Makeup Haul

I've never really done a haul post before mainly because I've been trying to finish the shit I already have. But its been close to 2 years since I bought any new makeup & frankly, the stuff's been calling out to me. The only difference is in the way I shop- I've reasoned & researched before every single purchase, whittling away at my wishlist until it was just what I needed. Also I've stopped being such a brand snob- no point spending big bucks if the quality is same & you are anyway going to junk it in 2 years with 3/4th of the product unused. Sigh! Girl problems

Castillo Eyeliner in Black, Grey, Taupe, Teal, Golden, Chocolate Brown

INR 325 for 3 gm each

I've never heard of this brand before but it had glowing reviews + it claims to be made in Germany. All the eyeliners I've used before which were manufactured in Germany have been stellar. Also, I simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to have so many colours. The eyeliners are well pigmented, smooth & an absolute breeze to apply. They last for 6+ hours after which there is a bit of fading but it does not migrate anywhere else. While I love all the other colours, the grey and taupe ones make me look ill. Nevertheless, good purchase.

Coloressence Intense Long Wear Liquid Lip Colour in Rose Petal

INR 350 for 8 ml

After watching the swatch video on YouTube countless times, I zeroed in on Antique Ruby & Rose Petal. Somehow, at the last minute I felt Rose Petal would be more wearable & ended up buying it. And thank heavens for that- the lip colour is super vivid & does not budge. At all. It is a wee bit drying on my lips but nothing horrendous. It dries to a matte finish & I'm madly in love with this colour.

Arezia Matte Me Lipstick in Skin Kiss

INR 250 for 6 ml

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that matte lips have been in for a while. I initially wanted to buy the Chambor one but the price tag put me off. Am glad I bought this - it's the perfect nude shade for me. It is drying like all other matte lip products. Nothing unmanageable though.

Me Now Kajal in Black, Emerald Green, Brown, Sky Blue, Sapphire Blue, Caterpillar Green

INR 300 for 4.2 gm each

Another unheard of brand though there are a fair bit of reviews on YouTube. Simply love these kajals. They stay put for about 4+ hours after which they fade a bit but there is hardly any smudging. The sapphire blue is my favorite of the lot.

Maybelline White Superfresh Compact in Coral

INR 150 for 8 gm

I'm not running out of compacts anytime soon but I couldn't resist it at just 100 bucks. Not used yet & will not be opening this until my existing compacts finish.

Elle 18 Glow Compact in Marble

INR 150 for 8 gm

Another 100 INR purchase. Like I said before, I like a good bargain.

I also bought 6 ADS lipsticks (there are no half measures with me) but seem to have misplaced them somewhere. Will post them separately. Have you bought anything lately?

Project Pan

I've always liked the idea of starting a Project Pan. The deal is to finish products that I've hit pan on & thus finish more stuff. While it sounded good on paper, I was super apprehensive to actually start it. What if, like always I wouldn't manage to finish anything?

Nevertheless, I really want to finish using my makeup. After I gathered all my half empty products, I realized they all belonged to the same family- base makeup. Let's not get totally crazy & try to finish lipstick. That'll take an eternity.

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Compact in Golden Medium 3

INR 200 for 8 gm

I've hit pan on this in December 2015 but it's showing no signs of dying. How much stuff is in this thing! 8gm doesn't sound like a lot but it's taking freaking forever to finish. One of the reasons I took such a long time to hit pan was because I absolutely hated the finish of this product. Halfway through, I realized the problem was the applicator- what a terrible puff! I've since switched to a brush & am galloping away towards the finish line. Hope to include this in the next empties post.

Streetwear Color Rich Perfection Compact in Neutral

INR 275 for 7 gm

I love everything about this compact - the colour matches to a T, the puff is decent & the packaging is cute. I hit pan about a month back. I keep this in my bag & use only for touch-ups or when I'm travelling. Gonna take significantly longer to finish this.

Garnier BB Cream

INR 99 for 18 gm

I don't really like this too much which is why it's taking so long to finish. It gives a dewy finish to my face which I have to set with powder. Too many steps for something that gives little to no coverage. It fares better in the colder months though. Hoping to finish it this winter.

L'oreal Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer

INR 995 for 15 ml

The first & only primer I've ever used. It smoothes skin & makes my makeup last much longer. I've almost hit bottom-I can see the base but not quite.

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse in Pure Beige Medium 2

INR 650 for 30 ml

I LOVE this stuff. The colour matches to a T & photographs well. I've finished about half of this & I thought it would be a great idea to buy a backup. So now, I have one & half bottles of this foundation. Chipping away steadily- let's see how long it takes.

Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation

INR 125 for 27 ml

The colour is a tad too pale for my skin & way too yellow. I use this only when I'm practicing looks. About halfway through this.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Honey Miel

INR 600 for 1.5 ml

I hopped onto the concealer bandwagon really late but I'm blown away by what a difference it makes. I absolutely love it & I'm about halfway through this one as well.

No Name Concealer Palette

I bought this off ebay for just 4 $. There are a wide variety of colours along with 3 corrector shades. The texture is buttery smooth & blends well. I don't know how long it will take to finish this- too much product. I've not really hit pan on this but it's been a while since I bought it & I just want to use it.

Have any of you tried doing a Project Pan? Did it help? Comment below.

September & October Empties

Hello all, Sorry for disappearing yet again. Last time I did a combined empties post for 2 months due to time constraints. Turns out I want to continue doing just that. For starters, there are more number of empties generated. Plus it feels good to see so many finished products together. I get a psychological high from that. Honestly, I was getting a serious complex seeing other bloggers' empties. How in hell do they finish so many products? Anyhow, this whole empties post once in 2 months is going to be the new normal. Let's start

KPN Neelibhringadi Coconut Oil

INR 85 for 100 ml

I need to use coconut oil for my super dry hair or else I develop dandruff quite easily. I was on the lookout for a coconut based hair oil that contained Bhringaraj. I've used the Baidyanath Bhringaraj Hair Oil earlier with stellar results except for 1 tiny problem. It has a castor oil base which does nothing for my dandruff prone scalp. This one ticks all the boxes. While I'm not able to discern anything noticeable as far as my hair health is concerned, it has taken care of my dandruff like a boss. Have already repurchased another bottle.

