Ralph Lauren Big Pony 2 for Women Eau De Toilette review

Got this tiny mini perfume as gift from my best friend when it was launched in 2011. Some people swear by Ralph Lauren perfumes and they do spell quality. Big Pony 2 is very sweet, fruity fragrance and apt for young people. Among the hordes of fruity fragrances, this is flirty and makes people wonder. It smells so sweet that I think its edible. Big Pony 2 oozes of cranberry scent and housed in a pink bottle it looks like juiced cranberry.

The one I have is 15 ml bottle without a spray, but the cap works fine and there is no spillage. Not a very original or signature fragrance but makes a good gift for the holidays and upcoming summers. The fragrance is not heady but yummy and juicy, stays for 5-6 hours. I almost feel like surrounded by berries.

Recommendation - Buy it as your first perfume or a gift for someone. Holidays are here.

Zara White Eau De Toilette review

Clean, white winter days call for clean, fresh fragrance. Zara has been retailing a good range of fragrances in Bangalore recently at steal prices. White is such fresh, no-fuss perfume that one almost feels like spritzing on all washed clothes.

Quantity - 30 ml

Price - INR 590

I find the fragrance completely citrus, no flower notes and very feminine. The very first spritz brings out the images of sweet orange and grapefruit. Its an everyday perfume, nothing high end about it, but its price and quality is special. Zara White is clearly a day fragrance as it is fresh and fruity. You wear it more on daily jobs, going to markets or just some errands. It stays for 3-4 hours maximum being a light, breezy fragrance.

The white outer packaging is paper box and it opens up like a cigarette pack. The bottom half of box has engraving of rose flowers which confuses me, as I cannot smell any rose in the perfume. The bottle is glass and the cap is heavy plastic which is bit loose. This being a 30 ml perfume, I obviously wish to carry it around but the glass bottle is fragile and a loose cap calls for spillage. I have to handle it carefully even at home. Overall, its a great buy compared to designer perfumes and the small quantity gives me an option to try new ones.

Recommendation - Totally buy this reasonable perfume and wear it all the time.

HIP List: Winter Wishes

"Under the holly,
stands Little Polly,
wishing for her X'mas gifts.
Braving cold and snowy nights,
Dear Santa does night shifts."

Some lines I cooked up thinking about Christmas, New Year and all the things I wish for this winter.

1. Burgundy Jeans: I am gonna hunt for a fitted burgundy jeans or jeggings. Such a beautiful warm color in fitted form, transform myself into It-girl.

2. Luxurious felt hat: Don't know whether I can carry it off or not, but in love with felt hats.

3. Thick, lush brows: I adore Deepika Padukone's thick eyebrows framing her face and she totally rocks it. All you need is less plucking / threading and taming the wild hair. I regularly apply Vaseline on brows twice a day. And the truth is, Vaseline is a wonder brow gel.

In Love edition: Fall-Holiday shades

It took me an hour to pen down the words "In Love edition" for a new blog series. I was looking for words to represent my object desire, wish list, things I am loving now. Searched for french, spanish, italian words to churn out something special and different but at last something simple and english.

1. Chanel Rouge Coco lipcolor Rivoli - I have been longing for this one the moment I saw it on Anne Hathaway. She sported it in Oscars, yeah she was the spunky host that year with 8 dress changes. Rivoli is a deep red almost maroon shade and I am falling for dark colors now. Its Chanel, a celebrity pick and Parisian name *Rue De Rivoli*, so desirable.

2. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense lipcolor Palpitante - Beautiful fuchsia color, bright pink but not leaning neon. I can pull it off easily any occasion and time. Also it would look more beautiful in cold months when our skin tone is bit pale.

3. Burberry Lip Mist Blueberry - OK so this is a biased one. A lipstick of my blog's name *Blueberry* I MUST have it. Blueberry is sheer oxblood color in lip balm finish. This lipstick might look brown on me and will be glamorous with Burberry trench. Now now, me swaying with emotion.

