An Indian's Makeup Blog!

Drunk on Adam Levine

2011-08-29T12:09:00.005-05:00

Boy don't mind. I now belong to Adam Levine.
And it goes like this. Take me by the tongue and I'll know you. Bad ass.

Love,
Indian Girl

Makeup and Makeup Lessons From Vogue.in Party

2011-07-03T00:06:00.011-05:00

Mornin Ladies !

How have you been ?

I've been good. Work is great but can also get very stressful. We had Vogue.in's first anniversary party on Thursday and it was a blast. So not stuck-uppy. Everybody loosened up and got on the floor. Boss, big boss - everybody.

And now its that time after a party when the pictures come back and you you find all those embarrassing drunk pics. Good Lord. Lets not go there.

Here is a pic of mine from the party. I know, its first time sharing a full face pic. Cant say I am not nervous but Mumbai making me slightly more brave.

poof...

Makeup Used:

1. Smashbox Photo finish Primer
2. Revlon Photo ready concealer
3. Milani Brow Kit
4. Sleek Palette - Dirty bronze color on lid.
5. Lancome Artliner - black
6. Carmindy for Sally Hansen Blush - Cherub
7. Three Custom Colors Lipstick - Majorca
8. Julie Hewett Lipstick - Belle Noir

Lessons learned:

1. If you are having a fairly good skin day - skip the foundation.
2. If its a dim lit setting, go for a bright lipstick . It pops well in pictures especially when you are wearing something as boring as black.
3. Revlon Photoready concealer is the bomb. It really is perfect for pictures.
4. Blotting sheets are a must in your bag.
5. A blow dry before a big party is totally worth it.
6. So is a pedicure / manicure. I went with a soft almost wedding-y color - O.P.I - Kiss on the cheek.
7. Go ahead , have fun even if its a work thing. No body is going to remember a thing the next day. Not even you will.

Umm...If you like this. I'll have up more makeup break downs now on.

Love,
Indian Girl

Indian Models Beauty Secrets

2011-06-09T09:17:00.002-05:00

I had a chance to chat up three very popular and gorgeous Indian models - Lakshmi Rana, Pia Trivedi and Alesia Raut. Just wanted to peep back in and tell you guys about it. I am always surprised when I talk to famous peeps and they are all so so so very sweet and give a whole new wonderful meaning to the words - down to earth.

You can read the story here

And now you will love my almond face mask a lot , I'm sure

I am now off to buy me some MAC Twinks eyeshadow.

Love,
Indian Girl

June Showers

2011-06-05T02:56:00.009-05:00

Rains have begun in Mumbai and just like folks in Mumbai promised me - its been beautiful. It will get worse from now on I hear but for now am soaking it all in.

Work has been great. I am still grateful for being able to do something I love. Lemme know if you'd like me to link my article to the blog for you to read.

Work apart, life has started to kick in. I have a bunch of friends I like. I love their company. Love hanging out with them. Though I've never had a tough time getting along with anybody and am a pretty laid back person, its been very easy and loads of fun from the start with this bunch. More things to be grateful for.

Boys. Umm.Get on twitter is all I have to say. I need you there. I need to hear from you. Be my twit fam. I love you to bits *pout*

I haven't dated in forever. Its always just been distant crushes. Its been so long that now I don't know what to do. And question every move. But as I question I tell myself to let go and just have fun. So that's what I've been trying to do. Its about embarking on the journey now, not yet about arriving at the destination.

These are some songs I've been listening to on repeat mode. Like I was telling my sister - they speak for me.

Speak for what I'm feeling. Days when everything seems filled with hope and laughter and possibilities of something nice and warm. Of days when blood is rushing to your cheeks and you wont stop smiling.

Days when you are plain stuck. Stuck in the between the middle. When uncertainty haunts you. And hope seems distant and near at the same time.

Days when you think you have loads to say but will not. cannot. Mostly coz you don't know who to say it to.

My favorite rainy day song. I just sit on my window sill, listening to this all day.

Share with me your favorite rainy day songs. I'll give you more soon. I know am holding back with my stories. But I've always been this way. My best friend and my sister have a beef with me on this too. But am trying. Am trying to share more. Trying to let it all out. I will get around this and you'll hear more soon. Hugs. Kisses.

Love,
Indian Girl

Green Home

2011-04-22T23:12:00.015-05:00

in Mumbai.

I hear its rare. Just as rare as finding cute boys. Let alone tall, cute boys with dimples and glasses. Oh how I love em.

But I am blessed with this new home I found. The terrace is what the lady lady calls - an Urban Jungle. Woke up this morning and took a few long deep breaths. Almost felt like I was cleansing my lungs out. And all this greenery just puts you in a chirpy mood for the day. I'm gonna take every chance to show this off.

Here I go.

Love the rosettes of leaves on this water plant

Like mint but not (tastes awful)

Excuse the pajamas.

And then I found this beauty

Green breakfast - Carom leaf

Now onto the real deal with Adele playing in the background. I'm really not love lorn or anything. Pretty happy save for the part about lack of eye candy in Mumbai. Might import one or two here soon but that's another story for another time.

And if you could help me move onto another song, I'll love you for it. This obsession has gone on long enough.

Now, tell me

Love,
Indian Girl

Hiya from...

2011-04-12T10:10:00.004-05:00

Oh My Gosh - where do I start ? I have written this letter ...

no note

umm...had this conversation ?

all of the above a million times and rewritten it a few more times but then this is the gist

I am in India ...

Mumbai actually

at Vogue India to be exact

as the beauty features writer / editorial consultant for Vogue.in

So there I go, that's where I've been and am.

Its been beyond all kinda good and exciting and stressful trying to settle down in Mumbai. I have been ridiculously draining away money on taxis. I think I found a place..haven't sealed the deal yet. Been on my bff's couch - grateful to God she is in Mumbai. Cannot bring myself to give the local trains a try. I was at Lakme Fashion Week - such a giddy feeling seeing all the celebrities and every designer there is !

Soaking Mumbai in. You know all that they say about people falling in love with Mumbai ? Well lets just say all that hasn't happened yet to me.

If you have been a regular Vogue.in reader, especially of the beauty section and you've noticed a new name appearing there, and its been appearing every single day - that's me.

Imma be regular now on. I've missed you bunches and bunches. Every evening on the way home from work I've thought of you and this feels good. Just typing and telling things out to you feels Oh So Good.

Lots of love & miss you even more
Indian Girl

Lip Smoothie by ELLE 18 Color Bombs : Preview

2011-02-22T01:06:00.001-06:00

Elle 18 ( Relaunched in November 2010 in India) are out with their new Lip Smoothies. These lip smoothies available in pocket-friendly tubes, are loaded with the goodness of cocoa butter to keep your lips soft.

Available in 6 shades : Vanilla Heat, Melon Flame, Peach Afterglow, Berry Bomb, Strawberry Blast, Burnt Choco

MRP: Rs. 85/-

Love,
Indian Girl

NYFW Fall / Winter 2011 - Hair At Tara Subkoff for IMITATION : How To ?

2011-02-20T04:56:00.002-06:00

Hair by Ouidad At Tara Subkoff for IMITATION
Inspiration : A femme fatale, “crazy socialite” to channel the seductive vibe.
Look : Ouidad’s Tress Effects Styling Gel and PlayCurl Volumizing Foam helped shape the soft, 40’s Jane Russell-like curl.

Love,
Indian Girl

NYFW Fall / Winter - 2011 : Hair At Rebecca Minkoff - How To ?

2011-02-20T04:40:00.003-06:00

Hair By Ouidad at Rebecca Minkoff's show.

Inspiration : Throwback 60’s vibe with a gypsy feel
Look : “morning after” long, loose tousled style. To get the look, Ouidad used PlayCurl Volumizing Foam and Climate Control to give models a less polished “urban gypsy” look.

Love,
Indian Girl

Pictures by Kristen Somody Whalen

NYFW Fall / Winter 2011 : Hair At 3.1 PHILLIP LIM - How To ?

2011-02-20T04:09:00.003-06:00

Hair by Odile Gilbert for 3.1 Phillip Lim show using Kérastase products

Inspiration: The look is inspired by the Phillip Lim girl who is strong and urban, yet romantic and feminine. Odile pictured a girl riding a bicycle with romantic long flowing waves offsetting the tough slicked-back Shogun style

Look: Very long flowing Botticelli hair, wavy in the back with the top section pulled up into a Japanese shogun style bun

How-to:

* Prep hair with Ciment Thermique for heat protection Spray hair with Double Force Hair Spray in sections and create Botticelli-waves using a three-pronged iron
* Gather the top section of hair, slicking it back with Double Force Ultime Hair Spray for added control, and secure with an elastic
* Pull the the ponytail halfway through the elastic, leaving the ends out, to create a small “Shogun” bun
* Finger wave the remaining section while spraying Chroma Cristal for shine and brilliance
* Smooth Elixir Ultime through the ends to create beautiful, flowing waves and finish with Double Force Hair Spray

Products Used:

* NEW Chroma Cristal (SRP: $37) – A light shine-enhancing mist for color-treated hair
* Ciment Thermique (SRP: $37) – Leave-in heat-activated reconstructing milk for damaged/weakened hair that strengthens, protects and reinforces the hair fiber
* Double Force Hair Spray (SRP: $36) – A multi-protective finishing hairspray with a lasting, firm hold and protective UV shield
* Double Force Controle Ultime (SRP: $36) – A multi-protective finishing hairspray with a lasting, firm hold and protective UV shield
* Elixir Ultime (SRP: $50) – A versatile beautifying hair oil comprised of four precious oils (Maize, Pracaxi, Camellia & Argan), to nourish, smooth and add shine to all hair types

Love,
Indian Girl

Happy V Day Makeup Look !

2011-02-14T03:43:00.005-06:00

V day is all about love.
Yeah and restaurants are all about food.
Where are we going with this?

I am by myself this V day and it still excites me to no end! You couple-y folks out there, good for ya – no points for guessing you have plans.

Boyfriend or not I am laying off pinks and reds. Its been done. Its been done to no end. Forget them fake lashes as well. Let us focus on some understated glamour. This’ll get ya noticed for all the right reasons, keeps you comfortable and there will be no awkward runs to the girls room checking for red lipstick stains on your teeth! It is going to be about a wonderful date and a memorable conversation.

Before we get to makeup lets focus on getting your skin ready. I have the perfect mask for supple, soft, look-at-me-I’m-fresh skin! Blend a couple of table spoons of oats in your blender to a powdery consistency. Mix this with a table spoon of creamy yogurt. Apply all over face and gently massage. Feel the blood circulating and then let it dry. Later, wash it off with warm water and follow with moisturizer. This winter I have been a slave to The Solution by Envision Beauty. It has kept my skin fairly worry free. Use the same mask with some sugar on your feet and hands.

With your supple soft skin you hardly need heavy duty makeup. Use a light tinted moisturizer / concealer, if need be. I am dying over MAC Prolongwear concealer – its been doing things no other concealer has. I swear I got told yesterday by this (cute – I die!) boy that he wouldn’t have guessed I had makeup on. He had no idea about them dark circles, yo! Go for soft shades of peach on your cheeks and lips. A hint of highlighter here and there, some mascara. No intimidating shades, no forced colors. Feel your best and it’ll show – I promise.

Oh and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. And there is nothing I wouldn’t ;) We’re talking makeup. Just makeup.

Love,
Indian Girl

Golden Globes 2011 Makeup Yawn (for the most part)

2011-01-21T01:06:00.008-06:00

This year the Golden Globes red carpet was an assortment of dazzling dresses, pretty colors, and terrific designers. From the gorgeous blue Marchesa on Amy Adams, the fuchsia Lanvin on Julianne Moore, a variety of blush pinks, the exquisite emerald greens on Mila Kunis and Elisabeth Moss, the glittery extravaganza on Olivia Wilde – it was a feast of epic proportions for fashion lovers world wide.

Unfortunately the same novelty or diversity was absent in the makeup department. Star after star walked the red carpet wearing the oft repeated red lipstick or a nude one almost always accompanied by an overdose of mascara or a smokey eye. They all looked very pretty but I, for one was disappointed about the lack of fun and color on their gorgeous faces. May be its time stars realize there is more to makeup than a gilded or smokey eye and a red or nude lip ! May be next time around they will take a more risqué route ? Je wonder...

That being said, here is a medley of the reds vs. the nudes. Do you have a clear favorite?

Love,
Indian Girl

Look Sunkissed Not Sun Drenched !

2011-01-13T23:48:00.006-06:00

Ever gone over board with the bronzer ? These small tips might help ya out with it, this winter! Also check out the article on Vogue India.

Bronzer might be the single most widely bought / used makeup product in the summers but its real magic is brought to light only in winters. Imagine pale dead skin transforming into a healthy complexion, tinged to spring-y perfection – the mighty bronzer can do all that.

And this.

Overdoing the bronzer can be disastrous – red carpet or not. Key is to dust the bronzer along the contours of your face instead of applying it all over.

Start off with a light dusting along your hairline. Follow with drawing the infallible 3 on the side of your face – Start above your temple, pull into the hollow of your cheek and out onto your jaw line. Remember the 3 - this will be your secret weapon for everything from killer cheek bones, effortless contouring to the faux glow. Follow the three with a light dusting of the bronzer on the bridge of your nose. Now without dipping your brush into your bronzer, run it along your neck – you don’t want a pale neck on your gorgeous sun kissed face!

Love,
Indian Girl

Rachel McAdams Does Yellow Eyeliner !!!

2011-01-13T02:22:00.004-06:00

Rachel wouldn't figure in my top five list of people to sport yellow eyeliner. I do have the said list and I'll tell you this - it features Gwen Stefani, Blake Lively may be but not Rachel McAdams.

In real life however,Rachel went with the yellow liner at the premiere of her movie - Morning Glory and looked fabulous while at it !

Is this something you're thrilled about ? Are you itching to sport a similar look ? If you are then the M.A.C Pro Acrylic Paint in Primary Yellow is what you should get. Its this exact shade of bright sunny yellow - oh it making me feel warm already !

Love,
Indian Girl

Birthday !

2011-01-10T01:03:00.005-06:00

27 ? Really ? When did this happen ? Unfreakinbelievable.

Do I really have to contemplate my 27 years of living ?

Can I just do 22 instead ?

Or may be I'll just eat. Yeah eat . Its more fun. And it never gets old.

Or not. I'll dance.

Speakin of dancin - Am still totally crushin on an unknown boy. He danced with me all evening long at the "birthday party" . I don't know him but he was kinda tall, had curly hair and some of the best moves on the floor . Oh I totally heart him. May be we'll run into each other again ?
May be ...just may be.

Aaaah another year older but hardly anythin's changed. Still crushin like a 16 year old , yo !

Love,
Indian Girl

Katy Perry's Hairstyle At People's Choice Awards : How To ?

2011-01-06T23:28:00.004-06:00

Katy Pery's luscious curls were styled by Danilo, Pantene Celebrity Stylist. I love the curls - wish my hair would do that ! Looks so bouncy and fun ! Congrats to Katy for winning Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Online Sensation last night!

"Danilo created a beautiful classic body set on Katy, a style that “she always loves so much.” They decided on full waves to complement her strapless Betsey Johnson dress for a “sophisticated, cutie-pie” style for the evening.

Katy arrived on the scene with freshly washed, towel-dried hair so Danilo had a clean base for styling. He first lightly misted her hair with the Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Heat Protection & Shine Spray to wet and condition, then focused on prepping her roots for the voluminous style by spraying them with the Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Root Lifter Spray Gel.

Danilo then blew her hair out and, once dried, rubbed a small dollop of the Pantene Pro-V Restore Beautiful Lengths Smoothing Balm section-by-section before he applied heat from the curling iron. He used a medium-sized curling iron to set each section and sprayed the Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Professional Level Style Shaping Hairspray over the set before letting it cool for five minutes. He then released her hair, brushed it gently, and “let her hair fall very full and wavy.” He parted her hair to the side with lift in the front, and left her remaining curls big and loose for the final finish."