Chik Hairfall Prevent Shampoo Sachets x 3

INR 1 for 6 ml

Just bought a few sachets to try out this shampoo. I'm trying to use more products from Indian companies & hence this experiment. Good enough but not great. Might not repurchase.

Sunsilk Jasmine Black Shampoo Sachet

INR 1 for 5.5 ml

My HG shampoo. Still have a few more sachets. I prefer buying many sachets instead of a giant bottle. Its easier to chip away at & comes in handy while travelling.

Clean & Clear Pimple Clearing Face Wash

INR 55 for 40 ml

Leaves my skin feeling overdry & tight though it does seem to help with pimples. No repurchase.

Vaadi Herbals Mint Lip Balm

INR 25 for 6gm

I'm so glad I bought this. Its become my new HG lip balm. It moisturises well & smells amazing. Infact, I seem to reach for my lip balm less often while using this- one of the reasons it took forever to finish. Also it doesn't leave an oily film in your drink when you sip something- another of my pet peeves. All in all, superstar. I have 2 more variants of the same.

Streax Perfumed Body Mist in Refreshing Lily Vanilla

INR 120 for 100 ml

Decent body mist but definitely something you can give a miss if you are a regular perfume user like me. Will be repurposing this spray bottle to store my toner. I had bought a set of 3 -1 more to go.

Lacto Calamine Lotion

INR 160 for 120 ml

My lifeline. I don't even know how I will function without this. Will repurchase forever.

Astaberry Wine Facial Kit

INR 200

My new favorite facial kit. I like the fact that all tubes except for the cleanser finished at the same time. Will be buying the bigger size next time.

Nature's Essence Diamond Face Cleanser Oxygel

40 gm (Full set costs INR 700)

Part of the facial kit. After the face pack, this is the second product to finish from the set. Decent enough but no repurchase. I'm bored of the scent.

VOV Perfume Polish Cleanser

100 ml (Don't remember the price)

Love this. It can handle the most vivid colours & even glitter with consummate ease. Have bought a different variant.

Discarding a few products this month

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in Addictive Magenta

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in Brick- o- la

Love all of these colours but they have gotten really hard over time, almost like crayons. It's difficult to apply smoothly even after applying lip balm. Does anyone know how to make them soft again? I really love the colours & the staying power and definitely don't want to throw them away. If wishes were horses eh?

V color Nail Polish Remover Pads

INR 45 for 40 wipes

These are terrible. More than half the wipes dried up completely & became useless. Still have one more of this.

So that's that. How many products have you finished lately?

August Empties

Hello, Running late again. Ah well, let's get on with it.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

INR 240 for 100 gm

Even though it's marketed as a face scrub, it lathers extremely well & so I used it as a face wash. I LOVE it. I don't have to do anything else to tackle my pesky blackheads while using this. The only bummer is the rather medicinal smell. Nevertheless repurchase worthy.

Vaadi Herbals Olive Facial Bar

INR 34 for 25 gm

Hallelujah! The last one from my bulk buying spree a while back. Never buying ever again.

Aloe Veda Chocolate Vanilla Luxury Shower Gel

INR 180 for 300 ml

Mixed feelings about this one. It cleans well, doesn't overdry but the smell is a bit of a downer. It doesn't smell like true chocolate. I have 2 more variants of this shower gel.

Nature's Essence Bridal Foot Care

INR 175 for 100 gm

This was part of Nature's Essence Manicure & Pedicure Kit. I love using it as a hand cream for my super dry hands. Might buy again.

Bioline White Petroleum Jelly

INR 50 for 100 gm

This is the real deal- WAY better than regular Vaseline & the only thing that works on my rough heels. Have already bought a humongous jar of the same.

Head & Shoulders Conditioner

INR 4 for 7.5 ml

Got it as a free gift with some shampoo. Since I don't use conditioner regularly, it's quite a task to finish these.

Sunsilk Jasmine Black Shampoo X2

INR 1 for 5.5 ml

My HG shampoo. Will repurchase forever.

Discarding this month

Lakme Clean Up Face Mask Fresh Fairness

INR 110 for 50 gm

Oh sweet Lord! This thing expired a whole year back. Into the bin.

Streetwear Color Rich MegaShine Lip Gloss in Party Melon

Bought this one purely for nostalgic reasons- I used quite a few of their products back when I was in college. But I'm SO over glosses right now. Plus the tube cracked.

Chambor Glitzy Gloss in 615 Intense

Loved this colour & the coconutty fragrance. Discarding for the same reason as above. Simply not digging glosses anymore.

Maybelline Pink Alert POW4

I like this colour but the lipstick's become kinda squishy. Not sure how much more time the bullet will remain intact. Also I have a near dupe of this colour in Maybelline MAT 1 lipstick.

I seem to only discard makeup & not finish any of it. Well, at least my vanity box is not groaning anymore with the weight of unwanted makeup. Cheers.

Astaberry Wine Facial Kit Review

Hello people, I have spoken before about my love for facial kits. It has only grown in the year since I've started using them. The latest one in my vanity is Astaberry Wine Facial Kit. Wine facials were all the rage a while back & I'm thrilled that I can indulge in the same in the comfort of my home.

