Lakmé Brown Eyeconic Kajal

After the success of the Black Eyeconic Kajal (I did a post on it here), Lakmé  launched 5 more shades - Brown, White, Green, Grey & Blue. Brown pencil liners are my ultimate must-haves, so I couldn't wait to try this one!

Claims: No Smudge, Waterproof, Lasts for 10 hours.

Lakmé Brown Eyeconic Kajal Swatch

The Good:
It is not soft like a kohl pencil, so it's quite matte. This makes it really smudge-proof & long-lasting. When you wear it on your top lash line, it won't transfer on to your lids (you ladies with hooded lids know what I'm talking about)

It could also work as an eyebrow pencil if dark brows suit you.

The Bad:

Because it is not soft, it doesn't glide on your waterline easily. I have to draw a few times for the brown to transfer.

The texture can feel a bit too stiff for the delicate eye areas, like the waterline. The other day, I had that uneasy feeling of 'something-is-in-my-eye', which lasted a while.

In Short: 

Good on lash line.

Not So Good on waterline & inner rims.

It's not a product I'd want to buy again, but it's a decent budget liner. In this price range, there's really not a lot of options when it comes to brown eye pencils here in India. So, if I ever have to suggest one that's under 300 bucks to a friend or a student on a budget, this will most probably be it.

Price ~ Rs.250.

My Rating:

3/5

Have you all tried this? Would love to know your favorite brown pencil liner!

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Great Discoveries From Deborah Milano ~ Haul & Swatches

Hi, everyone! Hope you're all doing well. I went to Lifestyle yesterday, and after rounding almost every makeup counter, I ended up in Deborah Milano and I didn't want to move on to another counter....or come back home, for that matter. I was so impressed with the unique products they have launched! In my fantasy land, I walked flew out of the store (glitter wings & tiara, of course!) with more than 10 products. But in my real land, I walked out (like a duck in my ballet flats) with 3.....

My 10 Summer Must-Haves

We've started turning on the air conditioners, which means summer is officially here. I used to complain about Delhi summers, until I lived in the UK. There, I would look at the gloomy weather, frequently accompanied by rain, and I'd think to myself 'I'll take the scorching heat, but with bright & cheery skies, in Delhi over this any day.'  I find gloomy weather very depressing! Once, in Newcastle, Mr.CZ called me up, and he told me that our one & only umbrella was attacked by the wind and it had turned inside-out. It wouldn't go back to it's normal shape, no matter how much he tried to fix it, so he threw it on the side of the road and walked back in the rain! =D

Like most of you ladies reading this, I have an endless list of summer must-haves, so I  picked just a few colorful pieces today:

Outfit ~ Red Lace Dress

Something happened today:

So I was alone in the bathroom brushing my teeth at around 7:30 in the evening. The water was running, I rinsed.....and just when I was turning off the tap.....I hear a sound....like a baby talking...."Uhh....." You know, like baby gibberish. I shut the tap off, and looked around the bathroom. Silence. Eerie silence. I tried hard not to feel panicky, coz I'm 16 weeks pregnant. I rushed out & called out to husband, who was in the living room.

{Story to be continued at the end of this post.}

If you're familiar with the brand Three Floor, you may have seen a dress exactly like this. But this costs much less. I just love the design & the fit. I didn't know this when I picked it, but there's actually a nude-colored lining under the lace parts - except the sleeves.

 

NEW! The Body Shop Blueberry Range

Made from cold-pressed blueberry seed oil, and Community Fair Trade Shea butter and cocoa butter from Ghana, the range is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids that nourish and hydrate your skin, while softening, protecting and smoothing it.

The fruity fragrance is the perfect icing on top that will leave your skin smelling like fresh blueberries!

 

Blueberry Body Butter, Price Rs.1195 : An intensive, creamy all-over body moisturizer with a fruity blueberry fragrance that absorbs easily into the skin, to condition, soften and help prevent dryness.

