The Tantalising Rose.......a look for Fall/Winter 2010

Got inspired to do some looks for the end of the month of November 2010. When brands and makeup artists are busy bronzing and warming up complexions during the winters, I thought of re-inventing the charm of the icy winters (not so in Mumbai but I am happy seeing my refridgerator).

The pink rose inspires me for Winters this time and its delicate blossom is really amazing when it sustains the chilly winters.This is an Indian version of an oriental look (same things happen to Chinese food in India).

What we need: -

FACE:-

• Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation Rs.950 + Estee Lauder Daywear Plus SPF 15 Rs.2350
• YSL Touche Eclat Concealer Rs.2150
• Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita-mineral makeup loose powder Rs.2505
• MAC Blush in Dollymix and Coygirl Rs.1150 each
• Clinique Fresh Bloom All over Color in Peony Rs.1800

Mix the foundation with a day cream to dilute it and let it give a coverage more than a tinted moisturizer and yet hydrate and lock in more moisture. Apply a shimmery concealer to conceal dark circles and look flawless. Dust some loose powder on the T-zone and cheeks to eliminate that little oiliness.Dust a mixture of Dollymix and Coygirl on the cheek bones. To get the best possible rosy flush I like the idea used by a very beautiful vlogger. According to her, to get the perfect rosy flush dust the blush over the cheek areas which are spared when you keep two fingers below your eye area. I would like to add a CLinique method and make a hybrid of this method. I also advice keeping two fingers from the side of the nose too.....so you end up with the perfect flush. I dont suggest any bronzing or contouring in this look.Highlighting the face is the best way to bring out your features. Dust the lighest beigey-bony-pink shade from the Peony blush trio across the height of your cheeks, the bridge of the nose and the centre of the forehead.


EYES: -

• MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre Rs.1100
• MAC eyeshadows in Sunday Best (Frosted Pink LE), Shore Leave (Muted beige pink Frost LE), Sushi Flower (Warm Satin Rosy Pink) and Glamour Check (Starflash Reddish Brown)
• Clinique High Lengths Mascara in BLack Rs.1075
• Bourjois CLubbing Eye Pencil and liquid eye liner in Black
• Clinique Instant Lift for brows Rs.1035

I wanted well groomed brows so I recommend using the brow color to fill in the gaps and then a spoolie brush dipped in a transperent hair gel or hair sprayed to comb through to set them. I like the pearkescent side to the Intant lift for brows to give a lifted effect by highlighting the brow bone. I also use the same highlighter in the inner corners of the eyes to instantly open them up and also act as a base for some pearlescent eyeshadow to sit on. The look is also about exaggerated highlights for eyes to give that dewy effect.

Use SOft Ochre Paint Pot as eyeshadow base. I love it as the yellow base also helps conceal and correct the bluishness of the eye lids. Use the paint pot all over the lid blending it into the crease. Trace the lids with an eye pencil applying just near the lash lines.And then trace and smudge this dark black eye pencil in the inner rims of the lower lid.

Apply Sunday Best e/s all over the lid highlighting the brow bone and the inner corners of the eyes. With a dome crease brush blend Sushi Flower in the creases, keeping it subtle to avoid an angry-pink-eyes look. Blend in Glamour check on the outer lids and subtly merging into crease.Also smoke it across the lower lid. Use Shore Leave in the middle and inner thirds of the upper lids. Trace a thin black line from the inner corners to the outer without winging the liner and then curl lashes and apply a lengthening mascara.


LIPS

• CLinique High Impact Lips SPF 15 in Toasted Rose
• Shiseido Lip Gloss in G5 Chianti Rose.

Apply a rosy lipstick and make it look younger with a slick of pink tinted lip gloss.



DO try it...............


Till then,

Ciao

Even Better Makeup SPF 15

Today I'm going to review another amazing foundation that has given newer and better hopes to combat pigmentation. It gets even better with Clinique's EVEN BETTER MAKEUP SPF 15. This foundation opens new doors in the fields of skin care and makeup and adds a revolutionary step in getting your skin right.
"An even toned skin always looks younger", says Clinique's Guiding Dermatologist and that's true for Asian skins. We never worried about wrinkles, did we? We always worry about pigmentation, uneven skin tone, patchy skin, under eye circles, oiliness, open pores and all. Clinique says that all this is due to skin irritations. Potential environmental allergens create chaos with skin's delicate system and the defense mechanisms against these insults make our skin from bad to worse. Oil is produced to combat dehydration due to epidermal water loss, melanin deposited in the inflamed areas of skin and pores open due to damaged support structure comprising of collagen and elastin……did problems appear severe?
Barriers could be created using moisturizers and spots could be zapped using serums, but what about recurrence of pigmentation? I believe the reason is having inadequate protection….and Clinique heard our prayers…..


