SUGAR Cosmetics | Eye Shadow Quad in ESCAPADE

Sugar Cosmetics has grown fast and popular in no time at all.. and for all the right reasons!

They boast about being free from parabens, D5, oil, mineral oil and nano-ingredients; with best quality possible.

I am a complete fan of the brand and make it a point to try atleast a product (if not more) from every range they come up with.

The lipsticks have to be one of the best formula out there (including the high end brands) and the price and the colour range they have, it's simply ah-mazing!

The indian market sadly does not have good matte eyeshadows. PAC has come up with singles recently. Or else other brands offer entire palette, which have a mix of textures.

When Sugar came up with eyeshadows, it was a no brainer that I had to grab Escapade! All mattes and it looked perfect and totally my type.

For those like me, who aren't into experimenting much with eyeshadows and rely on matte neutral shadows, this one is a dream come true.

Sugar Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad - Escapade

Sugar Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad - Escapade

Sugar Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad - Escapade

Sugar Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad - Escapade | Swatches

Sugar Cosmetics Eyeshadow Quad - Escapade | Swatches

Price : Rs.699/-

 Firstly the shades! All 4 shades are definitely wearable and more importantly suits indian skintone.

Texture - Buttery soft and quite powdery. The colours show up great on the lids and is buildable as required which is great. Coz for me personally I just like a light wash of colour on my lids for office. And hence I always prefer the buildable ones. Even though these are extreme soft, I haven't faced fall out with the 3 lighter shades I've used. I haven't used the deepest shade on the Bottom Right. So I shall probably update on that later. 

I use myfingers mostly since I only go with one all over colour. But it works just as fine with brushes too.

Top Left - A neutral taupe with slight mauve undertone. A beautiful transition shade. I use this just to neutralise my lids and bring some dimension to my eyes. This shade is very close to my favourite "Brady" from colourpop, with the same slight mauve undertone, only a shade lighter and in powder form. LOVE!

 

Bottom Left - A coral peach shade. The shade is not as bright on the lips one first application (as compared to the hand swatch) but can be built up, which is a good thing. I love it more as a blush really! (I know you thought of it too!)

Top Right - A pretty plum shade. Quite pigmented. Just a slight soft touch and it gives beautiful pigmentation. But the shade is so that if not applied properly looks like you've been punched!

Bottom Right - An almost black but actually a deep deep plum shade. Haven't tried this shade on the lids yet. Seems like a nice change from the stark black.

To top it off the packaging is smart, sleek, compact, neat and the best part ultra light. A breeze to carry along... even your jeans back pocket if required! This has definitely become my go to travel pallete. The hard plastic ones are really a pain to carry when you already have more than necessary makeup to carry ;)  

I think it's a must buy and another hit from Sugar!

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What's your go to look these days?

Love,

SS

Innisfree Water Fit Cushion Foundation | Shade N23

Cushion Case - Rs.600/-

Water Fit Cushion Foundation (Shade N23) - Rs. 900/-

Free Innisfree Beauty Tool Air Magic Puff- Rs. 150/- (I got it free in an offer)

It has been quite a while that Cushion foundations have been a craze. Most commonly used in Korea, the concept was a brainchild of STILA in 2002. It was however brought into mainstream by Laneige.

In case you're wondering, what a cushion product is? It's basically a compact with a sponge soaked in the product. You can apply the product with a sponge or a brush by dabbing the product off the sponge. The sponge tends to soak up most of the product hence you only get a little amount on your applicator, which helps to give a a very natural lightweight finish. Cushion Foundations could be a replacement to BB/CC creams.

Easy to carry along or travel with. Gives a light natural finish. Easy to touch up. These are the basic expectations out of a cushion product.

Innisfree has taken it a notch higher by making such cute and pretty packaging. The best part is the actual product is detachable and the outer packaging can be changed.

So the outer cover, the applicator and the foundation itself can be customized as per your like.

There are quite many colours and patterns to choose from, everyone of which looks gorgeous. But I HAD to choose the the yellow with white polka dots. Just looking at it lifts my mood!

