My India Beauty Must Haves

I wanted to take my whole makeup kit with me to India.....but in reality I had to pare down what I was going to take with me, and boy was that hard! I did two edits: first I picked all the pieces that I wanted to take with me, and then from that, I cut the number of products in half and took only what would be enough to get by. I took no more than two lip products and cheek products, and managed to limit myself to 1 foundation, 1 powder, the essential makeup brushes, and a few other must-haves. From the products that I did take with me, here are the items I used the most:

First off, since I was attending the wedding events, I really wanted my whole shadow kit with me, but I was able to pick a few (hey, for me, this was a few...) of my favorite colors and assemble them in a travel friendly palette. I used a MAC 15 pan palette and took out the pan separator. This was super easy to do and I still have it if I want to use it again. The entire bottom of the palette is magnetic so the shadow refills will stick anywhere. Thus, I was able to get 25 shadows into a 15 shadow palette. A lot of makeup artists do this to save space and I think its a great idea.

On the left is the MAC Fast Response Eye Cream. This tiny tube is a lifesaver because it works great at depuffing the eye area and making you look fresh. I used this a lot on the trip because I got very little sleep and often woke up looking like I partied too hard....which some nights I did. =) The tube on the bottom is the Korres Ginger and Vitamins Foundation. I reviewed this before and again I must tell you how much I love this. It is sooo natural looking and I really think the vitamins in the product are so good for your skin. The smog and contamination in India can wreak havoc on your skin and I really thought that by using this everyday my skin looked and felt healthier than in normally does in India.

These were my most used eye products: MAC Blacktrack fluidline and Paint Pot in Rubenesque. I really like this better than UD Primer Potion because I can wear it on its own and I really think it lasts longer.

On top is the MAC Cream Color Base in Bronze, and this was my perfect cheek color both for a natural look and for more drama in the evenings. I think this may be a PRO color now, but you may be able to find it in some MAC freestanding stores. In the swatch below (left) you can see how dark it is, but it sheers out to a more natural color (swatch below right). I feel that cream cheek colors tend to last longer and look better in India. For some reason, powder blushers look too streaky when I am in India. I can't explain it but I swear it's true.

Also, I used the MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolor in Stuck on You. It is a berry-ish mauve color and is perfect for nights out because it is dark enough to add drama, but not overly dramatic that people notice your lips and then you (y'all know what I mean). I usually only wear this with Indian clothes because the colors are so bright that I need a bit of a darker lip color. Plus, this is long lasting and I needed that for the wedding events. This formula is very drying so I don't recommend it for daily use, but for special events, it rocks my boat!

I'm still not over my jet-lag, and I still need to upload the rest of my wedding pics. When I get around to doing that I will post a few more. Right now, I am just looking forward to the weekend....almost there!!!!

Glimpses of India

I'm back!!! Coming home from vacation is always bittersweet. In this case, it is more bitter than sweet. I love India. I love the people, the spirit of life, the culture....and it just feels like home to me. I can easily see past the dirt, the crowds, and the traffic (for those in LA, traffic on the 405 is nothing compared to Mumbai traffic), and see myself living in a country that has so much love and passion for life. Even though this trip was a crazy one and not at all relaxing, I loved every minute and wish I was still there.

The purpose of my travel was twofold: 1 - to attend my cousin's wedding in Mumbai, and 2 - to do my wedding shopping. A lot of people have asked my why I would travel halfway around the world to shop for my wedding and it's not as crazy as you would think. I am having a traditional Hindu wedding, and that includes about 4-5 different ceremonies that take place over several days. Accordingly, my family and I need outfits for each function, and buying an Indian outfit is no easy fit. It requires selecting the outfit, going back for fittings, getting matching jewelry, bangles, shoes, and other accessories if required. Also, there are several items required for the ceremony that have to be purchased in India. Now, I could have gotten all this stuff here in the US, but to be frank, the selection is no where near what I could get in India, and the prices in the States are so ridiculous, that even when you add in the cost of airfare for flying to India, it's still cheaper for me to go there and buy the outfits than for me to purchase stuff in the States. Also, since I was already going to India for my cousin's wedding, it made sense to get my shopping done at the same time.

Since I just got back this past Sunday, and went back to work Monday, I have been exhausted and jet-lagged. Within the next few days I promise to return to my regularly scheduled beauty posting, but in the meantime, here are a few glimpses of me during my cousin's wedding:

This is me with my two beautiful neices who are 4 and a half (she specifically added the "half" when I asked her how old she was....sooo cute!) and 3 years old.