INR 200 for 52 gm

Astaberry Wine Facial Kit is packaged in a wine coloured cardboard box with all the necessary details on it like contents, expiry date etc. The individual tubes are nestled in a plastic tray inside along with the free gift. I got a Fruit Face wash free with this pack. Judging by the size, I think I can do about 4 facials with this. Cost effective, right? The facial kit consists of 4 steps

1. Wine Cleanse  12 gm

This tube actually had a metallic seal like most medicines. It is a transparent, runny gel which lathers well & cleans the face without over drying. It has a pleasant, fruity fragrance which I loved. This is the only tube with a seal - probably due to the runny nature of the gel.

2. Wine Scrub  12 gm

This is a super creamy scrub with mild granules. It is very gentle on the skin. Unlike other creamy scrubs, this one does not linger forever on the skin & washes away easily. My skin looks brighter immediately after using this.

3. Wine Creme  12 gm

The wine cream is really thick & it's quite difficult to spread it evenly on the face. I recommend not drying your face after washing away the scrub or using some rose water. I experienced mild tingling around my nose (this happens with most products with me). The cream did not sink into my skin after about 10 minutes of massaging.

4. Wine Pack  16 gm

This step consists of a clay-based mask which is again really difficult to spread. I mixed it with a little rose water for convenience. I let it dry & then rinsed off the mask. I could notice a glow immediately.

I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with the result of this facial kit. I had never heard of this brand before & only had positive reviews on shopping websites to go by.

Yays

Smells pleasant

Difference is noticeable immediately after facial- pores are smaller, skin is smoother & there's a subtle glow. Skin looks better when used regularly.

The tubes are actually numbered in the sequence they are supposed to be used in.

Not tested on animals.

Nays

The outer carton is HUGE. Comparatively the amount of product you get appears less.

Other than Nature's Essence facial kits, this is the only other brand that has shown promising results. Will be buying the bigger pack next time.

Are home facials a part of your skincare routine?

June &July Empties

Hi all, life's been crazy busy & I simply couldn't do an empties post for June. So I'm doing a combined empties post for both June & July. Let's begin

Indulekha Coconut Milk Shampoo

INR 135 for 100 ml

Ho-hum shampoo, does nothing for my hair. But the real culprit is the smell. Who uses the scent of lime on a supposedly coconut milk shampoo? No repurchase.

Sunsilk Jasmine Black Shampoo Sachet

INR 1 for 5.5 ml

Love this. Will repurchase forever.

Head & Shoulders Conditioner

INR 4 for 7.5 ml

I generally don't use conditioner but I've a bunch of these sachets I got free with something. Trying to use up. Still have several more to finish.

Khadi Herbals Aloe Vera, Neem & Basil Facial Massage Gel

INR 180 for 100 gm

I'm in two minds about this gel. While I love the smell & texture of this, it somehow imparts a very sticky, shiny look to my face. Mind you, it only looks shiny - it's dry to the touch. Maybe it will look glowy on people with dry skin. Anyhow, I used it up by mixing with an equal quantity of Lacto Calamine & surprise, surprise! The concoction works amazingly well on lines. The lines on my neck were less visible & altogether disappeared on continuous use. I might repurchase after I finish the gels in my stash. I still have a few more to work through.

Vaadi Herbals Olive Facial Bar x2

INR 34 for 25 gm

No good as a facial bar so I'm simply using it as soap. 2 down, just 1 more to go. Hallelujah!

Khadi Herbals Sandalwood Massage Oil

INR 150 for 210 ml

Love the scent of this - very subtle sandalwood. The oil though, I'm not impressed with. It's just mineral oil & doesn't moisturize effectively. No repurchase.

Khadi Herbals Lavender & Ylang Ylang Body Wash

INR 130 for 210 ml

Got this on a BOGO offer. Love the scent, the brilliant colour & the way it cleans without drying but after using 2 bottles, I'm looking for a change. No repurchase in the near future.

Fiama Di Wills Gel Bar Mild Dew (Peach & Avocado)

INR 60 for 125 gm

Love this. I feel like I'm using a luxurious product. Whoever came up with the name Mild Dew, I read it as mildew. Every. Single. Time.

Vaadi Herbals Lemongrass & Lily Body Oil

INR 65 for 50 ml

This is especially useful on days you want to wake up instantly. Love the zingy scent & it moisturizes better than the Lavender variant- probably due to the olive oil it contains. Will be buying the bigger bottle next time.

Biocare Foot Scrub with Apricot,  Jojoba & Organic Rosemary

INR 180 for 500 ml

Biocare products are total value for money. The products work decently & given the price & quantity, you simply can't complain. It has a subtle scent & is super effective at scrubbing away dead cells. I also used it as a body scrub because let's face it - there was no way in hell I was going to finish it by using only on my feet. Love this. Will buy a different variant next time.

Moving on to the decluttering. Getting rid of some makeup this time

Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Berry Sorbet

Don't remember the price, it's ancient

My very first blush -a dusty pink colour that looked natural on me. I've moved on to newer loves & this one was lying forgotten in the very depths  of my vanity. Time to bid adieu.

MAC Cream Color Base in Hush

INR 1150 for 3.2 gm

My most expensive makeup purchase. Also my most expensive makeup mistake. I went to MAC looking for their legendary paint pots. As always it was OOS. The SA convinced me that the CCB worked the same way as the paint pots. Total fail! It creases like crazy on my lids. And since I have oily skin, my skin produces its own highlighter. I have no use of this product & after staring at it morosely for 5 odd years, I've finally gathered the courage to get rid of it.

Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm in Pink Guava

INR 149 for 4.8 gm

Aargh! The only thing I hate more than glitter in lipstick is glitter in lip balms. These Nivea lip balms never cut it for me anyway- with or without glitter.

So many products, so little time. Still have about half of my stash to empty. Cheers.

