Owner: the indian make-up diva URL:http://indianmakeupdiva.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:05:54 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: This blog is geared towards anyone who wants to learn more about what products might suit them. The owner is an Indian woman who shares her beauty ups and downs and has reviews and tips on skincare and makeup that would suit south asian women. Site statistics:Click here
Contouring with Powder Bronzer 2007-09-04 22:13:00 So I am back (finally) and I decided to do a tutorial on contouring with powder bronzer. Yes, I do eventually get around to requests. I'm just a bit... disorganized. I would also like to add that I am sorry that the pics are underexposed. I am this weird strongly green colour. I am very olive skinned and in bad lighting I become more green/lizard-colours versus plain ol' deep oliveWhat I used:A bronzer. I used NARS Casino. I like this because it doesn't have red undertones and looks like my skin but deeper and has only very slight shimmer.A blush. I used MAC Ambering Rose. This is already shimmery so I didn't want to use a highlighter for this look.An angled blush brush. I used MAC 168. I used to use Essence of Beauty's which I also like a lot.A blush brush. I didn't use a blush brush per se but used MAC 187 instead. Whenever I am using a pigmented blush, I like to use this brush to sheer out my application.Step 1:I started off with a clean base. I moisturized my face and applied Read more:Powder
Finally I Praise a Celeb's Make-up: Sara Jane Dias 2007-09-28 00:38:00 I was browsing the web/complaining to vampires that my sleeping schedule was out of whack when I saw the following pic of Miss India Sara Jane Dias at the inauguration of Richfeel Hair and Scalp Clinic in Banglore on Sept 25, 2007.In the past, I have been vocal (I feel I did manage to restrain myself) about bad make-up and I realized I have praised good make-up only once. Once. Let me clarify that I am not a bitter woman who is cursing the celebs behind the computer because I want to secretly be them. I am content to merely live vicariously through them, but I can only do that if I agree with their make-up habits. So I decided to reward some much needed praise to Sara Jane Dias and the great job her make-up artist did.Apart from the fact that I absolutely love the vibrant colours and patterns on her salwar that compliment her skin like bullying mothers-in-law do a desi soap-opera, Sara's make-up is understated but I don't think it's boring at all. On the contrary, the look is sophis Read more:Finally
, Praise
Forgive me, I slept pretty much all day 2007-10-12 00:27:00 I know i was supposed to put up the tutorial and I had everything ready. However, I had an important assignment on Wednesday so I stayed up for as long as humanly possible throughout the week. I came home and died. I will put the tutorials up tomorrow. Sorry ladies! Read more:slept
Little Tiny (Personal) Rant While I Get the Pics for The Tutorials Ready: Rude Sales Assistants at Counters 2007-10-08 01:48:00 I know I promised to put tutorials up, and I will in a couple of days. School and work are killing me rather quickly I might add. I will also comment back to you wonderful ladies tomorrow. In the meanwhile, I have to get this off my chest or I'm afraid I might line my lips with a black lip liner and fill it in with a frosted light lilac lipstick (for all those who are not in the know, this the make-up world's equivalent of the phrase "if I don't rant about this, I think I might kill someone"). Why am I this mad you ask? Well, here goes.I was at a make-up counter recently (it shall remain unnamed) and I encountered very rude and pushy behaviour that just really repulsed me. Let me add that some sales assistants are gifts showered onto the make-up obsessed subspecies of the Human race. The ones that listen to your concerns and help you look for things you love pretty much occupy the role of priests and priestesses that lead us to our destined shimmery mauve blush. When this is not the Read more:Personal
, Tutorials
, Sales
, Assistants
Am Adding a Trial Make-up Forum 2007-10-02 11:59:00 You ladies seem to have a lot of knowledge over products so I figured I would add a message board for a while, see how it is, and then decide whether to keep it or not. I added a link at the top of the page and we will see how this endeavour goes. I realize the layout of the forums is also quite ugly, but I will change that if the website proves to have more than just me as the member. Hope you ladies like it! Read more:Trial
, Forum
Second Powder Blush Installment: NARS Taj Mahal, Scary in the Pan, Perfect on the Cheek 2007-10-02 10:57:00 I have a thing for pigmented blushes because they suit such a wide variety of skintones, last forever, and really show up on my skintone. There are two NARS gems that I think feel make me glow and they are Exhibit A and Taj Mahal
