Holi is here and so are the skin care troubles if you ain’t prepared for it. Radiant skin always helps you to get noticed and win millions of compliments. Many of you must be wondering about how to protect your skin, and those with sensitive skin probably have started getting jitters with the mere thought of it. Never fear as we have some handy tips for you to shine under the sun before and after Holi.

Pre- Holi Celebration Guide:
Pre Holi Care becomes quintessential for your skin to stand strong against the brazen Holi colors. To celebrate without any harmful after- effects, it is a must to be prepared by following the tips below:

I am on the wrong side of 25 and many people suggest anti ageing creams should be started at 25 , I decided to incorporate a night cream and not go the anti ageing routine just yet. I came across this L’Oreal Paris White Perfect Fairness Revealing soothing night cream (Melanin-vanish +Tourmaline) and this range had a day cream too so I brought both of them
Read on to know how the duo fared on me

Price and Quantity:
L’Oreal Paris White Perfect Fairness Control Moisturizing Day Cream: 650/- INR for 50ml 

L’Oreal Paris White Perfect Fairness Revealing Soothing Night Cream: 650/- INR for 50ml  

Ingredients:

 

What L’Oreal Paris says:

Packaging:

Both the White Perfect creams come in transparent glass jars and screw caps in blue. The packaging is sturdy but not travel friendly as the jars are of glass and so are quite heavy.

L’Oreal Paris White Perfect Fairness Revealing Soothing Night Cream : The Night cream is very has a light violet tint to it and light fragrance which I absolutely love.The texture is velvety light and gets absorbed into skin in seconds leaving my skin hydrated and refreshed. I love how after a long tiring day this cream soothes my face. It does not leave a greasy feeling and when I wake up my skin is  soft and supple . On some days when the winters get too harsh in bangalore and my face gets chapped this cream kind of burns a bit on my face. The burning may be due to overload of chemicals and at such times i rely on my trusted nivea to moisturize me. But other than that  Iam loving this cream till now and as my first night cream it has fared well . 

L’Oreal Paris White Perfect Fairness Control Moisturizing Day Cream: The day cream is pure white in colour and the texture is thick. It spreads easily on skin despite being very thick . My skin absorb this cream quickly with no white cast or greasy feeling . But i have to make sure i use just the right quantity as when i use more than required cream iam left looking a bit whitish which i then blend of using a sponge. It has an SPF 17 which isnt enough but is of great help in winters and summers also when iam staying indoors with curtains open. I love how this cream adds glow to my face and it kind of evens out my skin tones so these days I use only this on my skin and skip the BB creams and foundations . My skin looks a lot more soft and supple these days and I cant be any more happier.




I have been using both these creams for 2 months now and I have noticed a visible reduction of spots and tan along with soft and supple skin. At 650 each these creams are an expensive deal and other cons include the unhygienic tub packaging and the heavy glass tubs. But despite these cons iam impressed with both these creams as they do their job well.

Will I repurchase? These creams definitely work for me but iam going to try more options from lakme and Olay and then return back it all else fails. This is my first night cream so I am open to experimenting.

I Love the brand Maybelline for introducing so many quality products at reasonable prices. At present Maybelline is the brand beginners can start off with and they have everything from foundation to lipsticks all on a budget.
The Cheeky Glow blushes are one of the most affordable blushes available in india and they are available in three shades and I picked up fresh coral about months back and ofcourse delayed the review , but now without any delay lets get to checking out how this fared.

Price and Quantity: 225 for 7 gm ( price may have increased to 250 now)
Variant being reviewed: Fresh coral
Shelf Life : 36 months

Packaging: I love the compact transparent white packaging of the blush . The blush is looks tiny and takes very little space in my makeup bag and shuts tightly with a clasp so, this makes for an ideal travel blush. This blush doesn’t comes with a mirror or a brush but it doesn’t matter to me as both are useless for me.

My experience with cheeky glow in fresh coral: 
Since the blush is priced so low I wasn’t expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised . The pigmentation and staying power is amazing for the price and at present this is my most abused blush and I may actually hit the pan soon  .
This particular blush in fresh coral is a warm pinkish coral free off shimmers, it is actually very matte. The texture is nice creamy smooth which blends easily giving a natural flush .Two swipes of this blush is enough to add colour to my cheeks and stays for around 4-5 hours without needing touch ups. Since it is matte shade this makes for a great day time as well as night time blush .This colour will suit almost all indan skin tones and it is a must have for starters as it blends easily and there is no chance of overdoing it .
Pros:

• Packaging is compact, sturdy and cute
• The most Affordable blush in Indian market
• Good pigmentation
• Staying power of 4-5 hours
• Pretty matte , warm pink shade
• Smooth non chalky texture
• Easily available

Cons:

• No mirror or applicator but that’s actually not a problem with me

Verdict: Amazing quality offered for the price, if you are a make up beginners this is the blush range to try as they are affordable, easily avaialble and blend easily.  A great day time blush which iam loving at the moment.