Books This Week 18

Endless rains in my city & I'm cozying up with more than my fair share of books. Let's begin

The Girl in The Spider's Web- David Lagercrantz

I absolutely love the Millennium series & it's one of my all time favorite books. It was with more than trepidation that I picked up this sequel written by someone else. Considering the author is dead, I suppose this was inevitable. Oh! How I wish I hadn't. The characters are a watered down version of themselves & story is nothing to write home about. Mikael Blomkvist & Lisbeth Salander are 2 of my favorite literary characters & I simply can't stand to see them so helpless. If you enjoyed Steig Larsson's series, stay away from this one.

Pretty in Plaid- Jen Lancaster

What a funny book! The book's made up of stories of the author's life & what she was wearing when something poignant happened. There are also wardrobe lessons like not wearing coloured undies under white pants etc. The ending is a bit hurried though. Suddenly she goes from First Job to several years later as a married woman who has put on a lot of weight & written a few books. One time read.

Timeless Beauty- Christie Brinkley

Nice book with a lot of skincare advice thrown in & generously sprinkled with the author's perfect pictures. At 60+, she is a gorgeous woman. But she does admit to having some work done, so take the advice with a pinch of salt.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party- Alexander McCall Smith

My weekly ration of this series. I NEED a new series as good as this one. This book describes the events leading up to Mma Matsuki's wedding & is as good as every book in this series. Just 2 more to go. Sob, sob.

Fierce Style- Christian Siriano

I remember Christian Siriano from Project Runway a few years back. He was super flamboyant & very hard working. The book though is nothing great. Amidst all the fashion advice is a healthy sprinkling of "fierce" & other slang favored by the author. To be fair, I think these slang words sound better when said out the loud with appropriate gestures & tone. In print, though, fail.

What have you been reading?

Books This Week 17

Absolutely perfect weather to curl up with a book in my city this week. And I made the most of it

Pretty Girls- Karin Slaughter

Last week I thought Career of Evil was gory. But this book takes the cake. By far, it's the goriest book I've ever read. I should have known when the author's last name is "slaughter"! The storyline is fabulous though. The protagonist( I like to think of Claire as the protagonist though Lydia has an equal share of storytelling) comes across as really dimwitted, especially in the beginning. I think this has been done intentionally so that we can appreciate the transformation she undergoes towards the end. I cannot tell more without spoilers. Go for it. I really enjoyed reading it.

365 Style- Nicky Hilton

Loved this one. The central theme of the book is that we constantly dress for 3 occasions in our life. And we only need 6 outfits & 5 accessories to complete the look. I love this minimalistic approach to wardrobe as I think we have way too much. I like the fact that she breaks down the 3-6-5s for every season. You can simply replace one item with another if it doesn't suit you. There are other sections too like 5 can't do without items, fashion advice from her mom, cleaning up etc. Good stuff.

How to be a Parisian wherever you are

This is co- written by 4 -5 women, none of whom I've heard of before. This has got to be the strangest book I've ever read. It's full of contradictory advice & I simply don't see why they bothered to write at all. Some parts are fun but that's not enough to hold my interest. Passable.

Scandalous Housewives of Mumbai- Madhuri Bannerjee

Oh Dear God! Wannabe desperate housewives. This is one tacky book with things either black or white. There are no greys. All the housewives have primitive thought processes but tend to dress in shorts & dresses. Don't even bother.

The Double Comfort Safari Club- Alexander McCall Smith

Oh how I love this series! Now that I'm almost at the fag end of the series, I'm actually rationing these books. Thoroughly enjoyed this. I love the simple storytelling in this entire series.

That's all for this week. Cheers.

My Very Own Box- Indulgences

It's my Birthday month & I can't wait. This month's box will be made up of my favourite indulgences- chocolate, coffee & wine. In that order

Nature's Essence Choco Facial Kit

INR 150 for 42 gm

I wanted to try this from a long time. With the weather finally cooling, I think I can use this next.

Silkberry Time Control Facial Massage Cream- Cocoa & Chocolate

INR 270 for 250 gm

This one smells exactly like Khadi Chocolate Body Butter & is pretty rich. I'll be using it as a hand cream once my current hand cream finishes.

Aloe Veda Chocolate Vanilla Luxury Shower Gel

INR 180 for 300 ml

Smells absolutely divine. A little goes a long way, sadly the smell is not long lasting. Perfect for the colder weather.

Asta Berry Wine Facial Kit

INR 200 for 52 gm

Another one on my list from a long time. Loving these facial kits so much. Bye bye salons!

Nilgiri Aroma's Shea Butter Coffee Face Scrub

INR 150 for 100 gm

Picked this up from Coorg while on a holiday. Total impulse buy. It doesn't smell like true coffee but is pretty close. This is by far the creamiest scrub I've ever used. It has actual coffee particles floating around & I love it.

That's it for now. What are your indulgences?

Resolutions

Nothing makes me more aware of the passing nature of time like the passing of a birthday. I'm happy as ever to celebrate but it also makes me realize that time ain't coming back & it's NEVER going to get less busy. So Carpe Diem- Seize the day- & live your best life now. After all, Kal Ho Na Ho.

I always make resolutions around my birthday & not new year like most people. Somehow I feel it's more personal this way & you are not doing it just for the heck of it. I'm only writing my beauty & general well-being resolutions for obvious reasons. Here goes

Get More Fit

I was so happy to lose my post pregnancy weight & so easily at that, that I didn't realize I was still eating for two. Somewhere along the way I started making more & more unhealthy choices. And the result is plain to see. I'm still not what is considered overweight but I'm sick of the fat rolls around my stomach & my butt seems to be 2 sizes bigger- just like that! And I'm plain tired of wearing leggings & jeggings every- freaking- where. They are so forgiving that you don't even realize immediately if you are putting on weight.

