I am so glad I did not purchase 6-8 months supply of Bath and Body works from the US. Just few days before placing my order, after shortlisting my preferences; the news broke.
What did I use before?
I keep Lotus Herbals Licorice Bars, always stocked. I love the fragrance; mystically woody and induces a warm fuzziness in the bath.
Aroma Magic Shower Gel, The Body Shop Vitamin E bars and Dove Cucumber and Green Tea Body wash for summers.
The summer of 2015 had to face a wind of change, I decided never to return back to Dove Cucumber and Green Tea Body wash. The simple reason: Unilever is testing on animals as and whenever required by law. (sic). I was contemplating to purchase The Nature's Co Spearmint Body Wash, but then I had not used them before. So I comfortably chose The Body Shop over The Nature's Co. But then I am going to purchase it now after I am done with The Body Shop Shower Gel.
The Body Shop is Cruelty-Free even when the Parent company, L'Oréal continues to tests on animals. With all the thoughts running amok in varied directions and with opinions, I decided to take a standpoint for myself whether to support or boycott The Body Shop.
With the meagerness of Cruelty-Free Cosmetics in India, I decided to prioritise with respect to their parent companies.
For instance: A is Cruelty-Free but with a non-cruelty free parent company while B is Cruelty-Free and Independent. I will always choose B over A. A will always have the last priority will be singled out only if I find no replacements.
Here is what they replied to me about my letter to them.
Dear Pranali
Greetings from The Body Shop India.
Thank you for taking out time for us. As requested, please find below a statement on our Cruelty-Free stance:
Here at The Body Shop we've always been passionately against animal testing. It means that none of our products has been tested on animals. All The Body Shop® products are certified by Cruelty Free International as meeting their Humane Cosmetics Standard. We comply with the very strict requirements of the Humane Cosmetics Standard. This standard is set by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) and is regarded as the highest standard for animal welfare in the cosmetics industry. Today, under the name of Cruelty Free International, they audit us regularly to ensure we comply. We also audit ourselves. Every two years we check our policies and compliances to ensure we're adhering to the latest animal-welfare guidelines.
So there are other Cruelty-Free brands I am waiting to get back from. The list of all with their respective replies will be added to the list. If you love The Body Shop, you can read this write to them. Even though it mentions for Europe, a little change in the world could actually prove beneficial overall.
With the meagerness of Cruelty-Free Cosmetics in India, I decided to prioritise with respect to their parent companies.
For instance: A is Cruelty-Free but with a non-cruelty free parent company while B is Cruelty-Free and Independent. I will always choose B over A. A will always have the last priority will be singled out only if I find no replacements.
Here is what they replied to me about my letter to them.
Dear Pranali
Greetings from The Body Shop India.
Thank you for taking out time for us. As requested, please find below a statement on our Cruelty-Free stance:
Here at The Body Shop we've always been passionately against animal testing. It means that none of our products has been tested on animals. All The Body Shop® products are certified by Cruelty Free International as meeting their Humane Cosmetics Standard. We comply with the very strict requirements of the Humane Cosmetics Standard. This standard is set by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) and is regarded as the highest standard for animal welfare in the cosmetics industry. Today, under the name of Cruelty Free International, they audit us regularly to ensure we comply. We also audit ourselves. Every two years we check our policies and compliances to ensure we're adhering to the latest animal-welfare guidelines.
So there are other Cruelty-Free brands I am waiting to get back from. The list of all with their respective replies will be added to the list. If you love The Body Shop, you can read this write to them. Even though it mentions for Europe, a little change in the world could actually prove beneficial overall.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Bourjois Mega Liner in 02 Ultra Black Review: Swatches, EOTD, FOTD & Availability in India.
In
Makeup
I disdain the very fact that even though how much I love this one, I won’t be repurchasing this.
Because:
1) Bourjois moved out.
2) I paid ‘fat’ customs duty! I paid £5.64 for products worth £15.99 for Bourjois Mattifying Primer & Mega Eyeliner. [The only reason I’ve stopped shopping from International e-commerce websites.]
