Category Archives: Makeup

Makeup, Product Review, Skincare

Plum E-Luminence Simply Supple Cleansing Balm – Review

I was looking to buy a cleansing balm for removing my makeup easily. I found the one by Clinique which has great reviews but is quite expensive. The entire cleansing balm concept is still pretty new to me. So, I wanted to try a budget-friendly cleansing balm first and came across the Plum E-Luminence Simply Supple Cleansing Balm recently. Although this product has been on the market for quite some time, I did not get a chance to try it till now. So, here is my honest review on the Plum cleansing balm.

Price and Quantity: The cost of a 90 gm tub is INR 545 but you will find it at a good discount along with a few freebies from Plum either on Nykaa or at the Plum website 🙂

Key Ingredients:

  • Kokum Butter: A solid emollient brimming with micro-nutrients that not only prevent drying of skin but also reduce degeneration of skin cells thereby keeping your skin supple and deliciously healthy (Kokum isn’t just good for juice, you know)
  • Sunflower Seed Oil: Aside from being a rich source of vitamin E, sunflower seed oil, with its anti-inflammatory and calming properties helps soothe the skin and improves its moisture retention capacity to give soft, supple, hydrated skin.
  • Shea Butter: Shea is extremely hydrating, and at the same time, conditioning and non-sticky.

Full Ingredient List: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Aqua, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soy Polyglycerides, C15-23 Alkanes, Glyceryl Monostearate, Silica, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Synthetic Wax,Tocopheryl Acetate, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Seed Butter, Coco Glucoside, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 26100, Argania Spinosa(Argan) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance

My take on the Plum Cleansing Balm:

  • The cleansing balm comes in a plastic tub with a lid. There is a small plastic spatula that comes with this to help scrap the product of the tab. This makes the process of taking out the product quite easy and hygienic.
  • The product has a thick waxy texture. In the beginning, I was quite disappointed with the texture because it appeared to be too thick and a bit grainy. It felt too harsh to put on my face and then massage it to spread out evenly. There were small granules getting stuck on my face. I expected this cleansing balm to be softer. However, later I realized that I am using it all wrong. I am supposed to scoop out a little product on my palm and it will soften up with my body temperature. Then I should apply it to my face. I have never used a cleansing balm before and so it took me a while to figure out the best way of using this product. However, I still noticed that a few small granules of the balm are very hard to melt and they get stuck to my face.
  • The product has a baby pink colour and a subtle fragrance. I wish they got rid of the fragrance. There are a lot of oils and butter in it to help melt all the makeup easily. Once I massage it evenly on my face, I let it sit for a while and then wash it off with water. Even after washing it leaves my skin very oily. If you just wash with water or remove the balm with a wet cotton pad, you will not feel very refreshed and the skin may feel sticky due to the excessive oil. So, I double-cleanse my face with face wash. I have noticed it removes all the lipstick stains with long hours stay claims, cleans my pores, and removes eyeliner and waterproof mascara pretty well. But, make sure to wash your eyes thoroughly with clean water. Otherwise, this oily cleansing balm will give you blurry vision for at least half an hour. This cleansing balm did not give me any allergic reaction or break-outs. Overall, I was not super impressed with the product but did not hate it as well. In future, I will try the cleansing balms from other brands as well.

Let’s list down all the pros and cons.

Pros:

  • Pocket friendly
  • Cleanse all the makeup residue pretty easily
  • Does not dry out the skin.

Cons:

  • Contains fragrance
  • I have not tried other cleansing balms, so cannot compare but I felt the texture is very thick and grainy and that is why it takes quite a lot of time to melt completely.

Hope you found this review helpful. Have a nice day 🙂

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Makeup, Product Review

Bobbi Brown Skin Concealer Stick(Shade Natural) – Review

Since the pandemic hit us and most of us started working from home, I think we all can agree that our time spent looking at laptops, mobiles, and tablets has increased significantly. Although I never really had dark circles, I have been noticing the slightly discoloured undereye area for the last year or so. It can be due to ageing or due to my late-night Netflix binge. Anyway, I wanted to invest in a good fuss-free concealer and picked up the Bobbi Brown skin concealer stick in the shade ‘Natural’. I have used Bobbi Brown lipsticks previously and I loved them. So, obviously had high expectations from this concealer stick and am happy to report that I am not disappointed at all.