I want to start exercising again, not just to lose weight but so I get more fit. I hardly seem to have any stamina these days & get tired easily. Since it's been over 3 years since I stopped exercising, I started with walking. I don't have a fixed schedule but I walk a couple of kilometers every other day. It's made my joints more limber & it's amazing how fast the body remembers. I used to love walking before- it was my me- time. I have also started exercising at home but it's an uphill task. I can barely do 4 reps of what I could easily do 20 earlier. No matter. I will get there.

Stop Saving Things

We have all been there. Saving that gorgeous dress for a more special event in the future; not using that super expensive lipstick often; not even using that amazing serum which works wonders- you get my drift. We are perpetually saving things for a more special day forgetting that everyday is special. I'm guilty of this too- I would never use new makeup for practising looks assuming I would waste product! That's rich coming from someone who has never finished a single makeup item.
I want to utilize everything that I have on a regular basis. Hell with special occasions! What could be more special than being alive & healthy?

Experiment More With Makeup

Of late, I gravitate towards my standard look ALL THE TIME. I have my 5 minutes look & 10 minutes look & don't go beyond that. I didn't even try strobing when it was all over the place. Time to be more adventurous- especially with my eye makeup.

Start a Good Skincare Regime

I do have a basic routine in place but I think it's time to up the ante. My routine is either super elaborate or almost nothing- I want to strike a balance.  I also want to start using retinol creams.

Do The Fun Things on your To -Do List

Somehow only the important stuff gets done. We don't seem to make time for reading the books we want to read or the movies we want to see or even the friends we want to meet. I've a huge pile of movies that I've been meaning to see but never got around to. Want to make time for about 2 movies per month.

Join the 6 a.m. Club

As you have probably guessed, this is a spin- off of Robin Sharma's popular 5 a.m. Club. I simply can't do with that less sleep so I've moved the waking up time to 6. I especially love the peace & quiet at that hour & honestly,  I would get nothing done if I didn't wake up early. I may eventually move it up to 5 a.m. but currently it's firmly at 6.

I may add more resolutions eventually but I feel these are plenty. I don't do too well when I have too many balls in the air. Cheers.

May Empties

Hello people, it's been about 2 years since I started doing empties & more than a year since I started posting them here. My stash is visibly reducing & I couldn't be happier. Let's start

Liquid Neutrogena Pure Mild Facial Cleanser

INR 299 for 150 ml

I HATE the way this smells but it works decently. No repurchase.

Balaji's Neem Herbal Powder

INR 28 for 100 gm

Had bought a lot of these powders to make a homemade ubtan. More than half the packet was left over which I used to wash my face alongwith besan. Good enough. Maybe I'll buy again after I finish some more powders that I have.

Balaji's Orange Peel Powder

INR 24 for 100 gm

I love the smell of orange & picked this up for the abovementioned ubtan. Totally stinks. Whatever the benefits maybe I'm not repurchasing again.

Balaji's Chandan Powder

INR 30 for 100 gm

One more thing I picked up for my ubtan. Smells lovely. Wouldn't mind buying again.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Shampoo

INR 205 for 300 ml

I loved it when I first started using it. By the end of the bottle, I couldn't wait to get rid of it. No repurchase.

Sunsilk Natural Recharge Conditioner

INR 64 for 80 ml

I rarely use conditioner on my hair. I prefer leave- in conditioners & that is why this took so long to finish. Smells exactly like the shampoo. No repurchase.

Streax Perfumed Body Mist- Refreshing Oriental Blossom

INR 120 for 100 ml

I had bought 3 of these a while back. Bad move for someone who uses perfume almost everyday. Deciding to get rid of them, I used this every single day instead of my roll- on deodorant. Not a wise choice in summers as the smell disappears in 3-4 hours. Sigh! 2 more to go.

V Color Nail Polish Remover Pad- Grapes flavoured

INR 45 for 40 wipes

Smells nice & was very effective in the beginning. I could remove polish from all 10 nails with a single wipe. It dries out super fast even though I kept it open for as less time as possible. After a while, I needed more wipes to clean the same number of nails. And more until it dried out completely. About 15 wipes are unused. Still have 2 more of these.

Happiness is .... finishing multiple products on the same day. Cheers.

Books This Week 16

Hello all, I haven't done this series in a while. Let's get straight to it

Career of Evil- Robert Galbraith

I was looking forward to reading this book as I loved the last book in this series. Cormoran Strike returns to solve another gripping mystery. A murderer is on the prowl, who likes to collect body parts of victims as trophies. And he has his sights on Cormoran's assistant Robin. As thrilling as it was to read, it was also quite gory. I simply couldn't shake a few images from my mind. Quite good but still doesn't come close to my beloved "Silkworm" from the same series.

Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic -Jennifer Scott

The final book in this series. I didn't particularly love the last book in this series but as you can probably tell by now, I simply don't leave any book series unfinished. There isn't much that's new in this book & I simply didn't take a shine to it.

Get Positively Beautiful- Carmindy

What an upbeat book! Generally beauty books focus on what is lacking & how to solve the same. I like the fact that the author keeps giving positive reinforcements throughout the book. She works as a beauty expert on TLC's show What Not to Wear. I simply love this book. I also loved her pictures throughout the book.

He Won't Need it Now- James Hadley Chase

I was feeling very nostalgic just picking up this book. This was one of the first thriller/mystery authors I started reading. It's typical James Hadley Chase with enough plot twists to keep me happy. The title kind of gives away the ending but it's a good book nevertheless.

500 Nail Designs- Chelsea Franklin

Picked this up purely on whim. I don't see the point of this book. True to the title, it is made up of 500 nail art designs but a LOT of it is repeated with just different colours. Also, there is absolutely no explanation on how to go about doing the design. Unless you have been living under a rock with no internet,  you would have seen at least a few of these designs on YouTube in much more detail. Not worth it.

What have you been reading?

