Mac Hot Tahiti Lipstick

Two of my favorite beauty bloggers Rashmi from Indyabeauty and Samyukta from I Simply Love Makeup have made me crazy about red lipsticks. A few months back I would have never thought of buying a red lipstick but inspired by Rashmi’s Red lips week and Samyukta’s amazing red lipstick collection, I decided I just have to get myself a red lipstick.

Of course I knew Mac would have my perfect red since it has such amazing reds in its permanent collection including classics like Russian Red, Ruby Woo and Chili. So I started my search. The first time I swatched Russian Red I almost yelped (Richard the MUA at the store and my long suffering husband gave me very weird looks). It was so bright and “red”. I shook my head and swatched Ruby Woo (No..too drying) then Mac Chilli (Is it red???) and then probably every lipstick in the Mac store (including the pinks, purples, browns and every color) till not only mine but even Richard’s hands were full of lipstick swatches :P Finally Richard (tired as he looked) swatched Mac Glaze lipstick Hot Tahiti (Don’t you just love the name) on my hands and there and then I fell in love. Now I have never been a fan of Glaze or even Lustre finish but Hot Tahiti mamma mia is just smoking hot!!!

Mac describes this color as Soft Reddish Coral and although it looks dark in the tube, it is actually quite soft and pretty. The color on me is a pinkish, plum red (I just do not have a better way of describing the color) It looks different on different people. On me it looks more of a raspberry red while on my sister it looks like a pink brown. I really have never seen a color like this and can think of no dupes for this color at all. It just looks good on everyone universally. Like other Glaze lipsticks Hot Tahiti has shimmer and is sheer but you can build on the color for more opaque coverage. I have extremely pigmented lips and it completely covers all pigmentation and gives a beautiful glossy look. The formula unlike other Glaze lipsticks is creamy and is not at all drying.

One swipe

Several Swipes

The only drawback I could think of is that it lasts for around two to three hours so you need to keep reapplying it. Also it comes with a hefty Mac price tag. I don’t care however I love…love..love this lipstick. I use it all the time nowadays during morning or evening. It just looks great. If you too are scared of bold red lipsticks then try starting out with this one. You will love just love the moist naturally flushed red lips. FOTDs coming up later..I look just too scary these days after the illness :)

Happy Shivaratri

Happy Shivaratri to everyone. Celebrated on the fourteenth night of new moon, Shivaratri is a very important day for me as I am devout follower of Lord Shiva and observe the fast religiously for a day and half. 

Haul Post!!! A little Mac, Faces and Revlon

I have been really, really ill these past few days. I had an eye infection, had low BP, my doctor declared I was sleep deprived and I nearly fainted in my kitchenL. I know how it sounds but I am actually looking at the bright side of things here. Since I was ill and all, my sweetest, dearest hubby decided I could shop for makeup J Yay..Yay..Yay. So I went ahead and got all these goodies for myself. I wanted to pick a lot more (I know I am being greedy but what the f@** we need to jump at these chances) but was really too weak to stand at the counters. So this is my small little haul.

Mac Lipstick: Any guesses???

Faces was running the sale. So got the blush at a flat 50% off and the cute nailpolish set at a 25% discount :)

I also got a Revlon Colorburst lipstick in shade Crimson. I got a Streetwear nail polish free with it

Btw my Valentine’s day was really nice..my hubby n me went to Dorabjee and had Drums of Heaven (chicken drumsticks) there. It is where we met for the first time and that is what we had back then. He also got me three huge cards and a red rose…soooooo sweet.

Vov Eyeshadow Pallete 98 in 1

There are a lot of things which I just pick up on a whim. Well, being an impulsive buyer does that to you. If you are in Pune then you must have heard of a shop called Much More. Its actually not a branded store but the shoes, bags and other items are quite good and I shop a lot from them. When roaming around the shop, I spotted a huge eyeshadow palette. Now my lack of credit card means I cannot shop for those lovely palettes available abroad. So I just picked this up without swatching or even giving it a second glance.

Price: I am guessing it was for INR 550. I do not remember although I did see it on FashionandYou for around INR 750 recently.

Packaging: I am a sucker for cute or classy packaging and to tell you the truth I just loved the packaging so much that I picked this up. The white case with the small bubble clear tops is just adorable. The palette itself is huge with 98 eyeshadows and four “chotu” applicators and a small mirror. The colors in it are just mind blowing. From different shades of blues, greens, pinks and a whole lot of neutral colors, this eyeshadow palette has it all. It even has a blood red eyeshadow :P

Pigmentation and Texture: The texture is smooth and very soft. All the eyeshadows have golden shimmer which by the way is not very apparent when used on the lids. I use my groundwork paint pot as a base so the eyeshadows do stay on for a reasonable five to six hours which is pretty good considering what I paid for it.

The pigmentation varies. While some colors are just amazingly well pigmented others just do not show up and are very, very chalky. Here are some random swatches of the eyeshadows.

