My MakeUp Routine

I know some of you will probably be overwhelmed by the number of products in the picture & the assumption that I use all of them every single day! While I love experimenting with make up, I really don't have the time to do it to the T daily. So when I'm running late, I will just dab on some concealer on the spots that need it, swipe on my favourite mascara, slap some lipstick & I'm off. So this routine that I'm taking you through is the one that I follow when I do have that extra 10 minutes to spare or when I'm obligated to put in some effort. 

Also these are some of my favourite products at the moment so in case you're looking for something new to try, give these a go. Being a makeup geek, I always have an eye out for the newest & best products available in the beauty world. So if you see some brands that are not available in India yet, I have either bagged them while travelling or requested a friend to grab it for me!

Foundation- I prefer using a light weight foundation on a day to day basis. So it's either the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation or the Lancome Miracle Air de Teint foundation. They are both easy to put on and even out my skin perfectly. I use the shade 30 Beige in the Chanel Foundation & 035 in the Miracle Air de Teint foundation. Both these foundations are non-comedogenic which makes them appropriate for regular use. They are both as good, so go for the one in which you find your perfect shade match!

Concealer- I think investing in a good concealer is so essential. My favourite is the MAC Studio Finish concealer. There is nothing this concealer can't hide which is why it can be used over a foundation or even on it's own! Another one that I recently stumbled upon is the Revlon Colourstay concealer which I usually just use under my eyes. I use NC37 in the Studio Finish concealer and 04 Medium in the Colourstay.

Eyebrows- I frankly did not care about my eyebrows until a year ago but now it's an obsession. I use an eyebrow pencil to slightly fill them in and create a fuller shape. My Clinique eye brow pencil in 02 is a go to! I recently also got hold of the coveted Brow Wiz by Anastasia in Brunette & after having used it I completely understand why people are so addicted to it! It's long wearing & I love the spooly that it comes with! If you ever get a chance to try this, don't hesitate because it is worth every penny you'll spend!

Eyeliner- I was a loyalist to the MAC gel liner which still remains an all time favourite. But I ran out of it one fateful day and out of urgency I tried out the Bourjois Intuitive liner which turned out to be the best pen eyeliner I have ever tried! It aids fail proof application & dries matte. And I swear, it helps creating a winged eyeliner so much easier & quicker.

Pencil Liner- For my waterline, I prefer using a brown or grey liner during the day time. It's not as harsh as black and works wonderfully in defining the eyes. I love the Lancome & Revlon liners because they are super pigmented and last through the day.

Mascara- This is my favourite and most important step. I love loading my lashes up with mascara & sometimes I even mix two mascaras to achieve the desired effect. Benefit's They're Real mascara is my current favourite. It lengthens & adds volume! The wand is perfect to coat every single lash without making it look clumpy. It's waterproof so it lasts all day through thick & thin. Lancome mascara's are probably some of the best ones out in the market. The Hypnose Drama and the Hypnose Precious Cells are by far my most used mascaras! If you're trying out a high end mascara for the first time, go for the Hypnose Drama!

Blush- I love pink blushes. The shades vary depending on my mood but this Amazonian clay blush by Tarte in Fearless has been my everyday pick. It creates the most natural glow adding just the right amount of colour to your face. My other favourites have to be Tweak by Illamasqua which is a bright poppy pink, Deep throat by Nars which is a soft shimmery pink blush & Expresso by Nyx which is a gorgeous dusty rose, perfect for Indian skintones.

Bronzer- I switch between this Clinique bronzer and my MAC Matte Bronze bronzer. The Clinique bronzer in Sunkissed has slight shimmer which makes it perfect to use a blush as well. I've spoken about the Matte Bronze by MAC  in this video before. It is perfect for contouring and it photographs brilliantly because it's matte.

Lipstick- I prefer a very natural lip colour for the day. Cosmo, Please Me & Chatterbox by MAC are the kind of shades I tend to go for. I love applying the lipstick and then slightly dabbing it off on a tissue & repeating this step at least 3 times! This makes the lipstick last longer and also makes it appear very natural.

Fix Plus- I don't like using a powder to set my make up on a daily basis. I find it too heavy & hence MAC's Fix plus works perfectly for me! Once I am done with all my steps, I close my eyes and do 3 spritz all over my face. Leaving it to dry for 10 seconds, sets up make up and makes it looks fantastic! Fix plus is a really great product. You can use it to refresh your make up at any point of the day & I even use to intensify my eye shadows sometimes. It seems like an unnecessary product but trust me, once you start using it, there is no going back.

These steps may seem taxing and complicated but it literally takes me less than 10 minutes to go through them. I skip some steps on certain days depending on the amount of time I have. But if you're a beginner, I'd suggest getting a good concealer, a great mascara & a lipstick in a shade you love! You could use the tip of the mascara to slightly line your waterline and double up the lipstick as a blush. Let me know which products you love to use on a daily basis! Also, do comment below if you'd like me to do a post on the make up products I use on the days when I'm shooting.

