Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm

Totally love this lip balm, it is that good.

I bought it at the beginning of winters and i have hardly made a dent in the tin.

Pros:

• Smells delicious
• Has a nice rosy colour.
• Give a lovely shine and keeps your lips hydrated.
• Comes in a beautiful tin
• Its fairly long lasting
• Not waxy
• Multipurpose

Cons:

• Cant think of any.

Tips:
Use on dry hands/elbows/knees. Relives dryness with a couple of uses .

Chanel - Rouge Coco Shine #42 Biarritz

Pros:

• Simply glides on.
• They are sheer with lots of shine, its almost glossy with build able colour
• Extremely moisturizing.
• As expected gorgeous to look at and luxurious
• This shade gives a very natural looking pinky beige colour with copper undertones.
• It looks very natural
• Its a very everyday colour.

Cons:

• Requires re-application, staying power probably not the best
• It on the more expensive side with $32 a pop. 

Check out the review for Rebelle which has better staying power

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

I am sure everybody has heard about it or used it. It’s been around for a while now and it’s an all time favourite, so had to do review about it. Better late than never, aye!

Pros:

• As the name suggest, it’s very long lasting and waterproof gel based eyeliner
• It just simply glides on without any effort.
• Comes in a wide array of colour, I have tried black ink, sepia ink and caviar ink
• Black ink is jet black
• Sepia is dark brown
• Caviar ink is grey black
• It’s very smudgable, if you want dramatic eyes, it’s your go to eyeliner
• It doesn’t come with a brush, so have to buy your own. The Bobbi brown eyeliner brush works great. Unless you buy the 2 piece set with brush on QVC or at the Duty Free (which is where I first bought it). The small brush is comes with is as good as the full size one. I always carry the small one with me.
• Its highly pigmented and gives a very intense colour.
• It’s  great for doing cat eyes, just glides on dries very quick. And doesn’t flakes or give you raccoon eyes.

Cons:

• None that I can think off.

My new favourite blush - Illamasqua Powder Blush - Ambition with Shimmer

Illamasqua is a British Brand, which has a cult status following. It is available at Sephora here in the US. 

Illamasqua Powder Blush - Ambition with shimmer

Pros:

• Highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Be careful with how much you put on that brush, when you get started. Don’t forget to shake off the excess.
• Staying power is quiet remarkable, better than any I have come across. It stays on the whole day without any primer, just on top of a regular moisturizer (STEAMCREAM for moi!)
• Great value for money $24/0.14oz, and you only need a dab so it last a long time.
• It’s very build-able, so can give you a natural flush to a very dramatic look with just an extra couple of brush stroke.
• Ambition is a neutral pink with shimmer.  A light dab gives you a very natural flush on my skin tone.
• Its shimmer done just right, not too subtle yet not to overwhelming either, perfect for a day look.
• Can provide a range of colours, with the same swatch depending on how lightly or intensely its applied.
• Doubles as an eyeshadow. (Don't you just love double duty products!)

Cons:

• The whole range is not available Stateside yet. But thank God for small blessing, that its available at Sephora.

STEAMCREAM too good to be true!

I have been religiously using STEAMCREAM since it arrived and loving what I am seeing:

 Pros:

• Extremely light weight, just like putting whipped cream on your face.
• Enriched with goodness of a wide array of natural ingredients, which are all combined using steam technology.
•  Ingredients ranging from essential oils to oatmeal infusion.
• Smells heavenly with hints of lavender. 
• Comes in an array of absolutely gorgeous tins, worth buying just for the collectable tins.
• It’s an all in one cream so not just for you face.
• For all its natural goodness its very reasonably priced at $18/75ml (GBP 12.95)
• Leaves your face feeling moisturized and supple, it feels hydrated all the way. You can feel a noticeable difference in your skin, when used on a regular basis.
• Let alone your hands, even your feet will thank you. Goodbye dryness, hello silky smoothness.
• After reading a tweet I event tried a dab on my hair ends, and away with the frizz, which by the way I have plenty off.
• Good for all skin types and genders. And a little goes a long way.
• Unlike most products in the US, it comes with an expiration date.

Cons:

• They had run out of the Jubilee tin, the one I really wanted.
• The name STEAMCREAM doesn’t do it justice, it should really be called DREAM CREAM (but I guess that already exists, another lush product), so perhaps even MIRACLE CREAM

Steamcream

 

I am sure you have heard about the Steamcream from the UK. Its now available in the US as well. Its all-in-one (face/hands/body) cream handmade in the UK and Japan and uses steam to fuse together its natural ingredients. Find out more about it on their website.

