Review: Benefit's Hoola Bronzer

Hello Lovelies!

Hope you all are doing great!

I am SUPER happy today! My day went so smoothly and and I felt really energized during the day. I feel sooooo Happy!!! :) I think it's because I was able to sleep soundly last night, after so long time.

Anyway, so today I am going to review Benefit's Hoola Bronzer. I had ordered it online, on Benefit's website and it got delivered after almost three weeks.

The box contained the product ordered and two samples. The bronzer was on sale for $28 and for samples, I chose the Porefessional Pore Minimizing Powder and Fake Up concealer in Medium.

Hoola Bronzer, Fake Up Concealer and Porefessional Powder

The Star of the Box ;) The packaging is really cute and original.

As per the instructions, the bronzer should be brush across cheekbones and forehead for the tanned look.

Hoola Bronzer with brush and mirror

Hoola Bronzer

Without Hoola Bronzer

With Hoola Bronzer

You can already see the difference the bronzer makes from the above two pictures. In the second picture, the cheekbones are more prominent than in the first one and looks natural. No fakes over here ;)

Pros:
1. Perfect color for contouring. A MUST buy!
2. Staying power is great.
3. Comes with a brush, which makes it easier to create that high cheekbone effect.
4. LOVE the package. The powder comes in a box, which is really cute imo! :)

Cons:
1. Price. For the amount of product obtained, the bronzer is quite expensive. But it is something I know I will definitely repurchase because of the quality.

All I can say is that your makeup box is incomplete without the Hoola Bronzer. It is a product worth spending for and somethng you will not regret buying.

Do you have the Hoola Bronzer? How do you find it?

Please do leave your comments below. I'd love to hear about it :)

Much love,
xx

Happy Attitude, Happy Life

It is often said that the turn that our life takes and will take, depends majorly upon our attitude in life. And over all these years of my existence, I have come to see that this is absolutely true! It is our mind, our attitudes, our disposition will can make or break us. 

Being happy is our natural state, that's how we are meant to be. Like, remember when we used to be a child. That carefree nature, total bliss and excitement over doing things, looking forward to picnics, outings, and finding everything so amazing... 

That's what brings happiness. Especially in this world of today, where the main focus is on materialism. It is important for us to realise that there are small things in life which can procure us of immense happiness to our souls.

I just saw this post and thought of sharing it with you all. These 12 things are really important, and I am totally going to do this as a 12-day plan! ;) 

One thing a day! 

Hope this inspires you today and may happiness comes bountifully in your lives!

And remember, just smile and be happy! That's what counts the most in life! Happiness.

Makeup Haul :))))

Hellooooo Everyone!

Hope all of you are doing great.

I had done some online shopping on Ebay (mainly makeup stuff) and thought of sharing with you all the products that I bought and my thoughts thoughts on them. 

So, I will start off with my palette, which I am building gradually... Hehe. I am collecting MAC eyeshadows, and I must say, I am deeply impressed with the quality of the eyeshadows as well as their staying power. I bought some eyeshadows, which are mostly neutral colors. 

Beginners' Palette

I bought Soft Brown which is described as a soft golden peachy brown color which complements my warm undertones nicely. I use it mainly as a transition color in my crease. It shows off well on the lids and I find it to be a great color which can be used liberally during the day in the crease to create a soft definition. This is now one of my staple eyeshadows, which I would recommend to anyone starting to build their Mac eyeshadow collection to purchase.

Next color I got is All That Glitters, which is described as a beige with gold pearl with a Veluxe Pearl finish on Mac's website. But I personally find it to be a light pink peachy color with a frost finish. It looks frosty to be definitely, and is an amaaaaazing color! It is really suitable for an everyday look.

Expensive Pink is such a pretty color in itself. It is a pink with gold duochrome eyeshadow. I find it to be a rare color and so flattering. I'm absolutely in love with it! I use this on my eyelids on its own, with some eyeliner, and I'm ready to go! 

Satin Taupe has become another one of my favourite eyeshadows, and is a taupe with silver shimmer. It is another great color in itself, and can be used to create a gorgeous smokey eye. I use Espresso with this and it works perfectly! 

Espresso is described as a muted golden brown and is a dense brown color, absolutely great for the crease for added depth to the eyes. I use this on my lower lashline for more definition to the eyes during the day.

