MAYBELLINE BABYLIPS IN NEON ROSE

Hola,

the weather has a nice bite to it now and guess whats the season's fave? hot chai , yummy soups, cuddly sweaters ... nah 

its NEON 

and bang on the trend is MaybellineNewYork with their newest launch in the Darling fave BABY LIPS RANGE .

The BABY LIPS<3COLOR range has now expanded to include the neon range. the range launched in the U.s drugstores a few months ago in summer and it has landed on the Indian shores bang on time.

the time we need lip balm the most

cost :- 150 i.n.r for 4.5 g

the packaging gets full marks . functional yet classy, lovely and adorable . nothing to be ashamed of in taking out and slathering it on the lips in the full view of the junta on the suburban trains . nothing neon about it

 THE CLAIMS:-

 THE INGREDIENTS:-

CLICK TO EXPAND

MY EXPERIENCE:-

 baby lips is somewhat the benchmark i consider for any lip balm. if it ain't as good as my baby lips , it ain't staying. Maybelline nails it with this the range.

the shade isn't neon but a subtle shade of medium rose. totally wearable for day or night. it smells faintly of  sweet fruits smell. it might be bothersome for some but fades on application. it tastes sweet and i end up licking it off most times. nothing synthetic about it. the built in spf 16 seals the deal for daytime use.

the way i use it at night times is -

pick up coarse sugar granules with the tip of the balm and rub it across my lips to slough off the dead, peeling skin. keep it for 5 min. removes the sugar and let the lip balm stay overnight.amazing soft, supple kissable lips the next morning. you will end up kissing yourself mwah !

SWATCHES:-

WITH FLASH

WITHOUT FLASH 

JUICY SHINY LIPS ....MUAH

PROS:-

1. subtle , medium tint suitable for all times
2. amazing hydration
3. sweet smell and taste
4. easy on the pocket
5. easy to handle and tote around
6. perfect for healing super chapped lips and maintaining relatively normal ones( lucky people)
7. ... now this is personal .... but i get compliments i wear this shade every time

CONS:-

1. smell and taste might bother some.
2. coverage may seem inadequate to some.

RATING:-

 5/5 ...this is a serious must have 

i love my baby lips and currently have 5 in my stash. what about you ;) ?

love,

vj 

disclaimer:- product provided for review and consideration. i do not receive a single penny to write glowing reviews. these thoughts are purely my own . my loyalty lies to the very few readers i have :)

a pretty hearts and bows christmas giveaway

hello everyone,
lisha from Hearts Bows and Makeup has a fantastic giveaway.........
http://www.heartbowsmakeup.com/2013/12/heart-bows-makeup-christmas-giveaway.html
hurrraaah

to all the beauties who love NYX please check out the giveaway and participate ........
i m joining the christmas cheer . are you

love,
vj 

a very late birthday haul

hola mi chikitas,
so my birthday comes in may and its July now. if your wondering why such a late haul, let me explain. well i happen to live India ( yes please, don't get bored yet hold on ). i also happen to be a college student ( an undergrad studying something related to biotech/pharma ... no no no don't leave yet ). and my college follows a semester pattern (trying to get to the point.. must stop rambling). and if you have been there , done that then you may very well know that , semester exams last whole month long ( yesss now its off my chest ) . so my birthday fell before the beginning of the exams .
so after my exams got over , i tagged to one my favorite beauty shopping destinations..........CRAWFORD MARKET, CST , MUMBAI.( yeah i know big deal.... but for a suburb girl like me it is  a very big one). it has two places beauty palace and beauty center close to each other . for my yearly beauty shopping trips , i prefer those places because they multiple brands covering all hair , skin , makeup arenas under one roof..

my previous shopping trip was last year . and it was my birthday then too.

who's excited to see what i got ???? hands up in the air ( okay not so much, you will hit the roof... hehehe )

doesn't this sight make you feel just happy ????

