First off, Wedding Details

As you may already know, I had a traditional Indian Hindu wedding. It was a weeklong affair that included all the traditional ceremonies and parties. I had been doing the majority of wedding planning so I was super stressed out prior to the wedding (not to mention I was still working until the week before the big day), but in the end it was all worth it and everything went as smooth as silk! Of course, there were a few minor hiccups, but overall I couldn't have asked for a better day (or shall I say week).

Here are a couple snaps from the wedding:

This pic is from my videographer Robles Video. The videographer put this as the company's profile picture on Facebook and it was cute because my mom saw it and called me right away to tell me. It feels like such an honor to be the face of their company on FB! It the only close up I have right now where you can see my makeup. I have not yet received all of the photographer's photos, so I only have pics taken by family and friends.

You may have also noticed how heavy and dramatic the makeup is, especially the eye makeup. When you look at the whole outfit and jewelry together, Indian brides need heavy makeup in order to make the features stand out. The pic below shows some of my outfit:

I may post more pics later when I get them from my photographer and my family members. Right now all the family member's photos are with my parents, so I will get them when I see them in a few days. Until then, at least you get a glimpse of my bridal look.

The hubby and I went to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora (all are islands in French Polynesia) for our honeymoon, and it was AMAZING!!! I will post some island pics soon, but I just have to tell you that if you ever get an opportunity to go to these islands, GO!!! These islands are absolutely GORGEOUS and the beautiful nature is preserved so I think it is an amazing place to visit with your significant other and highly recommend it! =)

I'm Married!!!

I'm back from my wedding and honeymoon and still can't believe I am a married woman now!! Eeeeek!!!! 

The feeling hasn't sunk in yet....but getting back to reality has. I have lots to share with you about the wedding and beauty, so look forward to my regularly scheduled posts within the next day or two. Until then, here is a little snap of me pre-ceremony:

kj

Last Post Before Wedding

Hello!! I just wanted to let you all know this will be my last post before my wedding. I am running out of time with wedding stuff, so I really don't have any time to blog...I've barely worn any makeup in the past couple weeks....I have been that busy!!!

In any case, feel free to read my latest blog post for Maharani Weddings Rani's Blog site. It details some of my favorite primers!!!

I will return to my regularly scheduled blog posting at the end of May after the hubby-to-be and I have returned from our honeymoon.

Yay...I'm getting married!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Primers and Potions and More, Oh My! Korres Face Primer Review and Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer Review

I know my posts have been few and far between lately, but as my wedding gets closer and closer, I am getting busier and busier. My wedding is less than a month away, and I know things are just going to get more chaotic, but I promise I will return to my regularly scheduled posting by June, after the honeymoon and after I have settled in to living with a boy (kinda scary...eeeks)!

Since I am having a traditional Indian wedding, the week leading up to the wedding day will be full of lots of religious and cultural events. For the big events, I am having my makeup done by another professional I really admire. For the smaller events, I am doing my own makeup. I have been test driving various face and eye primers, and there are two in particular I will NOT be using for my wedding.

The first is the Korres Face Primer. This is actually a really popular product since it is one of the few primers that are all natural. I bought the smaller, travel size tube:

Overall, this is not a bad primer, but I don't think it is suitable for special events. I do like that this primer has lots of great vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin E, that are good for your skin. I also like that it is silicone free, so you don't feel like you have a mask on your face. It also provides the skin with a smooth surface for foundation and other makeup, so it does do part of its job. I think this is a good primer for everyday use, but I do wish it had an SPF. What I didn't like was that I feel like it gives the skin a bit of a whitish appearance. Check out the swatches below:

On the left is the primer alone, in the middle is the primer with my foundation on top, and on the left is the foundation on its own. As you can see, the primer and foundation swatch is a bit lighter than the foundation only swatch. A good primer shouldn't alter the color of your makeup, and this is really not good for photography, so I would not use it for special occasions. On the other hand, the primer and foundation swatch is smoother than the foundation alone, so it does a good job of prepping the skin for makeup. In terms of lasting power, I didn't notice any dramatic change, but my makeup was definitely there at the end of the day, so perhaps it does work well for that. 

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: B-

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: If you prefer all natural products, then this is a good one for you. If you are looking for just a basic primer for everyday use, to make your skin smoother and allow an easier makeup application, then this might fit the bill. If you want something that really makes your makeup last and will work for photography, then look elsewhere, this won't meet your needs.

The other product I recently tried is the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer:

I really hoped this would be the same or similar to the Urban Decay Primer Potion, but this doesn't even get close to how great that is! This product did not make my makeup last at all! I feel like I could have used the shadow on its own and gotten better results. Check out my pic below. 

