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.  

The Body Shop Tea Tree Product Reviews.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing well. In today's post, we will be reviewing products from The Body Shop's Tea Tree Range. Tea Tree products are best for people with blemished skin or people who have break outs often. We have been using some of these products for years now and thought of sharing our views specially since The Body Shop has a sale on their website till the 14th of July. We hope this post helps you.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Cleaning Facial Wash retails for Rs. 695 for 250 ml. This is definitely one of my favourite face washes. It is a gel based face wash, suitable for everyday use which helps control oil and prevents any blemishes and breakouts. It washes off all the dirt and oils and leaves your skin feeling clean, cool and refreshed. It makes your skin feel healthy and prevents blemishes and pimples. This is a really good buy and something we both love and recommend.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Night Lotion is priced at Rs. 995 for 30 ml. This lotion is mainly for blemish damaged skin and aims to work on those areas. It has a pump which makes the application  easy and clean. One pump is enough for your entire face. The lotion is light, fresh and non greasy. I don't have a lot of blemishes on my face so this did not help me a lot. However it helped repair the few problem areas and prevents any additional breakouts and blemishes. The lotion stings a bit but makes your skin feel hydrated and fresh.  

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner retails for Rs.795 for 250ml.Though a little heavy on the pocket, this is one of my favourite toners of all time. A few drops of this on a cotton swab is good enough for your entire face after which you must wash your face with water. It thoroughly cleanses your pores and prevents your skin from getting oily. It helps to dry up acne and reduces break outs.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser retails for Rs.950 for 30ml. It is essentially a pore reducing primer. Like most products in the range, it also mattifies your skin. This is the primer I reach for when I am having a breakout and have to do a full coverage look. If your skin is not dry, you can use this instead of a moisturiser. You can also apply this product all by itself just to tighten your pores and mattify your face. You need only 3 dots of product for your face and you can massage it into your skin gently. Unlike most primers, it makes your skin feel healthy and fresh. 

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask retails Rs.1095 for 100ml. After cleaning your face with a face wash, you need to put a thick layer of the product onto your face and leave it for 15 minutes. You can apply the product with a brush or your fingers. It dries up after 15 minutes and then you can wash it off. This product absorbs all impurities from your face thereby reducing breakouts. I like applying a small amount of it on a new/fresh pimple as it soaks in all the impurities and the pimple dries out within no time

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub retails for Rs.995 for 100ml. It is a gentle scrub with natural exfoliators. You can gently massage the product on a wet face which will help unclog pores and get rid of impurities and dead cells. Unlike most scrubs, you can use this twice a day.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Targeted Gel retails for Rs.895 for 2.5ml. This product is my go to product when I am on the go and am having a severe break out. It comes in a small plastic tube with a wand, that comes handy during application. This helps contain the break out until you have the opportunity to cleanse, scrub and tone your skin. This product never leaves my handbag since it really helps dealing with unexpected breakouts.

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

Photography Credits- Shivam Bhatt.  

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Beauty Formulas - Charcoal Face wash and Mask review.

Hey guys, hope you all are fine. We have got such an amazing response to the blog and are really thankful for your support.

 Now coming back to today's post, I will be reviewing two charcoal products from the brand Beauty Formulas. So charcoal products have been the new sensation and have been talked about by people all over. I wanted to know what the fuss was about and was looking for a good charcoal product in India. Honestly I had not heard of this brand and came across the product in Mangalore in May. However I later found it on amazon.in and saw the different kinds of products they have. Out of the many products they have, today I will be reviewing the Detox Cleanser with activated Charcoal and  Clay Mask with activated Charcoal. 

 

 

DETOX CLEANSER with activated Charcoal retails at Rs. 250 for 150ml. I have used this product regularly for about Two months and it surely did not disappoint. It claims to remove impurities, excess oils, makeup and leave your skin feeling cleansed and refreshed. It does live up to its claims, as it washes off any dirt or oils on your face. It is really great for days when you have applied heavy makeup, as it washes away any makeup left on your skin. The product leaves you feeling fresh and adds a slight glow too. The face wash has a very runny consistency, is black in colour and does not have a strong smell. This is really good for oily skin and can be used for normal skin too. The quantity is really good and is packed in a big plastic tube. It is worth the money you pay and definitely something I recommend.  
 

