5 Gift Ideas For Your Mom.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, we will be sharing 5 products that you can gift your mom on mother’s day.

The second sunday of may every year is celebrated as mother’s day which happens to 13th May this year. It is obviously essential to tell your mom how much you love her every single day and be thankful towards her. However a little special treatment on mother’s day would not hurt anyone. So we have come up with a few ideas that could help you make your mom’s day special. Since Compact Matters is a beauty blog, the options are beauty related. These are products that my mom loves using and repurchases them all the time.

So without any further ado lets get into the products.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream retails for Rs.1095 for 40ml. It is available in 3 shades. It is suitable for acne prone skin and has medium coverage. My mom loves this product because it is super easy to blend. Using brushes and making the beauty blender is too much pain for her. She also loves the fact that it does not smell like chemicals and feels fresh and light on the skin, like most The Body Shop products.

Nykaa Gold Rush Nail Lacquer

Nykaa Gold Rush Nail Lacquer retails for Rs.249 for 9ml. It is available in 5 shades. Their formula is just as great as rest of their range.The application is extremely smooth and comfortable. It takes about 5 minutes to dry completely They are completely opaque with just 2 coats. They do not chip off easily.Not only are they available on Nykaa’s website but they can be found at local beauty stores. My mom’s personal favourites are Gold Mine and Champagne Gold.

The Face Shop Real Nature Sheet Masks

The Face Shop Real Nature Sheet Masks in Lingzhi retails for Rs.100. Korean skincare is all about keeping the skin young and flawless. The Face Shop has multiple products that serve this end including their sheet masks. They have sheet masks like Lingzhi that help with tightening of skin and reducing pores. An added bonus is that they are super refreshing and available on a 10 for the price of 5 offer on Nykaa.

If you would like to know more about the masks, check out our full post review.

(http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-face-shop-real-nature-masks-reviews.html)

Nykaa So Matte Lipsticks

Nykaa So Matte Lipsticks retails for Rs.400 for 4.2gm. They are available in nudes, poppy colours and deep shades. They are semi matte thus last long and do not require regular touching up. However they are not uncomfortable to wear. The matte black packaging with the magnetic click make it look rich and classy. My mom’s personal favourite shade is Sugar Plum Martini but if your mom would prefer a more nude, you go for Taupe Thrill.

If you know like to know more about the lipstick, check out our full post review.

(http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2017/01/nykaa-so-matte-lipstick-review.html)

Lip Swatch For Nykaa So Matte Lipstick in Sugar Plum Martini.

Lip  Swatch For Nykaa So Matte Lipstick in Taupe Thrill.

A Spa Treatment or A Haircut

If your mom and you are too busy in your daily routine, it would be a great idea to gift her your quality time. You could book a massage or a spa treatment for the both of you together. You could also make an appointment for the day at the salon for manicure, pedicure or maybe a haircut. Ultimately its about having fun together.

That is all for this post. We wish all mother’s around the world a Happy Mother’s Day.

If you have any questions or suggestions, leave it down in a comment.

For regular updates, follow our social media.

Facebook page ttps://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Instagram @a__ritu and @infinite_times_infinity

Photography Courtesy: Shivam Bhatt. (@shivam2008)

Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquer Review.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing the Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers.

Matte nail paints have been a craze all over the world for quite a while now. They look artsy and so Tumblr. Unfortunately for the longest time, matte nail paints were not available in the Indian market. Recently almost after a year of launching their Nail Enamels in every possible shade, Nykaa launched a range of Matte Nail Lacquers. I was personally in love with the colours variation and formula of the Nykaa Nail Enamels and has to try their new range as well.

So without any further ado lets get into the review. 

Price 

The Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquer retails fro Rs.200 for 9ml on Nykaa.

It is available in stores like Beautiful in Bandra, Santacruz and Lokhandwala and New Beauty Centre in Khar and Kandivali for Rs.180.

Packaging 

The Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers come in a basic nail paint bottle every similar to the Nykaa Nail Enamel bottles. However the glass packaging of the polish is given a slightly frosted effect. Each shade has a specific name that is mentioned on the sticker on the bottle. Each shade has a unique number assigned to it which is mentioned on the top of the cap. The applicator is also of the perfect length and density.

Application 

Since the applicator of the The Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers is of the perfect length and density, the application is super easy. The lacquers settle within a few seconds of application however the first coat takes about 2 minutes to dry. The second coat takes upto 5 minutes to dry up. The second coat is not necessary but I recommend it for the best colour payout possible.

Fragrance

The Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers smell of acetone like any other nail paint. As soon as the paint dries, the smell disappears.

Longevity

Since applying a regular top coat makes the finish glossy, it is best to avoid a top coat.  Without a top coat and double coat of the the Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquer, it lasts for 4-5 days on an average without any major chipping. I personally put my hands a lot under water and my estimations of longevity are based on my personal experience.

Pros

Amazing formula and beautiful range of colours from deep colours to neon shades.

Easily accessible on Nykaa’s website.

Comfortable application.

Does not contain dangerous chemicals like Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.

Cons

A little expensive compared to regular nail paints.

The colour of the Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquer appears a little different on Nykaa. 

Thus I recommend you have a look at nail swatches done by one of the beauty bloggers or pick them up from a store,

My Personal Collection

 126 Spiced Gingerbread 

This shade belongs to the recently launched Nykaa Fall Winter Matte Nail Enamel Collection.

118 Emerald Isle 

This shade also belongs to the recently launched Nykaa Fall Winter Matte Nail Enamel Collection.

