Bohemian Vibes

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well. 

In today's post I will be telling you how I styled a black dress with a boho touch.

I have personally always admired Bohemian dressing, its colourful,  sets you apart from others and it looks pretty cool too. Bohemian dressing generally involves headbands, printed maxi's, eye catching colourful geometric prints, long coats with tassels, chunky metal or leather jewellery. 

As much as I admire this style, till recently I had never tried my hand at a boho look. 

However I recently found a black maxi in my cupboard,  an outfit I probably bought months ago but never wore. Its a full length black dress with some details on it.

I bought this black dress from a store called Clothes Rack in Andheri west. 

I was aiming to add just a subtle Boho vibe to the dress so I though of starting with the most basic and easily available accessories like the trademark metal neckpiece. According to me it is one of the most basic jewellery pieces that can add a subtle boho vibe to any outfit. 

I added a few metallic bangles and a ring which matched with the blue details on the neckpiece. I dint want to keep my hand empty so I added the bangles, but you could exclude them and just stick with the ring.  

You can find similar neckpieces, bangles and rings in  Lokhandwala, Irla, Hill road, Linking road and even in stores like forever 21. There are a variety of designs that you can choose from. If you go street shopping these neckpieces and rings will cost around 100 bucks and the bangles around 150 rupees. If you are looking for some delicate designs you should check out the jewellery section in Forever 21. 

I paired this dress with some high heels, due to its length flats would only make me trip. But some strappy sandals or gladiators would look really good too. 

That's all for todays post.
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You can find Brinda and me on instagram 

@infinite_times_infinity

@a__ritu

Photography - Ankita Hattangadi 

(instgram @the_streetosphere) 

2016 Favourites.

Hey guys! Happy New Year. Hope you had an amazing year. Here we are at the end of 2016. This year literally just flew by. Even though 2016 was not one of my favourites, for me it will always be the year, I discovered my love for make up and finally started Compact Matters. I would like to thank each and every reader for supporting Compact Matters. You have made my year special. 

So for the first post of the year, I will take you through all my favourite products that I loved and adored in 2016.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation and Concealer

Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in 230 Natural Buff and Fit Me Concealer in Medium are my absolute favourites.  The Fit Me range was launched early this year in India and luckily I found a perfect shade match in the foundation and concealer. Both the products have the perfect texture and are pretty inexpensive. The Fit Me foundation is apparently a dupe for MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation and the Fit Me Concealer is a dupe for the NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer. These two are my permanent holy grail products.

 Colourpop Super Shock Cheek

The Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in Hippo has been my favourite highlighter. This year has been all about the glow for me. I finally started playing around different kinds of highlighters and really loved the different outcomes. This highlighter is a cream highlighter that I purchased from beauty tales.co.in. It is as pigmented as a product can get. This shade is a lilac silver in colour which is definitely not an everyday highlighter but I totally love it.

Plum Natur Studio Kohl

The Plum Natur Studio Kohl has found its place in my make up stash permanently. It is my favourite liner cum kajal. Thanks to this product I have started lining my waterline after ages. It stays on forever and does not smudge. I have ranted about how much I love this product in a previous post, if you would like to check it out.
 http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/11/plum-natur-studio-kohl-review.htm

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

The Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara has been my favourite this year. In my opinion, it is an upgrade on the Maybelline Colossal Mascara. It adds volume and length to the lashes while separating them. It is perfect for every day wear and with a few more coats adds all the volume you could need for a night out. Also I totally love the rose gold packaging.

Chambor Extreme Wear Transferproof Liquid Lipstick

2016 has been all about liquid lipsticks. Until last year, I was a red lipstick person totally but this year I moved on to some nude pinks among which the Chambor Extreme Wear Transferproof Liquid Lipstick in 401 has been my go to lipstick. I love their how comfortable it is despite being super matte. I have a complete review on this lipstick as well. http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/09/chambors-xtreme-wear-transferproof.html

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

The Real Techniques Expert Face Brush has made my life heaven and my contour on fleek in 2016. Initially I was a little hesitant about powder contouring because it could easily end up looking like a brown patch on your cheek. This brush helps me place my contour perfect and blends it just the perfect amount so that it is visible but not to stark.

That is all for this post. I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year! May you always slay with or without make up. 

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

Photography Credits: Shivam Bhatt.

Flyrobe-India's First Fashion Rental Website

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In today’s post, I will be sharing my experience with Flyrobe with all of you. Flyrobe is India’s first fashion rental website. It has a collection of western and ethnic wear along with bags and jewellery. Their collection has brands like Zara, Topshop, Mango, ASOS and Veromoda in western wear. In ethnic wear their collection includes pieces by Ritu Kumar, Anita Dongre and Shehla Khan. For now it is available only in Mumbai, New Delhi and Ahmedabad.

