Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm Elusive Review, Swatch, Price, Buy Online India

April 23, 2015March 6, 2021 ~ poorva ~ 36 Comments

Honestly, tell me how many of you have bought something just because it was cute? I have! And I know every girl has, at some time or the other! I feel that these beauty brands have realized this fact, and hence have come up with these super adorable lipsticks, balms and tints in crayon forms! I mean, just how cute could a lipstick be than in a crayon packing! I really find these addictive, hence I got myself 2 of them! Clinique, I was eyeing your Chubby Sticks, but you’re so mean! You raised your prices!?! Why, oh why?? So I went to my trusted friend, Revlon, for these cuties

First, they had launched the Just Bitten Kissable balm stains, and then also came up with the Matte Lipstick cum Balm crayons, as well as lacquer balms. I got myself the Matte Balm in Elusive. So let’s get to the review!

Ingredients: Not mentioned. Not even on Revlon website! They have only mentioned that it contains shea, mango and coconut butters

Claims: Vibrant colors infused with a Triple Butter Complex give you a bold, beautiful lip. It’s a burst of matte color with a balm-like feel. Go bold and get moisturized in 10 craveable, collectible shades.

Velvety color + balm-like moisture
Infused with a Triple Butter Complex of shea, mango, and coconut butter
Retractable chubby crayon, no sharpener required

In India, they have launched only 8 of these:

Complex
Elusive
Sultry
Shameless
Mischievous
Audacious
Showy
Standout
Striking
Unapologetic

Packaging: This comes in a retractable crayon form. The plastic packing is really attractive, and is color-coded according to the shade. The cap is the same color as the body, and never opens in the bag on its own, hence very travel friendly. You twist the bottom silver portion to move the crayon.

Texture: This matte balm glides on the lips like a dream. It is really smooth and velvety. And it is not drying! The problem I face with most matte lipsticks is that they are too drying. And this one is not! Full points to all the butters that they have put in Though sometimes when my lips are not very moisturized, I do find that it settles a bit in fine lines, but it is not as prominent as typical matte lipsticks, so I’m not complaining much.

Color and Pigmentation: This is a beautiful milky pink shade, which I just love! It is a slightly pale, lovely rose pink and is absolutely gorgeous, as it is not ‘in-your-face’, and I like it that way. One or two swipes give full color payoff. To me, it seems to have slightly mauve undertones which are not very prominent on the lips.

Also, this has a minty scent to it, and would produce a mild cooling sensation on the lips as you apply it. This would last for a few minutes only, so nothing to worry.

How long will it last on lips? Well, this does last on the lips for about 3-4 hours only. If you eat a full lunch, then it won’t last. But if you’re not eating or drinking a lot, then it lasts 4 hours.

Where can I wear this color? This is something that I easily wear to office everyday. And I have been wearing it pretty often! It would complement you if you’re wearing heavy eye make-up and need something really light on the lips. It is a very fresh and light pink, which you can wear on formal occasions, in an office meeting, a girly brunch, a lunch date, anytime! And you can pretty much pair this lipstick with any outfit, whatsoever!!

Complexions it would suit: I feel that this would mostly suit fair and medium toned girls. Dusky girls would feel that it washes them out, as it is a pale color, hence you shouldn’t buy this.

Price: Rs 800 for 2.7 grams. (let’s not even get started on these exorbitant prices…these people will loot the hell out of us! Every makeup brand is going insane with the prices..I have to think 5 times before buying myself a new lipstick these days)

FFS Rating: 4/5 (I find it a bit expensive for a drugstore product, that’s it)

Where to Buy: Very easily available at Revlon counters in hypermarts, in Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Dabur NewU. You can buy it online at Nykaa here.

Pros and Cons:

PROs:

A spectacular everyday shade, which will make you feel so pretty!
Superb formula: despite being matte, it doesn’t dry out the lips
Lasts 4 hours..so you don’t need touch-ups at least before lunch time!
The crayon packing is cuteeee!
This product is travel friendly
You don’t need a sharpener for this product, as it comes in a retractable packing
Has a great color payoff, so your crayon would last you quite long, as you need only a couple of swipes to achieve full color on your lips

CONs:

At Rs 800, it is expensive for a lipstick
You should thoroughly exfoliate your lips before wearing this, as it can make chapped lips appear worse (**as a matter of fact, any matte lipstick would make chapped lips appear worse, so wear a nourishing lip balm underneath)
Won’t suit dusky girls, as the shade is pale
Sometimes, when my lips are a bit dry, I find that it settles in the fine lines, but not as much as the regular matte lipsticks

Final Word: Fair or medium skinned girls looking for an everyday pink color should definitely lay their hands on this stuff! It has a great pigmentation, lasts for a decent time, and has a nice formula. Though pricey, I still like it as I wanted a crayon in my stash! I recommend that you get at least one shade from this range!