My Very Own Box - May 2016

Hello all, Time for another edition of My Very Own Box. People who know me know that I'm a total skincare junkie- I'll try anything! Same goes with makeup. The one area where I simply don't change is my hair. I have curly, frizzy hair & I have just recovered from a long bout of hair loss. I'm too scared to even touch my hair. Deciding to be brave, this month's box will contain all hair related stuff. Let's go.

Khadi Ayurvedic Hair Tonic

INR 310 for 210 ml

This one smells very strongly of Ajwain but I like the smell. It's a brown coloured watery liquid. After applying on the scalp, it literally disappeares- no smell, no greasiness. I try to use on alternate days & wash off once every 4 days. I've heard good things about this one. Fingers crossed.

Garnier Fructis Oil in Cream

INR 35 for 50 gm

I finally succumbed & bought this to see what the hoopla was about. No impressed. At all. Ah well, at least it sets me back by only 35 bucks. (Another duh! moment- forgot to add this to pictures)

Chinese hair accessories

INR 350

Bought this from Amazon & I'm loving it to bits. Different hair accessories, all in one bag. I tried making a bun with the donut thingy & it turned out really well. It consists of

3 Hair Donuts
3 Bumpits
2 Volume Hair Base
2 Mini Volume Hair Base / Petit Fuwa Pin (whatever that is)
1 Bun Maker

Looking forward to being more adventurous with my hairstyles.

Wella Oil Reflections Smoothening Treatment

INR 400 for 30 ml

I got my hair cut recently & got suckered into buying this serum. Oh well, at least it fits with the theme. It does smell divine & doesn't weigh down my hair but this is by far the most expensive serum I've ever used.

Biocare Garlic Hair Mask

INR 300 for 500 ml

Just decided to give my hair some TLC in the comfort of my home. I've tried it out a couple of times & totally love it. And no, it does not smell like garlic - I was dreading that. My hair looks & feels smoother after using this. In a pinch, it even works amazingly well as a leave- in conditioner. Win- win.

This makes up my box for this month. What's your hair care regime?

April Empties

Hi all, super excited this time as I managed to finish long pending stuff that was simply refusing to die. Let's begin

Dove Elixir Lavender & Olive Oil

INR 185 for 90 ml

I bought this because the ad was too cute & the bottle looked amazing with a floating lavender petal/leaf (What is that thing?!) Turns out its just scented mineral oil. Tried using it as a hair serum but it was doing nothing for the frizz + it was taking freaking forever to finish. Finally finished it by using as a body oil. What! It's just mineral oil after all ;) Obviously not repurchasing.

L'oreal Go 360 Clean Sensitive skin

INR 399 for 178 ml

Ok, I'll be honest. I bought this only for the free scrublet that came with it. Unscented means it'll smell of yuck chemicals instead of nice smelling chemicals. Lesson learnt. Also 178 ml is HUGE for a face wash as is almost 400 bucks. Never again.

Vivel Purifying Face Wash

SAMPLE of 15 ml

Decent face wash. Might buy again if I ever run out. Ha ha , like that's goimg to happen!

Vaadi Herbals Olive Facial Bar

INR 34 for 25 gm

No words. 3 more to go.

Khadi Herbal Body Wash Lavender & Ylang Ylang

INR 130 for 210 ml

Smells amazing & cleans well. Still have one more of this.

Patanjali Body Ubtan

INR 60 for 100 gm

Awesome ubtan. Definite repurchase.

Spinz Sun- Tan Remover

FREE SAMPLE

Honestly, couldn't see a lot of difference but then again my tan might be too deep & the product doesn't contain bleach. Not repurchasing

Hotel Shampoo

Managed to finish one, single lone hotel shampoo this month.

Discards of the month-  Apparently,  the more you clean, the more stuff you find in your vanity. I swear,  it's like the abyss of a particularly dirty sea. Anyhow, discarding these things this month.

Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Pack

INR 115 for 100 gm

This one's ancient. The pack has separated & only green coloured water seems to come out of the tube. No repurchase. I'd rather make my own

Khadi Amla & Brahmi Hair Oil

INR 125 for 210 ml x 2

God! These BOGO offers will be the end of me. This oil does absolutely nothing for my hair + I seem to develop dandruff every time I use it. My single strand of white hair turned into 2 strands of white hair while using this. Obviously doesn't work in preventing grey hair. Into the bin.

Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Windsor Rose

In amazing condition for a 5 year old lipstick but I've found mera wala red & I rarely wear this anymore.

Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Coral Pink

Another 5 year old lipstick. I loved it when I first bought it but somehow I seem to reach for this lipstick less and less.

That's all for this month. Do you declutter often? Any use?

Books This Week 15

Hello all. Finally broke the jinx & picked up a great book this week

The Girl on the Train- Paula Hawkins

What a book! I absolutely loved it. It's a story of a woman travelling on a particular train route everyday. She notices a family in a house & makes up stories about them- going so far as to give them imaginary names. One fine day, the woman in the house disappears & the protagonist offers to provide information to help solve the case. As she gets further in the investigation, she realises that all is not as it appears & seemingly happy people can have problems too. There are enough twists in the storyline to keep me happy & the characters are slightly demented so as to appear real. Go for it.

At Home With Madame Chic- Jennifer Scott

Another instalment of gyan by Madame Chic. The book's made up of things like- don't lounge around all day in your pajamas, don't check your FB feed while having breakfast & the like. While the points may be valid, it comes across as being preachy. One time read.

Overdressed- Elizabeth Cline

When we buy clothes, we think of the style, the fabric or even the price. Rarely do we think of how it is manufactured, what stitching type is used etc. This book deals with all such uncomfortable questions. It really makes you think of the environmental cost at which you are buying that new dress. This was a total eye opener for me.

That's all folks! Read any of the books listed above? Loved it / hated it? Let me know.