4. Nars Pure Matte Lipstick Volga - Matte and dark, NARS Volga has to be in list. Saw it in Harper's Bazaar photo below and luckily on Indian complexion. Described by the brand as deep aubergine, it looks inky, dark and bit purple. I don't have single matte, Volga could be great start.

5. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense lipcolor Incandescente - I desire a bright Chanel red lipstick and Incandescente is perfect. Many have reviewed it as warm, flaming red. Incandescente looks like great holiday red, plus the new rouge allure formulas pack more shine. Shiny red, happy holidays.

6. Essie Berry Hard nail polish - Dark berry color, looks elegant and will complement all above lipsticks. Saw it on Lisa Eldridge in her video .

MAC Party Line cremesheen lipstick review

Fall season, noir lips, hot chai and chocolate truffles. That would be my idea of holidays in Parisian land. Dabbling with the dark lip trend for 2013, I got Party Line lipstick through Back to MAC. To choose a lipstick is confusing as I wish to get a new color, good finish and long lasting. I thought of getting either a pink or maroon or some dark shade. Party Line looked good on my skin tone and I liked the berry hints in it. MAC describes it as red toned plum on website, however the red is lost on my warm complexion.

Party Line is from deep red family of MAC cremesheen range. I would say the color is burgundy mixed with red and brown. The lipstick is very glossy when applied, covers with opaque color and hydrating. The shade is vampy and appears deep wine at night. Its a proper wine color in  my opinion. I have completely fallen for Party Line this season. Its bold, its deep and its warm, the perfect combination for cooler months. I would take the liberty to say that the color can look flattering across all skin tones, only the intensity would differ. Also with the right amount of maroon in it, this could be the elegant color to wear in weddings all year round for our Indian beauties.

However, Party Line is not a young and fun color, its mature and safe. I do feel that Chanel makes the best dark lipsticks but MAC has churned out this beautiful shade. Party Line could be a cross between Chanel Rivoli and Rouge Noir, here is a Cafemakeup blog swatch to compare.

Recommendation - Pair it with translucent skin, elongated lower lash line set with black kohl and loadsa mascara. Party Line works true magic at night.

Trending White Jeans: The Rock Chic with Clean Soul

Denim has been the star fabric of 2013 and fashion world has been eating, sleeping in them literally. Although denim is the wild child, the demon of high fashion and guilty of making people laze around in this blue fabric, but not owning denim is a sin. White jeans has emerged as the showstopper this season and I name it "The Rock Chic with Clean Soul". It is popular and a fresh hot cake depending on the way you style it. White jean owes its re-emergence to Miranda Kerr, Ashley Tisdale, Kate Moss and likes. Its a game changer by transitioning from day wear to evening style with a small change of the work shirt to a silky blouse.

Serious Business + Effortless Style : Miranda Kerr and Pippa Middleton team it with blazers, notice the shiny buttons.

Pop and Rock : White on white, biker jackets and wayfarers, white jeans is the staple for rock chic.

(from left: Byrdie Bell, Karolina Kurkova, Rosie Huntington Whiteley)

Georgia May Jagger for H&M

Casual, Feminine and Colorful

Ashley Tisdale

Amanda Seyfried, Katie Holmes

(1. Vince Skinny White 2. 7 For All Mankind 3. Current/Elliott Stiletto Sugar 4. Isabel Marant Galix Skinny)

White jeans may not have the slimming effect of black but a pristine, crisp white pair is a head turner on the street and all about style and looking trim. Add to it, that white jeans could be paired with any colored top, sheer blouses, linen and denim shirts. Owning a pair actually reduces the hard work of putting together an outfit.

The key is to pop out the white color by pairing it with colored top or white-on white. According to me, pairing white jeans with black / grey takes away the glory of this trend. Since the white is already basic, the monotony has to be broken by infusing color.

I also think that skinny white jean makes you look young and tall, that's a catch. Plus the variety of shoes and accessories that could be worn with is humongous. So get in shape and get a hold of this smart item, it's here to stay and is gonna give a run to its blue siblings.