Love,
Indian Girl

Hair Trends To Umm... Try ?

2011-01-05T06:41:00.005-06:00

Nicki Minaj's Rainbow Tips - I don’t think I see myself ever dipping my raven hair in yellow or pink. But then I’ll never know – they say quarter life crisis does different things to different people. So I’ll hold off commenting on that.

On Nicki it’s a whole another game – she can get away with it, no crisis needed.

Mel B’s Partly Shaved Partly Cut Do - Not going anywhere near this. Probably just not the best look for a single, 26 year old girl like me. Mel B clearly looks happy with her choice!

Hair Extensions - I used to be able to like them and thought they had a good purpose but then Taylor Momsen happened. And then I cut my hair short.

Also catch the article on Vogue India .

On a side note - amazing how everything I write reflects what's happening in maa life yo ! Birthday in five days - Twenty seven ! Say what ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Resolutions For The New Year

2011-01-02T06:27:00.009-06:00

What are you new year resolutions ? I know I am not alone in the lose X pounds / tone up category - am I ?

Love,
Indian Girl

New Year's Eve Party Makeup : A Shimmery, Just Enough Bold Look

2010-12-31T03:52:00.010-06:00

One of my biggest makeup resolutions for 2011 is to go all out with makeup. Though I feature numerous bold looks here on my blog, I hardly take the time out to try them all in real life. So this year things are changing and I shall get bolder! Catch the look on Vogue India here !

To kick start my resolution I have decided to try a big wing look for the party tonight. There is going to be a lot of dancing and I don’t want my shadows vanishing before midnight. The best choice for these long nights out is M.A.C pigment. Pigments have a great staying power and come in all kinds of freaky bold shades - just what I need !

To balance out the drama of a big wing, I chose a girly pink, Fuchsia pigment and purple, Grape pigment with a bit of sexy almost black, Deep Blue Green pigment. Topping it all off with some glitter - M.A.C Reflects Transparent Teal Pigment shall give my eyelids the wet shimmery look.

Checkin if the colors blend well together - yes they do !

To get the big ‘ol wing on the corner with the shadows, I stuck a piece of scotch tape on the outer corner at an angle. Then I proceeded to apply the colors. In the end I simply pulled it out and voila – a big ol wing is born!

Tonight, my cheek bones shall get higher with bronzer and lips sexier with a deep fuchsia - Three Custom Color Specialists Lipstick, Santorini. Some clear gloss and I shall be done! Think any cute boy will notice ? How about the lawyer boy ? Think I'll get to dance with one of em ? Don't know who lawyer boy is ? You probably are not on twitter...

What are you wearing to the party this New Year’s eve? Make it bigger and bolder girls – let the nude, barely there trend end with 2010. Bring them colors out, yo !

Love,
Indian Girl

M·A·C+Mickey Contractor Collection : Photos & Informaion Preview

2010-12-30T01:36:00.006-06:00

Yippie !! Its almost here - Releasing January 6th , 2011 ! I want all the lipsticks and lipglasses. Eyeshadows - I am not too sure of.

"Who is Mickey Contractor, and why can’t about a billion people live without him? The answer involves breaking out into song and dance, because long before Glee, Mickey made the dashing heroes and exotic enchantresses of Bollywood Cinema into the famous faces throngs of fans want to look like. As M·A·C’s Director of Makeup Artistry for India, he’s more than an icon to a glamorous Eastern audience – he has mentored in-the-know Artists around the world for over three decades. These exclusive collections of Mickey’s musts are all about natural skin tonality and total performance, in addition to colour with a touch of exotic cine-magic. Foundation, Concealer, Prep + Prime Finishing Powder, goddess-gorgeous Eye shades, Lipstick, Lipglass and Blush, with his favourite brushes to star in your own big Bollywood hit."

Eye Shadow
Saffron - Deep coral caramel (Satin)
Rani - Bright fuchsia with soft pink pearl (Frost)
Marvel - Deep purple with soft pink pearl (Frost)
Oomph - Forest green with soft gold pearl (Veluxe Pearl)
Suggested Retail Price $14.50 US / $17.50 CDN

Eye Shadow X 4 - Athma
Folie - Reddish-plum brown (Satin)
Carbon - Intense black (Matte)
Jaan - Light neutral with soft gold pearl (Lustre)
Vivah - Brown with gold pearl (Lustre)
Suggested Retail Price $36.00 US / $43.00 CDN

Fluidline
Ivy - Bright green (Frost)
Siahi - Deep turquoise blue (Frost)
Suggested Retail Price $15.00 US / $18.00 CDN

Lipglass
Flesh - Dirty nude brown
Lust - Soft muted pink
Suggested Retail Price $14.50 US / $17.50 CDN

Lipstick
Yash - Deep neutral (Matte)
Mehr - Dirty blue pink (Matte)
Gulabi - Bright fuchsia (Amplified)
Mocha - Peachy yellow-brown (Satin)
Suggested Retail Price $14.50 US / $17.50 CDN

Powder Blush
Gana - Bright white gold (Frost)
Sur - Dirty rosie brown (Satin)
Suggested Retail Price $18.50 US / $22.00 CDN

Coral Corrector / Yellow Corrector
Coral: Slightly dirty coral / Yellow: Banana yellow
Suggested Retail Price $21.00 US / $25.00 CDN

Select Moisturecover Concealer
NC23
NC43
NC44
NC45.5
Suggested Retail Price $16.50 US / $20.00 CDN
Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation
NC41
NC43.5
NC44.5
Suggested Retail Price $26.00 US / $31.00 CDN
Brushes
219 - Pencil Brush
Suggested Retail Price $24.50 US / $29.50 CDN
Brushes
239 - Eye Shader
Suggested Retail Price $24.50 US / $29.50 CDN
Brushes
116 - Blush Brush
Suggested Retail Price $32.00 US / $38.50 CDN
Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
Suggested Retail Price $22.00 US / $27.00 CDN

Love,
Indian Girl

Estee Lauder India Introduces Pure Color Gloss

2010-12-29T00:53:00.003-06:00

Estée Lauder introduces the next generation of color with high-impact glosses that drench lips in enviably chic shades. A special collaboration of six fashion-forward shades by Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux folds into the irresistible collection of bold, juicy hues and subdued neutrals, redefining color for lips. Experience a collection of rich attitude and saturated color by Estée Lauder.

30 BOLD, SEDUCTIVE SHADES

* Exclusive True VisionTM Technology wraps pigments in a crystal-like coating to provide intense, brilliant color and shine
* A subtle to high-impact color palette ensures a shade for all skin tones and desirable lip looks
* Smooth, even pigments impart a soft, fullness to the lips
* 30 sleek shades of natural nudes, edible berries, seductive reds and sensual plums

3 LUXURIOUS FINISHES

* From a soft satin shine to an energetic sparkle, these three distinct finishes glide onto the lips to draw maximum attention.

SHINE: Color-true pigment polymers deliver an ultra shiny, glossy finish

SHIMMER: Finely cut pearls provide a mirrored shine with fierce shimmer

SPARKLE: Super high-shine fused with high-powered metallic sparkle for the most dramatic look

INFINITE MOISTURE

* Vitamin C and Vitamin E moisturize and help protect lips
* Multi-functional humectants enhance lips’ emolliency and moisturization leaving lips immediately soft and hydrated
* Over time the condition of the lips improves, feeling and looking younger and healthier

LIGHTWEIGHT, COMFORTABLE TEXTURE

* Non-sticky, non-tacky formula leaves lips beautifully cushioned
* The new flexible, precision applicator delivers the perfect opacity in an even and fluid application
* Exclusive signature fig scent

Tom Pecheux’s Collection of Shades:

Nude Rose, Plum Desire, Red Tango*, Coral Fantasy*,Perfect Nude* Fuchsia Fever*
*Limited Edition

Suggested Retail Price: INR 1210

AVAILABLE AT:
Estee Lauder,
2nd Floor Palladium Mall,
Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel
Mumbai - 400013
Phone 02243473773

Winter Skin Woes & Remedies - Melvita Jojoba Oil For A Dry Face

2010-12-27T23:52:00.017-06:00

"Its winter and my skin is extremely dry , flaky and ashy. It almost has a wrinkled look to it. Help !"

Mails have been flowing in with these same words. Truth be told you guys are echoing just exactly what I've been dealing with. In this mini "Save My Skin" series I'll put together a bunch of easy solutions to winter skin woes.

First up - Dry Face

The skin on my cheeks have been especially dry. That and the space between my brows.
Very dry. So I've had to make some changes to accomodate the drier me.

Hence, I've got a new member in my skin care army - jojoba oil.

Joe - joe - bah ! (Not !)

After hearing plenty news on how jojoba oil ( actually a wax !) is very similar to the sebum on our skin, which in turn makes it very easy to be absorbed and very effective, I convinced myself to give it a try. But really, like I needed a reason. Its all natural, been a beauty secret for ages and is readily available !

Get Cold Pressed & Organic Oils

I tried the jojoba oil ($19) by Melvita. Its cold pressed &100% organic. It is always recommended to get cold pressed, organic oils because heat extraction process destroys all the good stuff in oils making them rancid, useless and sometimes even dangerous to one's health. Always look for some color in your oils. If your oil is 100% colorless, means all kinda nasty things have been done and added to it. Stay away from those.

Fun facts about Jojoba

- The plant can live anywhere from 100 - 200 years !
- Unlike coconut oil, jojoba oil remains a liquid even in winters.
- Does not oxidize or become rancid easily. Has a very stable shelf life. ( Most nut oils like Almond oil, turn rancid easily hence must be stored carefully in a cool dry place. )

Jojoba-ing

I've been jojoba-ing for almost two weeks now and I really wanna say my skin is smoothtastic. But that's not entirely true. My skin is definitely doing much better than what I started out with. The redness is 100 % gone. It doesn't itch anymore nor is it flaky. About half the dryness has gone but some remains. I realize its a slow process but I am willing to continue with it because when I have it on my face , my skin feels fantastic ! The oil is very light and gets absorbed pretty easily. Jojoba is also considered safe for use on acne prone skin and is one of the most popular oils among ardent followers of the oil cleansing method. It is naturally non-comedogenic.

Plenty More Oils To Try , Yo !

I love the packaging of Melvita oils. They come in a comfortable pump model which can be locked - very important for liquids ! The brand also makes many other organic products from butters to moisturizers and organic sunscreens. On my list next is some of their butters and more oils. I like that these oils are priced fairly - most are under $20. And they have a nice description on what each one is effective at. Some like Sisybrium - I've never heard of but am dying to try !

If you have a winter skin care tip, share em !

Love,
Indian Girl

Its Christmas Time !

2010-12-25T02:47:00.002-06:00

PS : Unfortunately the last 20 or so comments got deleted but thankfully I had read them all ! Thank you for all your wishes ! Hope you had a wonderful time as well !

Hayden Panettiere Inspired Christmas Makeup Look : How To ?

2010-12-24T08:10:00.004-06:00

Clichés exist for a reason and that is why no matter how many times you’ve done reds at Christmas you must continue doing it! There just isn’t a better color for Christmas, yo!

This year I am taking inspiration from Hayden Panettiere. I have always admired her makeup which on a regular basis is very soft and mostly nude save for a few smoky eye days. However this golden / red appearance of hers had me dying a whole another death over its gorgeousness. Though the red lips might look like the obvious star of the show – its not. The real star here is the adequately warm, clean skin. Get it right and the rest will be a breeze

Face:

This is how I plan on recreating the look. Start off with a clean moisturized face. Its winter and I need something a little heavier than my trustee Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. So I’ve been reaching for Olay Total Effects Cream.

Follow it up with a liquid foundation – Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation with a wee bit of highlighter mixed into it – Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion, Glow. Apply concealer and then run the highlighter over your eyelids, under your brow bone and along the bridge of your nose. Keep everything in moderation.

Eyes:

Makeover them brows. Tweeze out the extras and shape them with some powder shadow – Milani Brow Fix Brow Kit.

We’re going in the reverse order for this eye look. Start off by applying mascara or adding false lashes. Now with an angled eyeliner brush add some black matte shadow along the outer half of you lash line. Smudge it out gently. This adds drama and makes your lashes look lush !

Cheeks:

Contour your cheeks moving upwards and towards with a matte bronzer – M.A.C Beauty Powder Smooth Harmony. Follow with a sheer shimmer blush – M.A.C Peach Twist. Now dab a bit of the highlighter on the outer corner of your eye / on top of your cheek bones.

Lips:

Line and fill your lips with a red lip liner - Chanel Le Crayon Levres, Rouge. Stay within your natural lip line. Follow this with a satin red lipstick – Chanel Rouge Coco, Gabrielle. Dab some highlighter on the bow of your lips.

How’s that for a stunning you!

Love,
Indian Girl

M.A.C - A Tartan Tale - Holiday 2010 Collection

2010-12-23T03:25:00.004-06:00

M.A.C, A Tartan Tale is now available in India ! Its a mega collection. Too many choices ! How is a beauty addict to remain sane amid this color ? On a side note, I'd like to see the display for this one !

Do you hear the bonny bagpipes on the moors, or Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols? One in each ear? We’re telling a slightly twisted Tartan Tale to celebrate holiday 2010, in all its posh, punk, ancestral, anarchic, noble and naughty glory. and to bring in 2011...

Royal and raunchy, colours and patterns collide, fantasies come true, punk faeries take flight, with poetic new looks for Eyes to gaze long upon Glamora Castle : Dazzleglass Creme like Radiant Jewels; Lipstick kisses from The Faerie Glen; Black Swan Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner; Family Crest Pigment; My Highland Honey from the heather in Powder Blush; Sexy Style Clan Nail Lacquer; and forever Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara, for the Dark Prince, or Princess.