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Budget Beauty Diaries: 10 Beauty Essentials for Girls Within Rs. 1500

January 15, 2015March 6, 2021 ~ poorva ~ 45 Comments

Are prices really shooting up faster than the speed of light, or is it just me feeling so? No, it ain’t my illusion. This is the commonest complaint I have ever heard. Be it eating out, buying a new dress or getting some new make-up, almost EVERYTHING is so damn expensive every passing day. But we just can’t stop buying make-up now, can we? NEVER! So I took up this challenge. I set myself a budget of Rs. 1500, and decided to buy everything I need within that. Not one rupee more. And guess what? I pretty much managed to buy everything that I had set out for! Isn’t that a major accomplishment? (pat on my back )

Here is the list of 10 absolute essentials that I bought for myself, all from good renowned brands, that too, within 1500 bucks:

1. Street Wear Color Rich Lipstick: Rs 180

Revlon sells these cuties under their mass brand, Street Wear. This lipstick is everything you can ask for. They offer gorgeous shades in reds, pinks and oranges and nudes in their range. It has a decent wear time. All in all, a great lipstick.

2. Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm: Rs 100

Winters and lip balms almost always feature together for me in a sentence! I have hoards of lip balms, but always buy more. This basic blue tube would save you from chapped lips. It is non-tinted so you can use it easily under lipstick.

3. Maybelline Colossal Kajal: Rs 199

My absolute favourite product ever. It is just the right black, right pigmentation, and lasts quite long. What’s more, you can double it up as an eyeliner and use it heavily to create a smoky eye! A versatile kajal, and comes for a mere 199.

4. Maybelline HyperCurl Volume Express Mascara: Rs 275

One of the most pocket friendly mascara in the Indian market. Make sure you buy the waterproof one. A decent and well working formula, great for regular usage.

5. Johnsons Baby Cream: Rs 65

No list is complete without a good moisturizing cream. This is perfect for everyone, irrespective of skin type. It keeps the skin well hydrated throughout the day, and it is so cheap! I use this under any makeup base, and it helps soothe my skin

6. Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks Eyeshadow: Rs 175

These are simply amazing. You choose a color that you need out of their array of available shades. I believe they have 30 shades! You can create your own palette of colors, choosing the singles that you like. These are a good investment, since you only buy what you need.

7. Maybelline Color Show Nail Paint: Rs 75

These are one of the best things to have ever happened to the Indian cosmetic market. Period. You have every imaginable shade in the range. These have an acceptable wear time. The finish is nice and they dry fast. Everything about these is lovely!

8. Pond’s White Beauty All-in-One BB+ Fairness Cream: Rs 140

You cannot wear a foundation everyday. But you definitely CAN wear a BB cream everyday! This one from Pond’s is an absolute delight. At least for me. The only drawback is that you don’t have shade selections. But the shade that they have works well for me and most Indian complexions. It has SPF 30 as well!! A win-win all the way!

9. Street Wear Color Rich MegaShine Lip Gloss: Rs 150

I love the entire Street Wear range by Revlon. Especially the lip glosses. Not only because of the girly and cute packing, but also the formula! It isn’t sticky, and you have a number of shades to choose from! Plus the scent is awesome

10. Lakme Insta Liner: Rs 110

You can check my detailed review for this here. One of the cheapest eyeliners ever, and quite a hit! Helps to draw deep black lines as this is extremely intense in pigmentation. A must have!

These are all the essentials you would need for everyday use. I will be covering their individual reviews slowly, but surely!

Where to buy: Well, all these can be bought at Dabur NewU, as they stock all these brands. Otherwise, all the Revlon, Street Wear, Lakme and Maybelline products can be found in any Lifestyle or Shoppers Stop. Oh why bother..get it all online, you might end up getting some more discount too!

By the way, we are still left with Rs 31 What do you plan to do with them? (I bought myself a chocolate, you know I have a major sweet tooth!)

