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Summer Body Lotions ~ Top Picks

Can you feel the heat?

I feel like sticking my body in the fridge.

Delhi summers are merciless!

It's time to ditch those thick winter lotions for lighter, fresher and cooler ones.

♥ Top Picks ♥ 

Read more.......

Hair Loss Remedies ~ Dermatologist Recommended

I want to share with you some products that were recommended for my hair fall (Alopecia) by a dermatologist (God bless him!) which have really worked for me.

There are so many factors that that contribute to hair loss. Hormonal inbalance, poor diet and a lot more (I won't bore you with the full list)

For me, I'm sure it was chemical related. The crown area of my head had very less hair and you could actually see my scalp playing peek-a-boo with everybody. Many people asked me why I was BALD! :O

The reason was I was doing too much to my hair. Straightening, coloring (at one time 3 times a month!). I stopped coloring my hair for about 5 months and now I've started seeing baby hairs poking up. 

Tugain ~ It is basically the same as Rogain because they both contain Minoxidil. 

Usage:  Apply 1 ml twice a day, at 12-hour intervals, starting at the center of affected area and spread evenly with fingertips (do not massage)

Read more.......

Some Totalbeauty.com Beauty Awards Nominees ~ Reviews

Here are some thoughts and reviews on a few nominated products for the totalbeauty.com beauty awards

Make-up

~ Blush ~ 

Nars Blush ~  Very pigmented blush, long lasting and available in so many pretty colors. Every girl should try at least one Nars blush in her lifetime.

~ Concealer ~ 

Read more.......

Pond's Age Miracle Now In A Handy Pack

Don't want to invest on a full jar of Pond's Age Miracle Daily Resurfacing Cream?

Get the 10 gms handy pack for just Rs.140.

Let's find out if the best things really do come in the smallest of packages.

Unless size matters to you.


 ♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

Inglot AMC Lip Paints

Have you tried Inglot AMC Lip Paints yet?

I have fallen for them. 

Hard.

Available in 20 shades

I'm hoping to own at least 6 of these, because:

• I find potted lip products very charming and irresistible
• They smell indescribably good
• Many beautiful shades to pick from
• Paraben-free and not tested on animals
• Very moisturizing, lustrous, and lasts a decent amount of time.
• I personally think that it's better than Mac tinted lip conditioner (and cheaper too.) Burn!
• I'm kinda BORED of MAC. Really.

Here is shade #66

The price of these went down from Rs.800 (or 820?) to Rs.720. Sigh! If only had waited.

More temptations.........

Lip Duo Lip Gloss

Lip Duo Lip Gloss Lip Paint

Inglot website is up now. Finally! Check out the rest of their products  ~ here

Happy Weekend!

♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

Lakme Enrich Satin Lip Color Review

Description :

Smooth, glossy lips kissed with the luxurious conditioning of Vitamin E.
Blended with Sunscreen and Olive Extracts for a creamy coat of lush color.
Available in 8 sumptuous shades developed especially for Indian skin tones.

~ Review ~

Texture ~ Smooth, long lasting, highly pigmented and does not dry up my lips at all. I hate to admit it, but this lipstick has impressed me to the core. My intention was to buy it, review and then give it away to somebody, but now I want to keep it for myself because it has managed to soften my 'change-of-season' chapped lips, which my other lip balms have failed to do recently. It could double up as a lip tint too when dabbed on lightly and blended with fingers.

Scent ~ It has that unmistakable classic lipstick scent, like the lipstick my mom had at a time when all I cared about was fairytales. But it doesn't bother me because it is not very strong.

Packaging ~ Encased in a cute burgundy-colored satin-look tube with a gold upper end, it looks quite classy.

Shade ~ In the pictures above I'm wearing #128. It sure is a chameleon of a color. The color that is closest to the one I see in the mirror is the first one (1.)

Price ~ Reasonably priced at Rs.225. 

Buy again? Very unlikely. I think this lipstick is like a fling ~ good while it lasts, but when it's over, it's over. Time to look for true love....or another fling.

Unless, they offer more shades - lighter, fresher, summer shades. With matching tubes. Can't help imagining a salmon pink lipstick in a matching salmon pink-colored tube. Now that is true love material.

