, and took a nap instead.

I'll wish you, my blog reader friends, with this step-by-step tutorial on how I created the Winged Cut Crease EOTD I posted last week here 

 ***The lighting changed in between because of the black eye shadow, so the pics didn't come out the same. I hate it when this happens.

1. Take a gel liner and draw 1st bit of line. Curve it according to the shape of your crease. If you have a deep crease line, draw it there. I used Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Gel Liner & Inglot 30T Eyeliner Brush. *Don't press the brush too much while drawing so it doesn't come out too thick. 

*My gel liner had dried up quite a bit, so it was difficult to make the line sharp.

2. Draw 2nd center bit. 

3. Draw the 3rd bit and curve it up towards the end of your eyebrow.

4. Draw downwards making a V. ***Try not to join from the tip straight away. That way it stays pointy when you start filling in. I hope the pic explains it better than I do =D

5. Draw on outer corner of lower lash line. It'll make it easier to line the outer edge straight.

6. Join the lines in the center. Also draw gel liner on lower lash line all the way to tear duct. Here, I mimicked the shape and curved the line out slightly as shown in Pic 7.

7.  Take a matte black eyeshadow with a pointy eyeliner brush or any small brush and shade inside the black gel liner as shown. I used Urban Decay Blackout from Naked 2 Palette.

8. Apply a shimmery eyeshadow on the center of lid. I used Urban Decay Half Baked (Gold) & YDK (bronze), both from Naked 2 Palette

9.  Apply the black e/s on the outer edge again over the outer edges of the shimmery e/s so it looks like the gold is peeking through the black.

10. Apply the same shimmery gold e/s on the inner tear duct area and lower lash line inside the black liner.

11. Line top lash line close to lashes with the same black gel liner.

12. Apply mascara on top & bottom lashes. I wore False Lashes here. I used Eylure Katy Perry Oh, My! lashes. 

Saturday Hauls ~ Lancome, ZARA, New Look

I feel like I bored you all with nonsense this week, or I just bored myself. I don't know why I'm behind on everything! Before I go ahead and disconnect myself from the online world this weekend (or just tonight), here are some haul pics for you.....  

• Lancome Rouge In Love Lipstick 377N Midnight Rose ~ It took all of my will power to put aside my natural tendency to pick corals & pinks. Price: £21 | Rs.1962.

• New Look Coral Earrings ~ Saw them once, then I went back. Price: Half Off from £7, so £3.50 | Rs.327.

So pweety!

♥

Last Saturday's Haul.....

ZARA Court Shoes ~ I was shocked that these fit me! Size 36. More shocked because the other Zara size 36 shoes are too big for me. That's why I love these so much! Oh, there were only two pairs size 36's available - one was blacker but looser on my feet; other was brand new, never tried by anyone (tissue still wrapped on the straps) & they fit me better but the suede was less black and had more lint (read: looked dirty). I had to pick the latter, of course... hehe. Price: On Sale, about 50% Off, so about £15.99 |  Rs.1494. 

MUA One Direction Make-Up

Now you can wear Harry Styles & Zayn Malik, girlies! =) 

Boy band of the moment, One Direction, has launched a makeup collection with MUA Cosmetics. It's weird, but if Bieber can launch perfumes for girls, I say why not.

Priced only from £2.50 to £3 | Rs.234-Rs.280, I think it's perfect for teenage 1D fans. Also good for non-teenage, not-1D-fans-just-beauty-obsessed like some of us =D

I might pick up a few today. I got a sneak peek at the Pout Polishes the other day, and they're cute!

Available now at Superdrug 

MUA ships worldwide if you want to order online. 

NEW! Benefit Rockateur Blush

I like to collect these Benefit Boxed Powders (see my collection here), and after a long time I'm liking a new addition - Rockateur. 

"A rose gold blush that gives a famously provocative flush."

Price ~ £23.50  | Rs.2168.

Launching in UK on August 22nd '13. 

I can imagine myself at Debenhams... awaiting its arrival... garland in hands.

In India, Benefit is available at Sephora, Select Citywalk Mall, New Delhi.

 You like?

