Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Summer Sunset 615

How many times have you gone to a store to pick something up and lost your heart to something completely different? Having collected around seven Maybelline lipsticks I swore not to get any more but then temptation rears its ugly head and Maybelline launched this gloriously beautiful Jewels collection of lipstick. So I go to the store and swatch all the colors and like almost all of them :P but then pick up this gorgeous pinkish reddish brownish shade named Summer Sunset from the normal collection. It has this hint of shimmer which I find really fascinating in lipsticks and the color is really drool worthy. So as soon as the SA swatched it I knew I was a goner.

Idea for image courtesy my friend Zara 

Packaging and Price

I like the square packaging of the lipsticks with the different colored caps that signify the family the shade belongs to. The Maybelline Color sensational is divided into Pink, Reds, Browns and Plums with corresponding colored caps for the shades. This one has a red cap to signify that it belongs to the red family although I do not fully agree with this. It is priced at INR 350 and is quite affordable considering its quality and texture.

Color and Pigmentation

Summer Sunset is a beautiful reddish pink shade with a hint of some brown and shimmer in it. It looks beautiful on the lips and the slight silver shimmer gives your lips a nice shine without looking OTT. On my lips it looks pinker and more coral. This would be the perfect shade for people who are scared of bold colors or want just a color that brightens your face instantly. It would look beautiful on dusky girls and not neonish like other shimmery lipsticks. The pigmentation as with all Colorsensational lipsticks is just fabulous. No problems with hiding lip pigmentation with this product. The texture is nice and creamy. The color stays on for around five hours on me and then starts fading evenly. Some people do complain of this range settling into fine lines but that is not a problem  

Recommendation: Yesss…Yesss it’s a lovely shade go get it!!

Bourjois Colorissimo Lip Palette 02 Roses Muses

Have there been times in your life when you just want to murder a SA? Well for me it’s happened quite a few times and this was one of these days. I had heard about the launch of these new lip palettes by Bourjois and needless to say was extremely excited about it. So I go up to this SA and ask her about it. First she looks all confused and then I actually point out to the palettes to show her that is what I need. Somehow she manages to swatch the colors (while dropping some things and fumbling with others, really I have never seen such a clumsy SA) and then I choose the Rouge collection which is a nice mix of reds and orange. Now after billing I go to her and she hands me the second palette which is Roses Muses, a collection of light and frosty pinks. Me being in a hurry I just rush out with it and only take a look at home. I was so bummed about it and exchanging it was not a possibility…So I have to use it …Whew that’s a long story but I really needed to vent my ire somewhere.

As for the lip palette Bourjois describes it as:

"Everyday, Flash, Chic. MOISTURISING & LONG LASTING LIP COLOUR! 3 SUPER TRENDY LIP COLOURS IN JUST 1 PALETTE!

The palette Roses Muses is described as “poetry on your lips with 3 easy-to-wear pink hues!”

Packaging

Each palette has three lipstick shades housed in a round palette along with a dual foam tipped applicator (Really Bourjois like what were you thinking when you gave us that useless applicator) The plastic top allows you to see all the shades. In fact the packaging is quite similar to the smoky eyes trio eyeshadow palettes by the brand. It is available at Bourjois counters for around 715 INR for around 1.8g of product. So it is kind of pricey as well. The only thing that might be a saving grace is that it is really cute, has three colors and can be carried around anywhere

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Pigmentation and Texture

The pigmentation is horrible. I know in the swatches it looks nice and bright but really you have to struggle a lot to get the color especially if you have ghastly pigmented lips like mine. I needed at least five to six swipes for the color to show in the swatches. The first shade in the palette is a light frosty bluish pink while the second shade is a bright fuchsia pink. The third shade which is the only one that I can actually use is a reddish pink. The first two shades do not show up on my lips at all. Fairer women with less lip pigmentation might like it but it is certainly not for me.