Me in my blue and pink saree at the Sangeet event, which is a dance and music party.

Me giving a speech during the Sangeet.

Oh, and since I didn't get to say this previously, Happy New Year! I hope 2010 is full of happiness, good health and prosperity for you and your families! Cheers!

My Update and My Fave Moisturizers

I know I have been absent for a couple weeks and I apologize, but my life has been a whirlwind recently! I just came to India, where I will be attending my cousin's wedding soon, and I am also going to be getting my wedding outfits. I feel like the business in my life won't end until after my wedding, which is good in a way cuz I'd much rather be busy than bored.

Since it is winter back in the states, I put together a little review of my fave moisturizers right now:

This is part of the moisturizing collection at Victorias Secret, and is the Soft Embrace fragrance. It has shea butter in it, yet is non-greasy and feels soooo soft and silky. It provides moisture the entire day and the fragrance is not too overpowering. I highly recommend this one, as it can be used year-round, but I have a feeling it is limited edition and won't last too long.

This body butter from Bath and Body Works is super duper thick, but dries super duper quickly! It feels like it could be greasy, but it is not, and it provides great hydration. Since it is thick, you do end up using more, so you will definitely go through this product quite fast.

I am in love with this fragrance from the Body Shop. It is called Black Velvet Apricot and was part of the holiday collection. It's Body Shop body butter so you know it's quality and works great. This is one to stock up on if you find it (on sale of course) at your local store.

My new favorite addiction, Korres, has these body milks, which are thin lotions. They seem liquidy, but they provide excellent hydration that lasts all day long. This one is in Jasmine, and is very light and you can use any perfume over it. This is a great product for year round use, and will definitely be in my constant rotation of lotions.

What are your fave body moisturizers right now?

15 Minutes of Beauty Fame

Hello lovelies! Want to check out my 15 minutes of fame? Head on over here to Temptalia, where I wrote a guest post of how to go from a day to evening look in 5 minutes.

There are a couple full face pics on the post, but if you want to take a closer look at what I did to the eyes, here ya go:

Day Eyes: UDPP, Arena eyeshadow on lid, Cork eyeshadow in the crease, Black Russian Pearlglide liner on upper lash line, and Estee Lauder More than Mascara on lashes.

Evening Eyes: Added Sketch eyeshadow in outer corner and Feline Kohl Power pencil on waterline.

In other news, I have been super busy with my wedding planning ventures, not to mention I leave for India in less than a week, and I am also helping a friend with MBA application essays. Life is super crazy right now but it's great to have your support and look to you wonderful readers to keep me connected with beauty and help me de-stress. =)

Koh Gen Do Oriental Plants Essence Review

In my constant search for my holy grail skin care routine, I ventured into the world of Japanese skin care and tried the Koh Gen Do Oriental Plants Essence. This serum is supposed to hydrate, firm, and provide balance to the skin, and contains a laundry list of natural and botanical ingredients. As I have mentioned before, I am on a green product kick, so naturally I was excited to try this out.

The texture of the serum is very liquidy, so it is easy to spread across the skin, and you don't need very much at all. That is a good thing, considering this 1.35oz bottle costs $107. Pricey, yes, but it will last you a loooong time.

In terms of results, I used this everyday for 3 weeks (refer to some previous posts to learn my philosophy on how long I need to use skin care to tell if I like it or not). I did not have any adverse reaction, but I also did not see anything amazing. My skin did feel moisturized, it did feel firm, and it was not dull. I still did not have that glow that I like, so I was not completely loving this product. I have a feeling this is one of those products you have to using for an extensive period of time to see results, so I am tempted to keep using it. Let's see how that goes, since I am such a product jumper.

Kajal Couture Rating: C

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: The product itself is moisturizing, absorbs quickly into the skin, and feels great on. In terms of results, I did not get what I expected, but I have hope this will do more if used regularly for a longer period of time. It is very expensive though so I am not sure that I would repurchase unless I saw some miraculous change in my skin.

As a side note, when I received the product in the mail, I wasn't sure exactly how to use it, whether I had to rub thoroughly into the skin, or just let it absorb naturally. As you can see below, the instructions didn't help because they were all in Japanese. Thankfully, Koh Gen Do now has a website that provides English directions on how to use each product.

This product was provided to my by PR. For additional information, please refer to my Disclaimer.