 Blueberry Body Lotion, Price Rs. 695 : A light lotion that leaves silky smooth.

My Vanity Table

Hi Everyone! I spent most of last weekend sorting through my makeup, and somewhat organizing them. Thing is, they are not all in one place right now, coz some are still in some box. But I thought I'd show you the first stage of my vanity now, and do an update post later.

For A MAC Virgin

"I'm going to MAC for the very first time! What should I buy?"

This is the most common email I get regarding MAC. I never know what to say, because when you don't really know the person asking, it's hard to recommend just a few or one product. Lipstick or Blush? Which color? What if she doesn't wear lipstick? Oh, eyeshadow! But neutrals or bright shades? Brus----pots! Argh, forget it! I won't reply to this email! I don't know anything!

{If you emailed me about this, now you know.}

So today I'll just show you my the MAC products I'd buy all over again - if I had to.

MAC Blushes:

 Peaches (Sheertone) ~ If you love peach blushes, this is one to own.

 Fleur Power (Satin) ~ It's so strange that this is my most-worn pink blush yet I haven't hit pan until now!

Concealer: 

MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 ~ It's a thick heavy-coverage cream concealer that covers blemishes quite well. I rarely use it anymore, because now I need another shade. This is shade NC35, which still suits my undereye areas.

Powders: 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Light Medium) ~ I've hit pan, which means I've been using it more than I realized. It's a compact powder with medium coverage, so you can use it alone.

Highlighter: 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Soft & Gentle ~ The best highlighting powder I've come across. Most are too shimmery, but this has a very fine texture.

Brushes:

MAC 266 Small Angle Brush ~ Love it. Can't live without it. I use it for eyeliner & brows.

MAC 217 Blending Brush ~ The most copied blending brush

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush ~ I use this to apply lid colors. It delivers both powder & cream e/s well.

I'm also getting the MAC 219 Pencil Brush next. I like that it's stiffer than other pencil brushes I have.

Paintpots: Long-lasting cream eyeshadows you can wear alone or under other eyeshadows

Layin' Low ~ A creamy beige that works great as a primer. Swatched here

Genuine Treasure ~ A gorgeous glittery gold. Limited Edition, but I love it so much I had to incluse it. In case it comes back, do check it out! Swatched here

Constructivist ~ A metallic brown. You wear this, and you don't need any other e/s. It has made it to my most-worn MAC products list. Swatched here

Catrice Cosmetics In India! Haul

You may have noticed that I'm not so adventurous when it comes to drugstore brands. I mean, the time I was in the UK, when I went to Boots & Superdrug, what did my hauls consist of? Bourjois, Revlon, Maybelline, L'Oreal, Rimmel..... same old, same old. So when I buy more than one product from a new brand, it means I like it.... A LOT!

Yesterday evening, when we were grocery shopping at our local supermarket, I spotted Catrice in one corner of the store, and I didn't want to leave the store anymore! I wanted to buy soooo many things! I was not offended by the prices....oh, and all products have witty shade names!

About Catrice Cosmetics: It's a European brand, that's only sold in some parts of Europe. They're known for good budget-friendly beauty products. If I'm not wrong, it's by the same company behind Essence Cosmetics. That's all I know for now.

Here's what I picked up:

Catrice Made To Stay Long-Lasting Eyeshadow in 070 Mauvie Star ~  It's a shimmery blend of mauve-taupe, quite similar to MAC Frozen Violet Pro Longwear Paintpot. There are about 6-8 gorgeous shades, and it was tough to pick just one. Price: Rs.420.

Catrice Multi Colour Blush in Strawberry Frappucino ~ So Pretty! I've only swatched the tester of this, and it's nice. I wanted a dupe for MAC Cream Soda Blush (Archie's Girls Collection), and I think the 3rd shade in this is quite similar. There's another Brown/Nude kind of shade called Iced Caramel Macchiato that I also liked, and will pick up next time. Price: Rs.480.