Recommendation - Wear it super clean, as white is loved as pure white. Skinny is the approved fit for white jeans and do not shy away to wear bold accessories and your tallest heels. It demands the best of you.

images courtesy: nubry.com, blog.denimtherapy.com, harpersbazaar.com, golestaneh-fashionstore.blogspot.in, iheartcelebtrends.wordpress.com

Lancome Galatee Confort cleansing milk review

During the time in middle east, my skin became rough, patchy and prone to dry breakouts. Naturally, I became inclined towards cream based and soap free products. Lancome Galatee Confort is a cream based cleansing milk, suitable for dry to very dry skin while removing all makeup and dirt.

Quantity - 200 ml

Price - SAR 250

Galatee Confort is a white milky cleanser, not runny in texture and oil based. Among the first ingredients is mineral oil, which I feel interferes with the product's cleansing ability. The cleanser does not foam or lather, instead it applies as creamy layer. I take the required amount on cotton and remove the makeup in parts. It does not remove the makeup easily as 3-4 swipes are needed and too much cleanser is used up. It is emollient with honey and almond extracts, leaving a veil of oil residue on face. After washing with water, the skin feels soft and pampered with cream. No moisturiser is needed afterwards, there is enough oil on face.

Galatee Confort is heavily scented, although good but too much. Even after washing the face the scent will not reduce and if I run a fresh cotton over face, residual foundation could be seen. It is not very effective to clean tinted moisturiser, foundation and waterproof eye makeup.. Too gentle to clean full makeup and loads of cleansing milk required. At a hefty price, it only takes care of cleaning the dirt, light makeup  and provide moisture all night long. But the job is not complete here. The packaging is beautiful and can withstand travel.

Recommendation - Lancome Galatee Confort would only work as daily cleansing milk for bare face or less makeup. Very dry skin will love this but otherwise it is oily for other skin types. Disappointing product at the price.

Nivea Sun Moisturising Collagen Protect SPF 50 PA++ sunscreen review

Water and sunscreen are two life guards of good skin in prime of hot, dehydrating summers. In addition to caring about facial skin, other exposed skin also needs sunscreen. Especially our arms and neck tend to tan faster. I like Nivea Sun Moisturising Collagen Protect SPF 50 PA++ as a body sunscreen, provides moisture and protection from UVA / UVB rays.

Quantity - 75 ml

Price - INR 299

As mentioned on the packaging it is, absorbed quickly, non-greasy, non-oily, immediate protection, no need to wait in sun for 20 minutes, advanced collagen protect, protects the skin's collagen to help prevent wrinkles caused by frequent sun exposure and water resistant.

Nivea Collagen Protect sunscreen is a thick lotion, very moisturising and heavily scented. I love the hydration it gives, without looking oily or whitish. The key is to blend the sunscreen with circular motion, till it is absorbed by skin. For a while my skin shines like I have applied something oily but it goes away in 2-3 minutes. The lotion is not sticky and does not melt in heat. About the water resistant part, the sunscreen will not come out as residue if I use water. This is the good point about it.

Due to the thick texture, it takes time to blend evenly and I mix thin body lotion to ease the application. There is slight heaviness to it. SPF 50 works true to claim as I experience very less tanning compared to bare skin. The packaging is travel friendly. I have never used this on face so can't say it is prone to sweat. 

Recommendation - Nivea Collagen Protect sunscreen is a boon for dry, mature skin and I have enough reasons to keep buying this. However I would like to try something as good but without scent.

MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 review

Oh how I love these days in Bangalore, the skies laden with rain clouds, cool wind, the weekend urge in heart to travel somewhere nearby and my skin enjoying good days, all thanks to nature. Summer and monsoon are the times when I do not wish to slather on the foundation, powder and what not to the skin. It feels clogged and certainly does not enjoy those heavy layers. There comes the MAC Studio Moisture Tint to the rescue. Confessing the truth here, I am loyal to MAC Studio range, which has some quality products and have always worked for me. MAC Studio Moisture Tint has SPF 15 and comes in shade range suitable for Indian skin tones.