The texture is pretty ok. It settles down into a matte finish without being overtly drying or accentuating the fine lines. It lasts for around four to five hours at the most. Here is how the last shade looks on my lips (Doesn't look reddish pink at all on the lips)

I have read mixed reviews about it on the net and frankly I am not a big fan of this product. I love Bourjois products and really did not expect to be disappointed with this. However, you can try it at the store before getting it.

Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick Be Bold

News Flash for all makeup addicts: Rimmel London is now available in all Parcos stores across the country YAY!!!!!

For all those “garib” people like me who do not have a credit card and wait for any brand to mercifully shower us with makeup goodies that other countries have been enjoying for years this was great news. So next weekend I rush to the closet Parcos store. Well, I was impressed. While I was expecting a teeny weeny counter with two to three makeup goodies, I actually found a nice counter with loads of stuff including a mind boggling range of mascaras and lipsticks. Since I could not make up my mind about the mascaras I checked quite a few shades of lipsticks and was completely bowled over by their Colour Show Off range of lipsticks. I picked up a shade Be Bold from this range and was quite impressed with it

Texture and Pigmentation

One of the things that has made me apply this lipstick almost three times this week is the amazing pigmentation. I love…love…love it. The texture is satin smooth and it glides effortlessly on my lips. It settles down into a matte finish without being drying or accentuating the fine lines. It is somewhat like the Colorbar Velvet Matte lipsticks but I find the Colorbar ones a little more drying than this. The pigmentation is amazing. One swipe and you have really bold, rich color on your lips. Be bold is a nice reddish pink shade which as it is aptly named is quite a bold shade (So fain hearted girls can give it a miss) However it is not the pigmentation or the color, the best part about the lipstick for a busy mom like me is that it stays all day long even with meals and drinks fading only after five to six hours slightly to leave behind a reddish tint.

Price and Packaging

It is priced at INR415 for 4g of product which is quite okay. The packaging well, a bright garish neon pink with the gold band in between might appeal to some people but frankly I am not impressed. Somehow with the quality you expect better things. Apart from the color the plastic also appeared cheap and flimsy. Thankfully there is no weird smell just a slight fruity smell which is fine and does tend to disappear after some time.

Here are the swatches of this amazing lipstick. I have swatched the lipstick only once on my lips.

What I like

• The texture is very good, a nice, satin matte finish
• The pigmentation is amazing
• The price is fine

What I did not like

• It can be a bit drying especially if you have chapped lips
• The packaging is a big letdown.

Three Affordable Lipsticks: Blue Heaven, Coloressence and Miss Claire

Did you ever wake up at night in cold sweat wondering why you bought so much makeup and emptied all your bank account? Well, these guilty thoughts generally do not assail me but unfortunately my husband does not quite seem to have the same idea. So the budget restrictions are back in place..No No it does not extend to his ten thousand bucks Fossil watch and the extensive wardrobe that my one year old has. It is just restricted to my makeup Hmmmppphhh…So now I am on a lookout for affordable and good quality makeup products. I was recently hunting for some cheap lipsticks and while browsing online I spotted these Blue Heaven and Coloressence products on Flipkart. I immediately ordered lipsticks from both the brands. Also I got a Miss Claire lipstick while getting my favorite Miss Claire eyeshadows from the local beauty store. Read on to check out how these products fared.

Blue Heaven lipstick in Cherry Red

First things first. Do not trust the pictures posted on any online site. On Flipkart the picture is of a pink lipstick packaging with a see through bottom. In real life the lipstick has this gold somewhat cheap lipstick encasing which does not seem good enough to be carried along in a handbag. Of course I was disappointed and to top it off the color of this lipstick is not cherry red but rather a bright blood red. I somewhat dealt with this disappointment and swatched the product. The lipstick is creamy and the texture is smooth. On the lips it glides on smoothly and does not settle into fine lines. The color is rich and vibrant. It’s a nice red to add to your collection. Moreover the price tag of around 56 bucks does not hurt as well (They have increased the price of this lipstick on flipkart)

