E.L.F Lipstick in "Seductive" (Review & swatches)

e.l.f. Essential Lipstick

Indulge your lips with long lasting color and shine. The moisture rich formula hydrates, conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips. Instantly beautiful, healthy-looking lips designed, formulated and tested by our professional team of makeup artists.

Happy 23rd March to all :)

On this historic and momentous day more than 100,000 Muslim activists from every nook and corner of the Subcontinent congregated  in the historic city of Lahore and proclaimed to the world their determination to make the Pakistan Resolution for Independence and Muslim Statehood the goal of their struggle under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. 
So to celebrate , we have come up with this special EOTD :)

Tip of the week

If you have been following this blog for a while then you probably know that i am really into natural skin care.Although i am a huge fan of anything makeup, i don't wear a full face of makeup on a daily basis.I am more into the natural healthy skin look.Therefore i pretty much try any tip or DIY beauty trick that anyone suggests ;)

BH cosmetics Lip liner in "Earth"

This is one of the products i got the last time i shopped at BH cosmetics.I am a satisfied customer of eye shadow palettes from Bh cosmetics but i must admit i have never tried any other product from their site.I was really intrigued by the lip pencils and at the time i was looking for a nude color for everyday use. So i ordered this in the color "Earth". Which is a very soft pinkish brown nude.

NOTD

These the two colors that i have been wearing a lot through February.This beautiful pink shade from Christine (shade no 25) and the classic white polish with black shatter from color studio pro:)

Saeed Ghani's Rose water

The weather is starting to change in our fair city.The increase in temperature hinting to the beginning of summer , in all its hot and humid glory ;) It is very difficult to wear make up when it is so hot out (as even the most sturdiest of cosmetics melt away in the face of sweltering heat). I wear a bare minimum in make up in summers , leaning more towards skin care.One thing i LOVE about my oily combination skin is that if i take good enough care of it during summers, i usually end up with zero breakouts, which is a feat in itself.

St.Ives Skin Renewing body lotion & Giveaway winner announcment!!!

In Karachi we are sort of one dimensional in terms of weather most of the year.Its hot and humid with some breaks for a few rainy days here & there.So when it is the time for the esteemed two , three months of winter (our skin is not really sure of what to do about it). I hate dry , flaky , powdery skin in all circumstances, yet that is exactly what happens as soon as there is even the slightest nip in the air.

NOTD (Colorstudio Professionals "Crackle White"

Name:Crackle White
Brand: Colorstudio pro
Website: www.colorstudiopro.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ColorStudioProfessional
Price: Rs 350

Sunday bazar jewellery haul

When it comes to buying artificial/costume jewellery , Sunday bazaar is the place to be in Karachi.Pieces that you would normally pay an arm and a leg for, are available for almost less than half of the original price.Its a shame that i don't visit it as often as i would like because its a treasure trove filled with lovely trinkets.All you need to have is patience,unlimited capacity to bargain(the Pakistani way) and cash (off course). This time around i bought two rings , a whole set with necklace and earrings and a separate pair of earrings.

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EOTD (black & brown)

This is my first attempt at a cut crease "eye of the day". It takes a bit more precision than i was able to muster ;) But practice makes perfect , and i'll keep trying until i get the hang of it :) What do you think?

Revlon colorstay vs Revlon colorstay

I have been meaning to do this comparison post for quite a while now.But it got postponed for one reason or another:)Lets just begin by saying that i am very taken with Revlon's colorstay line.Especially the foundations.In Pakistan Revlon products are not available in open market.You may sometime find a few shades of foundation here & there or lipsticks / lip glosses but not in an official capacity(correct me if i am wrong). For the longest time i wanted to get my hands on Revlon colorstay foundation with softflex so when i found one at my local cosmetic counter (even though it was totally the wrong color for me) i immediately bought it.What i failed to notice at the time was that the bottle didn't exactly say it had softflex in it.So i ended up(in my haste) not only buying the wrong shade but also the wrong formula :( But i tried it any how, just to satisfy my curiosity about it.Than i got my hands on this other colorstay foundation (Active light makeup). This time the color matched perfectly. But both the formulas/packaging is so different from each other that i thought a comparison post was in order :)

BH cosmetics 88 color matte palette

I have been wanting this palette since i started building up my make up collection.And finally i am the proud owner of a shiny , new 88 matte palette by BH cosmetics:)

My first experience with sheet masks ;)

The word "sheet mask" is is not really common in Pakistan but in most Asian countries its considered to be a staple of beauty regimen.It is basically a paper or cloth mask cut out in the shape of a face or just a pad to go over your eyes.This paper mask is then soaked in liquid or essence and sealed in a foil pack for one time use.
Mostly the ones i have seen in the market either are for :brightening", "hydrating" or "whitening".