Enter A Tartan Tale, and be transformed

LIPSTICK

Cut a Caper Mid-tone peachy pink (Lustre)
The Faerie Glen Pale neutral pink (Lustre)
Deepest Wish Deep creamy reddish brown (Amplified)
Full Fuchsia Bright blue fuchsia (Amplified)
Courting Lilac Sheer lilac mauve with soft gold pearl (Glaze)

DAZZLEGLASS CREME

Radiant Jewels Dark sparkly magenta
Soft Dazzle Mid-tone peach pink with gold pearl
Passing Fancy Bright orange coral with soft pearl
Lightly Prancing Light peach with gold pearl
Gone Romancin’ Mid-tone lavender with multi-dimensional pearl

EYE SHADOW
Golden Crown Light gold with bronze tartan striping
A Wish Come True Dirty mauve with bubblegum pink tartan striping
Follow Your Fantasy Mid-tone peach with chocolate tartan striping
Enviably Fun Grass green with dark green tartan striping
Semi-Precious Aubergine with chocolate tartan striping
Glamora Castle Dark grey with teal tartan striping

PIGMENT

Later Black with transforming purple pearl (Frost)
Moonlight Night Blackened teal with teal pearl (Frost)
The Family Crest Blackened bronze with bronze pearl (Frost)

ZOOM FAST BLACK LAS

Deepest black

PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER

Petrol Blue Deep navy with pearl
Black Line Black with gold pearl
Undercurrent Teal with pearl
Black Swan Black with pearl
Lord It Up Bronze with pearl

POWDER BLUSH

Her Blooming Cheek Very bright iridescent blue pink (Satin)
My Highland Honey Bright coral with soft gold pearl (Satin)

NAIL LACQUER

Sly as a Fox Creamy mid-tone russet/burnt red (Cream)
Style Clan Dark taupe with red pearl (Frost)

EYE KITS

6 Dashing Lassie Eye Shadows

Once Upon a Time Metallic vanilla (Veluxe Pearl)
Bronze Copper penny (Frost)
Buckwheat Frosty medium brown (Frost)
A Dashing Lassie Metallic milk (Frost)
Magical Mist Metallic taupe (Lustre)
Showstopper Dark brown (Matte)

6 Beauties Play It Cool Eye Shadows

Heather Belles Dark charcoal/carbon (Satin)
To the Ball Dusty lavender (Satin)
Hold My Gaze Medium Grey (Frost)
Magic Moor Purple grape (Veluxe Pearl)
Altered State Blackened plum (Veluxe Pearl)
Silverwear Metallic lavender (Frost)

6 Twists of Tartan Eye Shadows

Vainglorious Metallic maroon (Frost)
Rolled Gold Gold (Lustre)
Lady’s Prance Clay (Matte)
High Spirits Shimmer avocado (Frost)
Bows & Curtseys Metallic hunter green (Satin)
Set To Dance Dark royal blue (Matte)

6 Reelers & Rockers Eye Shadows

Carbon Dark carbon (Matte)
White Rabbit Shimmer white (Frost)
Melt My Heart Metallic silver (Veluxe Pearl)
Gaelic Gold Metallic gold (Veluxe Pearl)
Crown & Sceptre Metallic copper (Veluxe Pearl)
Family Treasures Metallic bronze (Veluxe Pearl)

LIP KITS

Happily Ever After Lip Kit

Cheers All Around Bright candy pink (Frost)
To Joy Medium pink (Frost)
Endless Fun Sheer frosty pink (Gloss)

A Fabulous Fantasy Lip Kit

Storybook Ending Raisin (Lustre)
Imagine This Pinky beige (Amplified)
Heroic Tale Sparkle flesh tone (Gloss)

FACE KITS

A Triumphant Blush Face Kit

Melba Soft coral peach (Powder Blush)
Peachtwist Golden peach (Sheertone Shimmer)
Smooth Harmony Neutral mid tan (Beauty Powder)

Hark the Heraldry Face Kit

Dame Sophisticated blue/pink (Powder Blush)
Plum Foolery Faint dusty plum (Sheertone Shimmer)
Oh So Fair Pale pink (Beauty Powder)
LIP AND EYE BAGS

Vain and Glorious Lip Bag

Lustre Lipstick in Mellow Mood Sheer pink
Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks Sparkle baby pink
Lip Pencil in In Synch Light pink

Dazzle the Lads Lip Bag

Cremesheen Lipstick in Timeless Medium rose
Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame Sheer neutral beige
Lip Pencil in Lingerie Dusty rose

’Tis Noble To Give Viva Glam Lip Bag

Viva Glam Lipstick in Viva Glam V Neutral pink with pearl
Viva Glam Lipglass in Viva Glam V Neutral pink with pearl

Noble Knights Lash & Line Kit

Fluidline in Blitz & Glitz Black
Pigment in Teal Bright metallic teal
Zoomblack
209 Brush

Violet My Love Lash & Line Kit

Fluidline in Macroviolet Dark grape
Pigment in Violet Bright metallic purple
Zoomblack
209 Brush

BRUSH BAGS

Sweep Me Off My Feet Sweep & Define Brush Collection 29SE, 190SE, 212SE, 227SE, 275SE
A Lady & Her Tricks Buff & Line Brush Collection 168SE, 187SE, 209SE, 219SE, 252SE
She’s Got It All Apply, Define & Line Brush Collection 194SE, 204SE, 224SE, 266SE, 275SE

5 Sassy Pink Lassies Lipglass

Sassy Lassy Bright pink fuchsia
Fab Fun Pale crystal pink
Frozen Dream Medium pink rose
Electro Lush Medium mauve
The Wee Coquette Naked neutral pink

5 Sassy Coral Lassies Lipglass

Tad Saucy Pale muted pink
Jest for Fun Peachy blossom pink
Pretty Quick Bright coral
Mimmy Bright pinky coral
Hearts-a-beatin’ Pale raison

5 Sassy Neutral Lassies Lipglass

Scottish Lilt Peachy beige
Spirits a’ Flying Pale gold
Stealing Kisses Glossy spice
Girls At Play Plumy brown
Bright & Perky Classic bronze

5 Warm Thrillseekers Pigments/ Glitter

Reflects Glitter Peachy/ orange glitter sparkle (Glitter)
Gilded Green Mint ice cream (Pigment)
Gift O’ Glamour Pale metallic pink (Pigment)
Gold Mode Peachy gold shimmer (Pigment)
Most Darling Medium brown shimmer (Pigment)

5 Cool Thrillseekers Pigments/ Glitter

Reflects Pearl Silver glitter with pink pearl sparkle (Glitter)
Silver Fog Light Silver pigment (Pigment)
Cheers My Dear! Pale violet (Pigment)
Softwash Grey Light purple (Pigment)
Mauvement Taupe Glitter (Pigment)

5 Smoky Thrillseekers Pigments/ Glitter

Reflects Blackened Red Cranberrry glitter (Glitter)
Naked Fleshtone shimmer (Pigment)
Jigs & Jive Naked taupe (Pigment)
Blue Brown Brown with turquoise glitter; mermaids tail (Pigment)
Dark Soul Shimmer Carbon (Pigment)

5 Naughty Little Vices Nail Lacquer

Nocturnelle Black
Asiatique Bright Cherry red
Beyond Jealous Deep forest green
Vintage Vamp Deep blood red
Vice is Nice Classic metallic gold

Love,
Indian Girl

Boys & Makeup at Gotipua Dance Performance

2010-12-20T00:12:00.004-06:00

Hiya Ladies !

I have something a lil different for y'all and for Vogue India readers today...

Thanks to a recent event organized by SPICMACAY (Society For Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth), I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful Gotipua artists. Gotipua is a dance form native to Orissa, India and is often regarded as a precursor to Odissi the more popular dance from the state. While Odissi is performed by both male and female artists, Gotipua has traditionally been reserved for boys under the age of 14. These young boys perform acrobatic routines combined with classical dance moves all the while dressed as girls!

I got talking with the artists and eventually the topic went to makeup (it had to didn’t it). The older members of the troupe got nostalgic talking about how much time and effort went into makeup back then. A lot of words were throw in including BC powder, formaldehyde, glycerin, yellow food coloring. Nowhere around were Estee Lauder or L’Oreal. But that was back then. The tiny boys are now made up with pancake makeup and red Revlon lipstick.

Amongst all the makeup talk the longest task seemed to be the one for Kajal. Ain't as easy as going to a store and buying it; but definitely a lot more satisfying. The process began 24 hours before the performance. Earthen lamps were set up with a wick made of muslin cloth. Castor or sesame was the oil of choice. These burning lamps were then covered with a brass pot and let to burn for 12 – 20 hours. The hero here is the soot collected in the brass pot. This soot was later mixed with ghee and applied as kajal around the eyes. Imagine that!

And just in case you were wondering what they use now …its Lakme. The big fat Lakme Kajal stick is their favorite. Apparently it lasts through their rigorous performance! Must try that one y’all!

Love,
Indian Girl

Alberto VO5 Deep Nourishing Elixir Strengthening Conditioner : Review

2010-12-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

I wish I'd found this conditioner before I chopped off my long locks.

Wish I'd used it on that fateful day when among a crowd of ...well people, I saw one cute face. I'm sure he'd have Hey - ed if it weren't for all the frizz extending out in all directions from head. (remind me to finish this story later...)

Or on that beautiful evening when ...well I don't wanna think about it. Not again. Lets just say Disaster spells it out.

Wanting to stay away from my comfort zone - Pantene, I tried out several other new shampoos and conditioners. Not one gave me the "Silky Smooth" hair Zohan promised his customers. So I did what we do when faced with a hair crisis of epic proportions - hit the shampoo / conditioner aisle and take a hard look at every single one of them. Read all the labels promising silky smooth hair. Among them the words " Deep Nourishing Elixir" popped.

Elixir, sounded very promising. So I took it and ran.

Its been raining non stop. Been very cold too. I'm stuck indoors watching bad television. But my non frizzy, flowy, silky smooth hair makes up for all it.

Oh yes it does.

And if I do get out in the cold rain , I come back in & my hair dries to a stunning finish ! No additional serum or blowdrying required !

The five vital oils - (avocado, almond, jojoba, apricot & grapeseed) control the mess and make for near perfect texture for my hair. That being said, its a very heavy conditioner made for very badly behaving hair. If you have fine hair, I'd be careful with the quantity. Too much can easily bring about the flat hair syndrome.

Overall très impressive !

Love,

Indian Girl

Makeup At An Indian Wedding

2010-12-02T08:51:00.004-06:00

So excited about this - its the makeup I wore for a cousin's wedding. Easy stuff that'll get ya plenty compliments. Unfortunately I don't have decent picture from the event to share. However, I'll redo it just for ya !

While I get started on that, may be you'll get a crash course on the look from this post on Vogue.in

Love,

Indian Girl

Beauty And Yogurt

2010-11-28T23:19:00.004-06:00

Or should it be Beauty By Yogurt ?

Beauty From?

Beauty In?

All of the above?

That’s about it – its all around beauty with this readily available product. And here goes the story I've shared with Vogue India this week.

If there ever was one routine I followed with respect to beauty – it has got to be this early morning yogurt therapy that I’ve been into for the past six weeks. If you are a beauty addict you know how hard it is to stick with one product when a million others are calling out to you from every direction. But I was / am on a natural mission and that has made things easier. After neem I went straight for yogurt. Creamy, fatty, delicious home made yogurt applied generously over my face and neck every single day at dawn.

Four weeks later the results started appearing in the form of radiant, clean, soft, supple and super taut skin. The word glow is overused in cosmetics – but this time I glowed from within. However, the most magnificent effect was on my pores. I don’t think I remember what they are and hopefully won’t have to. The exceptional moisture from the fat in yogurt has an astounding effect in the quality of your skin. And according to mom – yogurt helps suck the heat out of your skin hence regulating its temperature.

I have been using plain natural yogurt – with culture. And, I have word of caution for you on it. The first couple of times you might feel your face reddening but eventually it stops. There is no burn or itch just the good bacteria in yogurt doing its part and destroying bad, alien bacteria that can cause acne.

Start out on your yogurt therapy now and in four weeks you’ll throw out your deep moisturizers, serums, face primers and anything else promising soft, supple, taut skin for $$$. Trust me on this one, will ya !

Love,
Indian Girl

Hi Again !

2010-10-14T21:27:00.009-05:00

Hiya Ladies !

Hope you've all been well ! Thank you for all the 'Miss you' messages. I couldn't possibly put into words how much I missed y'all ! Every time I touched a product, I sent out a mental message to y'all on whether to pick it or drop it. Hope they helped you make better decisions.

Wait, some of didn't receive them ?

Dadgummit, they blocked us. Apparently we were causing a major beauty chaos along the telepathic network. We'll stick with writing now on...

During these few weeks (longest break ever !) I wrote two stories for Vogue India. One was on Lakme Fashion Week and the other a natural skin allergy solution with a product found on Indian road sides ! Read all about it here.

I've been indulging in a lot more natural skin care routines. Since I got here (India) I haven't touched foundation or concealer. Okay, maybe a bit of this powder foundation did make its way onto my face and neck a couple of times but no concealer at all ! Loads more to share but will get back with all of it tomorrow.

Love,

Indian Girl

BRB

2010-09-20T13:16:00.002-05:00

MARK Lipclick Full Color Lipstick - Coral Fixation : Review & Swatches

2010-09-17T10:59:00.010-05:00

Get this now.

Order this ASAP.

Hands down one of the best lipsticks around and they only cost $8 !!

No taste, no smell, full creamy color, excellent smooth texture and the lipstick case clicks perfectly into place. I'm addicted to that click - it gives me rush. Thank God this habit is going to cost me only $8.

I tried three shades from the mark Lipclick line. Today I shall dedicate the post to Coral Fixation. Its a coral with a lot of pink to it. Sometimes real coral does come in pinkish variants. Besides the beauty industry on many occasions has called flat out orange as coral.

But this shade is utter gorgeousness. I'm gonna get a couple more and stock up. And I really never stock anything coz I believe its easy to find a replacement. But not for this shade, at this price and in this formula. Wear it with bare skin ( may be lightly evened out) with a hint of highlighter and it looks angelic. Very girl-dancing- in-golden-fields like.

Love. love.love.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

A Brow Makeover With Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing

2010-09-14T13:44:00.025-05:00

This past weekend I treated my brows to a makeover at the very popular Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing Bar in Dallas. No professional has touched my brows in five years because I had one bad experience after another till I decided to do them myself. I'd like to think my brows were average and with this makeover I was ready to see if they could be taken to the next level.

I was lucky enough to have Christi do my brows. She is the quintessential charming Southern woman making me feel at home right away ! We spoke a little bit about how she got started and why her new product was changing brows all across the nation. Next I took the hot seat and let the magic happen, stopping only to ask a million questions and take a couple of hundred pictures.

While Christi spoke and did my brows I couldn't help but notice her amazing skin. So supple and clean. Not one blackhead or white head on her nose. Pores - close to non existent. All this but not the stretched waxy face we see all across Hollywood. Just naturally healthy looking skin. I want skin like that. But for now I'll stick with brow story...

At first I planned on telling y'all about it myself but now I think its much better coming from the creator.

The part about threading / waxing and tweezing pulling hair out from the root echoed to me the most. Sometimes if the hair root is gone, there isn't a way for hair to start growing back in that spot - scary stuff ! I should know this because my brows are pretty sparse at the inner end thanks to years of threading / tweezing.

Key Points That Make All The Difference

- The brow map is the key to perfect shape. You will start out with your bows looking too thick and weird like mine did in the picture below. But you'll see them looking way better and natural at the end of it all.

- Always stipple. Don't run the brush along the length of the brow.
- Following the steps helps create the same best shape day in and day out. Plus doing it a few times gets one into a routine which gets faster and faster with time.
- Not related to brows but I learned that the crease color must be placed above the crease - not along or in the crease. I tried it - its true.
- Everything in makeup has to be at an angle. Placing any product on your face in a straight line makes no difference and instead looks blah.

Who Needs The Precision Brow Planing System

Essentially anybody who is looking for Kim Kardashian like brows but also if you have

- thin brow hair / not full eyebrows
- brows not in shape
- uneven brows
- sparse, barely there brow hair
- don't have natural arches in your brows but are looking to create one.
- don't / cant thread, wax or tweeze

The brow planing kit provides for a step by step procedure to take one to the land of full shapely brows. The difference comes with the texture that Adda bow provides making the brows look natural as oppose to the flat tattooed brows or sharpie brows. This texture makes all the difference !

You May Not Make A Run For It If ...

You have

- full, thick brows naturally that you have maintained in relatively good shape.
- are particularly prone to razor burns.

You are better off with just a brow powder and an angled brush to fill in sparse areas.

As For Me

I loved it. My brows that began like two centipedes tuned first into an architectural blue print with the lines that the brow map created and finally ended up looking totally Va - Va - Voom ! I have never had these beautiful shaped arches - ever. My left eyebrow that has been sleeping for the past few years has awakened and risen to staggering heights. I plan on keeping it there and hope it never goes back to being a droopy line.

The before and the after

The brow planer helps with a crisp finish to the brows that is only made better with the Lift -n - Lite matte highlighter ( unfortunately has to be bought separately). I am very grateful that I didn't have a razor burn from the brow planer tool but if I had one concern then this would be it. If you are prone to razor burns I highly suggest making an appointment at one of their locations and trying it out there before you invest in one. The rest of the kit is great but the planer is the main highlight of the kit.

Planer apart, I absolutely fell in love with the fan brush that is used to dust the diffuser over the brows. It also makes for an amazing blending brush - who knew ! The kit itself can be used to create a day and a night look. One thing I noticed across the kit is quality. Everything seemed to be made with the best quality products for the desired effect. All brushes - soft, dense and perfect. The powders - fine milled and pigmented just right.

So wait - am I laying my tweezer down ? Yes and No. If the stray hair is way far away from my brow I still plan on tweezing it out. But anything near my natural brow line - I'll let the planer tool handle it. The Precision Brow Planing Kit is now available at Christi Harris Website for $39.95.

Love,
Indian Girl

Five Different Winged Eyeliner Looks

2010-09-13T14:43:00.006-05:00

Hiya ladies !