You can buy the Bourjois Mega Liner in the shade 01 here and here. [No affiliates]
I am truly savouring this for exclusive days only because it is like no other. It is ultra black and has a glossy finish. The jet black brings out the brown in my eyes. For the days, I want to emphasise my eye colour with certain coloured attires. For instance: Black or Cream white.
Peculiar about the packaging:
The Pen is slightly heavier, maybe because of the packaging. The felt tip has an angled edge which makes drawing a flick or wing easier.
Price: £7.49 I got this for £5.00
Quantity: 0.8ml
Is Bourjois Cruelty-Free? No
The Impression of Bourjois Mega Liner in Ultra Black.
The Formula has a slight semblance to a Liquid liner, the formula is watery but intense black. The angled edge creates easy flicks and wings. You can certainly flip the angled edge to get a thick, intense line.
The Finish is glossy enough for the intensity of the black to peek through. It does go opaque in a single stroke.
Bourjois Mega Liner in Ultra Black is not waterproof but water resistant. It does withstand the humid weather of Mumbai but fails to be smudge-free after coming in contact with water/sweat. [Definitely No-No for monsoon, hence I have this one tucked away.] But if compare with other drugstore brands, Bourjois Mega Liner outlasts them in terms of longevity.
The Unavailability of the shade in India and a fancy Price Tag are absolute drawbacks of Bourjois Mega Liner.
Why I love Bourjois Mega Liner in Ultra Black?
♥~ Intense Black Eyeliner, also the pigmentation is exceptional.
♥~ Staying power varies from 7-8 hours with primer underneath.
♥~ A glossy finish, when layered brightens the eyes.
♥~ The angled nib eases the application.
Why I loathe Bourjois Mega Liner in Ultra Black?
❥~ Feathers, just like every other eyeliner out there. The pigment does seep into the fine creases/lines on my eyelids. My skin overall is thin and is 5x thinner around the eye.
The feathering of eyeliner on application decreases as the formula dries over the time.
[The picture is old, from second week December 2014, I did a makeup look using my favourites for 'Favourite Makeup 2014/2015' which I never posted, IDKW.]
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this over the other drugstore brand eyeliners. Bourjois Mega Liner in Ultra Black is intense black with a glossy finish. It does stay up to 7-8 hours withstanding the humid weather. And to add, the slanted edge is precisely for a sharp flick, for the drama.
And I'd give you a few more reasons to pick this up if you can, in my next post. ;-)
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Green with Envy: Golden Olive Eyes & Muted Coral-Orange Lips Makeup Tutorial
In
Makeup Looks
I am enamoured of Gold Eyeshadows, I cannot get over them. I am planning to customise a palette from Inglot for I am love-struck. *.*
I have this Moss Green in Sleek Acid Palette, which if worn alone looks magnificent. But I had something Gold infused Olive Green Eyeshadow in my mind. And I don’t have any...
So I decided to mix eyeshadows to create the colour I want. Voila!
My very own Olive Gold Eyeshadow: Muted Gold from MUA palette + Moss Green from Sleek.
I have been mixing lipsticks, but this would be my first attempt at mixing compact eyeshadows.
Here is the breakdown of Tutorial; I’ll explain the best I can.
For Face:
MAC Matchmaster in 5.0, applied with fingers and buffed using a buffing brush.
MAC Prolong wear in NC42 for acne marks that are still healing & Under the eyes.
Kryolan Fixing powder in P4 dusted lightly for setting the base makeup.
For Golden Olive Eyes:
Applied the Moss Green mixed with Muted gold on the brush on the entire eyelid.
I layered both the colours till I got the desired intensity of both.
NYX Single Eyeshadow in Taupe in the crease, following my natural crease. Both the eyeshadows blended well.
Matte Black eyeshadow from the Sleek Acid Palette used for smoking out the outer V of my eyelid. My left eye is more hooded than the right one. I decided to follow the natural hood for both the eyes.