1. MATRIX fortifying shampoo and deep smoothing conditioner:-

(400 ml and 196 g respectively)( 355inr and 295inr, i got both at 550 inr with discount at beauty center)these are the largest sizes available.you can call this duo my hg hair duo. i have tried several shampoos and conditioner combos form various brands and even Matrix themselves, but nothing beats it . every time i do something stupid and ruin my hair , i come running to this . best smelling hair care ever. just like the standard head and shoulders , i need to have it in my shower at all times. this is one of the few hair luxuries i actually allow myself.

VEGA professional makeup brushes:-

1.angular blender(200 inr)

2.eyeshadow(250 inr)

3.buffer brush(450 inr)

kinda expensive part of the overall haul. i just randomly decided that i needed new brushes when i passed the VEGA counter. i picked up the ones that caught my fancy. now way in hell am i passing up an opportunity to buy professional brushes.  do own the normal Vega ones. but these are in a way different league( as in better)but it made me feel a bit guilty about being disloyal to my beloved real techniques brushes. guess these new ones could keep them company and they would be brush bffs frolicking in the pink sand of the clouds amongst unicorns( ahem ahem , you don't like UNICORNS.what is wrong with you o_0 )

JOVEES Tea Tree oil control face wash (115inr)

JOVEES anti blemish pigmentation face mask(195 inr)

i Had never tried anything from jovees before. the face wash is for college use. and the face pack because the s.a recommended it for my acne scars. its supposed to give a glow. lets see

INCOLOR glimmer blusher:- NO 19 (i guess around 200 inr but i got it for 175 inr)

this is supposed to be a dupe for MAC's stereo rose which i haven't seen in person. i didn't know this when i bought it. i don't personally like baked blushes, eyeshadows etc  due to their inherent grittiness. but the soft focus coral shimmer won me over. so so pretty. sadly my picture does it no justice.

KRYOLAN IKONIC GEL LINER PENCIL :-violet gem (180 inr)

the blogosphere is abuzz with these beauties. thankfully i could snag one of the prettier shades.

KRYOLAN EYESHADOW DARK BROWN (350 inr)

if you follow me around, you know how much i love meself some krylon . after the success with blush in T1, i decided to get my hands on something to contour my flabby cheeks. the s.a was super knowledgeable and recommended that i start out with a powder eyeshadow till i get a hang of things. the shade isn't as dark as it appears in the picture. 

KRYOLAN ULTRA FOUNDATION REFILL OB2(300 inr)

i got this as a undereye and spot concealor. the s.a matched the shade perfectly. despite being full coverage foundation, i loved how light it felt on the undereyes. a slight peachy tone for negating dark circle. loving it.

MAYBELLINE DIAMOND GLOW EYESHADOW - 01 COPPER BROWN( 475 INR)

MAYBELLINE WATERSHINE LIQUID GLOSS- CARAMEL CREAM(210 inr)

can you believe it despite using maybelline for so many years i had never tried their glosses or powder eyeshadow? not even the original quads. these shimmery ones are the only ones available now. i stuck to safer n*de colours for college etc.

SCARLET LINE VELCRO ROLLERS:- (40 INR)

i have poker straight , fine but lots of hair. i m hoping these will make some difference. if they do , i will go ahead and buy bigger ones. ain't the purrrple prrrrettty?

LACTO CALAMINE SUN SHIELD SPF 30 pa ++( 199 inr)

lactocalamine is synonymous with being the first base makeup for many Indian women. i am no exception. i still religiously use it. they came out with sunscreens this Summer with decent SPF rating. two variants are available- for oily to normal and normal to dry. i chose the oily version . this stays in my college bag as i leave home applying the lotus matte sunscreen spf40.

FACES CANADA STACKABLE PIGMENTS in WILD( 699 INR)

i love using pigments, despite all their drawbacks. maybe more than eyeshadows at times. the beautiful shades and the versatility win me over every time. i succumbed and got this beauty. plus it doesn't hurt that this is stackable. i am not going to lose these. ( not that i have lost... just saying)

LAKME ROSE POWDER 02WARM PINK ( 100 INR)

LAKME PERFECT RADIANCE COMPACT 03 GOLDEN MEDIUM (170 INR)

if you have oily skin then you need the lakme rose powder . cheapest and best on the market .

the compact is again for my college bag. nothing special , standard stuff.