13 Essential Makeup Tips for Girls Wearing Glasses

January 4, 2015March 6, 2021 ~ poorva ~ 26 Comments

I have been wearing glasses for most part of my life. I had to start wearing them in middle school, and honestly, I don’t mind wearing them much. I never got bothered by being a girl with glasses. In college, I started using contacts quite frequently, but then when I started working, the long hours on the computer made me come back to my specs. But now, wearing glasses is so much in vogue! So all of us people who are stuck with specs, have a reason to rejoice.

Some of the people who wear glasses feel a bit low on confidence. This should not be so! These are a part of your identity. Accept them, embrace them. Be glad that you have so much choice in frames and designs. Back in the day when I was in school, and before that, there were just no choices! Be glad that even celebs wear these, and plus, they almost always give you that intellectual look!

There are certain tips that I would like to share with the girls who wear glasses, who feel that makeup is off territory for them, now that they have a huge thing sitting on their nose hiding half their face. Ladies, this list will equip you with techniques which, if followed correctly, make you look like a diva, that too, an intellectual one! I am suggesting some makeup and general tips for revolutionising the way you look with glasses

Makeup for eyes:

This is where you can go more adventurous than rest of the clan who doesn’t wear glasses

Under eye: Girls, remember that glasses highlight your undereye area a lot more than you can imagine. If your under eye region is dark, then make it a point to moisturize and use a concealer on this area. The concealer should match the color of the rest of your face. You can also use a full coverage foundation. This would remarkably improve your appearance. Trust me.

Eyeliner: This is again, a makeup essential for the glassed girl. Remember, the thicker the frames of your glasses, the thicker your eyeliner can be! However, go easy on it if your glasses are rimless ones, as they don’t hide your face and eyes as much as the thick framed ones.

Mascara: Use a mascara to highlight those lashes which are unfortunately hidden behind the glasses. Go crazy with it. Use as much as you want! Try using one which increases the volume of your lashes. Mascara which lengthens might cause your lashes to touch the glasses, so bear that in mind. I totally recommend Maybelline Falsies Also use it on the lower lashes.

Eyebrows: Keep eyebrows shaped. Even if you don’t want to get them professionally shaped or threaded (like me), it is still good to maintain them in a certain shape as it provides a cleaner look.

Kohl: For the Indian girl, kohl or kajal is an everyday essential. More so if you’re a girl with glasses, as the kohl makes you look more awake and in general, a lot better. But do ensure that your undereyes are not dark, hence follow point 1 religiously.

Eyeshadow: Go ahead and use it a lot too! Bear in mind that the eyeshadow color doesn’t clash with the color of your frames. Again, go easy if you’re wearing rimless glasses

Nude Eyeliner on waterline: Try a nude/white eyeliner on the waterline to give illusion of bigger eyes. It does make a difference. Try NYX Wonderpencil or Revlon Photoready Kajal in Emerald Empire (use the nude Empire side of this pencil), or Lakme Eyeconic Kajal in White.

Makeup for Rest of the Face:

Base makeup: Try to achieve clear skin with appropriate use of foundation/BB creams. If you don’t want to use them all over the face, then just use these to even out your complexion and hide the blemishes. This would help to keep the focus on your prettier features.

Lipstick: A girl with glasses should experiment with interesting colors on their lips. If your frames are bright colored, then do ensure that the lipstick doesn’t make you look too made up, though. With regular black frames, try a pop of bright pink, some coral or orange in the daytime. Use reds and browns in the evening.

Blush: It makes a huge difference to your bespectacled appearance. Do use a blush whenever you can.

General guidelines:

Power of the glasses and eye makeup intensity: A rule of thumb is that if you’re near-sighted (myopic), then your glasses would make your eyes appear smaller. And if you’re far-sighted (hyperopic), your glasses make your eyes appear bigger. So do your eye makeup accordingly, which means that, if your eyes appear smaller, then use more makeup, and if your eyes appear bigger, then go easy on eye makeup! Simple!

Frame color suggestions: The shape of your frames would totally depend on the shape of your face, and also your personal preference. But as far as the color of the frames is concerned, I suggest having neutral colored frames (black/dark brown), because then, you can be more adventurous with the makeup colors. On the other hand, if the frame is of a bold color, then you will have to keep other things subtle to avoid looking like a clown.

Hairstyle: Try an interesting hairstyle to rev things up! Bangs and pouf look gorgeous with nerdy glasses. A sleek ponytail can help you rock the look with rimless glasses

I’m very sure these would make you look and feel so much better. Do ask me questions if you have any!

