Favourite Lipsticks for Fall/Winter'16

My favourite lipsticks for the Fall/Winter season!

To check the collected swatches you could scroll down directly. For those who want a detailed post, get comfortable. Here goes...

 

1) Revlon Just bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey 001 

 [Price: Rs.750/-]

It's a dusty pink color. As the name suggests, when applied it has a balmy texture but soon sets in as a stain. It's settles into a very pretty mauvy-pink shade. Subtle with a hint of color. I always find myself gravitating towards this shade when I'm in a hurry and don't want too much fuss. This shade goes with everything!

It has a minty scent and feel to it when applied. The scent or the tingly feeling doesn't stay too long in case you're not a fan of mints. The moisturizing effect stays hardly for an hour on me. But the stain lasts pretty long. The darker shades of this range last even longer. 

You can buy it here.

Revlon Balm stain - Honey

2)  Sugar Vivid Matte lipstick in Mad Magenta

[Price: Rs.599/-]

I jumped right on that Sugar Bandwagon and am super glad about it!

I LOVE their matte as hell crayon lipsticks more for the formula. This range also claims to be matte. However, by the swatch below you can see it's not flat out matte but has a creamy sheen to it. It slowly sets in more as a stain on the lips.Very comfortable to wear though. Not transfer proof but long wearing. It stays on me for 4-5 hours. After which it leaves a pretty stain which eventually fades off evenly.

Buy it here.

 

3) Lakme Absolute Lip Tint Matte in Magenta Magic 

[Price: Rs.650/-]

A deep rich rosy magenta shade with mauve undertone.

This is my favourite matte texture and formula out of all the lipsticks I own! It glides on so creamy and smooth yet sits matte on the lips. It is not drying like the liquid lipsticks and hence are not transfer proof. My lips don't beg for a lip balm or feel super parched even after 4-5 hours. Lasts almost 5-6 hours on me. [A little less if I have a greasy meal] Later leaves a pretty even tint.

The color goes on rich and opaque in one swipe itself. The best thing I love about this lippie is that it hides all the lines and cracks on my lips and makes 'em look smooth and flawless. Please note, the time I was swatching these lippies, my lips were as dry as a desert.

Very comfortable to wear. This shade suits all skin tones and brightens the face. With a hint of pink blush it is perfect for fall/winter!

Buy it here.

 

 4) Loreal Paris in Arabian Night

[Price: Rs.899/-]

Soo, this one's not for the faint hearted. On first glimpse it gives a bold vampy look but once you get over the initial impact, you see the beauty and uniqueness in this. It really is a very classy shade. It is a rich deep maroon with subtle chocolate hints in it. I love it! Frankly I don't get to wear this shade too often. I'm really looking forward to wearing it this winter. This is definitely my New Year's party shade... if I do go to one this year, that is!

The Loreal Moist Matte lipsticks are very comfortable to wear. True velvet matte in texture and very light. After a while I don't even feel like I'm wearing lipstick. Also very long lasting. This does not emphasize dry skin or lines but it's always better to scrub your lips before putting a matte lippie for a flawless finish.

Buy it here.

5) Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip cream in 42 

[Price: Rs. 150-200/-]

Enough said about these lippies already! They're a craze and for all the right reasons. The quality of these lip creams at this price is unbelievable. If I could, I'd buy every shade available. Well I already own 15 shades *guilty*. Check out some of the shades shown here.

Shade 42 is one of the recent releases. And I think it's very different and a flattering shade. The pictures don't really do justice to the colour. It's a maroon with red undertone and slight hints of brown too. Those afraid to wear red can start with this. It's a bright yet not an on-your-face kinda shade. Will suit all kinds of skin tone.

6) Incolor Matte Me in shade 415

[Price: Rs.250/-]

Dupe of Sleek Matte me. This shade is apparently a dupe of the shade Birthday Suit. Please don't quote me, since I do not own any Sleek matte me-s. But from the swatches online, this shade does look quite similar. Typical Liquid lipstick, which sets in completely matte. Once set, does not budge. It is very long lasting. Stays on me for good 6-7 hours. However after 4-5 hours my lips get so dry and patchy that I need a lip balm by then. These are difficult to re apply. I need to rub off the entire lipstick and then re-apply. Coz', it gets very patchy and crumbly after hours of wear. It does emphasize every line and crack on the lip. Hence exfoliation before applying this is a must!