What is EVEN BETTER MAKEUP SPF 15?

It's a lightweight oil free soft foundation that gives sheer to medium build able coverage. Lasts longer and performs better as the foundation knows how to lighten pigmentation and prevent it with added sun protection. It is an addition to the already wonderful performing range of Even Better products like EVEN BETTER SKIN TONE CORRECTOR, EVEN BETTER SKIN TONE CORRECTING MOISTURIZER SPF 20 and EVEN BETTER CLINICAL DARK SPOT CORRECTOR (serum). All these highly performing products contain Clinique's patented Blackout Yeast Extract and other mushroom extracts that are melanin cluster busters, exfoliants to remove the dust from the skin's surface by loosening dead cells and a cocktail of anti-oxidants to fight environmental insults. These act as a lethal combination for spots and also regulate and modulate melanin production. The foundation may not exfoliate but it lightens, brightens and protects.


How to use it?

Clinique products may be recommended to be used with each other but they do work in the mix-n-match way. I recommend using the 3 steps of Cleansing, Clarifying and moisturizing, then using the Even Better Skin tone corrector followed by the correcting moisturizer SPF 20. You can use your favorite moisturizer and then layer the foundation over it.
Even Better makeup SPF 15 gives sheer to medium coverage that not only hides pigmentation but also treats it. Sorry it doesn't treat freckles though. What I like is the slip of the foundation. It makes the skin flawless and radiant and gives a beautiful matte finish. I don't advice using foundation primer underneath as it might hamper the effects. Not launched in India but Dermawhite Bright C powder would be the best to set the foundation.


Pigmentation or discoloration of skin needs attention as the skin's defenses are already weakening, so start as soon as you can, because hyperpigmentation is deep within skin. So here is another option for you to try.


Till then,


Ciao

My Makeup Class.....Liquid Foundation Part 2

This part of my article is dedicated to girls who need some special attention. Accomplished makeup artists and talented amateurs know the trick of getting a flawless skin without doing too much. But thats not the case here. Women in India (as I have seen) wear a thick layer of foundation to not only cover their facial flaws but also the bits of beautiful skin they have between those flaws. With this kind of makeup one tends to look very cakey and pasty and draws attention to their flaws even more.

No one is born perfect. Its our flaws that make us stand out rather than a conventional beautiful face. But blemishes like acne and pigmentation ruin the beauty of our skin and makes us look older and haggered. This post is all about hiding flaws with liquid foundations and concealers.


Who said only cream foundations and stick foundations gave full coverage. Liquid foundations today do that too and yet help you look flawless as they blend seamlessly into our skins. They contain silicones and a blend of camouflaging materials that are so advanced that they help mimic a flawless skin better than their cream and stick counterparts.


So lets see how it is done:--

CASE 1

Moderately fair girl in teens with pubertal acne in her jaw line and sparsely on her cheeks.

She doesnt need heavy coverage at all. Girls in their teens need breathable makeup that would not clog their pores and something to conceal and prevent those ugly acne marks. In India it is rare for teens to put makeup but in the upclass society and some commoners too prefer wearing makeup without knowing what to do.

This girl does not have concerns on her forehead, under eye area and some parts of the cheeks. Here her skin is clear and dewy. On such areas of the face she can use a breathable foundation like Clinique Superbalanced Makeup (Rs.1550) or Inglot Young Skin Makeup Liquid Foundation (Rs.750) keeping her makeup in these areas dewy and fresh. On the areas where she has acne and acne marks she must use specialised treatment foundations like CLinique Anti-Blemish Foundation (Rs.1600) which not only hides marks but also treats the active acne underneath. I prefer using a small brush like MAC 217 to stipple foundation on those areas that need it than doing it all over. Sometimes for stubborn marks concealers like Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Treatment concealer (Rs.1035) works better too. Give her skin a matte finish using Clinique's Blended Loose Powder (Rs.1600) which is mineral enriched and non comedogenic.

I would not be putting any photos to avoid social violence.

CASE 2


A middle aged woman with beautifully flawless skin but very uneven complexion that has happend due to not using sunscreen and hormonal changes. She has pigmentation on her cheeks and on the chin on the sides of her lips.

I would apply a dewy foundation like Clinique's Even Better Makeup SPF 15 (Rs.1600) over a prepped and primed face. This foundation adds on a seamless veil of color on the face without looking over the top and also helps lighten pigmentation on the course of time. This foundation goes all over the face. Since pigmentation areas look purple I'd correct it by using a golden yellow colored primer like MUFE HD Micro-perfecting primer (Rs.1775) in Yellow. Then apply the Even Better Makeup and use a yellow colored concealer like MAC's Select Moisture Cover (Rs.1000 approx.) for lighter camouflage. End up with some medium coverage compact like Shiseido's Makeup Perfect Smoothing compact Foudations (Rs.2150 approx.), dusting in the areas like T zone and to set the concealer in the pigmented areas.