 

 

You can buy it here-

CLAY MASK with activated Charcoal retails at Rs. 230 for 100ml. This mask claims to absorb excess oils, draw out deep rooted dirt and cleanse the skin. This mask like the face wash washes off excess oils and gives you a clean and fresh face. I don't have sensitive skin but it still made my skin burn a bit. So, people with sensitive skin should be careful and try it on a small patch first. It is a thick grey coloured mask, which needs to be applied for about 10-15 minutes and then washed off. It is packed in a similar plastic tube but is smaller in size.
 

You can buy it here -

The mask and face wash are kind of similar, so if you don't want something for everyday use, you can just use the mask once a week. Both these products are really good and something I recommend.

That's all for this post, we will be back with a new post next week. Let us know if you have any feedback. You can also like and share our facebook page - www.facebook.com/compactmatters. 
We really appreciate the support.
 

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.

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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.

 

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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.

 

NYX is coming to India!

NYX Cosmetics is coming to India!! We absolutely love NYX and are extremely excited about the launch.  NYX is a reasonable drugstore cosmetic brand with an amazing range of products. You may have seen NYX if you have a Sephora in your city but trust me that small shelf is not the real deal. NYX is launching 550 products in India, which will be available on Nykaa.com by 8th July and a month later there will be an official store launch. We will soon have access to these amazing cosmetics, all thanks to L'Oreal.

NYX may not yet be available in India but we were lucky enough to get our hands on some NYX products. We are sharing few of our favourite products with you so you know what to buy once it's here.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams retails at Rs. 600. If I could buy only one product from NYX, I would pick up their soft matte lip cream without a doubt. You might have seen and used multiple dupes for this product but trust me nothing can compete with the original NYX soft matte lip creams. They are the most comfortable matte lipsticks and do not dry your lips at all. The colour variety in this range is insane. I also love how each lip cream has its name based on a city.
I have these lip creams in Stockholm, Morocco & Copenhagen.  

Stockholm, Morocco & Copenhagen.

NYX also has some liquid lipsticks in different textures like butter gloss and suede matte. We have not yet had the chance to try those, but thanks to L'Oreal we will be doing that soon.



NYX Matte Lipstick retails at Rs. 625. If you are not a big fan of liquid lipsticks but love how the soft matte lip creams look , you can find a great alternative in NYX Matte Lipsticks. Just like the lip creams, they do not dry the lips and do not transfer easily. Their range has multiple shades with simple black packaging with a transparent patch in the center.

I have the matte lipstick in Angel.



NYX Extra Creamy  Round Lipstick retails at Rs. 475. These lipsticks are definitely a good buy for anyone who likes creamy lipsticks or does not like matte lipsticks. I was really impressed by these. It is super pigmented and lasts for a long time. It glides on to the lips very smoothly and gets the colour on in the first glide. You don't need to put two three layers. It is really light, comfortable to wear and has a slight shine too. This lasts for about 4-5 hours and then may need a touch up. After a meal, some of it is wiped off but your lips will still have the colour. It does transfer a bit but its still a good buy. It is packed in a black plastic case, with the colour shown at the bottom.

I have these lipsticks in Fire Incendie & Electra.

Angel, Fire Incendie & Electra.

NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder retails at Rs. 825. If you think baking only happens in the kitchen, let us tell you more. It works really well for setting the base make up, especially the concealer. If you want to know more about baking with loose powder, comment below and we will soon put up a post on it. For those who are into baking, this product is a must have for you. 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.



NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette retails at Rs. 2000. This palette is one of the most talked about NYX products by beauty bloggers all over the world. It is available in 8 shades and each palette has 8 different powders.  There are four contour shades which are highly pigmented and can help you slay your contour. It has two highlighting powders, one matte and the other shimmery. It has a banana powder and a setting powder that add a touch of glow to your base make up without being too over powering. It is not heavy and is a good buy for anyone looking out for a contour cum highlighting palette.


NYX Wonderstick retails at Rs. 835. This stick has a cream based contour shade on one end and a nude  highlighter on the other. It is available in 4 shades. It is highly pigmented and must be applied with a light hand. The creamy formula makes it easy to blend. It is light and portable. It is a good option for people who like to do their make up on the go and are not ready to compromise on their glow and contour for it.



NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator retails at Rs. 850. This highlighter is my go to product when I want to add some glow to my base make up without going over the top. It does not have any flecks of shimmer, just a natural glow. It is available in four shades and comes in a plastic tube with a nozzle. A small amount of the product goes a long way.



NYX HD Concealer: If you have read our last post, you would know how much we love this concealer. With a cream like texture, it covers all the blemishes. To know more about this concealer, have a look at our previous post.



We hope you this post helps you finalise some products for your first NYX buy in India. Let us know if you have any feedback. We will be back with a new post soon.

Photography Credits: Shivam Bhatt.

Concealer Reviews.

Hey guys! In our last post we wrote about concealers and how you can use it to conceal all your blemishes. However, picking the right concealer may get difficult as there are various brands with different concealers having diverse claims. Don't worry, we are here to help you find some of the best concealers available. Keep reading to know more.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer retails at Rs.500 for 6.8ml. It is a liquid concealer with a creamy texture, which can be used to conceal blemishes and highlight the high points of one’s face. It does not need regular touch ups but needs to be set with powder to avoid creases and transferring. It may be a little difficult to find the right shade as it has only 3 shades in the Indian market. However, if you have the wrong shade you can always use it for some other purpose. Light concealers can be used for highlighting and dark ones for contouring.  This is a really good option for people with bad dark circles. It is packed in a long plastic tube with a long applicator, making the application very easy.   
 

L’Oreal True Match Concealer retails at Rs.950 for 02oz.* It is available in 3 shades in the Indian market which may give you a limited choice. It is more liquid-y in texture and easy to blend compared to the Maybelline Fit Me. It does tend to wear off and crease after about 4 hours and thus must be set with powder for best results. This covers up blemishes well but does not highlight the high points of one’s face. It comes in a cylindrical plastic tube with a short applicator.

SEPHORA SMOOTHING&BRIGHTENING Concealer retails at Rs.950 for 12ml. This is a good concealer for a beginner since it provides sheer coverage, making blemishes less prominent while still providing a natural look. This works well as a highlighter by a providing one with a natural glow. It does not crease too much since it has a light texture and may or may not need to be set with powder. It comes in the shape of a pen with a brush as its nib. As you twist the pen, the product comes out through the brush with which it can be applied. The brush applicator helps to spread the product evenly. A reasonable alternative for this concealer is Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer which retails at Rs.500 for 1.5ml.  

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind retails at Rs.800 for 20ml. This comes in a plastic tube with a round sponge on top of it. Once you twist the knob, the  product comes through the sponge. Cleaning the sponge is not possible which gets me a little worried about the hygiene. However, this is the best concealer I have tried till date. I can totally skip the colour correcting under my eyes. It conceals blemishes really well and stays for long hours. It is also a good highlighting concealer. It is available on various websites and instagram stores. If you have bad dark circles and are in search of a good concealer, I highly recommend this concealer.

NYX HD Concealer retails at Rs.400 for 3g. I have the shade  CW12 which is a colour correcting concealer. It is a dupe for the NARS radiant creamy concealer. It has a creamy texture and blends easily. A small amount is sufficient to hide acne scars and blemishes. It comes in a glass tube with a long wand. It is light weight and affordable. This concealer may not be available in India right now but NYX is coming to India very soon! Stay tuned to our blog to know more about it.

   

We hope this post helps you finalise your buy. We will be back with a new post soon.