SHADOW INSURANCE : EYE LID PRIMER by TOO FACED

Welcome back to the wonderful world of makeup! :) My post today is about an eye-shadow primer called " Shadow Insurance". The basic purpose of this Primer is to hold onto your shadow, make it last and give the eye-shadow color the pop it deserves. All you have to do is just squeeze out the tiniest bit possible of the product, pat it on your eyelid, make sure you have your entire lid covered and continue with your makeup routine. 

NAME:  Shadow Insurance.

COMPANY: Too Faced.

WHAT IT IS: Eye-shadow primer.

INGREDIENTS: Isododecane, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyethylene, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Isopropyl Lanolate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Mica. (+/-): Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

PRODUCT CLAIMS:

This is your full-coverage insurance policy against all fading, creasing, melting, blurring, oil slicked, and hard-to-blend eye shadow accidents. Our silicone based eye shadow primer transforms any eye shadow into a perfectly blendable, color-drenched, intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly until you take it off. This soothing formula evens out the skintone on your lids and smoothes lines while securing a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup, so no shadow catastrophes will ever happen again.

WEARABILTY: I've only tried 3-4 hours.

SCENT: None.

GOOD STUFF: Does what it claims. Eye-shadow stays on. Makes blending eye-shadows really easy. Enhances the eye-shadow color. Sephora website also claims that it is formulated without ;

- Parabens

- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Price

AVAILABILITY: Sephora.

DUBAI PRICE: AED 110

WEBSITE PRICE: U$ 18 [Approx AED 65 ]

PRODUCT QUANTITY: 11gms.

VERDICT: Good product.

RE-PURCHASE: Yes, when i manage to finish it. You really use the tiniest of product each time. So its going to be a while before you need to re-purchase it.

Small squeezable plastic tube [ In the palm of my hand, so you get an idea of the size]

Though the product looks opaque and cream in color it totally disappears once you pat it on your eye lid.

The nozzle is really small, so you do not end up wasting product

WITH EYE-SHADOW PRIMER                 WITHOUT PRIMER                                  EYE-SHADOW USED.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it informative.

Thank you! :)

Macadamia Deep Repair [Hair] Masque

A few days ago while just checking for split ends, I realized how dead and dry my hair looked. Well, its dead anyways so will just replace 'dead' with 'limp' and 'dehydrated' my hair looked. I had been skipping conditioner after shampoos [ I can be pretty lazy sometimes] so I guess my hair was just reflecting my neglect towards them. While I was just reflecting on the state of my hair, I remembered a sample sachet i had been given at NAZIH  [known for supplying beauty products to salons and customers both]. I guess it was time to try it.
I am quite happy i did. The results were pretty awesome. I'm not exaggerating. Each hair strand seemed shiny, separate and nourished. My hair looked like it had been blow dried. I was quite impressed with this product which consists of Argan oil and Macadamia oil.
So i decided to write a post about it. In case your hair is as neglected as mine was, you can give this product a shot. I am not sure of the exact price, but i do know the Macadamia products are priced higher than the average products. When i do visit Nazih  next I will update this post regarding the price. The product details are as follows;

NAME : Deep Repair Masque

COMPANY : Macadamia Natural Oil

WHAT IT IS : A hair repair masque with Macadamia and Argan oil. 

PRODUCT CLAIMS: 

DEEP REPAIR MASQUE

Our Deep Repair Masque is a hair reconstructor that will penetrate and rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity.

• enriched with Macadamia & Argan oils
• deep nourishment & long-lasting conditioning
• ultra-conditioning hair reconstruction

PRODUCT QUANTITY : 30 ml in one sachet [ already used twice and some still left over]

AVAILABILITY: At NAZIH in Etihad Mall towards Mirdiff. I haven't seen this product stocked anywhere. So Nazih may be the sole supplier for it.

DUBAI PRICE: Dont know.

WEBSITE PRICE : U$ 33. for 8.5 oz

SCENT: Yes, but not over powering.

GOOD STUFF: Leaves hair looking awesome. Cruety free. Paraben Free. Has argan and moroccon oil. 

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Price maybe.

VERDICT: Really good product. Would recommend for dry, limp hair

RE-PURCHASE: Yes.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Do share if you have tried this product or are tempted t try it.
Thank you.

L'oreal Face Wash

NAME: Hydra Fresh Comfort Face Wash for Dry & Sensitive skin

COMPANY : L'oreal

WHAT IT IS: Face Wash.

DESCRIPTION: Thick transparent gel. Not runny. I use it as a regular face wash and makeup remover. Comes with a three year expiry date.