These are some of the scenarios and there are many more.I would invite my readers' queries, suggestions, individual photos and would be answering them in my future posts.


To be continued.........

Till then,

Ciao

Happy Diwali Guys..........

Best of NOVEMBER...........

November comes and so do come festivals and another batch of products one must have this month.My "Best" list for November is really encouraging.


BEST PRIMER


Dior SkinFlash Primer Rs.2300 aprox.
BEST FOUNDATION (Liquid)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Makeup SPF 10 Rs.1950 with 30% increase in price this Nov.

BEST CONCEALER

Clinique AirBrush Concealer Rs.1300

BEST POWDER

Inglot YSM Compact Powder Rs.740

BEST BLUSH

Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color in Petal and Carnation Rs.2550 each

BEST EYESHADOW

Inglot AMC eyeshadows Rs.650 (Individual) and Rs.300 (each in a palette of 3,5 and 10)

BEST MASCARA

MAC Zoomlash Mascara in BLack Rs.780 approx.

BEST EYE LINER

Bourjois Liner Pinceau Rs.550 in Black

BEST LIPSTICK

Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain lipstick Rs.2150 approx.

BEST LIPGLOSS

MAC Superglass Lipglosses with a sparkle Rs.1100



Thats all for the month.



Till then,





Ciao

Get Bronzed this FALL!!!

Surprisingly getting bronzed is the "it" thing this fall and designers, runways, fashion gurus all are sporting that healthy glow. So are we bronzing this fall? Lets see the newer ways for getting bronzed yet looking healthy.

Fall or winters in cold countries is about looking pale and ghastly.So everyone is out there faking or mimicking a little tan to beat the winter and add warmth in their makeup.Even the blues and purples getting warmer and cozier with a bit of gold in them.


FACE:

• MUFE HD Microperfecting Primer Rs.1774
• Clinique Superbalanced Foundation Rs.1550
• Clinique All About Eyes Concealer Rs.1300
• Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15 Rs.1800
• Clinique Blended Loose Powder Rs.1600

On a moisturised and primed face, dot and blend a natural looking foundation preferably in the exact shade or a shade darker than your actual skin tone to look healthy. This warms up pale skins and adds that "lived in" effect.Add a dash of concealer in the problem areas only if required. Dust loose powder for the makeup to set.Now is the time for bronzing very subtly. So pick up a fluffy brush preferably powder brush to take some dark shade of the Bronze duo on ur brush. Lightly make strokes of "3" starting from the temples to the hollows of cheeks to under of the jaw line. Keep this very subtle as if contoured.Then take a fan brush and lightly dust the light shade of the bronze duo over the areas of the face where light hits for a subtle sun-kissed glow.


EYES

• Clinique Quick Liner for eyes in Dark Chocolate Rs.990
• Clinique Color Surge Eyeshadow Quad in Spicy Rs.1750
• Clinique High Length Mascara in Black Rs.1075

The eyes are in between subtle and smoldering. Let a tiny bit of concealer be the eyeshadow base without too much going in. I like the Spicy Quad with some universally flattering warm nudes.They have a shimmery gold, peachy-bronze, warm light brown and smoky bronze.Line the lids with a Dark Chocolate liner and smudge into lash line.Then line inner rims with the same pencil liner.Draw a "C" with the smoky bronze eyeshadow from the outer corners to the outer half of the crease .Continue contouring the crease with the warm brown for getting the look right.For daytime keep the look subtle but for evenings you could darken the colors. Use a bit of peach bronze on the lids followed by the golden highlighter on the brow bone and in the inner corners.Add length and drama to your lashes with High Length Mascara.


LIPS

• Clinique Long last lipstick in Sugared Maple Rs.1025
• Clinique Vit.C Lip Smoothie in Running Latte Rs.1010

Work on the lips to remove dead skin and chapped skin and get smoother plump lips. With a lip brush apply Sugared Maple over the lips and dab with fingers to push and blend the color. Add a dash of Vit.C Lip smoothie in Running Latte for a glossier pout.



This look goes very well with cool colors like Lilac and Blues as well as with warm colors.
Do try and let me know.


Till then,

Ciao

PS: - These above mentioned products are personal recommendations.You can throw in whatever inspires you the most.

I'm BACKKKKKKKKKK

Dear Readers,


I must say how much I missed blogging after my laptop started crashing over and over again moving towards extinction.But the new laptop has come and so have new ideas so wait till I write more.



Till then,


Ciao