Hope you're having an excellent start to the week ! I must tell you mine has been dramatic. As in not too much drama but more like big changes coming my way :)

I also had a dramatic brow makeover yesterday with Christi Harris !! It was so much fun ! Cant wait to share my before after pics.

My latest story for Vogue India is on five different ways of creating a winged eyeliner and the effect it has on our faces. You can read all about it here. Lemme know how you like it and if you are all for trying any of these looks ! I have a few more winged eyeliner inspirations - will have them on the blog very soon !

Love,
Indian Girl

How To : Hair At Jason Wu Spring/Summer 2011 Show

2010-09-10T15:32:00.004-05:00

I am so going to try this hairstyle. It seems so easy but the end result is quite exquisite. Love love love it ! Thanks to the wonderful folks at Aveda for showing us the technique !

Aveda lead stylist Odile Gilbert created looping braids and twists finished with a chiffon ‘flower’ using Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep™ Smoother,™ Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray, and Aveda Control Force™ Firm Hold Hair Spray at the Jason Wu Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Week show in New York.

“The Jason Wu hair look for this season is simple yet sophisticated, with 1970’s inspiration. We’re braiding chiffon—scraps from the collection—into the hair and twisting the ends into a flower. This look captures the happiness and excitement of spring and summer.” –Odile Gilbert for Aveda–Odile Gilbert for Aveda

HOW TO GET THE LOOK:

1. Prep damp hair with Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Style-Prep Smoother™ for smoothness and to tame flyaways. Use a fine-tooth comb to create a strong, clean part on the right side of the head and then blow dry straight using a Mason Pearson brush.

2. Pull hair tightly back and separate into four sections along the nape of the neck. Spray each with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for shine and flexible hold.

3. Tie a long ribbon or piece of fabric—in a shade close to the hair color—around the top of each section of hair.

4. One section at a time, braid the fabric through the hair and secure at the bottom with an elastic. Leave excess fabric out at the bottom of each braid. Spray each braid liberally with Aveda Control Force™ Firm Hold Hair Spray for ultra-strong hold.

5. Collect all four braids and tie the fabric into one large bow at the end to create a ‘flower.’

6. Pull the fabric ‘flower’ upwards and secure at the nape of the neck with hair pins, creating beautiful braided loops stemming from the flower. Finish the look with Aveda Control Force™ Firm Hold Hair Spray.

AVEDA PRODUCTS USED

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother™

Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray

Aveda Control Force™ Firm Hold Hair Spray

Q: What was your inspiration for this look? How did you collaborate with the designer to create the look?

“Jason’s collection was inspired in part by the 1970’s, so we wanted the hair for this season to reflect the hair of that era. Though the look is ultra-sophisticated, it’s also young and playful, with clean, slick hair in front and a mélange of braids and twists gathered into a gorgeous flower in back. The addition of Jason’s material completes the look, like chiffon highlights.” — Odile Gilbert for Aveda

Q: How could a woman achieve this look on her own?

“This look is very simple to recreate and works on anyone. Prep hair with Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Style-Prep Smoother™ and blow dry straight. Separate four sections of hair in the back and twist a piece of fabric into each. Leave a little fabric out at the ends and tie them together into a bow. Twist the braids up and pin to the back of the head. Set the style with Aveda Control Force™ Firm Hold Hair Spray.”—Odile Gilbert for Aveda

Love,
Indian Girl

How To Wear And Remove Glitter Nail Polish

2010-09-10T13:07:00.005-05:00

Deets : Layer the glitter nail polish over a solid creamy nail polish and watch the glitter slide away easily with a regular nail polish remover !

Story : I've had these gorgeous nail polishes in my collection for a while but refrained from using them much. They were such a pain to remove and I have very very sensitive cuticles so its not like I can rub the cotton ball back and forth to get rid of the glitter. I didn't want to deal with the pain so I ignored them. Until, one day I was testing them over a solid creamy nail polish that I had on and what do you know, they came off with ease ! No messy glitter around my cuticles, no tugging & no micro scratches on my nails !

Since then I've used nothing but glittery sparkly nail polishes, making up for all my lost time with them. Right now I have on Zoya Julienne ( a deep sparkly purple) over Kelly (creamy steel gray)

Index - Zoya Cheryl over Cola
Middle - Zoya Edyta over Shawn
Ring & Pinky - Zoya Julienne over Kelly

Try this trick and lemme know how it works for ya !

Love,
Indian Girl

Ask Away - All Your Brow Related Questions

2010-09-09T13:12:00.003-05:00

This weekend I will have the honor of meeting brow guru Christi Harris ! You probably know her from The Tyra Show or have read about her in one of the many magazines that she has been featured in.

In preparation I have been growing my brows out so she can shape them for me. To say I am super excited is putting it mildly. I've never had my brows professionally examined and shaped.

If you have any brow related questions please leave a comment below and I'll get you the answers from Christi Harris herself ! Any brow related question is fine - best shape for my face, how to fill brows, anything.

Love,
Indian Girl

Winging It Retro

2010-09-07T13:45:00.016-05:00

Thanks to this eyeliner, a winged eyeliner look has never been easier to create . My lines are crisp, dark and most of all - easy !

I didn't want anything too loud to go with the winged liner - the liner was loud enough for me. So I reached for my Pixi Eye Beauty Kit - Bittersweet Cacao ($28). The packaging reminds of a watercolors kit I had as a kid. I was never good with water colors but I know my sister and I loved that kit.

This adult version has eight satin, medium pigmented shadows. It is great for times when you don't need anything too colorful and are looking for just enough to look polished. I applied a bit of peach all over the lid and added a hint of brown along the crease. The white eyeliner is one from New York Color - N.Y.C($3)

I love how it turned out ! But all being said, $28 is something I will think twice about before indulging. If you are looking to explore Pixi Beauty at Target, you must check out their youtube channel here. There are many How To videos that'll not just teach about creating different looks but more so will help us decide what will work for us !

Love,
Indian Girl

Begin Fall With Jouer Lip Sheers

2010-09-02T16:08:00.008-05:00

Its September and that is official sign that Fall is just around the corner. Its already time for NYFW ! But then again , its 98 degree outside. Dudnt sound much like Fall now does it ?

To get me just in the mood for darker hues I've started wearing the Jouer Lip Sheer in Positano. Its the sheer wine shade to transition me into a (hopefully soon) fall palette.

I'm not the only one - Jessica Alba and Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone are going dark too. I just cant get around to going as dark yet. If you are in the same boat as I am, then you'll appreciate the sheer moisturizing wine that Positano is.

The other shades are pretty too - all very sheer. Positano is the deepest color. St. Barths is a coral, again a sheer one. Its another great shade to check out.

L to R - St. Barths, Capri, Positano, St. Tropez

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Lush Sugar Scrub - Melting Heaven

2010-09-01T16:19:00.014-05:00

Last night I tried the sugar scrub from Lush for the first time.

Lordy Lord it smells SO GOOD. All through my shower I couldn't get over how unbelievably good the smell was. The sugar scrub crumbled in a couple of seconds. I took off a small piece and saved the rest in the soap shelf. But in a couple of seconds, it started melting and the green liquid flowed into the bath tub !! So I made it quick run into the kitchen, grabbed a container and pulled my wondrous sugar scrub in.

That's that. But now I had a lot of this fantastic scrub just lying in there in the soap shelf. So I gathered the puddle into my palms and scrubbed the he*l outta my hands. Every stroke just made my hands softer and softer and softer. By the end my hands felt like two of the softest pillows ever.

So soft I dreamed of ~~running my hands all over~~ shaking hands with officer Sam Swareck and he continuing to hold on, coz my hands were just the softest. All the while I looked deep into his dreamy eyes and he continued to charm the pants off me with his dimples...

This is exactly what I meant when I retweeted...

Me and Sam Swareck are officially an item.

In my head.

Speaking of dimples...check this out.
Cuteness overload.

Love,
Indian Girl

How To Correct Dark Circles ?

2010-08-31T14:16:00.022-05:00

Every morning we wake up and we see our faces in the mirror. We do this every single day of our lives and somewhere through it all we get to know our faces. For me, I know the cut above my eyebrow, a few leftover scars from chicken pox , the red dot on my nose, the mole on my chin and a couple others. I know these well enough that when I look at the mirror they blur out and my eyes see an overview of my face. And I like the face that looks back at me. I'd like to think I know it well.

But somewhere along all this back and forth with my mirror, the overview just got zoomed out so much I failed to notice a lot more things. We all go through this - we overlook a few things here and there and then one day - Bam ! You realize the face you see in the mirror is very different from what others see.

I hadn't noticed the dark circles until I took a picture of myself for the blog. Dark circles are notorious for making one look stressed out, dull, tired and unhappy. I wasn't feeling any of those things but my dark circles decided to make an appearance getting me the " Are you okay ?'s"

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar to you.

I use concealers regularly and found a few that work well for me. At least they did for the me I was seeing. But it wasn't till I took this after picture that I realized I looked so different. There was a marked brightness. Like my eyes that were hibernating two inches behind my face were suddenly out and bustling with happiness. Like someone had reached in and pulled them out. They were no longer hiding behind a hollow dark space. I looked so different even to my own eyes. Eyes that see me every single day.

The Orange Dark Circle Primer

This is what I had used - The Khuraira Dark Circle primer + Khuraira Age Control Concealer. Since then I have tried the primer with couple of my other favorite concealers and they seem to do this pulling out and shine through thing very well. The real star is here was the bright orange dark circles primer. I understand why they chose to call it a primer - you apply it (sparingly) on your dark circles prepping them for concealer. The more common term for it is a corrector. I have seen a few correctors but none this strong. On using it I also realized why so many readers write to me saying the very popular Bobbi Brown correctors weren't doing much for them. I guess we just need a strong dose of correction.

Why Orange ?

After trying the product I requested for a mini interview with the founder, Khuraira to ask a couple of basic questions - Why orange and what does this do ? She told me it helped by "neutralizing discolorations through the breakdown of the blue caused by broken capillaries. Worn under your concealer, this prevents the darkness from penetrating through". The last few words resonated with me - the one about not letting the darkness seep through. That is what was going wrong for many of us - our concealers just weren't designed to be strong enough to make a barrier of sorts.

Left - dark circle primer applied directly over skin. Right - Smashbox HD Concealer (medium) applied over the dark circle primer

Reasons Behind Dark Circles

This article here from the New York Times speaks about how finding a remedy for dark circles is one of beauty industry's top concern today. The reason for a relative lack of success in this field, I think could be the myriad of reasons that lead to dark circles - everything from hormonal changes, obesity, diabetes, stress, lack of sleep, alcohol can lead to dark circles. But for many of us, it doesn't end there - " Chronic dark circles, dermatologists say, is excess pigmentation in the skin. Dark circles are prevalent on all skin colors and types, but they especially trouble African-Americans, Southeast Asians and Southern Italians " .

Its in (some of ) our genes now ? I guess with that I can just about forget a cure for dark circles. My only option for now, is to slather stuff on to make them invisible. For now I am happy I found this heavy duty corrector for my industrial strength dark circles. With this I now join the league of stars like Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Karina Smirnoff (Dancing with the Stars) and Nicole Scherzinger who at one point or another have depended on this product to get rid of that nasty stuff called dark circles.

Other Choices

Since trying this corrector I did some research and found a few other brands that make orange color correctors - Georgia Armani Master Corrector, NYX Orange Corrector, MAC Pro Studio Finish Skin Corrector , Laura Mercier Under Eye Perfector. These are a few options other than the one from Khuraira that I tried. If you have had a history battling dark circles and havent been satisfied with anything yet - I'd highly recommend finding one of these bright orange correctors and giving them a try. Chances are you'll love what it does !

Argh, all this depressing talk about you know what. Time to go grab some oatmeal raisin cookies.

Oh make that cup cakes with cream cheese frosting. Whoz comin along ?

No. Wait.

Heaven forbid, donuts.

Wait - donuts - obesity - dark circles. Dadgummit. It keeps coming back.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

LA Splash Liquid Eyeliner - Abyss : Review & Swatches

2010-08-27T15:30:00.004-05:00

For the longest time now I've been fixated on finding a liquid eyeliner that gives the wet look. You know, like the eyeliner is forever wet looking though it actually is dry and will not smudge. Turns out a liquid eyeliner with teeny tiny silver reflects has the power to create an illusion of a moist eyeliner.

And I found all that for $6.99 (or less) with the LA Splash Liquid Eyeliner in Abyss.

Abyss is a black eyeliner with microscopic silver reflects. No glitter here, at least not in this shade. It is nothing like the Urban Decay Glitter Eyeliners. I'd say they are more on the lines of MAC Super Slick Eyeliners and can give it a run for its money any day ! The product comes in a really tall packaging. Most of the height is from the application wand. The brush is tiny and sharp - perfect to create defined, precise lines. Dry time - a mere few seconds ! Over all - a spotless record.

Check this out -

Round 1 : Super thin dainty line

Round 2 : Thick ferocious line

I've seen LA Splash at some of the Sally Beauty Supply stores. If you don't have one nearby you can check out their products on their website here

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Kim Kardashian - Soft Makeup & Hair !

2010-08-26T19:59:00.006-05:00

If there ever was a Kim Kardashian look to replicate - this would have to be it.

Why ?

Coz its easy peezy.

No blending. No layering. No crease job. Nothing. Just a bronze shadow all over lid and along lower lash line.

Kim K and no black eye liner ! Stop the presses ! But I sense there is theme here. One of softness. Notice how her hair is lighter too... Just don't ask me about them lashes.

Remember when Ginnifer Goodwin did something similar with a bright gold shadow ? We loved that look and tried to replicate it too !

Why ?

Coz its easy peezy.

Love,
Indian Girl

We've Got A Situation

2010-08-26T16:40:00.003-05:00

and we put it to rest. Err...test.

Love,
Indian Girl

Sonam Kapoor's Dressy Messy Hair : How To ?

2010-08-26T14:25:00.004-05:00

How gorgeous is this dressy messy hair style on Sonam Kapoor !

To say I’ve been obsessed with figuring out how to go about it is an understatement.

Because I didn’t have the faintest of clue I asked, stylist Juan Carlos Maciques from Rita Hazan Salon in New York City to put me out of my misery. Maciques has styled the likes of Kardashian sisters (who never have a bad hair day) and was equally excited about the look. “It’s a very modern take on an up-do. Looks fresh because it's an uncontrived hair style. There is a balance between messy and polished.” says Maciques and I agree.

Totally.

Continue reading the How To part of this story here on Vogue India's Website. Gimme a thumbs up if like what you learned !

Love,
Indian Girl

pic source

Back To School Makeup Giveaway With CoverGirl Cosmetics

2010-08-25T14:08:00.012-05:00

*****This contest has ended. Winners have been contacted via email.****

This time around we have partnered with the wonderful folks at Cover Girl to sponsor a giveaway for all of you lovely ladies who are back in school !

But that's not the only exciting part - we were lucky to have CoverGirl celebrity makeup artist, Molly R. Stern create these amazing face charts with three CG inspired looks, perfect for back to school/fall season ! How awesome is that !

Look #1 - Nine Lives Everyday

Look #2 - Turn That Brown Upside Down

Look #3 - Glance In The Grass

Giveaway

Pick your favorite look and enter for a chance to win all the products used to create that look ! That means there will be a total of three winners - each one will receive the products used to create the look of their choice.

How To Enter The Giveaway

There are two easy ways to enter this giveaway. If you do both, it will give you two entries and that means twice as many chances on winning all the products used for your favorite look !

1. Simply leave a comment below stating which of the three looks was your favorite. Also leave your email address, so I know where to reach you at !

2. Follow me on Twitter, tweet about the giveaway / shout out your favorite look !

RT @Indiangirl Back to school makeup giveaway An Indian's Makeup Blog - 3 winners ! Pick your look and win it ! RT to Enter http://tinyurl.com/3695vpn

http://twitter.com/IndianGirl

This contest is open to US residents. All local, state & country laws apply. Contest ends on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 8 PM CST. I'll be picking out the three winners randomly and announcing them the next day!