. This is a review of the latter.Taj Mahal is a bright burnt pumpkin shade with gold shimmer. And with that description alone I'm sure you're ready to write me off as the sister of the with in Hansel and Gretel who regularly bullies little kids into giving her their candy (the last part might actually be true, but I'm not sure I was to own up to it yet). However, let me assure you that this blush just needs to be applied sheerly and it gives the most amazing warm glow on my deep olive skin. The shimmer in this blush is not overwhelming and when worn, it's very subtle.The blush itself glides on flawlessly and a little goes a very, very, very long way. It also lasts through an entire day without budging so that is always a plus. The trick with this blush is t Read more:Second
, Powder
, Scary
, Perfect
Pout Make-up Sales Spotted 2007-10-02 02:41:00 Rumours are circling about Pout closing business. I am not 100% sure if they're completely shutting down or if there's something else afoot. However, Pout make-up has been spotted at pure Beauty stores and such at 50% to 75% off. Also, the following Australian website has Pout at discount prices and their shipping charges are supposed to be reasonable (don't quote me on that, it's what I've heard). I know Sephora is pretty much out of stock on most thing, but I am glad there are other sources of Pout sales. Read more:Sales
Bollywood and Fashion. Some Great Finds 2007-10-02 02:04:00 As you might have guessed, my sleeping schedule is so messed up right now that you can rename me as Vampira, a.k.a. she-who-never-sleeps-until-dawn-and-is-thirsty-for-make-up. I know I'm trying to make light of it, but I wouldn't be surprised if I sprout fangs soon and then I'll be in a lot of trouble. Until then, however, I have a new feature to add. Some style/fashion finds I can find on bollywood. Let me know what you think of this new feature. If it's a no-no, I will axe this feature. I also promise you that I will have a few tutorials, breakdowns, etc up by this weekend.I know the current craze in Bollywood is to show off one's handbags (I'm sure you've seen the pics of stars with huge sunglasses and the logos on their handbags blinding the camera lens), but I kind of liked this feature I found.In case you can't see it properly, here' what everyone's wearing.Sheetal MallarTop & Capris: No Entry, AustraliaSandals: BarefootBag: Malini RamaniDiandra SoaresTop: ZaraShort Read more:Fashion
, Great
Make-up Crisis of the Moment: Lead In Red Lipstick 2007-10-15 12:46:00 As you might all know, a recent study found varying quantities of lead in red lipstick. Different brands had different levels. I am posting this after some thought because I don't know how alarmed I should be. However, I'm posting the gist of the finds here and the list of lipsticks that were tested.Here's an overview of the test:More than half of 33 brand‐name lipsticks tested (61 percent) contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from .03 to .65 parts per million (ppm). None of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient.One‐third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy – a standard established to protect people from directly ingesting lead. Lipstick
, like candy, is ingested directly. Nevertheless, the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick – which fits with the disturbing absence of FDA regulatory oversight and enforcement capacity for the $50 billion personal care products industry.T Read more:Crisis
, Moment
Wow! Koena Mitra Made it to Awfulplasticsurgery 2007-10-15 12:43:00 I know this is not completely make-up related and I don't want to turn this into a celeb-bashing blog at all. I was browsing the net and I saw that Koena Mitra
made it to awfulplasticsurgery.com. Desi news and sites, fine, but I do believe Koena's plastic surgery got her at least some of what she wanted: lots of fame. I do feel very bad for her. The pressure must be very tough to deal with.My slightly perverse sense of humour is celebrating that a desi woman made it to awfulplasticsurgery.com (I used to visit this site often, gave it a break, and now am reading it again thanks to koena).No, its not a long lost member of Jackson member, its Koena Mitra
Great Make-up: M.I.A. 2007-10-14 02:33:00 Yes, I am alive and I truly will put up everything I promised to. Let me just share my frustration for a moment before I do M.I.A.'s make-up. My car broke down, the battery is dead, and I am stranded at home. It's something of a less glorified deserted island (at least you ate the occasional coconut). So now I am stuck with my worst enemy: all the homework that needs to be done.So as per the promise, here is an overview of M.I.A's make-up breakdown and I have also added a few product suggestions. Let me know if you have any product suggestions of your own.Face:I know magazine excerpts are never really reliable, but as always (I am boring and repetitive, but that's what happens when you don't have a deserted-island-bring-on-the-coconut-partay), I highly recommend moisturizing your under eyes and face with the moisturizers of your choice. Let it sink in for around 10 minutes. Apply a dewy, medium coverage foundation and blend it into your hairline, neck/jaws etc. Then spot conceal w Read more:Great
