VLCC Gold Facial Kit Review.

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be doing a first impressions cum review of VLCC’s Gold Kit. The festive season is nearing and I have never done a facial before so I thought it is the perfect time to give it a try. 

The VLCC Gold Facial Kit retails for Rs.250 for 6 products of 10g each. These must be used in a sequence for best results. They are as follows:

The first step is a cleanser cum toner. It is a pre-facial product with aloe vera.

 It is comes in form of a cream which must be massaged into your face and neck for 3 minutes and gently wipe it off with a moist cotton pad.

The purpose of this step is to cleanse my skin and minimise my pores.

The second step is a scrub with turmeric and gold leaf. 

It comes in form of a gel which must be massaged into your face and neck for 5 minutes after which it must be washed with water and dabbed dry with a towel. 

The purpose of this step is to exfoliate my skin and remove blackheads.

The third step is a gel with galnut and gold leaf.

It obviously comes in form of a gel which must be massaged into your face and neck until it is completely absorbed. In my case, this took about 2 minutes.

The purpose of this step is to provide nourishment to my skin.

The fourth step is a cream with wheatgerm and gold oxide. It is rich in Vitamin C and E and contains sandalwood.

It obviously comes in form of a gel which must be massaged into your face and neck until it is completely absorbed. In my case, this took about 5 minutes.

The purpose of this step is to reduce skin pigmentation and polish my skin.

The fifth step is a peel off mask with lemon peel and gold oxide.

It comes in form of a thin gel which must be applied in a thin layer with one’s finger tips all over the neck and face. After it dries, it must be peeled off gently. In my case, this took about 30 minutes.

The purpose of the step is to maintain the pH level of the skin and pull out pollutants.

The sixth and final step is moisturiser. It is a post facial product with aloe vera. It contains SPF 15 and PA+.

It comes in form of a clear gel which must be applied all over your face and neck evenly.

The purpose of this step is to moisturise the skin and protect it from sun damage.

The Steps

At the end of the first step, my skin felt sticky. However I felt my pores minimise.
After the second step, I felt that the scrub was too gentle to see any actual exfoliation. However it did clean up my skin well.
The third step is probably my favourite one. It gave my face a natural healthy glow.
The fourth step was a little unnecessary. The cream was really thick and it made my skin look oily.
The fifth step needed some patience but it did a good job clearing my skin. Initially there is a slight tingling sensation which settles in no time.
The sixth step is pretty straight and simple. It settles right into the skin without any problem.

Pros

None of the products have a strong fragrance.

There is more than enough product for one time use.

It provides a beautiful natural glow.

It is pocket friendly.

It does not require any application tools or brushes.

Cons

The individual packaging of the Gold Facial Kit is a little messy while using.

As a whole process, it requires about an hour which is a little time consuming.

Over all this product does what it promises to do. You can use this once in a month when you have an event coming up and have some time on your hand. The VLCC facial kit has other variants as well. Comment below if you would like to know more about them.

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

Photography Credit: 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.

Battle of the Oil Replacement Creams.

Hello guys! Hope you all had a good week. Thank you so much for all the love on our last blog post. We will surely do similar posts in the future.

 

In today’s post, we have decided to step into the forte of haircare.

 As Indian girls, we have been told right since childhood by our mothers and grandmothers the importance of oiling our hair and how simply oiling one’s hair can be the solution to all hair problems from lack of hair growth, dandruff to split ends. Some of these are obscure myths. However there is no denying that oiling your hair has its benefits. This procedure of oiling one’s hair is a little too tedious for some of us.

Recently, there has been a craze for oil replacement creams in the market. I was really excited about this product because I am one of those lazy people who for some reason never ends up oiling their hair. Basically this a cream that contains the extract of oils or does the same job as an oil.

First Garnier Fructis launched their "Oil In Cream.” Within a year, their parent brand L’Oreal Paris launched their “Hair Expertise Oil Replacement Cream.” Recently Garnier has launched their “Ultra Blends 5 Precious Oil In Cream”. However we have not yet had the chance to try it out. Whenever we do, we will surely review it for you guys.
 

