Lakme Absolute Baked Blush

I am back, or sort of (my cousin has informed me if life gets this bad during allergy season, it might be time to consider surgery). I bought a couple of Lakme items in India during my most recent visit that I've been meaning to blog about for a while.

I've had issues with the pricing, packaging, and yes even the quality of Lakme's blushes before. It felt overpriced for a blush that hardened and had zero pigment. It reminded me of the blush I used to borrow form my friend when I was a a teen. The only problem was my friend was very fair/pale. And so was her blush (I used to annoy her by layering on a bit more blush and asking "can you see it now?" for at least a full ten minutes). I was pleasantly surprised by Lakme's Absolute range and while I wasn't crazy about all the products, there are a few winners there too.

The packaging for the blush is bare and minimal, which suits me just fine. The plastic feels a bit flimsy and the lid doesn't shut firmly enough for my comfort and I'm not sure it would withstand much tossing about in my kit. The clear lid is a nod to efficiency as I like being able to pick up the blush I want to when I am in a rush.

One highly irritating drawback is that the blushes have no names. Note to Lakme, you can even number them sequentially. Or not. Either way, it's really simple to have an identifier on the blush shade. The one I bought is the third shade Lakme has available on their website.

The blush itself is beautiful. The texture is soft and very blendable and feels very high-end compared to the packaging.  The pigment quality is also very strong, and since I have been known to overindulge in my lost of blush, I build intensity with this one. I hope I don't upset the make-up gods (they have the power to make my lipstick go rancid prematurely) when I say that the texture, pigment quality, and wearability reminds me of my Chanel Joues Contrastes blushes.

The color I have/am reviewing is a orangey-brown shade with a hint of pink. It reminds me a bit of a deeper, more intense version of MAC Sunbasque. It's also very suitable to create a sun kissed look with as it pulls the warmth from skin tones.  The shimmer is present but very grown up. I can see this shade flattering a large range of desi skin tones.

Sinus Update, Should Have Posts up Tomorrow or So

I'm so sorry I've been away for so long without a word. I miss writing here. In fact, like i always keep saying, I have so many things to post about. Unfortunately, three or so years ago i developed allergies and I get them every spring and autumn and it is becoming worse every year. I haven't had a migraine free day since February and sometimes the pressure in my sinuses is so bad I figure these are my last days on earth (thankfully and hopefully not as it turns out). Last year I had a sinus infection that wouldn't go away (I was pregnant at the time) and the pain went into my jawline/teeth. I'm trying to not let it get that far and there is sunlight in sight. Since the neti-pot no longer does anything for me, I got a sinus irrigator. It seems promising. In fact I feel like writing a blog post and not finding more ways to lament the building pressure in my head.

Also, on a side note, I haven't forgotten about the foreign service thing. I had my interview and unfortunately I didn't pass. I'll write a post on the process for as much as I am allowed to.

Forest Essentials Madurai Jasmine and Mogra Light Day Cream

I was so impressed with Forest Essentials' Ubtan that I decided to test their other products. My mother had been raving about the smell of Forest Essentials' Jasmine and Mogra Day Cream that I cautiously decided to try it. Why cautiously you ask? While my mom is my hero she is also not one of the chosen ones in make-up terms. To her. pink and mauve are the same, reds and pinks are "almost the same," shimmer and matte are "somewhat also the same," and well, need I say more? So while I trust her judgement on 99.99% of things, beauty products do not fall into that large bucket. And I have one more feather in my cap now.

Let me start off wit the positives, the Forest Essentials Jasmine and Mogra Day Cream is very light, absorbs quickly, didn't clog my pores, and moisturizes well enough. The formula is great for those with normal to oily skin to use. It also has SPF 25, but I'm not sure what the ingredients are that make up the sunscreen so I can't evaluate that aspect properly. I used my regular sunscreen on top for added protection.

Now that the positives are out of the way, let me start with why I disliked this product so much. The smell is overpowering, strong, and does not fade for a long time. I would gladly buy a body butter that smelled like this. There is no artificial element to the smell, it really does remind me of jasmine (incidentally I hail from somewhere near Madurai). But it is too strong and long lasting.