The foundation comes in 2 variety- Water Fit and Longwear Cover Cushion.

I usually have Oily skin type but something too drying accentuates certain areas like around my nose, laugh lines and under eye area. So, I opted for the Water Fit version 'coz I'd prefer a dewy finish, which I usually have within 3 hours.

I got the shade N23. On first applying this, the shade looks quite light and the undertone seems greyish on me. But after 10 minutes of settling in, it completely adapts to the skintone. 

I'd say it has a light to medium coverage. Almost as much as my Ponds BB cream. But I need to put on 2 layers to get that coverage.

The texture being light and airy, I can hardly feel it on my face. Since the product is being dabbed on an applicator from the sponge, there are 2 layers of filter hence a minimum amount of product gets picked up. 

I first used the cushion applicator with this but somehow I prefer using my brush to apply the foundation. Gives a better finish.

Frankly, I think it's quite pricey just for the cute packaging and hardly any cover. But if you are some one who can't seem to find your shade of BB/CC cream,and don't want a full on foundation, could surely invest in this one.

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Love,

SS

Colourpop Haul | Blush | EyeShadow

I have subscribed everywhere possible to keep my eyes and ears wide open for whenever Colorpop has free shipping. Fortunately or unfortunately, it only happens twice or so in a year. Fortunately because otherwise, I’d be broke. Unfortunately because it should be available in India at their original prices!!

Anyhoo, needless to say, I love the brand. Such good quality in such affordable prices.

I had promised myself not to get more lippies after my last order (haul and swatches here and here). I did cheat though. Got 1 Liquid Lipstick in satin finish.

Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip in Frickn Frack and Calypso Swatches

Colourpop Lippie Stix Swatches

So here's the first look...


BLUSH

The texture is almost mousse like which when applied has a light powder finish. It’s a love child of a cream and powder blush. Which is perfect for all weathers. Powder blush don’t last long during summers ‘coz of sweat and excessive wiping of the face. Hence a creamy texture tends to last longer. In winters, the skin is already dry, a cream blush gives a beautiful finish without looking chalky or too dry.

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek - Left: Birthday Suit (Satin) and Right: Holiday (Matte)

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in 'Birthday Suit' in Satin Finish

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in 'Holiday' in Matte Finish

Birthday Suit: Satin finish. Had been eyeing this forever! It is THE most natural blush for my skin tone. When I’m out in the hot sun or too cold, I naturally flush to this shade. The shade is so damn natural and blends like a dream. I have always loved using a blush, but for everyday use, I don’t like it to be visible. This one gives a perfect flush to the cheeks which immediately brightens the face and gives a “from within” kinda life to the cheeks.

Holiday: Aptly named. A bright coral shade. Perfect for holidays where you’d want a bright flushed face. This needs to be used with a tender hand. However it blends beautifully.

EyeShadows

The texture is again a cross between cream and powder. It spreads and blends beautifully. The colour doesnot appear patchy. It’s just plain beautiful.

Colourpop EyeShadow in 'Brady'

Colourpop Eye Shadow in 'Sequin'

Brady: For everyday office wear, I love using this all over my eye lids. It is a lovely subtle shade just by itself or as a base. Blends beautifully. Stays almost 9-10 hours on me!

Sequin: This one's perfect for night outs and weddings. Has beautiful glitters which are not too chunky. However this does not blend as easily as Brady. Need to work quick with this, coz if it sets it's difficult to blend it. Nonetheless, the shade is gorgeous!

 

Other than these I also got another liquid lipstick in satin finish in 'Chandelier', a brow pencil in 'brunette' and a free Eye Shadow brush!! Could not click pictures since I didn't have them at the time...

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Love,

SS

The Body Shop Haul | Amazing SALE!

ONLINE BUY

The Body Shop Smoky 2 in 1 Gel Liner : The Brown one's on 50% Off. Never used this before. Shall be put on test. 

The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation : I bought the shade-Fiji Sand. Thankfully it's a perfect match! Have only tried this once. Shall be put on test. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Wash : A rebuy. Already finished 3 bottles of this. Got this for the husband really.

