Makeup Discourse

I sanitize and clean my hands a lot. I get a sloppy feeling when I can’t clean/wash my hands. I wash them quite often and sanitize when outdoors.
I have dry hands, extreme in winters and if comes in contact with detergent/harsh soap all I am left with is chapped hands. (Allergic to harsh soaps/detergents)
I am listing down my favorites and not-so favorite hand creams.


The Body Shop Festive Hand Cream Trio (Cruelty-Free)
This was gifted by my Brother- in-law, I think a December 2013 edition . The Trio includes Cranberry Joy, Vanilla Bliss and Ginger Sparkle. I liked the idea of fragrance combination: Fruity, Woody and Spicy. I am floral lover, fruity-floral at the most.
These leave an oily residue, which I dislike but these make hands baby soft overnight. But the moisturization is not good enough for my extreme dry hands. I dislike using these during day time as well.

Aquasoft
This one’s for chapped hands due to soap/detergent recommended by T. My sensitive skin reacts with harsh soaps/detergents. This has been so far a sigh of relief from chapped hands. No oily residue, it absorbs and leaves a soft veil, which disappears after sometime.
This is I guess the cheapest of the lot. I have noticed my nails grow faster when I use this cream.
I can't recall the price, I discarded the outer carton.

Neutrogena Hand cream for INR 300
If you want to use hand cream and not feel like you have applied any. (You get what I’m saying)
I would call this an invisible hand cream; it provides instant relief. I adore this I am while reading; it does not stain my books and pages. This fairly works for my chapped hands too.
I suffer from palmar hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms), so if I use this outdoors it melts off with palm sweat. To keep it intact, I have to rub it in my palms. (Imagine rubbing back your sweat back on your skin. Eeeks!)



Etude Mini Pet Hand cream for $5.50 each
This is light hydration and results in instant soft hands. It does absorb quickly and does not leave a residue. I absolutely love the instant soft hands; I sometimes layer this with The body shop’s hand cream at night. My palms sweat a lot when I wear this outdoors, especially in warmer months.
I need to hydrate my hands after I sanitize or else, the skin feels extremely dry. I sometimes apply this to my elbows and knees, they turn incredibly soft.
I spotted same Sharpeners online on some Korean stationery site.

So If I had to narrow down to one, I am happy with Aquasoft but I am still looking out for a hand cream which does not leave an oily residue, break my palms into sweat and work for my chapped fingers.

I'm mentioning the Cruelty-Free brands till I post a consolidated list Post of C-F Brands with citations/ref list.

There is this thing about spring; everything is bright bathed in a golden hue. I dislike winter, I find a disparate solace in spring when there is a still winter’s chill in the air bracing the warmth of the spring.
A Transition...


What inspired my eye makeup?

Pastel Wash of Colour
Robustness of a Brown eye shadow
and the periphery of the Black wing eyeliner

I wore this look in the late afternoon when I went to the Lotus counter, and I paired this with a Coral Pink polished lips. The eye shadow and the lipstick complement each other and are somewhat similar. At first I assumed, it would look absurd, but it did not. I used 4 eyeshadows: Ribbon, Pamper, The Mail and Boxed from Sleek Oh so Special.


Here is how I did my Pastel Coral Pink eye makeup:

~ Created a base using NYX eye shadow base in white 
~ Applied and blended Pamper all over the lid for Ribbon as a base lid colour
~Packed Ribbon on the eye lid, use it wet if you find it difficult to apply.
~Blended Boxed into 3/4th of crease from the outer corner of the eye, you can create a ‘V’ if you like
~I blended it well, almost because I wanted the robustness of brown to peek through the colour & application technique.
~I blended the edge of Boxed with a mixture of The Mail and Pamper.
~ Finally I added Bow under the eyebrow.
~ Winged it out keeping the edges sharp as I intended.