Books This Week 14

Hi all, it's been a while since I did this series. The reason is I've only been reading magazines & other random junk. Anyhow these are the books I've read this past week

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built- Alexander McCall Smith

I searched high and low for this book but with no luck. Finally I found it on Flipkart at a very reasonable price. The book follows the lives of Mma Ramotswe, Mr JLB Maketoni & Mma Matsuki. As with the remaining books in this series, the storytelling is very simple & straight-forward. Absolutely loved it.

Your Beauty Mark- Dita von Tesse

Ok, I've a confession to make. I picked up this book without even realizing who the author was! I got her confused with Diane von Furstenberg! Anyway, it's a decent book. She speaks about her life & gives a detailed account of her beauty & fitness regimes. Pick up this book for the drool- worthy photos if not for anything else. How absolutely gorgeous is this woman! I'm in total awe.

Lessons From Madame Chic- Jennifer Scott

This book talks about fashion lessons that the author picked up from her host in France. This is a fun read. While I more or less agree with the "lessons", I simply can't bring myself to like the capsule wardrobe idea. How do you survive on such less clothes? What if you can't tackle laundry for a while? You will be stuck with no clothes or maybe dirty clothes.

P.S : If you don't want to invest in this book, head over to her blog- The Daily Connoisseur.

This is it for now. I'll be back again next week.

My Very Own Box - Perfumes

Hello all. Like most people I do almost all my shopping online these days. While I was happy to buy bath products & even makeup, the one area I was apprehensive about was perfumes. How on earth could you buy perfume without smelling it first?! As with all other things, you won't know if you don't try. Presenting my first ever online perfume haul.

Anna's Glamour by Anna Andre

INR 595 for 100 ml

This is by far the cheapest perfume I have ever bought (And I have bought a lot!). Let me tell you there is nothing cheap about it - right from the bottle to the fragrance. It doesn't reek of cheap quality alcohol like the others. The top notes are made up of Melon, Peach & Green Apple which makes it smell fresh. On point for summers. The middle notes are Mimosa, Tuberose, Lily, Freesia, Jasmine & Lily of the valley of which Lily is the most prominent. It last a decent 4 -6 hours after which you can smell the base notes of Sandalwood, Musk, Oakmoss & Ylang Ylang. New found love.

Streax Perfumed Body Mist Celebration Pack

INR 360 for 3 x100 ml

These smell super fresh & last a couple of hours. Even though it contains alcohol, it doesn't sting skin like other body sprays. I expected to love Lily Vanilla but I loved Oriental Blossom most of all.

Oriental Blossom- Made up of a combination of Jasmine, Wild Vanilla & Lemon Zest, I don't think it's a true Oriental perfume. Nevertheless it smells amazing. I especially love the hint of lemon zest- adds a fresh feel to the body mist.

Peach Love- Ah! The perils of online shopping. This one smells exactly like Anna's Glamour. This one's made of Peach, Mimosa & Ylang Ylang but the peach overpowers all others. I like this for daytime use.

Lily Vanilla- This one's made up of Lily, Vanilla (surprise!) & Coconut fragrances. It's a tad too sugary for my liking. I think it will suit teenagers more. There is also a subtle aqua undernote in this.

That's my box for this month. Have you ever bought perfume without smelling first? I am quite surprised I actually like it. Cheers.

March Empties

Hi all, running a little behind on my empties post this time. I just came back from a holiday & I need another holiday just to recover from this one. Let me tell you travelling with a toddler is no joke. Anyway let's see how much stuff I've finished this month.

Himani Navratan Oil

INR 32 for 50 ml

This is a God sent in scorching summer. It offers a temporary cooling effect that I simply love. It also claims to relieve body ache but I haven't used it for obvious reasons. The cooling effect takes a good 5 minutes to kick in - I was impatient the first time & ended up using a lot- my head was on fire. LOL. Repurchase only in summer.

Sunsilk Jasmine Black Shampoo sachet

INR 1 for 5.5 ml

Love this. Will repurchase until the end of time.

Nature's Essence Under Eye Cream

INR 75 for 40 gm

It's decent & I'm in love with the smell but nothing works better than pure almond oil. No repurchase.

Vaadi Herbals Olive Facial Bar

INR 34 for 25 gm

3 down, 4 more to go. HAVE. TO. STOP. BUYING. IN. BULK.

Nature's Essence Diamond Shine Pack

40 gm (INR 750 for entire facial kit)

I love this facial kit. Only the face pack has finished, all other STEPS in the facial are still there in copious amounts.

Original Eau De Cologne Shower Gel

50 ml (gifted- don't know the price)

I'm not a fan of the smell. Glad to see it gone. No repurchase.

Vaadi Herbals Lavender Aromatherapy Body Oil

INR 65 for 50 ml

Absolutely love this. Buying a bigger bottle next time.

Biocare Almond Nourishing Cream

INR 180 for 500 ml

How proud am I on finishing this! Smells like bitter almonds & provides decent moisturization. Will buy a different variant next time.

That's all for this month. Cheers.

Aroma Treasures Golden Glow Oil Review

I wanted to use facial oils from the longest time. But when you have oily skin it's better to wait for winter before using anything heavy or oily on your skin. I have used this facial oil twice everyday for the past 4 months & time is ripe for a review.

M.R.P 303 INR for 50 ml

Aroma Treasures Golden Glow Oil comes in a small plastic bottle with a screw on lid housed in a cardboard box. Both the box & the label on the bottle contain all the necessary information regarding the product. The lid also has a flip top with a small hole to control how much oil you take out. It dispenses oil perfectly- there has never been any spills or flowing oil to deal with.

The facial oil is a yellow coloured, light weight oil that gets absorbed instantly. The yellow does not transfer onto the face.I need about 2 -3 drops for my face & neck. The best part is that it dries to a matte finish in 2 minutes flat- it's difficult to even tell if you have anything on your face, much less oil. It also offers an oil balancing effect- I never wake up with an oil slicked face. Though I didn't notice any "glow" post using this, I still like how my skin feels when I use this oil.