I also bought Rule eyeshadow, which is a vivid orange color. However, it does not come out as bright as it is in the below picture. I use this in my crease for added warmth when I am rocking gold eyeshadows, and the overall look is soooooo marvelous! I shall post pictures on the eyeshadow looks soonish! 

Last but not least, I bought Woodwinked, the much talked about eyeshadow. It is a muted gold color and I adore it. It is a neutral one and I love it! Yes, I am diggin' neutrals atm! ;)

For the face, I got the MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle. It is basically a gorgeous champagne color highlighter. Use this to highlight your cheekbones, and you will never use another highlighter, trust me! This product is waaayyyy amazing! It looks best at night though, and gives a nice glow to the cheeks which I absolutely love.

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle

Swatch of Soft and Gentle, photo taken w/o flash

 Oops.. I almost forgot this one... Another eye product that I got is MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. It is a yellow base for eyeshadows. I bought this after much research on the net since I wanted to get Painterly (which is more pink based). But I found out that the choice does not depend on our undertones (warm ,i.e. yellow undertones, if you have green veins and cool, i.e. pink undertones, if you have blue veins). But the base works on the type of eyeshadows you are applying. So this made more sense ;) If you are going to rock a pink based eyeshadow, such as pink or mauve, purple, eyeshadows then you should use Painterly as a base. And gold, or warm eyeshadows will look best with Soft Ochre as base. 

The eyeshadow base helps the eyeshadows to last longer and make the color more intense. You would never go back to putting eyeshadow on bare eyelids ever again once you start using the MAC's Paint Pot.

MAC's Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

It is a creamy, thick consistency. Smells quite funny though but the scent does not linger, which is great.

Swatch of Soft Ochre on my sister's hand ;)

Have you used any of the above products? How do you like it?

Leave your comments below to let me know!

x

Waterproof mascara... Ouch?!

Hey Guys!

Hope you are all doing great.

I am certainly enjoying and making the most out of each day! So, today I am going to share with you all a tip for removing mascara. I don't know, if like me, you love using waterproof mascara. But, let's admit it, we do have a hard time to remove all of that from our eyelashes!

My favourite mascara for the moment is the Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies mascara.

This mascara is just the best in the market in my opinion. It is very affordable and the quality is really good. This proves that you need not spend lots of bucks for high end mascara because this one totally beats many other high end brands. I use one coat on my eyelashes usually. I am really very satisfied with the results, my eyelashes look longer and thicker.  

This mascara is waterproof, which is great and not-so-great. Great, when you are walking down the street with eyelashes gorgeously coated with mascara and it starts raining... And voila! Your mascara sticks in its place. Yes ladies, no movement, nothing. That is just great!

Not-so-great, when you come home and have to remove your super mascara and after using eye makeup remover and other (safe) solutions, you realise that there is more mascara left on your eyelashes! This happens to all of us who use waterproof mascara. Well, I have come to find a very effective way of safely and gently removing all mascara... The secret is vaseline

This is really a all-in-one product. I use it for moisturising my knees' and elbow's skin as well as my lips. I use it on my eyelashes at night, and use it to remove a stuck ring... What not! 

So, to remove your mascara, first you take some vaseline between your fingers and rub it to warm the jelly up. This will make it more easy to work with. Next, you need to gingerly apply it on your eyelashes and massage it in. You need to be careful and not rip off your precious lashes. LOL. Also, take care that the product does not get into your eyes. Once this is done, remove makeup from the rest of your face while letting the Vaseline soften the mascara. Using a cotton ball, dab some makeup remover on it and apply it on your eyelashes in gentle sweeping motions. This will remove all the mascara from your eyelashes and they will be conditioned as well. Vaseline softens and makes mascara removing so much easier. 

Do you have any other trick to remove mascara? Please, do share! :)

Don't forget to love yourself! 

Much Love,

xoxo

Hello December! Make my wishes come true! :)

Hey Guys! :)

Happy December! 

I so much love December. It's my favourite month. I love the feeling of excitement over festivities, shopping sprees, parties, family get-togethers, and yummy food ofcourse! 

And most important of all, it is the last month of the year and each day should be celebrated in a unique day according to me. So my December for this year started very nicely. Though I have the exams butterflies in my stomach >_< Yeah, I am in revision mode full time. I am currently away from office and though it is a super nice break, I have to fill in my days with revision. Soooo... these days I am revising my notes and preparing myself for the exams, eating and sleeping. LOL And it goes on and on. 

