Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Totally Toffee Review & Swatches

I told you I was hunting for a lipstick exactly like Maybelline Touch Of Toffee Color Sensational Lipgloss in my Most Used Beauty Products post. Then reader Aparna (Hello! Thank You!) told me to try Maybelline Totally Toffee Color Sensational Lipstick. I had seen swatches of it before, but somehow I thought it wasn't launched in India (like Born With It). I decided to pick it up 2 weeks back, with Colorbar Passionate Crème Touch Lipstick (and another lipstick, which has another story with an unhappy ending), and......

.....Oh My Bows! Look-at-that! How have I lived without it?! I mean, it's so my type of nude lippie! I think it's a more pigmented sister of Touch Of Toffee. It's perfect for my lips, coz the undertone is neither too pink nor too peach & neither too warm nor too cool. It's a neutral nude lippie. If, God forbid, my favorite nude lippie MAC Patisserie were ever discontinued, Totally Toffee could easily replace it. Not that they're the same, Patisserie is much lighter and glossier.

I prefer it to My Mahogany, simply because I think it suits my skin tone better.

Looking For A Mint Nail Polish In India?

Yes, there are tons of mint nail polishes out there, but if you live in India like me, you ain't got many choices. So, I thought I'd show you a good one I found.....

I chanced upon Deborah Milano Sense Tech 100% Mat in #04 many weeks back at New U. It's a true mint shade with a creamy matte finish & I must say, I loved it.

3rd Year Blog Anniversary Giveaway ~ Win Urban Decay Naked Palette & MORE! 3 WINNERS! (Open Worldwide)

Hey everyone, my baby is about to turn 3 years old - on 13th August, and I wanted to celebrate it with a Giveaway, of course. It's a little early, but I had to start it NOW, as I'll be busy travelling & whatnot in August.

I'll be picking 3 WINNERS! There are exciting prizes to win - ALL BRAND NEW IN BOX, and as promised, I got the coveted Urban Decay NAKED Palette from Sephora US. I hope you like the other prizes too! =)

1st PRIZE: Urban Decay NAKED Palette (Review & Swatches here)

2nd PRIZE: NYX Trio Eyeshadow in Pink Purple Prune | Maybelline-HyperCurl Mascara, Black Crayon Liner, Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum. In a black INGLOT Mesh Make-up Pouch (I added the bow myself ;))

3rd PRIZE: Benefit Dandelion Wishes (pics here), Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom Peach Blossom, Mini Urban Decay Primer Potion Sin, Sigma Travel Size E25 Brush, Urban Decay  Eyeshadow & Primer Potion samples

♥

This is a giveaway for readers of this blog, so if you'd like to participate, you have to be a follower or subscriber. Please fill in the Rafflecopter form below for your entry to be considered valid:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-  Giveaway Open worldwide

-  Ends on 20th August, 2012 at 12:01 am EST.
-  Winners will be picked randomly using random.org, and will be announced shortly after end date.

Good Luck, everyone!

Thank You for all the support & encouragement you given my blog - and nonsense - over the years =)
Lots of L♥VE to you all! 

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Pond's White Beauty Daily Spot-less Lightening Cream Review

If you see a new dark spot every 2-3 weeks, like I do, every whitening/lightening cream will call out to you.

"Try me! Yes, try me! I will change your fac..... life! C'mon now, why you walking away from me??? Hey!" That's the frickin' pricey one talking (the one in white packaging). You flee from it before you succumb to it's seduction, because you know it'll never measure up to your expectations, especially if you have to shell out more than the what you'd have to for 2 MAC lipsticks for it.

You usually settle for something that will still leave room for lipsticks, like my current hope-inducing lightening day cream- Pond's White Beauty Daily Spot-less Lightening Cream. It is a brand new formula, and different from the one launched a few years back, which I did not like at all. This one claims to 'work with your skin'

A Little About It:

It works with your unique skin to inhibit the production of melanin, reducing dark spots and lightening skin from the source. The GenWhite formula is also unique because it is our first ever vanishing cream formula that is proven to be SPF20 PA++ sunscreen system. It provides protection from more than 93% of UVB rays that burn skin when directly exposed to the sun and UVA rays that your skin doesn’t feel oily and heavy with sunscreen. The GenWhite technology was formulated by selecting over 1000 whitening ingredients and contains special ingredients that are scientifically proven to work with your skin. 

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.

SALE Madness At ZARA & My Haul

ZARA Store, Select City Walk Mall, New Delhi, 6th July '12, 17:30 PM (Friday):

The world went silent, except for my own heartbeat. I'd been waiting for this for weeks. Nervousness, fear, annoyance, confusion, and excitement, consumed me all at once as soon as I entered the store & I saw piles of tops on the tables, and some littered on the floor along with a few hangers. It was a battlefield of fabrics & sale-crazed women. Mr.CZ spoke of the long queue at the cash counter, and I pretended not to hear. I walked quicker to my favorite section- TRF, like I always do. It was a little calmer, but nonetheless messy. 

A while later, it was time to go to the main section. As I was confused where to go first (Tops? Coats? What's that mint-colored thing on that rack?), a girl in a black coat said something to me. I couldn't hear her at first (it looks like a dress....skirt?)

"You're Cynthia.", I think that's what she said.

"Yes?", I said, wondering if I went to college with her.

"I read your blog", she explained.