EOTD: Winged Cut Crease Eye Makeup

I wanted to do the Pencil Shading technique for you guys, but I think that needs to be seen. So I came up with a similar but easier version for a pictorial. Step-By-Step pics on how I did it coming shortly. 

It's different from the Winged Eyeshadow I'd done before here, not to mention more challenging because of the precision required. 

 

What do you think? Something you'd want to try on yourself? 

Upcoming Beauty Video Teaser

Some screenshots from my upcoming video. If you think they're like horror movie scenes, we think alike. That, or we watch too many horror movies! But it won't be scary at all - I promise! =D

If you want to see what's on the other side of the door.....

Stay tuned!

{I'm trying my best to finish it asap.}

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.

Maybelline Baby Lips Haul

I didn't get the Maybelline Baby Lips launched in India, because they were almost the same as the Lip Smooth Color & Care ones - the balms smelled the same & the packaging was also basically the same. The ones launched in US & UK are totally different & look more fun with those long clear caps with colorful writing.

Again, why does Maybelline do this?! Not making products the same for everyone! =[

Baby Lips in UK are available in 6 types: Intense Care (Yellow), Mint Fresh (Green), Cherry Me (Orange), Pink Punch (Pink, Peach Kiss (Purple), Hydrate (Blue)

I would have gotten Pink Punch, but didn't see on the shelf. I got Hydrate & Peach Kiss. One clear, and the other a very sheer peach. They both smell goooood!

Hydrate, Peach Kiss

Peach Kiss, Hydrate

Price ~ £2.99  |  Rs.277 (each)

From ~ Superdrug. 

Makeup Vanity Organizing ~ Before & After

How you keep the things around you reflect what's going on in your head. When you see the state of my vanity before, you'll kind of get a peek into my head. About 2 weeks ago, I realized I was wasting at least 5-8 mins of my makeup time just searching for stuff: where's that color tattoo? taupe one, not this black! where are the scissors? where's that lip crayon? the fuchsia one, not this orange! why do I keep finding the same things I don't need?! now where did that black kohl go? not this one, the other one! 

Those thoughts are usually followed by words I reserve only for scenarios like these. A variety of words in 3 languages - my mother tongue, English & Hindi. So you can imagine how m-a-d I get. The main reason for all this is because I don't have my stack of drawers like I do in India. I can't even buy some here, coz I know I won't be able to take them.

Okies, now let's take a look at the transition.....

• 1st Pic: That's how it looked last to last Friday. Yes, utter chaos. I don't know how it got that way. Hair products...Q-tips....hairband.... my shame. 
• 2nd Pic: Clear out the table.
• 3rd Pic: Clean and wipe table with a damp sponge & some cleaning liquid.
• 4th Pic: Re-arrange stuff. 

Eyeshadow Palettes in a stack on the extreme left. | Cotton buds. | Coconut Candle. | Brush Cup: Reduced to one, and I keep only the brushes that I use more often. | Face Products ~ Foundation, BB Cream, Concealers, Etc. | Highlighter & Bronzer. | Real Techniques Blush Brush & Expert Face Brush. | Most-used Blushes. | Maybelline Color Tattoos & MAC Paint Pots. | In the front are tools & necessities: eyelash curler, eyebrow scissors, tweezers, mascaras, eyeshadow primer, bronzing powder, blush (that doesn't stand like the other ones.).

Right side: Jewelry stand: TU from Sainsbury's. More pics here.  |  Perfumes: Escada Cherry In The Air, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy, Marc Jacobs Oh Lola Sunsheer, Marc Jacobs Dot. | Lipsticks that I like looking at, and some that I'm currently using.

Tip to keep it organized: Put back the stuff on the same exact spot you picked them up from. Simple =)

I know in my Vanity Stage 1 post here I said I'd add some stuff here and there, but turned out I was running out of space, and decided to put the products that I use often out in the open so I don't have to search for them crazily.

I guess this is the last time you'll see this vanity table, because I'll probably not live here anymore in a couple of months. It's kind of sad, but let's hope the next one will be something I picked out & designed myself. This came with our rented apartment. You know, I wondered why the owners would place that wall mirror so high up. Then one day, I met the couple, and the wife was very tall, maybe 5'8" or 5'9". Now I understand why... hehe!

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?