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Friday 29 November 2013

WHATS IN YOUR KITTY - VERSION 1.0


 Hello my beautiful peeps!!! 
This is a new section in my blog of “what’s in your kitty” where we’ll discuss about what and how you should have in your makeup closet.
I will begin this section with one of the things which can be found in each and every lady’s kitty world over- young, old, fair or not so fair.. and its probably the first thing a girl owns and I am guessing that this is something that we learn to use right from the time we are in our mothers’ womb!!!! *wink* *wink*
Yes! Your guess is as good as mine!!! We are talking about LIPSTICKS!!! So let’s discuss lipsticks- they are so simple yet so much details to keep in mind while choosing them. So lets understand them…………..
There are just 2 simple things that need to be kept in mind while choosing a lipstick- Texture and Shade.








 UNDERSTANDING TEXTURES:


MATTE: Looking for transfer resist all day long lipsticks? Well, matte lipsticks is where your search will end. These lipsticks are highly pigmented, give fuller coverage which means that it makes the colour pop! However they lack shine and may dehydrate the lips. The best time to wear them is when you can’t do a touch up for a long time like at work. Down side- mattes highlight wrinkles. L

SATIN/ CREAM: These lipsticks have a considerable amount of moisture in it and thus, glides on smoothly making it easy to work with. It hydrates the lips and have a decent shine. Most companies offer a wide range of these kind of lipsticks.

FROST: These are shiny but give a subtle, pale finish. Not the ideal one to wear for a night out. These shades don’t work well with darker complexions, however its best suited for younger lips.
SHEER: These lipsticks have a lot of shine like a gloss and last longer than them. They are perfect for a date. The bring positive attention to your lips without screaming for attention.

GLOSS: is mostly a liquid lip color with tons of shine in it. (my personal fave) Though they don’t last very long and need a touch up several times a day they do make the lips look beautiful and sexy.

LIP LINER: These are usually lip pencils or the like. They are used to outline the lips and sometimes can make your lips look bigger or fuller if applied smartly (applies for thin lips)


Now that we are clear on the different textures available and which would be the best for you, lets talk about the must have colours.

BRIGHTS: Gone are the days when only the fair complexioned gals could wear the bright hues with confidence. So you can be of any complexion but you gatta have some of these bright shades in your kitty.

REDS: You can hate it or love it but you can’t ignore the colour of fire, desire and passion. You can opt for any of the reds – a pink or a orange undertone red or a bold blood red! You can never go wrong with a red lipstick. Like they say when I doubt wear RED!!!!

the "devil" always Prada
Our Begum in the royal red














PINKS: are my personal favourite! They go well with every occasion and attire!!! Pinks too have a wide range of hues to it. From carnation pink to dusty rose or to a bold fuchsia. A total feminine shade!!
India's answer to Madonna
Kim looking her best in pink












ORANGES/ CORALS: Orange hues were HUGE last season and are still seen around. The more subtle shades like tangerine or peach for subtle occasion and carrot orange or a goldfish orange for a party wear. There is a shade for everyone.


Gorgeous in Orange
Adorning orange 







NEUTRALS: These shades are required for subtle or official wear or just one of those days when you wanna keep it low key.

BROWNS: This is one shade which can be used for both- a dramatic look or a soft look. Browns look good on any skin tone and for any time of the day.


brown a color for all ages
and for all occasions














NUDES:  You maybe a girl who loves color but you cant miss out on not having a couple of nude shades in your kitty. They work best with all skin tones and age groups. They are a must for the thumb rule that if you wanna draw the attention to your eyes then use nude colour for your lips. They also are very wearable for work so your makeup stays as minimalistic as possible.


Nudes look great even with LBD


the queen of nude lip colors
















So the next time you go for makeup shopping you know what you are looking for!!!
I hope this was just the information that you were looking for... Don't forget to leave a comment below...

Have fun and keep it stylish


xxoxoxoxo



















Disclaimer: Images shown in this blog are sourced from various websites.

















Monday 25 November 2013

WHAT'S IN YOUR KITTY?

Ok ok so you all are right.. I should have started the “Whats in your Kitty” series with this post.. My apologies!!!! God! What was I thinking!


Anyways, so its never too late! So let’s begin with the very basics of makeup! For the ones who need a heads up for starting one or just a check list for the ladies who already have.
Before starting off with this series we have to remember that building our kit would days, weeks or even months and a considerable amount of money (depending on the brands that you choose) We will have to assemble various types of products, colours, textures, tools and tones etc. I have said in this in my earlier post also, please choose your cosmetics wisely and don’t give into impulsive buying (I was a victim of it too.. still recovering from it actually). Carefully plan your kit, knowing the versatility you would require. Also, keeping in mind your lifestyle would help a great deal while planning. For example, the kind of work you do, climatic condition of the city you live in, how actively you are involved socially etc.
Suppose, if you have a foundation which would require a lot of time/ effort to apply and if you are usually pressed for time high chances are that you may never use that product.

Step 2 would be to know about yourself. Know your skin type- oily, combination or dry. Know your eye shape – almond, deep set, regular etc. Know your face shape- round, oval, long, etc. Your eye colour – brown, black or any other colour.  I will be posting pictures to help you all.  You would want to buy products that would help you accentuate your looks!


Step 3 would be a good storage space depending on how many products you own. Always store them in a cool dry place and keep a tab on the expiry dates of the products. You can find a lot of DIY videos on you tube and make your own storage space.  
Alrighty then now that we have cleared that lets begin… My post on lipsticks is already out.
We’ll be taking baby steps towards building the kit.  It’s a slow process but  worth the effort.