Not Technically Bollywood, but Great Make-up for Fair Skinned Desi Ladies 2007-10-20 01:22:00 I got a request recently for Kin Kardashian's make-up and I figured I'd post it here too. Whatever you think of the girl (and trust me, I'm always on gossip blogs getting the latest scoop), she seems to have great make-up usually. The thing is that I could easily see the shades she uses look great on fairer skinned desi ladies. So for you fairer skinned desi (or not) lovelies out there, I present you Kim Kardashian's make-up recommendations from an article I read a while ago. It's All About the Lips Looking at Kim on the red carpet, one would instantly notice her kohl-rimmed dark brown eyes and olive skin. She also has great, natural eyebrows. She doesn’t sport the overly-plucked L.A. brow. But Kim’s lips are really the feature she pays attention to. “In my make up bag, I always have MAC blush in ‘Pink Swoon,’ along with their travel size blush brush. A MAC lip liner in ‘Stripdown,’ with MAC lipstick in ‘Angel.’ And Nars lip glo Read more:Great
Blush Installment 3: Mac Dollymix 2007-10-19 03:02:00 For my next installment of blush, I would like to introduce one of my favourite blushes. It scares everyone in the pan, but I always seem to get compliments ranging from 'you look so awake and fresh' to 'you look so soft and girly.' MAC Dollymix always seems to jolt up my eyes and make my face look alive.Do not be scared of the way the blush looks in the pan. It looks like a screaming blue-toned bright pink that has a slight shimmer. When worn, the shimmer is very subtle and the colour of the blush itself is very sheer. For some of my NARS blushes, I dare not use a normal blush brush. However, Dollymix goes on sheerly so I don't need to worry about bringing out the stipling or fan brush.I love using this blush to give me a fresh and girly look. It's also great for that 'just came back from making snow angels outside' kind of glow. The good thing about it is that you don't have to be overly frightened that you will overdo it on the first go. A regular blush application will do
Best Body Moisturizer and Overall Multi-tasker: Jojoba Oil 2007-10-19 01:45:00 I started off trying Jojoba oil as a night time moisturizer. It was not a huge success. Yes, it made my skin look and feel like a baby's bottom but soon I started getting bumps and my skin looked like a baby's bottom when the diaper needed changing. I was crying not only because it made my skin bumpy, but because I didn't know any other product that made my skin so incredibly soft, smooth, and hydrated. My skin was radiant every morning. I had a huge tub of Jojoba oil, but since I couldn't use it for my face I was determined to find some use for it. Well let me tell you, I've found that use.The skin on my body is extremely dry and can looked like the parched, cracked desert earth if I don't moisturize properly daily. I have been using jojoba oil for the past four weeks and I cannot believe the difference in how my skin feels. I know jojoba is a wax and all and closely resembles the sebum of your own skin, but I never expected it to work wonders on those rough patches I had.I have Read more:Overall
, Multi
Tutorial: Easy Threading 2007-10-19 01:35:00 I know a girl who threads her own eyebrows by using her feet to hold the thread. That's how she described it to me. Ever since then, I've been experimenting and although I haven't actually threaded my own eyebrows, I've become fascinated at how I can mummify my own foot with thread alone. However, I can thread my own upper lip and other such densely forested areas. Forgive the pictures, lighting was not my friend. Lots of excessive shadows and a bit dim if you ask me, but otherwise I can't get the thread to show up in the pics.What I used:Pure cotton thread.Step 1:Cut off some thread. Try seeing how much thread you are comfortable handling beforehand. Try lassoing your hand with the thread so to speak, so that you have the thread around your hands and have enough thread in between your hands that you can keep them at a comfortable distance. I don't like to have the length of the thread be too long since it becomes hard to maneuver,.Step 2:Tie the ends of the thread together.Step Read more:Tutorial
, Threading
Nars Albatross: The Elusive, Perfect Glow 2007-10-19 01:21:00 Once in a while, when the planets are aligned properly and after you've completed a make-up dance (it's like a rain dance, but for make-up), you come across a product that does everything you want it to. I love highlighters, however, I don't want to look oily or sweaty. I can just pretend to exercise for that (you cannot begin to imagine how much I hate exercizing). It's been a while since I've been in love with a product the way I am smitten with NARS Albatross.Albatross is a deceptively boring white in the pan, but when worn it's a beautiful warm shimmer with a hint of gold. When I say hint of gold, I mean it's such a subtle warm colour that adapts to the yellow undertoned in my skin. I have a hard time wearing highlighters that don't have a warm undertone. This is when I begin to look sweaty.Shimmer is such a tricky thing. You wouldn't think it but sometimes companies mistake shimmer with a chunky, glittery texture(Kevyn Aucoin, I'm looking at you) and the essence of the s Read more:Perfect