Love,

Indian Girl

A Gray Taupe Look With Drugstore Products !

2010-08-24T15:25:00.003-05:00

I am determined to make grey work for me. I always feel like grey isn't my best color but I love how good it looks on so many brown peeps ! This time around I tried grey taupe look with one of my favorite drugstore eyeshadow trio - The Sally Hansen Eye color Trio - The Storm.

Products Used :

Khuraira Dark Circle Primer
Khuraira Concealer
Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Eye Color Trio - The Storm
L'Oreal HIP Navy Kohl Eye Liner

Love,
Indian Girl

Smashbox Masquerade Collection - Fall 2010 : Review & Swatches

2010-08-23T14:58:00.009-05:00

I've never been to a Masquerade party. Never been invited to one.

Besides shouldn't you be friends with the Ambassador of Italy or the Queen of England for that ?

Even if I were to be invited I wouldn't have the faintest clue on what I should wear or how I should dress up for it. If the Smashbox Masquerade Collection is any clue looks like the recurring look would be one of soft pink cheeks and lips, paired with dark seductive mysterious eyes.

The Masquerade Eye Shadow Palette($35) is no doubt the queen of this ball. The sleek navy blue metallic compact houses nine mega pigmented satin eye shadows that blend in mere seconds to create several different looks. Plus the taupe shade on the top right could substitute for your eyeshadow powder in a pinch. The swatches will speak for how dense the shades are - absolutely packed with color.

The Lip Enhancing Gloss in Disguise ($19) is true to its name. The moment I laid eyes on it, I thought it was the most delicate yet fierce shade of pink I'd ever seen. With the gold flecks it does look like a winner. But none of that translates onto my lips when worn on its own. It could be any other golden pink lip gloss. But it does have a certain knack of adding life to otherwise dull matte lipsticks.

Here I have it over CG Simply Ageless Blush in Lush Berry.

Next up - The Baked Fusion Soft Lights Palette in Fusion ($32). Light , fair, medium , olive skin tone ladies, repeat after me - Hallelujah. Since I didn't get any sun this summer, I am quite excited about this highlighter. Its a frosty soft pink that when applied to the higher planes of my face gives a gorgeous frosty glow. With a bit of contouring I might be able to pull off the high cheek bones structured face.

I love frosty highlighters in fall / winters but not in summer. If I had managed to get a shade or two darker I wouldn't have been as excited about this. On my darker skin it would have just looked like a patch of white frost running down my nose or the sides of my face. When I'm darker I prefer more of a golden / bronzy highlighter than a frosty pink one. The Baked Fusion Soft Lights in Starburst would be my ideal pick for darker skin.

Overall - the eyeshadow palette is a must must have for fall - $35 well spent. The mystic, dark shadows are sure to get your eyes noticed - Masquerade ball or not .

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Simple Makeup For A Calm Day

2010-08-20T13:30:00.016-05:00

Its been a week. And some week it has been. Got back home after a week on the road and I am ecstatic ! I enjoy traveling. It thrills me to make a list , pick out essentials, pack a bag, get out and do things. I love it !

But the only thing that excites me even more is getting back home. Guess I am a home body in some ways.
no more hotel rooms
no more junk food
no more eating a large pizza

Blame Pizza Hut for the stupid deal - any pizza , any size, any toppings - $10. I never pay heed to these junk food deals but there is something about not being at home that makes you wanna...

Are you a home body too ?

I do miss the TV and room service.

To calm me down & to get me back to my unshakable zen like persona - I opted for a very simple makeup routine today. I don't like having too much on my face when I am looking for calmness. If I could I'd go with nothing but its never been a good idea. So I opted for three light weight products.

My Om Shanti Products

Covergirl Tru Blend Pressed Mineral Foundation - 04 Soft Honey
Covergirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush - Plush Peach on my lips and cheeks
Rimmel London Max Volume Flash Mascara - Extreme Black

That's it - just three products !

I am crushing big time on the CG Simple Ageless Blush - Plush Peach ($10.50). A gorgeous deep peach color that totally works on my NC 40 skin tone. It has an amazing texture - so easy to blend and very moisturizing thanks swirls of Olay Regenerist Serum. I used it on my cheeks and lips. Though its just me saying it - the peachy, soft, youthful makeup is adding to my zen. I swear it is. Well, I look calmer thanks to this angelic peach but I feel calmer thanks to my bff and sister.

Shout out to my bff & my sister for always being there for me.

Om Shanti.

What About You ?

I do have a few questions for you.

What helps you get your zen back on ?

Who do you wanna give a shout out to, today ?

Love,
Indian Girl

PS : I will be giving away the CG blush along with some more products next week ! Stay tuned ! Only thing better than finding a great product is sharing it with y'all ! Lots of love...

M.A.C Viva Glam Lipglass in Viva Glam Cyndi & Gaga

2010-08-19T10:31:00.003-05:00

Following close on the success of M.A.C Viva Glam Cyndi & Gaga lipsticks are the new Cyndi & Gaga lipglass ($14.50) ! Available September 2, 2010.

Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass - Mid tone dirty coral
Viva Glam Gaga Lipglass- Light blue pink

Love,
Indian Girl

GIVEAWAY : The InStyler - 2 Winners !

2010-08-17T11:55:00.011-05:00

********** This giveaway has ended ************

Get ready for an amazing giveaway ! We're giving away The InStyler to two lucky winners !

What is The InStyler ? A truly innovative, multipurpose styling tool,designed to offer maximum styling benefits without the difficulty of managing a blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron or big round brush.

With one convenient tool you can:

• Straighten hair without flattening it
• Create soft curls
• Flip ends in or out to finish a look
• Enhance volume and body at the root
• Quickly style from damp to dry without damaging hair

Simply run THE INSTYLER through your hair, allowing the first set of bristles to gently sort and separate the individual strands. Next, the rotating, heated cylinder gently glides over your hair, smoothing, polishing and straightening. Finally, the second set of bristles finishes the hair leaving it shiny and smooth.

How To Enter The Giveaway

There are two ways to enter this giveaway

1. Subscribe to receive daily updates from AIMB via email. Just enter your email address in the box below and leave a comment with your email address. Comments without an email address cannot be considered for the giveaway.

2. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway.

RT @Indiangirl The Instyler Giveaway on An Indian's Makeup Blog - Two winners! RT to Enter http://tinyurl.com/27fe73a

http://twitter.com/IndianGirl

This contest is open to US residents and ends on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 8 PM CST. I'll be picking out the two winners randomly and announcing them the next day!

Love,
Indian Girl

Back To School Makeup Look # 2

2010-08-16T15:38:00.003-05:00

This time its pink ! A flirty and sweet shade that'll show up on any skin tone !

Products Used

Loreal HIP Eyeshadow - Sculpted
NYX Eyeshadow - Hot Pink Glitter
Rimmel Spark It up Eyeliner - Ultra Violet
Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara
Hard Candy Walk The Line Eyeliner - Night Sky

How To :

1. Prep your lids with concealer if needed and set it with powder.
2. Apply the pink shade from HIP duo all over the lid.
3. Go over the outer rim of the HIP shadow with the NYX Hot Pink Glitter shadow - use a fluffy blending brush.
4. Line lower waterline with Rimmel Eyeliner pencil - ultraviolet and the upper lash line with Hard Candy eyeliner (optional)
5. Finish off with mascara !

Cheeks :

Pair with a soft pink blush like NYC Mosaic Blush - Pink Berry

Lips :

Chapstick or clear gloss should be good but for a pinkier look go for a like Rimmel Airy Fairy Lipstick !

Love,
Indian Girl

Crush Worthy

2010-08-13T16:41:00.001-05:00

Officer Swarek from Rookie Blue.

Love,
Indian Girl

Tackling Common Eye Care Problems

2010-08-13T15:19:00.004-05:00

on Vogue India !

My new post is up on Vogue India Website ! This time I wrote on four common eye care related issues - from puffiness, dry skin, dark circles to fine lines.

Check it out here !

Love,
Indian Girl

Cool Gray Eyes, Warm Orange Lips

2010-08-12T13:37:00.006-05:00

Would you do it ?

Not me.

Off the top of my head I would never have thought a cool shade like gray would look so good with bright warm orange lips. As much as I love orange lips, gray hasn't been my color. I've always paired orange with very natural / nude eyeshadow shades. But seeing these gorgeous Indian models, I am rethinking my strategy here.

May be Gray plus Orange on Brown = HAWT !

Love,
Indian Girl

Back To School Makeup - Look #1

2010-08-11T17:06:00.004-05:00

Hiya Girls !

Loads of requests from our younger AIMB readers for Back To School makeup ideas. So I got to work immediately on them. I will be using only drug store goodies on these back to school looks. This is look # 1. Lemme know if you are on board with this , what else you'd like to see in this series and we'll add more !

Products Used

NYX Eyeshadow Trio - Copacabana ( the third shade from the trio - matte brown and the first shade - matte pink)
NYX Eyeshadow Trio - Walnut bronze ( the third shade from the trio - taupe)
Loreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara
Covergirl Liquiline Blast - brown

EYES

How To

1. Apply concealer and set with powder if necessary. I am 26 and I needed it.
2. Apply the taupe shadow - Walnut Bronze all over the lid.
3. Apply the matte brown shadow from the Copacabana trio along the crease / edges of the taupe shadow and blend along the crease moving inwards into taupe territory.
4. Apply the matte pink shade as a highlighter under the brows.
5. Line the upper lash line and gently run the brown eyeliner pencil along the lower lash line.
6. Curl lashes and add mascara.

Done !

CHEEKS

You could leave the cheeks alone or add a touch of bronzer . I like The Milani Powder Bronzer or Physician Formula Bronzers.

LIPS

A sheer nude lipgloss like N.Y.C Lip glider in Mulberry Street Mocha should complete your look for the day !

Love,
Indian Girl

Kim Kardashian & Justin Bieber - Elle Magazine Photoshoot

2010-08-11T14:53:00.011-05:00

The theme of the shoot was - The Graduate.

That's that.

Lets talk about the lipstick - gawgus ! We saw it on AIMB sometime back and you guys were full of intel on what shade this could be. Remember ? Here on the model.

Its here again and I don't think its going to vanish after this. I guess this will be a hot Fall shade.So, I made a list of all your recommendations and some of mine so it helps the rest of us who wanna try this out.

Indian Princess - YSL Rouge Pur in # 19 or a combo of Ysl Rouge Volupte in # 10 and # 11.
Sunitha - Rouge Coco in Taffetas Rose or Paris. Julie Hewett in Scarlett.
Sereen - Illamasqua Resist
Anon #1 - NARS "Funny Face
Priya - MAC night violet
Anon #2 - Vasanti Cosmetics Denmark Lipstick
Smeegal9 - OCC Lip Tar Anime
Anon - Revlon Wild Orchid
Huma - MAC Girl About Town
Seju1987 - Wet n Wild Mega Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum Fairy 908C
Amanpreet - MAC Show Orchid, NYX Hot Pink, NYX Orchid
IG - Rouge D' Armani - Rouge 402, Three Custom Color Specialists Santorini (swatch below)

Any more ideas on the shade ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Korres Liquid Lipstick #30 - Natural Beige : Review & Swatches

2010-08-10T13:44:00.007-05:00

After seeing so very many great reviews for this liquid lipstick , I just had to give it a try.

After trying I'll tell you its for good reason that its so popular.

Make that reasons and here goes the list.

Lightweight
Creamy
Gives a full opaque color in one swipe
No streaks
Lovely no brainer shade - can wear it with a neutral eye, a shocking teal or a black smokey.
To work , at school or partaaay !
Makes my lips look fuller and free of any lines - its from the antioxidant rich raspberry & pomegranate extracts man !
No taste
Very mild fragrance

Overall the amazing formula makes me think it is almost everything I would want a liquid lipstick to be.

Almost.

The stay time is not so great. The lovely natural beige color lives and breathes for an hour or two before vanishing into thin air. Just like that ! And this is without me threatening it with solid food or smoothies. If only it stayed a while longer, I'd have a lot more time and reason to love it.

Have you tried the Korres Liquid Lipstick ($22 / 0. 20 fl.oz) ? If you thought this color was too blah for ya - they have a super fuchsia and a bright red too ! Holla back if you happen to try any of the other shades . I'd love to hear all about it !

Love,
Indian Girl

Gray Tales From 2010 Teen Choice Awards

2010-08-09T14:52:00.005-05:00

So who caught the Teen Choice Awards last night ?

Not me.

I don't have TV.
I have Hulu !

But I had to check out who turned up at the awards and who wore what and how.
Two gray looks caught my eye.

One - Selena Gomez .
I know her, naturally.

Two - Jojo.
I bet google knows her.

If I had to try one look on myself it would have to be Selena's look.
Naturally (Sorry I cant help it)
Love how simple and cute it is. Plus I don't really need much of blending skills for it.

Jojo's on the other hand is super mega smokey. With lots of long curled lashes.
Not a look for me. I have no where to go looking so glamorous.

What about you ? What look would you pick to try on yourself ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Around The Web World

2010-08-07T15:35:00.019-05:00

Its been a day of roaming on the web this Saturday morning...
err afternoon
Its not my fault I woke up at ...
ummm 1 PM ?

No really its not my fault. I sat up till 4 AM reading this book. Its a must read - I am 100 pages into the book and its opened my eyes for the second time.
First was with Food Inc.

So yeah morning is anytime you wake up. At 1, I woke up, got my coffee and sat roaming aimlessly online. Its amazing how you jump from one place to another. I wish it were that easy in real life !

First up - Miss USA's Food Diary !

She has an amazingly fit body. And the girl eats well too. She doesn't eat meat other than fish so you'll see how her food is basically veggies and wheat bread ! The whole carb free diet is a little stupid. I am learning more on it and will be sure to get back to you with the list that convinces me so. But more than anything - we've been eating bread for eons ! So hats off to Miss USA for eating bread.

I do get easily impressed, don't I !

Also we are more similar than different. The only real difference is the tiny body. The girl loves her Honey Bunches Of Oats cereal - its my fav too !!! I buy truck loads of it during my once in six months trip to Costco.

Sake Is For Your Face Too !

Cate Blanchett's ( love !) favorite skincare line SKII has its signature ingredient - Pitera, that was discovered during a scientist's trip to a sake factory in Japan.

Pitera, was discovered purely by chance. About thirty years ago, a scientist noticed that the hands of workers at a Japanese saké brewery looked beautiful and young. This was the inspiration behind five years of research by a team of scientists who screened through over 300 types of yeasts and refined the precise conditions for fermentation, leading to the discovery of SK-II's signature ingredient, Pitera.

Derived from a unique yeast's fermentation, Pitera is a blend of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids that work together to allow the skin's natural surface rejuvenation process to function at its prime, enhancing the renewal of the skin's outer layer. Continued usage of Pitera leads to clearer looking, smoother skin.

So I did some research online and found this article which talks about why sake can be used to reduce age spots, skin discolorations and freckles !

Man Oh Man, do I love sake ! Not much for alcohol. Hate Wine. There is only one beer I love and drink on occasion - say two time a year. But Sake - I use sake a lot while cooking. I plan on starting a food blog / food diary blog and when I do - I will be sure to talk more on my love for sake in food !

I Have My Buffet Shirt. I Need These Buffet Pants.

Have you ever eaten at a Chinese / Mongolian buffet ?

I have. More times than I'd like to talk about.

Man - are they good ! Imagine all you favorite foods at one place.
Now imagine eating them.

***Gimme a second to wipe off my salivating mouth***

I swear I was east Asian in my last birth. Though I'm Indian, Asian food is my comfort food. And now comforting myself will be easier with the expanding gluttony pants !

My Food Diary

I wanna lose five pounds to get into my college weight - a weight when I fit into all my clothes well and felt not fat. It is by no means thin, but its my happy weight. I like some meat on my bones. Back then I used to work out almost two hours a day. whatever happened to that machine who ran 30 minutes, cycled 30 minutes, elliptical 30- 45 minutes - that cardio girl died. I must revive her. But looks like its gonna be hard waking her up. So I've started doing the other thing - maintaining a food diary.

