Skin Care Routine Under Rs.1000.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, we will be talking about skincare on budget. 

Most of us would love to invest in high end skincare products. However for a lot of young girls that is not totally practical and due to that skin quality suffers. Not everyone loves makeup but everyone wants great skin. Thus taking care of your skin is very important.

In this post, I will create a skincare routine with products, that I have tried and tested, under Rs.1000. These products will include everything your skin needs from toning to exfoliating to moisturising. I will be listing the products in the order I recommend their use .

The VLCC Alpine Mint & Tea Tree Face Wash

This product retails for Rs.205. Tea Tree is bae when it comes to skincare for me. Not that I was ever very prone to acne, but tea tree has pretty much completely brought it under control. I tried this face wash particularly for this post and even though it can not replace my The Body Shop Tea Tree face wash, it does a good job for the price. I have used it for about a month as the first step to my skincare routine and it has kept the acne in control.

It is important because it helps clean the dirt and make up residue off the skin

The Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask

This product retails for Rs.280 and is something I personally use on a daily basis. It works  as a mask and a scrub. The charcoal soaks in all the impurities and the black sugar helps exfoliate the skin. I use this after the cleanser and apply with all over my face and neck after which I leave it on for 5 minutes. I rub my fingers in circular motions near my nose.

It is important because remove dead skin cells and provide smooth texture to the skin.

The Fabindia Tea Tree Toner 

This product retails for Rs.240. Fabindia skincare products are highly underrated. It comes in a spray bottle. You can spray the product onto a cotton pad and wipe your face with it. However I prefer to directly spray the product all over my face and neck and wipe it with a cotton pad.

It is important because it cleans the skin from within and unclogs the pores which causes acne for a lot of us.

The Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask.

This product retails for Rs.100.  This is a product I have only started using recently. I use this about once or twice a month when I feel my skin requires the extra something. It is a sheet mask that you use once you are done toning. You leave it on your face for 20-30 minutes and then just wait for your skin to absorb the liquid. It has a number of variants according to the needs of your skin and will soon be available on Nykaa. The Tea Tree and Green Tea variant work really well with helping me control acne.

It is important because every once in a while your skin may need some pampering to glow.

The Garnier Daily Care Moisturising Cream.

This product retails for Rs.140. I recommend this product for people with oily, regular or combination skin type. This is extremely light of the skin. It provides the moisture the skin requires after all the cleansing but does not feel heavy at all. It has a fresh aloe vera fragrance. It contains Grape Fruit Water and Vitamin E which helps your skin look nourished.

It is important because it provides the moisture that is lost while cleaning the skin.

Budget of The Skincare Routine

= Face Wash+ Scrub+ Toner+ Mask+ Cream

=205+280+240+100+140

=Rs.965

I strongly believe that none of these products can and should be skipped or substituted for one another. Your skin deserves some simple care on a daily basis. This might sound like an elaborate skincare ritual but does not take more than 5 minutes on a daily basis.

That is all for this post. I hope you liked it and found it useful. If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave it down in a comment.

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Photography Credits:Shivam Bhatt.

My Favourite Everyday Lipsticks.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be sharing my favourite everyday lipsticks.

Personally I love wearing bold colours on a daily basis to college but I understand not everyone is comfortable with that. So in this post I will be covering “My Lips But Better” shades that are basically neutral shades.

So without further ado lets get to the lipsticks.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry.

The Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms are chubby sticks similar in packaging to the Clinique Chubby Sticks. They are roll up crayons with colour coded packaging. They retail for Rs.900. Even though it is matte, it is a balm so it is moisturising and comfortable to wear. It has average wear time of 3-4 hours and can be easily re-applied after a few hours. The shade Sultry is a subtle pink with slight brown undertones. Not only would this lipstick look great on a daily basis but also it would look equally good with a heavy eye make up look.

Lip Swatch in Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry.

Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate Moss Lipstick in 105.

The Rimmel Lasting Finish lipsticks are satin lipsticks that retail for Rs.275. They come in a basic red colour cover with Kate written on it. Since they are satin lipsticks, it feels as light as a lip balm. However that also affects their longevity adversely. Yet I love this sheer pink shade since it almost appears as if I don’t have any lipstick on. It is perfect for the “no make up” make up look.

It is available on Nykaa currently.

Lip Swatch For Rimmel Lasting Finish in 105.

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Crazy for Coffee.

The Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick is a brown toned equivalent to the Rimmel lipstick. They are satin finish lipsticks that are super comfortable to wear.  They retail for Rs.475. It comes in a silver body with a brown cap. As the name suggests, this shade appears as though your lips have been stained by a cup of coffee. It adds the perfect amount of warmth and colour to your face.

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Crazy For Coffee.

Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick in Plum Pick.

The Lakme 9 to 5 Lipsticks are my favourite Indian drugstore range of lipsticks. They retail for Rs. 450. They come in this beautiful rose gold body and stay on forever. They are matte yet comfortable on the lips. They have amazing range of shades as well. However I love the shade Plum Pick because it is the perfect plum shade for daily wear. It is somewhere in between a bright pink and a deep plum shade.

Lip Swatch of Lakme 9 to 5 in Plum Pick.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bumble.

The Colourpop liquid lipsticks are my absolute favourite. They have the most beautiful colours and have an amazing formula.They come in a cylindrical tube with a long wand. They are super easy to apply and really affordable.Unfortunately they don’t ship to India directly thus I purchase them from beautytales.co.in. The shade Bumble is a dupe for Kristen from Kylie Cosmetics. It is unique every day shade with a tinge of red. I have done an entire post on Colourpop Cosmetics if you would like to check it out.
http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/12/colourpop-review-swatches.html

Lip Swatch of Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bumble.

 My lips are a little  dark and pigmented and I am not comfortable very nude shades since I feel they wash me out a little but for those of you who like nude shades I recommend MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy.

Lip swatch of MAC Velvet Teddy.

That is all for this post. I hope you found it useful. If you have any suggestions or questions, please leave it down in a comment.

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Photography Credits: Ananya Khatri and Shivam Bhatt.

Tips For Saving Money While Shopping For Beauty Products.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be sharing my tips on how to save money while shopping for beauty products.

Make up is an addiction that will surely cause a hole in your pocket. There are so many products in the market that we want to try and to be honest, it’s not hoarding if it’s make up. You should try as many products as possible. So I decided to share some tips on how I buy my beauty products to save a few bucks.

Nykaa is your best friend.

When it comes to beauty products, there are very few brands that Nykaa does not stock. It has quite a few brands that are not available in stores. It constantly has amazing deals. It has free shipping over Rs.500. It very often has free shipping over Rs.200 on Saturdays.

 I personally suggest that you download the app on your phone or tablet so that you get notifications when they are having sales. Their sales and deals often last only for a day so it is important check their website atleast once a day. If you register with them with your phone number, they also notify you about their sales via text message.
I usually add the products I want to purchase into my wish list and wait for a sale.

Once on Valentine’s Day, they had flat 50% off L’Oreal Paris products only for 14 minutes. I picked up products worth Rs.6000 only for Rs.3000. Best bargain ever.

Research the products you want to buy.

Research may be a heavy word but it does not take more than 2 minutes to read a review of any product you have your eye on. Luckily there are so many beauty bloggers today that no product goes missed. The best thing about these reviews are that they are honest. Not every claim made by the product is true. In one click you will know, if the product is meant for your skin type or what are its pros and cons. 

I personally suggest that find one blogger with a similar skin type and skin tone as you to help get a better idea.

Find stores that sells below MRP.

If you are from Mumbai, there are a number of stores all over that sell beauty, skin care and hair care products below MRP.  It is usually around 10% discount of most products including the drugstore brands like Lakme and Maybelline. Sometimes they have some amazing deals and offers.

 Beautiful in Santacruz is my go to store for everything make up and skincare. They also have their branches in Bandra and Lokhandwala. 

The New Beauty Centre in Khar also sells all their product on discount and has a lot of brands under one branch.

Do not shy away from Indian and lesser known brands.

It is often a common notion that only well known brands provide quality products. However this is completely not the truth. If you have been reading Compact Matters, you would know how much I love Miss Claire and Sivanna products.  Incolour and Kiss Beauty are some of the other brands that are complete value for me. PAC Cosmetics though is gaining popularity in the online community, does not receive the appreciation it deserves since it is mostly sold on online. In skincare, I feel Plum is doing an amazing job in giving us products for different skin types at a reasonable price.

Alfa in Vile Parle and First Beauty in Ghatkopar stock a lot of these brands at their lowest cost.

Dupe it!

I love splurging on beauty products. However even though a lot of products are really good, they are not necessarily worth the price! For instance the MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation has some great coverage and is really lightweight. However it is not the best option for regular use. The Maybelline Fit Me foundation does exactly the same thing in less than half the price. There are many such products are similar in colour and texture to high end products and are known as dupes. I love dupes because you get to use some amazing products at affordable prices. 

