I thought I will write a post that's more personal than the rest. As I look back on the month of February, I hope this will give you a glimpse of what I've been up to.

The Pox

Yes, you heard that right. At the age of 23, my body thought 'okay it's time to give in to the pox', and there I was a miserable wreck for an entire week. I didn't quite realise the magnitude of the illness, and especially the cultural beliefs associated with it. The first few days were particularly difficult because my body temperature soared and the aches began. Interestingly, I thought I would be scratching and itching more, you know like Phoebe from FRIENDS when she caught the pox, but I didn't experience it on the same level (thankful for this). The room service during that week was quite nice though, so no complaints there. 

Travel

Somehow I managed to travel to Kataragama for the Shiva Pooja. It's a religious festival where a lot of devotees come together in worshiping the deity, Shiva, by engaging in traditional rituals and reciting mantras at midnight.  We spent one night at Sun sung Chiththa Holiday Resort which was a quiet and decent stay. One of my favourite things about the journey back to Colombo, is seeing the beach at one spot between Dickwella and Matara where the water is the most perfect aqua blue I've ever seen. Now that I'm writing this post, I wish I knew the exact location. 

University and Blogging

Time Management is one of the most difficult tasks for a university student. Since I completed my internship towards the latter portion of January, I had more time to dedicate to blogging and hence was able to write, photograph, edit six posts for the month of  February. Besides that I've been spending time writing articles for YOUth (a feature of Sunday Island), and engaging in my research work and assignments. Can I just say, I was proud of myself for stretching my capacity to incorporate all of this into the shortest month of the year. 

Reflections

Anyway, that's it for this month!

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you'd like to see more posts like this or if you'd like to see any other types of posts, please let me know in a comment down below.

Thank you for reading!

Much love,

I've been feeling quite adventurous with lipstick so much so that I picked up the Plush Lip Crème in Socialite by Makeup Geek. While nude-natural and deep reds are still my go-to colours, I wanted to try out greige and mauve colours late last year. So during one of the sales by BeautyBay (subscribe to the newsletter, you would not regret it!), I picked this one up: a) because Makeup Geek!, and b) this was priced at only $6.90 (WINNING!).

Retail Price: $14.00 (Roughly Rs. 2,200)

Net Wt.: 3ml/ 0.10 Oz

Available in 9 shades

Claims:

A cross between a cream and mousse, this unique formula sits on top of the lips for a soft, “plush” feel. A wide variety of colors crafted in a smooth creme finish, you’re sure to find a highly pigmented shade you love!

Cruelty-Free

Vegan

Paraben Free

Socialite is a warm purple with subtle brown undertones and a creme finish

Packaging:

The lip crème comes in a box with a metallic side which displays the logo and the type of product, in this case it had the wording 'Lip Crème'. The other side has an ombré effect with black blending into the shade of the lip crème. The ingredients are clearly listed in the back along with the statement that the product is of professional quality and that it is cruelty free. 

The lip crème comes in a clear tube with a chrome cap with the MakeupGeek logo on top and the wording 'Plush Crème' artfully written on the tube. 


The name of the shade is depicted in a sticker at the bottom. 

This came with a flat applicator rather than the traditional doe-foot applicator. The tip of the applicator is flexible so it allows you to work on the cupid's bow with relative ease, even though it doesn't have the typical pointy end.

Wear:

The lip crème is lightly scented. The colour itself is a cool mauve-taupe colour. The colour comes across beautifully in photographs and especially so, against tan skin. In terms of pigmentation, I find that I have to coat my lips twice or thrice with the product to get its full effect. Their description of the formulation is spot on, because it is a combination of cream and mousse. The texture feels like a mousse like it's been whipped but is lighter, and is creamy in application. On the lips, the formula feels a bit like buttercream frosting off the second cupcake you know you shouldn't have eaten (#yolo ?). It doesn't dry down and feels comfortable on the lips which is good.



The lip crème shifts around a lot which I didn't appreciate. Then again it had its positive side, because this transfers a lot, A LOT! Having checked my teeth after an hour of application, I noticed that it left marks on them. I gasped after overthinking because for the outsider it would appear as if I got to work after forgetting to brush them. Oh the positive side of the lip crème shifting you ask? Well, once I smacked my lips together again, the lipstick from the top lip transferred to my bottom lip and evened things out. The point is, if you do get this you would definitely require the assistance of a lip liner underneath it.

As soon as I had my morning cup of tea, I knew this wasn't going to last too long. After a breakfast of some delicious pol roti I noticed that only the product that was on the periphery of my lips remained strong. In general I would say this lipstick lasted 2 hours on my lips. Re-application isn't an issue though which is a definite positive aspect. 