There are days when I am feeling gluttonous but mostly I am just normal with food. I wanna lose five pounds. ten would be freakin awesome but five will make me happy. And because this is essentially a beauty / make up blog I don't wanna bombard it with food images like this one - today's lunch. Hence the thought of opening a food blog...

How is your Saturday ? Are you an early riser ? I don't hate you - just extremely jealous.

Love,
Indian Girl

More Bollywood

2010-08-06T15:39:00.014-05:00

Jacqueline Fernandes - the new girl in Bollywood. I think she has the cutest smile ! Love pairing pink cheeks and lips with a green gown. Its an effortless combo.

Vidya Balan - I guess the new thing in Bollywood is to dress like the character you're playing in your up coming movie ? In character or not - its hard to go wrong with frizz free hair, great skin, natural looking makeup and kajal !

My mom would ask her to wear a necklace. She is just not a fan of plain neck with a saree.
I cant do sarees so I am just in awe that she is wearing one.

Deepika Padukone - love the bangs. Reminds me of Maduri Dixit circa 1992. If there was one thing I could switch with her it would be a hard choice between

the height
the small waist
gorgeous brows
those dimples
big beautiful eyes
flawless skin...
Its gonna be hard. Very hard.

Sonam Kapoor - Not a huge fan of the girl but that doesn't stop me from admiring her clothes and makeup ! Love the purple punch !
And that earring - Lordy Lord ! Its so cool ! I want it .

I don't wear earrings.
But I still want it.

I don't have a neck as long as hers.
And I still want it.

I have no where to go wearing it.
I still want it.
Now.

Celina Jaitley - Great hair !
I know the girl gets a lot of flack for her makeup choices - but I have begun to see it this way. She is comfortable doing this and has been doing it a while despite what anybody tells her. And being a celebrity I am sure anybody and everybody has something to say. So I guess its time to leave it alone and just accept it as her look !

Love,
Indian Girl

Borghese Illuminare Brightening Hand Serum : Review

2010-08-05T14:59:00.013-05:00

It says illuminare and brightening so the 13 year old in me assumed sparkles. I guess she also got a little excited about it. But then the more practical 26 year old in me went - no way do I need that. Sparkly hands which then rub sparkles off on my face making me look like the glittery 13 year old who began this whole thing in the first place.

Smooth & Soft - Naturally !

But curiosity kicked in and I checked the ingredient list - lots of natural extracts like olive oil, licorice, grape seed (great moisturizer), lemon ( natural brightener) , licorice (helps with discoloration) and a bunch of other scientific names of plants. Apart from this I also saw collagen known to keep skin younger, firmer and healthy looking. I couldn't miss out on all this goodness, so I decided to try it at night and pulled the bottle out. Two squirts later - I had super soft hands which guzzled the serum in ten seconds and no sign of sparkles. I tried it on the next day and no sparkles in day time either ! Thank you, 13 year old.

The product gives me sparkle free, soft hands into which the serum sinks almost immediately. No greasy or slippery feeling either. Something else I noticed was that it gave my hands a smoother look - almost like what a face primer does but without the powdery feeling. That being said, I wish it didn't come in a glass bottle. I have a hard time carrying any glass container around. Its too delicate for me. Also, I am still looking for that radiant glow it promises.

This Illuminare serum was especially created to help with minimizing dark spots and uneven skin tones on hands. Though I am a little young for dark spots I am rather happy I tried this for its non greasy moisturizing and smoothing properties ! I know my mom will like this one !

Borghese products can be found at Ulta, CVS, Walgreens.

Have you ever mistaken a product based on its name alone ? Tell me I'm not alone y'all .

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Four Drugstore Nude Lipglosses : Review & Swatches

2010-08-04T14:42:00.011-05:00

Sally Hansen 12 Hour Diamond Lip Treatment - Princess
A peachy nude with almost opaque pigmentation.
$6

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Lip Gloss - Sparkling Nude
Fleshy nude with sheer to medium pigmentation
$7.99

New York Color Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss - Mulberry Street Mocha
Deep creamy nude with sheer pigmentation
$2.99

New York Color Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss - Downtown Brown
Bronzy nude with sheer pigmentation
$2.99

More Swatches

L to R : Princess, Sparkling Nude, Mulberry St. Mocha, Downtown Brown

Love,
Indian Girl

Summer Makeup Tutorial : Look # 3 - ' Dinner ' In The Sun

2010-08-02T16:07:00.011-05:00

Last weekend I went out for dinner at this tiny hole in the wall Korean restaurant to experience the most delicious Korean food of my life. I still cant stop talking about it. So so good ! And this is the makeup I wore on my dinner date. I had on a sunny yellow and blue shirt so I wanted to keep my face a little mellow but not too much so. To match a bit with my shirt I added a little blue along the lower lash line.

I loved how it tuned out. I now love with my Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Palette even more ! And its so easy !

How To :

1. Apply concealer all over lids and under eye
I used Smashbox HD Concealer - Medium

2. Apply lid primer
I used Smashbox Photofinish Primer - Naked Beauty

3. Apply the taupe shade from the Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Palette all over the lid

4. Apply a darker taupe on the outer V and blend into the crease
Rec : MAC Satin taupe

5. Add dark blue eyeliner along the lower waterline and upper lash line (very thin)
I used Smashbox jet Set Waterproof eyeliner - Navy Blue

6. Add the sea blue shade along the outer corner of lower lash line from the Blue Dahlia Palette.

7. Add mascara - Flirt It Curl Mascara.

Lips : LORAC Liquid Lipstick - Glam

Cheeks : LORAC Satin Blush - Velvet Rope

More From ' In The Sun ' Series

Summer Look # 1 : Brunch In The Sun
Summer Look #2 : Luminous Bronze In the Sun

Love,
Indian Girl

New Vogue India Article

2010-08-02T14:01:00.006-05:00

Hello Ladies !

How is the Monday so far ?? I woke up craving more Korean food after a weekend of indulging in the most delicious Korean food I've eaten. But I guess it will have to stop. I did a mega veggie shopping last night so I could get back on track with healthier eating. Plans on dragging myself to the gym are on too...

My second story for Vogue India is up. It on Bollywood's Signature Looks. Lemme know how you like it ! So exciting !

Love,
Indian Girl

H Wood Beauty - Lip Tea & Lip Shines : Review & Swatches

2010-07-31T13:20:00.010-05:00

Who are H Wood Beauty ?

- A holistic tea inspired beauty line.

If you live in LA you probably have heard about the h.wood tea room and their innovative tea based cocktails. This cool and mysterious place that supposedly is all the rage in LA has inspired some of the city's most respected makeup artists to come together and create a beauty line called - H.wood beauty. How cool is a beauty line inspired by tea based cocktails ! I think its a great story ! But what's even more amazing is that their products are big on natural / organic goodness.

Lip Tea

The folks at h.wood beauty sent me a couple of products to try and the organic / natural geek in me loved seeing the "ORGANIC" label on their lip balm ! Their lip balms AKA lip teas ($10) come in six flavors and have the shortest ingredient list ever. Its just a bunch of clean products like coconut oil, olive oil, Shea butter, green tea coming together to keep your lips soft and hydrated. I tried the vanilla caramel flavor - and have contemplated chewing it many a times - smells so good ! Once you try products like this , it almost makes you feel guilty about using petroleum byproducts on yourself.

Lip Shine

Another new product from the line , is their lip shine ($16). Housed in an alluring golden tube, these lip shines are sheer lip colors made with all the goodness of their lip balms. These are available in five shades - sheer, poppy, ruby, rose, plum. I tried ruby and adored the look of translucent red on my lips. Its great for a no makeup look. But its also so so so very easy to use them up in a minute. Not a minute really but you know what I mean. And for this reason alone I wish it were cheaper.

Overall très impressed with the line. Its hard for me to not like a line made locally with lots of good-for-you ingredients and h.wood beauty plays to this weakness in me.

Love,
Indian Girl

PS : For those of you asking, I received confirmation from JHLA that they are not affiliated with h.wood beauty.

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Vogue India Beauty Awards - Complete List Of Winners

2010-07-29T16:11:00.003-05:00

Guys !

Just what you asked for ! I have the whole list of winners mentioned below !

Apart from this, I have loads of other fun stuff to share with y'all. My BFF is visiting me this weekend so before she gets here, I will try and write up a few posts for y'all to read ! Yesterday I was in Houston for the Manchester United vs. MLS All Stars game - mad crazy fun ! Will have some pics up from the game too !

Now onto the list...

BEST OF SKINCARE

Cleanser: Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser
Moisturiser (for day): Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15
Moisturiser (for night): Elizabeth Arden INTERVENE Stress Recovery Night Cream
Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+
Serums: Guerlain Super-Aqua Serum and Leaf & Rusher Active Serum
Eye cream: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex
Peel/mask: Clarins Gentle Peeling

BEST OF ANTI-AGEING

Cleanser: La Prairie Foam Cleanser
Moisturisers (for day): Dior Capture Totale Multi Perfection Crème and Clinique Youth Surge SPF15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer
Moisturiser (for night): Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lifting Creme
Sunscreen: Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25
Serums: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules Intensive Treatment for Face & Throat and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex
Eye cream: Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Eye Cream
Peel/mask: Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Mask and Dermalogica AGE Smart TM Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque

BEST OF BODY

Cellulite Busters: Clarins High Definition Body Lift
Creams/lotions: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter and Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Body Treatment
Scrubs: L’Occitane Almond Delicious Paste

BEST OF MAKE-UP

Concealer: YSL Touche Éclat
Lipstick (day): Dior Sérum de Rouge, Rosewood Serum 740 and M.A.C. Lipstick, Half ’n Half
Lipstick (night): Lakmé Nine-to-Five Colorfix Lip Duo, Grapevine
Lipstick (red): M.A.C Lipstick, Russian Red
Lipstick (brown): The Body Shop Colourglide Lip Colour, Beechnut
Lipstick (pink): Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Lipcolour, Super
Lipstick (nude): L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Star Secrets, 722 Aishwarya Amber
Lip gloss: L'Oréal Paris Glam Shine Gloss Brillance, Cinnamon Addict
Eyeshadow Palette: L'Oréal Paris Color Appeal Trio Pro Hazel Eyes
Blush: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color, PK 304
Eyeliner: Lancôme Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner Noir
Mascara: Lancôme Hypnôse Precious Cells
Kohl pencil: Colorbar I-Glide Eye Pencil, Jaded and Lakmé Kajal
Foundation (compact): M.A.C Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, NC43
Foundation (liquid): Lancôme Teint Idole Silky Mat
Primer: YSL Top Secrets Unifying Perfecting Primer SPF 25
Nail Polish (day): Chanel Le Vernis, Ming
Nail Polish (night): Chambor Nailpolish, Dark Angel
Nail Polish (red): Chanel Le Vernis, Dragon
Nail Polish (brown): YSL La Laque Long-lasting nail lacquer, Rich Coffee
Nail Polish (pink): Leighton Denny Expert Nails, Gorgeous
Nail Polish (nude): Chanel Le Vernis, Inattendu
Finally, the best counter in-store, Clinique

BEST OF FRAGRANCE

For Day: Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey
For Night: Dolce & Gabbana, The One
Men’s: Giorgio Armani, Armani Code
Classic: Dior, J’adore
New Launch: Gucci, Flora
Celebrity: Beyoncé, Heat

BEST OF HAIR CARE

Shampoo (for normal hair): Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo Long & Strong
Shampoo (for damaged/coloured hair): Kérastase Reflection Bain Chroma Riche
Conditioner (for normal hair): Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy Keratin Care Conditioner and Pantene Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Treatment
Conditioner (for damaged/coloured hair): Kérastase Reflection Chroma Riche

BEST OF HAIR STYLING

Volumiser (straight hair): Philip Kingsley Maximizer
Definer for curly hair: TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Defining Serum
Defrizzer: L'Oréal Professionnel Tech Hair Mix Sublime Shine
Texturising product (for straight hair): Sebastian Professional Matte Putty
Texturising product (for curly hair): Sebastian Professional Whipped Crème Light Conditioning-Style Whip

BEST OF SPA AND WELLNESS

Day spa: The Spa, Four seasons Mumbai
Destination spa: Nadesar palace, Varanasi
Medi spa: Evolve, Mumbai
Ayurveda: Soukya, Bangalore
Detox treatment: Forest Essentials Marigold & Basil Sand Treatment at The Leela, Goa
Anti-ageing treatment: Keraskin Age Néojeunesse
Energising treatment: Gotukola body envelopment, Trident, BKC Mumbai
Pampering facial: Biodroga Oxygen Facial, Shangri-La–Eros Hotel, Delhi
Salon (mani-pedi): Juice, Mumbai
Hair spa : Kim Robinson Aman, Delhi
Stylist (hair): Nikhil Sharma, Affinity Salon, Delhi and Adhuna Akhtar, b:blunt, Mumbai

BEST OF FASHION AND BEAUTY S/S ’10
Show for hair: Anamika Khanna
Show for make-up: Rohit Bal
Hot stepper on the ramp: Gia Johnson
New face in an ad campaign: Jyotsna Chakravarthy (Garnier Fructis Shampoo)

BEST MAKE UP ARTIST:
Mickey Contractor

Love,
Indian Girl

Vogue India

2010-07-28T12:06:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys !

I have some great news to share with y'all !

Starting this week, I will be writing a weekly beauty / makeup article for Vogue India website ! I am super excited about the oppurtunity and cant wait to share more beauty / makeup stories !

My first blog post for Vogue went up today. You can read it here. Its the one on Vogue India Beauty Awards ! Show me your love !

Love,
Indian Girl

Vogue India Beauty Awards 2010 - Winners

2010-07-27T13:08:00.014-05:00

***This is an AIMB exclusive, almost. The list aint out online yet ! You heard it first !***

Last night Vogue India celebrated their first Beauty awards show announcing the winners in various beauty / makeup categories. The event was attended by a host of celebrities including my favorite Indian model - Lakshmi Menon !

The selection process wasn't an easy one. Over 1000 products were tested by experts from the industry who then cast their votes, shortlisted 583 products. Then a panel of 11 expert judges went on to select 79 winners in 8 categories !

The panel of expert judges included many popular Bollywood actresses like Malaika Arora Khan, jewelery designers like Queenie Dhody, skin care experts, makeup artists including Mickey Contractor and of course the Vogue team.

Now onto the winners ! Its a long list so I selected a few categories to share with y'all. But if you are curious about the entire list , lemme know and I'll have it up soon !

BEST OF SKINCARE

Cleanser: Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser

Moisturizer (for day): Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15

Moisturizer (for night): Elizabeth Arden INTERVENE Stress Recovery Night Cream

Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+

Eye cream: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex

Peel/mask: Clarins Gentle Peeling

BEST OF MAKE-UP

Concealer: YSL Touche Éclat

Lipstick (day): Dior Sérum de Rouge, Rosewood Serum 740 and M.A.C. Lipstick, Half ’n Half
Lipstick (night): Lakmé Nine-to-Five Colorfix Lip Duo, Grapevine
Lipstick (red): M.A.C Lipstick, Russian Red
Lipstick (brown): The Body Shop Colourglide Lip Colour, Beechnut
Lipstick (pink): Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Lipcolour, Super
Lipstick (nude): L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Star Secrets, 722 Aishwarya Amber

Lip gloss: L'Oréal Paris Glam Shine Gloss Brillance, Cinnamon Addict

Eyeshadow Palette: L'Oréal Paris Color Appeal Trio Pro Hazel Eyes

Blush: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color, PK 304

Eyeliner: Lancôme Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner Noir

Mascara: Lancôme Hypnôse Precious Cells

Kohl pencil: Colorbar I-Glide Eye Pencil, Jaded and Lakmé Kajal

Foundation (compact): M.A.C Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, NC43

Foundation (liquid): Lancôme Teint Idole Silky Mat

Primer: YSL Top Secrets Unifying Perfecting Primer SPF 25

Finally, the best counter in-store, Clinique

..............What were your favorites that made the cut ???