Lined my eyes to elongate them with Maybelline Drama Gel Eyeliner, skipped my signature wing this time.
I also decided to skip my usual Volumizing Mascara and used Rimmel Extra Lash Mascara for lengthening instead. I wanted to wear falsies but they feel heavy and uneasy as of now.
For Cheeks:
Contoured my Cheeks and Nose with Sleek Contouring Palette in Light.
Highlighted my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose using Highlighter from the Palette.
Blush: Sleek Rose Gold.
For Lips:
MAC See Sheer.
I am mixing eyeshadows more now, and the love for Muted Gold is everlasting. =)
The makeup of the Day/Face of the Day clicking was extremely fun this time. I am falling in Love with my Canon 70D each passing day and the remote is a blessing!
*I am linking this look up the #TheMakeupMixup with the wonderful hosts Jaelan & Miranda
Friday, September 04, 2015
Frugal Flair: Soft Gold and Coral Makeup Tutorial with Drugstore Makeup Brands available in India
In
Makeup Looks
The spirit of review is alleviating, exclusively when...never mind. For me...For me...
There are many products that could have been up here, basking in either glory or lowliness. [I am harsh, right.]
I cannot overcome the sinfulness of reaching out for something one moment and devaluing the next.
So I have been keeping certain products aside to use them more often. I am trying to add them to my casual/daily makeup or occasional as well.
After Purples, Khaki Green and Neutral eye shadows; I am warped with Hues of Golds and Coral medley. I personally think the Coral elevates the splendour of the Gold, exclusively with brown eyes.
Moreover, I love the coalescence of Browns, Corals, and Golds in one look, and this one was perfected in Ten minutes.
The other day, I was going to meet a friend and I wasn’t planning on going anywhere just some casual place. So I decided to squeeze in my Frugal Flair Look for the day. Considering it was daytime, I pretty much decided to unify my loved colours in their most muted forms. This look would even look great to wear in the mornings if paired with a dewy base. I ran out of my moisturiser, so I am using The Body Shop Vit. E Cool BB cream. I loathe the muddy results with this one if I go overboard. I am strictly using this as a moisturiser and base for my compact. Bourjois CC cream is not hydrating enough for my current state of skin. Since I skipped foundation and used NYX Above and Beyond Full coverage concealer for correcting. Rimmel Stay matte is yellow toned warm and it emphasises the shadows on the sides of my nose and mouth. [Why is it so difficult to find neutral undertoned Drugstore product in India?]
~ I concealed my under eye circles and dark shadows around my mouth with the NYX above and beyond full coverage concealer in medium. [Orange tone corrects at once]
~ Applied NYX cream blush, lightly in patting motions with fingers.
~ I applied a muted Gold colour on the eyelid and a shimmery brown into the crease from MUA Heaven & Earth Palette.
~ Lined my eyes with Maybelline Colossal Eyeliner and coated my eyelashes generously with Bourjois Beautyfull Mascara.
~ I set my makeup with Rimmel Stay matte in the shade 004 Sandstorm.
~ On well-hydrated lips, I adjusted the intensity of Revlon Streetwear Lipstick in Pink Persuasion.
Mute enough to match the Gold eyeshadow on the eyelids.
That’s for the effortless Gold and Coral Makeup look. And there are variations to happen soon.
I am using the sidelined products to my heart’s content only to replace them with Cruelty-Free replacements and to free some space in my vanity. [I don’t like too (two) many things at the same time.]
Adding frugality to your makeup:
Double up the lipstick as blush, that sometimes look really co-ordinated.
Use eyeshadow as a Highlighter and Dark brown eye shadow with grey undertone for contouring.
*Pictures clicked with Canon Ixus in bright daylight. I have cropped the images and adjusted the exposure.
*All the brands used are available in India.
*I am linking this look up the #TheMakeupMixup with the wonderful hosts Jaelan & Miranda
There are many products that could have been up here, basking in either glory or lowliness. [I am harsh, right.]
