Another day, another Colourpop review, and this time it's something cheeky! I will be reviewing the two Colourpop blushes, Thames and Flush'D.

Vital Stats

Product Weight: 4.2 gm
Price: $8
Status: Cruelty-Free

Ingredients

From Colourpop website

Packaging

• Comes in a standard Colourpop white tub, with a transparent screw on cap. 
• The actual product itself is housed inside a metallic pot in the plastic tub.
• Bulky packaging takes up a lot of drawer space.

Product

• The product is very mousey, squishy and bouncy like Colourpop eyeshadows.
• There is a pattern overlay on the blush, which disappears once the first layer is through.
• The product will dry out fast if kept open for long.

Shades

Thames: A cool dusty pinky mauve shade with a matte finish. This shade was part of the Alchemy collection which is currently not available online.

Flush'D: An apricot-coral shade with a semi-matte finish. Though advertised as matte, one can clearly see the sheen and the sparkles. This shade was part of the Kaepop collection.

Performance 

• Application is very tricky:

1.  On applying the product with fingers, I couldn't blend the product and I was left with finger marks across my cheeks.
2.  On applying with synthetic brushes, the brush couldn't pick up enough product, and the result was not very flattering.

• Very pigmented and a little goes a long way. 
• Wore well without fading for 8 hours.
• Colours showed up beautifully on my tan skin.
• Looks super natural when blended, but blending itself is a pain.

Swatch

No face swatch, as I am down with viral flu, and I have been roaming around in my pajamas, with hair tied up in a bun for the past 3 days. Not a pretty pic to post online!

Verdict

I would give them a miss considering the pain in the <places you don't want to name> application process. If you are a cream blush person, definitely try one from this SuperShock Cheek range to see whether you love it or just feel MEH!

Have you tried any of the Colourpop's cheek products?

Cult Products That Didn't Work For Me

The thing about Bad Love is that it is like a magnet, the more you hate it, the more you are drawn to it. It's a closed loop you can never come out of !

  -An excerpt from the "Relationship Book" authored by my girl gang.

There are few items in my vanity, that's exactly like this bad love, the more I hate it, the more I am drawn into it. I have not given up on them just yet! everyone deserves a second chance, even MAKEUP!

Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua in 50 Beige l INR 3360

What's with these luxury brands and their barely there shade ranges for WOC? The darkest shade available on the Nordstrom website was too pink toned. This foundation turns ashy on me as the day progresses, and let's not talk about the "SHINY ASF" glow it gives. I mix the foundation with some of my super matte foundation for that eeny-tiny bit of glow.

RT Miracle Complexion Sponge l INR 420

The RT sponge was my first tryst with sponges. The sponge gives a luminous glow to my face, and now you may wonder why I hate something the whole world raves about. I wash my beauty blender, keep it close to my glass window to dry, and by evening, the freaking sponge is still damp! blame it on the humidity in Kochi. The spongy things do have a tendency to grow mold, and I am perpetually scared to keep the damp sponge in a closed container.

Do let me know how you clean and store your sponge post application.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette l INR 3430

This was my first high-end palate along with UD Naked 1. I thought I would fall in love, only to find the colours to be MEH! I am a glittery-sparkly kinda girl, I would rather use UD N1/UD N2 palettes than something so monotone, and basic. I use this occasionally, but I do use another palette in conjunction.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

KVD Lolita 1 l INR 1400

Don't pelt stones on the blog yet people, hear me out. Lolita 1 is ML"But is it Better?" NA!! I have pigmented lips, and this just blends into my lips. I have to apply multiple coats to get the colour payoff I want. The formula is very light weight, but disappears in 4-5 hours which is a short wear time for a liquid lipstick. Overall, not impressed!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in Honey l INR 630

Finally, one that didn't blow my sock off is a concealer from Maybelline. I purchased this in the shade Honey and it has a very visible pink undertone. I didn't quite like how my under eye area looked post application, it was ghostly and ashy. I use this product to highlight my T-zone and nose (My skin has a slight pink undertone there). I am just not ready to completely write this off.

Swatches

See the crazy white cast?

Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua 50 Beige on NC 42 skin tone

So these are some cult products that didn't work for me, do you have any?

Lifestyle Earring Haul

When PerkyMegs showed her beautiful Chandbalis in her Haul video, I was smitten. Normally, you would have to sell a part of your kidney to buy traditional jewelry  from stores like Goodwill (Cochites would agree). When she told that the Chandbalis just cost her, INR 799 ($11), I had my jaw on the floor. Last Sunday, I went to Lifestyle for their summer SALE, and I ran to the accessories section. I scored a ton of earrings, but sadly, none of these are on SALE :(

1. Chandbalis l INR 799 ($11)

I purchased these in turquoise shade and I believe they had one in white too. This earring is not heavy as it looks and doesn't pull your earlobes.