What Do I Not Like

• Well, some eyeshadows are a real pain to use
• It is not a problem actually but I just cannot use these huge pallets. I prefer small quads
• NO matte eyeshadows L
• Not easily available. I guess some local beauty shops might stock this. 

I cannot really advise you to get this palette but if you are just starting off and want to play with a lot of colors without emptying your bank account then this is a good bet. 

Mac Glitter and Ice comes to Pune!!!!

The Mac glitter and Ice holiday collection is in stores right now. This is a huge collection featuring a lot of stuff including some beautiful mineralize eyeshadows, paint pots and some beautiful Dazzeglass ( Me lusting for Love Alert). Along with this is the amazing ice parade collection which has eyeshadow palletes, bags, kits and other exclusives. I love the ice parade collection. The pretty snowglobe eyeshadows with the glittery globe on top and the lips and eye bags are a treat for makeup lovers or should I say "Macup" lovers. The kits and bags along with other items are in store in Pune..So rush all you makeup lovers :)

Nyx Round Lipstick Spellbound: Swatches and FOTD

Nyx round lipsticks are one of my favorites. They have a great texture, are extremely pigmented and have a range of amazing shades. The best part for me is that it is extremely affordable as well. I have already reviewed one of my favorite Nyx lipsticks, Fire. Spellbound is a beautiful hot pink lipstick. Of course as with other bright lipsticks you do need oodles of confidence to sport this shade but I totally in love with it. Since I have already reviewed the Nyx round lipstick in my last post I will not be repeating myself. Check out the shade and tell me if you liked it :P

I love that cute packaging and the it is a relief to be able to locate the shade color.

Here is a FOTD and a pic with my daughter.

Nyx Round Lipstick Fire: Review, Swatches and LOTD

A year before I started writing this blog all the lipsticks I had in my kitty were shades of brown. Till about recently I never had the guts to buy a pink lipstick, forget about putting it on me. I never understood the fascination for pink lipsticks. However since the day I became a crazy makeup fanatic and started exploring blogs by some amazing people like Rashmi, Samyukta, Anamika and Cynthia, I have started buying more colorful lip sticks. Of course I will never be adventurous enough to buy a black or dark purple lipstick but this is a start at least. I love Nyx round lipsticks. They are soft , creamy, extremely moisturizing and have excellent colors at a reasonable price. In short they are a boon for people like me who want to experiment with colors but are unwilling to dish out a fortune a lipstick that they will never use.

Nyx lipstick in Fire is a beautiful deep pink red shade. The shade just instantly brightens your face and adds a touch of drama which I love. I have been hunting for this shade since I saw Mac Fusion Pink which is again a gorgeous red pink but one which I was unable to buy (It’s a LE pro lipstick). The best part is that it is completely opaque and thus great for my pigmented lips. I love it on my lips and am sure this is going to be my new party lipstick J

                    

Ok, now this lipstick is not a Mac lipstick and should not be compared to one. Yes, it is creamy, soft and glides on like a dream on my chapped lips but then it has a few cons as well. Firstly it transfers and transfers to just about everything around you. Moreover it has a negligible staying power of just around two hours. However I don’t really mind that the texture and pigmentation is extremely good and what more can you expect for around three hundred bucks. Thankfully it does not smell extremely weird. It just a slight waxy smell which is ok.

One swipe on extremely pigmented lips

You can buy it from Cherry Culture or just order it from Stylecraze which incidentally is running a 25% off sale on Nyx products and this lippi is on the list as well.

Colorbar Lip Pot 008 Bitten Berry Swatches and Review

Ever since I laid my eyes on the beautiful Colorbar lip pots and the gorgeous shades available, I have been restless to get my hands on one. Unfortunately if you are in Pune you will know how badly stocked most Colorbar counters in Pune are. Thankfully I found a Colorbar store in a new mall in Pune and instantly grabbed the lip pot in the shade Bitten Berry. It is a beautiful berry red shade which does not look over the top in any way.

What Colorbar Claims

Pamper your lips with this deliciously syrupy lip color, cushiony and wet; it optically plumps your lips for a sexy plushy pout you’ll become addicted to! Surprisingly comfortable and emollient, it soothes your smile all day long. You’ve never felt color like this before, supremely sumptuous color for full, shapely lips that always look lush, plush and gorgeous.

Price: The lip pots are priced at INR 495 for around 6gm of product. The packaging is super cute. I love the little round dibbi with the silver cap. Unfortunately there is no applicator provided so you will have to use a lip brush or use your fingers to dab on the lipstick.

Texture and Pigmentation: The texture is smooth and buttery. I use a lip brush to apply the lipstick and it glides on like a dream. Moreover the pigmentation is amazing and one swipe gives beautiful color and almost opaque coverage. The finish is glossy and beautiful. The color does not transfer or bleed and settles down well. The lipstick or lip gloss whatever it is meant to be is fairly moisturizing and is great for my chapped lips.

The color is beautiful. The berry shade is perfect for winters and you can easily wear this shade during the day as well as night as well. I love it.. love it.. love it. The best part is it stays for around five to six hours. Even after fading it leaves a beautiful tint on the lips. 

