Wild Cherries and Kiwi Body Lotion from Plum | Review

Winter is here and it is that time of the year that the body quintessentially requires lotions, creams or butters to combat the dryness this season causes. I remember when I was in school, I had the kind of skin that gets extremely oily during summer and excessively dry with flaky white patches during winter. Now with proper diet and skin care thankfully I got rid of this condition and my skin tends to be almost normal throughout the year. Nevertheless it does get a bit dry (not super dry) during the monsoon and winter season. The body lotion that I am currently using is from Plum -Wild Cherries and Kiwi Body Lotion. I have almost emptied this delicious bottle of body lotion and I am so glad to share with you all my experience.

Packaging:

The body lotion comes in a white plastic bottle with a pump dispenser. Generally, I like the pump dispenser mode of outlet for my lotions but this gave me a tiny issue. I will talk about it as you read through my experience part of this post.

Ingredients:

Actindia Chinensis (Kiwi) Seed Oil, Aqua (Water), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, FDA Approved Colour, Fragrance, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Cerasus (Wild Cherry) Fruit Water, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine

My Experience:

I have been using this lotion for quite sometime now. The one aspect that delighted me the most about this product is its fragrance. The lotion smells deliciously of cherries and it is of pale pink in colour. Unlike lotions in general , this lotion in my opinion cannot be called a "lotion" because the texture is ultra creamy. The consistency is more like a cream than a lotion. The smooth creamy texture coupled with the pale pink colour and the cherries fragrance will remind you of the icing on the strawberry cakes. 

That being said, the thicker consistency of the lotion makes it difficult for the skin to absorb it. A minute or two of massaging is essential for it to get absorbed by the skin. You can view below how the cream gets thickened out while being spread on the skin surface.

The thick consistency of the lotion posed another tiny issue. Towards the completion of the lotion while there was just about one-quarter of the quantity left in the bottle, I wasn't able to pump the lotion out. This annoyed me as I had to dig inside the bottle with the tube to bring out the lotion.

Moving on to its effects on the skin, once it gets absorbed by the skin, it doesn't leave a greasy effect. This is yet another feature that I loved. It simply moisturises the skin giving a natural finish and at the same time making it smooth and soft. I have been generously using this lotion twice a day for about two months now and have loved how this works in a subtle way for my normal skin.

Price:

INR 390 for 200 ml

Pros:

• Delicious cherries fragrance
• Non greasy effect
• Makes skin smooth and soft
• Works in a subtle way which is a plus for normal skin
• 100% Vegan
• Paraben , sulphates , SLS free

Cons:

• Thick creamy consistency
• Takes time to get absorbed 
• Demands reapplication after few hours
• Might not be the right choice for extreme dry skin

Rating:

3.75 / 5

Verdict:

Its hard to find non-greasy body lotions or creams and this one is already a winner in that aspect. This will best suit normal skin to slightly oily skinned beauties because of its subtle behaviour. I do not recommend this one to extreme dry skin or to those dealing with winter dryness.

GeriG Lip Gloss Creme | Review | Swatch on Indian Skintone

Today, I am going to review the lip product that I received in my October Fab bag. Every month fab bag sends out an email to choose one make up product and this time it was lip products for me. The options given to me were a variety of lip glosses, lipsticks and compacts from a brand named C.A.L Los Angeles along with an additional option to choose products from previous month's bag. In order to make a choice, I relentlessly searched all over the Internet to get information about the brand C.A.L. Los angeles. Apparently, the only information I could gather was that it is an Indian brand which is new in the market (I wonder why the name Los Angeles?). I am always on look out for the ingredients while choosing cosmetics and since I couldn't find the list of ingredients for CAL products, I decided to skip it while making a choice for this month.

I was left with options to choose from Geri G lip glosses and Sugar mascara. I loved GeriG Foundation so much that it enticed me in choosing Geri G lip gloss creme in the shade Peache.

Geri G Lip Gloss Creme - Peache

At first I never really wanted to put up a review on this gloss, but since I couldn't find any swatches on the internet, I decided to write up a review which could be of help to the beauty enthusiasts out there. Also, since it is an international brand, I wanted to show you how the gloss fairs on the Indian skin tone.

Packaging:

It came packed in thin cardboard box with the ingredient list and name printed on it. Inside the box, is the gloss in a square shaped transparent glass tube with a silver cap. I absolutely fell in love with the gorgeousness of the lip colour in the tube and the packaging simply awed me.

Key Ingredients:

Sunflower Oil, castor oil, safflower oil, white tea, Japanese green tea, Aloe Vera, Nanomarine-5®, Vitamin E.