2. Lotus Earring l INR 499 ($7)

Lotus earrings are in trend and I see a lot of Instagram stores selling these at a hefty price tag. They had this earring in green too.

3. Green Earrings l INR 449 ($6)

If you have a round face like me, try wearing a long earring; long earrings elongates your face.

4. White Ear Cuff l INR 449 ($6)

I realised that this earring is an ear cuff only when I tried it at home, for a second I was worried cause I already have 4 piercings on my ear cartilage, nevertheless after much "adjustments", I managed to stick this onto my ear, only to fall in deep white love!

5. Golden Lotus Jhumka l INR 799 ($11)

I wanted a gold jhumka and my prayers were answered by lotus gods! It's slightly big on my face, a compromise I can make for the price tag.

Click on the video below to see how I wore these Earrings :)

EARRING by Slidely Slideshow

Currently Loving

Hello JULY, please wait for my brain to process the month we are currently in and just don't sprint off like JUNE did! I'm back with yet another post from the currently loving series. I do try to rotate products on a weekly basis and below are few products that I have been using almost every single day over the past month.

Clean and Clear Oil Control Film l $4.55

I don't quite touch up my makeup as I'm too lazy (to be frank). When I find myself shining like A BRIGHT disco ball, I just take out my blotting paper and blot the oil away. I still have my Basicare Oil Blotting paper, but this Clean & Clear one works better.

I got this from some random supermarket in Bali. They do suck out all the excessive oil, making my face matte without moving the makeup. There is one small con, though, at times, more than one blotting paper comes out of the package and sticking it back is a pain in the bum!

Valentina by Valentino (EDP) l $88 (50 ml)

I got this perfume as a birthday gift and I was instantly drawn towards the minimalistic yet romantic bottle. This is my office scent along with Gucci Flora.

Scent Described: Top: Calabrian bergamot, white alba truffle.

- Middle: Amalfi orange blossom, tuberose, jasmine, wild strawberry.

- Base: amber, cedar 
- From Nordstrom Website

If you ask me to describe the scent in just two words, Warm Jasmine! This perfume reminds me of South Indian weddings, particularly, jasmine flower. The sillage is medium and I love the top notes of the scent, but I can barely feel the scent once the notes settle.

Colourpop Satin Lipstick Frick n Frack l $6

Well, THE.BEST.LIQUID.LIPSTICK.I.HAVE.EVER.TRIED. The shade is perfect terracotta nude for my NC 42 skin tone. The formula is very lightweight and stays put for 7 hours without budging. The lipstick is slightly drying past the 5-hour mark and stains the perimeter around my mouth. Caution: Not a great layer-ER. Remove the flaky layers to reapply.

Kerastase Bain Exfoliant Hydratant Shampoo l INR 1700

My scalp is extremely dry and flaky, and this shampoo keeps the itchiness under check. I use a peanut size of the product and gently massage it on the scalp.The shampoo contains Zinc Pyrithione and Glycerol which is supposedly good for the dandruff prone scalp. I don't generally use it on a regular basis as this is "Ouch! my pocket hurts" kinda-product. Lately, I am forced to use it frequently owing to the sudden outbreak of dry scalp issues.

Loreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation l $12

I wanted to try the Indian version of the Loreal Infallible foundation for the longest of time, and my dream was crushed into a million pieces when I realised that the Infallible 300 Amber was too pink for my liking the next darker shade, 320 Toffee, made my face look too dull. After a round of Googling, I discovered the US version of the product had a significant yellow undertone.

 #RantStart Why do companies create products that cater to a wide array of skin tones in the US, whereas Indian market always has products that cater to only light-medium skin tone? #Rantover

I had to hunt down my shade (108: Caramel Beige) from Ebay (100% recommend this seller). I do mix it with Estee Lauder Double Wear Light 4.5 for added warmth and the combination of the two is sweat-proof to the 'T'. Very light weight on the skin and gives me a satin finish. I apply this foundation with my fingers. After the 6-hour mark, the foundation does disappear around my nose, where I produce the maximum oil.

So what products are you currently loving?

How To Ship ColourPop To India

ColourPop is known for their Super Shock eye shadows and Lippie Stix and here are a few ways how you can purchase them in India.