Ist blogoversary Giveaway! ( CLOSED)

It was around this time last year when we finally got around to fulfilling our long time ambition of starting a beauty blog :) We have come a long way since than. and that could not have been possible without the continued support of readers,subscribers, friends, fellow bloggers... who take the time out of their busy lives to read and comment on the blog and keep us motivated to do better :)
So to show our appreciation, we are holding our "First blogoversary Giveaway!"The winner will get;

• Color studio professionals (PRO NAILS) Crackle polish "black"[REVIEW]
• Color studio professionals nail polish "Sun kissed"
  

Color studio professionals Crackle polish (black)

This is my first crackle polish.And i must say that the experience was not as bad as i thought it would be ;)For some reason i have not been a big fan of the whole crackle/shatter polish look.But my sister was adamant that i try this, so i got my self this one from colorstudio's Pro Nails line  at Dolmen Mall.They also have one in white as well.
Name:Pro Nails Crackle Polish "Black"
Brand: Color Studio Pro
Cost: Rs 350
Website:  http://www.colorstudiopro.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ColorStudioPK
Color Studio says:  

• Single application can create drama
• Be your own artist and trend setter.
• Directions: apply a single coat over dried out nails; finish it with super top coat for a fabulous crackle effect

Golden Rose Liquid Concealer in "02"

For the make up enthusiasts in Pakistan "Golden Rose" is not a new name.For a long time i thought that the lipsticks were the only thing available in the market but a few months back when i was on the look out for an affordable concealer for my sister,i encountered their counters with the full range of the brand at multiple places.So i decided to give their concealer a try.The color that i chose was "02" which has yellow undertones, suitable to my sisters complexion.

(NOTD) shade "52 by Glamorous face USA "Guest post by Maira Mushtaq"

Today we are entertaining our first guest blogger.A VERY good friend of mine "Maira Mushtaq". She is sharing with us a beautiful yellow nail of the day:)
Polish: "Shade g52 by Glamorous face USA"
Cost: Rs 60-80 (depending upon where you buy it from)
Availability: At most cosmetic stores in Karachi.
This polish is almost an exact dupe for the "Colorstudio professionals SUN KISSED".So if you are not ready to shell out Rs 250 for that you can always try this one (a lot cheaper)

e.l.f

Today i am going to review three products that are from the e.l.f regular line.I don't normally "impulse buy" where cosmetics are concerned but the price tag of Rs 170 reeled me in , i'm afraid :)I am quite impressed with some of the products from e.l.f studio line.So i decided to give their regular line a try by ordering  these three products.
E.l.f natural radiance blusher
E.l.f tone correcting concealer
E.l.f luscious Lipstick

EOTD (Olive Green)

This look was intended for a competition i took part in.But being a "likes" based event (on facebook) i don't have a big chance of winning ;) So instead i a posting it here as my "New year EOTD". Both colors used are from the Sleek Au naturale i divine palette.After looking at the pics i think i should have used a a 3rd color(crease , may be a brown)..... What do you think?
Anyways "Happy 2012". Wish all of you best of luck and 100% happiness for the coming new year :)

Favourite Make up products for 2011 :)

These are all the make up products that i have really loved using in 2011.Some i have repurchased or ordered again because they worked so well for my skin :)
Hair Care:

1)Pantene ProV conditioner(for dry hair)
2)Smooth n Shine Serum (works really great as a heat protectant)
3)Tresemme conditioning leave in creme

Freeman Superfruits Peel off mask

Freeman says;
"Superfruits provides antioxidant rich skin care to help combat the effects of stress, the environment and your fun not-so-healthy lifestyle.Powered by mega 8 complex which combines eight of the most powerful super fruits, Goji,Acai,Pomegranate,Mango,Mangosteen,Cranberry,Nioni,Blueberry to help purify,detoxify and sooth stresses skin.
Superfruits revealing peel off mask gently purges dirt and oil from skin while delivering superior nutrients.Fortifies and guards against five radicals and environmental stress."