PRODUCT CLAIMS: " Gently cleanses the skin everyday: Instantly removes make-up, cleanses skin thoroughly and eliminates all impurities for an impeccably clean skin.

Result:
Skin feels soft, supple and perfectly cleansed."

INGREDIENTS: [Since I'm too lazy to type it out, I will simply insert a snap :)]

SCENT: Yes [Not over whelming, but cannot be ignored. Pleasant to me]

GOOD STUFF: Does not dry skin. I was looking for something that i could use that was not harsh, since i began using Retin A for my face. This is a really good facewash. I do feel a slight dryness, but that is because of the use of Retin A. I've made my mom buy it too and my sister has started using it too. In one month my product is 3/4th over.

NOT SO GOOD STUFF: Scent [for some], does not remove black liner/shadow too well.

PRODUCT QUANTITY : 150 ml

PACKAGING: Semi transparent, [you can see how much product is left], squeezable tube with a flip top.

AVAILABILITY: All supermarkets, L'oreal booths in Dubai

PRICE: AED 24.00

VERDICT: Over all a good product.

RE-PURCHASE: Yes.

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss :NOUGAT 41, BUFF 4, NUDE 8, COCOA SUGAR 4

Hello,

Hope you all are having a fantastic week. I ended up going to Fujairah friday market and enjoying myself with some outdoor fun. Will post pics soon maybe! This post is about 4 of bobbi browns lip glosses i picked up in one go, when i was on a shopping spree! Hope you enjoy!!!

NAME: NOUGAT 41, BUFF 4, NUDE 8, COCOA SUGAR 4

COMPANY ; BOBBI BROWN

WHAT IT IS : LIPGLOSS

PRODUCT CLAIMS: Bobbi has sized up all her glosses to give you an extra dose of shine. Lip Gloss is formulated with soothing botanical extracts - including Avocado, Jojoba and Chamomile Oils, and Aloe Extract - to keep lips soft and supple; plus the new tapered applicator lets you apply it like a pro. Scented with a hint of Vanilla. [ i have the old brush, which is quite good too ]

What I Say: I liked the colors. Nougat  and Buff really dont show up on my lip color. But I love them because they are long lasting and i can just swipe them on and I'm good to go. Nude is a plum-ish brown shade that does show up as slight color and cocoa sugar looks like a browner and shimmery version of nude 8.

Wear-ability : Long. Approx hours

Scent : YES

Good stuff : Stays long and hydrates

Not so good stuff: : Scent and Price. Plus one of the glosses smells off. I cant fathom why, since i bought all of them together.

VERDICT : 3/5

Re-purchase : No. 

Reason : Pricey @ 90 dirhams per gloss plus the smell factor.

Product Quantity: 0.14 FL OZ / 4.2 ML

Availability : Bobbi Brown stores / Booths

DUBAI, U.A.E PRICE :  AED 90  [ U$  23 approx]

M.A.C BRUSH CLEANSER

If you love makeup, you will also know of the need to keep your brushes clean and hygienic. So today I will be reviewing MAC Brush Cleanser.

So this bottle holds approximately 235ml of pink liquid cleanser for your brushes. When i went to MAC counter the SA asked me if i knew how to use this product. Since it was my first time purchase , I replied negative. So the following is similar to the demo of what i got on how to use this product. My brush has some leftover blush on it. its peach-ish pink [ sorry for the poor image quality, i am kind of lacking in photography skills. As long as you can detect the peach pink you should be ok]

So according to the SA , just take a wad of tissue or thick napkin dampen it with some MAC brush cleanser liquid..

take your make up brush and go back and forth on the napkin till you have gotten rid of all the makeup 

The blush that i managed to get rid off on the tissue below..

As I said the image quality lacks, the ends of the make up brush's' bristles were cleaned up , but residue still remained inside of the brush bristles.....

Since I wasn't totally satisfied with how clean my makeup brush was, I decided to follow instructions at the back of the bottle which simply stated ' Apply to damp brushes, work through and rinse well". So, that's what i tried next, the result is the picture below which I STILL was not satisfied with.........

So, i resorted to my last and true method of simply shampooing my brushes. I used Herbal essences since its meant to be quite strong. I took a plastic bowl, filled it with warm water and shampoo, dunked the brush in, worked the bristles with my fingers and rinsed. And Voila! We have finally got our brush all nice and clean.