Catrice Eyebrow Stylist in 020 Date With Ash-ton ~ An ash brown. I've already worn it, and I think it's gonna be my go-to eyebrow product from now on. Also available in other darker shades. Price: Rs.300

Catrice Welcome To Las Vegas Lashes ~ These are from a Limited Edition Collection called 'Welcome To Las Vegas'. Price: Rs.340.

Maybelline Lip Polish | LOTD

There are simple rules with some things I put in/on my mouth:

Cheese shouldn't smell too cheesy (or worse, like butter!)

 Egg shouldn't smell too eggy (I currently eat only Keggs. The others, I feel, smell like a farm....or feathers!)

Prawns shouldn't smell like seafood. 

Milk shouldn't smell like a cow (....and sometimes like a medicated cow!)

Lip Gloss shouldn't feel too glossy......

Maybelline Lip Polish: The shade I have is Glam 9, a rosy pink, that you know is my weakness when it comes to lippies. The color is very similar to YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Pink In Paris. The texture is thick and creamy, which makes the gloss quite opaque. What's great about it is, it's as if it irons itself, because it looks more smooth and polished after it's sat on your lips for 5-10 mins.

Lasting Power: Man, is it super long-lasting! One February day, I'd worn it for hours, then I took a nap & when I woke up, it still looked the same!

Scented/Sticky? Unscented. It is non-sticky, and feels like a lip balm.

Packaging: Very cute! The tube is the same size as a lipstick, and the inner tube (or whatever) is shaped like a lipstick!

Features via Maybelline:

• Has pure, saturated color pigments that provide deep intense color
• Acts as a moisturizing liquid conditioning balm
• Gives a soft cushiony feel to the lips
• Features a built-in glossy top-coat that makes lips look fuller
• Comes with a specially designed leaf-shaped applicator for quick, precise application.

OOTD & Baby CZ Sonogram Pics

QUICK! Think of a number from 10 to 19.

Don't scroll down until you've thought of the number first!

We'll call it "Intuition Test"

Number in mind? Okay, now you can continue reading....

I had not seen this Mango dress for a long time, coz I'd left it in India when we moved to UK. You must have seen it on IVC (here). So I felt like wearing it for the 2nd time. I know, we need pastel yellow shoes too =D

And here are some sonogram pics of Baby CZ.....

First pic ~ Very first sonogram, when it looked like a diamond ring. Posted here

Second & Third pic ~ From Down's Syndrome Test. Everything was fine. That's it's hand, not a snorkel.

Last pic ~ Baby CZ waving. I know it's a graphic photo, but it was cute when it happened =)

It may look big, but it's only about 7cm.

Okay, hope you have a number in mind.

The due date is......

......is......

 .

......is......

......is......

......is......

13th October!

After the first ultrasound, they put 8th October as the due date, but of course they said it'll be confirmed only after the 2nd ultrasound.

So, tell me, what number did you think of??? =)

Thank You for reading & will see you again soon!

Have a wonderful Easter tomorrow.

L♥ve,

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Just Kohl Pencil Smoky Eye Makeup ~ Step-By-Step Tutorial

I've gotten quite a few requests to do a very simple look with no eyeshadow, and with a minimum number of products. So here it is!

(This is also how I start off most of my smoky eye makeup looks, whether I'm using a kohl pencil or a cream eyeshadow.)

1. When using a smudgy kohl pencil, do prime lids with an eyeshadow primer first to prevent creasing. Line outer half of top & bottom lash line. Create a wing at the corner by joining both lines. I used brown, but you can use black or any other color. The kohl just has to be one with a blendable velvety texture.

2. Line inner half of top lash line. It doesn't have to look even and neat, coz you'll be smudging it out.

3. Tightline the inner rim of top lash line right at the base of lashes and fill in any gaps.

4. Now it's time to smudge. With a fairly stiff smudger brush, start smudging the edges of the kohl to diffuse the color. *Your brush should touch ONLY the top edges of the line you've drawn, and try not to go near the roots of your lashes.