VOV SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM IN 01, 05, 11( 75 INR EACH)

i saved the best for the last . these are dupes for the nyx matte lipcreams . and they smell like fresh vanilla muffins. i got three to test out the shade range and i am planning to get more. :)

hope you all enjoyed my crazy haul. if you would like me to review any of the above. let me know in the comments below.

love ,

vj 

p.s:-

5 things i m loving at the moment:-

1. the rains, cooler climes , romantic weather

2. fuk fuk fukrey - just watched it with friends... bholi panjaban rockssss

3.vacationsss yayyyyyy

4.a large bowl of super cheesy home made mac n cheese

5. did i say vavctions.. oh yeah i did.... then it has to be the long hours i get to spend doing my favorite activity ... napping (hehehe)

3 things i m not loving

1. falling rupee rate... bye bye firangi makeup (boohooohooo) for the time being

2.people hitting other people( me) with umbrellas in the eye or elsewhere when walking in the streets.

3.super oily skin and frizzy hair due to increasing humidity .

share what you like and don't like in the comments below. i so love reading such stuff. maybe we can gossip about it too ( wink wink)

disclaimer :-

all the products mentioned above are purchased by me . i have never received money in return of a glowing review . my loyalty lies to my readers . 

i can be contacted on vj.neglur@gmail.com for any queries and information .

Save Our Skins :- Lakme intense whitening

hello everyone,
 quick skincare review here. so this is what has been saving my sin this summer . i bought the lakme intense whitening night cream is the winters but stopped using it due to the dryness and sensitivity i was experiencing due to the effects of topical retinoids.

price :- inr 299 for 50 g 

packaging:-

the packaging is standard as is with all other perfect radiance products . white with pink and silver accents .this comes in a jar with a screw top. not very hygienic. i use it with a sanitized ice cream spoon.

ingredients:- the list is considerably huge . please click on the picture to read .

what it claims:-

wake up to visibly radiant skin with Lakmé Perfect Radiance NightRepair Crème. Renew and repair with Chronosphere Vitazyme C & Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) at night when your skin's renewal process is at its peak. This lightweight creme leaves no residue leaving your skin smooth and radiant.

• Chronosphere Vitazyme C
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
• Continuous Release Technology
• Suitable for All Skin Types

 my few pennies:-

it may be a cream but the texture is more akin to a gel that turns to lotion upon blending in . this makes the cream wonderful to use unlike some very heavy creams which are very difficult to blend. 

this has a fragrance and it made my skin tingle at least fro 2 minutes when i applied the cream .

what it did:-

•  this reduced my overall face oiliness within 2 weeks.
•  lightened my acne scars.
•  reduced discolourations
• extensively removed tanning from my forehead and nose.
• my skin upreared brighter the next morning.

what it didn't do :-

make my skin any whiter or lighter . i wasn't expecting it to.

thus , all in all IT WORKS. 

it kicked ass of a 2300 inr cream that is extensively promoted by stars as well as bloggers. i wont mention which. guesses welcome in the comments below. 

rating:- 4/5

one deducted for lots of chemical ingredients and jar packaging.

i have found my Hg night cream. have you ?

let me know in the comments below. 

love, 

vj

PS:- the rains are literally lashing India... loving it or loathing it ?

CAUTION:-

before using any skin care product be sure to consult your dermatologist or your gp . user's discretion advised .since the product  worked on someone's skin it may not mean that it might work on other skins too.

disclaimer :-

all the products mentioned above are purchased by me . i have never received money in return of a glowing review . my loyalty lies to my readers . this is a p.r friendly blog .

i can be contacted on vj.neglur@gmail.com for any queries and information .

vellvette box - may 13 enuf said

hey everyone,

its that time of the month . eeew not that time . get your heads out of the gutter . its time for the vellvette box. every last week of the month , the most awaited box arrives with a lots of high end luxury goodies. if you want to know what the fuss is all about, click here .