My Experience:

Although I am not a gloss person, I wanted to try this lip gloss on me the moment I received it. Having had an amazing experience with the foundation, I was intrigued to use it.

Swatch

The gloss had a faint sweet smell. The applicator was also good. After putting it on my lips, the gloss gave a sticky feel to my lips which I wasn't comfortable with. When I had a closer look at the tube, I found that the gloss had a slight hint of shimmer (nothing fancy by the way!) to it. Moving on to the pigmentation, it gives a sheer finish. For me, it was as good as using a transparent gloss. I loved the peach colour in the tube so much but to my vain I couldn't see any of it on my pigmented lips. Talking about the glossiness, this gloss is extremely glossy (this might even be an understatement!) when applied. The glossiness begins to fade eventually and the gloss would stay on the lips for a maximum of 2 hours. Overall, I am not really impressed with this gloss but I cant complain either. This might not be the one for pigmented lips.

Swatch on lips :

Peache on lips

Price:

INR 1000 for 4 ml

Pros:

• Super glossy
• Sweet smell
• Sleek packaging
• Suitable for light skinned beauties 

Cons:

• Not suitable for pigmented lips
• No colour pay off
• Very poor staying power
• Gives that sticky feel
• May not suit for medium to dark skin tones

Rating:

2 / 5

Verdict:

As said by the founder of Geri G, it is ideal for that everyday no make-up look. Despite the cons, I am not dissatisfied with the product completely. One can use a lipstick underneath to get the desired colour with a glossy finish. 

Bio Henna Leaf - Fresh Texture Shampoo and Conditioner | Biotique | Review

Here is a review of yet another shampoo from Biotique - the Bio Henna Leaf - Fresh texture shampoo and conditioner. I picked this shampoo while I got the Biotique's eye cream but only recently I have started using this shampoo. After some unimpressive experience with the eye cream
and garnier's ultra bends shampoo  I didn't really have any expectations from this shampoo.

Bio Henna Leaf Fresh texture Shampoo & Conditioner

Packaging :

The shampoo comes in a typical Biotique round translucent bottle with their standard green cap. I love the sturdy packaging of Biotique's products.

Ingredients :

My Experience :

After I had a very bad experience with Biotique's eye cream, I was anxious to use any other product from that brand. Nevertheless, since I brought this I managed to use it. This shampoo is pale pink in color and is gel-like, very light in consistency. I am not sure how to describe its fragrance exactly, but I would say the smell is pretty pleasing ( like flowery fragrance I guess? ). So far, so good !

If you have read about my other reviews on shampoos, you will know that I follow the process of diluting the shampoo in about 1/4th mug of water before using it. Doing this makes sure that the shampoo reaches every part of the head and also the quantity of shampoo required per wash is also  less. I use the diluted version to wash hair , forming lather right from scalp to the tips.

A noteworthy feature about some of the Biotique's shampoos is that they are a mix of both shampoo and conditioner which means there is no additional requirement of a conditioner. Since it was mentioned in the .packaging that this variant is also a shampoo and conditioner , I didn't follow up with conditioner after using it.

Upon drying, I was awestruck to notice the smooth texture of my hair. This shampoo brought life to my dull and dry hair. I am so glad I bought this. Indeed as stated on the bottle, it gave a fresh texture to my hair.

Price :

INR 159 for 190 ml (but you can always find discounts online)

Pros :

• Pleasing smell
• Sturdy packaging
• Light, gel like consistency
• Ayurvedic recipe
• Provides smoothness and freshness as per its claim
• Decently priced
• No need for an additional conditioner as this works both as a shampoo and a conditioner

Cons :

• None at all :)

Verdict :

Biotique shampoos are good and this one certainly will be one of my favorites. If you are on a look out for a shampoo that will bring back life to your dull and dry hair, then go for this without any doubt.

Thank you for reading :)

If you like reading my posts , do subscribe to my blog for updates :)

Oil in replacement cream - L'Oreal Paris | Review

Back when I was a kid , I loathed oiling my hair. I remember hating that greasiness and stickiness and also the weird smell of coconut hair oil so much. Even today, I would shamelessly admit it is my mom who gives me head oil massage. I simply don't like the feel and touch of oil. I came across several reviews about the new oil replacement creams available in the market and decided to give it a shot. The fact that I no longer have to deal with the greasiness lured me in buying the L'Oréal Paris Oil in replacement cream. The idea that a cream could do the work of oil to my hair amazed me and I couldn't wait to try it out.