A little blush on cheeks can make a big difference!  Blushes have always been looked up as to bring a more youthful appearance, and to emphasize the cheekbones !I think there's something quite charming and attractive about a beautifully applied blush that can't be replaced by anything else in a makeup routine.
I personally love blushes and use it on a regular basis, not fan of bronzer though. But blushes that have shimmer in them are preferred less likely than the matte and perfect plain ones. I remember a guy once looked at a picture of mine and asked me if the pink in cheek of my face was because I was blushing while I got the picture clicked. All I could do was laugh (Ofcourse I took it as a compliment and did a double jig, the typical me) So yes blush that looks natural is a whole new thing ;)
Also I have a childhood confession to make, and don’ you dare judge I was just a child! Well when we were kids we ofcourse had zilch knowledge about makeup but we often saw are teachers and dance teacher use blusher and we would wait for the makeup thing during the school day dance thing , no really you have no idea how it feels to finally wear makeup that looks so much similar to a bollywood celeb we adored !And guess what we ( By we I mean not just me but other girls in my class, it was a norm then) would steal are mommies or aunties red or pink lipsticks and actually smudge it directly with the tip of the lipstick to our cheeks and ended up looking like we just stuck a red circle on our cheeks. Haha. But looking ugly didn't seem problem then , we were always ready to give it a try !

Blush makeup is used to simulate a natural glow and must look subtle. Not whiny and attention seeking ! However, there are many ways to apply blush so that you not only add vivacity to your complexion, but also highlight the correct part of your face.
Now coming to the top 5 blushes: (Suitable for Indian skin tone)

1. Maybelline Cheeky Glow blush- Fresh Coral :
2. NYX cream Blush Glow
3. Oriflame Very Me Cherry My Cheeks Pretty Pink Blush
4. Lotus Herbals Purestay Blusher Rose Kiss
5. Faces Canada Glam On Powder Blush Crimson

All of these cost below INR 500 ! Yes ! And they beat brands with pricing more than a thousand bucks ! But do check if the shade suits you , even though these blushes are available in many shades!

 Dr Batra's Skin toner comes in a transparent, see through bottle with a flip flop opening. While I am usually comfortable with flip flop cans, I really think bottling up a liquid toner in it was not a good option. This is the only con I felt about the product.

The Yays:
*Non-Alcoholic
*Hydrates Skin
*Removes excess oil
*Soothes and smooths
*Doesn't irritate skin
*No breakouts
*Refreshes and recharges!
*A little goes a long way
*Cleanses thoroughly.

The Nays:
*Because of the packaging, not travel friendly.
Price: 100 Rs for 100ml

Smells Like: Rose water grounded with fresh leaves! The scent is mild and lovely!

As directed by the back note of the container, I use the toner after cleansing my face with cleansing milk from the same brand( I love it! Review coming up soon!)
As soon as I apply a few drops of it on my face, there's a cooling sensation and after a couple of minutes my skin is all smooth and moisture-laden! The best part - it's free from excess of oil on my face!

All in all, this is a toner which truly works, and given the price, I think it's a steal! If you are in the look out for a good toner than I totally recommend this one to you. Really does what its made for!

Didn't feel the necessity to give a swatch as it is almost similar to water.

TIP: Dab onto a cotton ball and apply on face or you can also use a clean makeup wedge! Do not rinse with water after application!

Bling Sparkle Rating: 4/5

Stay pretty,
~Bushra

*PR Sample

Moisturizers are an important part of my daily skin care routine and more so since I have dry flaky skin. So, when Dr Batras skin care range arrived I quickly grabbed the moisturizing cream leaving the other stuff for my sisters to review . So lets see how this cream fared on me.
Price: 350 INR for 100g
Shelf Life: 24 months
Ingredients

Product Claims :

• Excellent moisture balance
• Smooth feel to the skin
• Soothing and youthful look to the skin
• Protection against environmental pollutants