to read about my previous experiences

1.my first box 

2.vellvette box for april'13 

the vellvette box for may13 and meiji amino collagen skin glow 7 day sample

before anything else , a lot has been said ( ranted ) about the meiji amino collagen skin glow over the blogosphere . some liked it , some didn't. some were utterly disgusted. but , a few days before the shipping of the box , i got a mail from the people at vellvette.com asking whether i would be interested in trying this as an bonus sample. given that i am a pure vegetarian ( Kannada brahmin , any fellow kannada brams, gimme a thumbs up gals n guys ) ,  decided to give it some thought. since i do not consume any meat or even meat based supplements , i decided to pass it off. but my mother , who's in her fifties isn't averse to consuming animal sourced supplements . so this one is basically for her . i will post an update on how this works for her ...

notice the change... no pink paper this time ...boohoohoo. only white paper with gold print.

keeping in mind the theme of this month , ORGANIC , the box also included very pretty potpourri. my nose took a notice of this first and i cant seem to open the box without sneezing. so if the pictures seem a bit wonky this time , its because my sister took them for me. apologies for that. 

so without any further delay my box had:-

top swatch shampoo ; lower swatch conditioner/masque

• BROCATO curlinterrupted Smooting and Hydrating treatment kit ( shampoo and conditioner ) :- (61.5 ml and 48.8 ml each ) . both the shampoo and the conditioner cost 375 inr each. full sizes together cost 1275. this itself makes up the cost of the box.  i have poker straight almost waist length hair. i don't see the point why vellvette sent me this one despite mentioning my hair type in the questionnaire . this one is going to my mum . but i decided to test it out first.
•  the shampoo is  sls ,surfactant and paraben free. not any of the regular baddies in this one . it isn't great for people with oily scalp or hair ( like me ) . it doesn't clean too well. smells awesome. along with the conditioner the smell lingers nicely.
• the conditioner is thick . almost body butter thick. given that shea butter is the third ingredient , its nicely hydrating. detangles nicely and overall makes the hair very soft to touch. but it can make the hair   quite heavy. if you have very thick hair ( again like moi ) this will give headaches for sure. 

• TVAM almond and honey scrub and body polisher :- (296.40 inr for 30 g ) :- 988 for 100g full size .- a decent scrub . smells heavily of roses . almost like dabur gulabari . the texture is very similar to fabindia neem and tulsi scrub. all in all a good pre wax body polisher. surely much better than the nyssa Belgian chocolate sugar scrub i had received in a previous vellvette box. 

• flormar DELUXE SHINE GLOSS LIPSTICK  in D31:-  and the final cherry on the cake . or the diamond among stones in this months box. i was stunned when i saw this shade. a very bright bubble gum pink . very blue based, there was no way this was going to look good on my medium warm toned complexion. but it actually does. the underlying sheerness of this colour just makes it very wearable for all skin tones and shades, just like the revlon lip butters . it doesn't turn opaque no matter how much you smoosh it on . its got a very nice slip. very hydrating throughout wear . leaves a pretty pink stain . i hate blue-pinks but i m in love with this one. 

overall , a nice mix of haircare, skincare and makeup.  i am satisfied with this months box . i will rate it an B+.

what about you ? love it or loathe it? what do you like from my box ? what do you wish my box should have had more? 

love,

vj 

disclaimer :- 

non affiliate links .the above product was bought by me from my own money .  .i have never received compensation in return of glowing reviews. my loyalty lies with my readers. for further details i can be contacted on vj.neglur@gmail.com. Thank You very much!

lets go graphic with colour for summer feat. maybelline and nyx

hey everyone ,

summers are the perfect time with your look , your hair , your wardrobe and even your makeup. after playing cool and conservative all year long( for some of us ). this is the time to let our hair down and wear whatever we want. and those who wanna judge , go ahead! we don't care a hoot .

http://i.beautylish.co/DpaWmL-EQMRV9LZ6VWCLuQK8BE0/tlw-83/ill-wear-as-much-makeup-as-i-want.jpg

so the following look is a result of a magpie ( me ) who loves all things shiny and colourful ( makeup) and had ( once upon a long time ago,  alot of time on her hands.......... aah the great days ). what better way to beat the ennui than try a new technique .... i m sorry but you have to see my boring old mug again :(

so lets start 

1. apply your favourite concealer of choice and primer. what i like to do is , use a concealer and apply powder on top of the upper and lower lid, especially as my oily lids are prone to creasing.