EOTD (Twilight)

I saw someone on youtube doing this eye of the day.And i really liked it.I have tried to recreate it as close to the original as possible but due to lack of exact color matches (and my level of skill), it looks slightly different from the intended look.I guess mine turned out more smokey and dark.

Skin Care Routine in Winter

It was a bit nippy for the last week or so but (as usual) i was sweating buckets today.It seems like the last few months of the year the weather in my fair city turns into a complete air head,turning hot, than cold and hot again at random.As frustrating it is to choose a wardrobe for this merry go round,it gets even more exhausting to have a consistent skin care routine.
My skin which is oily/combination the rest of the year, turns dry around my T-zone. And when i say dry, i literally mean peeling dry flakes.Which is such a headache because no matter what you do, you cant seem to get rid of them.Putting make up on when your skin is not getting the moisture it needs is a BAD idea.Because your foundation will not blend properly (you end up looking like a complete mess).
Now (granted) i haven't been in a truly cold climate for a long time but over the years i have certainly come up with a skin care regimen that works for my skin during the "winter" in Karachi.

Sleek Makeup Au Natural i-Divine Palette(Review & EOTD)

This review has been a long time coming. I wanted to put it up almost a month back but for one reason or another i kept putting it off.At one point i had everything prepared ,the pics ,the review, all that was left was to post it.And than my camera malfunctioned (can you believe it! ) i lost all my pics :(

L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in "845 TAWNY"

My favorite make up look is always a dark eye and nude lips so i am always on the look out for good nude lipsticks.L'oreal and Revlon are my go to brands when it comes to nude colors.The "color Riche " line by L'oreal is really great.Not only are the lipsticks affordable,creamy,soft but they also bear well with the weather in Karachi,travel and general abuses of regular usage
I recently purchased this color.Its called "Tawny", no.845At first glance it appears to be a brownish nude color but when you swatch it, the color is much less pigmented and is sort of a light pinkish brown.Either way i really like to wear it on a daily basis.It doesn't wash out my lips (which can happen with some nude colors). It can also be worn over or under other colors for a more pigmented look.
If you are going to buy this from a Mall ,L'oreal counter or another such place than you might have to pay 600 to 800 Rs (just a guess,as i haven't confirmed).I got this from a local cosmetic counter,the shop owner had about 10-12 colors and was selling them for 450/piece.I got it for Rs 400.

NOTD Color studio pro nail polish in "electrique"

I have found my favorite blue for this season :) Thanks to color studio professionals.Its bright ,its shimmery and its all you need to brighten up your manicure.I got this from the color studio kiosk @ Dolmen Mall Tariq Road.They have added some beautiful new colors to their collection since the last time i was there.I paid Rs 250 for this.Worth every penny in my opinion.The polish is just the right consistency ,the brush is not bad either.But as this is a bright color i would warn you not to use it without a base coat or there is a good chance that you'll end up with yellow nails.
The girl at the counter told me that they are having a promotion that if you buy 3 nail polishes than you'll get a lip gloss for free.And the lip glosses from color studio cost around Rs 300+ (if i am  not mistaken). I am not sure if this offer is exclusive to Dolmen Mall Tariq Road or applicable every where.So if anyone is interested :)

NYX JUMBO EYE PENCIL in 604 "MILK"

This is one of those products that is a "must have" in any make up kit.I have been trying to get my hands on this since the first time i read about jumbo eye pencils.Even though these only cost about 4.50$ a piece on the nyx website and many other online sites have them on sale, they still cost anywhere from 600 - 800 Rs if you buy them in Pakistan.My reasoning behind getting this particular color was that i wanted to get the most versatile one of the lot.These pencils are available in a multitude of colors but in my mind the ones that everyone should own are "milk" and "black bean.

Eid ul Azha Mubarak :)

To all our blogger friends from Pakistan, our followers and all the muslim world,
Have a wonderful and happy Eid day tomorrow :)

e.l.f Studio Eye Brow KIt (Dark)

This is another product from my recent elf haul.I have been using it for two weeks now and i think i have finally formed a definite opinion about it.