 Still if you are a fan of liquid lipsticks but don't want to spend thousands on it, this is a very good cheap option. I especially love the color. This shows up as a deep nude with mauve undertones on me

7)  Lakme Enrich Satin in shade P168:

[Price: Rs.260/-]

LOVE the shade. It's a purple shade with pink neon undertone. This lippie has probably earned me the most no. of compliments. I think purple shades suit indian skintones beautifully. Shades like these seem very high end. It's awesome that Lakme is coming up with such beautiful shades!

The texture is creamy but sets in a creamy matte finish. Very long lasting. The shade is quite close to MAC Heroine. Not the texture though. These are best if you wanna try out some daring shades. Not too expensive to feel the pinch. Frankly I like these much better than the bomb expensive ones.

8) Studio West Long Lasting lipstick in Honey Glaze 

[Price:Rs.450/-]

An everyday nude. Has peachy undertone. Creamy finish. Glides on smoothly. Westside has come up with some really good quality lipsticks. These are not as long lasting coz' of the creamy texture but stays on me for 3-4 hours. After which, I need to reapply. These look very rich and luxurious on the lips

I tend to gravitate more towards purples and mauves rather than pinks these days. Nudes are always there. And i'm going super dark this year rather than red. 

Here's a collected look at all them together:

Left Up-Incolor415; Left Down-Lakme Magenta Magic; Right Up- Revlon Balm Stain Honey; Right Down- Miss Claire SMLC 42

Left Up-StudioWest Honey Glaze; Left Down-Sugar Mad Magenta; Right Up- Lakme Enrich Satin P168; Right Down- Loreal Paris Arabian night

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With Love,

SS  

Plum Hello Aloe Caring Day Moisturiser

 It's been a while that I bought my Plum goodies. Check out the entire Plum Haul here.

Plum is a brand exclusively found online. They have their own site and are also available on Nykaa. However keep an eye on their own site, since they keep having some good deals.

Plum claims to be sans all harmful chemicals. Please note, they donot claim to be a natural/herbal product. All ingredients are mentioned in their packaging along with what's NOT in it.

[ Price : Rs.450/-]

 
I use this when I'm home and have no plans of going out since it has no SPF in it. 

It is of a creamy texture - not too thick nor too thin. But here in Kolkata, even the lightest creams can be a greasy torture. But this moisturizes my skin well minus an oily film on my face. 

Especially with the improving weather, this feels very light and sinks into the skin quickly. I have extremely sensitive and combination skin type. Been using this over a month now and it has not broken me out.

The squeeze-y tube is perfect for traveling.

My skin does not feel overtly moisturized but it does the trick for good 3-4 hours. 

It does claim to be perfect for dry and sensitive skin. I agree for sensitive skin but it might not work too well in very cold weather for very dry skin.

But for oily/combination skin, this could be blessing!

Personally I think it's a tad bit costly for a moisturizer but if you have sensitive skin then this could be worth a try.

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Have you tried Plum Products?

With Love,

SS

Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquer - Lavender Panna Cota

Nykaa Matte nail lacquer - Lavender Panna Cota

[Price: Rs.199/-]

Lets just say Nykaa is killing it with their new makeup range. The Nail Lacquers and Lipsticks are all so amazingly drool worthy. I binged in a couple of polishes, especially for the unique shades. 

But I am on a lipstick ban. So I have been a good girl and controlled on the lipsticks... as yet.

Nykaa Matte nail lacquer - Lavender Panna Cota

[Please excuse the hideous application. I only had a while till my baby was asleep! ]

I am super impressed with the quality of Nykaa polishes. The shades look opaque after 1-2 coats and dry relatively soon. For the price, it has amazing formula. And the shades... Oh my! 

I remember watching Youtubers use Essie polishes and get so envious. But thankfully Nykaa has brought some amazing shades [pastels, brights, neons and now matte!] in India at a reasonable cost.  