The Body Shop Foaming Facial Wash : Again a rebuy. I prefer the gel facial wash more. but it's ok!

IN STORE BUY

The Body Shop Body Polisher :  I struggle with back acne and a Body Polisher/Exfoliater is something I've been meaning to purchase since a very long time.Although I've successfully gotten rid off my back acne to a large extent (shall dedicate a separate post on the 'hows'), it's good to maintain the same.
 

The Body Shop Vitamin E Eyes Cube : I haven't seen or heard any reviews on this before. This could be a limited edition, 'coz it's not even listed on The Body Shop India website. But it looked and (the tester) felt quite interesting. The product itself feels very cooling against the skin. I'm hoping it'll work for my under eye bags and provide basic hydration to the eye area. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil : Finally got this. The Sales Rep at the South City Store gave me 1ml sample and I HAD to buy the full size product. Got this at 30% OFF (25% + 5 % member)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion : I'm all for mattifying lotions in this humid kolkata weather. The tester seemed great. Let's see how this turns out. I kind of have good vibes about this one. Got this at 30% OFF (25% + 5 % member)

The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid : Finally they're mine!! Bought the shades - Goa Magnolia, Sydney Amaryllis and Mauritius Dahlia.  Swatches and review coming soon.

Got this at 30% OFF (25% + 5 % member)

The sale will last till June'17 end. The website already has the offer going on. This time around I could see many bestsellers on 50% Discount which is amazing. A fair share of skincare, haircare,  bath, makeup, fragrances and accessories. Quite impressed with the variety and an amazing chance to restock or try out the products. 

P.S. This could be an amazing gifting option. Mix and match products to gift friends and family. The expiry dates are nowhere near on these products. So grab them before they're all gone.

Do pick your favorites till they last, coz they're definitely selling off like hot cakes!

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Love,

SS

Maybelline Fit me Stick Foundation

Shade: 235 Pure Beige (9gms)
Price: Rs.550/-

Company Claims-  Lightweight, gel stick foundation has an exclusive anti-shine powder core that instantly dissolves excess oil. Maybelline New York Fit Me Stick is an oil-absorbing powder foundation stick that is creamy and blends into a natural matte finish for smooth and even-looking skin. Pores look minimized and skin stays shine-free for ten hours.

*Dermatologist and allergy tested *Non-comedogenic.

The central lighter circle is the anti-shine powder core, which apparently mattifies the skin.

I am a girl who dislikes wearing foundation on an everyday basis. Foundations for me, are restricted to special occasions. But certain uneven tones on my face really irks me. Hence BB/CC creams are really my savior. To be precise Ponds BB cream only.  None of the other various BB/CC creams in the market suit me.

However my skin has been rebelling in the past 3-4 months. On top of that Kolkata summers give “pathetic” a whole new definition. So the sour mixture of hormones and weather turned quite bitter for me ‘coz, suddenly even my trustee ol’ Pond’s BB cream started breaking me out :\

Amidst this, one day, while cleaning my closet, a cute small tube rolled out and it was Maybelline’s BB stick. I had received it as a gift but I had never really used it, since the Maybelline Bb cream didn’t suit me. I just gave it a try out of habit. Surprisingly, I loved the texture of it. A cream to powder finish.  Just what I needed at the moment.

It sadly was expired, so I ordered the FIT ME foundation stick asap, hoping it’d be similar if not better.

 To begin with, the colour matches my skin perfectly and is meant for combination?Oily skin type.

        It has sheer to light coverage.

    It evens out the skin without looking cakey or fake.  True to its claim, it is quite creamy and smooth on application with an almost powder light finish.

      It does not melt when I sweat (Yea some bb creams/ foundations do that and it’s embarrassing as hell) But if wiped it comes off easily.   
It does not cover any spots whatsoever.

I have extremely oily skin, so it does not completely kill the shine but manages to mattify the greasy look a decent amount. I actually like the finish, since it leaves just the right amount of glow.