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Summer in Clinique

Summer is here and so are the fun summer beauty trends! Bright lips, bold shadows, quirky eyeliners are all such a rage this summer! A simple way of adding some colour to your everyday make up is by switching up that boring black kohl with a emerald or khaki colour liner! Both these colours work wonders with brown eyes. Navy blue or purple are also some complimentary alternatives. Another way to add colour is to swipe on that beautiful coral lipstick or rock your favourite red pout! Make sure to keep the rest of your make up subtle and let your lips enjoy it's moment of glory. I avoid using a full coverage foundation during this time of the year. A BB cream is the perfect alternative!
Skincare is also very important. Make sure to use a SPF every single day as the sun is way more harsh. Using a sunscreen will not only protect your skin from getting tanned but it also prevents premature ageing, wrinkles, etc. Along with this use a good moisturizer. A lot of people tend to skip the moisturizer during summer because they don't think it's necessary as their skin in not feeling as dry as it would in winter! Don't fall into that pit. It's extremely important to moisturize your skin throughout the year!

These are some of the do's and don't's that I follow during summer, tell me your hot tips, cool looks, fresh ideas and thanks to Grazia and Clinique you could win a chance to come visit the Clinique store with me, check out their new collection, get some expert advice and you can also take home some lovely Clinique goodies!So what are you waiting for? Comment below and tell me your secret! You could also tweet your answers to me with the #SummerinClinique and tag @GraziaIndia.

5 winners* will be chosen to visit the store with me & win fabulous goodies! The contest ends on 22nd May and the event will be held on the 24th May at the Clinique store at Palladium, Mumbai.

*Winners of the contest will be chosen from Mumbai.

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Currently Loving Deux

My Quirkbox planner, mouse pad and badges

Anna Sui Fairy Dance Perfume

Pink lips for summer

Customized Suede loafers from Sole'D Shoes

It's been a long month and all of these things have either made my life easier or nicer and hence the tag! I received the Quirkbox planner back in March and I swear to god, life has gotten busier since that day. Maybe it's a lucky charm? Who knows. Talking about lucky charms, at Anna Sui's new perfume launch, the host insisted that this perfume is meant to bring your dreams come true. Sure, nice try. But keeping that lure point aside, I've genuinely been enjoying the lovely floral scent which works perfectly for this time of the year!

Lip products have always been of keen interest to me, as far as make up goes. A pink pout, be it a soft pink pout for the day or that bright fuchsia for the night are perfect for summer. Another colour that I have been loving is Tangerine! I was never into Tangerine until last year, when the colour took the fashion world by storm. And now in 2013, I'm still hooked. These super comfortable suede loafers by Sole'D Shoes can be customized into a ton of colours but when I was asked to pick a colour, guess what I chose! 

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Back To Basics (Beauty Edition) : Blush

Clinique Blush in Sunset Glow ,Sleek Blush in Flamingo, Mac Mineralize Blush in Love Thing, Mac blush in Easy Manner, Estee Lauder cream blush in Mauve Light

A blush is a must have in my makeup bag. Be it a everyday pink colour, a summer coral, an out there hot pink or a deep mauve. I need to have one for every occasion and trust me once you try them, you'll know exactly how I feel. I was a strictly only bronzer person but I'm slowly converting into a blush hoarder. Keep reading and you might end up where I am.

Why does one need a blush?
Blush is the easiest pick me up as far as makeup goes. A fresh swipe of blush and your makeup can look like it was just done. I love that natural flush look, so a soft pink blush is something you'd always find in my makeup bag! If you're using a cream blush, you can even double it up as a lip colour.

How to apply?
This is probably the easiest product as far as application goes. All you need to do is smile and apply the colour to the apples of your cheeks using a blush brush or your fingers(in the case of cream blush). Now if the colour you're using is a very natural one or a soft pink you can apply it generously but if you're using a deeper/brighter colour, make sure to use a less dense brush, hold the brush handle midway and apply the colour softly. This will make sure that you don't apply too much and you can of course build it up as per your desire.

What to keep in mind when buying Blushes?
There are two types of blushes available in the market- the Powder blush and the Cream blush. A powder blush is easy to apply and re-apply. Powder blushes blend easily and stay on for a decent amount of time. Cream blushes require some blending but look much more natural than a powder blush and they last longer too! So if you're someone who can't be bothered to touch up thorough the day, cream blush will save you. And if you're looking for even more longevity, then layering your powder blush over your cream blush will do the trick!

A lot of blushes contain shimmer. I steer clear of the shimmery blushes for the day time. So when you're on the look out for a day time blush, I suggest you get a matte one. Shimmer blushes are perfect for the night time!

