Saturday 22 July 2017

Six Wardrobe Essentials

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be talking all about some must have clothing items. 


These are clothes you probably already have, but incase you don't you could always buy them now. These are some of the most basic clothing items, it may come in handy while going for a work event or while going shopping with a friend. There is no hard and fast rule that you must have these, however having these in your wardrobe is definitely a plus point. 

Now without any further ado, lets begin.









1.  Plain Tee's or Singlets 

Plain tees and singlets are so casual and easy to carry. You can pair them up with almost anything. If you're ever running late, you could just pair up your jeans with a singlet, and you are good to go. This works for college as well as a casual outing with some of your friends. And if you ever feel like you  want to take it up a notch just add a stole or  cute jacket.

You can get these plain tees while street shopping or even in the mall. My favourite tops are from Marks & Spencer. They fit really well and have a few basic and bright colours for you to choose from. 
As far as singlets go, you can find them in Irla or even in stores like Forever 21 or Westside. 


Red singlet- westside
Black pant - Vero Moda

2. Black Pant

This is a definite necessity, something i can't do without. Lunch, dinner, college or even presentations, these pants can work through anything.  You don't really need to think twice before paring your black pant with anything, it works with any top or shirt. 

My favourite pants ( jeggings) have been from H&M and Zara. The pants fit so well and are super comfortable. These pants may seem expensive for a few but its really worth it all. 





3. Denim Jacket

The denim jacket is something that is never going to go out of fashion. You will see people carrying this jacket with maxis, short dresses, jumpsuits and even with denim bottoms. The denim jacket can even make a simple singlet look better. 

Vero Moda has some really cute denim jackets. 





4. White Shirt

This also, like the pant works for multiple occasions. You can wear this for a formal occasion or a casual day out. If you think its too plain you can always pair it up some cute shoes and accessories. 
This is one of the most basic clothing items and can be found it multiple stores, I bought mine from H&M.


White shirt - H&M
Jeans- Max
Shoes - H&M 


5. Denim Jeans 

Most people swear by their denim jeans and wear it almost everyday. This is something you can find in everyone's wardrobe, however some may be ripped. Whether its ripped or not, these jeans can never go wrong. You have a variety of choices to pick from, skinny jeans, jeggings,  ripped jeans, straight cut pants or even baggy boyfriend jeans. 




6. The LBD 

The LBD also known as the little black dress, is that one statement black dress which you can wear to any party or event. It does not have to be too grand or have a lot of details. There is no standard look, any design or cut works for this.  You can wear this for a fresher's party or even while going clubbing.  
Just remember to accessorise well and wear a cute pair of heels. 

Dress - Forever 21 


Heels - Forever 21 

For this post, I paired these items together to give you guys some outfit options. However, these are just basic options, you could always mix and match and add much more jewellery. 


That is all for this post. I shall soon do a post on footwear, till then if you would like to see any specific post, do let us know in the comments below. 

For regular updates, follow our social media.
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Photography Courtesy @sakshipitale 

Saturday 15 July 2017

Make Up Removers 101

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be talking all about make up removers.

We are back with our 101 series in which we break down what a product does and how to use it along with some product recommendations for different skin types and requirements. Make up remover is an essential in every beauty kit. So lets get into the basics.



Why is it important to use a make up remover?

Sleeping with your make up on is one of the biggest skincare sins you could commit. If you sleep with make up on, your skin can breathe and regenerate. It could lead to redness and dryness of skin. One of the most visible and obvious side effects is acne. Even if you are just someone who wears only lipstick and eyeliner, you still need to use a make up remover. Eye make up, if not taken off properly, causes styes. Lipstick, if not taken off properly, could cause chapping of lips. Over the years not taking your make up properly makes you more to wrinkles at an early age. You could avoid all of this by just taking off your make up everyday.

How to take off my make up?

In the first step, I take a gentle wet wipe and use one side of the wipe to get off as much make up as I can. Once I am done using one side of the wipe, I repeat the same process with the other side.

In the second step, I take a make up remover on a cotton pad to wipe off whatever remaining make up is left on my face. This may or may not get your face slightly sticky, However in either case, I prefer to go in with the third step.

In the third step, I take a face scrub, exfoliate for 2 minutes and wash it off to ensure there is no make up residue clogging my pores.

In the fourth step, if I have any make up remaining in my water line, I take some micellar water on a cotton bud and take it off.

In the fifth step, I apply a moisturiser or a gel to my face to ensure that my skin remains hydrated despite all the cleansing.

 My Favourite Make Up Removers

Bioderma Sensibio H2O retails for Rs.945 for 250ml. This is without a doubt my favourite make up remover. It has no fragrance. It does not leave your skin sticky but takes off even the best waterproof make up with just a single swipe. 



Innisfree Green Tea Cleansing Water retails for Rs. 950 for 300ml. It is extremely soothing for the skin. It takes off make up well. However you need to put in a little more effort while taking off eye make up. A little product goes a long way.



Lakme Absolute Bi-Phased Make up Remover retails for Rs.250 for 60ml. It is a budget friendly option. It acts as a cleansing oil since it is extremely sticky on the skin and breaks down the make up. It is suitable for dry skin.



Maybelline Clean Express Total Clean Make up Remover retails for Rs. 300 for 70ml. It is another budget friendly option that cleanses the skin without making the skin oily. It is suitable for oily skin.



L’Oreal Paris Micellar Water retails for Rs.475 for 95ml. It works well to soothe and cleanse skin. It does not get the skin sticky and is best suited for people with sensitive skin. It can be used to clean the water line of the eye.



Alternate Make Up Removers

Johnson Baby Skincare Wipes can be used make up removing wipes. They smell great and are super gentle on the skin.




Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel can be used as a make up remover. Since it has anti bacterial and anti inflammatory properties, it protects you against redness and acne.



Coconut Oil can be used as a make up remover as it helps break down the make up and scrub it off easily while making your skin hydrated.

That is all for this post. If you have any questions or suggestions, leave it down in a comment.
For regular updates, follow our social media.
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Photography Courtesy: Shivam Bhatt. (@shivam2008)


Saturday 8 July 2017

How I Colour My hair.

Hey guys! 

In this week's post I will be telling you all about my coloured hair.

So as you may have seen in our previous posts, I have pink hair. And I'm constantly asked how I got it done, did I change the colour or how long the colour lasts. So I decided to do a post to address all these questions. 






So I got my hair coloured in October (2016), but it wasn't pink, it was purple. 
To get a colour like blue, pink, purple your hair needs to be pre lightened, which means it is bleached and causes the hair to turn blonde. 

Once that is done, a mix of the colour and developer is added to the pre lightened hair and covered with foil. This is left alone for about an hour and then washed. Once it is washed you have your coloured hair.This colour, purple in my case lasts for about a month and then starts fading away. Purple can either turn pink or bluish-green. 

So once the colour starts fading away, your hair obviously won't look as good as before and recolouring it every month in the parlour can be really expensive. That's when I tried searching for some DIY hair colours. 



I use this shade to colour my hair pink.

I happened to find the Crazy Colour botttles on amazon and snapdeal and since then have been using the Crazy Colour bottles, and that's how I coloured my hair pink. 

It's really simple to use and easily cheaper than going to the parlour. 
You just need to add some of the colour into a bowl and apply it on your pre lightened/ faded hair. I add a bit of conditioner to the colour, however it's not necessary for you to do so.
You can apply the colour with a brush and then even it out with your fingers. (Make sure you wear gloves because some of the colours may leave a stain on your hand). 
Once you apply the colour, you can tie your hair and leave it for 30-60 minutes. (Without any foils). After that you can wash your hair, but try not to rub the coloured part too much as you may wash away some of it. 



Some things to keep in mind while colouring your hair - 

- Bleach will make your hair rough and a bit dry. 
-You can use the shampoo/conditioners made specially for coloured hair. 
-The Crazy Colour will work only on previously bleached hair and this too will fade after 2-3 weeks. 
-Crazy Colour has a wide range of colours and costs around 650 rupees.
-You can buy it online from snapdeal / Amazon or from Beauty Palace/ Beautiful in Bandra. 


That's all for this post. I hope this answers some of your questions on hair colouring. If you still have any questions, do leave it in the comments. 

For regular updates, follow us on social media.
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Photography - Ankita Hattangadi
 (instagram @the_streetosphere) 










Saturday 1 July 2017

PAC Retro Matte Gloss Review

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing the PAC Retro Matte Gloss.

PAC Cosmetics is one of my favourite Indian brands since their products are of high end quality.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss has a slightly confusing name. So to set the record straight, it is 100% a liquid lipstick with a completely matte finish. There is nothing glossy about it.

So without any further ado, lets get into the review.





Price


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss retails for Rs 550 for 6.5ml. I picked it up from Beautiful in Santacruz for Rs 490.

Shade 


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss is available in 18 shades with a mix of nudes, reds, plums and pinks. The shade I have is 08 which is a nude brown with warm undertones. It appears darker as a hand swatch than as a lip swatch.


Hand Swatch for PAC Retro Matte Gloss in 06
Lip Swatch for PAC Retro Matte Gloss in 06

Lip Swatch for PAC Retro Matte Gloss in 06

Packaging


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss comes in a box with logo of PAC Cosmetics and the product name mentioned on the box. The shade is mentioned on the top of the box. The ingredients have also been mentioned on the box. However in my case, it has been covered by the price tag. The lipstick comes in cylindrical container. It appears much more compact compared to other full size liquid lipsticks.It has a dual effect on the container where black is merging with the shade of the lipstick. In white the logo of PAC Cosmetics and the name of product has been mentioned again along with shade of the lipstick at the bottom. When the range had first launched their packaging was slightly different. However a few months ago they changed it. Thus it has 2.0 written on it. 



Fragrance


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss has no fragrance.

Application


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss has short applicator which ensures a precise and smooth application. It is very easy to line your lips with this applicator. Since the product is highly opaque, you just need to apply one single layer which dries within 4 minutes. (Actually timed it.)

Longevity


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss lasts for upto 8 hours.It is completely water proof, smudge proof and transfer proof. If you eat a greasy meal, the pigmentation of the lipstick will reduce. However the lipstick is still very much there.








Pros


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss is affordable.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss is travel friendly.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss has a wide range of shades for every skin tone.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss is long lasting.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss is transfer proof.

Cons


The PAC Retro Matte Gloss could feel to dry on the lips for some people.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss stain your lips and can not be wiped easily even with make up remover.
The PAC Retro Matte Gloss has a misleading name as it is not a gloss.


My Verdict


If you are looking for a long lasting affordable liquid lipstick, the PAC Retro Matte Gloss is perfect for you.

If you are a liquid lipstick junkie, the PAC Retro Matte Gloss is perfect for you.

If you are looking for a specific nude shade in a liquid lipstick, the PAC Retro Matte Gloss is perfect for you.

If you have already have tried similar formulations in slightly expensive long lasting liquid lipsticks like the  Chambor’s Xtreme Wear Transferproof Liquid Lipstick, Colourpop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks or Kylie Matte Liquid Lipsticks, you could give this one a miss.

If you have extremely dry lips and are not a big fan of lip balms, you could give this one a miss.

That is all for this post.
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Photography Courtesy: Shivam Bhatt (@shivam2008)