I Proudly Claim The Title of "Worst Public Speaker, Ever" 2007-10-26 02:08:00 Hey ladies!I am just updating to let you know that I'll have a bunch of things up tomorrow/this weekend. I have a presentation on Wednesday and as God/fate/life/luck/my big behind/anything else you can think of would have it, I am possibly a worse public speaker than George W. himself. Make-up will be my refuse and if not Depends will when I am in front of my class presenting. Read more:Title
, Public
, Speaker
PSA: 20% off at Sephora.com 2007-11-02 03:12:00 This is only available to us online and to get your discount enter "FF2007" as the promotional code at checkout. Read more:Sephora
SkincareRX Coupon for 10% off 2007-11-01 20:22:00 I just thought I'd share a 10% off coupon for www.skincarerx.com. I get my Dermalogica face masks and some La Roche Posay stuff so they are a safe place to order from. Here's the coupon code: Coupon
Code: 10% Off Your First Purchase NEWS10
Teamine Eye-Cream: Not Quite the Miracle In a Jar 2007-11-01 19:46:00 I got the Teamine eye-cream last year after asking my derm for something against my dark circles. A lot of people had told me how good it was for under-eye circles. I forked over the cash, and let me tell you the price hurt (especially after I found out skincarerx.com has it at little more than half the price), and I went home expecting the answer to my dark circles to be magically contained in the jar. First off, let me say I've been using the eye-cream every single day for more than a year so I think I'm giving you a pretty balanced idea of what it does.Of all the eye creams I've tried, I feel as if this did the best job in moisturizing my under-eyes. It was light, sunk in very quickly, did not feel heavy or greasy, did not sit on top of my skin, and moisturized my skin very well. I often stay up late studying and it does a fabulous job of destressing my under-eyes the next day. It keeps my under-eyes looking as happy as they can under the circumstances. Now here's the million do Read more:Cream
Great Make-up: Sonam Kapoor 2007-11-06 01:04:00 I'm not sure whether it's her make-up or it's her huge smile, but I love the clean, young make-up on her. I tried the make-up out on myself and while it did look like hers, the young , girlie thing is all her own. Sad, but it's a personal grievance.Face:Good, healthy skin is essential to this look. I wouldn't recommend using a full-blown foundation for this look but a dewy tinted moisturizer should give you enough coverage, moisturize your skin, and let your own skin shine through. If needed, apply a bit of concealer on problem areas and blend into the foundation. Apply translucent powder to set the tinted moisturizer.Recommendations: Aveda's Inner Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, Shiseido The Make-up Enriched Loose powder, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face PowderEyes:Even though the shadow is very subtle, I would recommend using a good primer to make the shadows last.Recommendation: MAC Paints in Bare CanvasBrows:The brows are very natural looking for this look. Brush your brows with a Read more:Great
, Kapoor
Make-up For Attending a Wedding: Day 2007-11-06 11:55:00 In honour of Closet Diva and anyone else who might find this helpful, I'm making a post on what to wear when attending a wedding. This is more geared to a day look and you're free to tweak it as you want. Also, Let me know what you ladies think of this. I will post more about the subject, just point me in the direction of your concerns.Some general guidelines:What I really like doing is looking around for inspiration before any big event. I scour magazines and looks on celebs or from make-up lines. You can get tons of ideas this way and maybe decide on elements from particular looks and mesh them to create something unique of your own.Try not to be too matchy-matchy with your make-up. I don't go for make-up colours that clash too much with my outfit, but try thinking of your make-up as needing to suit your face. You want to flatter your face, not necessarily your outfit. I know this sounds weird, but if you subtly enhance your features you stand out. If you coordinate you make-up wi
Hope You Ladies Are Doing OK 2007-11-20 03:02:00 Hey everyone!I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while. You know how your finals can either kill you or just give you stomach ulcers for the rest of your life. I'm trying to keep it at the ulcers, but it seems like school is intent on killing me. I will be better at updating and will get back to all you wonderful ladies soon. I also have a few posts on wedding make-up. I also plan on putting up the message boards up and a bunch of different things. Just remember, technology hates me so don't kill me if the forums are as ugly as black eyeliner used as a lip liner with a frosty light pinky gray lipstick over it. It will get there I promise.On another side note, I never know whether it's grey or gray. I read a book once where the main character's last name was Grey and ever since then I have never been able to keep the two spellings apart.