In this heat, when I sweat like a pig, it does not melt on me. Yeah for that! It can be quite embarrassing with streak marks all over the face. But again since I wipe my face often, it goes off in just one swipe. Retouching is easy, thanks to the stick form and its easy blendibilty. Longetivity could be an issue for some. It stayed on me for 4-5 hours when in AC/cooler weather.

So for those like me, who do not want a full or even medium coverage for everyday wear, but just want to even out the tone, this is perfect.

This may not be suitable for the dry skin, solely for the reason that it’s a mattifying foundation. But it can be used over a well moisturized face.

 
Basically this is good in place of BB/CC creams and not as a full fledged foundation. I am definitely enjoying this stick foundation this summer. I'll even go to the extent of saying I'll probably finish it!

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Which base are you using currently??

Love, 
SS

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost Serum

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost Serum

Price - Rs.1695/-

The company Claims-  Instant smoothing radiance. With Vitamin C rich Amazonian camu camu and Community Trade Brazil nut oil. For Dull skin.

My skin has been acting bonkers since my delivery. It's been over a year but my skin still can’t make up it’s mind. It’s a postpartum effect that happens to a lot of women. However, my skin was getting even more dull and tired looking and I had to do something about it. I happened to come across this product and The Body Shop was having a massive sale. So what better time!

It’s a very small size tube which holds 30ml of product. Quite an expensive one for the price tag. The bottle comes with a pump which is a huge plus. The product itself is yellow in colour with slight reflective particles. It has a gel like consistency. On applying, it smoothens out the skin texture just like a primer. It feels a bit silicone-y. A check at the ingredient list confirms the silicone present in it. It has a citrusy orangey fragrance, which I LOVE! On looking closely, the reflective particles can be seen doing it’s job, giving the illusion of naturally glowing skin without being fake or glittery.

This however does not stay for long. But it preps the skin for the next steps – moisturizer, makeup, etc. I was surprised to see it smoothen the texture of my skin to give it an almost flawless finish. Makeup applies beautifully on this. It also reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines...visibly.

Honestly, I did not find any major improvement regarding the dullness. But since it smoothens the texture, it does impart the appearance of a more healthy looking skin.

So to conclude, this product does not really serve the purpose for which I primarily bought it but I find myself using it quite frequently because I love how my skin looks after using this and also the smell!

However I wouldn’t rebuy this even at 50% sale like I did the first time. I’d rather just use my primer.

Suggestion - Can definitely give this a miss. 

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Love.
SS

Biotique Bio Cucumber Pore Tightening Toner

Biotique Bio Cucumber Pore Tightening Toner

(Price Rs.175/- for 120ml)

 

I was using The Body Shop’s Aloe toner for over 2 years. It’s such a huge bottle and honestly I hadn’t used it religiously everyday. I still managed to finish 3/4^th of the bottle but the product crossed it’s expiry date. Otherwise when I realize a product is about to expire, I try to use it in other ways. However, it completely passed me to check this toner’s expiry. I hate wasting products especially the pricey ones. Anyways I have quite liked this one for my sensitive rash prone skin. Very soft and gentle on the skin. Almost like water. Read the mini review HERE. 

So when I got done with this one, I immediately ordered one online (It was on 30% Off, hence online) But TBS orders take quite some time to reach, and I started noticing the effects of NOT using a toner immediately. For temporary basis, I bought this Biotique toner (The sales woman suggested me this seeing my troubled skin). Biotique products have fared well on my skin before and it wasn’t too pricey so I picked this up.

What this claims-

An Ayurvedic medicine with Therapeutic properties and not a cosmetic product.

A pore tightening toner with Himalayan Waters. For Normal to Oily skin.

Contains-

Daru haldi Root 0.1%, Dhania Fruit 2%, Maju phal 2%, Peppermint Oil 0.85%, Kheera  jal Q.S

No mention of any other chemicals or preservatives. (Now I don’t know if it’s not there or they choose not to mention them...)