Would I recommend it?:



I would honestly not recommend it for all of the reasons mentioned above. I was quite disappointed because I was excited for the colour. I LOVED the Iconic Lipstick in Candid, and obviously this is not a reflection of the brand. This product just didn't hit the mark for me. 

Shop This Post:

Makeup Geek Plush Lip Crème in Socialite

Let me know what you think of the Makeup Geek Plush Lip Crème in Socialite. If you've tried it, feel free to leave a comment down below.

Thank you so much for reading,

Much Love,

I remember my 15-year old self sitting on the couch with my brother, watching Nigella make delicious treats and wishing that teleportation was real. Perhaps what was most relatable was her sneaking into her kitchen in the middle of the night for some snacks from the fridge. As a university student, one of the first breakfasts that I learned to prepare was her American Breakfast Pancakes.

Evidence from 2013. Look at those Instagram Filters 😂

 I haven't made them in a while, and this week I was in the mood for some pancakes so I figured I would try this old favourite out.

A few notes before we get started: I am not a professional chef or a 'food guru' (not sure if that's the right term). When it comes to following recipes, I end up adding my own twists and ingredients based on what I'm in the mood for and what is available at the minute. Anyway, I just wanted to share some pancake goodness with all of you. 

The recipe that I will be sharing is for those with a sweet-tooth, so top off these pancakes with syrup, fruits or jam.

I will share the link of the original recipe down below if you're interested in making it exactly the way Nigella does. 

         Ingredients: 

                  ©      1½ cups of cake flour

©      Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers

©      Jam to your favourite song in your room

©      Visit a museum or an art gallery

©      Write down 3 things you are grateful for in life

©      Break up with your phone for half an hour

©      Take a nap

©      Reconnect with an old friend

©      Take a bubble bath or a long shower

©      Bake some Funfetti cupcakes

©      Meditate for ten minutes (This app will guide you)

©      Immerse yourself in a book of your favourite genre

©      List three things you love about yourself

©      Get creative: buy yourself an adult colouring book or print out a few pages and start colouring

©      Let a friend know how much you care about them

©      Recreate a makeup look by your favourite beauty blogger

©      Get yourself loads of popcorn, order a pizza, and watch a Rom-Com (The Proposal is one of my favourites)

©      Have dinner with your family

©      Hang out with your pet

©      Go out for a walk in the park

©      De-clutter both your physical surrounding and your digital space

What are your favourite acts of self-care? Let me know in a comment down below.

Thank you for reading!

Much Love,

I think we can all agree on one thing and that is the fact that brows shape your face. Other than simply defining your eyes, they add dimension to your face and gives it a sense of liveliness that only brows can. Whichever makeup look I choose to do, I always make sure that my brows are prim and proper before moving on to the rest of my face. I love very natural brows and I have been consistently talking about the Magic Brow by Lord & Berry. However I also love a more filled in effect especially for events, and more so if I know I will be taking a lot of photographs. For this reason, I've been using the DipBrow Pomade by Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) is a beauty brand that has been known for their epic brow range, liquid lipsticks, and everyone's favourite eyeshadow palette that is Modern Renaissance. The dipbrow pomade by ABH is one of those products that have created a lot of buzz in the beauty community. When it comes to products that are so heavily raved about YouTube and Instagram videos, I often wonder if they are actually worth the hype, and in my case (broke graduate student-yes we exist!) I tend to wonder if they are worth the price tag. I'm also not a makeup artist, so I was apprehensive when it came to using a pomade. You should also probably know that there's nothing that speaks to my soul than sales and free shipping. So when I saw that Cult Beauty offered free shipping on ABH products, I knew I had to pick it up. 

Price: $18.00 (Roughly around Rs. 2,800)

NET WT: 4.0 g/ 0.14 Oz

Available in 11 shades

Claims: 

An award-winning waterproof, multitasking, and buildable matte pomade that stays put. Apply and blend a small amount of Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW® Pomade with an angled brow brush to effortlessly outline, fill, and texturize brows. 

Long-lasting and smudge-proof

High-pigment formula glides on easily and dries fast

Acts as an all-in-one brow product

Packaging:

The product arrived in a black cardboard box with the brand and product name, shade, and ingredients listed on it.

A little note with a word of caution and warning was also included in case anyone has any reaction to the product, which was an extra touch.


The product itself was in a clear glass pot with a black screw on lid with the ABH logo in copper. The name of the brand is inked on the side of the jar, and the name of the product, and shade are mentioned on a sticker at the bottom. Overall, the packaging is sturdy, compact and felt luxurious; very impressive.