2.tape the sides of your eyes to get a precise shape . place the tape along your lower lash line and upwards , just the way you would do for a cat eyeliner . ensure that both the sides are equal or you will end up with wonky eye makeup and no one wants to look cray cray ! place loose powder underneath the eyes to catch fallout.

tip:- before sticking the tape right to your lids , stick it and remove it from a surface a few times to loosen the glue. this will ensure that the delicate under eye area isn't harmed.

3. roughly draw the shape you want want with a black eyeliner pencil. i was going for a feline eye shape here . it doesn't have to be precise. we can sharpen it later. this will serve as a guideline for what is going to come next.

3. fill in the shape you have created . i chose a black gel eyeliner as it doesnt crease easily and eyeshadows adhere better to gel than pencil eyeliner.

4. wet your brush slightly and dip into pigment or eyeshadow of yoyur cghoce. tap it gently againt the container to avoid fall out . now carefully place it over the areas covered by the black eyeliner . dont cross the shape created and cover all the areas, leaving no gaps. 

5.take a contrasting colour pigment/eyeshadow and using the same wet brush technique place it around the inner and outer corner. using an angled brush makes this much much easier. blend both the colours into each other slightly at the point they meet.

6. finish the look up by removing your tape. applying teeny tiny bit of blue eyeliner on the lower lashline. notyhing too dramatic (yup thats me saying it...) .line your upper lash line with black eyeliner. i went a bit fancy and drew some dots ( thats all i can do ).curl your lashes and apply mascara . to polish up the look a bit do your brows by filling them up and setting them in place . and YOU ARE DONE!!!!!

7. a peachy coral blush and peachy pink lips later you are all set to take over the wrold( or like me cook yourself a bowl of maggi and sit watching reruns of THE BIG BANG THEORY ...yayyyy love my (not so)social life ....).

PRODUCTS USED (IN ORDER OF USE):-

EYES

1.  oriflame giordani mineral therapy concealer- light
2. medical tape- the paper kind
3. maybelline colossal kajal- the ultimate HG ever
4. maybelline eye studio lasting drama gel eyeliner- black ( another hg )
5. NYX ultra pearl mania - purple
6. random copper pigment from an Indian brand called COVERGIRL ( this hasn't got to do anything with the popular US brand CoverGirl) 
7. lakme absolute shine line liquid eyeliner- is matte . period. dont know why its called shine line .
8. oriflame eye lash curler.
9. maybelline colossal hyper curl mascara- the curl and the volume just rock with this one.
10. faces long wear eyeliner in navy blue (not pictured)
11. faces brow kit 
12. vega angular blender brush
13. real techniques eyeshadow brush.

FACE

1. lakme rose powder- for under the eye to catch fall out.
2. lakme invisible finish foundation - 02
3. lakme radiance compact- natural marble. ( both the above products are cheap and dont offer much falsh back )
4. maybelline dream mousse blush peach satin - along the cheek bones as highlight
5. oriflame very me tinted moisturizer in light - overall highlighter
6. kryolan blush - t1
7. vega foundation and powder brush
8. basicare blush brush

LIPS

1. yves rocher lipliner- bois rose ( a request to all those who know french... please pronounce it for me )
2. avon simply pretty lipstick in mango mania
3. clinique long last glosswear - fireberry 

swatches in order of use

hoping ypu like this look. 

let me know in the comments below .

love,

vj

p.s:- who thinks the summers are especially scorching this year ? me..... what are your best ways to just chill ( annoying salman khan song .... and i m still humming it . LORD SAVE ME )

disclaimer :- the above product was bought by me from my own money .  .i have never received compensation in return of glowing reviews. my loyalty lies with my readers. for further details i can be contacted on vj.neglur@gmail.com. Thank You very much!

vellvette box - april 2013

hello everyone,
after posting about my last vellvette box , i somehow took a break from it . however i soon missed it and decided to subscribe again.and this time its a three month subscription . YAYY FOR ME
just an heads up my first post was a ballad to the greatness of the vellvette box.so lets see does this one float the boat and make it sail or the boat plain sinks..................

