L. A. Splash Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in Latte

$14.00 (roughly around Rs. 2,185.00)

This is one lipstick I bought back when there was so much hype surrounding the brand, L. A. Splash. I have not used any product by the brand before purchasing this. I absolutely love liquid lipsticks, especially matte ones, and since I saw there was a sale on BeautyBay I made sure I picked this up to try it out. My issue with this lipstick is in its formula. It applies with relative ease but once it dries it becomes so sticky. I cannot purse my lips together, even by accident because they will stick together. I noticed that I only used this lipstick once, and it says something about the product if I don't use it as often as I'd like to. I am one of those people that like scented lipsticks, but even for me the scent in this product was just too much. It really threw me off on first application but I figured it will disappear with time, which it did not sadly. It also hugs the fine lines on my lips. For the price paid, this was absolutely not worth it. 

PS. I think this has been discontinued, and clearly for a good reason.

Illamasqua Lipstick in Shard

10 GBP (roughly around Rs. 2,195.00)

As you know I purchased this lipstick from CultBeauty a while back and I noticed certain specks which I assumed were mould. In my previous post I stated what the brand mailed me when I asked about the product.

"We are sorry for any disappointment caused by our products on this occasion.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lipstick in Bianca

$6.00 (roughly around Rs. 936.00)

This one purely comes down to the colour which looks so washed out and chalky against my skin. It might complement light/ fair skin tones. Another word of caution with this one, this tends to be drying and it highlights the fine lines on the lips, which is not something you would want in a 'nude-natural' lipstick.

Jeffree Star Cosmetics Lipstick in Unicorn Blood

$18.00 (roughly around Rs. 2,808.00)

Another lipstick I was utterly excited about was this one particularly because of that deep blood-red colour. Judging from the reviews online, I'm positive I got one off of a bad batch or something because everyone seems to love these lip bullets. The lipstick I got however was like rubbing sandpaper on my lips. The product was unbelievably grainy. I tried scraping off the top of the lipstick hoping the problem was limited to that area only to find out otherwise. The lipstick is pigmented, but due to the texture it skips when applying which meant that I had to apply and reapply to correct the edges. It was not worth the hassle though. I mailed BeautyBay who very kindly refunded my money which I'm grateful for. 

Essence Cosmetics Glossy Stick in Luminous Rosewood

Rs. 490.00

I tested this product out at Backstage in Odel and absolutely loved the colour. It is creamy and retains a sheen. That's where the positives ended. It was so difficult to sharpen and use because the product is so creamy the tip ended up breaking every time. Owing to the humidity, it tends to melt which is never good especially if you take this along in your handbag. I was not fond of its crayon like appearance on my lips. Does anyone remember those wax crayons we used in second grade? This feels like a creamier version of them, which when applied has to be reapplied on certain spots. Even after the product was 'set' it kept shifting around whenever I moved my lips.

While these were disappointing, there are so many great ones on the market, and I myself have a few lipstick favourites. So watch this space as I will write up a mid-year lipstick favourites post.

Thank you so much for reading,
Much Love,

Shop This Post:

ASOSDESIGN double breasted mini skirt in blue stripe with buttons ($47.37)

ASOSDESIGN Palm Leaf Stud Earrings ($6.32)

BoohooRose Print Tie Waist Ruffle Dress ($25.27)

ASOSFAYLA Tie Leg Plaited Flat Sandals ($18.95)

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Much Love,

Let me know what your favourite daily self-care activities are in a comment down below.

Thank you for reading!

Much love,

Skin care is so important and should take precedence over makeup, at all times. While we can fake a glow with a little bit of highlighter, or bronzing mist, it is never the same as actually having glowing skin. Exfoliation is ideal especially to remove impurities, improve circulation and replace old epidermal cells. This is why a body scrub is a fantastic addition to your skin care routine. I bought this body scrub because I wanted to try out the brand, and also because I love Coconut body products.

Amount of Product: 280g (10 Oz)

Retail Price: $7.99 (Around Rs. 1,250.00)

 $13.20 on BeautyBay (where I purchased it from)

Claims:

A moisture-rich body exfoliator that won't leave oily residue.