 Keep in mind that you will need a spoolie and an applicator brush to use the product. The duo brush by ABH is another $18.00 but you can find inexpensive brushes to help you create that perfect arch. 

Wear:

Out of the shades available I picked Ebony, which is perfect against my skin tone and hair colour which is a dark brown (almost black). The product has excellent pigmentation, which can be either a pro or con based on how you use it. Personally, I dip my brush in once and lightly draw in little hair like lines to add to the sparse areas of my brows to make them appear fuller. Make use of a spoolie brush to really distribute the product and make it look more natural. I've found that this creates the most natural brow look. The product is definitely build-able. If you really pick up the product it will give you block brows, which obviously isn't the most natural. If you're a novice, I would definitely recommend being very gentle and 'greedy' with how you pick up the product.

In terms of the formulation, the pomade falls somewhere in between a wax and a cream. It's unbelievably smooth and creamy (for a brow product) but has a stiffness of a wax so that once applied it doesn't budge. It is very easy to pick up with a brush, and apply. They weren't kidding when they said it dries fast, so make sure you improve your dexterity. Remember, practice makes perfect.

As I said earlier, the best part is that once it dries, it stays put. It is indeed smudge-proof and lasted all day (6:30 a.m. to when I took my makeup off around 6 p.m.) without needing touch ups. In terms of the claim that it is water-proof, I would say it is waterproof for the most part. I applied it over my hand and rubbed the product under running water and there was a tiny amount of fading. Then again that is an extreme scenario isn't it? Even if you do get caught in the rain, unless you rub your brows harshly, the product wouldn't drip down your face.

Over time I've definitely noticed that there were cracks appearing in the product which could only mean that it's drying. So if you do get it, it's best to always seal the product shut and not let it be exposed to air for too long. I ordered mine back in June-July and it hasn't dried out on me thus far.

Would I recommend it?:

ABSOLUTELY!  I definitely think it's worth the hype. I feel like I've got my brows sorted thanks to this, and now all I need is a clear brow gel to keep them locked in place. 

DipBrow Pomade by Anastasia Beverly Hills

I'll admit I love matte lipsticks, demi-matte lipsticks, even some of those 'satin lipsticks' that sets as a matte finish. In fact, I can't remember the last time I wore a glossy lip. Perhaps it was in 2014-15 when I fell in love with that one Viana lip gloss. It might have been called 'Honey Dew' or something. I have been trying to heal my broken heart since it was discontinued. Dramatic much? Anyway, when I saw the ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip in Fudg'd, I couldn't help but think how great the colour is, especially on medium-tan skin tones. You know the struggle is real when it comes to finding glosses to match darker skin colours. Perhaps makeup should be more inclusive, just saying. 

This lipstick was created in collaboration with Karrueche Tran and hence is limited edition. So if you're looking to get it, pick it up soon before it's gone. 

Price: $6.00

Claims:

A warm saddle brown in a sheer finish

The liquid lipstick comes in a white box which bears the ColourPop logo and the name of the product, with the name of the shade on the side (I'm sorry I don't have pictures for you, but it's pretty much the same as the typical Colourpop packaging). 

The product is packed in a clear tube with a silver cap. The products created in collaboration with Karrueche have a copper band on top of the tube, and it bears the name of the brand in copper as opposed to their typical holographic silver print. The name's already faded and I've had this only for just over a month. If that's not an indication of how often I've used this, then I don't know what is. The name of the shade is clearly stated on the bottom. The applicator is the typical easy-to-use, doe-foot applicator.

Wear:

Fudg'd is indeed a saddle brown which complements tan skin tones perfectly. It has a sheer finish as claimed so if you're looking for pigmentation, you ought to apply a lipstick underneath. FYI, I like wearing Fudg'd on top of French Toast by Gerard Cosmetics.

The formula is a little thicker than watery glosses I'm used to. What's noticeable is how smoothly it applied and how comfortable it felt on the lips. 

As for the sticky-ness factor, my lips didn't seem to be glued together when pursing, which is good.
Traveling in a tuk isn't ideal obviously, but this stayed put and didn't look like a right mess. You know what I mean, gloss marks on the cheeks and chin, yup, we've all been there.

Being a gloss, you can't exactly expect it to last very long, especially after meals. That is, unless you can eat the way the Kardashians eat their salads to prevent lip products from smudging. So I've been keeping this in my purse for touch-ups throughout the day. I would say in general it lasted for 3 hours on me (that's how long I lasted without snacking).

Shop This Post:

ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip in Fudg'd

Let me know what you think of the ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip in Fudg'd. If you've tried it, feel free to leave a comment down below.

Thank you so much for taking time to read this!

Much Love,