I cannot overcome the sinfulness of reaching out for something one moment and devaluing the next.
So I have been keeping certain products aside to use them more often. I am trying to add them to my casual/daily makeup or occasional as well.
After Purples, Khaki Green and Neutral eye shadows; I am warped with Hues of Golds and Coral medley. I personally think the Coral elevates the splendour of the Gold, exclusively with brown eyes.
Moreover, I love the coalescence of Browns, Corals, and Golds in one look, and this one was perfected in Ten minutes.
The other day, I was going to meet a friend and I wasn’t planning on going anywhere just some casual place. So I decided to squeeze in my Frugal Flair Look for the day. Considering it was daytime, I pretty much decided to unify my loved colours in their most muted forms. This look would even look great to wear in the mornings if paired with a dewy base. I ran out of my moisturiser, so I am using The Body Shop Vit. E Cool BB cream. I loathe the muddy results with this one if I go overboard. I am strictly using this as a moisturiser and base for my compact. Bourjois CC cream is not hydrating enough for my current state of skin. Since I skipped foundation and used NYX Above and Beyond Full coverage concealer for correcting. Rimmel Stay matte is yellow toned warm and it emphasises the shadows on the sides of my nose and mouth. [Why is it so difficult to find neutral undertoned Drugstore product in India?]
 |
| Against Light |
~ I concealed my under eye circles and dark shadows around my mouth with the NYX above and beyond full coverage concealer in medium. [Orange tone corrects at once]
~ Applied NYX cream blush, lightly in patting motions with fingers.
~ I applied a muted Gold colour on the eyelid and a shimmery brown into the crease from MUA Heaven & Earth Palette.
~ Lined my eyes with Maybelline Colossal Eyeliner and coated my eyelashes generously with Bourjois Beautyfull Mascara.
~ I set my makeup with Rimmel Stay matte in the shade 004 Sandstorm.
~ On well-hydrated lips, I adjusted the intensity of Revlon Streetwear Lipstick in Pink Persuasion.
Mute enough to match the Gold eyeshadow on the eyelids.
 |
| Soft Gold and Coral Makeup |
I am using the sidelined products to my heart’s content only to replace them with Cruelty-Free replacements and to free some space in my vanity. [I don’t like too (two) many things at the same time.]
Adding frugality to your makeup:
Double up the lipstick as blush, that sometimes look really co-ordinated.
Use eyeshadow as a Highlighter and Dark brown eye shadow with grey undertone for contouring.
*Pictures clicked with Canon Ixus in bright daylight. I have cropped the images and adjusted the exposure.
*All the brands used are available in India.
*I am linking this look up the #TheMakeupMixup with the wonderful hosts Jaelan & Miranda
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Dermalogica Brighten Up! Kit: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, Dermalogica Microexfoliant and Dermalogica Total Eye care Review
In
Skincare
After halfheartedly nixing the repurchase of my most favourite Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser of the year 2014, I wanted a Cruelty-Free replacement. I already repurchased Himalaya Aloe vera Facewash but it failed to conform to my squeaky-clean-non-stretchy requirements. Before using the Dermalogica Microexfoliant, I had already prepared an identical exfoliant at home using rice flour as a base. I wanted to try the original product as well, so I purchased this online from Flipkart
Dermalogica Microexfoliant alone retails around 975 INR for 13grams, so this kit definitely is worth the price.
Usage:
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel: 45 days, once in the morning.
Quantity: 50ml
Dermalogica Microexfoliant: Thrice a week or after cleansing on dull skin days.
Quantity: 13g
Dermalogica Total Eye care SPF15: Used twice (hence I am skipping the review)
Quantity: 4ml
Dermalogica Microexfoliant alone retails around 975 INR for 13grams, so this kit definitely is worth the price.
Usage:
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel: 45 days, once in the morning.