This was after about 5 hours of wear. Can you believe that! This primer didn't even work for 5 hours! The shadow was coming off, the shadow was creasing, and it was just a whole big mess. Ladies, stay away from this primer.

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: D- (I feel bad giving it an F, so a D- is as low as I will go)

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: This primer did not work for me, and I don't even have oily lids. I am sure it works on some people, as they are still making and selling the product, but I wouldn't recommend this. There are others available that are much more effective.

What are your favorite primers?

Urban Decay Friends and Family is Back!!

Hello lovelies! Just wanted to let you know that one of my favorite brands Urban Decay is having their friends and family sale starting today:

Products I love and highly recommend:

1. 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils - They have some leftover sets from the holiday season so I recommend those or the individual full size pencils. Of course I think the shade Zero (black) is a must have, but I also love their shade selection of fun colors. You can't go wrong with this eye liner because the formula is smooth and the product lasts and lasts!
2. 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencils - Like the eye pencils, these are smooth and really last all day! These are very creamy so they are a breeze to apply, the hold on to color, and are just great. They don't have the largest selection of colors, but they have some great ones. My fave is the nude color Wallflower.
3. Shadow Palettes - UD shadows are amazingly smooth and pigmented, and they last all day, even without a primer (though I still always use one). The individual shadow pots are great too, but the palettes are just a great value. My fave of the ones currently offered is the Ammo Pallette.
4. Eyelash Primer Potion - I have been meaning to do a review of this, but haven't gotten around to it. For my quick and dirty review, I give this an A+!! This eyelash primer is a white primer that you apply before mascara. I usually curl my lashes, then apply this primer. Once it dries, I apply mascara. This makes your lashes look thicker, longer, and curlier. It gives the appearance of false lashes without having to deal with the mess and time it takes to apply them. I love this product

Although I didn't add it to my list, I do like the Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Although this product works and I like it, I prefer the MAC Paint Pots. I feel like the Urban Decay primer creases on me after wearing eye makeup for a whole day, so I prefer the paint pots.

Another thing I wanted to tell you about, in case you are considering the UD brushes (they are made of man-made bristles and environmentally friendly), don't waste your time and money. I tried the blush brush a while ago and it just didn't work out. Check out my complete review here. 

Let me know if you get anything! I might grab a few more liners!

Stila Jewel Collection Review and Swatches

I have been majorly in love with Stila products recently, and keep wondering why it took me so long to discover how great they are! I recently got a chance to review the shadows and lip glazes from the new Stila Jewel Collection for Spring:

I was really looking forward to the eyeshadow quad because the colors looked so unique and I love anything with sparkle:

Colors: top left - Golden Topaz; top right - Amethyst

bottom left - Black Diamond; bottom right - Rose Quartz

These shadows are supposed to have a sequin-like sparkle that leave the eyes glistening like jewels. When I got the palette, I was a bit disappointed by the size. The shadows are about the size of a dime, and the whole palette looks like one of those shadow palettes in the Lancome gift with purchase sets. However, I was hoping the product itself would make up for the size:

Colors: Golden Topaz; Rose Quartz; Amethyst; Black Diamond

In the picture above you can see the color/pigmentation a little better, but in the picture below you can really see how the product shines in the light:

Colors: Golden Topaz; Rose Quartz; Amethyst; Black Diamond

I really like these shadows. Upon first glance it might seem that the colors don't go well, but this is actually a brilliantly developed palette. You can use them with other matte or satin shades, or use them together! If you are using just these four shadows, you can stick to a neutral palette with the Rose Quartz and Golden Topaz, or do the pink/purple thang with Rose Quartz and Amethyst, or do a smokey eye with Black Diamond and Amethyst, or use any of the colors or combos and line the eye with Black Diamond....the possibilities are endless! These are not super pigmented, but you can layer them to get a more intense color. I also think they are not supposed to be super intense, because they are so glittery/shimmery and that adds the intensity. These are smooth to apply, easy to blend, and as all Stila shadows, last all day. 

Kajal Couture Rating: B+

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: I really like the product itself, but I was disappointed by the size of the product. You definitely have to use these with other shadows because there is no highlight color, and these would be way too sparkly to wear alone if you want to wear them to work and you have an office job. The product itself is fabulous and I really like the quality and shades.