Bobbi Brown Saket, New Delhi: Store Coverage and “Secret to Perfect Skin” Makeup Lesson

December 17, 2014March 6, 2021 ~ poorva ~ 2 Comments

“I love the way people look, and I love making women look beautiful”, says one of the most inspirational women in International Makeup and Beauty sphere, Bobbi Brown. I admire her, and really find her advice very meaningful, be it regarding the empowerment of women or about finding the right lipstick shade. Her stores across the world have taken the responsibility to teach women how to do perfect makeup. And I lined up for one such session at her store in Select Citywalk, Saket on a sunny winter afternoon. And boy, I loved every minute of it!

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Lessons cover everything, from doing smokey eye, finding the perfect lipstick and blush shade to doing perfect skin regimen and so on. Different sessions have a different duration, for instance, a smokey eye tutorial is a 5 minute class, learning how to do long wearing eye makeup is a 20 minute class etc. I scheduled their ‘Secret to Perfect Skin’ session, a 20 minute class that helps the woman achieve perfect looking skin everyday.

I arrived at the scheduled time, and the makeup artists welcomed me very warmly! To be very frank, I had gone there with very low expectations and with the impression that things will be a rush-rush affair. But I was totally in for a surprise as the lesson was anything but rushed.

Products used on my face during the lesson

Makeup Artist Abhay took charge and first asked me my skin type, which is quite dry. Then, he helped me remove the makeup that I wore that day and advised the use of an oil based makeup remover. He gave me Bobbi Brown’s Balm Rinse, an orange based cleanser to remove any traces of makeup that remained, and then gave me a damp paper towel to clean my face.

My face is prone to extreme flakiness in this weather, and he totally understood the extreme dryness my skin suffers from, so he started applying products on my face according to my skin type. He started with Hydrating Face Cream, and Hydrating Eye Cream. Then, he recommended that I should start using an Anti-age serum or something that nourishes my skin, so he applied Bobbi Brown’s Intensive Skin Supplement. He finally treated the extremely dry spots on my face with their facial oil.

After layering these skin moisturizers, he started doing my makeup, only when my skin was hydrated enough. Being a dry-skinned girl, he recommended Bobbi’s Moisture Rich Foundation SPF 15 in Natural Tan. Only very little product was used, and he emphasized that I should ‘Blend, blend, blend, ‘coz blend is your friend!’ Then, me being the inquisitive me, also asked him a lot of questions about general skincare, which he answered very patiently, and with awesome and practical advice! Followed by the foundation, I wanted to try their Concealer kit, so he applied the concealer from the kit in Natural Tan to my under eye area, which is quite dark compared to the rest of my face, and taught me the right way to blend it. After setting the concealer with compact from the same kit, he applied some Bobbi Brown Blush in a cool toned pink to my cheeks. He also put some lipstick in an everyday pink color to my lips. I also wanted to see the much talked about Bobbi’s Shimmer Brick, which he applied to my cheeks to highlight my face. And voila! I was done!

The concealer under my eyes was really making a difference to my overall appearance, as my eyes looked brighter and well rested, in contrast to me regular self, when my eyes appear dull.

So, the take home lessons for me were:

Layering moisturizers is very important, especially in this harsh winter season. Applying a good face cream, under eye cream and then some booster serum followed by some oil on the extremely dry patches would be fine
Choose the foundation which is an ‘EXACT MATCH’ to your skin shade. Hear hear, all the Indian ladies, who have been told that the foundation shade should be one shade lighter to your skin shade. That should never be so, as one should never ever be able to tell whether you are wearing foundation or a base at all
Blend your foundation, concealer and blush really well
Smile when you put your blush
Don’t ever make a habit of wearing foundation everyday. Only wear tinted moisturizers for everyday use

I learned so much in this 20 minute session (which he very generously extended by 10-15 minutes to accommodate my questions etc). I’m definitely going back for more! A million thanks to Bobbi Brown and yes, to MUA Abhay, for his kickass knowledge and advice!

I also took a lot of store photos, to entice all my girlfriends! The store is beautiful, although I felt it was a little small.

Makeup…

..some more makeup..

..and some more!…

Bobbi Brown Makeup Lesson Catalog..just make sure you dial up for an appointment before dropping in!

Overall, I give their makeup lessons a big, huge thumbs up! And I recommend all my gal pals to give this a try, it would make a huge, tremendous difference to the way you use makeup. Seriously. I’m definitely going back for some more!

Until next time readers, take good care, and don’t forget to layer your moisturizers!