Disclaimer

So I am sure many of you have seen a lot of beauty websites advertise their Disclaimers. I too have created one, and will refer to it from now on in all posts that contain a product review. Here it is:

Disclaimer:

All thoughts, opinions, and reviews expressed in this blog are my own and based entirely on my own personal feelings and experiences. Occasionally, PR firms will send me products to review, but I do not in any shape or form get paid to review the products, so rest assured that I will always provide my honest opinion in any review, regardless of whether I purchase a product or if it was provided to me. My priority is to provide you with an honest account of my experiences and feelings about a product. In addition, if products were provided to me for review purposes, it will be mentioned in the blog post. Otherwise, all other products are purchased with my own money.

Any links embedded in my blog posts are not affiliate links, they are simply a reference to where you can obtain more information. I do not get paid if you click on the links or purchase any products. This blog is a passion of mine and I do not blog to make money. I do it because I love beauty products and I love meeting other wonderful people interested in beauty...you!!!

Manish Arora Makeup for Spring/Summer 2010

I've been feeling a lil down and out today, so I've just been surfing the web this evening and just having some alone time to myself. My soon-to-be mother-in-law (MIL) is not the nicest person in the world (surprise, surprise...I mean, does anyone really like their MIL?) and she is causing some drama for my fiance and I.

Seems like a good weight-loss technique, yeah?

Anyhoo, I was surfing the MAC Pro website and noticed that they already have the Spring/Summer 2010 trend looks from the runway shows. The winter has just started here in California (yes, 40 degree temperature is winter for us), so I am still clinging to my smoky eyes and dark lips, but since one of the trend looks was from Indian designer Manish Arora (he did the Manish Arora for MAC collection last fall, that sold out online in like 30 seconds), I just had to do a post on that.

Here is how you can achieve his minimalist look, per the MAC Pro website:

MANISH ARORA

"Keeping the make-up quite bare the emphasis is placed on pearly skin texture and nude features. I wanted the balance created by the understated makeup and over-the-top face accessory to have a futuristic feel." - Kabuki

EYES:
M·A·C Pro Water Base Mixing Medium and Pro White Frost Pigment - applied in a "c" shape to the outer corners of the eyes.

SKIN:
Studio Sculpt Foundation- applied as a base to the face as a whole and then in darker shades under the cheekbones, and down the sides of the nose to contour.
M·A·C Pro Water Base Mixing Medium and Pro White Frost Pigment - placed down the center of the nose, on the chin and over the cupid's bow of the lips as a highlight.

LIPS:
M·A·C Pro Lip Erase in Dim- applied to the lips to block the natural coloring of the lips.
M·A·C Pro Water Base Mixing Medium and Pro White Frost Pigment - applied to the center of the lips as a highlight.

It's so non-traditional that I am tempted to try this out myself just to see how it looks. What are you faves for spring and summertime?

Aveda Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Serum Review and a Drugstore Deal

I had a sample of the Aveda Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Serum so I decided to actually try it out, since I have been on my natural product kick. My sample was decent sized so it lasted about 2 weeks. I know that is not long enough to determine if it was really brightening my skin or not, but 2 weeks is enough for me to notice whether I want to keep using a product or if I am ready to move on.

After 2 weeks, I was ready to move on. Mainly because I did not like the sticky feeling that I felt every time I applied this on my skin. The serum does absorb quickly, so the stickiness doesn't last too long, but I still didn't like it, even if it was just a few seconds.

I did not have any adverse reaction, like sudden breakouts, but I also did not see any improvement of any other type of positive effect. Usually, even if I don't see a reduction in signs of aging, or improvement in brightness, if a product is effective, my skin will start to glow within just a few days of using it. I did not get that glow from this, so I am now on to the next product.

Kajal Couture Rating: C

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: Thumbs down for the stickiness factor, thumbs up for being Aveda and using natural products, but it didn't do anything positive for me.

So I stopped by Rite Aid (a drugstore) today to pick up something, and of course I had to stop by the makeup aisles to do a quick walk-by, and I noticed that a ton of makeup from all different brands is 75% off right now! I think they are products/colors that are being discontinued, but I saw some great nail polishes for under $1, pretty eyeshadows in all different colors (yes, colors that you could actually use, not just the funky leftovers), and some nice eyeliners (I was tempted by the Loreal and Cover Girl colored liners) and lipsticks on sale. If you are interested in trying something new, I recommend you stop by your local Rite Aid and check out the stock. You might find something you really like!