The next product in the Stila Jewel Collection is the Jewel Lip Glaze Trio. These not only have the classic non-sticky, long lasting lip glaze formula, but are glittery and are actually infused with gemstone complexes like Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Rose Quartz, Opal, Mother of Pearl (the list goes on and on...) and even contains great moisturizing ingredients like Mango Seed Butter, Goa Seed Butter, and Shea Butter.

I figured these would be like MAC dazzleglasses, but these are sooooo much better!! Just check out the swatches:

Colors: Pink Diamond; Golden Topaz; Amethyst

In the swatches on the bottom, the product is straight from the tube, on top I tried to blend the product out slightly so you could see the color is not as crazy as it seems in the tube. These are far more glittery than MAC dazzleglasses and the formula is so much better. They are not sticky, they have great moisturizing ingredients, and look so amazing on the lips. I also really like the lip glaze tubes...its just so fun and easy to use! The colors are not crazy and are very wearable, so you can wear them alone or layer them. I tried to capture the amazingness but my camera isn't the best:

In this pic I am wearing the Pink Diamond gloss only. The sparkle factor will play up what ever color you layer this with, and the glitter will look even more intense. I can't even explain how amazing these are, you just have to try them for yourself in person!!

Kajal Couture Rating: A+

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: These glosses are not appropriate for all situations because they are so glittery, but the bling factor is what I love so much about the product, combined with the great gloss formula. It really does look like mini sequin-like shine, and is very appropriately named Jewel Collection.

What do you think about these products? Have you checked them out? I will be doing some looks using these products in the near future, so stay tuned!

Disclaimer: The products in this post were sent by PR for consideration. Please read my disclaimer for additional information. 

My Favorite Crease Brushes

Crease brushes are something I absolutely cannot live without. I use them for just about everything! I could probably use only crease brushes for an entire makeup application, except that foundation and powder would take for-eee-ver.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1 - Stila #9 brush - This is very similar to the MAC 224, but the bristles are just a tad longer. It is also very fluffy so it is great for blending out colors on the eyelid or browbone. The handle is a bit longer than the MAC 224 but doesn't make much of a difference to me.

2 - MAC 224 - This is the classic crease and blending brush that so many people recommend. It can be a bit too big and dense for a precise crease application, but is still great for blending colors, especially for a neutral eye. I also like keeping a couple clean (w/ no color) ones for clean up or blending out edges. Overall, this is a brush that everyone needs and I highly recommend.

3 - MAC 222 - This is a great brush for applying color to the crease. The brush head is narrower than the MAC 224 so you can get a precise application of color. The bristles are longer than the MAC 224 but I don't find that as an inconvenience. (Have you noticed I compare everything to the 224....tells you how much I love that brush!!) The one thing I don't like about this brush is that the bristles are white. I do clean my brushes well, but I don't like how dirty white brushes look and how easily they can get stained.

4 - This is a Sephora crease brush from the Platinum Brush Collection. I really really really like this one. It is the perfect amount of denseness and fullness for both a precise color application and also for blending. The height of the bristles is perfect, the bristles are colored and not white, and I do like the shape of the handle because it is easy on the hands.

5 - MAC 226 - Another great one from MAC that I think everyone needs to have. Unfortunately this is a limited edition brush, but has been released a couple times and I hope they make it permanent. The pointy brush head makes it great for really defining the crease and highlighting the inner corner of the eye, but the bristles at the base of the brush are full so you can get a pretty good blend. This is a must-have in my book.

In addition to applying eye color, I love using crease brushes for applying concealer to the under eye area. I find that concealer brushes are sometimes too rigid and can tug at the skin a bit. Crease brushes, especially like the MAC 226, fit perfectly in the inner eye area and are great for blending, without tugging at the delicate skin under the eye. I also love crease brushes for cleaning up or softening up edges of color.

What are your favorite crease brushes?

Choosing a Makeup and Hair Artist for Your Big Day

As a makeup artist, I often get asked if I will be doing my own makeup for my wedding day. Since my wedding day is one of the few days in my life where I can be a total princess, I wanted to get the princess treatment and have my hair and makeup done by another professional. I think it is so relaxing to sit back and have some one play with my hair and makeover my face.

(This is me at work doing a makeup application)

Since I have some experience doing bridal makeup, I would like to share with you 10 tips about hair and makeup artistry for your wedding day:

1. First off, decide what type of look you are going for.

Do you want something classic that is timeless? Do you want something bold? Perhaps you want to go classic for your wedding ceremony and more modern and dramatic for the reception? Look at pictures online or of friends or magazines and see what type of look you want. It's helpful to your artist if you bring in these photos so they get an idea of the looks you like. 

To keep reading more of my article, check out the complete post on Maharani Weddings.