Rating ~ ♥♥♥♥♥ (3/5)

♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Review

L'Oreal 'Total Repair 5' promises to repair the 5 signs of hair damage.
5 problems = 1 solution
The 5 problems being :
1. Hairfall    2.Dryness    3. Roughness   4. Dullness    5.Split ends

Description:
Damaged hair can lack the natural cement which keeps the hair strong & resilient. To ensure cohesion and strength, the L'Oreal Laboratories have created ceramide-cement technology to replicate the hair's natural cement, targeting the 5 problems.

1. Repairs : the hair fibre, the hair structure is re-inforced and hair regains strength like new.
2. Transforms : the hair surface to a regular and smooth condition.

Review :
I am loving this range so far. The smell is perfume-like, a little bit like Dior Pure Poison perfume, in my opinion. I like. My hair that hardly shines has suddenly lit up. Not patent leather shine but I'm hopeful  it will get there (fingers crossed). I can't say much about whether or not it stops hairfall because I still catch a few loose strands while washing my hair. But that usually happens to me with other products too. 
I love the attractive packaging and the price too! L'Oreal  consumer haircare products used to cost so much more a few years ago but now I am very happy with the reasonable price tags.
Shampoo ~ Rs.130 for 200ml, Rs.72 for 100 ml
Conditioner ~ Rs.150 for 180 gms, Rs.80 for 90 gms
Repairing Masque ~ Rs.325 for 200 ml ( I love this stuff!)


Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥

Here's the ad for L'Oreal Total Repair 5 with Aishwarya Rai in it. Many of my friends find it hilariously over the top. I do too. "I'm on a mission to save the world", the applause, the walk. Uff!!! =D
Her hair looks great though.
What do you think?

♥ Cynthia Z ^_^

Lakme Enrich Satin Lip Color Swatches

I couldn't go to the store to have a look at these lippies. So, a special someone (Muah!) managed to get these swatches for me. But two colors are missing. Either they were not available at the time or the SA just couldn't be bothered.

Click to enlarge

The colors that are not in the list ~ 529, 423

I kinda like 128 and 421 and had planned to get them but after reading this blog post by Tanveer of 'Addicted to Blush', I'm a bit apprehensive.

Anyways, I just thought these swatches would come in handy for some of you.

Have a lovely week!

I WANT!!! You Want?

1. Loreal True Match Roller foundation. 
2. Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland Book Of Shadows
3. Essie Tart Deco ~ I'm finding a dupe for this.

Blush Obsessed

1. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge
2. Benefit Sugarbomb
3. MUFE HD Blush

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor

I can't believe Maybelline hasn't launched these in India yet! Why?!

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss

Mac 187 Duo Fibre Brush

This has not been in stock in India for the last many many months :(

There are many dupes around but they don't compare to the Mac one. Hopefully it'll come with the March stock (as said by a Mac SA) or I'll just have to wait for the Mac & Milk Collection. But who knows anymore!

GarnierTinted Eye Roll-On

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer

Courtesy: My Wishlist Book 2010 ~ Page 2.

Can't. Sleep.

♥ Cynthia Z ^_^

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Holi Beauty Tips

Holi, otherwise known as "Spring Festival" and the "Festival of Colours" is one of the most celebrated occasions in India. This year it falls on the 1st of March. I'm early but we need to be prepared for it now.

~ Make-up ~

Some might think why apply makeup when it's all going to get messed up anyways, but it's what's going to save your face from looking blotchy afterwards. But the key is to not look overly made up or too colorful either. We just want to apply a barrier between the colors and our skin. And of course we do want to look pretty before we get all messed up too :)

Face ~ Pick a silicone based or water resistant foundation like L'Oreal True Match or Mac Face and Body foundations. Apply on face and neck. Set it with powder. 

Add a bit of color to your cheeks with cream blush. It wont shift and slide when you're drenched.

Eyes ~ Yes, waterproof all the way. Stick to cream eyeshadows in neutral shades. Tightline your eyes with a smudge-proof eyeliner or apply very close to your lash line, curl lashes and apply a waterproof mascara

Lips~ Lipglosses are a NO-NO on this particular occasion and I don't think that needs any explanation. Pick a matte lipstick. If you don't have a matte lipstick, just apply any lipstick you have, place a single ply of tissue over your lips and dust some powder right on the tissue. Peel off the tissue. Perfect matte long-wear lipstick!