You can also get Rs.600 off on your first order from Flyrobe with my referral code P90MXM9.

Why rent?

Most of us do not like repeating our clothes too much or do not want

 to spend a bomb on an outfit we not going to wear more than 10 times. In the cost of buying one outfit, you can actually rent quite a few outfits and have a different look for every event or occasion. Flyrobe rents the outfits at a minimal price.

For instance, the yellow skater Topshop dress I rented was worth Rs.5000. However Flyrobe rents it out for Rs.599 only.

 

How did I place my order?

I placed the order on their website. You can also do it on their customer care line or their Android app.The order was confirmed with me over the phone by a customer care executive. I was given the option to select a preferred time slot for delivery of my parcel. The delivery boy called an hour before the time slot to confirm the address and the time of delivery.

 I was unable to apply a certain coupon code with my order because I had applied the same coupon earlier to another order which I had cancelled. When I explained the situation to the customer care executive, he was very quick to understand the situation. He applied the coupon code through his system and also instructed the delivery boy accordingly. I could have just been lucky but it was really comfortable and there was no confusion.

How did I receive my order?

My order came in a huge box well wrapped. I was really shocked and surprised to see this because the dress could have fit into a small box easily. However with the care it was packed, it did not feel cheap and gave a grand feel. The dress was further packed in a plastic cover along with a hanger.

Along with the dress, I received a complementary accessory which were cute floral earrings with a separate jewellery pouch.

The package also contained a few cards that provided instructions for the care of the outfit as well as the pick up. They are pretty simple and direct.

My outfit.

 

After spending hours on their website, I finally settled on the yellow skater dress from Topshop. I was looking for an outfit for a brunch with friends and I really liked the colour of this dress. I usually do not wear bright yellows or figure hugging dresses but something about this dress really appealed to me. 

I accessorised the outfit with a silver and blue neck piece from Mango and blue pumps from New Look.

 

For my make up, I went for a neutral look that complemented the colour of the dress and did not look to much.  For a complete break down of my make up, you can check out my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/infinite_times_infinity

How did they pick up my order?

This process was as simple as the delivery. I was given a call my the customer care executive. However I missed it and she dropped in a message. I called back and in no time I was directed to the concerned authority and the pick up time was confirmed. The delivery boy came, checked the outfit politely and left.

Things I love about Flyrobe

Customer care executive and delivery boys: They are so polite, well aware and well coordinated.

Collection: They have something from everyone at every occasion.

Punctuality:  Delivery and pick up time slots could not be more accurate.

 

Recommendations for Flyrobe

Develop an app for iOS users
Provide an option to pre-book more than just one day in advance.


 

Hope you guys liked the post.  We would appreciate your feedback. For regular updates, you can follow us on our Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/ 

Photography Credits: Anushka Varma and Shivam Bhatt.

Style Appreciation: IIFA 2016

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing well. As you may have guessed from the title, This week's post is a little different from the rest of our posts. Today we will be talking about our favourite celebrity looks at the IIFA Weekend 2016 that happened in Madrid, Spain.
 
Brinda's picks

Aditi Rao Hydari

Without a doubt, Aditi Rao Hydari had not one but two of my favourite looks from the IIFA weekend. She was styled by Sanam Ratansi and her make up was done by Elton Fernandez. Both her looks made her look like a Disney Princess.

For the main event, she was seen in a dark green strapless Shantanu and Nikhil gown. She paired this outfit with a golden head band, ring and heavy earrings from Outhouse Jewellery. Her hair was neatly done up in a pony which had a very natural look. Her make up seemed to have a dewy finish with well defined brows and a subtle winged liner. She went for a pink lip colour which complemented her outfit really well.

 Source

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For IIFA ROCKS on the weekend, she was seen in a white strapless Saiid Kobeisy gown. She paired this with diamond rings and earrings by Anmol Jewellers. Her make up again had a dewy finish with defined brows. However she ditched the winged liner this time. She choose a coral lip colour that completed her look.

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Nargis Fakhri

In all the gowns and saris, Nargis Fakhri stood out for me in her blue pant suit by Monisha Jaisingh which she wore for IIFA ROCKS. She was styled by Allia Al Rufai and Nayaa Randhawa. The pant suit had some gold detailing which I am not a big fan of but her nude heels, which complimented her look really well, made up for it. She went for a minimal accessories look and was seen only wearing a pair of diamond studs. As for her make up, she stuck to a matte look with defined brows and a nude lip colour. Sometimes less is more and Nargis' make up proves that really well.

Source

 

Ritu's  favourites:


Divya Khosla Kumar

Divya Khosla Kumar looked very elegant in a lehenga by Vikram Phadnis. Styled by Anisha Gandhi, she paired the lehenga with some jewellery by Shobha Shringar. She completed the traditional look with a simple bindi and some flowers with her Bun. Her makeup looked natural and radiant. She brightened her look with a light coral-pink toned lipstick. She looked beautiful and definitely stood out among the gowns.