"Oh, hi.....!", I smiled for the first time since I entered the store. We chatted for less than a minute (Hello, Jasinder! :))

Then I was lost in the frenzy again. I was bumped into uncountable times, and I was chanting 'Excuse Me' almost every time I turned. I imagined holding a gun up and yelling "Get out! All of you! Get out!" 

Below are pic of only the TRF section. The main  section is 10 times busier.

Is This Sephora Delhi?

So I saw this at Select City Walk today, and Sephora immediately jumped to my mind. There was news that they're opening in Delhi this year. I reached home and googled 'Sephora models' then 'Sephora makeup models', but I couldn't find that model in the pic.

It's right next to the MAC store.

Does anybody know? Yes, please help me find out if that's a Sephora model..... hehe....

"Country's Most Awaited Store Coming Soon!"

Arghhhh.....

I gots to know! 

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Hair Makeover At Lakmé Salon ~ Hair Serenity Treatment

This couldn't have come at a better time. My hair was back to it's natural self, and was becoming very frizzy! I was thinking about going for rebonding again, but then something new & natural came along ~ Hair Serenity Service by Lakmé Salon. I was super excited to try it out, because it doesn't have harmful ingredients & chemicals.

Lakmé Salon's Hair Serenity is a hair relaxing treatment without Formaldehyde. It makes hair look smooth & blow-dried, but not poker straight. You might want to read about here

Is it for you? Let me take you through it all, and you can decide for yourself:

STEP 1: Washing. Just shampoo & conditioner.

STEP 2: Blow dry hair till it's only 70% dry.

STEP 3:  Cysteine Complex Curl Softening Cream was applied only on the hair lengths avoiding the roots. This is the main product.

Colorbar Crème Touch Lipstick Passionate ~ LOVE!

I couldn't wait to show Colorbar Crème Touch Lipstick in Passionate! I just couldn't wait!

I'm going gaga over it! 

• It's such a unique coral-pink, which looks almost neon.

• The finish is very similar to that of IN2IT Moisture Release Lipsticks, some of my favorite lippies. Between sheer & creamy, and very moisturizing.

• It makes my lips feel softer afterwards, and it reduces my lip lines (refer to lip photos below). 

• It is scented & smell like the Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipsticks. Not my favorite scent, but bearable.

• When it starts to wear off, it looks like a balmy tint.

• It has Shea Butter, Vitamin E, and SPF 15.

• The reflective silver & light purple  packaging is young & cute. The cap top (right?) can be used as a mirror.

*Please note that it looks pinker off camera. Bright neon-ish colors always confuse my camera.

Hair Serenity Service at Lakmé Salon (Hair Relaxing Without Formaldehyde)

Tired of your frizzy, tangled hair? Leave the old behind and say Hello to the new Hair Serenity Service at Lakmé Salon. It gives you gorgeously smooth, manageable and party ready hair completely naturally without using formaldehyde.

Play it sleek as Lakmé Salon delivers the latest innovation to get silky straight hair with the launch of their new Hair Serenity treatment. Introduced to India by Lakmé Salon, the Hair Serenity treatment is a natural solution to hair that is unruly, frizzy and hair that refuses to behave. Unlike Keratin, the Hair Serenity treatment at Lakmé Salon is formaldehyde free and a safer process for achieving naturally smoother and shinier hair. Step away from the harmful effects of Keratin treatments and indulge in the natural goodness of ingredients like the Cysteine Complex to get a glossy and healthy mane that will make heads turn. A pioneer in the beauty services industry in India, Lakmé Salon is a one stop shop for all the beauty needs of the contemporary Indian woman. 

The Hair Serenity treatment is a natural way to restore lost proteins and transform hair. Special ingredients used in the service like Cysteine, Dendrobium Orchid, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Cocoa Seed Butter and Shea Butter help nourish the hair and give it a long lasting shine and smoothness.  

Lakmé Rose Kissed Lip Love Lipstick ~ Product Of The Week

LO......

......VE

LOVE 

Masked With Boys & Mini Haul

Hello, Hello! Sorries for slacking again. It's been a crazy week! I've just been busy with my life, which is probably going to CHANGE in the next 2 months. But I can't disclose anything right now.

I didn't want to disappear, so here are 2 pics of the day....

What's going on here? You'll know soon!

Haul: Palmolive Thermal Spa Skin renewal With Crushed Coconut (OMG, I love coconutty stuff!), Bourjois Effet Smokey Pencil Intense Black (It was always out of stock!), Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Definition Mascara, Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Totally Toffee, Colorbar Creme Touch Lipstick in Passionate (FAB shade!), Gold Bangles (Rs.70), Miss Jo Bow Hairband, Plain Black Hairband.

I gotta run again! Ciao!

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Makeup For Passport Photo & Tips

I got a new Passport photo taken recently, and thought I'd show it to you all, although I might regret it =) Now I'm not claiming that I'm a 'pro' at good passport photos. I'll never be, and I've made peace with that. But I have learnt from past mistakes, and this time it turned out a lot better than all of my previous photos.

I look at an old Passport Photo and this is what I think:

• Hair too limp & flat (I went to the studio with just-washed-partly-wet hair), so face looks too big, nose & cheekbones too sharp.
• Expression looks too mean & nostrils flaring too much.
• Lips too glossy.
• Eyes too dark. You shouldn't have overdone the black kohl.
• Big silver hoop earrings? Really?!
• White shirt with white background? Sigh.
• You look too MADE-UP! It's a struggling studio that you'll find out had shut down in 2012, not a cocktail party!

Now let's talk about my new photo. First things first, the make-up! It's supposed to look subtle, and we tried our best.