Packaging :

It comes in a beige golden tube like the other L'Oréal nourishing oil range products with flip open brown cap. The packaging is decent for the price.

Ingredients :

Six oils :

• Argan
• Almond
• Jojoba
• Olive
• Coconut
• Camelia

My Experience :

The cream is cloudy white and quite light in consistency. It possess a strong fragrance which reminded me of the Inveda Argan Cleanser. These both smell exactly the same which I guess due to the presence of argan oil in both of them.

According to the packaging, there are three different ways to use this cream:

1. Over night
2. Before shampoo
3. After shampoo

I have tried this cream all the three ways and I have mixed opinion about it. Good things first : The cream gives a cooling sensation when applied over the scalp. As per its claims, it is not greasy at all. It tamed my frizzy hair to an extent. Other than this, I didn't notice any thing else that is great about this product. The name says oil replacement cream but I doubt this could actually replace my oil massage. Oiling hair is essential to nourish, give life, add shine and smoothness to hair and I didn't find this cream doing any of these. I am suspicious about the nourishing abilities of this cream but nevertheless, it didn't cause any damage to my hair.

Price :

INR 80 for 100 ml

Pros :

• Gives a cooling effect
• Non-greasy, non-sticky
• Decent Packaging
• Inexpensive
• Alluring fragrance
• Tames frizzy hair

Cons :

• Doubtful about the nourishing abilities
• Doesn't add shine or radiance

Rating :

3 / 5

Verdict :

I would rate this as an okay-okay product. I can definitely not replace this with my oil massage but these can be useful during those busy days when there is no time for oiling. Also since there is no fear of spilling, these can be easily carried for vacations and those travel times.

Colourpop Haul | Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip and Lippiestix Swatch on Indian skin tone | Experience with Indian Customs

Colourpop cosmetics , the latest sensation on the internet is a blooming cosmetic brand and I am sure it is every makeup fanatic's (like me) dream to own at least some of their gorgeous collections. This very young brand is already a huge hit in the makeup world and unlike other well established beauty brands, Colourpop got famous simply through Instagram and YouTube. Colourpop's success is one powerful example of how internet marketing can be used to grow one's business.

My Colourpop Haul

Enough of their popularity speech and let me move on to the exciting part- My Colourpop haul. I have been following Colourpop on Instagram for some time now and they recently had a free international shipping offer going on at their website. I was simply taken aback to see this offer and couldn't resist myself from ordering. Although I wanted to try all of their variants but due to budget constraints I narrowed it down only to the lippies. Being a matte lippie lover, I ordered for three lippistix and three ultra matte lip. The sum total of my order came around 33$ plus an additional shipping charge of 4.99$ . I also made use of the 5$ coupon code that I received when I signed up for their newsletter. So after the discount code, the total price I paid was just 33$ (approximately INR 2,300) for six lippies.

The excitement that I could finally get hands on one of my dream brands' products blinded me from realizing that I just made an order from a USA website which meant I would also have additional charges in the name of customs. I was all the time worried after placing the order what would the custom charges be, what if it was huge. I was incessantly searching all over the internet to get some information regarding Indian customs on cosmetic products. Nowhere I found proper information.

Finally, the day came when the postman brought me the package to my doorstep. I was asked to pay INR 341 as custom charges, which roughly came around 14.95% of my total order. I breathed a sigh of relief ( Phew! That wasn't too bad right? ). I took my package and couldn't wait to open it. Upon opening the parcel, I was amazed at how wonderfully my lippies were packed. I also received a small and cute thank you card and a booklet on how to use their products.

Moving on to the lippies that I ordered. I got three Ultra matte lip :

Ultra matte lip

1. Bad Habit - a berry pink shade
2. Mama - an orange-brick red shade 
3. Bumble - a dusty pink shade

Lippiestix

and three lippiestix are :

1. Contempo
2. Lumiere
3. I heart this

I am particularly in love with the Bumble and I heart this. The staying power of ultra matte lip is extremely commendable. These are completely kissproof and I am in love with their formula. These are liquid lipsticks and are super pigmented, one thin coating is more than enough.

The lippistix are also equally good when it comes to staying power. They can stay for a long time without meals but if you are going to have food they will disappear from the center. They do transfer and are not completely matte, more like creamy-matte I would say.

Here are the swatches of some of the lip colours :

Bad habit swatch

Mama Swatch

Lippistix

I heart this Swatch

Lumiere Swatch

So, this is it about my colourpop haul. I am so happy and satisfied with my order. I have already made a wish list to order next time when they offer free international shipping.

Hope you loved reading about my colourpop haul. Thank you.!