Next Blush Installment: Nars Lovejoy 2007-11-20 02:51:00 So to continue my blush installments, I have decided to head this one with a classic. Just don't be scared by the shimmer you see in the pic as I'm also wearing a highlighter over it (NARS Albatross to be exact). In case you didn't know, I'm something of a highlighter-addict.Lovejoy on its own, without the added highlighter, is a very versatile rosey bronze colour with slight golden shimmer. Slight shimmer mind you that is very natural looking when worn. The colour itself veers a bit more towards a brown tinted bronze on my skin and the rose undertones help the colour from not making me look like I was dipped in some liquid metal.The blush is a great neutral that has great pigmentation and stays pretty much all day. It is also a very versatile shade that I keep reaching for when I do a various number of looks. On my skin I found that I didn't need to use a special brush for application and a regular blush brush would do. If you're fairer and want a sheerer application, then I thi
La Roche Posay Toleriane Riche. Not Very Complicated, But An Amazing Staple 2007-11-20 02:44:00 I have very, very sensitive skin as you might remember from my rather frequent complaints about it. The winter especially is hard and my skin really gets dry and takes a beating. I am also a little reluctant to slather on a very heavy moisturizer as I am also prone to break outs. Enter La Roche Posay’s Toleriance Riche. I know I praise a lot of things by this line, but I promise I only praise things that truly work for me and don’t irritate the hell out of my skin.Toleriance Riche comes in a ridiculously tiny squeeze tube and in my opinion the company really could afford to give customers a bigger size. That is my main pet peeve with this moisturizer. Other than that, it is a truly amazing thing. It doesn’t contain any preservatives and is quite no-frills. It doesn’t have an anti-aging or free radical killing properties. It’s basically a rich moisturizer that has a very minimum amount of ingredients. And that is precisely why it has turned out to be such a life saver for me. Read more:Amazing
Great Make-up: Madhuri Dixit's New Look 2007-12-03 02:37:00 I think studying has made me not able to sleep at night. I feel sleepy at the weirdest times. That issue aside, I adore Madhuri's look in her new movie so I figured let's start with her make-up breakdown.Face:Moisturize your skin with a light moisturizer according to your skin type. To make make-up last and not make it settle into pores and fine/expression lines, I'd recommend using a primer for this look. However, feel free to skip this step. Apply a satin finish medium coverage foundation to your skin in light layers. Conceal under the eyes if needed and set your make-up with translucent powder.Recommendations: Dior Forever Foundation, Revlon Botafirm Foundation, Make-up Forever Lift Concealor, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent. I would really recommend using MAC's 188 brush to apply the foundation as it gives a flawless finish and deposits light/thin layers of foundation.Highlight:This look has a slight glow to it and if you want to enhance that you can always add a to Read more:Great
, Dixit
, Madhuri Dixit
OMG I am FINALLY back 2007-12-01 00:16:00 I had the most hellish 2 weeks EVER! with the help of sheer will power, lots of tea, a bit of slacking off, and no sleep for 2 weeks, I finished up one HUGE assignment. I will upate tomorrow. thanks for your patients ladies.
Headstart for Next Week: A Request from Me 2007-12-11 02:05:00 Hey Ladies,I have been wanting to make a post on what works for you guys. Just email me if you'd like to make a post on what products you live by etc. (yes I truly have been reading feedback and don't just say this). I would love to start a weekly guest-blogging post about what works for all of you. Just let me know and we'll go on from there. My email is anu@indianmakeupdiva.com. Meanwhile, wish me luck. Another 3 more days of no sleep, lots of research, and stressing out.
Great Updates Soon to Follow 2007-12-11 02:02:00 Hey Ladies,I am so sorry for the late blogging/responses. I have one last final on Thursday and then I am DONE! So bear with me until Monday next week. I have been reading all your comments and am definitely planning on bringing you lots of different things. Wish me luck! Read more:Great
Essence of Beauty Brushes 2007-12-11 02:01:00 I wanted to dedicate a post towards affordable, but very good brush sets. Feel free to add on information about other good, inexpensive brushes that you like. Before investing a bunch on my current brushes, my brush stash consisted of Essence
of Beauty
brushes I had bought at CVS. I love most of the brushes I have from this line. They’re very soft, durable, and apply make-up so well. My favourite brushes from the line are the eye shadow brush, the crease brush, and the angled blush brush. One good thing about these brushes being so cheap is that I know I wouldn’t be devastated if I used them roughly or they lost their shape. So I really use the heck out of them. And throughout my continuous abuse, the brushes have held up so well and are still in their initial shape. I was my brushes regularly and even after a few years, the brushes are not scratchy and they barely shed. In fact, the EOB angled blush brush shed less than my MAC 136 brush. There are a few misses in the line
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