But I have nothing to complain... I love my life currently. Though I sometimes feel empty in the inside due to a recent heart-break (I'll not get into it...) but I am doing everything to heal, and I feel I'm slowly getting over that part.. I am so grateful for my life, for the people in it, for having such loving and caring mom and dad. I love them so much and my sisters... I am grateful for everything God blessed me with.. Even the not-so-kind experiences I have had in my life, since it helped me see clearly and it all made me stronger and wiser...

So, back to exams, I do feel tired with revision, and I escape from that, taking short breaks and I usually go to the Youtube realm :) hehe. I have always loved studying. Reading is among my favourite pastime; I enjoy reading a great book over a big cup of coffee :) 

My current craves are Christmas movies and cupcakes baking! And ofcourse scented candles. I am going to be downloading some once my exams are over so that I can spend the nights with some yummy cupcakes and hot coffee. Ahh, I feel better just thinking about that :) hehe

Aren't these cute and yummy? I am trying these soonish! 

What are your favourites pastime? And what are your December craves?

Thank you for stopping by :)

Talk to you soon.

xoxo

My Skin Care Routine

Hello my lovely readers! :)

Happy Monday !! :)

I hope you all had a lovely Monday. I decided to share with you all my skin care routine and also provide you with my thoughts on the several products that I use. 

First thing first, I have a combination to oily skin. My T zone is the culprit. Lol. It tends to get oily which I do not like. Ahhh, but well I make do with it. It's not that bad ;) I do not have acne luckily and get only few pimples here and there especially in summer. But right now, my skin is pretty much behaving and it's cleared.

In the morning, I wake up my skin with fresh tap water and use Dove soap to cleanse and remove any impurities from my pores. I then use Yves Rocher Hydrating Tonique to tone my skin.

Then I apply my Ducray Ictyane moisturizer and Uriage sunscreen SPF 50+ and then proceed with applying makeup. Moisturizer and sunscreen is a MUST for me; I live in a tropical island, where there are 2 seasons only (summer and winter) and we have sun whole year round, which I simply love! But my skin bears the brunt, unfortunately! Hence, sunscreen is like a staple product for me.

That was for the morning routine. For my night time skin care, I remove my makeup using my Galenic Pur makeup remover. I like using this makeup remover, since it works for eye makeup as well. Moreover, the product does not irritate my skin and fully removes all makeup properly. If you have combination to oily skin, then do give this product a try. I'm in love with it, and will surely repurchase same! I apply it with my hands (Yes, I'm more a "hands" lady. Heheh) I warm the product in my hands and then apply it on my face and neck. Using small rotating movements, I work on my face and eye area. I remove the product with a warm wet face towel. I rinse my face and then scrub my forehead, nose area, and chin. I use St Yves Apricot Scrub, which is a real saviour! This scrub greatly contributes to keeping my skin spot free; it does prevent pimples and blemishes. 

I make sure my skin is and feels squeaky clean, and then moisturize and lip balm. So there you are! My complete skin regimen :) I am sticky to the above since I am completely satisfied with the results. I usually stick to a skin regimen for about 6 months and then I change it.

So, for now, this is how I'm pampering my skin :) 

How about you? What products you use? Feel free to comment below :)

Much love 

xxx

Fitness madness :)

Working-out has become one of my priorities lately. After I left university (approximately 3 years back), and started working, my schedule and life changed significantly.

I work in one of the most hectic sectors ever! By the time I finish work and I get back home, I barely have any energy left in me; all I do is take a warm delicious smelling bath (yes, I LOVE smelling delicious!) and snuggle into my bed and drift into sleep. And then the next day, it starts all over again! But I got really bored and fed up with the routine, and instead of working out exclusively during weekends, I have managed to add some 20-30 minutes work-out during the week days as well :) Yayyy!

So during the week, after work, I log onto Youtube and do some 30 mins Zumba dance, which is REALLY exhausting! But after that 30 mins work-out, I feel really GOOD!  I feel light and motivated :) It's one of the best exercises ever.

During weekend, I do some yoga and some intensive exercises, targeting specific areas like my stomach and  my bum :P Yeah, need to tone it as well :)

I am dedicated to taking the required time to take care of my body since it is very important for me. I know many women do not get the required time to do exercises/ look after themselves. But I feel that if we make a real effort, we end up obtaining what we want. Nothing is impossible in life. Hard work and faith in yourself makes everything possible, and can make even the most humongous task seem easy peasy :) It might seem difficult to shed those extra pounds but strive for it, work your ass off and feel proud once you achieve your target :)

Review: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

After a trip to the shop, I succumbed to my temptation and bought myself the much talked about beauty product: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm.