Quantity - 40 ml
Price - INR 1800
Shade - Medium Dark

As claimed on website,  A light, tinted moisturiser with SPF 15 and other skin-nourishing ingredients. An easy one-step finish specially suited for the season, this sheer tint provides just enough coverage to even out the skintone while creating a flawless protected, softly moisturised finish. Suitable for all skintones.

Since my skin needs moisture all year round, I picked this product for being 2-in-1 (moisture + tint). I just have to apply sunscreen underneath and use this tint to even out the skin tone on the outer sides of face - around the mouth, sides of nose, around eyes, side of cheeks and nearby hairline. I use it on days when my skin behaves well and is naturally bright. Studio Moisture Tint is apt to conceal the flaws here and there and still be light in finish.

It is creamy in texture but not oily, and the shade Medium is warm, well matched for my skin in summers (tends to get tanned). It works well as a tint with sheer coverage (do not expect to work it as foundation) and provides light hydration. MAC could have worked upon this area, as tinted moisturiser should be completely hydrating on its own. On bad skin days, it does not cut the usual step of using moisturiser as my skin is quite dry. Also this makes it unsuitable for winters, when it just sits on top of dry skin refusing to blend. The SPF is low for summers so sunscreen is unavoidable, but SPF 15 would do well for winters. The tint can conceal minor pigmentation / blemishes / dark spots as you can see in the blended swatch below. Also it soothes the redness of my sensitive skin.

On application, the tint feels cream like, but blends fast and does not leave any white cast. I apply it with fingers in dotted pattern on the required areas and move fingers towards the outer side to let it absorb. It sets somewhere near matte finish but no patches and I do not require to set it with powder unless more coverage - longevity is needed. The wear time of the tint alone is somewhere around 5-6 hours. However this is not water or sweat resistant. Studio Moisture Tint comes in tube packaging which is travel friendly and sturdy. What puts me off is the smell, which is bit plastic / rubber like, really needs to be worked upon. With all its pro and cons, I love its coverage and perfect shade.

Recommendation - Ignoring the smelly part, I would repurchase this for its concealing ability, light finish and comfortable wear. More suitable in daytime. It is a handy product in summers when one is in rush, does not want to spend much time and also the price is OK compared to the latest BB creams offered by Chanel, Dior, etc. I would be happy to explore the BB / tints by Pond's, Garnier Maybelline and Shiseido.

Kenzo Pour Femme Once Upon A Time EDT review

Little story I came up with, for this special fragrance. Once upon a time in faraway Japan there lived a princess, black as raven her hair and white as swan her skin, she has been sleeping for so long that the nights never seemed to end. Only to be woken up by a scent with earth's depth, soaked in night rain and plush as velvet.

In modern times, the house of Kenzo churns out this oriental perfume in a royal looking garb. Kenzo Pour Femme Once Upon A Time was launched as their 40th anniversary limited edition perfume in 2010, guess I bought it in Oct-Nov that year. It is an Eau De Toilette 100 ml version. This is an intense perfume,  a mix of floral, spicy and earthy scent. If Chloe was summer and cool, then this perfume speaks winter and warm. When I tried Kenzo Femme there was absolute confusion what it smelled like but I loved it. Then after few uses it struck me, as absurd it may sound,  a mix of betel leaf and coffee. The floral notes open up with the caffeine concoction, hints of cardamom, cinnamon and something earthy. There is no citrus scent in it which makes Kenzo Femme stands apart from a hoard of citrus / fruity perfumes. The earthy and woody notes provides such depth to the perfume, from the very first spray it inclines to royal. Some might find this an unisex perfume. After spraying the perfume, there is a moist feel attached to it and the longevity is around 5-6 hours.
The packaging is in sync with fragrance, deep teal colored bottle with oriental illustration of flowers, dragon scales and polka dots, in shades of fuchsia. The bottle is very heavy metal, it won't break but not exactly travel friendly.

Recommendation - I feel Kenzo Femme is great for monsoon and cold weather. Kenzo perfumes are distinctive from other brands and this again is an addition to it. You won't find something similar to it. If you are a fan of heavy fragrance and Japanese dark stories allure you, then Kenzo Femme is game.