79 Blueberry Sorbet

This shade belongs to the Nykaa Neon Matte Nail Enamel Collection

08 Black Cherrypie

This shade was among the first launched 12 shades of the Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers.

28 Pink Meringue 

This shade is a pastel shade from the Nykaa Matte Nail Lacquers.

 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.

For regular updates, follow our Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/ 

Photography Credits:Shivam Bhatt, Anushka Varma and Vini Bakhda.

Nykaa So Matte Lipstick Review.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing the Nykaa So Matte Lipstick

The “My Favourite Everyday Lipsticks” post received a lot of love from you. Just a few days after that post, I received my Nykaa parcel with the Nykaa So Matte Lipstick and it fit into the category so well that I had to share it with you.

So without any further ado lets get into the review. 

Price 

The Nykaa So Matte Lipstick retails for Rs.400 for 4.2gm.

Shade

There are 12 shades available in this range. They include everyday nudes, deep shades and bright poppy colors meant for the Indian skin tone. I have the shade Taupe Thrill which is a nude brown colour.

Swatch of Nykaa So Matte Lipstick in Taupe Thrill.

Packaging

The Nykaa So Matte Lipstick body comes packaged in a box, which is rare with drugstore lipsticks. The box is red in colour and mentions the shade, ingredients and claims. In contrast, the body of the lipstick is matte black. It has the shade mentioned at the bottom and Nykaa written over it. The body of the lipstick is square shaped. The cap of the body clicks magnetically shut. Honestly the packaging gives the whole lipstick a rich feel.

Fragrance

The Nykaa So Matte Lipstick has an extremely slight minty smell that goes away soon.

Application

The Nykaa So Matte Lipstick claims to be matte but I would call it semi matte. It does dry up to quite an extent in the first 10 minutes. However it does not dry up completely and thus transfers a little reducing its wear time to 3-4 hours on an average. It glides on smoothly. It is highly pigmented and making application of only one coat more than enough. It can be re-applied easily.

Lip Swatch of Nykaa So Matte Lipstick in Taupe Thrill.

Lip Swatch of Nykaa So Matte Lipstick in Taupe Thrill.

 Pros

Affordable. 

Classy and expensive looking packaging.

Vitamin E enriched.

Wide shade range.

Cons

Not completely matte.

Needs to be re-applied every 4 hours.

My Verdict

Even though this lipstick is not totally matte, for the price, it is totally worth it. The packaging is beautiful. It is comfortable to wear and travel friendly. Overall, I feel this lipstick is the perfect gift for anyone you want to treat. Your mom, your sister or even yourself. It is totally pocket friendly and still a quality product.

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

For regular updates,follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Credits: Anushka Varma and Yashasvi Doshi.

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.

For regular updates, follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Credits:Shivam Bhatt.

Nykaa's The Beauty Lab.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing great.

In this week’s post, I will be unboxing Nykaa’s The Beauty Lab. 

Recently Nykaa came up with their beauty bag which had 7 products from skincare, haircare and makeup for an amazing price.This is one of India’s first beauty bags. This concept is relatively popular in the west.In today’s post, I will give you my views on The Beauty Lab and help you decide if it is worth your money.

Price

The Beauty Lab contains products worth Rs.1600 for Rs.800 which seems like a tempting deal.

Packaging

The products come in a transparent pouch with Beauty Lab and Nykaa logo.

Products 

Island Kiss Alma Vanilla and Inges Lavender Lip Moisturiser is the product I was excited about.I received this product in full size. I have been using it for a week and totally loving it.It is a great option use under your drying matte lipsticks.It retails for Rs.400 and is 100% organic.

Kronokare All Is Well Shower Gel in Provencal Lavender is a product that really surprised me.I personally hate floral smells but I can not get enough of this product. It contains thyme oil which has an amazing smell and is paraben and mineral oil free.However the size of the product is little disappointing. Once I am done with this bottle, I might consider re-purchasing a bigger size.

Wella Professionals Oil Reflections is a product for all smoothening of all hair types. I feel it is too soon to comment if this product works for me.However the size of the product is good and has a mild fragrance.

Kama Ayurveda Rejuvenating &  Brightening Ayurvedic Night Cream contains coconut milk, goat’s milk, saffron,cardamom and sesame oil. It works for dry and combination skin. It comes in a tiny tester tube.However if I feel the product works for me, I can call for a full size of the product.

Nykaa Nail Enamel in Lychee Delight is a grey nail paint. I love this range and have a massive collection already. Nykaa Nail Enamels have one of the best formulas I have tried and I only wear their nail paints. Comment below and let me know if you are interested in a review of their range. The day after I ordered my The Beauty Lab bag, Nykaa changed the shade from Lychee Delight to Rose Sherbet which is a beautiful pink.

Bharat & Dorris Mini Lip Gloss in 05 is the most disappointing product of The Beauty Lab bag.I am not a fan of lip glosses in general and this shade it too light for my skin tone. I will probably use this over a bright red lipstick because the texture is smooth.

All Good Scents Love and Joy EDP for Women comes in a tiny vial without a cap. Thus it can not be carried along easily. Also like I mentioned I am not a fan of floral smells. I feel they could have just kept this product out of the bag and it would not make a difference.

My Verdict

Overall I feel this bag was worth the money. I tried quite a few products that I would not have purchased otherwise and I am probably going re-purchase a few products like Island Kiss Alma Vanilla and Inges Lavender Lip Moisturiser and Kronokare All Is Well Shower Gel in Provencal Lavender. I hope Nykaa makes this a regular or monthly thing and they add more make up products in it.

That is all for this post. Hope you liked it. We would really appreciate your feedback. For regular updates, follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Credits: Brinda Khatri.