I finally got my Steamcream, yesterday. I ordered it over the Jubliee weekend from steamcream.co.uk,  when they had the free shipping (yes even to the US) and Voila! its here and I absolutely love it.

 

I ordered it in Freedom, which is the container with the Union Jack on it. It comes in a wide variety of tins, each as gorgeous as the other.

 

I will do a proper review after putting it to good use, but so far I am liking what I see. It smells of lavender and its very light, its almost like applying lavender flavoured whipped cream on your face.

So far I am loving it. Watch the space.

Kiehl's Vital Sun Protection Lotion SPF 40

Vital Sun Protection Lotion SPF 40 
Pros:

• Very light weight and very easily absorbed.
• Safe on kids (pediatrician tested)
• SPF 40
• $19.50/5oz
• Protects against UVA/B spectrum
• Has minimal chemical ingredients
• Last up to 80 minutes in water.

Cons:

• SPF could be higher.

future solution lx Ultimate Regenerating Serum

 

This was one of the items that came in the CN Style Society packages from Shiseido and was my favourite so I decide to write about it.

Pros:

• Very light
• Sinks right into the skin.
• Skin feels hydrated, supple and plumper
• Doubles as a primer, actually better than a primer
• Gives a glow to your skin
• A little goes a long way

Cons:

• Nothing except for a hefty price tag of $225 for 1 oz.

As much as I'd love to use it on a regular basis, I just can't afford to pay that much for a serum. I could put that much money to better use.

Conde Naste Style Society Shiseido samples

A few weeks ago CN Style Society did a survey and offered the first 500 survey takers the opportunity to try some Shiseido sample. As it turned out I was 1 of those 500 and I got my samples in the mail few days ago. And I have been trying them on and am liking it so far. Reviews to come soon.

YSL Blush Radiance in No. 1

 

Pros :

• Two toned matte/satiny blush, which gives a nice subtle texture that highlights your cheekbones really well.
• Its beautifully packaged. Comes complete with a velvet pouch which has a little pocket for the brush. A piece of luxury, love it!
• The shade No. 1 is absolutely gorgeous peachy nude, which looks very subtle yet a hint of pop on Indian skin.
• Stays on for about 4-5 hours without a primer, with a primer or even just plain serum it goes up to 12 hours. I have had hint of colour come off the cheeks after a 13 hour day, on a cleansing wipe. So yes it stays on!
• Its pigmented so you don't need to put on a lot, after dipping the brush, shake off the excess.

Cons:

• Its a tad bit on the steep side with $48.99 (including tax) for only 4 grams of blush.
• There is a lot of fall out but, I tend to use it. 
• The brush it comes is housed in the pouch instead, so it seems a little unhygienic to me but definitely comes in handy for a touch up on the go. Better than not having one. I use a blusher brush from Estee Lauder or Mac instead.

Despite the steep price tag and all its cons this my favourite so far because of the colour and they staying power. Definitely a winner for me.

Colour after 10 hours still shows, without any touch ups all day, applied on top of a serum, no primer.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake

 

Pros:

• Comes in an array of shades
• Its only $7.99
• Its very easy to blend and gives a nice glow.
• Its a powder-gel, which is very light weight. 
• The colour looks great on Indian skin, its give a hint of coral, though it looks more beige, but still a beautiful shade.

 Cons

• It doesn't have the best staying powder and doesn't last longer than 2 hours.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Orchid Rose

Pros:

• Gorgeous packaging
• Its a pink rose hue that actually looks good on Indian skin. I was rather impressed with how good it looked.
• Gives a nice glow and looks very natural. Its almost like a natural blush.
• Comes with a nice brush.

Cons:

• Didn't last more than 2 hours for without primer and about 3 with primer.
• Its a little bit on the more expensive side with $43+ tax.
• It has a very strong fragrance to it, which I couldn't stand. I prefer floral smells this was too strong and musky for me.

Not for me, the cons outweighed the pros for me, the fragrance was a deal breaker and I just couldn't stand it.

Baby Weight to lose and when to lose?

The story about Aishwarya Rai's baby weight has been going around the circuit for a while now.

With lines like "seems to be looking rather plump instead of losing some of her flab after the baby’s delivery." and "The Bachchan bahu seems to be taking motherhood very seriously and seems to have shockingly put on at least five to six kilos."