5. Gradually move the brush up to the crease line. Work with your eye shape. I have hooded lids, so I go up to where my crease is supposed to be.

6. Also smudge the lower lash line. I didn't all the way in, coz I didn't want my eyes to look smaller.

7. It should look something like that once you're done smudging.

8. A fluffy blending brush will blur out any harsh lines and correct unevenness.

9. Curl lashes & apply mascara on top and bottom lashes....and you're DONE!

More: Dab a shimmery eyeshadow on the center of your lids with your pinky finger. You could also apply a black liquid or gel liner, depending on the look you're going for. You can do anything now that you've achieved the base of any smoky eye.

*(As always, please excuse any errors in the explanations! I usually have to come back and edit.)

I used only 6 products for this look:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer ~ Not shown

Bourjois Kohl & Contour Eye Pencil Brun Design ~ LOVE! Product Of The Week (look on the right sidebar of this blog)

Colorbar Smokin' Eyes Smudger Brush

Shu Uemura Gold Eyelash Curler

L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume Mascara

♥

I hope you found this tutorial helpful & I will be posting the other promised Glitter Tutorial next week!

Btw, did you How I Met Your Mother fans watch the series finale? I watched it last week.

I still can't decide whether I liked the end or not, but I'm not disappointed & angry with it, like a lot of people are =D

A FB status: "I will never forgive them for how they ended HIMYM! I want to cry!!! T_T"

I wonder whom she wanted to cry for.

So! Another tv show is g-o-n-e *sighs* 

At least there's still Game Of Thrones!

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LOTD Ft. Revlon Unapologetic Matte Balm + MAC Comparisons

Except for Rihanna's album & this lip crayon, I've almost never heard the word 'Unapologetic' being used. It's only vaguely been in my vocabulary before now. If somebody hurts my feelings and doesn't apologize, I wouldn't say, 'You are so unapologetic!' I'd probably yell, 'You egotistical maniac!!!' (....Get out of my face!) No, I've never had a chance to say those nice words. Yet. But I really wish a certain friend would do so to her "unapologetic" boyfriend, who has done every unacceptable/unforgivable thing (Yes, that too.) but somehow..... somehow.... he'd always make it seem like it's all her fault, and she would end up apologizing to him! Okay, in case you're wondering: he's not successful (hence, not rich), he's not funny or sensible, and he's not even pretty like this other Unapologetic.....

Unapologetic is probably the most popular shade from the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms. Firstly, I have to say that I'm not crazy about the formula and finish. It has a creamy matte finish, that I personally find difficult to apply neatly. Though smooth and velvety, it emphasizes dryness & forget about blotting and layering, because it will end up looking patchy. I wish it was a moderately hard matte, if you know what I mean. The shade, on the other hand, is gorgeous & "high-end-looking". It is very very similar to MAC Impassioned & Party Parrot.

MAC Impassioned (Amplified) ~ Previously swatched here

Revlon Matte Balm Unapologetic ~ I'd say it's just a little less pink than the other two. Closest to Party Parrot, I think.

MAC Party Parrot (Matte) ~ Since this was a Limited Edition lipstick & undupeable, Revlon Unapologetic is most likely the only drugstore alternative. Previously swatched here.  

Planning A Colorful Kitchen

Let's just say if it's not pastel or colorful, it doesn't belong in my new kitchen =D

At first, I thought about making it all white & pastel, but it's so hard to find pastel kitchenware in India, so I decided bright and colorful is the way to go. These are just a few of the pots, pans, kettles & mugs that I've found and have with me me so far.

Finally got to take out my Katie Alice mint-colored mugs that I got in England.

I'm still hunting for more pink and colorful stuff- cutlery, storage containers, spice jars, tea set, etc, etc.

So will post pictures when it's complete! =)

Thank You for reading & y'all have a bright & colorful week!

L♥ve,

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