I have been using this product on and off, on special occasions like parties and weddings. It has a creamy texture and is light ivory in color. The beauty flash balm is a moisturizer and primer all in one.  It is supposed to tighten your skin, and make your skin appear smooth and youthful as well as radiant. So much benefits from a single product did leave me skeptical at the beginning, but as I used it, I noticed the difference it made to the appearance of my skin. I have a combination skin and I apply it mainly on my cheeks which tend to be dry. It works amazingly well for a primer since my skin looks dewy and fresh, and my skin literally glows!

I have been very satisfied with this product ever since I have been using it. However, I feel this might be a miracle beauty product for women with dry skin. Its creamy texture and non sticky application are laudable. The product is of a thick consistency and a little goes a long way. It helps my foundation to look more natural and my skin looks youthful (I'm 25 only, but still! :)) I use about a pea sized amount for my face. I rub the product on both hands and then gently smear it over my face. You don't need to rub the product for it to sink into your skin. It just has to be spread on your skin and voila! 

I find it a great product which is used as primer and my foundation stays on longer. I would definitely repurchase this product.

How about you? Have you used this product? Leave your comments below! :)

Some superlicious skin treats

I love love love body scrubs and body moisturisers! I cannot stress enough on how much I love scrubbing and moisturizing my body skin. Whenever I go to a beauty shop, this is what I always look for, new brands of body scrubs and body moisturizers.

Though I did try many scrubs, I have not been fully satisfied with the results. Which made me look online and I found something which works great for the skin and which cost much less than the scrubs on the market!

I do my own homemade body scrub!

For that, you need:

A jar
A bowl of raw/ brown sugar
Olive oil/ coconut oil
Some essential oils
Rose petals

You first fill in the bowl with coconut oil/ olive oil. I love coconut oil the best. Fill it about halfway and then fill in the brown sugar alternating with rose petals till the bowl is nearly full. You may add few drops of essential oils just to make it exotic and yummy :) I personally like the Vanilla essential oil which works wonders with the brown sugar and coconut oil combo! Makes me want to eat this thing! lol



You may then store the jar and use the scrub as and when you like! Not only is this an effective body scrub, but it is easy to make at home itself, and it creates a spa like ambiance in your bathroom, with the tropical fragrance it will exude.

Hope you enjoy this!

Amika Hair Styling Tool

I just bought a new flat iron for my long tresses :)) Yay! The fact is that I have been wanting to buy it for sooo long and I finally got it! My brand new Amika Flat iron.

I got the one with zebra stripes (oooh, reflects my wild side ;) heheh) I absolutely love this thing! Plus, the design makes it easy to handle. You can straighten your hair as well as curl it! Isn't this baby amazing? Moreover, the ceramic plates is less damaging to the hair, especially if, like me, you use a flat iron every two to three days. There is a heat control and you can set the temperature as you desire. I like curling my hair more than straightening it though. It makes some lovely curls to my hair :) Though quite pricey, I would say this is a great long term investment. 

A little wand and Gorgeous lashes :)

I have recently been tempted to change my mascara which I have been using for so long! My favourite Maybelline Volume Express mascara. I  have been using the same brand for like more almost 3 years! (Imagine how much I love it!) 

This product is really something to rave for. The consistency of the mascara is perfect and it is waterproof, so you can wear same without any worries for smudges or mascara running off on your cheeks!

My favourite mascara!

However, since I love trying new products, I decided to change and try something else. I decided to swap to another product in the Maybelline range itself, The Falsies Volum' Express.

This mascara is reallllyyyyyy A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It really gives the lashes the falsies effect. The wand is kinda different from the other mascaras on the market. Initially, the product comes off the tube and on the wand a bit in excess. I wipe the excess product with a tissue paper and then apply it. The result very satisfactory to me; my lashes appear longer and more thick. Moreover, the wand distributes the product evenly on the lashes. The stay power is for approximately more or less 12 hours and is waterproof. I believe you don't need to shell out loads of money for a good quality mascara, since this one will live up to your expectations. It does all that it promises to do.

So far, I am thinking of sticking to this one for quite a long time :) Only thing is that the mascara is really hard to remove! I have to use lots of makeup remover to finally clean my eyelashes. But this is an amazing product, and can very well compete with high end mascaras such as that in YSL range. I would certainly be using this one a lot :)