Price and Quantity: I bought the Bobbi Brown concealer stick from Nykaa. You can find it across multiple stores of Bobbi Brown in India. It costs INR 2850 for 3g. As per the outer packaging it is made in Belgium and has a 36 months validity from the date of manufacturing.

Product Description: Bobbi Brown’s first-of-its-kind transformative stick makes great-looking skin look easy. This hydrating concealer is natural at instantly camouflaging the look of dark circles, discolouration, and imperfections for a skin-fresh look that stays the day. Coffee seeds and vitamin E help nourish skin and provide a creamy, weightless wear that melts into the skin.

Skin concealer stick softens and blends on contact for transformative concealing that looks like skin. The creamy, comfortable formula glides on sheer-to-full buildable coverage that layers seamlessly under or over foundation and delivers 12 hours of non-creasing, colour-true wear that’s waterproof and sweat- and humidity-resistant.

Ingredients: Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate , Octyldodecanol , Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 , Ozokerite , Kaolin , Polyethylene , Barium Sulfate , Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate , Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride , Tocopheryl Acetate , Salicornia Herbacea Extract , Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract , Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Oil , Lecithin , Bht , Phenoxyethanol , [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77491) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77492) , Iron Oxides (Ci 77499) , Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163)] .

My take on the Bobbi Brown Concealer Stick (shade – Natural):

  • First of all, let’s start with the packaging. Bobbi Brown has a very classy style of packaging for all of its products and this one is no exception. It comes in a glossy black twist-up stick with a magnetic lock. This type of concealer stick is very easy to apply and you can simply drop it in your bag and travel wherever you want to.
  • It comes in a lot of shades. At Nykaa I saw that they had 8 shades to offer. I purchased it online and so found it a little difficult to differentiate some of the shades. It is best to buy it from a store if you want to be 100% sure of your shade. I picked up the shade natural and it indeed leaves a very natural finish.
  • Now, coming to the consistency, the formula of this concealer is very creamy and easy to blend. It may not give full coverage but it gives me the most natural-looking finish with a brighter undereye and softens the dark-pigmented areas on my face. If you have a really dark under-eye then it may not be the best option for you or you will have to use a colour corrector first before applying this concealer. However, if you are someone like me who is just looking to make her under-eye area appear less hollow and brighter than usual, then it is the perfect concealer stick for you. Also, I am not someone who needs to or wants to wear layers of makeup and most of the time I am just looking for a quick yet the most effective solution and I feel this concealer stick does the right job for that. You can use your fingers or a beauty blender to blend this concealer. It does not look cakey or crease under my eyes.

Let’s list down the pros and cons for the Bobbi Brown Concealer stick.

Pros:

  • Creamy Blendable formula
  • Does not crease
  • Great user-friendly packaging
  • Leaves a naturally fresh finish

Cons:

  • A bit expensive for the Indian market
  • Medium coverage, may not be ideal for people with dark undereye

Hope you will find this review helpful. Have a nice day and happy new year 🙂

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Makeup, Product Review

Lakme Absolute Undercover Gel Face Primer – Review

Hello!

I wanted to post a quick review of a few of my makeup favourites recently and so I wanted to start with a primer. I actually have been using the Lakme absolute undercover gel face primer for almost a year now and never really wrote a full review on this amazing primer. I picked it up while travelling from a store but it turned out to be a great purchase. A good primer prepares our faces as a perfect canvas to put on additional layers of makeup like foundation or a concealer. It simply creates a smooth base.

Price and Quantity: A 30gm tube costs INR 800 but there is a mini-trial version available too. One tube will go a long way because you will need a pea-sized amount for your entire face.

Product Description:

  • Smooth Gel Texture – create a smooth base for easy makeup application.
  • Enriched with Vitamin E – a Unique formula that nourishes skin for an added glow.
  • Lasting Makeup effect – ensures that your makeup stays on for long hours.