Quantity: 50ml
Dermalogica Microexfoliant: Thrice a week or after cleansing on dull skin days.
Quantity: 13g
Dermalogica Total Eye care SPF15: Used twice (hence I am skipping the review)
Quantity: 4ml
Price for Dermalogica Brighten up! Kit: 1945 INR
Cruelty-Free Status: Cruelty-Free [Listed on PETA and Leaping Bunny certified but acquired by Unilever since June 2015]
Paraben Free? I can still read 'Paraben' in the ingredient list of Cleansing Gel and Total Eye care listed in the end, in minor quantities.
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Review:
The texture is distinct, a cross between liquid and gel. It does not lather more than required and starts to break down with water. A pea sized is enough for cleansing morning skin might require more if using post makeup removing.
The results are squeaky clean without over-drying, just as they assert. And the effect radiates with a light on my forehead, nose and cheekbones after cleansing. I wish the sebum did not take the luminosity away. I have used 60% of the product, and get ahold of whenever my skin appears dull.
My skin was oiliest with little acne during the phase I switched to Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel.
Sadly, this cleanser did not help in reducing acne or even clearing them nor do they assert the same.
Recommendation: Try it for the especial texture and the luminosity it imparts from the first use. I am certainly using this for special occasions and dull days.
Dermalogica Microexfoliant Review:
The texture resembles finely milled Rice flour except there is bead like granules that dissolve on massaging.
This unlike rice flour does not feel gritty; imagine oatmeal mixed with rice flour in equal. This foams when it comes in contact with water, just like Baking powder with water.
Anybody with sensitive skin should probably prefer this over cream scrubs. I dislike regular scrubs with the results that my skin is irritated and often rosy post usage. Also, I have abandoned products with non-dissolving micro-beads as they have been fatal to fishes and other aquatic creatures. Ban the Bead!
And going by the ingredients list, I prepared a mixture that works the same except the texture is gritty though non-irritant and non-foamy.
1 TBS Oatmeal finely sifted through muslin
1/4th TBS Rice flour
1/4th Licorice powder [jesthamadh (Marathi) /yeshtimadhu (hindi)] (key to brightening skin)
½ TSP Wheat flour
a pinch of Baking powder (not baking soda)
This mixture works the same except Dermalogica Microexfoliant contains Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, a surfactant used in cleansing products, including bath soaps, bubble baths, and shaving cream, detergents, and shampoos. (Source: cosmeticsinfo.org)
It instantly brightens the complexion though fails to clarify blemishes. What I dislike is the packaging, so I neatly taped all the dispensing holes to avoid flying away or wastage.
It instantly brightens the complexion though fails to clarify blemishes. What I dislike is the packaging, so I neatly taped all the dispensing holes to avoid flying away or wastage.
Recommendation: If you find most of the scrubs irritating on your skin. This could be the gentlest option and is easily available online.
I may repurchase the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel but not Dermalogica Microexfoliant. I am saving these both for especial days. And for exfoliation, I prefer oatmeal and honey over counter bought scrubs. I have already switched to Derma prescribed facewash for acne, I would definitely update if I repurchase.
I may repurchase the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel but not Dermalogica Microexfoliant. I am saving these both for especial days. And for exfoliation, I prefer oatmeal and honey over counter bought scrubs. I have already switched to Derma prescribed facewash for acne, I would definitely update if I repurchase.
Dermalogica Total Eyecare SPF15 First Impression:
I switched to Dermalogica Total Eyecare SPF15 after I ran out of my Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate. [3ml lasted me for more than two months, heavy texture]
Dermalogica Total Eyecare SPF15 is lighter and absorbs faster, just a few pats and it vanishes. No greasy residue and barely there feeling, I have not used it under concealer yet.
But next morning after cleansing, my under eye area is plumper, smoother and feather soft to touch. I like it better than Fresh Black Tea Age Delay.
**Update: I tried to search for this particular Kit, but it was a February 2015 edition, free with the purchase of £50. The products are available separately. check the SOURCE
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