Availability: All M.A.C counters

Price : 70 AED

 Verdict: I am not happy with MAC brush cleanser since it is quite inefficient to use. The method shown by the SA doesn't really manage to get rid of all the accumulated powder on the makeup brush. Secondly, working through each and every single brush with the liquid seems to be a lot of waste of time. Therefore i rarely use the M.A.C make up cleanser since it is very time consuming and doesn't even deliver results. I find the shampoo method more convenient and effective.

Do you own this product? Did it work for you? Share your thoughts......
Thank you.

Lights, Camera, Action!

MUSIK WALL LAMP [IKEA]

Image courtesy:  Ikea

Well another fantabulous product from Ikea is the MUSIK  wall lamp. This lamp will make you sigh and sigh some more. Don't we all wish for a little glamour? Well this product certainly brings it to your makeup routine. Plus the lighting does not hurt. For make up application, especially when applying foundations, lighting is of key importance. One can quickly transform from a fairy tale princess into a real life witch if one don't have the proper lighting. Before stepping out - always make sure to check your makeup under different lighting  and if possible under a camera flash. I've seen a few scary surprises upon checking my camera images :D. Oh well, some of us learn the hard way. So anyways, back to our magical MUSIK wall lamp. Or more like light strip.


According to IKEA
"Product description

Base plate: Polycarbonate plastic


Cover cap: Stainless steel

good to know:

Light source is sold separately. IKEA recommends 


SPARSAM low-energy bulb E14 7W."

The lamp strip [ which holds five bulbs] is partly plastic and partly metal. Although 7W is suggested on the website the product suggests 15W , and the sales assistant at IKEA told me i can go up to 40W but that would heat up the product. I asked if it would damage it and he replied negative. Just might turn out into a 'learn a lesson the hard way' incident :)

Here are some pictures of the wall lamp without the romance. [Light bulbs i mean.] 

                         The facing side of the lamp [Above]

        The wall side of the lamp strip and the closure at the back 

Close up of where the bulbs will be fixed.

Package measurement and weight

Packages: 1

Article Number : 202.174.85 

Width : 8 cm 

Height : 4 cm 

Length : 61 cm

Weight : 0.7 kg

I was quite excited when i saw this lamp at Ikea, because spotting something at Ikea usually means something affordable. I haven't spotted something like this elsewhere. 


Assembly requirements:
You will need a wall connection to connect the wires to and four nails to be drilled in the wall.
Assembly instructions


Availability: Ikea [Dubai Festival City]
Retails at : AED 95 [without the bulbs]


Overall Product Impression: Initially i was quite excited when i spotted this product. [Actually i still am], the only down side would be the fact that when i pulled the product out from the packaging i realized that its quite light weight [ due to the plastic] so i really don't know how long it will last. Also the lamp needs to be connected to a wall socket and not just a switch, so not the easiest of click and use. But the fact that i haven't spotted something similar to this in other stores is a big plus and that fact that i was really really wanting something like this.


Tell me what you think of this product and would you be tempted to buy it?


Thank you :)

Art Deco Liquid Eyeliner

The only liquid eyeliner that I own and am happy with is the Art Deco Liquid Eyeliner.

I love the black intense color and the fact that I find it quite easy to use.The tip is quite fine but depending on how heavy a hand you use you can thicken the line accordingly. The most important thing with black eyeliners [ besides not causing allergy or irritation ] is how black are they really. With art deco eyeliner the first line is a weak black, go over the line atleast twice or thrice and you will be having a nice solid black. The liner dries to a matt black color which i like. It is not waterproof.

The top line has three sweep [ it looks shiny because its still damp at the time I took the picture]

The middle line is just one sweep

The last ; I went over four times to get to the color i like.

Product Details:

Content : 1.5ml

Availability: Art Deco products are now available at Paris Gallery

Price: I bought mine from Pakistan just under AED 100

Verdict: I like this liner, it did not cause any irritation. Its good for on the go. The cap closes tight so no accidental mess up happening in your bag with this liner. I am quite happy with this product. Rinses off easily since it is not water proof. 

What do you think of this product? Would you consider buying it? Do you own any other art deco products/

ART DECO WEBSITE LINK

Thank you. 

Shoe Storage made cool!

So the other day I went browsing in Ikea, to search for something to organize my over flowing makeup in. Well didn’t find anything that suited me but I did find something else of interest! Ikea has come up with some funky and flowery shoe storage ideas. The cases are packed flat with a zipper at the back. When you open them you open them into rectangular boxes, and zip them from the back. The front closure  has a see through mesh which allows you to see which footwear you have stored inside.

This model is GARNITYR and a pack has two pieces and retails for AED 35

As per Ikea :

 Key features

- Transparent mesh window lets you see what shoes are inside the box.