On the downside its creamy texture means it lasts for not more than three hours. It does leave behind a nice red stain though. Apart from the packaging I find the smell of this lipstick kind of revolting. Its got that horrible medicinal smell which I just detest. If you can bear with the smell and the packaging this is a good product. Moreover for college girls it’s a great budget product (Although I am not sure how many would like that bright red on their lips)

Coloressence Lipstick in Passionate Pink

This lipstick turned out to be the worst lipstick purchase I have ever made. Again the packaging of this product seems different than what is shown on the website. Unlike see though bottom with the color inside I got an all black lipstick tube with coloressence embossed on the cap. The lipstick is supposed to be a bright pink but it has this horrible dry texture that makes swatching it very difficult. It is extremely difficult to apply on lips and just forget about ever applying it on dry chapped lips. It just settles into horrible dry lines and even fades in patches. The smell is fairly bad as well. Definitely not getting any of these again ever even though they are priced at around 125 bucks or so.

Miss Claire Refill Lipstick

I love Miss Claire eyeshadows which are by far one of the best budget eyeshadows in the market. So I had some expectations from these lipsticks. The slim tube looks nice and dainty. It is priced at 150 bucks for around 1 gm of product which seems quite a lot but its ok with me. The color is a dark brown and is a great nude lipstick for my pigmented lips. The texture is good. Although it is not too creamy, it does fare well on dry lips. Moreover it stays on for quite some time as well, approximately four to five hours. The only downside is the obnoxious smell which can just drive you crazy. It has this weird rotting smell that I just hate.

Here are the swatches of the three lipsticks.

From Left: Blue Heaven Cherry Red, Coloressence Passionate Pink, Miss Claire Refill Lipstick

My recommendation: Spend some more bucks and get a good quality lipstick probably a Maybelline or Colorbar.

Why Should you Get Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Raspberry

Revlon Colorburst lipsticks are certainly not new. In fact beauty bloggers have raved about it so much that I am tempted to get each and every shade from this brand. The creamy, smooth texture along with that superb packaging is something that instantly appeals about these lipsticks. I already have Revlon Colorburst lipstick in Crimson which is a gorgeous, reddish brown shade. Recently on one of my weekend shopping sprees I noticed a discount on Revlon lip products and immediately grabbed the opportunity to get one more shade from this range. Raspberry is a truly gorgeous berry red shade that is sure to send a few hearts aflutter. Unlike Crimson it is a bit sheer and you get this lovely lustre finish look with it

The packaging is superb. The quilted packaging with the color ends makes it one of the best looking lipsticks in my collection. Check it oust Does it not make you just drool!!!

The top snaps shuts properly so that it is easy to carry around Revlon Colorburst lipsticks in a bag. The lipstick is creamy and extremely smooth. It applies almost as well as any high end lipstick would. Just fabulous!!! The best part is it does not feel as if you have applied something heavy on your lips. It hides lip pigmentation and although it does look like this scary red in the tube actually it is quite natural on the lips. It also stays on quite well for a good three to four hours leaving behind a slight natural tint once it fades. Check out the swatches…

Here is a FOTD featuring my pretty daughter..resting my cheek against hers is one of the most beautiful feelings for me.

Well, my only grouse with Revlon colorburst lipsticks is obviously the price. Revlon has recently increased the price of these lipsticks for 580 to 600 bucksL. Thankfully I got a twenty percent discount on it. Even with the high price tag I feel the lipsticks are one of the best drugstore lipsticks available in the market. Hopefully I have convinced you to get at least one of these lipsticks. My next pick is Rosy Nude which is understandably sold out in every counter because it is one of the best nudes I have seen

Maybelline Colorama Nail Polish Cintilante: Review

I am sorry for being such a lazy pig and not posting more often. All my energy is lost in sending my wailing two year old to school everyday. Whew!!! Being a mother is tough girls. Anyways once my daughter is gone I now have time to paint my nails (This is impossible if my daughter is there as she insists on having her teeny weeny nails painted as well). As I was "organizing" my stuff I found a long lost Maybelline nail polish lying in the corner and immediately applied it. Maybelline Colorama nail polish in Cintilante is a lovely purple shade. Everyone who has read this blog of knows my obsession for purples and Cintilante is just a beautiful shade that I instantly fell in love with.