Good for her that she is taking motherhood seriously. Motherhood is something every woman should take very seriously, it just doesn't affect you, it affect everything for a little life you are going to shape. Other people should take a page out the book and do the same. Not abort a baby girl and take care of your child/children. Give them a happy life so they turn out to healthy adults with lots of integrity and the confidence to change the world.


As per Shobha De "Aishwarya is like a goddess", but does that mean media or other people have the right to critise her for putting on baby weight, or putting on more so after her delivery. Respect her wishes and let her be, let her enjoy early months of blissful (so to speak) motherhood. Motherhood is hard enough without having to deal with such social pressures.

I have a little girl who is now one and I can't imagine how it would feel if somebody went around telling me how I should look when I am just about getting to grips with getting into a routine myself to handle work to handle to the house and baby. Living in NY with most of your family overseas makes it hard. Perhaps she doesn't have to deal with all that and has help, but it still doesn't make it okay.

She is happy with who she and how she looks then who are we to tell her, what we think she should look like. The media, the internet the out reach people have these days has just made it so easy for everyone to just point their fingers. If you really want to point your finger point fingers at some real issues in the world, like children in poverty, child labour, female infanticide and bring a positive change in the world.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Exposed

 

I really really wanted to love this blush after hearing so many good things about it, but it didn't happen for me. This blush has a lot of pros but still din't out weight the cons for me:

Pros:

• Its last long not 12 hours but longer than most others I have tried. For me it last about 3-4 hours on its own and about 4-6 hours with a primer.
• Its very pigmented so you don't really need to apply a lot and it gives a very nice natural colour.
• It its a beautiful shade.
• The packaging is nice and coordinated with the blush, so you know exactly what shade you are going for if you have more than one.
• Very reasonably priced at $25

Cons:

• Doesn't last for 12 hours at least for me.
• It seems to make my skin all itchy. I have very sensitive skin and a few minutes after applying it i just felt like scratching my face.

For me the itchiness was a deal breaker so I had ended up returning it.

Search for a perfect blush

I have been searching for a long lasting everyday blush for my skin (normal, olive/medium). I use the hale/wheat (Chanel Teint Innocence), its a bit on the warmer side on my skin tone but I prefer a colour which is a little bit warmer rather than a shade lighter. I think it gives you a nice colour in the winters and it in the summers when you are a little bit on the tanned side it still works well.

So in my search so far I have tried the following:

1. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed $25

2. Chanel Blush in Orchid Rose $44.50

 

3. Lancome Blush Subtil in Rouge Glow $33 

 

4. YSL Blush in No 1 $48.99 

 

5. Maybelline blush bouncy in coffee cake $7.99 

 

I will be providing my low down on each on of these with details of what I like and didn't  like but as it seems at the moment the search is still going on.

Dior Addict Lip Glow

Stars: ****

I was having a bad day and needed a little pick me up and walking by Macy's I ended up going to the Dior counter and buying this.

I love the way Dior packages all their products. They all look great and this is no exception. But we don't just buy things coz they look pretty. I really like the Lip Glow, its smells great, works great plus looks great. Dior says that the lip glow responds to the colour chemistry of your lips and creates a shade that is unique to you. Which in theory is great but until you try it on you never know how your unique shade will look on you. The stick itself looks a little to bright shade of pink, unlike the images on the internet. It gave a very pinkish shade which isn't that great on my medium colour skin, but its not that bad either.

I am very sensitive to smells and tend to avoid anything that has a strong frangance to it, this has a nice minty smell which is easy to handle and not overpowering. Its almost like a hint of freshness smoothed on to your lips.

It is very mositurizing and my lips don't flake after putting it on. It also has SPF10 for a decent dose of sun protection for your lips.

All in all its a great product and I personally really like it hence the 4 stars. The con I could find was the prices, for $29-32 a pop its fairly expensive but it does last a long time. So its okay to splurge without feeling too guilty about it.

DiorSkin Nude Natural Glow Crème-Gel Makeup SPF 20

Stars: *** and 1/2

I had been wanting to try this for a while and finally got it and was very excited. I bought this in 040, thought the Sales Assistant matched me to an 030, I prefer to get a shade warmer. But my excitement din't last very long. Despite getting rave reviews it din't do so well with my skin, it made my skin look dull and lack lusture.

As the name suggest its "Natural Glow", this gel instead of giving that effect seemed to take the natural glow away. Other than that I have no problems with the product at all. Its very easy to apply, the creme-gel glides onto the skin and give nice sheer coverage, just the thing I was after. The packaging is gorgeous, it comes in a lovely case and has a separator between the sponge and creme so it doesn't sit on top of it. I preferred using a foundation brush instead of the sponge that came with the compact, it seemed to cause a little bit of streakiness. It also has a nice little pouch to keep it safe in your handbag.