- Handle on one side makes the box easy to pull out.

- Hook and loop fastener makes it easy to open and close the window.

This model is SKUBB shoe box. One pack consists of 4 pieces and retails for AED 45 per pack.

The SKUBB shoe bos available in black, white and a deep gorgeous purple. I was tempted by purple but practicality ruled. The white allows you to see inside the box, whereas the back and purple are so dark you can’t tell what shoes or slippers you have stored inside. The GARNITYR is only available in white and beige print.

I managed to put in 3 slippers per box and two shoes per box. I totally love these boxes and find them really convenient compared to storing in shoe boxes. 

Availablity : IKEA , DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY

SKUBB SHOE BOX 

Product details

W x L x H

22x34x16cm

4 boxes in one pack : AED 45

Colors: Black, White, Purple

GARNITYR

Beige and White floral print

2 boxes in one pack : AED 35

The products are recyclable.

All in all I simple love this product!

What do you think of it? Would you go and check them out on your next visit to IKEA?

Laura Merciers ‘Celebration Palette’

Today my post is about Laura Merciers’ ‘Celebration Palette’, which my friend was nice enough to pick up in London on discount.

The palette consists of three eye shadows, two blushes and three glosses.

The eye shadows are: African violet, kip royal and celestial 1.60 gms

Top: AFRICAN VIOLET, Middle: Kir Royal, Bottom: Celestial

The eyshadows are nicely pigmented with hint of shimmer in them.

African violet is a purplish gold with equal amount of color distribution. So upon application gold and purple both show up.

Kip Royal is a slightly shimmery deep dirty purple.

Celestial is a dark steel gray also with shimmer.

The three colors would make for a good smokey eye with Celestial being the lid color, African violet for the crease and Kip Royal being the dark corner color.

The blushes are Rosette and Apricot blossom 3.3 gms each

Rosette is pale pinkish matt color whereas Apricot blossom is the same color as Rosette but with golden shimmer in it. The blushes though light shades are well pigmented and showed up on my  NC 35 skin color quite nicely.

Glosses are Rouge, Twinkle and naked beige.

Top: ROUGE, Middle: TWINKLE, Bottom: Naked Beige

The glosses are muted colors good for every day wear with no scent. Texture is light and not too thick. All three glosses have the barely there look. So if you want something to hydrate and look glossy without too much apparent color these would be an ideal choice.

Rouge is coralish-brown

Twinkle is peachish pink with hints of very slight shimmer

Naked beige is a nude color.

.

The Product packaging claims :

Dermatologist tested

Finished Product not tested on animals.

Price: Was £42 Now £20 [Equivalent to AED 110] Website

I quite liked this palette, especially the price was really good. The eyeshadows and blushes are well pigmented and the glosses are good for everyday wear. That is a win-win in my book.

Thank you for reading.

Have a nice day :)

CLIINQUE FACE CREAM SPF 30

Dubai summers can be quite cruel, with temperatures hitting record breaking 52-55 degrees Celsius last year. April so far has been cloudy and kind, but the heat is back. My relationship with sunscreens was just limited to the beach. Although I had bought a couple of tinted moisturizers with sunblock, I was always disappointed because of the chalky white-ish cast they left.

Since i started using Retin A , I was in urgent need for a good sunscreen. But the main thing I was looking for was that it did not leave that horrid whitish shade which would stand out horribly on my Asian skin. I came across Clinique face cream when reading An Indians makeup blog and she had reviewed this product AND mentioned the whitish cast toooo which is usually accompanied by many sunscreens.

Having read her blog I headed over to Debenhams in City Center to check it for myself. The face cream is available in SPF 30 and SPF 50. For some reason when i tried the SPF 50 i did feel that i could see a very very slight tint of white. Since I do not usually wear makeup to work , it was of utmost importance that there be no hint of white residue. I then  checked SPF 30 and was satisfied with it after applying it on the top of my hand.

This is what the Clinique website has to say about their product;

"Innovative SolarSmart technology stabilizes high-level protection against the aging and burning effects of UVA and UVB rays. Triggers a repair that helps prevent signs of aging. With solar-activated antioxidants that help prevent visible damage. Gentle enough for sensitive skins. Dermatologist tested. Oil-free."


The leaflet also claims that the product is;

• allergy tested
• oil free
• sweat resostant
• dermatologist tested
• non-comodogenic
• water-resistant

             The cream.                                                   After rubbing the cream in on the side of  my palm.
                                                                          The white on the top corner of the picture is light reflecting.