I had to get Lavender Panna Cota the minute it was out. And I sure wasn't disappointed. I love the shade! It turns matte quite immediately and dries relatively fast.

Nykaa Matte nail lacquer - Lavender Panna Cota

The laquer stayed fresh- like on my nails for 3 days. It started chipping after that. But no polish stays on me more than that. With a toddler around, I always have to be hands on!

Available only on Nykaa site.

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What do you think? Have you tried any?

With Love,

Serendipitously yours,

SS  

Plum Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash Review | Short and Sweet

Plum Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash: [Rs.345/-]

 I'm done with this tube! 

• It's clear, gel based with green tea minuscules in it which burst when rubbed in. 
• Meant for oily and acne prone skin 
• It foams pretty well. 
• It cleanses my face without drying it out. I don't get that stretchy feeling after, which is always a good thing. 
• It hasn't broken me out or irritated my skin.

I have combination skin type. However it's intolerably humid in Kolkata so I'm oily most of the times these days. 

I use this twice a day MAX. 

Frankly I can't say much on the "pore cleansing" claim since I can't make too much of a difference. 

But it's a good mild facewash. Considering it is sans all harmful chemicals, it definitely delivers what it claims.

 I really want to try the "aloe" variant next.

PLUM Goodness HAUL!

Hey guys!

It's been so long since I last posted! Being a working mommy to a 10months old toddler is DIFFICULT! To say the least. All you super moms out there..Hats Off!

Plum is a newly launched Indian brand. They proudly claim to have NO Parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, SLS, DEA, PABA and no animal derived ingredients. 

I picked up 4 of their skin care products which was highly rated on their website and I've been dedicated to them for almost over a month now.

Firstly I adore cheeky stuff. This seems like a very clean sophisticated packaging until you pay attention to the cute written details here and there. Also the insides of the packaging is adorable! It's sophisticated outside and fun inside!! Love!

Plum Goodness skincare

1) Plum Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash: [Rs.345/-]

It is a clear, gel based cleanser with green tea minuscules in it which burst when rubbed in. It is meant for combination, oily and acne prone skin. But I think it'll suit all skin types. I'm nearly done with this one.

2) Plum Hello Aloe Caring Day Moisturiser: [Rs.450/-]

A light gentle everyday moisturizer. Meant for normal, dry and sensitive skin types. The squeeze-y tube is perfect for traveling. However I wish it had some SPF in it.   

3) Plum Grape seed & Sea Buckthorn Nurturance Night Cream: [Rs.525/-]

Great for normal, dry and mildly combination skin. Not recommended for oily or acne-prone skin. I love this for summers. It immediately sinks in my skin and turns matte. But keeps my face moisturized all night.

4) Plum Green Tea Clear Face Mask: [Rs.475/-]

This one definitely needs a post of its own. Meant for Combination, Oily, Acne prone skin. I use this once a week as suggested. It tingles quite a bit at the start. Is it weird to think that means it's actually working??

P.S: I also have the Plum kajal (Droool!). I couldn't find it at the moment hence not included in the above pic :| 

All the products smell fresh and light. I can't wait to try the remaining products. Definitely give it a try! There's something for every skin type.  

It is sans all the harmful chemicals, actually works, kinda affordable. And it comes in cute packaging. Needless to say... I love it!

Available at: http://plumgoodness.com/ ; Nykaa

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Have you used any of the Plum goodies??

Sephora Coconut Creamy Body Wash & Moisturising Lotion

My most favorite scents/flavours:

1) Vanilla

2) Chocolate

3) Coconut

In that particular order.

 Had been to Delhi for a friend's wedding for hardly 2 days. I obviously HAD to visit sephora! [Did burn a little hole...]

Frankly I was dissapointed. I was expecting a lot more. Mostly everything I wanted was out of stock. The entire NYX counter was empty except for a few items [managed to get my hands on a soft matte lip cream!] My visit was before they pulled out NYX completely off of Sephora.

I regret not buying the stila pen liner [I wanted a black liner but they didnt have it in the pen form. I think they had one in brown though. Should've grabbed it when I had the chance😟. However I bought the retractable form. More on that later] Also regret not buying any soap and glory products. But frankly the scent did not woo me too much.