Packaging : Dr.Batra's Intense Moisturizing Cream comes in a white tub type packaging with a screw cap having the signature Dr Batras logo on top. The packaging is travel friendly as the tub shuts tight with no chance of leakages.
Dr.Batra's Intense Moisturizing Cream is pure white  and looks very thick in the tub while in reality it is very light weight having thin creamy consistency, this could be because it has  an aqua base.
The cream blends easily into skin leaving skin soft, supple and refreshed giving a semi matte non greasy finish. It fares well on my dry skin hydrating it, leaving behind a very cooling sensation. It is an ideal cream to use in this harsh monsoon-winter weather for my skin as it helps cure dry flakes too. Iam loving every bit of this moisturizer and since it gives a non shiny matte finish aim even using it as a make up base sometimes.
Dr.Batra's Intense Moisturizing Cream is very soothing and I apply it liberally around my eyes after long hours of laptop use and it provides much need relief. So you can use this as a night cream also . It comes with an aqua base so using it like a body lotion is also easy. Ive applied it on rough patches on my elbows and knees and it works nicely even there.
The cream also claims of fighting pollution, but I have no idea of it because never stepped out of house with moisturizer alone.
The cream has a mild fragrance which takes a little time to fade away post application. This isn't a problem for me but some sensitive noses may find it a wee bit strong.
Pros:

• Moisturizes and hydrates nicely
• Aqua base
• Small compact travel friendly packaging
• Non greasy Matte finish
• Soothing and cooling sensation
• Absorbs into skin in a jiffy
• Pleasing fragrance

Cons:

• Availability might be an issue
• The price is a bit on the higher side
• Unhygienic tub packaging

BlingSparkle Rating : ★★★★/5
This is the first product I have tried from Dr Batras and I will soon be trying more of their products, especially their yummy facewash. Have you tried any of thir products yet? Any recommendation?
*PR sample

Another week flies by and her Iam with another edition of Friday Fives. This week it All about Aloe Vera.
Aloe Vera is a miracle plant, it has so many different benefits of beauty and is often used in cosmetics industry. I like to use fresh Aloe Vera gel  directly taken from the leaf of Aloe Vera plant which is potted in my back yard.

Here are five ways in which you can use the raw Aloe Vera gel.

Price: 40 for 50 ml (10 Rs off)
I love  Dabur gulabari’s gulab jal (see here) and when I spotted this cutely packed Dabur Gulabari Pearl Fairness Moisturizer with Saffron and Turmeric I grabbed it.
I love the packaging, pink white combo looks chic and the pink  switch cap to remove the product is nice too.

The moisturizing lotion is nice baby pink in colour and smells heavily of roses, sensitive noses beware. The moisturizer lotion is lightweight, non greasy and blends into skin easily. It moisturizes my dry skin nicely and adds a bit of glow to my face , but I have no idea about its fairness claims.

Yays:

• Affordable
• Cute packaging
• Moisturizes dry skin and adds glow
• Lightweight non greasy formula

Nays:

• The rose smell is a bit over powering

Rating: ****/5
Verdict:  This is a nice economical moisturizer to try especially if you don’t have a sensitive nose.

I have dry skin but I don’t follow the toning routine religiously and when I do tone occasionally it is with rose water. when I spotted this basiltone toner I was tempted to try it solely for its packaging. The spray dispenser, I Like Love.

Price: Rs 185 for 100 ml
This toner is for combination and oily skin types but it not dry out my dry skin and just two pumps was enough to cover my face and neck. Most of the times I don’t use cotton I spray this toner directly on my face and feel refreshed , but I hate the vegetablish smell which goes away after some time. I so miss my gulab jal which has lovely fragrance.
All that aside this light green toner does remove dirt and gives a fresh sensation after sparying it  but it  does nothing for my pores


The Pluses:

• Packaging, sturdy and travel friendly.
• affordable
• Easily available
• Alcohol free

The minuses:

• The fragrance, I hate it
• contains parabeans , not a problem for me though
• Does noting for the pores

Verdict: Overall I think this is a good value for money Toner for Oily or  combination skinned beauties. Girls with dry skin should avoid it, otherwise fabulous travel friendly toner.
Rating : 4/5

When I was out shopping on the stores of Shivajinagar, I came across this cute shop which sold cute(very cute actually!) cosmetics and accessories. There, my eyes fell on this cute brush set and I was like Omg! I want it! I WANT IT!
The brush set comes in a cute sturdy packaging. It's a five piece brush set which includes an eyebrow brush, an eyeshadow and eye lash brush, lipstick brush, bronzer brush and my fav - blusher brush!

The brushes are quite sturdy and effective. The bristles are not delicate. They are real smooth and give your skin a beautiful feel!
The bristles of the blusher brush are very soft and not effective at all! I had to literally throb my cheek in order to get some blush on them using this brush! >_<

Verdict - Cute,chic,smooth, but does nothing other than give your skin a soft furry feeling! keeping the prize(100 bucks) in mind, I think its a cute,pocket friendly buy. Buy it if you are looking out for brushes which give sheer coverage and feel like a dream on your skin! ^_^

P.S - It didn't turn up as good as I had expected it to be... So maybe I'll try painting with it? O_o

P.P.S - That's my nephew's hand in the last pic. While I was trying to place the brushes properly to click pics, the little one was busy mutilating the brushes and trying to get them in his mouth :P ^_^