Ultra Bends Henna and Blackberry Shampoo - Garnier | Review

Garnier has recently launched a new range of paraben free shampoo under the name - Ultra Bends. Today I will be reviewing one of the shampoos from this range - henna & blackberry shampoo. Before moving on to the review let me tell you that I've literally stopped using Garnier products for years now. I do not know why but garnier products never worked for me irrespective of their good reputation. The paraben free mark on the ultra bends shampoo caught my attention. And so after ages, I picked a Garnier product- the henna & blackberry shampoo. I chose this shampoo because lately my hair feels pretty dry and rough and thought this shampoo could bring some shine to it.

Garner Ultra Bends Nourishing Shine Shampoo - Henna & Blackberry

Packaging :

The shampoo comes in a purple flat plastic bottle with golden flip open cap. Purple is one of my favorite colors and needless to mention this purple colored bottle tempted me to buy it (I could be that silly at times ).

Flip - Open Golden cap

My Experience :

It is a cloudy wine colored shampoo which has a gel-like appearance. It is very light and a little amount is enough for a wash as it lathers extremely well.

If you have read my review on Biotique shampoo , you already would have known that I have the habit of diluting shampoo in about 1/4 th mug of water before using it. It is this diluted version of the shampoo that I use to wash my hair thoroughly, lathering from the scalp till the ends.

The shampoo needless to say has a yummy smell just like blackberries. Although the shampoo feels to be light on the hair initially, after rinsing it off , I sense that it doesn't even smoothen my hair out but rather makes it even more rough. After drying my hair, I didn't notice any shine or vibrancy added to it. It was worse than it was before- more dull , more dry.

The first time I used the shampoo I didn't follow it up with a conditioner, the next time I used a conditioner after the wash. The conditioner helped me smoothen the hair to some extent. But the shampoo as such did nothing good to me.

Price :

INR 120 for 180 ml

Pros :

• Packaging
• Paraben-free
• Fruity fragrance
• Light and gel-like
• Inexpensive

Cons :

• I felt the shampoo was harsh on my hair as it made my hair even more dull and lifeless
• It didn't work for its claims for me as it didn't give my hair any shine or vibrancy as the packaging claims

Rating :

2.75 / 5

Verdict :

All I could say is , I do not have a good relationship with Garnier products I guess. But that's just me. In a nutshell, the shampoo didn't work for its claims for me and I would definitely not go back to this one again.  

The Liebster Award

Hello people,

I have started blogging precisely two months ago, and it feels so good to be recognized in the blogging world. I would like to thank my friend Amna for nominating me to The Liebster Award.

Well, as a newbie here, I do not have exact knowledge what exactly this Liebster award is. But from what I gather from Amna's blog, the idea behind this award is to encourage, motivate and support bloggers from across the world and also this is an excellent way to get to know other bloggers as well. This is cool , right?

Rules to be followed:

• Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you .
• Answer the 11 questions that blogger gives you.
• Nominate 5-11 bloggers that you think are deserving of the award (My Request  Please make sure you link them so other readers can reach them easily.)
• Let the bloggers know you nominated them
• Give them 11 questions of your own.

My answers to the 11 Questions :

1. Where do you live?

I am currently living in Chennai, India.

2. What are you’re most important- must have 4 beauty products?

For me it will be a Kohl, a moisturizer , a BB cream or  a compact powder and a lip balm. These are the 4 products that I most definitely use it everyday.

3.What beauty product do you use every day of your life?

I must go with a moisturizer as my skin tends to have dry patches here and there. I cannot imagine skipping a moisturizer.

4. Who is your inspiration in blogging world?

Well, nobody. I have always been fond of writing and wanted to discover a way so that I could write regularly. Before I got into blogging, I used to answer questions on Quora. My answers most definitely included experiences from my own personal life which required me to answer anonymously. Then I found out how blogging could be an excellent way to expres myself through writing. At first, I was perplexed about the subject which my blog would mainly talk about. I had three different topics in my mind :

• Food
• Travel
• Beauty

I finally narrowed it down to Beauty Blogging and this gave birth to my blog : Beauty Learnings.

5. What piece of advice would you like to give to your fellow bloggers?

It takes immense courage and gut to express oneself in the virtual world. From time to time, we as bloggers/ vloggers have to deal with the negative remarks / comments  demeaning our work. My only advice to my fellow bloggers is to believe in your passion and work judiciously. Simply keep doing the good work and never cease to learn and improve. There is always more scope to learn and improvise so just keep going and never let the negative remarks undermine you :)

6. How can we help each other in blogging community to create a healthy bloggers’ society?

I am not really sure what "healthy bloggers'" society mean but we can always help one another by simply encouraging each other. That slight pat on the back , that little extra push always motivate me to work even better. This nomination for the Liebster award is one such encouragement that made me want to continue with blogging. So few kind words , some appreciation  would make your day without any doubt.