I have mentioned a few dupes on Compact Matters already. If you would like to see a separate post on dupes, comment below.

That is all for this post. I hope you found it useful. If you have any suggestions or questions, please leave it down in a comment.

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Photography Credits:Shivam Bhatt.

Colourpop Review + Swatches.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing Colourpop lipsticks. 

Colourpop has been a rage in the United States for quite a while now. They are popular for their lip products particularly their liquid lipsticks that are available in different finishes.My personal collection includes a mix of the Ultra Matte Lip, Ultra Satin Lip and Lippie Stix. Their products are only available on their website and sadly they do not deliver in India. Fortunately for us, Colourpop products are available on beautytales.co.in at very affordable prices. Very often they have amazing sales and deals. To receive regular updates about their sales, I suggest you follow them on Instagram.

The Kylie Cosmetic Lip kits are produced at a sister factory of Colourpop. Thus they have the same formulation and less than half the price. Colourpop also has a lot of dupes for popular big end liquid lipsticks like the Kylie Cosmetic Lip kits, the Jeffery Star liquid lipsticks and the Kat Von D liquid lipticks.

The Colourpop Ultra Matte and Satin Lip

Price

They are sold for Rs.720 each for 3.2g on beauty tales.co.in.

Fragrance 

They have a neutral smell that goes away within a few minutes of application.

Longevity

The Ultra Matte Lip have the best longevity I have seen till date. Without eating and drinking, they look exactly the same for upto 10 hours. If you are eating or drinking, the lipstick tends to go away from the centre of the lip however it leaves a stain of the lip.

Packaging

Each liquid lipstick comes in a box which is white and has the type mentioned on it in silver. The top and bottom of the box are also colour coded according to their finish. The Ultra Matte Lip boxes are orange and the Ultra Satin Lip boxes are yellow.Each liquid lipstick comes in a transparent glass tube with the name of the shade on the bottom. It has a silver cap with a long applicator.

Comfort

The Ultra Matte Lip might be a little drying for a few people so I suggest you can wear a lip balm under it. The Ultra Satin Lip is super comfortable on the lips.

My Personal Collection

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Succulent is a dupe for Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in 22.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in More Better is a dupe for Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Spice.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bumble is a dupe for Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Kristen.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Are & Be is a deep plum shade.

Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip in Frick N Frack is a dupe for Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita.

Swatch for Frick N Frack, More Better, Are & Be, Succulent and Bumble. ( Left to right)

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip Kit In Kitty

Colourpop had launched mini lip kits which include 5 mini Ultra Matte Lips. They are available in 2 variants, Kitty and Foxy. Each kit is sold for Rs.2000. I got my hands on Kitty which has the following colours:

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bianca

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Times Square

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Be Merry

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Glitter

 

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Last Dance

Colourpop Lippie Stix

Price

They are sold for Rs.610 each on beauty tales.co.in.

Fragrance

They have a neutral smell that goes away within a few minutes of application just like the Coloupop Ultra Matte and Satin Lip.

Longetivity

They last for 7-8 hours without eating and drinking. They do not satin the lips like the Colourpop Ultra Matte and Satin Lip.

Packaging

The box that these come in is similar to the Colourpop Ultra Matte and Satin Lip with a purple top and bottom. They come in retractable crayons with a white body. The shade is shown on the bottom along with its name. Once the cap is removed, the remaining part of the body is also colour coordinated to the shade. This part can be turned and the lipstick comes up.

Comfort 

Since they are not liquid lipsticks, they are pretty comfortable on the lips despite being matte.

My Personal Collection

Colourpop Lippie Stix Matte X in Pillow Talk.

Colourpop Lippie Stix Matte X in Back Up.

Swatch for Pillow Talk & Back Up. ( Left to right)

My Verdict

Overall I like all the Colourpop products. However there are a lot of creamy lipsticks similar to the Colourpop Lippie Stix in terms of formula. I would recommend you purchase it only for a unique shade. On the other hand, the Colourpop Ultra Matte and Satin Lip have the most amazing formula I have tried along with some amazing shades. I personally believe this is a must have in your collection for every girl.

That is all for this post. Hope you found it useful in some way. We will be back with a new post next week. If you have any suggestions or questions, leave it down as a comment.

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Photography Credits: Shivam Bhatt and Ananya Khatri.