Body ~ *Avoid waxing, shaving, threading and salon skin treatments one week before Holi because they make your skin sensitive and highly susceptible to inflammation and infections.* 

On D-Day apply olive oil to the exposed parts of your body like arms and legs. This will prevent the colored powder from sticking to your skin making it difficult to wash off. Don't forget your ears.

Nails ~ Nail polish is necessary. It is a pain to clean the corners of your nails, so this tip might help a bit - One hour before you go out and play, apply a top coat all over and around your nails. This means the areas outside your nails as well. If you have long nails, apply on the insides (under your nails) too. Just a thin coat is enough. If it's too thick, it will peel off easily. Believe me, this will make cleaning so much easier. All you'll need is nail polish remover, soap, a toothbrush/loofah and water.

~ Hair ~ 

Oil your hair with coconut or olive oil to protect it from the colored powders and tie it up. Below are some  glam updos you can style your oily mane into. You can add some accessories like hair bands, bows or fancy clips if you want to.

~ After the fun ~

• Before jumping in the shower, massage olive/coconut oil to wherever color has adhered to to loosen it from your skin. Let your hair down and comb through it to disentangle.
• Use a loofah and bodywash to wash off everything. Shampoo your hair and apply conditioner generously. 
• When you're done, moisturize your skin well with your favorite moisturizer or olive oil (again)
• *I suggest you keep something like ice cold aloe vera gel for any skin allergies that may appear afterwards (personal experience)*

When you're done and there's still some stubborn spots staring back at you, it's okay. Nothing is permanent. Have some good old 'Bhang' and relax! =)

Wishing all my fellow Indians a fun & colorful Holi! 

♥ Cynthia Z ^_^

Current Loves

Lush Porridge Soap (Rs.427.80) aka 'Product of the Week'

When I saw this, it was love at first sight. I just had to have it (eat it too =))

What Lush says ~ When you're in a rush on those early mornings you may consider eating breakfast in the shower (I wish they meant this literally...lol ) 

This deliciously nutritious soap is made of fresh organic orange juice and real oats, making it a cleansing and exfoliating multi-tasker. 

When I'm rubbing it on my skin, I feel like I'm using a flaky and creamy version of a pumice stone. Make that a baked one. It doesn't dry out my skin, so I don't necessarily need to apply moisturizer afterwards. It does not smell "Yum" but it's definitely not "Eew! Lush is nauseating!" either.Yes I will buy this again. Now I need to go use it! *taking off clothes*

Mac Volcanic Ash Exfoliator (Rs.1380)

Oh my gosh! I love love love this! It makes me look like I've just come out of a coal mine but it's all worth it. My face just feels so clean  and smooth after using it. It smells like charcoal and has tiny sugar beads too which is why it has sort of a "busy" feel. When it come to exfoliators, I say the more the merrier.

Etude House Magic Tint Balm

This tinted lip balm looks like it's flavored, but it's not. Sometimes it's nice to not have strawberry, raspberry or vanilla flavored balms on your lips all the time. It is thicker than most lip balms but not sticky. It lasts longer too and the color is so delish!

Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Face Mask (Rs.995)

I rarely need to use this mask but now I have to because it'll expire in July. But I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't got some annoying pimples on my face recently. "Thank you pimples!" 

I will definitely repurchase this.

Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight Range

My hair right now is half chemically straightened and half naturally wavy (in other words, painfully unmanageable!) So these three make it fall better, softer and shinier.

Maybelline Line Stylist Lip Liner ~ Coffee (Rs.280)

This lip liner is a tad darker than my natural lip color. I like to use it all over my lips. Alone or under a sheer lippie.

Azzaro Pink Tonic

I find myself reaching for this perfume most of the time these days because the scent is "wintery" but not the overpowering kind. The 

snowman-shaped bottle also

reminds me of  Christmas (Come back!)

Nail Art Crystals

I bought these off Ebay a while back but haven't really used them much but now I like to play around with them. I know that's not the most creative design up there, but it's easy to do and I did get compliments from a lot of people, so it's okay to be lazy =)

♥ Cynthia Z ^_^

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Lakme Aquashine Lip Color Offer

~ Just for those who would want to know ~

Buy 2 (Rs.395 each) get 1 FREE at Shopper's Stop

Review ~ Here

♥ Cynthia Z ^_^