 

 Source

 

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone surely grabbed all the attention in Madrid with her bold looks. Over the weekend, she experimented and stunned in 6 looks. Starting with a royal blue robed top and bottom set by Chloé, a red Prabal Gurung dress, a boho white dress by Chloe, and a fun summery white dress. For IIFA rocks she picked a black gown by Swapnil Shinde and wore a Sabyasachi outfit for the main event. Her makeup and hair was done by Daniel Bauer and was styled by Shaleena Nathani.

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Out of these, 2 looks that stood out were :

 

The Black Swapnil Shinde gown she wore at IIFA Rocks. The gown was paired with a Farah Khan chain and some rings by Anmol Jewellers. For her makeup, they focused on a dewy base and a winged smokey eye. However, the highlight of this look was her hairstyle which was a change from her waves and pulled back pony tails. It looked different and definitely got everyone talking

 

 

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Deepika looked hot in the red Prabal Gurung outfit. The red seemed fun and sexy specially with the slit which showed off her toned leg. The outfit was  teamed with gold earings from Outhouse and shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. For her makeup, they went with a dewy base and some contouring. They completed the look with a bold red lip and well defined eyebrows.

 

 

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 Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor

The men are mostly seen dressed in black suits but this times we saw some take risks. Shahid, Ranveer, Farhan dared to try out some funky colours. Out of all we really liked Farhan's 3 piece light blue suit. The converse added some quirk to the plain suit and made his look really cool and edgy.

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This is all for now, do tell us your favourites in the comments below. We will  be back with a new post soon.

 

Fabindia Skincare Product Reviews.

For most of us Indians, Fabindia is a company that has been there forever. We generally associate it with ethnic wear in some beautiful  earthy colours. So it might sound a little surprising to some of you that today we are here to review some skincare products from Fabindia. Fabindia has a range of skin care products which include body washes, creams, soaps, face packs and a lot of other products. What I love about their range is that  it is very affordable and most  ingredients are natural. Most product are under Rs. 550 and are easily available in their stores and on their website.

Fabindia under eye gel aloe vera retails for Rs.240 for 24gms. This was the first product I used from their range and has been a regular item in my night routine for almost 9 months now. It has a gel like consistency and smells like fresh aloe vera. It comes in a small circular box and is really light. You can apply it by taking a small amount of it on your fingers and dab it under your eyes. It really helps to reduce the puffiness under your eyes and gives the illusion of a goodnight’s sleep. With regular use, it has a lasting effect on your dark circles as well. This is one product I highly recommend.

Fabindia tea tree face wash retails for Rs.240 for 120ml. Tea tree products are a good option for people prone to acne and breakouts , but since we deal with so much dust and sweat using tea tree products are a good idea for everybody.The face wash comes in a plastic tube like most face face washes and is easy to carry. You apply a small amount of it on your wet face, massage it for a minute and then wash it off. The face wash contains citric acid along with tea tree oil which gives it a beautiful fresh smell that is enough to wake your skin. With regular use, it reduces break outs.

Fabindia charcoal face pack retails for Rs.350 for 100ml. Recently there have been a lot of charcoal products in the market since charcoal absorbs impurities. This pack uses multani mitti or muller’s earth as its base to which the charcoal is added. It also contains lemongrass oil which gives it a pleasant  fragrance. It comes in a circular box which is slightly heavy. You can apply it with a face pack brush or with your fingers. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off. While washing it off, it may drip and mess up your clothes so be careful about what you wear. In my opinion, this mask can be used once in 2 weeks to mix up your skincare routine or to pamper yourself on the weekend.

Fabindia make up remover panch pushup retails for Rs.295 for 100ml. It is a liquid that comes in a plastic bottle with a dispenser and a cap. When taken on a cotton pad, the consistency is foam like. However it is soap free. It is made up of extracts of rose, jasmine, lavender, chamomile, and geranium. I am not a big fan of floral smells, but this is  relatively mild in nature. A little product on a cotton pad can remove a full face of make up. For my satisfaction, I like to go over it with a fresh piece of cotton once I am done with it with for the first time. I recommend this product when you want to remove your entire make up and not just wipe of the winged liner or re-do your lipstick.

 You can buy these products on http://www.fabindia.com

We hope you found this post helpful. We will be back with a new post next week.

Photography Credits:Shivam Bhatt.

Foundations 101.

Foundation is the most popular among the base make up products.That being said,we have realised a lot of people have misconceptions about foundations. They feel it makes them look “white” and unnatural. Add to that the hot humid weather of India, which makes people dread even the thought of having a layer of product all over their face. However with a simple understanding of foundations and the requirements of your skin, we can help you get rid of all your misconceptions.