Do leave your comments, reviews, views on these series… I would love to hear your DIY and other ideas for your storage space.


xoxoxoxoxoxo














Disclaimer: Images are sourced from various websites and are only for display intentions.

Monday 11 November 2013

Must have Makeup Brushes.

This post of mine was long overdue as 9 out of 10 ladies do not give importance to the most important thing which makes their makeup look fab – BRUSHES!!!!  
We always devote so much time to buying the right shade of foundation, pretty eye shadows, the lip colour for every occasion but one thing that we always miss out is the tools which help us achieve the desired look. Many of us are unaware that our makeup tools aka the brushes, sponges etc can make or break our look!!!! Ask any makeup artist, and they all would agree that they are incomplete without their makeup tools.
So, today I am going to talk about the very basic set of brushes that you need and which you should be able to find easily anywhere in India.  These brushes are very basic yet essential for every lady out there. Once you have achieved a certain level of comfort and mastery of using them then we can move on to more specific tools for your makeup kit.
Also, investing and using in the right makeup brushes and tools will not only help give you a flawless look but you would also use less product and make your makeup last longer.

Oh! And those foam wands included in the eye shadow palettes, you can throw them away!

CHOOSING THE MATERIAL: Brushes are made of different materials like natural, real hair (i.e. sable or pony hair), or synthetic, fake hair made of acrylic or plastic. Natural brushes are best suited for dry products like blush and eye shadow and the synthetic brushes are best suited for creams or liquids like foundation and concealer as they soak up lesser product.

FOUNDATION BRUSH: This type of brush is ideal for any kind of foundation that you are using- liquid or cream base. This kind of a flat brush will help you blend your foundation well onto your skin after all it’s the base of your entire look.


BLUSH BRUSH: You would like to pick up a nice fluffy yet an angled brush as it helps you in blending the blush on your cheekbones.
HOW TO USE IT: use the brush to sweep the blush from the apple of the cheek to the ear/ temples.

POWDER BRUSH: are fluffy ones which pick up less product than a puff and give you a more even and natural looking finish.
HOW TO USE IT: Dip in powder and tap off the excess. Brush gently all over your face towards the hairline.
EYE SHADOW BRUSHES: There are many different types of eye shadow brushes that professionals us, but since we are talking only about the basis which will help you equally to do your makeup. The flat yet stiff brush which will help you achieve a smooth finish.  Yes, there are a few other brushes that are used for eye makeup like dome shaped blending brush, the angular brush, eye liner brush etc. However this basic brush is good enough for starters. HOW TO USE IT: Sweep shadow from the inner corner of the eye to outwards.

                  
LIP BRUSH: A small, flat, round tipped brush. These brushes will help you achieve well defined lips. 
you can use it in 2 ways. One is cover the brush in lipstick and using it as a lip liner or after applying the lip liner you can use it to apply the lipstick by starting at the center and by moving outwards.


CLEANLINESS: After investing in a good set of brushes it is important to take good care of them by cleaning them regularly to keep them germ free and bacteria free. The brushes should be washed and cleaned least once a week if you use them daily or once a fortnight.  Wash your brushes with a drop of mild shampoo in a cup of warm water. Swirl the brushes around and rise properly, then let them dry flat on a towel. (Do not dry them up right as the water will drain into the metal casing and weaken the glue causing bristle loss.)

BRANDS: In India we have a limited number of brands which offer these kind of brushes like the Vega, Bare Essentials, Colorbar, Audreys', Oriflame, MAC etc. The price ranges from Rs. 50/- to Rs. 1000/-  (of course the MAC brushes are much more expensive) However, the quality of all the local branded brushes are pretty decent. 


So go ahead and take the first step towards building your kit!!!


Coming soon: tutorials on using these brushes.











Disclaimer: Images and certain content are sourced from other websites.



Friday 1 November 2013

Hair Vows!!!

Hi Beautiful Ladies....


Today I am going to talk about tips that we all already know but for some lame reason we don't follow them... So lets quickly go through our check list.


  • Not Washing our hair everyday!!!! I know none of us like a bad hair day especially when you want to dress up for a special some one. Washing your hair every single day is bad for your mane is simply cause it washes away the natural oils from your scalp. also over shampooing your hair promotes oil production thus making your hair too oily!
  • Towel Drying- Most of the women have the habit of aggressively rubbing the hair after a wash thus damaging the hair. Simply just tie a towel around your hair for a while and let it soak in all the excess water.
  • Not Brushing your hair before bed! - yes you read it right.. you should brush your hair before going to bed mainly to stimulate the scalp however beware of over doing it.
  • Using too many chemicals- using various hair products and sprays can make your hair look beautiful but they damage your hair at the same time if used more than often. 
  • Too hot or too cold treatment- over blow drying or using too much heat on your delicate hair will damage them and carelessness can get them burnt too!!!
  • Tying your ponytail in the same place - if you have heavy hair and place it in an excessively tight pony tail on a regular basis, this can cause too much tension on the hair especially at the front hair line. Excessive tension over a long period of time can weaken the hair around the hairline.
  • A healthy diet- many of us don't realize but a healthy diet not only effects on our body but also on the health of our hair.
  • A nice hair massage- oil your hair once a while and give a nice gentle massage to stimulate your scalp. However, the key is not to over do it!!!
So touch your beautiful hair and tell them.. "i do" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!









Shubh Deepavali !!!!!!!!!!!!!!