Monochrome Monopoly: Trending Black and White Fashion,Graphic,Stripes

A hoarder of colors in their bright and cheery forms, monochrome palette of black and white seems boring to me. But the statement look of Spring Summer'13 being head-to-toe Black and White, the impact of monochrome trend was visible from Marc Jacobs to Topshop.
Since the color palette is restrained the clothes exemplify streamlined cuts, spaces & lines and geometric patterns.Simple fashion, no embellishments, androgynous silhouettes, loose tailoring and layering - are the mantras of this trend. It is not about wearing your solid black blazer or white pants, but to steer towards bold stripes, clean black outlines on white and monochrome prints which create a graphical impact in head.

(left to right: Saint Laurent blazer, Topshop tunic, L'Wren Scott dress with Marc Jacobs clutch)

MARC JACOBS

PRADA

MOSCHINO

Marc Jacobs presented the trend in extravagant geometric lines, stripey and matchy. Prada's collection is rather dreamy with imprint of daisies and hints of red lacquer. Moschino being a fun and flirty brand forays into buttoned up doll silhouettes, black lines on white and vice-versa.

AMALRAJ SENGUPTA

On Indian runways, we saw a chic collection put forward by designer Amalraj Sengupta, his Summer Resort 2013 line featuring stripes in solid colors. It saw the fusion of monochrome in Indo-Western outfits.

(flashing a bright pop of red, left: Olivia Wilde, right: Taylor Swift)

(mixing with earthy and muted colors, left: ZARA striped shirt, right: Deepika Padukone in FCUK Jag stripe dress)

This trend is about experimenting in strong black and white graphics and introducing color through bold-bright lipsticks (orange and fuchsia tones), color block bags and matching black-white footwear. Monochrome fashion is classic but is hard to wear as complete outfit. As long as you choose structured cuts and pattern suited to your body type, it won't go wrong. Do not go overboard with accessories and keep the fitting breathable.

images courtesy: herworldplus.com,harpersbazaar.com,Moschino facebook,net-a-porter.com,glamourmagazine.co.uk,Hive-in by amalraj sengupta,Zara people

MAC Face and Body Foundation review

So here is the truth about the peaches and cream, flawless skin you see in photo shoots, magazine covers or even your friend who seems to have no dark spots or pigmentation. The wonder product - foundation. And aptly called, good foundation is the base for flawless, commendable makeup. MAC Face and Body Foundation, a much hyped backstage product was launched last year in India and I am gaga over it.

Quantity - 50 ml
Price- INR 1700

MAC Face and Body **the iron foundation :D

As claimed on website, MAC Face and Body is fluid foundation that provides low-to-medium buildable coverage and a flawless, natural satin-shine finish. Skin conditioning, water-resistant and long-wearing.

This foundation is lightweight and sheer-medium in application as I build it up slowly. If one has natural, healthy & clear skin, then this product is made for you as it provides my skin but better look. It does not cover any pigmentation, scars or spots, so I need a concealer for those spots. What it does is to even out the skin but still look natural. MAC Face & Body is suitable for dry skin as it gives a dewy finish and subtle shine. For oily skin, it might build up on the oil and sweat in these summers, since the foundation is no where close to matte.

On application, the texture feels cool and thin water-based lotion which disappears on the skin and slowly I layer it on. MAC Face & Body could be difficult to work with and needs some time as it can be streaky if not applied correctly. I apply foundation with fingers so I go section wise, apply few dots on one part, go in circular motion to layer it and slightly tap with fingers to blend the foundation into skin. I require two layers to be satisfied with the finish and even out any variations. Although this foundation is long wearing (6-7 hours), I still do the simple routine of base moisturiser / sunscreen, then applying Face & Body and setting it up with sheer coverage powder. This ensures the longevity and glow of skin.

Here is a video by MAC Artist Fatima Thomas on creating perfect skin through which I learnt to apply foundation using fingers. Here she tips to buff in the Face & Body foundation with fingers and what i really love about this video that this tutorial works for dusky skin like me,as it covers the under eyes and grey area around mouth and comes up with glowing prepped up skin. I will try to discuss this video in a detailed post.