What is foundation?

Foundation is a product that aims to provide an even toned coverage and make your skin look healthy. It may differ from high coverage to low coverage depending on the product and requirements of the skin. It is usually preceded by primer and colour corrector and is followed by concealer.

Types of Foundation:

Liquid foundation- The most common among all kinds as it suits all skin types. Liquid foundations may provide a matte or dewy finish. 

Stick foundation- It is a bit rare and is mostly used by professionals. This is not the best option for beginners since it is a little hard to blend. It should be avoided by people having dry skin.

Powder foundations- Another common type of foundation. Mostly used to set the liquid foundation and prevent it from slipping and transferring. It is a good option for people with oily skin since it helps with oil control.

Cream foundation- Also known as mousse foundation is not a popular choice. It works best for normal to dry Skin.

How to pick the correct shade of foundation?

In order to identify the correct shade of foundation for yourself, you first need to identify your undertones. If you have a warm toned skin, then you predominately have yellow undertones. If you have a cool toned skin, then you predominately  have pink undertones. It is highly unlikely for an individual to have only yellow or pink undertones. Most individuals are a combination of both. However whichever undertones dominates your skin is your primary undertone. Most Indians have yellow undertones. So while picking up your foundation, if the shade seems fine but it does not seem to match your complexion, you probably need to check for a product with different undertones.

Often while choosing a foundation, people swatch the foundation on their wrist. However there might be a slight difference in shade on your wrist and on your face. So, to get a more accurate match it is better to swatch the foundation on your jaw line.

Foundations also tend to oxidise which means they become a little darker a while after being applied. The oxidation depends on the product. Thus never pick up a foundation in a rush. Take your time.  Swatch various shades. Look at other products and then come back and decide which shade works the best for you.

How to apply foundation?

Once the primer has settled into your pores, you can begin with the application of the foundation. The application depends on the texture of the foundation and the coverage you are looking for. If you are not looking for full coverage, just take a small amount of foundation on the back of your palm, dot it all over your face and neck with your fingers and blend it with a buffer brush or make up sponge. However if you are looking for higher coverage, use a foundation brush instead of your fingers. This is the general method of application for liquid and cream foundations.

The application for powder foundations is comparatively simpler. All you need to do is dab a powder brush into the product (You can remove the excess product) and then just simply swirl the brush all over your face in downward strokes. 

To avoid a patchy look remember to put some foundation on your neck as well.

Alternatives for Foundation:

BB Cream( Blemish Balm or  Beauty Balm) - It is a tinted moisturiser with anti aging properties  providing a limited coverage. It can be used as a primer, to conceal blemishes and to brighten one’s skin. This is definitely a better option during those breakout days, giving you a glow without applying too much.

CC cream (colour correcting or complexion correcting cream)-  It is similar to a BB cream but differs in coverage and texture. It has a higher coverage with a thicker texture compared to a BB cream.

We hope you found this post helpful. Let us know if you have any feedback or questions.We will be back with a new post next week.

Photography Credits: Shivam Bhatt.

Welcome To Compact Matters.

   Hello there :)

Blogging has been on our minds for a while. We had ideas and concepts that we wanted to blog about but procrastination got the better of us . Finally after some ideating, we decided to work together, pen down things that interested us so we could finally act on this little idea we had. 

Compact Matters is a blog through which we will  share our  passion for makeup, style and various things under the sun. We share this passion with  each other and all of you and would like to share our knowledge and opinions about things that intrigue us.

As you may have guessed by now, the brain behind Compact Matters is not of one but two of us. So here is a little bit about us, we are Brinda and Ritu. While Brinda loves her Ruby Woo and Chilli , I on the other hand love my Sugar Plum Fairy and Sultry. Ritu is all about her long curls and I cannot imagine myself without my poker straight hair. Sephora is Brinda's paradise but I would prefer spending my day at Forever 21. We may be poles apart in some of our choices but what brings us together is our love for defined brows and heels #ShortGirlProblems 

We believe an individual's appearance is an expression of their personality. An individual should be comfortable in his/her own skin and  should not be afraid to try and find their own style. If you want to dye your hair purple or wear a smokey eye with a bold red lip, nothing should stop you.

 However experimenting and spicing things up always help in standing out in a crowd. 

We shot some pictures a while back in which we attempted to spice up the classic look of black singlets and black high waisted pants with fun accessories and make up to create an everyday look. We went for these beautiful pairs of silver jhumkas. They were a good bargain from Colaba Causeway for Rs.100 each.

For our makeup, we chose  an everyday look with special emphasis on the base. To accompany the flawless base, we winged it and added a touch of our favourite lipsticks.

Our next blog will be about a highly underrated product, Primers. If you would like to know how this product helps you ace your base make up, make sure you come back.

Photography by Shivam Bhatt.