Skin Care for Dummies

Saturday, June 25, 2016

I think we know each other for quite some time now, so CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

"I dread skin care, like, I avoid it like plague, I am not best friends with my skin which I should be considering I am 28."

I grew up in a household that didn't bother much about beauty or skincare and this, in turn, limited my "MAKEUP" exposure to just kajal. I started wearing BB cream when I turned 23 and went on to become full blown makeup addict by 25!

Last year when I was in Bangalore, I used to follow 99-steps night time skin care routine. Post my move to Cochin, the steps just shrunk to washing and moisturizing before bed, all thanks to my 12-9 work shift and a house that requires 24x7 attention!

I am listing some products that I use almost every single day before bed.



*Maybelline Eye & Lip Makeup Remover l INR 225 (70ml)

The first thing I do when I hit my crib is to remove my kajal and any other makeup I have on. I use the trusty Maybelline makeup remover; this an oil based makeup remover that removes my eye makeup efficiently.

*This product might have been discontinued.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser l INR 795 (200ml)

As for the face makeup, I use The Body Shop Vit E cleanser. I was never a big fan of the Vit E range, but this product is really good in cleaning the face. Point proved by the fact that this is my third bottle. One small con is that the product leaves an oily residue on your face.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Wash l INR 695 (250ml)

I purchased this for my hubby as he has acne issues, and when the boy refused to use it, I took over and I have been hooked ever since. It leaves my face squeaky clean and dry. If you have dry skin, this may overly dry out your skin. As for the acne fighting claims, I am not the right person to judge, I do have occasional hormonal breakouts, but I haven't noticed any difference in my skin texture or breakout patterns on regular usage of this product.

BiPha Ayurveda Almond & Jojoba Under Eye Cream l INR 420 (25gm)

Ending the night with some eye cream from BiPharma, it is very thick and smells like oil. The product is enriched with the goodness of coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera and shea butter. The product claims to reduce dark circle and puffiness. I have not seen any results owing to how inconsistent I am with this step.

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense l $39 (1.7oz)

My final skin care step is to moisturize, I may not need this step as I have oily-combo skin, but post the Tea Tree face wash, my skin feels dry. I take a dollop of product and massage it gently on my skin.

Additional

I do try to use facial oils, and the one I have been using once in a blue moon is Lancome Advanced Genifique serum, but I don't have enough time for the goodness of oil to seep in before I hit the bed, so I do use the product only when I have extra time in hand.


So do you have an elaborate makeup routine or are you plain lazy like me?

Foundation Matrix for NC 42

Saturday, June 18, 2016




Buying foundation online can be a daunting task, especially when it is a high-end foundation. I have put together a shade suggestion list which you can refer if you are looking to place an online order.

Skin Type: Combination-Oily [Requires blotting in 4 hours]
Skin Concerns: Pigmentation around the mouth area
Skin Undertone: Yellow-Golden
What do I look in a Foundation: Matte, long-wearing, humidity-proof (Coastal-area problems)

Notes:
  • All foundations contain 30 ml product unless mentioned.
  • Products marked in YELLOW are what I have tried out either as sample or in-store. I do not own these, with an exception of MUFE Ultra HD which is still with my relatives in Canada.
  • Brands that are not available in India, I purchased from Sephora US or Nordstrom US.
·         FOUNDATION
SHADE
FINISH
COST
COMMENTS
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
NC42
Matte
INR 2290
Good oil control, Medium-Full coverage, Nice color match, Cakey. Needs an applicator to apply
MAC Studio Fix Fluid
NC43.5
Flat-Matte
INR 2290
Very orange, Full-coverage, Sits funny on my skin, Long-wearing, Extremely plasticky smell, Oxidizes
MAC Face and Body
C5
Dewy
INR
Nice color, Very dewy, Tacky on touch, Transferable on clothes
Estee Lauder Double Wear
4N2 Spiced Sand
Matte
INR 2790
Long-wearing, Sweat-proof, Good color, Heavy coverage
Estee Lauder Double Wear Light
4.5
Matte
INR 3000
A shade dark, Long-wearing, Light on skin
Inglot YSM
52
Demi-Matte
INR 1100
Spot on color match
NARS All Day Luminous Weightless
Syracuse
Demi-Matte
$ 48
Accentuates dry patches, Long-wearing, Good color match, Sits funny on textured skin (around the mouth)
Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless
322 Golden Honey
Demi-Matte
INR 475
A tad ashy around the mouth, Long-wearing, Skin like finish
Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua
B50
Dewy
$ 47
Becomes ashy as the day progresses, Pink undertone which makes the color look off
L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte (US)
108 Caramel Beige
Demi-Matte
$13
Long-Wearing, Skin like finish
L'oreal True Match
W5
Demi Matte
 INR 1025
Minute shine (glitter), Ghostly white cast
L'oreal Infallible (India)
322
Matte
INR 1126
Leaning towards pink undertone, Dulls the face
MUFE Ultra HD
153 (Y405)
Satin
CAD 50
Spot on color match. Makes me oily within 2 hours!
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte
310
Demi-Matte
$34
Tad bit light around the mouth area. Long wearing
Too Faced Born This Way
Sand
Dewy
$39
Way too neutral. Causes white cast
L'oreal Infallible Pro Glow
209 Caramel Beige
Dewy
$13
One shade dark. Dewy, non-tacky finish
MUFE Mat Velvet +
65
Matte
$39
A tad darker
Dior Forever Perfect
Honey Beige 040
Demi-Matte
$50
Ashy around the mouth area
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow
Hazelnut
Dewy
 $36
A tad bit dark
WISH LIST
FOUNDATION
PROBABLE SHADES             
COST
Becca Ever-Matte Shine-Proof
Bamboo
$42
NARS Sheer Glow
Syracuse
$45
UD Naked Skin
6/7
$40







 Swatches


Different Lighting: From L-R, L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte, Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless, Inglot YSM, MAC Studio Fix, MAC Face&Body, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Chanel VitaLuniere Aqua, NARS All Day Luminous Weightless, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light
                                   

Note: My arms are way lighter than my face, so the foundations may appear way dark on my arm.

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