My take on the Lakme undercover gel primer:

  • Let’s start with the packaging first. The primer comes in a sleek black tube with a metallic twist cap. It is travel-friendly packaging and there is no need to worry about the product packaging.
  • The texture of this undercover primer is simply like a translucent soft gel. It has a slightly creamy texture to it which is really easy to blend into the skin. It blends instantly into the skin and with just a pea-sized amount you will be able to cover your entire face. I have seen for a couple of other primers that they have a slightly grainy texture and while blending into the face they kind of get dried up. That is surely not the case with Lakme absolute undercover gel primer. It does not make my skin dry. In fact, it leaves a silky velvety finish on my skin which makes it really easy to layer up with a foundation later.
  • Now let’s talk about its function. This primer makes my skin look very smooth with an even complexion. You can say that it almost does a double job of a concealer. It blurs the dark spots on my face. Lakme also has another primer called the blur perfect makeup primer with the same packaging and at the same price point. I am not sure what is the differentiating point between these two because the undercover gel primer also creates that blurry impact on my skin. Specifically, I love the fact that it blurs the open pores around my nose.
  • I have oily skin and this primer instantly covers my oily T zone and yet it does not make my skin dry. This gel primer simply gives a very matte look. I will advise using a normal moisturizer before applying this primer for people with dry skin.

Let’s list down all the pros and cons of the Lakme undercover gel primer

Pros:

  • Provides a very smooth finish
  • Blurs dark spots and open pores
  • Blends very easily
  • Controls excess oil
  • Reasonable price

Cons:

  • It may make the skin appear very dry for people with a dry skin

Hope you found this review helpful. Have a nice day 🙂

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Makeup

Nykaa Eyes On Me! 10-in-1 Eyeshadow Palette – Beachside Peach – Review

Nykaa launched the 10 in 1 eyeshadow palette almost around this time last year and I bought the shade beachside Peach. Unfortunately soon after that the entire world went into lockdown and this palette also got locked inside my dresser 😀 Now that slowly everyone is returning to normal, I have also started using makeup and especially eye products to highlight my eyes as most of my face is always covered with mask 😦

So anyway let’s talk about this palette first. There are 5 options available in this range.

Out of these 5, I chose to purchase Beachside Peach as looking at the range I felt I can create soft looks for office wear and also can glam it up for night outs. There is another one that I want to try in future is Sundowner Stunner. Some of the shades are little similar among these 2 options but sundowner stunner will give more dewy natural looks.

Price and Quantity : First of all they are super cheap. Each of these palettes contains 10 shades and they come for only Rs 599. You will have to accept that is really affordable.

Nykaa Eyes on Me 10 in 1 Eyeshadow -Beachside Peach

My take on the product :

  • The packaging is not very sturdy but at this price point we need to forgive them for that. It also contains a two sided applicator.
  • Out of the 10 shades, FIVE are super matte shades,3 of them are little blingy /metallic shades and rest 2 just adds a little bit of coral and peachy shine to your eyes. They are easily buildable and will give you versatile looks. You can easily go from a daytime peachy look to a night time glam look. All the shades are complementary to each other and fall somewhere between peach, beige, copper brown and chocolate brown. The color payoff is up to the mark and easy to blend. So we are not really compromising in terms of quality.
  • Although they are marketed as long wearing (10+ hours), I found them to be fading after 3-4 hours.
  • It is also not tested on animals.

Overall I really liked these palettes and will rate them 4/5. One point deducted as they did not seem to be a long-wear product.

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Makeup, Product Review

Nykaa Glamoreyes Colour Eye Pencil Kajal – Bronze Beam (08) vs SUGAR Kohl Of Honour Intense Kajal – 02 Brown Bag – Review

In my pursuit to find the perfect brown Kohl or Kajal I stumbled upon 2 quite affordable options and tried both of them. Here is my review on Nykaa Glamoreyes Colour Eye Pencil Kajal in shade Bronze Beam and The Sugar Kohl of Honour intense Kajal in the shade Brown Bag.

Price and Quantity : Bronze Beam comes for INR 450 for 1.2gm product and the Sugar Kajal comes for INR 249 for 0.25 gm product.

Description : From subtle to sultry, create an array of eye looks with Nykaa GLAMOReyes eye pencil. Featuring high-impact colors, this smudge-proof and water-proof eye pencil glides on comfortably, without tugging or pulling. The transfer-proof and fade-proof formula keeps the intense color locked down for hours and hours, giving you dramatic, gorgeous eyes round the clock!