I like the sleek packaging of the Maybelline nail polishes. The slender cap along with a nice brush helps in easy application. Despite lying in the corner for I dunno how many months the nail paint is still nice and runny. The only problem I have with Maybelline nail polishes is the consistency. The first coat is a bit sheer and you will definitely need a second coat for the color to appear perfectly. It stays on for around four to five days and there is no chipping. It is priced at INR 85 which is quite good. Here are some swatches.

My recommendation: If you are an obsessive purple fan like me then do get this.

Maxfactor Lipfinity Frivolous 108: Review and Swatches

Have you ever been to a wedding where you are stuck to the bride and have no time for makeup touch ups or in a party where the conversations just seem to go on and on so you just have no time to escape? Well, that is often the case with me and I am now so tired of making stupid excuses after every two to three hours to do makeup touch ups that I just NEEDED a long lasting lip product. Believe me I looked everywhere from my favorite Mac to the drugstore brands like Bourjois, Colorbar and Faces (I like the Colorbar Velvet matte lipsticks but they stain awfully bad). So while browsing certain blog sites for the long lasting lipsticks I came across Rashmi’s review of the Maxfactor Lipfinity lipsticks and decided that I had to get one of these (I have a folder on my computer where I store all the Rashmi’s recommended stuff J).

On my next trip to Westside I got Maxfactor Lipfinity in shade Frivolous. It’s a bright maroon brown red shade one I am sure all the aunties in the world would love. The application is a bit tricky and can be quite a hassle for some. There is a base lipcolor along with a moisturizing top coat. You first have to apply the liquid lipcolor to your lips and keep them apart for a couple of seconds till the base lipcolor dries after which you can use the lip balm like top coat to add glossiness to the lips.

The base liquid lipcolor is quite good and glides on effortlessly even on dry lips. It settles down into a matte dry finish. You cannot use the base lipcolor on its won. A topcoat is needed not only to seal the color but also moisturize the lips else you can end up seeing those fine lines. The shade is bright and especially suited for night outs and parties. The color is extremely pigmented and it does hide my dark lips effectively.

Once I have applied the base lip color, I then use the moisturizing top coat. You need to keep reapplying this after every three to four hours but even for lazy people like me who forget to carry this along every time, the color does not fade though you can feel your lips getting dry. The only problem is the lines and the dryness which are still quite obvious even after applying the topcoat

This is the perfect long lasting lip product. It just stays on and on and on. The color is still there even after eight hours of eating, drinking and running around the mall. In fact I need to use a special lip makeup remover to get it off completely. The other night I made a cardinal mistake of leaving it on overnight (I was so tired of handling a cranky baby) and in the morning it was still there (my MIL pointed it out).

Recommendation: If you are on an hunt for a long lasting product then you can definitely get this..there are loads of other colors in stores.

Haul Post Alert!!!

I had a gala time last weekend. We finally went to Mahabaleshwar for a night stay and it was a first one with my daughter. It was raining a lot there and the weather was cold and damp. Roaming in the small yet crowded market and the smell of the cold mountain air is the just the perfect way to celebrate the weekend. Well, before leaving for Mahabaleshwar I went for some grocery shopping and ended up buying some makeup as well J (How can a girl resist makeup after all). Here is my teeny tiny haul.

L’Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Eyeshadow: All Night Blue

My first L’oreal product…I know it sounds strange for a makeup addict but really before the launch of this range nothing from this brand ever appealed to me. Now after getting this eyeshadow I am lusting for the other shades in this range and not to forget the gorgeous lipsticks. The shade midnight blue from the infallible range is nothing extraordinary, a classic navy blue but with the rave reviews on the net I just had to get one of these and this amazing deep blue looked just fabulous. Moreover the price tag of just 450 bucks is really appealing.