Packaging:





The product arrived in a transparent plastic tub with a white lid bearing a sticker with the brand name and the range product belongs to (Coconut).

The ingredients are listed on the tub itself, with the directions for application.

Results:

My heart skips a beat every time I open up the lid of this product. The smell is quite strong, and not the most natural scent of coconut but personally I find it rather delightful. The scrub itself is light brown in colour. 

The texture is gritty which is good for exfoliation. The mixture of sugar and salt crystals work perfectly in creating that balance, not making the product too harsh on the skin. I can see people with sensitive skin liking this for that reason.

The way I use this is, I scoop some product out and apply it on dry skin and exfoliate in circular motions. The reason why I apply this on dry skin is because when in contact with water the product dissolves really fast. That is, it vanishes off the skin before you can properly scrub away the impurities. This was slightly annoying to me, because I'm used to grittier scrubs that I can work onto my skin while rinsing away the dirt simultaneously. 

I liked how it exfoliated my skin, and how I didn't experience any irritation with its use. My skin looked clean and felt softer after use. 

In terms of hydration, I feel that the product is somewhat lacking in that regard. Sure my skin feels great, and it's very gentle, but at the same time it doesn't retain a lot of moisture on my skin when compared to a cream scrub. I'm only mentioning this because it is claimed that this would be an 'added dose of hydration'.

Would I recommend it?:

It is a gentle scrub with a great formula that is great for the price point. However I personally wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase this, simply because I like scrubs that can be used whilst in the shower, and those that cut the task of moisturising in half by being hydrating themselves. 

Shop This Post:

YesTo Coconut Polishing Body Scrub for Dry Skin

Available on BeautyBay


Let me know what you think of the YesTo Coconut Polishing Body Scrub for Dry Skin if you've tried it, in a comment down below.

Thank you for reading this post!
Much Love,

This is a rather personal topic to talk about and there was so much back and forth whether to publish this but I figured I will write about it nevertheless.

I've been blogging for the past three years now and I've loved everything about it. It started out as a creative venture, and it still is one of my biggest passions. From writing posts, to taking photographs to testing out new products, every single aspect of it is enjoyable. If there was one aspect that was and still is challenging for me, it is being present at social events. 

I love meeting people one-on-one and having deep conversations. However when there are large numbers such as crowds coming for events, I almost always tend to avoid those events. This is a typical response to feelings of anxiety. 

I still can replay so clearly in my head, the first event I attended which happened to be the opening of The Body Shop store in Colpetty. Would you believe it if I said I almost didn't go? I distinctly remember wanting a friend with me there, but it was an invite-only event for obvious reasons. I remember telling my friend that I might not go because it was too overwhelming, and her reminding me what a fantastic opportunity that was. As the car drew closer to the building I remember the moment of hesitation before stepping out. I reminded myself to take deep breaths, that everything was going to be okay. Yes, I actually needed reminders. I think I started sweating the moment I stepped foot into the store, partly because it was packed with reporters which I mentioned on my blog before. However the part I left out of that post, were the feeling of anxiety and how challenging it was for me to be there.

I was so glad when Nethmi from Style Folder, and Sachini (@sach_nathali) on Instagram) spoke with me and the conversations put me at ease with the surroundings. Come to think of it, had I not gone to this event I would not have met these amazing people. This event was also a turning-point for me, as this was a moment when I realised I could manage those feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. It was rewarding to push myself, which is the morale of the story if you will. For these reasons I am so grateful.

The reason why I am even delving into a personal topic is because I want you to know that if you do have feelings of anxiety and nervousness, you can manage them. It requires effort and constant rephrasing of internal conversations that say 'you can't' or 'it's all too much'. 

You can get through this!

 From experience I could say that it's not a smooth ride up and there may be bumps on the road, but you would never know what you're capable of until you try.

So here's to us pushing ourselves to be our best.

If you have gone through similar experiences, and you have any tips you would like to share on managing anxiety, do leave them in a comment down below. 

Thank you so much for reading,

Much Love,

What are your recommendations for nail polish colours to try this season? Let me know in a comment down below.

Thank you so much for reading,

Much Love,

Here are some Instagram Story Templates for you to fill up and upload. Enjoy!