My take on the Nykaa GLAMOReyes eye pencil:

  • The color is slightly metallic dark brown with subtle golden undertone. Of course that is why they named it as Bronze Beam. Silly me! I personally do not like metallic eyeliners or kohl and not even metallic lipsticks but this shade did not shout as ‘metallic’ on my eyelids. That’s a relief and hence I liked this shade. It just adds that little amount of shine which makes it look good morning through night. I also use it on my lower lash lines to get a softer look than what I will get using a black kohl.
  • It is completely smudge-proof. I put it on for more than 12 hours and it was completely intact and did not fade even a bit. I had to use make up remover to remove it. The application was smooth with gel eyeliner like finish.
  • The ingredient list says that it is free from animal derived ingredients and paraffin. it is also dermatologically and ophthalmologically tested.
  • The only and biggest con is that the pencil is not retractable and basically we will have to sharpen this which means more wastage 😦

My take on the Sugar Kohl of Honour Kajal:

  • The shade is a beautiful dark matte chocolate brown. The biggest plus point is that it has a retractable packaging. So you basically have to twist it up.
  • The formula has a creamy texture and easily glides on my eyelids. I tested it for 5-6 hours and it did not smudge but definitely faded a bit. The advantage of using brown kajal is that even if it gets smudged a bit it gives a shadow effect on the eyes and did not make the eyes look like a panda. I use it for tight lining my eyes.
  • It is free from parabens and dermatologically tested.
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Makeup

Nykaa PREP ME UP-Face Primer Review

I came across the Nykaa Prep me up Face Primer just before the Summer started.Previously I was using Smashbox primer water both as a face primer and make up fixing spray.Then I found this primer which comes at almost half the price.I just picked this one up to try and let me tell you; I don’t regret.

Price : 499 INR

Quantity: 30 gm

Description: So the product says, “Prep your canvas before you start with the art of makeup with Nykaa Prep Me Up! Face Primer. This lightweight, non – greasy Formula instantly blurs the appearance of pores and fine lines to create a flawless base.”

Claims :

  • Leaves a sensational velvety Matte finish
  • Silky smooth on skin
  • Ideal for all skin type
  • Extremely light weight
  • It fills in the pore and fine lines, so
  • makeup glides on flawlessly and smoothly
  • Contains Vitamin E that neutralizes
  • free radicals & promotes healthier skin

My take on Nykaa Prep me Up Face Primer :

Well the product looks like a transparent thick gel like formula.Since the consistency is so thick it gives a great coverage on my skin,like a second transparent layer of my own skin ,hence, less visibility of open pores around my nose. As it claims it always gives the matte finish and absorbs all the extra shine and oil from my skin.

Now since I have a super oily T zone if i don’t use a primer and directly use a BB cream or a foundation; it never gets blended with proper consistency and coverage.Hence, I highly recommend using a primer before putting on anything else.Also, sometimes I actually just put on the primer for an even toned fresh skin without any extra layer of make up.This face primer for Nykaa helps to get a smooth finish and my face never looks too oily.

Lastly, this product is not tested on animals and free from Paraben. It also has Vitamin E.

Cool!

So a five star from my side 🙂

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Makeup

Sugar Cosmetics Face Fwd Blush Stick Pink Prime – Review

After their super popular contour de force blush range Sugar Cosmetics also launched a range of blush sticks in 3 different shades – Coral climax,Pink Prime and Mauve Marvel.For my love of pink I picked up the shade ‘pink prime’ which is a beautiful peachy pink one.

Description: Presenting, the SUGAR Face FWD Blush Stick range in 3 gorgeous shades to give your face just the right pop of color when you need it! Just a few dabs go a long way, and the colors are buildable to get the desired intensity with a flawless matte finish.

  • Buildable formula
  • Gives a matte finish
  • Super pigmented
  • Travel-friendly
  • This product is vegan

Ingredients: You will find the detailed ingredient list in the outer package of the stick.The product is made in Korea.

Quantity: 7 g

Price: INR 799

My take on the product:

  • It comes in a sturdy retractable stick which I find very useful as you don’t necessarily need to use your finger to put on the product.The packaging is very travel friendly.You can just throw it inside your bag and you are good to go.
  • The product is highly pigmented and blends nicely into my skin.You can use either your fingers or a sponge to quickly blend it to get a nice flushed skin.
  • As I have a slightly oily skin I have noticed that color tends to blend naturally over time with the natural oil of my skin and hence it gives a very natural yet brighter finish.
  • The formula is not too creamy either.The other cream blushes available in the market are quite pricey as compared to this one.Also, you get a quite good amount of product at this price point.This should serve your cheeks for quite a lot of time.

Overall, a big thumbs up from my side.I really liked this blush stick and particularly this shade.Hoping to try the other ones from this range soon.