Biotique Bio Cucumber Pore Tightening Toner

My Thoughts-

The first time I unscrewed the cap and poured it on my cotton pad, it distinctly smelt of Cucumber and alcohol. I was immediately doubtful about it. Well, let’s just say it’s not a sensitive or gentle toner. It did burn on my rashes and inflamed parts. It felt like a strong astringent. However that could be ‘coz of the peppermint oil present in it. It also felt like an exfoliating toner. My face was freshly washed but it still took off remnants from my skin. Somehow that was very satisfying. It stripped off my skin of any oil or dirt and left my skin fresh and supple. It certainly was quite strong than what I was used to and didn't know what to expect or how my skin would react to it.

Thankfully it did not break me out and hence I kept using this.

Read here to know how a toner changed my skincare game.

3 months since, I LOVE this toner. I never skip on this. Not one day. I have seen such a huge difference since using this. I did receive my TBS toner, but I intend to use this first. And I’m already half bottle down! Even though it’s slightly on the stronger side, it did not irritate my skin. Rather it cools it down and preps my skin for moisturizer. It has helped with my rashes and the texture of my skin. I leaves my face squeaky clean and gets it ready for some fresh moisturizer.

It is very important to immediately moisturize the skin after using this, since it is so stripping. This is great for troubled and acne prone skin. But it’s always better to do a patch test or a trial to check if it matches your skin. If your skin is trouble free and you only want to balance the Ph level of your skin, then a gentle toner should be fine.

I think this toner performs really well. And I found a gem at this price!!

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Love,
SS

Aroma Magic Aloe Vera Sunscreen Gel with Spf20

Price: Rs.285/- for 100ml 

Kolkata is so hot and humid right now, that even my trusted Neutrogena ultra sheer drytouch sunblock gets uncomfortable and sticky after a while. It's still my favourite for cooler or more comfortable weather. My summer saviour is usually the Lotus Herbals Safe Sun Matte Gel sunscreen. But I gave it to mom. 

I almost repurchased the Lotus one when this super cute cyan coloured tube popped up. An Aloe Vera sunscreen gel sounded just perfect to me. 

The colour is sooo cute, my babe thinks it's his toy! I have to keep it hidden from him!

Now for a little backend info:

SPF protect our skin only from UVB rays. For UVA protection look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in the ingredients because these protect against the full spectrum of UVA rays. So make sure your sunscreen/sunblock protects you from both UVA and UVB.

Ideally, higher the SPF, your skin is protected longer and better. But contrary to common belief, it is not always advisable to use an SPF higher than 50 on a regular basis. Very simply, higher the SPF, higher protection at a cost of more chemicals.

Also fair skin is more susceptible to the harmful rays and chemicals resulting into skin damage. The darker skin suffer less skin damage (comparatively) due to higher melanin pigment.

Now, by thumb rule, if my skin starts getting damaged or tanned after staying in the sun for 20 mins, an SPF 20 will protect my skin 20 times more. Hence 400 mins i.e for 6.6 hours. And one needs to re-apply sunscreen anyway if you sweat or wipe your face. So I don't see the point of using higher SPF on a daily basis and subjecting my skin to more chemicals, when I am protected for 6 hours approx or I have to anyways re-apply my sunscreen when I'm out 'coz i'm continuously wiping my face. Do I make sense?

Coming back to this product.

1) Meant for Oily and acne prone skin.

2)This serves both my purpose of aloe vera gel and sunscreen.

3) Super light on the skin. Immediately soaks into the skin.

4) Non-sticky and matte finish once absorbed.

5) Did not break me out

6) Can be applied under makeup.

7) Does not make my skin oily.

8) Pocket friendly

  

Putting it straight, I LOVE this sunscreen. It checks all the boxes. Can't get over how cute it looks.  Will definitely repurchase  this for daily use. However in case of a holiday or somewhere out where you know the sun will hit you hard, I'd suggest a sunblock with higher Spf. Neutrogena drytouch and Lotus Herbals safe sun matte gel still topping the list for Higher SPF.   

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Have you used this? Which sunscreen are you using this summer?

Love, 

SS