The first time I applied the cream, I liked the smell but I was waiting for the smell to subside. It never did. I ended up getting a headache, which continued for the five days I used this cream. My aunt used to joke that the women in my family are goddesses who each represent a specific part of a headache. This cream made me realize there might be something to that idea after all. My headache led to painful sinuses and pain near my temples. The moment I stopped using the cream, my headache vanished.

Forest Essentials Madurai Jasmine and Mogra Light Day Cream is not a bad cream as far as moisturizing properties, texture, etc. But the smell is so overpowering and in too close proximity with my nose, which I why I say tread cautiously with this one.

Top 10 Products of 2011: Chanel Silhouette Rouge Allure

I'm a nude lipstick fiend. I don't get annoyed anymore by muggles who can't tell nudes apart, I've reached that elevated state of make-up nirvana. And in my nirvana I wear Chanel Silhouette lipstick (well most of the time anyways).

Chanel's Silhouette lipstick and I have had a torrid love affair since time immemorial. The formula is divine, and while I always have to use a balm under any lipstick the Rouge Allure formula and this lipstick in particular is very gentle on my lips. And I love the packaging. I always call it the James Bond of lipsticks. But that's not what Silhouette such a standout for me. 

Silhouette is a must have for the desi girl. I can see a lot of different skin tones wearing it, from very fair to my skin tone, to darker than me. It is a mauve and slightly brown toned pink and it veers on the cool side. It blends beautifully with any lip liners and glosses I pair it up with. But the true magnificence of this lipstick lies in its ability to look neutral but in a much less cadaverous and more adventurous way. Its cool tone gives it a bit of a fresh, unexpected touch to it. 

I will post swatches of it tomorrow and possibly a look with it as well. It is one of my favorite, timeless lipstick loves and a desi-look staple in my kit.

www.perfumeemporium.com

Top 10 Products of 2011: Forest Essentials Tejasvi Milk Facial Ubtan

Yes, I know I'm late getting the top 10 products up but right now, my goal is to have them by the end of this week. It's a more noble goal than having them up by the end of this year. I was unsuspectingly preparing for an interview when I got majorly sick and then my baby started teething. After having a breakdown as he's growing up way too fast, I had to put everything on the back burner as I went into the uncharted territory of discouraging biting while nursing. All in all, I feel like Xena, warrior blogger princess, who will finally get her tired butt to posting another product rave.

My aunt kept telling me about Forest Essentials and I kept doing the 'mmmhmmm' very politely. You know, where the other person thinks they've been heard but you know you're making the sound so you don't have to fully response. After all, how could a plebeian in terms of make-up possibly know of something that would make someone who's been there and tried it all interested. But it seems the universe conspired to teach me humility that fateful day last year (yes, 2011, which is where this post actually should be).

Forest Essentials' Tejasvi Milk Facial Ubtan comes in a big plastic jar, and the quantity that you get is very generous. However, I wish they had added a plastic stopper or something because when you open the jar, so much falls out if you're not careful. After the initial annoyance, the first thing I noticed was the smell. It is divine and reminded me of the face mask my grandmother would have made. To those who are sensitive to smells, be warned, it is strong and it lasts throughout the application.

The company website says the product contains "red sandalwood, wild turmeric, saffron and skin whitening herbs to make the skin tone several shades lighter naturally." I did voice my disdain to my aunt upon reading the "skin whitening" bit. She told me use it or loose it. So I used it. The company recommends making a paste by adding some milk to the powder, which is what I did. The powder is beautifully milled and becomes a thin, very easy to spread paste. The way the mask spreads feels much more luxurious than the other powdered masks you can get. I kept the mask on until it dried and was not prepared for the results.

I was blown away with the way my skin looked when I washed the mask off. It glowed. I stood there, in front of the mirror, still covered in baby food. But I glowed, despite the post partum hormones and lack of sleep. On top of that my skin was incredibly soft and didn't feel dry like it usually does after I try any herbal face masks. The glow and calm skin lasted a good day or two. It also did not make me break out at all. After multiples uses, I have decided to keep this as my go-to face mask.