pretty box , pretty ribbon -even the ribbon has a spring theme to it .... :D

this times box has a sort of spring theme to it . as they say this box is to put a spring in our steps.... sadly they   are mistaken . its blazing, makeup melting, brain boiling summer in mumbai . aah! lets just leave that to that because that rant can go on and on ..... as much as i love my city , this is one thing i cannot absolutely bear  ...pssshh

big bad dent in my box....o_0,

whats in my box:-
i had really high expectations from this box . when i placed my order , they were currently running a contest that some 200 subscribers would get LUSH aqua marina cleanser . i didn't get in my box . may be some other "bloggers" did win . this was disappointment number one. its like meh . i didn't win so what ? i never do right ? no point being a sour puss >.<

• Figs and Rouge Aloe and Mint balm:- (full size - inr 695)

aloe great . mint .... umm not so great . not a fan of anything that smells or tastes minty . in lip products i can bear . not in something that i m going to put on my body.(not that the poor guys at vellvette could have known this. there was no column for fragrance of products in preferences ;) ) 

its exactly like a balm .at room temperature , has a more ghee like consistency.it tingles a bit on the lips. offers clear shine . i also use it on elbows, knees and ankles at night and find them softened in the morning.

haven't used on my brows,feet etc yet , as mentioned in the card.

 a very good product but not my favourite flavour.

who loves vintage tin packaging....me me me !

• THE NATURE'S CO Spearmint Body Wash:-(sample size -35ml, full size-485)

this one's perfect for the Indian summers. after all an Indian company, that too one manufacturing pure vegetarian products.... happy vegetarian dance !!!!!!!!. its a great basic body wash . lathers well, get cleaned in less water , has a pleasant tingly feeling after you apply it. the tingly sensation last for a while after the shower. decent sized bottle . easily you can get about 10 uses out of it . perfect for travel.

didn't get the atmospure part ..... we usually associate green with murkiness... maybe purity for the people at the nature's co.

now the only drawback. the scent . the spearmint scent . brings back memories of chewing Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum for hours together. but i cant tolerate . no mint for me please. mint , spearmint or any other mint.thank you but no thank you . 

this has been promptly snagged by my twerp little sister . she loves it . cant stop sniffing it.

verdant lush green depths of spearminty goodness

whats inside all that gleaming metal??????

• MOTIVES Mardi Gras palette (full size - inr 3050)

whoa.... hold it right there , 3050 inr you say . that too in a sample subscription that is just paid 399 inr for? ( okay even lesser because of the 3 month subscription discount...hehehe) now coming to what this palette has.

• three shadows- a forest green with shimmer., satin finish. the only good performing colour from the eyeshadow category.next is a golden peach . matte finish . doesn't show up very well on my complexion. very sheer. lastly, a violet-purply whateveryoucallit.. a very hard. worst performing shade. doesn't want to budge out from its palette. as you can see below ,the swatches are very very sheer. i cant perceive how to make these shades work *mind freaked*

without flash 

• 6 lipcolors- its technically 3 lip glosses and 3 lipsticks . but the lipcolours themselves are so confused because of their nature that they themselves don't know what are they . plus no card explaining what id what.my love is the 2 nd pan from left in the 2nd pot. the bright coral . rest i don't care for. the deep violet gloss(lets assume its a gloss) was mistaken to be a cream eye liner . duh ! i know right . i had to swatch it to confirm. who anyways wears sheer violet gloss. i don't.

with flash

with flash

without flash

without flash

loads of cards ....new bookmarks wheeeee!!!!!!!!

so overall this was an average box. nothing stood out really. i would have loved to get something from max factor or skincare from the nature's co. anyways , grass is always greener on the other side(purple on ours....hehehe)

take care,
vj


p.s:- anyone saw ek thi daayan? worth a dekko for sure. the cinematography , the storyline , the acting.... everything grips you even much later after the end stills roll in !!!!!!!!

disclaimer:- the above product was bought by me from my own money .  .i have never received compensation in return of glowing reviews. my loyalty lies with my readers. for further details i can be contacted onvj.neglur@gmail.com. Thank You very much!