Online Haul December'15

Hey guys! It's been ages since I last posted. A baby does that to you. Oh yeah, I had a baby last month on the 4th of Nov'15. And it's been a task..I wont lie. But at the end of the day, it's definitely all worth it. So December being my bday month, with holidays round the corner and not to forget SALEs everywhere, it's difficult not to binge in a little. Although I had promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more makeup for the next 4 mnths (atleast; coz you see I'm of 'em hoarders who buys everything but wears none :|), however birthday haul to banta hai!

So, here goes...

1) Iphone 5S pink glitter waterfall cover -  Can we just please take a moment here. How pretty is that?!? I needed that in my life. And no, I don't think I'm old enough for glitter. No girl ever is!

it even looks rose-goldish in certain lighting. #Obsessed !!

The quality is good enough does not look or feel flimsy.

Bought this from amazon HERE.  Also available in ebay and flipkart.

Price - Rs.350/-

2) Makeup Revolution London Palette in RUN BOY RUN -  I needed a nude palette which had matte shades and specifically a pigmented matte black shadow. Narrowed on this. First impression, it feels quite soft and smooth. Like the feel of it. Bought this from NYKAA.

MRP - Rs. 1350 After discount - Rs.1013/-

3) Loreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara - Have heard rave reviews about this one. So thought of trying it since it was on sale. I have only ever used Maybelline mascaras as yet. So pretty excited for this one and hoping it'll work for me. Bought this from NYKAA along with the Revolution palette.

MRP - Rs.795/-  After discount - Rs.636/-

4) Beauty Heaven Lip Bombs - See those cute EOS lip balm look alikes? I did too on Shopclues. So ofcourse I had to buy them to check them out. Found 3 variants. Bought them all.

MRP - Rs.85/-

5) Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Cream (shade 05 & 07) - Been hearing about these since ages and I could not find them anywhere online. Being pregnant and all I couldn't even scrounge through the city in search of these. I finally found them on shopclues. Bought them a tad bit pricier than it actually is. But frankly I didn't mind shelling out that extra since they're still cheaper than NYX ones which "also" I cant find anywhere!! If you know where to find either Miss claire/NYX soft matte lip cream in Kolkata, plzzz do lemme know in the comments below.

Price - Rs.399/

In mumbai you can get it for Rs.150/- Can't you mumbai girls courier it to us here?!? Spread the love guys!

That's all for now folks. Which ones have you tried out of these? 

Serendipitously Urs,

SS

My everyday Skin Care Routine for Winters!

Hey There! 

Kolkata is perfect right now. Perfect chill in the weather. Not too cold but cold enough. And this obviously demands a change in the skincare/haircare/clothes and practically everything. 

My skin loves the cold… it behaves itself, it’s not angry or grumpy. (Of course minus the mood swings during PMS times )

Thankfully the routine I’ve been following since a month is working well for me. Touch wood…  And I hope this helps you some way…

My Skin type- Unpredictable. Combinational. Ultra Sensitive. 

Hence i'm trying to make a consious effort to use products with less alchohol and parabens.

Skincare routine

Step I-

 I use Johnson’s Baby Oil as a makeup remover/cleanser. And it works beautifully! It breaks down every bit of the makeup. It works on waterproof mascaras Like. A. Boss.

I’ve literally forgotten about my Loreal makeup remover after using this. I’m not even tempted to use that or anything else for that matter.

 Does not irritate my eyes. Does not break me out.

I know a lot of you’ll be thinking…”Girl! That baby oil has mineral oil in it!.”  Yeah. I know. With regards to the debate whether mineral oil is good or bad, I think it's all a MYTH. If it’s good enough for a baby…it’s damn well good enough for me.

Anyhow here are a few links you can check out and make up your own mind.

https://askanesthetician.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/why-does-mineral-oil-get-such-a-bad-rep/

http://skincare.about.com/od/skin101/tp/Skincare-Myths.htm

Basically I believe if a product works for you… Use it. It’s not necessary that a natural product won’t break you out. It’s all about what works for YOU. Individually.

Price:  50ml ; MRP: Rs.48/-

Step II-

After I’ve scrubbed the oil out of my face, along with the dirt and all, with cotton, I use my Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash. It does not foam too much. And I like that for the colder season. The foaming face washes dry out my skin too much. Just finished my Neutrogena Clean Facial cleanser (Look out for my empties post for this quarter). Love it. Also Clean and clear facial wash has been my staple since like…ever! (Do you realise my mental affiliation towards Johnson & Johnson related products)

Price: 250ml ; MRP: Rs.695/- 

Step III-

After I’ve dried my face with a clean towel, I use The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. Just a few drops on cotton suffice. 4 drops, to be exact, for my face and 2 drops for my neck. It soothes my skin and removes any remaining dirt on the face (Believe me even after all those previous steps the cotton turns out dirty :\)

Initially I didn’t realize the importance of this step. But before, I would get these acne kind bumps on my face. Not really acne or pimples. It did not hurt or itch, nor did they turn into white heads. The skin specialist said it was kind of an allergic reaction to something.

But since I started using this toner, the bumps (I don’t know what to call them!) have visibly lessened. Toner majorly helps to maintain the PH level of the skin and calms down the irritations. Now someone with a normal skin type might not realize the difference after using a toner. But those with sensitive skin, I’ll urge you to start using a toner. Start with rose water. Use it religiously twice a day, if you don’t want to invest in something costly.

Price – 200ml ; MRP: Rs.795/- 

A 200ml bottle is going to last me forever!

Step IV-

I let the toner set and dry for 4-5 mins. During daytime on weekdays when I have to go to work I put on my Neutrogena Ultra sheer Dry touch Sunblock, over it.  

At night or during the day when I’m home, after the toner dries, I then apply the Aloe Soothing cream. Just a pea sized amount is enough for the whole face and neck. This range also has a night cream. But this is moisturizing enough for me. Need to be a little careful since excess makes the face oily. But that's ok for the night when I'm retiring to bed anyways.

Neutrogena Ultra sheer Dry touch Sunblock Price- 88ml; MRP:Rs.499/-

TBS aloe Soothing cream Price- 50ml ; MRP: Rs.995/- 

STEP V-

I then apply the Vitamin E Eye cream under my eyes and on my eye lids. This I apply only at night while I’m retiring to bed. Keeps the eye area super moisturized. Claims to reduce appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark circles. Everything that I need.

Honestly I still don’t know if it’s working or not. But I know it's an essential for the longer run and I’m a hopeless optimist.

Price- : Rs.995/- My Buy: Rs.746/- ; 25%OFF

Step VI-

When I’m all moisturized and squeaky clean, I finally dab on some lip balm and I’m done!

So that's my routine and has been helping me for quite sometime...

*What do you think works for you best? *