1. Instagram Sellers: Approx. cost is 700 per shadow

2. Amazon: Double the actual rates

3. Directly from the Colourpop Website: MAJOR UPDATE guys, ColourPop is starting International Shipping from July 12th. At this point, it's going to be difficult to say about the shipping rates to India. If the current shipping rates to Australia is anything to go by, the rates will be on the pricier side. Also, keep in mind additional Indian Customs charges and missing package issues.

From the mailer I received

4. ShipoutfromUSA

I will be reviewing the ShipoutfromUSA service that I used twice last month. The whole experience was such a breeze. I got to learn about this shipping service through Magali Vaz. For more info, please check out her blog here.

ShipoutfromUSA Process

1. Open ShipoutfromUSA website.

2. Register an account (1).

Important: When you create a new account, use the code MAGALI40 or Instagram40 for availing a discount on shipping rates.

 Automatically a virtual mailbox is created for you in US and UK along with a phone number. This step is free of cost.

3. Login to ColourPop website and create an account. First timer users will get 5 dollars off.

4. Select your items, add to your cart and while checking out, enter the address provided by the SOFU and User Name as SOFU-COUNTRY-ID <INSERT YOUR NAME> [This will be your SOFU identification name and is available as your US Virtual Address Name].

5. Complete the order by making your payment via PayPal or credit card. Your order details will be sent to your email ID.

Colourpop offers free domestic shipping above $30.

6. Send a mail to the ShipOutfromUSA customer care (helpdesk@shipoutfromusa.com) with your order details and Colourpop payment receipt.

7. You will receive a mail from Colourpop when your order is shipped. Send it to the SOFU customer care.

8. Using the tracking code in the Colourpop order email, track your package and confirm with the SOFU team if they have received your order.

It will take 3-4 days for your order to be shipped and another 3-4 days for it to reach the destination. You can track your order through the USPS website with the details provided by Colourpop.

9. Once the SOFU team confirms, they will let you know the shipping charges.

Weight (lbs)	Weight (kg)	Original (INR)	40% Discount with MAGALI40 or INSTAGRAM40 (INR)
1	.5	1380	828
2	1	2070	1242

10. Pay the shipping amount by logging into your ShipoutfromUSA account using credit/debit card.

11. Once the payment is successful, you will receive a tracking number and a confirmation of shipment of your package to India.

 My Parcel 1 was shipped on 7-June (SOFU Warehouse) and  reached Mumbai on 10-June. The travel agent was Bombino.

Parcel 2 was shipped on 17-June and reached Mumbai on 21-June.

12. SOFU team will contact you and will let you know if you are required to pay Customs Duty.

    Parcel 1: INR 246

    Parcel 2: INR 319

If you have Customs Duty to pay, follow steps, 13 to 15.

13. Email bombino@bombinoexp.com requesting for Bombino bank account details.

14. Transfer the Customs Duty via NEFT or IMPS and send the confirmation receipt and ID proof (if required) to the same email ID.

15. Once payment is complete, they will release your package to a local transport partner like DHL and they will ship it to your destination.

My package reached Cochin on:

Parcel 1: 16-June

Parcel 2: 23-June

Overall my experience both times have been very positive and I would recommend ShipOutFromUSA to everyone.

You can ship from other US based websites through ShipoutfromUSA. To shop from Sephora, enter SOFU <YOUR FIRST NAME> as your first name and mail SOFU customer care the details and let them know that your unique SOFU number is not entered(Sephora doesn't allow numbers as the first name). Nordstrom ships to SOFU address too (They stock LORAC/MAC/CT).

Savings Through ShipoutfromUSA: Cost break-down

	Shipment 1	Shipment 2
Total ColourPop Bill	$49 l INR 3430	$50 l INR 3500
Original Price/item              Eye Shadow          Blush/Highlight Lippie Stix	·         $5 (INR 350) ·         $8 (INR 560) ·         $5 (INR 350)
Number of Items	8	10
ColourPop Domestic Shipping to SOFU address	Free above $30
Weight	1LBS	2LBS
Shipping (Post discount)	INR 828	INR 1242
Customs	INR 246	INR 319
Total Cost	INR 4504	INR 5061
Delta Cost Per Item	Approx. $2 per item (INR 140)	Approx. $2.23 per item (INR 140)
Final Cost/Item (Inclusive of Shipping + Customs) ·         Eye Shadow ·         Blush/Highlighter ·      Lippie Stix	$7 (INR 490)            $10 (INR 700)	$7.23 (INR 506)         -         $7.23 (INR 506)

Do leave a comment in case you need any clarification or help!

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