Makeup Discourse

My mind of times wanders to a state, where I am startled. I was planning out my schedule on how much time I should spend on blogs and etc. I often get swayed with the extremity of the behaviour, or of laze. So when I was busy organizing my life, I outlined how much of my time I should invest on the blog/s and watching Wayne Goss, Lisa Eldridge & Sineady Cady.

I am intrigued at how ideas come to me, I have a plan for month but then I get diverted to something ‘in vogue’. But I have to admit, I look for ideas in current Magazines. I keep a journal of what all I’m applying (skincare) the following week, beforehand. And I keep a track of how my skin reacts to everything and anything.
When I recurred to blogging, I had decided not to review Skincare. When I was reading Skincare product reviews before trying anything, nothing much was helping. But then, I wouldn’t mind if the product is exceptionally fine. Hence, I decided to put up pages from my Skin Journal.
Here are few things I would like to put forth on how I program updating the blog.

I plan and schedule
I am a firm believer in planning and organizing, I don’t just jump into things that deserves my time and attention. Hence I plan for the week or month before hand. I’ve decided not to rush for things that are in for long haul. You know what I mean here, I’m a snail.

Unused or Disliked Products
This happens most of the times, I buy something new and then I forget it. It just stays there unopened and brand new waiting to catch my attention. But then it disheartens me to throw away or discard something I’ve bought with much hope. So I have planned a limit of buying stuff, to control the wastage. For instance, I won’t exceed 2-3 opened mascaras on my vanity.
So that I do justice to what I spend for and keep check on how much I spend too. Keeping a track of stuff and their expiry or discard dates, I certainly like hand written documentations.
My real challenge and devotion lies in making a certain product/shade work.

Makeup & Makeup Looks
These come out of the blue for me. In the year 2013-2014, I made two folders in my laptop FOTDs & Makeup 2014 clicking all the little bits of makeup variations I tried during the ‘learning’ process. I did makeup back then everyday because I was learning and being practical at the same time. This is the only unforeseen element of the blog, sometimes.

How do I proceed
When I went back to the old posts and drafts, I found most of them were really fillers for the quality I was looking. So I got rid of them all and decided to keep only those fit the bill.
47 blog posts. 3 years. So I decided to blog twice a week, and more if I need frequent breaks from reading/studying. Makeup and Blogging have been my resort from everything else in my life that if not would be living under a rock. Not many know the relationship I have with makeup.

Blog postings
I draft them first using the pointers I jot down before sleeping sometimes memos in the phone works too. And moreover, T and I discuss a lot about how things work for her and for me. We exchange samples, we recently exchanged Makeup primers and Biotique lotions. (MAC sample jars come real handy)
I draft them in Word files and rewrite them before posting, twice. I find most of the times; I tend to write too many things at once. I make sure I keep my posts compact, and to the point. This has been so far a real challenge for me. I want to add as much information I could and have experience with certain Makeup product.
I decided to put all these plans into one post since I do not like to deviate from the origin of the post/review. I think in the coming months, I am going to trying laying ahead everything I’ve learn so far, and still in the process.

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. *.*

I singled out the Felt Tip Eyeliners over Gel ones, obviously the cult fancy, Maybelline Drama Gel Eyeliner.
I liked it too... at some indefinite point of life. Maybe, I am the only one who did not repurchase. I still have the swirl one, used once or twice but that isn't half good as the Black one.

First few months
Me to Myself: I think I found the Best Gel Eyeliner (even though it's the first you've used)

Few Months Later
No, this is not what I like I want Bourjois Felt tip Eyeliners, all of them.

I bought the Bourjois Mega Liner, from Asos. It was not launched in India, I'm not sure if it is.
And I wanted to try, Maybelline Colossal Liner which is on the brink of running out, I used it so much. ( All this official declaration of turning 90% Cruelty Free)
I have given and discared most of the stuff already, Oh the horrid 'Makeup Academy Uk' products, I'm talking about. The Bourjois Mega Liner is still pitch black with no sign of running out, believe me even though It was the only eyeliner I've used since October 2014.

I planned on Physicians Formula and NYX Eyeliners, but I would've to wait till June for that!
And then I came across this when I was browsing through the website figuring out what I would need to try!

Lotus Colorkick Curved Eyeliner	http://www.lotusherbals.com

Definitely a microfiche of the NYX 'The Curve', an award winner for $15 approx. 975 INR!
Lotus Colorkick Curved Eyeliner is definitely reasonable for 725 INR. (Oh! My mind calculated the Tax+shipping/handling)
I am hoping it is decent enough for me to commit to it. I am not expecting a lot. Honestly!

And the 9 Added shades to their Ecostay Lip Colors

~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Maroon Mash
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Coral Candy
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Spicy Red
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Coral Crave
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Me 'N' Mauve
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Persian Pink
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Orange Dream
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in My Melon
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Magneta Magic



My Picks would be
~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Coral Candy

~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Coral Crave

~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Persian Pink

~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in Orange Dream

~Lotus Herbals Ecostay Lip Color in My Melon

I am heading to the Lotus Herbals counters today and trying out the shades, get hold of the eyeliner and a lipstick from newly launched shades.



AND A Shout out to Saravana, Please fix my Page Elements :)