All in all this face mask is excellent, pampered my skin, didn't break me out, balanced the moisture levels in my skin, and gave me one hell of a glow.  I now want to try out more things from this line.

On a side note, the Tejasvi Milk Facial Ubtan retails for INR 650 and you can buy it online as the company ships worldwide.

image source: forestessentialsindia.com

Top 10 Products of 2011: Lakme Nine to Five Forever Silk Eyeliner in... Well ALL of the Shades

I have a soft corner for Lakme. It does a desi girl's make-up loving soul good to see desi make-up brands. And even if I rant until I am foaming at the mouth because of their abysmal selection of foundation shades (the whole population of India seems to be categorized in all of four shades), I always check out their make-up when I'm in India. I had Lakme's  Nine to Five Forever Silk Eyeliner in Gypsy Green in my make-up travel tote and never looked at it until, well late in December last year. And it instantly made its way to my Top 10 Products posts.

Don't think less of me for typing this but "Oh My GAWD. LIKE, OHMIGOD!" This stuff blows Make-up Forever and Urban Decay out of the water, and Lakme is desi. The pencil eyeliner comes in one of those self-sharpening plastic pens, pretty standard. The application is so smooth, and buttery. After I put it on, I thought there was no way it would last, not with a formula this smooth and non-tugging. But then life is full of little surprises. Lakme's Forever Silk Eyeliner needs about 20-30 seconds to set, but once it does it stays on. Rubbing it repeatedly doesn't even make it budge. It literally comes off only when you take it off with make-up remover or face wash. It lasts really long on my waterline as well, much longer than Make-up Forever or Urban Decay. With the latter two, I find that their pencil eyeliners put up a valiant fight but do not come close in application, smoothness, and wear.

The colour I got, Gypsy Green, is a muted, very dark olive with slight gold  shimmer. It is very sophisticated and is in the same family as Clinique's Eqyptian creamshaper. I believe there are five or six shades available in this range (Lakme doesn't list the shades on their web site). I'm also not sure about pricing as I got this a while back (lakme doesn't also list it on their web site).

If you're like me and love to make pilgrimages to make-up counters in every country you set foot in, do check out Lakme's eyeliners. I'm actually going to get some more as they can't be beat.

10 Best Products of 2011 Biotherm Biosource Foaming Invigorating Cleansing Water

After I had a baby, all days seemed to blur into one. However, I couldn't shake this gnawing feeling that something might be off. There might be something different in the next couple of days and then it hit me! It's almost New Year's. I have a bunch of postings I wanted to do and un update on the foreign service (yep, I know I said I would write one and I will, just after my interview is done and hopefully I can give a clearer picture on how I tackled it). So without further ado, here is the first stand-out product for 2011.

Biotherm Biosource Foaming Invigorating Cleansing Water

Having a baby changes a lot of things, not just in your life but physically too. For one, you'll have nights where the baby is finally asleep but you'll stay up, offering silent prayer in the hope that post-partum hair loss will NOT turn you bald. The other is that your skin will change like the wind and everything will make it break out. In fact it is so frustrating you'll want to tear your hair out. And then you'll cry realizing if you did, you actually will be bald.

Biotherm states that Biosource Foaming Invigorating Cleansing Water, is, well, a soap free, self-foaming cleanser with a lovely airy mousse quality. It is very gentle and doesn't leave any filmy residue behind. Since my skin is combination to insane (read oily and dry on different days), I found that this cleanser really balances my skin and beings it close to normal. The cleanser itself is marketed towards combination to normal , and I would have to agree. I don't think it would be very well suited for very oily skin types.

So how does the cleanser actually get rid off make-up? Pretty well. I can rely on it to remove most of my make-up except any stubborn mascara or eyeliner. Since I use a separate eye make-up remover anyway, I can skip this problem. The quantity is generous and one pump suffices to clean and remove make-up in one go. I'm not a huge fan of high-end cleansers, this particular one is worth it.

Edited to add, I got this cleanser at Sephora in Malaysia (KL). I can't seem to find it in the US website for Biotherm, however it is sold in many places in KL. I will update on whether it is only sold in Asia.

image source: www.yesstyle.com