Love,
Indian Girl

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Collection : Review & Swatches

2010-07-26T16:49:00.010-05:00

This fall collection from Estee Lauder is all about mysterious blues, purples and the dreamy effects they bring to our eyes. The main attractions of this collection to me are the palettes - Blue Dahlia and Surreal Violet. I tried out the Blue Dahlia palette ($40) and believe me it is every bit as stunning as the model Hillary Rhonda makes us believe it is.

The Blue Dahlia palette houses five eye shadows in a sophisticated Estee Lauder trademark golden compact. I am a sucker for golden packaging. The five shadows are medium pigmented with very soft blendable textures that make mixing and shading a breeze. Its all about soft sophistication, no over the top colors.

The shades include

- a pearl white with tiny blue flecks
- a satin sea blue
- a shimmery deep blue
- a satin taupe
- a matte black

The satin taupe and the sea blue are my two favorite shades. But the pearl white with blue flecks is just as gorgeous. Overall a dream of a palette from Estee Lauder. I'm now off to try the look. Its a bit cloudy here but if it clears up I'll take pictures and have em up ! This is the face chart I'll be following.

Shade 4 over entire lid as base. Blend.
• Shade 3 to frame the eye:
- Start at crease, extend above and out to outer corner.
- Define and blend into outer corner.
- Extend down under lower lashes. Blend.
• Shades 5 and 1 blended together. Apply over inner 2/3 of lid.
• Shade 1 as liner along lashline.
• Shade 2 blended over liner at upper lashline. Blend out into outer corner.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Milani HD Advance Concealer : Review & Swatches

2010-07-26T12:19:00.014-05:00

Good Morning Ladies !

Hope you had a great weekend ! If you are a Mad Men fan, I'm sure it was. So good to get back to knowing what Don Draper has been up to.

I am in a really sunny mood today. I think, finding quality products at the neighborhood drugstore does this to me. Its the Milani HD Advance Concealer ($6.99) y'all. I not only love this product, I feel so good about it that I am recommending it to everybody !

Yellow Yellow Sweet Little Fellow

The Miani HD Concealer comes in a click pen model looking all bright and blingy in its gold packaging. One of the biggest concerns I've had with drugstore concealers has been the lack of yellow pigment. Most of them are pink or just plain beige. You pat it under your eye and they sit there staring into space ...doing nothing to hide your dark circles. This is why Milani gets much of my love - its truly yellow based. Check that out !

Nobody can complain about the lack of warmth. Its exactly what a warm skinned person like me needs to look bright and fresh !

Key Ingredients :
• Rona Coated Pigments that disguise dark shadows
• Invisaskin moisture base which keep the eye area hydrated,soften expressions lines and wrinkles
• Grant X Gamma Amino-Butyric Acid that plumps out creases, lines and imperfections
• Granactive RD 101 to help brighten and gently resurface the most delicate skin

Alicia Keys & I - Concealer Best Buds

I saw that the shade Medium Honey was used in Alicia Keys so I decided to try the same. Its perfect on my NC 40 (medium tan) skin tone. I almost feel like Alicia and I are best buds ! We use the same concealer , that's got to mean something !

One more major good thing about the concealer is the formula. I can never wear concealer and head out without applying some foundation because I feel like the concealer is too obvious. But with Milani HD one the formula sinks into your skin and merges with the top layer so well that I look naturally dark circle free. So now I don't have to add foundation just coz I did the concealer ! And for someone who likes to keep it as less as possible with makeup - this racks up huge points in favor of the concealer.

I am not the biggest fan of the click pen but really this isn't a complaint. I assume many women love it given that one of the best selling concealers of all times YSL Touche Eclat is a click pen.

Now all I want from Milani is to add a lot more shades so my deeper toned girlfriends get to try this too.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Summer Makeup Tutorial : Look #2 - 'Luminous Bronze' In The Sun

2010-07-22T13:46:00.011-05:00

I've been dying to try Constance Jablonski 's gorgeous bronze look that was featured in Vogue China, a few months back. I'd saved the pictures and looked at it several times through out this summer. Truth is, I was attracted like magnet to this look and was waiting on finding just the right bronzer to finally try it out. And when I found the perfect product I got work, immediately !

How To :

1. Start off with clean moisturized face
I have been regular with my latest crush - Envision Beauty The Solution Moisturizer. It has made a huge difference in the betterment of my skin !

2. Mix a liquid highlighter into your tinted moisturizer and paint a thin layer on your face.
I used Clinique Up- Lighting Liquid Illuminator - 01 Natural + Smashbox HD Foundation.

3. Give it a couple of minutes to settle down

4. Take a large fluffy face brush and dust your bronzer below your cheek bones, the temples, sides of your nose and across the sides of your forehead. Run the brush now, along your hairline and sides of your chin with whatever is left. I am loving the Milani Powder Bronzer - Light. Though its called Light, the color works perfectly with my NC 40 skin tone.

5. Let them brows be unruly - adds to the look.

6. Line your waterline delicately with a black eyeliner. Then use a white / pink shimmer pencil to highlight the inner corners of eye and bridge of nose. I like Anastasia Brow Highlighter pencil.

7. For the lips I went with a fuchsia shade - Cover Girl Out Last Lip Stain 410. The model's light eyes make for a great contrast so I built in the contrast with a fuchsia lip. If you are all for the brown look try Jouer Lip Gloss - Monsoon, Avon Big Color Glossy Lip Pencil - Glossy Sand.

That's it ! Are you bronzing a lot this summer ? If not , you must try it sometime ! Compliments will follow - trust me .

Love,
Indian Girl

Blue Overload

2010-07-21T16:16:00.008-05:00

I been dying to play with some blues all week long and finally got to it. I really wanted to do something but it tuned into something else.... Thanks to me using an unwashed blending brush that dusted brown on my blues and then mascara did its thing and smeared on the lid. So after housekeeping came in and cleaned the mess ...this is what happened.

Either ways I am happy I got to play with blues ! That Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof eyeliner - Navy Blue is gonna get used a lot this week. Its wonderful along the waterline - lasts all day long ! And that that silver Liquif - Eye Metallic Eyeliner from Milani - makes for a perfect companion to the blue along the lash line.

The two blues are from good old Estee Lauder Sand & Sea Palette released last year

Also - please notice the lack of dark circles. Would you believe me if I told you its a drug store concealer ? Would ya ? You must ! Its the Milani HD Concealer in Soft Honey !

I started out going for the ice queen look with the frosty blues and the silver.

And then I wanted to see how a contrasting deeper blue would do.

After that I pretty much had to go and add some color to the waterline. Just to see what that would look like.

Finally I ended up with this !

I'm going to the movies tonight to see Robinhood. Yup, haven't seen it. And no, I'm not going with this improvised ice queen look. I'll probably just do the blue and silver eyeliner. Will post a pic soon !

Love,
Indian Girl

How To Avoid Blisters On Feet - Part 2 : Kushy Foot , Foot Covers

2010-07-20T13:37:00.008-05:00

Few weeks back I wrote a mini story on how blister prone I am. And before that I told you about how I get all stationary while wearing heels. Really, its just one sad story after another.

I'm pouring my heart out here, man.
Or is it feet ?

In my continued effort to heal my sole (ignore that) , I came upon Foot Covers. I had no clue they made things like this. And I bet they had no clue about all the comfort this brings to my ailing heart...err feet.

I got a pair of the most gorgeous gold flats (jooties) from India many many years back excited about wearing them every single day. But years later the count remains at two. It has no cushioning what so ever and the sides of the shoe dig into my skin leaving my feet all red and almost blister-y. But this past weekend, I pulled on a pair of nude , regular Kushy Foot, Foot Covers and headed out to brunch. Four hours later I got back home to a pair of very happy feet. No redness, no pain thanks to the cushion and most importantly my little toe was happy.

The foot covers come in thee basic shades and four lengths. The one I tried were the regular lace kind. There is also the low cut one which doesn't rise as far up in the front as the regular ones . They'll hide very well under your shoe. The best part though is the price - the regular foot covers cost only $5.25 for three pairs ! The lace ones are around $10.50 for three pairs.You can find them here

Overall - I am happy about the low cost of keeping my feet happy under all circumstances. If you've ever gone through the pain of red feet, you must indulge in foot covers - they will bring all the peace you need.

Have you tried foot covers ?

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Yellow Nail Tips From Jennifer Love Hewitt

2010-07-19T15:39:00.003-05:00

Truthfully I do realize that JLH doesnt really care if we like it or not. No one should. The lady loves it and is flaunting it with many other things( like her gorgeous shoes is all I meant)

But for me, the nails don't work. I am all for bright summer nails but they must exist all along the length of the nail. We are talking full on yellow ! The yellow tips on the lines of white french manicure is not my style.

What about you ? You liking them ? Do you approve of yellow tips ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Summer Makeup Tutorial : Look #1 - 'Brunch' In The Sun

2010-07-18T19:19:00.013-05:00

We are in the peak of summer and there is no sign of things cooling down ever. So, why not make the best of the heat and flaunt your best summer looks ! That's exactly what we will be doing with our In The Sun Series - showcasing a bunch of fun summer looks !

I woke up this morning at about 11 :45 AM - great time for a weekend brunch ! Gathered up a couple of friends and hit a new brunch spot only to have them say they were done serving brunch. So we headed out to the lake side for a sunny lunch. Thankfully we scored a great table ! It was fun looking at all the boats passing by and checking out people slathering on SPF so they could enjoy their time in the sun without burns. We also contemplated buying boats ...but that's another story for another time.

The ruffle top and jeans shown above are from Express.

This is what I wore to brunch. I went with a very natural looking minimalistic peach /pink look. Its almost morning ( not technically at 1 PM but go with me on this, will ya ?) and I couldn't fiddle with a laundry list of products. Also more importantly I was having a 'as good as it gets' skin day so of course I had to showcase the good skin and keep things minimal !

Face
- Envision Beauty - The Solution moisturizer
- Covergirl Tru Blend Pressed Mineral Foundation - 04 Soft Honey
Eyes
- Mild shimmer peach shade from Pur Mineral Paint by Number Kit (now discontinued)
Substitute with MAC Paradisco Eyeshadow
- Flirt It Curl Mascara
- Julie Hewett Eyeshadow - Vita for my brows.

Cheeks
Becca Soft touch Blush - Song bird

Lips
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Lip Pencil - 01 Pink
- Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss - Pulse

I like applying the lip gloss first and going over it with my lip pencil. Took me a grand total of five minutes to dress up. Paired with a gray ruffle top and jeans I thought I looked very much brunch-y given that I am not a dress / skirts kinda girl. Very pleased with myself on this one !

What would you wear for a Brunch In The Sun ? Let us know in the comments !

Love,
Indian Girl

Zoya Fall 2010 - Wicked & Wonderful Collection : Swatches Part 1

2010-07-17T21:08:00.004-05:00

Good evening Ladies !

Just finished swatching loads of nail polishes ! My nails hurt but my heart feels warm and fuzzy looking at all these beautiful colors !

This here is the new Wicked & Wonderful collection for Fall by Zoya ! Its a fulfilling mix of solids and sparkles. Of course the sparkles are Wicked and the creamy solids are the Wonderful ones.

The six Wonderful shades include
Kelly - Gray ( concrete gray)
Stacy - Mahogany Red ( wine red )
Burke - Sienna Red ( pink red )
Kristi - Crimson Red ( summery red )
Cola - Desert Sand Red ( henna-ish brown)
Shawn - Myrtle Green ( Sap green)

Right off the bat I feel in love with Shawn. Nothing to do with the name - there actually was a really cute guy in my class by that name. Very funny, very sweet guy but married. Anyhoo, this Shawn spoke to my green grass loving side.

But later while swatching I had a huge girl crush on Kristi - shez a perfect summer red. One of my all time favorite red shades is America by Zoya . But Kristi gives her a stiff competition.

Cola and Stacy fall right into the category of my favorite Fall shades. I'm sure I'll be wearing them a lot ! Soon hopefully.

Burke was the only shade that I didn't care for much. But I'm sure she'll find a home in someone else's heart ! Shez real sweet.

Zoya nail polishes are available on their website here.

............................What looks like your favorite shade ?

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Randomness

2010-07-15T16:31:00.011-05:00

Swatches from Zoya Wicked and Wonderful Collection !
From index to little - Stacy, Julieanne, Edyta and Shawn. Shawn and Edyta ae my absolute favorites so far ! Will have more swatches up soon with a review.

My new lipstick obsession. Its a gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous paprika color. I took this pic after a few hours of wear so its toned down and looks very friendly. But if applied well its a fiery warm orange with a delicate bronzy finish. Imagine that ! Perfect for a Vogue Summer photo shoot ! She's called Majorca. I told you about her hot fuchsia friend here

More randomly I've been listening to Dontcha. Its one of my secret favorite songs to dance to at home. What is your secret favorite song ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Kat Von D High Voltage Eye Primer in Smoky : A Primer Just For Smoky Eyes

2010-07-14T15:33:00.006-05:00

Chck out the new primer at Sephora by Kat Von D called the High Voltage Eye Primer in Smoky. This was created especially for the ever popular smoky eye look. The primer is said to not only "help shadows stay put, but the darker color blend seamlessly and enhance the smoky effect."

The promise of easy blending and enhancing the smoky effect is making me want to give it a try. I've never tried anything from Kat Von D before. The primer and the palette seems like a good way to start off !

Check out the video below for more tips on how to create a smoky using the new primer !

Love,
Indian Girl

More Facts On Sunscreen Lotions , Sun Protection and Powder SPF - Are You On It ?

2010-07-13T12:56:00.017-05:00

My latest it thing is powder SPF. I discovered this one from RAW Minerals back in November last year but didn't use it until summer came along.

Every time I start to write something about sun protection, I feel like I don't know enough. It is such a controversial topic. Over the years since I started my blog ( we will be three soon !) I've educated myself on various sides of the story. I am just curious like that and can never blindly stick to one party. I like knowing everything and making a regime that suits me from the knowledge I have.

Few Facts I've Learned

1. We need Vitamin D. From grade school on it is drilled into us that sun provides us with our daily dose of Vitamin D and our bodies cannot generate Vitamin D without the help of sun.
But there is more here
- you need have at least half you body exposed
- exposed for at least 15 minutes.
- the time differs based on your weight, skin color,location, age and many more factors.
to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

2. UVA / UVB - there is a lot to talk here. Its mostly boring but keeping in with #1 - UVB is necessary for Vitamin D generation. Sunscreens block the UVB and hence the vitamin does not get generated.

3. You need to apply a shot glass full (4oz) of sunscreen for the SPF to be effective.

4. Higher SPF is not directly proportional with higher protection. "SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks 98 percent. (SPF 30, that old-timer, holds its own, deflecting 96.7 percent)"

5. "If you apply half the amount, you get the protection of only the square root of the SPF. So applying a half-ounce of SPF 70 will not give you the protection of SPF 35, but 8.4" - NYT

6. You need to reapply sunscreen after every two hours - generously. Refer to #3.

7. Many sunscreen lotions out there contain toxic ingredients. Look out for ones that are paraben free and oxybenzone free.

8. Continued beauty of our skin has more to do with diet than just watching out for sun damage.

9. We all need to get some sun everyday in moderation.

10. In addition to UVA / UVB protection with sunscreens, antioxidants play a major role in protecting our skin from harmful rays that come with too much sun exposure. Invest in skin care and foods that are high in antioxidants.

11. Products with additional SPF like moisturizers and others are said to be more volatile / unstable compared to the ones without SPF. So always remember to keep them in a cool dry spot where the sun does not reach it. And since we are not going to apply 4 oz of moisturizer better buy one without sunscreen, one with antioxidants and plenty of other goodness.

What Am I Doing

If it smells like chemicals and feels like chemicals - its probably chemicals. That's the way I feel about sunscreen lotions. But these are chemicals we need to keep our skin from burning during prolonged sun exposure. So I keep from slathering 4 oz of chemicals on my body unless I absolutely must. The best things to do is to avoid baking in the sun for long hours and I do just that. I avoid the sun as much as possible.