Its a mineral based product so chances of any reactions to your skin are fairly minimal. I did find that it made my skin a little itch after application but that seemed to go away after a while and it did not irritate my skin and I have very sensitive skin. It turns red in no time.

Pros:
Easy to apply
Gorgeous packaging
Mineral based
Has spf 20

Cons:
Takes away the natural glow
Expensive $48 a pop
Caused slight itichness.

Overall rating a 3 and 1/2 stars, I wish it lived up to its name but it din't for me. Not to say it won't for you, but on the whole I found it okay, not great, not the compact that I would keep in my handbag for daily use. Search is still on for my go to compact.

Lansinoh HPA Lanolin Cream

Stars: ***

I was introduced to this cream at the hospital when I started breastfeeding and had soreness. They provided a sample of this cream and all the nurses recommended it highly. They said they even used it as lip balm for chapped lips, I have tried it for this purpose.

So I bought a tube of it, it seemed really great to begin with, it seemed to relieve the pain and the soreness but the relief was temporary. It seemed to work for a couple of days but after that it just wasn't doing anything for me. It has a very sticky almost vaseline like consistency, and is rather goopy when you apply it. It doesn't melt in your fingers like some of the other nipple creams do. Its made of 100% pure pharmacy grade lanolin and is safe for ingestion by the baby, so you don't need to take it off before breast feeding.

If you don't use the tube and just leave it the cream tends to become almost solid and non-usable.

I luckily found a much more effective nipple cream for me, (Motherlove Nipple cream) but this cream is great for applying to your sensitive nipples when you have a shower, so you don't feel discomfort while taking a shower.

I have given it 3* because it is good for relief in the shower but isn't my goto nipple cream, I use it every now and then. Some of my friends have used and liked it very much but it din't work so well for me. Its very sticky and goopy and you need to wear nursing pads so it doesn't stick to your clothes. But as I said I like to use it everytime I have a shower. Its reasonable prices at rought $7 for 2oz tube.

Motherlove Nipple Cream

http://micro-review.blogspot.com/2011/04/lansinoh-hpa-lanolin-cream.htmlStars *****

Being a new mom I didn't really know which Nipple cream was the best but I luckily came across this on Amazon and for some reason just ordered it. The only reason was the rave reviews the cream had gotten on Amazon, all were 5 stars, so I just went blindly with the reviews and ordered and boy am I glad that I did.

It has given me the much needed relief that I wanted for sores and cracks. Its looks like vaseline in texture but the moment you take it out of the jar it melts on your fingers and simply glides. It has a mild olive oily, shea butter kind of smell but nothing strong or bothersome. Its like a miracle worker and provides almost instant relief, you feel better within an hour or so. It seems to heal rather than provide temporary relief like other creams (Lansinoh Lanolin Cream).

It has all natural ingredients like olive oil, shea butter, beeswax, marshmallow roots and calendula flower. These ingredients are all certified organic by USDA and Oregon Tilth. And you don't need to wipe it off before feeding as it is safe for ingestion.

It was great not just as a nipple cream but also for diaper rash and even lip balm. So when you have some left over you can put it to good use.

It comes in a very sturdy glass jar which is not easy to break. It is best stored in a cool temperature, as it tends to melt when warm.

It costs roughly $8-9 for a tiny 1oz jar but its best money I have spent. I highly recommend this product for all new and existing mothers. You dont need a lot of it but I do apply it generously for the much needed relief. Love it and am giving it 5 stars, yes 5 stars.

Estee Lauder Signature Creme blush

Star: **** and 1/2
Color: Nude Light
 I have never really been a creme blush kind of person, but this product converted me. Its just so soft and smooth to apply. It give you a nice dewy glow on your cheeks and makes you smile from inside. It looks very natural and sheer. It stay on the whole day and even at the end of the day looks great. Its really easy to apply and blend really well, I just normally blend it with my fingers.

The only con in my opinion is the lack of shades, I think it only comes in 4 shades, all of them are lovely and I love the nude light but for some people it would be harder to find a shade that is perfect for them. On the whole just love this product. I now always keep it in my handbag and a little dab and I am all set.

Stars : 4 and 1/2

The only reason its missing 1/2 star is the limited choice of shades. Other than that is just great.