About the water resistant part I am not sure but here is a cue to weather resistance. I have used this in winter (Jan-Feb) wedding season and it did not require re-application and kept the skin moisture intact, no dry patches. It photographed very well even in close up shots. In summers, if staying out in sun / hot environment then I need to blot the T-zone after 3-4 hours and re-apply the powder, although the foundation is intact.

The product shade range is great and Indian skin tones can definitely match to a shade. I use C3 which looks slight yellow and matches my medium-olive tone. It does not give patchy or whitish cast look. MAC Face & Body does not have any SPF so sunscreen underneath is must in summers. In summer daytime I go for a slight matte sunscreen with this and at night a light veil of MAC Studio Moisture cream. I have not used this on body so can't comment on that part.

The packaging is plastic bottle with nozzle which controls the thin flow of product and it has to be shaken before use. There is no fragrance and I have not experienced any sensitivity issues. For me this is a perfect regular foundation with hassle free medium coverage and reasonably priced.

Recommendation - MAC Face & Body is a boon for healthy maintained skin and absolute go to for fresh looking makeup. Dry skin would love it for the moisture it provides and dewy look.

Trending Cloud Wash and Tie & Dye Denim

Come summer, come comfort. Denim is among the top fashion synonyms for comfort. It may not be a favorite among the highest echelons of fashion but has support in the masses, left wing (pop culture) and stylistas. The obsession over vintage looking denim with starry feel continues with celebrities embracing distressed and grunge denims.

(1.  7 For All Mankind 2. Forever 21 3. Danielle Scutt 4. Juicy Couture)

Cloud wash denims have been around and pop stars have been sporting them forever. Cloud wash gives an impression of cloud break on denim, in form of white patches. Think an explosion of cloud on your denim. Tie & Dye denim are everywhere this season, catered by many niche and mass market brands. Owing to the graphic print and op art trend on runways, tie & dye has caught up big.
Happily spotted on Rihanna, Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani.

(left to right: Rihanna in Current/Elliott 1968 Destroyed Jeans, Georgia May Jagger in H&M RocknRoll, Jessica Alba in  Earnest Sewn Green TieDye Jeans)

(Rihanna in JBrand TieDye Jeans, Gwen Stefani in Current/Elliott Dark Cloud Wash Jeans)

The key to dress up this denim is to keep the rest of look basic, go solid or black-white on upper body color and add metal to your accessories. From the regular blue jean and indigo, these washes are also available in pastels, black and ink. Scourge the fashion retailers like ZARA and H&M; also one can splurge on the connoisseur of these washes - Current/Elliott, JBrand, 7 For All Mankind, Black Orchid.

A cloud wash / tie & dye jeans can be teamed up with solid color shirt or tee. this style is worn best with white tees but to take a cue, see the dominating color in the jeans. If white is showing majorly then a long sleeveless white shirt would go well. If blue, black or other color is dominating then pair it up with black / grey tees. The rule is to keep the pairing color solid, a bit of fringe or peek-a-boo adds up to the style.

For outerwear, like a vest or jacket, cloud wash / tie & dye can be layered upon feminine dress, subtle print like polka dots, soft almost powdery colors and thin fabrics comprising cotton / silk chiffon. The theme is white clouds, which sometimes appear like powder and cotton balls.

(1. Bella Dahl Pocket Button Down in Cloud Wash 2. Onano77 3. Scotch & Soda) 

(1. Isabel Marant Embellished TieDye Jacket 2. Current/Elliott Cloud Wash Destroy 'JJ' Denim Jacket)

For accessories, embrace gold finish and leather bracelets. Studded textures team well with these denims and since denim fabric is all about comfort, go for sneakers or flat sandals for footwear. Keeping the rest of look almost monochrome, you can opt for a juicy color flat.

Recommendation - Look for skinny and tapered fit jeans, a bit of stretch will do good and bring out the wash.

images courtesy - denimology.com, denimblog.com, asos.com, zara.com, chictopia, hm.com,harpersbazaar,onano77.com