Yays

Beautiful smell of turmeric & vetiver.

Packaging is spot on.

Absorbs & dries to a matte finish in a jiffy.

Has an oil balancing effect

Cost effective

Nays

I wish it came in a smaller sized bottle. Despite using regularly, I've only finished about half of the bottle. Besides, the instructions say that the product has to be finished within 4 months of opening. (See how hard it was to come up with a con!)

I'm happy with this facial oil- the first I've ever tried. Will be repurchasing come winter. Cheers.

My Very Own Box - O for Orange

Spring is here in my city. Heck it's full blown summer but spring sounds more romantic. Keeping up with the spirit of spring/ summer this month's box will contain only orange coloured products

L'oreal 6 Oil Nourish Extraordinary Oil

INR 199 for 100 ml

Was tempted to buy this from a long time, finally succumbed. The smell is a tad too strong for my liking & the packaging is pretty meh. Why do things only look pretty until you buy them?!

Magic Orange Scrub Soap

INR 30 for 75 gm

I love the scent of orange & I HAVE to buy anything with scrub in it. Yet to try.

Biocare Papaya Gel

INR 200 for 500 ml

Got this to use as body moisturizer in summer. Generally I can't tolerate any cream on my skin in the hotter months. Hoping to change that this year with this light weight gel.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

INR 240 for 100 gm

Neutrogena products work beautifully on my skin. Can't wait to try this.

Vedic Line Papaya Bio Gel Serum

INR 200 for 65 ml

Was blown away by a number of positive reviews. Yet to try.

Nature's Essence Perfect Papaya Face Wash

INR 60 for 65 ml

I got this free with a facial kit. It's got a lovely smell & cleans without drying.

Vaadi Herbals Luxurious Saffron Soap

INR 38 for 75 gm

I bought a ton of Vaadi soaps last year. I have enough to last me a few years. Like this soap, just don't love it.

Banjara's Saffron Facial Kit

INR 175 for 90 gm

I mostly stick to Nature's Essence facial kits. Wanted to try Banjara facial kit from a long time. Will update with results soon.

Lotus Herbals Orange Lip Balm

INR 125 for 5 gm

This used to be my HG lip balm. I have bought & used so many that now I'm bored. This is the last Lotus lip balm in my stash.

Banjaras Papaya Water (NOT PICTURED)

INR 50 for 60 ml

Forgot to add this while taking pics. Just bought this because I was bored of plain old rose water.

That's my box for this month. Looking back, I seem to have only picked papaya & saffron products. What have you hauled?

February Empties

Hi all, time for another empties post. This time I actually have a makeup empty- my mascara. I somehow feel like it takes forever to finish up stuff especially makeup. Let's get straight to it.

Nivea Creme Coconut Cream Shower

INR 165 for 250 ml

Bought this with high hopes but it smells quite flat. No repurchase.

Health & Glow Nail Enamel Remover

INR 39 for 30 ml

With Lakme increasing its prices like crazy, I was on the lookout for a more affordable option. This is good stuff. Will buy again.

Maybelline Hyper Curl Volume Express Mascara

INR 300 for 9.2 ml

I've only been buying Maybelline mascaras ever since I started wearing them. I wasn't particularly impressed with this until I used the Lakme Eyeconic last month. The Lakme one was so ho- hum that it makes Maybelline Hyper Curl look good. No more experimenting. Going back to my trusted Colossal.

Lotus Herbals Whiteglow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub

INR 185 for 100 gm

Love this. I read somewhere that scrubs are like the walkman of skincare- ancient & not as effective as the newer options. I NEED a BHA to clean out my blackheads but there's something so satisfying about using a scrub. My skin just feels good when I use one. Will be repurchasing after I whittle down my stash.

Khadi Chocolate & Honey Herbal Body Butter

INR 140 for 50 gm

This is a fairly sticky body butter & that's the reason I used it as a hand cream. It smells great but takes forever to absorb. No repurchase.

Masoor Dal (Not pictured)

Loved using this on my face. Might prepare again.

Sunnipindi (Not pictured)

I love this DIY herbal bath powder but it's too much of a hassle to prepare. Will stick to store bought ubtans for a while.

No matter how much stuff I finish, it feels like I'm using up only a teeny tiny bit. Still, it's a step in the right direction. How much stuff have you finished?

Books This Week 13

Continuing with the fluff trend this week too. Simply unable to read regular books. Let's begin

The Power of Style- Bobbie Thomas

Another style book. The cover was so similar to Gretta Monahan's book that I thought it was the same. She divides the book into 2 parts- 'Change Starts Within' & 'Bringing the Inside Out'. I like the fact that she concentrates more on the internal part- encouraging you to discover your worth. Only after we have worked on these issues we can move to the second part. She teaches about skin tone & the colour that best suits us, how clothes should fit & what is missing in our wardrobes. The last part is shopping for the new you. LOVE!

Style on a Shoestring- Andy Paige

Yeah I'm on a style & fashion reading spree. This has a lot of great tips like buying darker, jewel- toned coloured clothes instead of pastels to make your clothes look more expensive. Another tip I loved was getting your clothes altered to fit better. She also gives a calendar with when to shop for what clothes- sadly this is applicable to U.S. only. What slightly irked me was the overly chirpy tone with a lot of 'woohoo' thrown in. Overall a good read.

Beauty Confidential- Nadine Haobsh

The only reason I picked up this book was because of the author's back story which was almost movie-like. A young beauty editor has just landed her dream job but before she can join, she is outed as the anonymous author of a tell all beauty blog. Her job offer is obviously retracted but as her blog garners a lot of hits, it's resulted in this book. Fab story but fab book? Not so much. There is nothing new here. For a more riveting read head over to her blog "Jolie in NYC".

Any interesting reads off late?