The packaging is a small [ length of my hand] sunny yellow squeezable tube with a flip top.The cream is a light weight formula and easy to apply. Initially upon applying the cream is greasy but then with a few minutes it goes matt with no hint of any stickiness or residue whatsoever.Although its has been only a few days since i started using this product, I am quite happy with it. I am also using this for my hands when driving. They do have products for the body and hands as well in the same range.

I am quite happy with this product and would suggest it to people who are as fussy as I am about the white-ish cast.

Available : Clinique booths

Price: 50 ml for AED 130 [ Approx 35 U$. So if you can order it from a website which does not charge for shipping , you may get a good price on it. Since the listed price on their website is U$ 19]

BOBBI BROWN MAKEUP MANUAL

Having bought Bobbi browns makeup and being quite impressed with it i decided to go on and purchase her make up manual that is " for everyone from beginner to Pro'. I bought the hardcover from Magrudgys in City Center. The book has lots of pictures and suggestions.The pictures are nice but nothing tempting. Suggestions like moisturizing your skin etc are basic guidelines and no one really goes and buys a makeup manual to learn them. Beginners may learn a thing or two ,like how to apply your eye liner etc. But the techniques to apply foundation, eye-shadows are sorely lacking. As for professionals , I doubt they will learn anything from this book.

I probably sound harsh, but calling this makeup manual the ultimate textbook and something for professionals as well is stretching it a bit. Though what I did like and spent some time reading was the 'Tool Guide' which has pictures of different types of brushes and their uses and came in handy.

The book covers the following topics;

• Make-up artistry
• Equipment
• Skin
• Face
• Lips
• Eyes
• Ten step Guide to perfect makeup
• Special makeup applications
• Artistry
• Essential Equipment for the Professional
• Advanced makeup application
• Memorable Makeup Moments and legends

The topic; 'Special makeup applications' which also has the subtitles 'makeup for photography', 'makeup for magazines' makeup for television', 'makeup for fashion shows' , do not include techniques of make up applications of the said titles but just quotes take from other artists. 

Availabilty; At leading book stores

Price ; 100+ AED [ Do not remember :( ]

As you may have already guessed I was quite disappointed with this book since it did not really teach me anything. If you are looking for  guide book for makeup i would NOT suggest this book. But you may purchase it to add to your collection.

Thank you

BOBBI BROWNS 'SOFT CORAL 7' & 'NECTARINE 1'

Hi everyone, hope this finds everyone in the best of health. Dubai's weather was awesome today, doesnt even feel like April! Hope it stays this way. Not long before the heat waves hit us!

Anyways, todays post is about my two recent recent [ well two months ago] so not so recent purchases. I had a sku blue silk dress and wanted some lip color with a pop. Nothing that blended in with muted colors. So i was on the look out for a orangish-coralish color. I ended up at bobbi browns store in Dubai festival city, since that was the nearest and i was short on time. Afternoons are a great time to browse since there are barely any customers and the sales assistant can give you their undivided attention.

LEFT: SOFT CORAL RIGHT: NECTARINE

So i told the sales lady what i was looking for and she showed me SOFT CORAL 7 and NECTARINE 1.
The shades are quite similar except for pigmentation. Nectarine is more glossier than Soft Coral, but soft coral is more pigmented. Soft coral also lasts longer than nectarine.

Will break it up in points

SOFT CORAL  7

• POIDS NET WT .13 OZ/3.8GMS
• RICH LIP COLOR 
• SPF 12
• EXTRA COMFORT
• Coralish color with slight undertone of orange
• Soft coral is not matt and does have some gloss in it so makes it comfortable to wear and does not dry lips out. 
• More pigmented than Nectarine
• Can be mixed well with other pinks to give some gorgeous shades

                                                                                 

NECTARINE

• TREATMENT LIP SHINE 
• SPF 15
• NET WT 0.07 OZ / 2 GM
• Glossy, so doesn't dry lips out
• Can be worn during the day
• Peach-ish Coral color [ The photograph really doesn't do it justice : ( sorry ]

Comparative picture

[ I also tried soft coral as a cream blush. Held up pretty well :)]

PRICE: EACH FOR 130 AED 

AVAILABLE : ALL BOBBI BROWN STORES 

Although they are similar shades i wear both of them quite often. I found the price steep compared to Bobbi Browns actual selling price on her website. So if you can get the products without any shipping charges from their website or when travelling , note down the price listed on the Bobbi Brown website so you will know how close or further away you are from the actual selling price.

Hope you enjoyed the post.

Thank you