As far as choosing colours goes, again knowing your skin type is a must. If you're pale skinned go for softer pinks to give you that natural flush. If you're in the medium zone, which is 80% of us, a deep mauve or dusky pink are the best suited. But being the lucky one, you can even pull off a coral or hot pink, just be careful to not over do it. As for the darker skin tones, oranges and mauves are your best friends while staying away from milky pinks is a must for you. 

What do I recommend and use?
My favorite blush colour is Expresso by Nyx. It's the perfect matte dusky rose pink and looks gorgeous on my skin. I even love Mac's Mineralize blushes and my favourite is Love Thing but because it's a deeper colour with shimmer, I only bring it out during the night. Ben Nye's cream blush is Coral is a staple in my summer makeup bag. I recently discovered Estee Lauder's Cream blush in Mauve Light and it's a colour I've been using since! If you're looking for a gorgeous everyday soft pink then Mac's Easy Manner is the thing for you.
So next time you're at the mall, make sure to swatch these colours! Who knows you might find your next favourite!

I hope this post helped you! These are the products that I have tried and personally like! Feel free to tell me what your favourite products are! If you have any other questions, you can comment below or Facebook or Tweet them to me.


Next time : Mascaras

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Back to Basics (Beauty Edition) : Foundation

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup(2WN1),Clinique Even Better Foundation(#03),Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua(B30),Mac pro longwear(NC40)

Flawless looking skin is one of the most coveted things. An efficient skincare routine, healthy eating habits and a good foundation play equal parts in achieving it. This post is for those of you who, have the first two in control but can't seem to find that perfect foundation. So here's some help.

Why does one need a Foundation?

Foundation when applied correctly can help create envious looking skin. Everyone has skin problems, be it in the form of hyper pigmentation, redness, dry patches, scars or blemishes. A foundation can even out your skin tone and cover up those tiny imperfections. It also acts as a base for the rest of your makeup, so if you want your makeup to last longer and look flawless, investing in a good foundation is a must.

How to apply?

I personally prefer using my fingers to apply my foundation. I feel like that gives me perfect control on the amount of  product I want to distribute throughout my face and if I need to focus more on covering specific areas, I can easily tackle that. It's very important that your foundation looks well blended. I start from the center of my face and then move in the outward direction. If you're not comfortable using your hands, feel free to use a stippling brush or a basic foundation brush. You could even use cosmetic sponges which are easily available at any beauty store.

What to keep in mind when buying a Foundation?

When heading out to buy a foundation, there a few things we all need to be aware of. First and the most important, skin tone. A wrong foundation shade is a complete faux pas and that's not a pit you want to fall into. It's essential that you keep your skin and undertones in mind to find that perfect shade match. For example, most Indian skin tones have a yellow undertone so its important that you go with a foundation shade with yellow tones. If you have a pink or olive undertone, pick something accordingly. 

Next, skin type. There are various foundations available in the market today that are specifically targeted towards different skin types :- oily, dry or combination. So while buying a foundation, pick one that suits your skin type. For example, I have combination skin. My t-zone is oily and the rest of the face is normal. So I cannot go for a foundation which is meant for dry skin as that would make my t-zone even more oily. On the other hand, if you have normal to dry skin, longer wearing foundations could make your skin drier which may result in break outs. So make sure you pick a foundation that not only is the right shade but also suits your skin type.

Lastly, you need to be sure of the kind of coverage you want. Foundations today range from light to medium to heavy coverage. So you can pick a foundation depending on your need. For example, for my everyday foundation, I prefer using a light to medium coverage foundation as it's perfect to even out my skin and doesn't feel heavy throughout the day. Whereas for the night time and events, I prefer using a foundation with a heavier coverage. If you're a beginner and can't decide what coverage to go for, I suggest you pick a light to medium coverage foundation. You can use it during the day and build it up in the night time for a heavier coverage. 

What do I recommend and use?

I've gotten into makeup only recently. I don't mind compromising on other products with shorter shelf lives like mascaras, lip gloss,etc. but I always make sure to invest in a good foundation. I've been an ardent user of the MAC pro longwear foundation. It gives medium to heavy coverage and as the name suggests, lasts for a long time. The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and the Estee Lauder Invisible fluid makeup are perfect day time foundations. They give you light to medium coverage and feel so good on your skin. The finish is dewy and flawless. The most recent one that I tried is the Clinique Even Better foundation. This foundation is perfect for some of us who are fed up of those stubborn marks as it not only covers them but also treats them and eventually helps them to fade. So if you have problematic skin, this foundation will work wonders for you.

I also recommend getting a sample before you buy the full size product. Most of these brands would willingly give you a sample to try which will help you decide on whether you like the coverage or to see if the shade matches your skin perfectly. If you're going to spend a bomb on these products you might as well be a 100% sure.

I hope this helps you. I am no makeup expert. This is just my personal opinion. I have learnt a lot through trial and error, so I thought of sharing my experiences and tips with you which could help you find your perfect foundation.

Next time : Blushes

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