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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Back To Basics (Beauty Edition) : Mascara

Lancome Hypnose Drama, Maybelline Falsies, Mac Haute and Naughty Too Black Lash, Lancome Hypnose Precious cell,Rimmel's The Max Volume Flash

If one day, I was asked to give up all my makeup and take just one thing from it, I would pick Mascara! I got introduced to this genius of a product 2 years back and I swear, since then it has never left my side. Mascara according to me is a product that instantly elevates your look. So today, I shall take you into my world of Mascara. Are you ready?

Why does one need a Mascara?
Well, who doesn't like pretty looking eyes and fluttering them eyelashes? Mascara lifts your lashes, opening up your eyes which gives the illusion of bigger eyes. I love the fact that a Mascara not only adds that perfect finishing touch to any look but it even works on it's own. There are days when I can't be bothered to do a full face of makeup so I stick to three things- concealer, a Chubby Stick and mascara. Does that do the trick? Most certainly! So if you are a beginner in makeup, I suggest you go get a mascara today and I promise, your life will change for ever.

How to apply?
Now, I know it can look a bit intimidating at first but trust me it's no rocket science. Just follow some rules to get perfect, non-clumpy lashes. When applying Mascara to your top lashes, put your chin slightly up, look straight and coat your lashes. Start from the outward end and work your way in. Where as when applying it to your lower lashes, put you chin down, look ahead and slowly coat the lower lashes. Don't worry about the weird faces you make while applying mascara, as it turns out, that weirdness actually relaxes your face which helps you to effectively apply the product without blinking too much! Use a eye lash curler for an even better end result.

What to keep in mind while buying a Mascara?
Mascara's today cater to all your needs. There are one's that focus on giving Volume, there are some which add length whereas some work on both. Waterproof and Non-waterproof options are available in almost all of them so you can pick what you want! For me, I love fuller lashes so, I am always on the hunt for a good voluminous mascara. Remember, the wands with plastic bristles will give you a more dramatic look where as a wand with natural bristles will give you a softer yet defined look. So depending on your lashes and the kind of look you are going for, pick one that suits your needs the best. However, if you're buying a waterproof mascara, I suggest you buy a makeup remover along with it!

What I recommend and use?
I've tried a lot of  mascara's till date. I usually have 4 mascara's open at any given point of time! However I suggest not doing that, as mascara's dry out within 2-6 months. Maybelline makes the best low cost mascara's! The Colossal Volume Express is an all time favourite! I've also fallen in love with their fairly new Falsies mascara. However these mascaras dry up within 2 months! On the higher end, I swear by Lancome's Hypnose Drama for a night time look, where as the Hypnose Precious Cells works great for the day. The Lancome mascara's last me for a good 4-6 months! However, my current favourite is the new Haute and Naughty Too Black Lash mascara by Mac. A few other's that I've tried before and completely recommend are Dior Show, YSL Shocking mascara, Clinique Volumized, Benefit They're Real on the higher end and L'oreal's Volume Million lashes, Rimmel's Max Volume Flash and Nyx's Doll eye mascara on the lower end!

Do try these out and let me know what you think! And, I love to try new mascara's all the time so if you have a favourite please comment below or Facebook or Tweet them to me and I'll make sure to try them!

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