Products used to create Pastel Coral Pink Eye makeup

I kept the Base for makeup, extremely light. A pump of MAC Match Master set with MAC Mineralize Natural Skin Finish. I added a soft Rose Pink Blush by NYX in Peach, skipped Bronzer & highlighter.
For the Lips, I applied Rimmel London Kate Moss Spring Collection #16, a soft Pink with a hint of coral topped with a clear gloss. This Pink Lipstick brings out the yellow in my skin which I like, I fancy the illusion.

inanely raised my brows for the Transition to be visible

Coming to Transition, I wanted to create a transition of colours and undertones on the eyes.
A Neutral Coral Pink Pastel ~ Warm Matte Brown ~ A mixture of Pamper and The Mail, both Cool and Neutral Undertone and A Cool White with a hint of Pink under the eyebrow.
All this and a wearable Day time Look, I have two more ideas I fancy to put into action.

Friedrich Nietzsche said, “There are no facts, only interpretations.”
And I conclude, Makeup is an interpretation likewise. =)


P.S. I discovered a great tip to neutralize/cover the dark or pigmented eyelids without concealer or foundation. I have pigmentation on my eyelids, certainly not easy to make eye shadows work.

Schwan! (learn about it later in the post)


I went to the nearest Lotus Herbals counter and was disappointed not to find the Colorkick Curved Eyeliner. But I really wanted to kowtow the 'Cruelty-Free' conclusion here. I wanted to start adding C-F products to my vanity.
And Lotus Lipsticks ascended the list, so I wanted to find an orange lip colour for summer and something coral-ish pink and I wanted to narrow one down from the newly launched shades. I got Lotus Whiteglow Gel Creme- 20g free for purchasing above 1000inr.

I was disappointed!
T and I visited the Beauty Centre which is few blocks away from the Uni, and I found it there and oh-the-discount!
T picked up the Colorkick eyeliner which she will be reviewing soon ;)

It is pretty hot and sunny, like in summer already. I was in need of a sunblock for Body and a mattifying something too. Vichy isn't mattifying at all and I need something C-F. I tested this on the back of my hand at the counter yesterday and I was taken by the mattified finish.

~Biotique Bio Vera 75+ SPF Suncreen (for 180 inr, 148 with discount)
The smell is strong, the lotion makes the skin soft but the fragrance is overwhelming. Though it fades after application. (completely disappeared by now, after 2 hours.)

~Lotus UV Screen Mattegel PA+++ SPF 50 (for 395inr, 297 with discount)
I wish it provided cooling effect on skin. It made my normal/combination skin stretchy!, I think I will have to layer this onto Vichy. Hopefully this will make a decent primer too.

Tangerine, Carnation & Coral Candy

I picked up the Coral Candy 434 from the Lotus Eco-Stay range; Carnation & Tangerine from Pure Colors range.

~Lotus Eco-stay Coral Candy (for 545inr)
A Coral undertone Pink? OR Blue based pink color with a hint of coral? I cannot elucidate the colour.
But its bright and summer appropriate.

~Lotus Pure Colors  Tangerine & Carnation (for 275inr each)
I applied Carnation today to test the staying power. I applied it in the morning and it was too warm for my neutral complexion, more like orange brown with hint of pink.
I blotted it several times to make it suitable for day & the place I visited. I applied Neutrogena Lip moisturizer thrice from 10-3, and it stayed on for 4 hours and then slowly faded. I had a hint of the lipstick when I came back. I like that it does not leave the tint behind, not it does look patchy while fading. I'm impressed.

Coral Candy, Tangerine & Pink Carnation

~Lotus Colorkick Curved Liquid Eyeliner (for 725inr, 617inr with discount
I did not expect this, I would avert jumping onto conclusions. You will see, won't you?
I tested the Eyeliner on the inner palm. I'm wondering about its staying part, I cannot wait to wear it tomorrow, out in sun and humidity. What I really want to see is, if it transfers to crease in humid climate, which is what happens with me most of the times.


It is definitely smudge free, once it dries. It take its own good time to dry, nor too slow nor too quick.
The tap test: It did not bleed under force of water, but it did smudge when I wiped it off.
This is priced for 725inr, I got this for 617inr, almost 100inr off from Beauty Centre, Crawford.


Lakme Eyeconic, Ikonic Eyeliner & Lotus Colorkick have one thing in common, the manufacturing company: Schwan-STABILO Cosmetics GmbH & Co.KG, a Germany based manufacturer.
I have liked Eyeconic, not on the water line. It stings my eyes in summer, probably the heat. But then I do not like my waterline lined.
I'm testing the Lotus Colorkick Curved Liquid Eyeliner tomorrow. I'm enthused. *.*