For now, we will be comparative review of Garnier Fructis Oil In Cream and L’Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Oil Replacement Cream.



L’Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Oil Replacement Cream.

• Price: Rs 80 for 100ml and Rs 135 for 200ml.
• Packaging: It comes in a golden plastic tube with a fine mosaic design on the cover.
• Ingredients:  It is infused with 6 nutritive oils, Olive, Argan, Almond, Coconut, Jojoba and Camelina.
• Fragrance: Stronger when compared to Garnier Fructis Oil In Cream due to infused oils.
• Minimum numbers of hours application required for best results: 2 hours.
• Usage: Controls frizz,makes hair look healthier & UV protection from sun.                                                                                          
• Advantage: Hair looks more nourished, does not require too much application time and packaging looks richer compared to Garnier Fructis Oil In Cream.
• Disadvantage: Hair appears heavier compared to Garnier Fructis Oil In Cream and can not be worn as a serum.

Garnier Fructis Oil In Cream.

• Price: Rs 60 for 100 ml and Rs 100 for 200 ml.
• Packaging: It comes in a yellow plastic tube.
• Ingredients:  It contains extracts of Coconut, Almond and Olive oil.
• Fragrance : After 15 minutes of application, it loses most of its fragrance.
• Minimum numbers of hours application required for best results: 5 hours.        
•  Usage: Controls frizz, makes hair look healthier & can be used as a serum.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
• Advantage: Hair looks healthy without too much effort, gentle fragrance, does not weigh the hair down and slightly more reasonable compared to L’Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Oil Replacement Cream.
• Disadvantage: More of a serum less of an oil replacement cream and long application duration.

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/ 

H&M Lookbook.

After the NYX launch in India, we have hit another jackpot with the launch of H&M, one of our favourite high street brand, in Mumbai.There will be not one but two stores.The first store was launched today at Palladium in Lower Parel. The second store will be launched on the 23rd of the month at Phoenix Market City in Kurla. We are really excited about we do not have to wait to travel abroad to shop at H&M. They have an amazing collections of basic clothing along with denims, formals, swimwear, casuals, party wear, accessories and cosmetics.
Guessing by the long queue outside H&M today, a lot of people are excited about the launch, just like us.

In today's post, we decided to show you guys two casual looks by pairing some of our favourite H&M clothes.

For this look, I have teamed black high waist shorts with a white crop top.

I picked up this white crop top from H&M in New York for only $5 over 3 years ago. It is a simple text tee that reads “THAT’S AWESOME”. It is really simple and goes well with high waist bottoms.

The black high waist shorts is one of my recent purchases from H&M. I picked them up from Budapest this summer. They have golden button detailing on both sides which is pretty cute. These pair of shorts can be dressed up with a formal top and a pair of heels or can be worn casually with a simple crop top and your favourite pair of sneakers.

I have accessorized the look with black shades that are from H&M as well, and a black cuff.

To break the monotony, I chose a bold lip colour which is the NYX soft matte lip cream in Copenhagen.

Photography Credits: Siddharth Gautam Dev

So I went to Dubai last December and finally shopped at H&M. Out of everything I bought, the peach-orange top and black pants are my absolute favourites. The top and pant, both are from the Divided collection.

The top is simple and plain with a turtle neck. It is super comfortable and fits so well. It can be paired with heels or sneakers, and can be worn for a party or a lunch date.

The black pants I wore are the most comfortable pants I have. They work well for formal occasions as well as parties and outings.

 For this look, I kept my makeup pretty natural and used the NYX soft matte cream in the shade Stockholm. I accessorised with rings and heels from Forever 21.

 Photography Credits: Sakshi Pitale

That's all for today's post. We hope you are as excited as we are about H&M finally opening in Mumbai. For regular updates, you can like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters We will be back with a new post soon.