What Do I Not Like

• You have to buy a separate lip brush
• It unfortunately has a slightly weird smell like other Colorbar lip products
• A little pricey compared to other lipsticks
• Some lighter shades like Coral Crush are not that pigmented.

I love these lip pots and would get all of them given a chance. The quality and pigmentation of these lip pots is great. Do get one at least. I am planning to try other shades like Cherry Pop and Toffee Tango J

Some Budget Buys: Elf, Meylon, Faces etc.

Recently I went to Clover Center in Camp, Pune which is a great place with lots of boutiques that have some amazing clothes, shoes, bags and of course makeup. The basement is filled with small tailoring shops and boutiques. It also has a beauty center which has a number of products which include daily essentials to all your makeup products. Moreover it also has small counters of your favorite drugstore brands like Revlon, Bourjois, Maxfactor and Faces among others. It also has Body shop products, OPI nailpolishes, Elf products and some cheap brands of cosmetics as well. Needless to stay I went berserk roaming around the place till I finally picked up an Elf blending brush and a Faces Eyeshadow brush from there.

Here are the pics:

Elf Blending Brush (Price: INR 149)

Well, it is quite nice considering the price tag. I know it is not comparable to a Mac brush but then it is quite good for eye makeup starters like me. The bristles are denly packed and a bit scratchy. A close dupe and probably a much better one would be Vega PB15 professional eyeshadow brush.

Faces Eyeshadow Brush (Price: INR 99)

This one is surprisingly quite good. The brush is densely packed and the bristles are soft. It also picks up the eyeshadow quite well. Moreover the shape makes it easier to pat on and blend eyeshadow.

I also got an eyeshadow and a cracking nail polish from, Bette, a shoe and bag shop in Clover Center

Meylon Eyeshadow (Price: INR 130)

This is so pretty and resembles those baked mineral eyeshadows out there. The color is a sparkly purple and the texture of this eyeshadow is a nice satiny smooth. I don’t know where you can find it but I guess most beauty centers have this and sometimes Fashion and You has a sale on Meylon products. I also saw it on a online deals site but the price was exorbitant.

Miss Claire Crackle Nail Polish (Price: INR 225)

I spotted a crackle nail polish on the counter and immediately grabbed one even though I don’t do any nail art but this seemed easy. There are many colors available and the price is great as well.

Mac Groundwork Paint Pot: My Lifesaver!!!

I recently realized that I have been blogging for a month and have not put up any post about my favorite Mac products. Mac is my first makeup love and given a chance I would rather pick a Mac than anything else. Unfortunately in Pune you have to be content with a small Mac counter but then it is better than nothing. Well, the Groundwork paint pot may not be the most exciting Mac product out there but it is certainly one of my favorites. In fact it is a lifesaver for someone like me with oily, dark pigmented lids.

Groundwork paint pot is a cream eyeshadow which is more often used as an eyeshadow base to prevent creasing. As most of you know Mac has a huge collection of paint pots including neutral shades like Painterly, Soft Ochre or Bare Study to colored paint pots like Rubensque and Constructivist. Among these Painterly is widely popularly particularly because it has a pink undertone which suits fairer skin tones. Unfortunately for me Painterly just does not work at all. It looks ashy and all weird on me. So I chose to go for Groundwork which is a neutral taupe shade that is perfect for people with medium to dark skin.

Price: INR1050. I know it sounds exorbitant especially if you are using it as an eyeshadow base but trust me this product is worth it. Moreover it lasts really, really long. You can check the dent I have made even after six months of using this product.

Texture and Pigmentation: The texture is smooth and creamy. I use a concealer brush to apply it on my lids and it blends well. You can also use your fingers but I just find that extremely yucky. The only thing that you need to keep in mind is that you need to blend super fast as it tends settle and dry after application.

On my lids the color blends in for a neutral look. However people with fairer skin tones can use it as an eyeshadow as well or try pairing it with dark purple. As an eyeshadow base it is perfect. No creasing, no fallouts and most of my less pigmented eyeshadows tend to look much better with this as a base. The eyeshadow lasts the entire day with this base and I love it.

Swatch of Groundwork

Left: Without base Right: with Groundwork paint pot as base

What Do I Not Like

• The price hurts but then for such a quality product I am willing to spend the bucks
• Blending it can be a pain if you let it set in
• You have to use your fingers to take out the product but I use my concealer brush for it. You can also use a lip brush to apply the color. 

If you are looking for a good eyeshadow base and have dark lids or medium to dark skin tone then you should definitely give it a shot. As for me I just don’t know if I will ever be able to finish it. However it is actually my favoritest Mac purchase till date and I am completely in love with it.

Happy New Year

The last year was momentous in my life. I started a blog, raised a baby and learnt a few lessons in patience..I know it does not sound like a lot but for me these things are some of the most important in my life. Hope this new year I write better posts, do a few EOTDs :P and remain passionate about makeup forever..Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. Thanx to all the people who have loved and followed my blog.