Colorbar Eyeshadow in Potters Clay

I love Colorbar as a brand and despite the recent price hike. The eyeshadows that were originally priced at 250 bucks are now for INR300. They have a lot of new shades of the eyeshadow singles, from violets and pinks to lovely greens and browns. I picked this lovely taupe colored eyeshadow called Potters clay. I have used it just once and I have to say it’s the most gorgeous shade that can be paied with a number of colors and can even be used as a highlighter for dusky beauties. Swatches coming soon girls J.

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick Peach Crush

Anamika from Wiseshe actually made this recommendation and the moment I saw it at the counter I picked it up even without swatching. Well, Ana recommends something then it has to be good. I have to say I love the shade to the core. A lovely dark coral pink that looks amazing thanks to the slight orange undertones.

Lakme Fast and Fabulous Nail color Storm Green

I love it…its so fun and naughty. The moment I spotted this at the counter I knew this was going in my kitty.

Hope you liked my haul…Reviews and swatches coming soon

Why Am I in Love with Mac Captive

I am a true Macoholic (a term used to describe crazy Mac fans). I am crazy about their eyeshadows and blushes but what attracts me almost every week to the Mac counter is their amazing collection of lipsticks. I don’t review them much because I simply don’t know what to write about them. They are simply the best. The texture, the amazing colors and the range is simply fantastic. One lippi which is a favorite forever is the Mac Captive. Mac describes this lipstick as “pinkish plum” which I must say is a very good description of this lovely berry colored lipstick. The satin finish by Mac is one of my favorites because it means you get excellent pigmentation and longer lasting color on your lips.

Mac Captive is definitely a bright shade and one which is best suited for the fall and winters. It looks really bright on fairer people however, on my dark pigmented lips, this shade appears as a light pinkish plum with the pink being more dominant which I believe is really a good thing as most dark berry colored lipsticks can make you look quite old. It is my favorite lipstick that I can pair easily with bright eye makeup as well as with neutral looks. It brightens up the face and makes you look quite fresh. Here are the swatches and FOTD with Mac Captive.

The pigmentation is amazing. One swipe gives you bright vibrant color. There is no dryness or flaking on my lips. The lipstick is creamy and glides effortlessly on the lips. The color stays for around four to five hours on my lips and it leaves behind a natural pink tint on the lips which I completely adore. In short this is one of the must have Mac berry lipsticks in your collection. Do check it out in store. I am sure you will fall head over heels in love with this lovely lipstick

Blue Heaven Xpression Nail Lustre 972

I am in Cuttack at my parent’s house and I have to tell you this place is just burning hot. Most of the day, I am sweating like a pig even when sitting under a fan. Not to forget the horrible power cuts that happen any time of day. Well, enough of my complaining. I recently got myself a nail polish from Blue Heaven because I had forgotten to carry any nail paints on the trip. For people who don’t know much about it, Blue Heaven is a local brand that produces cosmetics at really affordable prices. Most small towns and even shops in villages seem to have nail polishes, lipsticks and liners of this brand. Cosmetics available in small cities and towns is very limited, mostly Lakme and Revlon. I don’t think people have even heard of Maybelline, forget about Mac or Chanel. Anyways I asked the shopkeeper to show me nail paints and he opened three boxes which all had shades of pink and red nail paints. I asked him if he any colored nail polishes and he looked at me dumfounded and said “Itne saare colors hai  na”. Well, no comments but among that medley of red and pink nail paints I found a silver nail polish and picked it up. Now I don’t really like silver nail paints but I think it is a good base for crackle nail paints and nail art.

The nail polish is a silvery and very shimmery. The shimmer is not gritty and it applies smoothly on the nails, thanks to the pretty good brush. I have to say I am very impressed with the staying power of this nail polish. It has been four days since I applied it and it has not chipped or faded. It is priced at INR 30 which is pretty good. Here are the swatches…please forgive the really sad nail art..I am no expert at these things.

My recommendation: You can get it if you find nothing else J