And I've taken a liking for powder sunscreen. I've realized I don't need SPF 100 everyday for what little sun seeps into my day. Most sun exposure I get is when I'm in the car traveling back and forth during peak sun hours. So I apply hand cream with SPF on my hands and powder SPF on my face. These are great for so many reasons.

They are light
I can apply them over makeup.
I can reapply as many times as I want without ruining my makeup or looking oily.
I feel good that they are not the first layer on my face. They sit on top of moisturizer and tinted moisturizer.

The powder SPF I am currently using is the one from RAW Minerals - Active Veil SPF 18. It is paraben, oxybenzone free and contains many additional naturally derived antioxidants.Though it looks a white-ish powder, it leaves no white cast on my brown skin. Its just like a good translucent powder. I use it all over my face and neck just before I get out. And if I'm gonna be out again - I keep a kabuki brush and reapply. It makes me feel happy that I get just as much everyday protection as I need and I don't think I need a whole lot !

One other thing I must start doing is taking Vitamin D supplements and get a little sun at least during weekends uniformly. I've been getting loads of antioxidants from the 2 pounds of organic blueberries I picked up last weekend ! Yay for good skin days !

Reading Material

I've learned a lot about the SPF numbers form this article here in NYT . I urge everybody to read it. Also follow Kimberly Snyder's blog - she is an amazing raw food writer who writes a lot about beauty through food !

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

What The What ?

2010-07-12T19:56:00.004-05:00

Love,
Indian Girl

Three Custom Color Specialists, The Getaway Collection - Bora Bora Lipstick : Review & Swatches

2010-07-12T14:13:00.008-05:00

The Getaway Collection is the newest offering from Three Custom Color Specialists. The collection consists of five vibrant, long wearing shades named after popular destinations. I was sent tiny samples of all five shades and I fell in mad love with three. Today I'll talk about this one color that I am wild about - Bora Bora !

Bora Bora is a cool fuchsia with a very very sheer blue opalescence. The blue appears in very few angles and looks like its reflecting off your lips. The shade is this super fun , 80's inspired fuchsia. I think the 80's was a great time for makeup - people had fun then. Unlike now when mostly its all about nude. I am no different I have 20 different nude shades of lipstick and this makes Bora Bora the most fun lipstick in my collection. I want everybody to own this shade because it makes you feel so cool !

Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd wear a shade as vibrant as this and love it ! But I do. Its a great fashion accessory and will get you noticed (in a nice way) even if you're just wearing a pair of skinny jeans and tee.

Color apart the formula is just as brilliant. They are so pigmented that even after a shower and dinner I still had a faint stain from my application in the morning. I've had no dryness and you'll notice the satin finish in the swatches. Overall for a fairly big number like $21.50 its worth every penny !

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Ten Easy Food Choices For A Healthier Me

2010-07-11T13:26:00.015-05:00

These are ten things I do because I like doing them. Turns out they are pretty good stuff that are good enough to recommend even. But more than anything it is just me writing my personal story that would help anyone looking to

Maintain your weight
Make overall easy healthier choices without turning into a raw foodist
Do something food wise in addition to working out to lose weight.

Important Note : I am not a trained nutritionist. I am merely a budding enthusiast in the field of food. Do not take anything from my fitness / diet posts any more seriously than you would take something that comes up in a conversation with your friend. Talk to a trained professional / physician before starting out on any exercise / diet routine.

Lets get on with it.

1. Water Is The Best Drink

Every time I eat out whether its at Subway or a nice little Italian restaurant my drink of choice is water - no ice. Nothing wrong with cold water, I happen to like room temperature better than cold and full of ice. Water is just pain ol water - zero calories.

Regular soda -12 oz, 10 calories. Too much sugar and don't like it
Diet soda - zero calories. Still bad, can tolerate but wont drink it.
Beer - Have liked only one beer all my life. But not enough to add 200 calories to my meal.
White wine - 6oz, 120 calories. Cant stomach wine.
Cocktails - cant stomach alcohol.

2. No Deep Fried At Home And Outside

I hate the taste of oil gushing out from food. If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say - add more oil it adds taste to the curry. No it does not - it only adds fat. Rolls and rolls of belly fat.

I also cant stand oil fumes. I almost will pass out if I stand in front of oil fumes that come from deep frying things in oil. Also its too much mess to clean up - so I never deep fry anything at home.

There is no nutritional value in deep fried breaded chicken. All the oil that the bread soaks up goes straight to those thighs. Wings taste best when they are not breaded - to me.

3. Eat Lots Of Vegetables, Beans And Bake Everything

I load up on veggies on every trip to the grocery store. The seasonal ones are always marked down so its not very hard on the wallet either. I pick up a few frozen veggies that make cooking easier - pre cut and all. Veggies are low in calories, fill you up and you can eat loads of it. Three cups of cauliflower which is probably one whole head of cauliflower is only 75 calories !

Eat beans. Canned are fine too - lots of protein, fiber and they fill you up. I love all kinds of beans.

I throw everything into the oven from kale to green beans to zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, falafel, potatoes - anything. Take a baking tray, add a sheet of foil ( makes it easy to clean), spray PAM, lay your vegetables, add salt +pepper and throw them under the broiler. Five minutes and you have cooked, tasty food without the effort of cooking or the addition of oil.

4. Decisions At The Grocery Store

All my food decisions are made at the store. If I want to pick up a bag of chips...am I ready to add all that fat into my body that already jiggles - No. So I make a pout and drop it.
Never buy any food that comes in a cardboard box and is frozen. No ready made meals for me.

5. Home Made Salad Dressing

This is the best thing since sliced bread. Store bought salad dressing are drenched in oil and are super fat. Almost all regular dressings at the stores are almost all fat - calorie wise. The fat free ones taste like corn syrup and are made with so many unknown chemicals.

Home made dressing are the best. You take four or five clean ingredients and make tasty dressings. I add oil sometimes but limit to one table spoon - excellent taste and very low on calories ! Lemme know if you would like a few dressing recipes - I am all about sharing !

6. Lean Organic Protein

Food Inc taught me to buy organic meat. I taught myself to buy only lean, mostly poultry meat - bacon aside.

7. Eat Light

Make one meal a day - a light one. My lunch is almost always light - a deli salad / sandwich / wrap. I choose fat free deli slices, lots of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, mustard, olive oil mayo and good cheese slices. None of that fat free singles. I used to get em all the time but now I'm into good tasty cheese. One slice , may be even half per sandwich is way better than a couple of fat free blah slices.

If for dinner try going raw for a change ! Slice up some zucchini, peppers, onions or carrots. Squeeze a lemon on top and enjoy the refreshing salad. Or try some miso soup - loves it !

8. No Desserts

After eating a whole entree at the restaurant I almost never have space for a dessert. My friends are the same way so its not a problem. Unless the dessert sounds really exotic - like something we've never eaten before. Some folks like to bag half the entree and go for the sweet stuff. That works too.

9. Snacks

Not big on snacking but I love raw almonds and dried cranberries. They are my snack of choice. Together I love the sweet and sour cranberries with the crunchy sweet almonds. Sometimes if I'm really really hungry , I eat cereal or watermelon or cucumber.

10. Fruits

Its the berry and melon season which means its time for everybody to indulge on fruits. Hit COSTCO for cheap , organic berries and watermelon. I usually go to COSTCO once in four months but now I go there often just to load up on berries. Add them to your oatmeal, salads or as snacks. I love eating say 6-7 strawberries / black berries or half a cup blue berries with some honey and walnuts after dinner at home. Or bite into a big slice of watermelon.

Unnecessary Information

I don't want to give the idea that I get it all right or even mostly right because I probably don't. I haven't been working out consistently. Once a week does not count , too bad. I always eat dinner after eight and my berries go in at about ten. So Oprah's no food after eight is not happening here either. I love my white bleached basmati rice.

But I am not downplaying my better choices either , I am secretly proud of them. I haven't eaten a donut in over 18 months. If you knew me, you'd know I LOVE DONUTS. But nothing adds pounds on me faster than donuts do so I've kept away. I ate burger and fries for dinner a couple of days back. It was my first in over 6- 8 months.

What are a few simple choices you make to stay healthier ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty By Carmindy Lip Color - Seashell Nude : Review & Swatches

2010-07-09T14:49:00.007-05:00

My second favorite lipstick from this line - Seashell Nude.

As much as I despise brown lipsticks , I am coming to believe that brown looks good on brown. Just as with any other color finding the right brown makes all the difference. I grew up seeing my beautiful aunt wear the most jarring brown lipstick that almost looked black. Of course it was the 90's and people world over loved brown makeup. She'd be an NC 40 too but that dark brown lipstick had a lasting effect on how I looked at brown lipsticks.

The newest term for brown lipstick is of course deep nude and you can call this lipstick that. Its a bronzy deep nude / very earthy shade on my lips. The formula is so very luscious that for $9 it is one of the very best formulas out there.

The shade is gorgeousness personified. I cant think of anybody that wont look good wearing it. The shade changes depending on your lip color. If you have pale /pinkish / light lips it appears less brown. I have mauve tones / medium pigmented lips and it looks more brown on me. On browner lips it will be a sensuous nude !

Love,
Indian Girl

For Worry Free Summer Skin

2010-07-07T12:34:00.016-05:00

The bikini season is one the most pressure-full season of all. There is pressure to look great, lose the extra pounds, have hair free flawless skin all while combating the torturous sun that wrecks havoc on everything.

Lets get started on easing your worry !

Hair Free Skin

Get waxing on your own. Pick up the The Shobha Sugaring Kit ($30). The kit conveniently provides everything needed for hassle free hair removal at home. It is all natural & vegan. Plus its only you using the wax. The wax is gentle enough for sensitive skin including the bikini area and face. Plus those reusable denim strips are the bomb - they are dense and heavy so majority of the hair gets pulled out with minimum pain.

No more worries about booking appointments, fear of who the wax was used on, if everything is sanitized and most of all - you can get the hair free legs even at midnight if need be.

Kit Includes:

Shobha Sugaring Gel (8 fl oz)
Talc Free Powder (2 oz)
Denim Strips (6)
Sugaring Instruction Booklet
Spatulas (2 - one small for face and one big for legs)

Bump Free Skin

Just when you thought waxing was done with and you were on your way to smooth skin paradise the ingrowns start to appear. Lets cover that too. Check out this nifty little product called The Bikini Bump Plaster($32)

These pads are made with 5% Glycolic Acid and 2% Salicylic Acid to banish dead skin cells and prevent bacteria buildup that clog pores, block hair follicles and ultimately cause the painful, unsightly ingrowns. All you have to do is swipe one Bikini Bump Blaster pad over the skin, four to five days after first waxing or shaving. Repeat daily to keep skin smooth and ingrown-free !

Acne Free Skin

For facial acne there are plenty of products out there from cleanser, moisturizer to zit busters. My favorite has to be Neosporin. It was recommended to me by a dermatologist several years back and I swear by it.

As far as back acne goes - its a major pain. I used to know somebody who had a major issue with back acne but was also one of the most confident people around. She wore backless clothes almost all the time without any inhibition. I could never do it and for people like me there is the Glytone Back Spray ($28).

This is a 2% salicylic acid spray-on treatment for acne that works by sloughing off dead skin cells, unclogging pores, treating the acne and post-inflammatory hyper- pigmentation. All you have to do is spray it all over your back acne !

There you have it - worry free skin finally ! Happy Summer y'all !

Love,
Indian Girl

Pantene Heat Protectant & Shine Spray For Medium / Thick Hair : Review

2010-07-06T13:25:00.006-05:00

I've tried a few heat protectant sprays in the past. They are the only other hair product I use apart from the regular shampoo/ conditioner and a frizz/shine product.

But I've had a few issues with Heat Protectant sprays in the past - they make my hair crunchy and take a long time to dry. I hate the Tsk...Tsk...noise that comes when you press your iron against wet hair. And by the time some sprays dry, its made my hair crunchy and very hard to style.

This was my big concern when I tested out Pantene Heat Protectant & Shine Spray For Medium / Thick Hair. Right off the bat my concerns were put to rest. It dries in mere seconds and leaves my hair just as soft as it was to begin with. Very light in weight and adds a hint of shine. I am so happy that I've straightened my hair out for three weeks now. Its something I very rarely do, but I'm comfortable enough with this spray to use it often.

If Pantene asked me what I'd change about the spray I'd ask them to make a more energetic pump/spray so it would go Psst Psst Psst instead of pss...pss...
What that means is its a little on the lazy size. At least the one I received was.

Overall very good product for a very good price - $6.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Estée Lauder Pure Color Gloss - Review & Swatches

2010-07-03T13:15:00.004-05:00

The latest from Estée Lauder is their New Pure Color Gloss.
(I love the way this picture tuned out. Almost gives it a 3D look. Like you can literally pull it off your computer screen !)

I've got to hand it to Estée Lauder as far as the texture of this lip gloss goes.

Oh My God - when they say hydrating they don't just mean a tacky looking gloss that will just sit on top of your lips and make them look wet. They mean business - Vitamin C, Vitamin E, humectants that give the gloss a very creamy , soft sexy look. They are available for $18 in 34 different shades & three finishes - shimmer, shine and sparkle.

The shades range from nudes to pink to berries, reds and plum. I am extremely curious to go check out the brighter shades. Tempting Tearose ( natural / rose brown) is a good choice for days when I have to look presentable but have no time to put my makeup together. Pale / very fair ladies will love the color but for brown girls it might be a no show.

These have a signature fig scent, no taste. I don't like figs but I've been wearing EL glosses for a long time and have gotten used to the scent. Make sure you do the sniff test ;)

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Jessica Alba 's Makeup At The' Killer Inside Me' - Paris Premiere

2010-07-01T16:15:00.001-05:00

Jessica Alba looked so edgy & chic at the Paris Premiere of her movie Killer Inside Me. The hair was a bit too high for me but really I am no Hollywood star. I could leave my house with the oiliest, flattest hair tied together with a blue scrunchie and nobody would mind.

I say that from experience.

Back to hotter topics - Alba.

Check out the makeup, y'all ! Love the bronzy sultry look. If you love it too I have THE perfect candidate to recommend to help you master the look - The LORAC Little Black Palette. It was made to go with the LBD !

The palette comes with four metallic baked eye shadows and a mini Behind The Scenes eyeshadow primer. The four shades include a champagne, a nude bronze, deep bronze and a deep brown. It retails for $32 (a $72 value!) at Sephora, ULTA, LORACcosmetics.com, Sephora.com and ULTA.com. LORAC also is having a 40 - 80% off sale on Hautelook so check them out. Sale ends - 7/ 10/2010.

In Other News

What's on your nails ? I've been wearing orange since the start of summer. Took a break with pink in between and no polish for few weeks but now I'm back on orange. This one here is Jancyn by Zoya. Isnt she super pretty !

Love,
Indian Girl

How To Avoid Blisters With Sandals

2010-07-01T14:42:00.006-05:00

I am about the most blister prone person ever. And because of this I hardly ever buy strappy sandals and shoes. Just the thought of a new shoe is scary when I think of the pain that blisters bring and the scars they leave...

I've tried everything from Band Aids to Scotch tapes but they are mostly too bulky and visible. That apart they totally ruin the look of the shoe and feet. Might as well have worn flip flops. Which I do - all the time.

To help girls like me out, I found a nifty little product online - Foot Petals Strappy Strips ($3.50 to $18.50). These are thin strips that you stick on the inside of your strappy shoes , sling backs or gladiators. They give some cushioning to help avoid blisters and the red marks that come from the rough ends of the straps. Each tube comes with eight strips and are suppose to last a long long time !

Isn't that genius ! I'm getting a few tubes stat and sticking them on every single strap. You never know which one ends up biting ya. They can be found at Nordstrom , Dillards and a bunch of other stores. Here is the link to their store locator.

Love,
Indian Girl