However I got sucked into the cute range of Sephora's in-house bath and body range. And I couldn't stop sniffing them.

The minute I sniffed the coconut variant, I knew this was coming home with me. It smells so fresh, summery and just.... Coconut-ty! If you're a fan of coconut fragrances... You need to check this out!!

sephora coconut moisturising lotion and body wash

Price

Sephora coconut body wash: Rs.460/-

Sephora coconut body lotion: Rs.480/-

Highlights- Paraben free but contains SLS. Very light on the skin. Perfect for summers. Normal to oily skin will love this. Dry/very dry skin may find this extremely light. Fragrance is light yet potent. If sensitive to fragrance this may be an issue. But if you're not... Welcome to pixie world ladies!

These are apt for the hot and humid kolkata summers. The creamy body wash is very light. Foams decent enough. It leaves me feeling clean and nicely fragranced. 

I like to apply the moisturising lotion immediately after bath. This helps in retaining the fragrance and moisture longer.

The lotion is very light in texture. Gets absorbed in the skin like a dream. If you are like me and hate putting on lotions during summer but really need to, thanks to super dry skin, this is perfect. No greasiness after application. But leaves the skin feeling moisturised and fresh. 

These are practically useless in winters but are perfect for hot summers.

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What's your favourite body products for summer? ?

Maybelline SuperStay Gel nail Color - Mint For LIfe

 I finally found my perfect Mint polish!!
I'm in love!! Yeah no surprises here.
I'm currently obsessed with Mint...can you tell?

I bought 2 of these polishes- Mint for life and Uptown Blue. Now I want them ALL. There's a shade called Rose Poudre...you're gonna be mine soon!

The first thing that impressed me was the pigmentation. Being a pastel shade, I expected the color to be a little patchy and sheer. But it's amazing. For such a light color, 2 coats seemed enough for a flawless finish. I really like this with just one coat too. Gives a much softer look, provided my application is smooth enough.

Secondly, the brush applicator!! I'm sorry I have not included the applicator close-ups [I shall update them soon]

It is broad and flat and so good quality! It makes the application super easy.

Thirdly, it dries in seconds! By the time I'm done with one coat on all fingers, the polish is dry and I can immediately go for the second coat. It literally dries within a minute or so!

Maybelline Forever strong Super Stay Gel Nail Color 7 Days in Mint for Life

Maybelline- Mint For Life NOTD

About the Super Stay 7 days claim- I am a very hands-on person. I'm always peeling and scratching stuff. Especially with a 7 months toddler around, ladies, lets just say it's a lot of work.

Well, the polish on my right hand messed up the very next day. However, after 5 days of extreme abuse, most of it still stayed.
 I was very impressed with how it stayed on my left hand!!
This was without any top coat mind you! 

Right hand after 5 days

Left hand after 5 days

Regarding the Gel Nail claim-  I have never used a gel nail polish before. But the finish of this is definitely more glossy and feels very luxurious. 

I love all the shades they've come up with. Vibrant, nudes, pastels!! I want them all!
Maybelline has completely spoiled me for any other polishes after this! I can't be bothered to wait for the polish to dry now!

Price: Rs.350/- [Quite expensive for my like. But it's definitely worth it.]

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Have you tried these? which shade?

New Venture!!! Presenting....AIKYA CREATIONS

Hey Guys!! Long time due... I'm finally starting a new venture called AIKYA Creations. High time I start doing something I genuinely love and hope to receive your love and much needed support...

Aikya Creations is an online store where we sell Customized Jewellery, Fashion Accessories, Home Decor, etc, at very reasonable rates. Check out for yourself!!

Do visit us at AIKYA CREATIONS.

Instagram Handle: aikyacreations

Definitely leave a comment if you like any.

Please like and share the page. Help me spread the word. 

Here are a few handmade pieces, I hope you'll like-

Uncut Stone pendant

Ethnic neckpiece with earrings

Choker style stone neckpiece

Sea-green Ethnic neckpiece with earrings

Fusion Choker

Loom Bands! for color therapy!

Also available:

Pastel beads

Charm Bracelet

Candy cans for storage or planters

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Do share your views