Hope you liked this review.Stay healthy 🙂

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Makeup

Lakme 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Lipstick Review- Shades Rosy Sunday,Maple Map and Brick Blush

I have been a fan of Lakme 9 to 5 lipsticks range for a long time and I found them perfect for office wears.Hence, I decided to write a review on 3 of my favourite shades from this range.

Description: Matte Lipstick with built in primer, keeps lips non-stop matte for 12 hours.This range gives you an intense color payoff without touch-ups.They all come in beautiful rose gold sturdy packaging.However, you cannot spot the shades from outside.That’s a problem sadly!

Shades: This range offers 42 shades

Price: INR 500 (but I am pretty sure you will get a good discount in Nykaa)

Quantity:3.6 gm

My take on these: I will come to the individual shades later.Overall this range of lipsticks are perfect for office wears and really gives a good color payoff in just one swipe. However, they are not smudge proof or transfer proof. After a meal you will need to reapply it but sometimes I actually like the stains these lipsticks leave on my lips which just give a very natural look. Also,they do not leave a dry effect on the lips although they are matte ones.After few minutes of applying it will give your lips a nice matte effect.The formula feels very light and glides smoothly and evenly.If you have pigmented lips it will take care of that too. Last but not the least you have 42 shades of muted pinks/reds/browns to choose from.Now that is amazing :p

From L to R: Rosy Sunday, Brick Blush, Maple Map

Maple Map: I was a fan of a particular shade known as ‘Red chaos’ from the earlier range of lakme 9 to 5 but the company discontinued that shade.On the look out for a shade similar to that one I picked up Maple Map.This shade makes your lips look just like themselves just better.It is a very pretty nude shade with a coral undertone, perfect for everyday use and suits every skin tone.

From L to R: Maple Map, Brick Blush, Rosy Sunday

Rosy Sunday: First of all, I got a lot of compliments for this one :p This shade is something which will make your face instantly brighter and trust me you don’t need any other make up.This is one of those lipsticks which I always carry in my handbag. A quick touch up and you are good to go.

Brick Blush: Now for this one you may need more than one swipe to have an opaque coverage.As the name suggests it is a brick shade,more on the orange side.However, I think you can use it any time of the day just to brighten up your face.In this entire range I think this one is slightly different than the other muted/nude ones.

Hope you found this review helpful. Stay happy like a puppy 🙂

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Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Brightening concealer -Review

I am someone who always struggles to use concealer.Thank God I don’t have that much of dark circle problems .However when I came across the Boi-ing Brightening concealer from Benefit Cosmetics I wanted to give it a try as I am a total fan girl for their other products.They have a wide range of concealers with pretty much good range of shades.Now the one I have chosen is a brightening concealer in shade ’02’ which is for light/medium skin tones.

Shades offered: This particular range of brightening concealers come in 6 different shades.

  • 01 -Light
  • 02 -Light/Medium
  • 03 -Medium
  • 04 – Medium -Tan warm
  • 05 – Tan/Warm
  • 06 – Deep/Warm

Description : Say goodbye to dull, tired eyes, dark circles and discolouration with boi-ing brightening concealer. This full coverage, creamy concealer contains brightening melon undertones to colour-correct under-eye circles & imperfections.

Net Weight : 4.4 g

Price : INR 2110

Claims: Full coverage concealer, color-correcting concealer
– Creamy, blendable formula
– Hides dark circles and brightens eye area
– Conceals imperfections and gives a radiant finish
– Brightening Melon undertones
– Same formula & shades as erase paste!

My experience with it: Before starting the review I need to tell you about my skin type.I have oily skin with fair complexion.

  • This comes in a tub which is a disappointment as everytime I need to dip my fingers and a little product gets stuck under my nails. Ahh gross I know 😦
  • This concealer has a thick texture.I haven’t used their erase paste formula earlier but I can guess why they are calling this one as its substitute.For blending I will suggest you to use a brush instead of your fingers; otherwise you will end up with wasting a lot of product.
  • A very minimum product gives a good coverage along with a radiant look.Especially because I have oily skin, it blends really well and gives a glowing skin for the entire day I spend at my office without making it look cakey or even too oily.Although I will suggest you to apply a makeup setting spray after 15 mins of applying this product.Remember to use a primer as well for the perfect blending.

Overall I am really happy with this product as it suits my skin really well and also it offers a good range of shades.Remember to blend really well to have the perfect finish. I will give it a score of 3.5 out of 5.

Hope you find this review helpful. Keep smiling 🙂

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