Powder Reviews 2.0

Hey guys. Hope you all are doing well. So, like we mentioned in our previous post, we have another post of powder reviews. We got such a good response for the previous post and are hoping you guys like this post as well.

Faces Ultimate Pro Mineral Loose Powder retails for Rs.699 for 7gms. It is available in 5 shades.  It comes in a black cup shaped container with a silver lid that has a sponge attached. This sponge can be removed and cleaned. It also has helps in a quick application or touch up, which is not easily possible with other loose powders. This product feels light on the skin and is a good option to set in your foundation and bake your under eyes. However on a hot summer day this loose powder may not be a good decision. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder retails for Rs.500 for 0.49oz. However this product is really hard to get your hands on especially in India and thus the price may vary from place to place and website to website. This pressed powder is the go to powder for a lot of beauty bloggers all around the world. It has been highly recommended for oily skin and has been compared to a lot of high end products. This product does not disappoint. It controls sweat and shine for 4-6 hours according to the weather. It does not feel heavy on the skin. If I have to point out a negative about the product, it would be the packaging. It comes without any applicator or mirror which forces you to carry a brush along.s

Maybelline White Superfresh 12 Hour Whitening + Perfecting Compact retails for Rs.150 for 8 gms. It is available in 3 shades. It is a sleek and light compact which can be carried in your bag easily. It has a mirror and an applicator, which makes it easy to use. The compact has a slight fragrance and is very smooth and light. It has a very silky texture, giving sheer coverage and easily blends into your skin. The compact brighten your face and makes it look healthier and fresh. This is a good option for people with an oily skin. If you're looking for a compact to brighten your face before college without any foundation, this is a good pick. This does stick by all its claims expect for staying for 12 hours. I did need to reapply my compact after 4-5  hours. The sponge is not that great and I personally prefer using a kabuki brush. The affordable price is an added bonus and I will definitely repurchase this compact.

The Body Shop All in One Base retails for Rs 1295 for 9 gms. It is available in 6 shades and has a very simple and sturdy packaging. It has a mirror and a separate compartment for the sponge. The sponge is really good and saves you from the hassle of carrying a brush everywhere. The compact can be used dry or wet, however I have only used it dry. The compact provides good coverage and gives a matte finish. It sets your makeup well and does not need a touch up for 5-6 hours. This does control shine and sweat and is a great option to set your under eyes. I have bought this compact quite a few times and would recommend it but it is a bit heavy on the pocket.

This is all today's post.

 We hope this helps you pick the compact your looking for. We will be back with a new post soon.  Do follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters to stay updated about our posts.

Powder Reviews.

 

Hey guys, in last weeks post we spoke about powders and how much Compact Matters.  So we thought of reviewing some of the compacts we have used, pressed powders and loose powders. We will be covering some powders in today's post and few in the next one. We hope this review helps you make your final pick.

 

 

 

Maybelline Clear Glow Pressed Powder retails for Rs.275 . It is available in 5 shades out of which one is a translucent pressed powder. It comes along with a mirror and a makeup sponge. It is a lightweight compact that could even fit into a tiny clutch. It comes with SPF 26 PA++ which is an added bonus. However it claims to instantly make your fair and control shine, which is not true. If used with a foundation or BB cream, it makes your skin look healthier but does not provide "instant fairness". Like any pressed powder, immediately post application it controls shine but in order to control the shine throughout you have to touch it up every few hours. Over all, it is a travel and pocket friendly pressed powder.


L'Oreal Paris Mat Magique All-In-One Pressed Powder retails at Rs.399.  It Is available in 5 shades. It has a mirror and come along with a sponge. It has a transparent cover with a pink rim, letting you see the shade. It is not very light, but small and easy to carry. It has SPF 34 PA+++ that protects your skin and  keeps your makeup intact and fresh for 5-6 hours, not for 12 hours like it claims to. This is one of the best pressed powders I have used. This definitely gives you a matte finish and absorbs all excess oils. This keeps you makeup in tact and is a good options for special functions or outings. It makes your skin look healthier and gives an instant glow. I apply this with a powder brush, which keeps it light and does not cake up your face. The only thing I don't like is the fact that the mirror is below the compact, thus making you lift the compact layer every time you want to see the mirror. This is definitely something I love and will repurchase.


Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder retails for Rs.475 . It is available in 5 shades. It comes along with a mirror and a make up sponge. Even though the packing is nothing fancy, the quality of the sponge and the box is good and sturdy. If you have been reading Compact Matters for a while, you would know that we totally love the Fit Me foundation and concealer. However, comparatively this product is a little bit of a disappointment. It does a good job keeping your foundation in place but has to be touched up every few hours and for this price, I would expect a little more from Maybelline. I do not mind using this product but I dont think I will re-purchase it.


NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder retails at Rs. 825.  It is a white powder that can be used for all shades and contains 100% pure mineral silica which helps with oil control on the face. It comes in a small plastic box with small holes between the container and the lid to prevent dispensing off too much product. It is available in 3 shades, translucent, mint green and banana. It is really good for setting your makeup specially ender the eye. It lasts pretty long, sets your makeup well and does not need touch ups. This does a good job but I won't buy it again as it is a pinch on the pocket and has a strong chemical like smell.

 

 

 

That is all for this week. We will be back with another post next week. If you have any suggestions or requests, leave a comment below. For regular updates, follow our Facebook page on www.facebook.com/compactmatters.

Powders 101.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing well. We are back with our Make up Basics 101 series. In today's post we will be talking about a step after applying your foundation and concealer, Powders. Powders, more commonly known as compacts, is a product that most women own. It is a common misconception that foundation is too heavy on the face for Indian weather and thus most women resort to getting a compact instead. If you are interested in knowing more about compacts, keep reading.

What are powders?
After applying our base, we definitely want it to stay for a long time and not melt in the heat. Setting it with powder is the key to this problem. The powder sets our base and also gives a matte finish.

Types of powders

The two main types of powders are pressed powder and loose powder. Both aim to do the same thing but differ in some ways.


Press powders are packed in small round cases along with a mirror and puff pad. They are easy to carry and not messy at all. However the puff pad on regular use will get dirty and cleaning it is a task. You can use it but a better option would be a kabuki brush or a big powder  brush. The puffy brush picks the right amount and lightly displaces it across your face. The brush is more preferable since it does not displace or rub your base makeup. All you need to do is take the brush with some powder are lightly brush it across the areas to want to set.

L'OREAL PARIS Mat Magique retails for Rs.399 and H&M kabuki brush.

Loose powder is packed in round plastic cases. These are light but really messy, so carrying it in your handbag may not be the bet option.  Loose powder cases generally have a thin plastic layer in the middle with holes, which lets you take the right amount of powder.  There are very few brands which give a puff pad along with it. But there's nothing to worry about since the powder brush is your best friend in this case.Loose powder consists of small particles with a light consistency and the powder brush easily applies it on your face. It is easy to blend and also has less chances of looking caked up.Loose powder, along with setting the base makeup,can also be used for baking.

NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder retails for Rs.825 and PAC Powder Brush 282

Types of Loose Powders

 The translucent powder works great on all when blended well. It sets your makeup and disappears into your skin without looking too much.

Tinted powders give slight coverage and are a good option for everyday use. It gives colour to your face and if applied again and again can look caked up.
So tinted may be a good option for everyday day use it to add some colour along with your primer but if you are looking for something to just set your base, translucent powder is your answer.


How to apply it?
Applying any kind of powder involve the same steps. You start by dabbing your brush or puff into the powder, tap off the extra and then gently brush it across your face. Remember to set the areas you concealed as you want your concealer to stay for a long time. Also do not apply too many layers as your face may look white and caked up.After setting your base you are good to continue with your blush and bronzer.


If you need to touch up your compact, carry your compact along with a kabuki brush. They are not messy and will easily fit into your bag.

That's all for this post, we will be back with a new post soon. 

Photography Credits- Shivam Bhatt.