7. What tips would you like to give to your fellow bloggers regarding blog promotion?

Just two words : Social Media. I think Facebook, Instagram, twitter, and so many other forms of social media plays an important role in blog promotion. Apart from these, I do not know of any other ways to be recognized in the blogging world. I feel I am not eligible enough to give tips as I have just started with blogging

8. Which is your favorite cosmetics brand?

My all time favorite is Maybelline New York. They are affordable and I have never been disappointed with their products.

9. What is your greatest tip for flawless skin?

This tip never gets out of fashion :D . My only tip for flawless skin is to drink loads and loads of water. It is essential for the body to be hydrated from inside to get that natural glow outside.

10. What are your final goals related to your blog?

Honestly , I have not set any goals related to my blog. I want to explore new brands in the beauty world, learn and share the art of makeup, techniques and beauty related hacks and also be able to connect with as many as people who share the same interests as mine.

11. In your opinion, what investments are necessary to make in order to run a successful and high traffic blog?

In my opinion, perseverance is the key for success in blogging. To excel in blogging:

• consistently post good and catchy content.
• have a good network of followers who would be interested in reading your content.
• continually advertise and promote your blog posts.

Invest good amount of time on your blogs and someday I'm sure you will achieve your goals.

---

Bloggers I would like to nominate for this Award :

1. That Good Side of Life

2. Who's that girl

3. Red Oleanders-Ishani

4. MandyCandy28

5. LipstickCraze

_________________________________________________________________________________

Here is my list of Questions I would like the above mentioned bloggers to answer :) -

1. Where do you live?
2. What is your profession?
3. What is your current cosmetics wish list?
4. What is that one product that you use everyday?
5. What is your favorite and least favorite brand ?
6. Who/ What inspired you to start blogging ?
7. How do you generally spend your weekends?
8. Three words that best describes you are..
9. Five things that is always with you?
10. What is your favorite cuisine?
11. What was the best phase of your life?

I thoroughly enjoyed answering the questions that were asked to me , hope you guys enjoy answering mine too :P On that note, I am concluding this blog post and hope to be nominated for more such awards in the future.

:)

Green Tea Mattifying Moisturiser from Plum | Review

Today I will be reviewing yet another skincare product from the brand - Plum : The Green tea Mattifying Moisturiser. Lately, this is part of my everyday skincare routine and I absolutely loved using it.

Green Tea Mattifying Moisturiser - Plum

Packaging :

The moisturizer comes in a small plastic white bottle with a transparent cap. The outlet for this moisturizer is through a pump dispenser, the kind of packaging that I absolutely adore.

Ingredients :

Aqua (Water), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerine, Fragrance, FDA Approved Colours, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, PEG 400, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine.

My Experience :

I was recommended by the Plum skincare expert to try this moisturizer as I have some acne marks on my cheeks and I have a slightly combination skin. I have been using this everyday right after using my toner. A pea sized amount is more than enough to cover my entire face. The moisturizer is light on the skin and possesses a lovely fragrance.

As its name entails, it does mattify the skin and does not give an oily effect which most moisturizers produce. It doesn't cause any drying as well, thus giving my skin the required hydration.

One thing that bothered me about this moisturizer is that after just few minutes of its application, my nose and the area around my lips began to perspire. This really turned me down about this moisturizer which was otherwise working so good for me. Having used this along with the Green tea toner has resulted in reduction of acne marks on my cheeks to a greater extent.

Price :

INR 450 for 50 ml

Pros :

• Like all Plum products, it is 100% vegan, cruelty free and also free from parabens, SLS and sulphates
• Its not creamy or oily but feels so light on the skin.
• Lovely mild fragrance
• Goodness of Green Tea
• Long term use helps in reducing acne
• Suitable for oily skinned beauties as it provides a mattifying effect.

Cons :

• I detest the fact that my skin begins to perspire within few minutes of applying this moisturizer

Rating :

4 / 5

Verdict :

If you can just ignore the sweating that it causes, it is certainly a suitable moisturizer for combination to oily skinned beauties giving a good mattifying effect. I also recommend this for those struggling with acne as it has reduced mine to some extent. Definitely a product worth buying.

Bio Almond Soothing and Nourishing Eye Cream

I have had a good experience with the sunscreen and a shampoo from Biotique brand. I am not sure if I am the only one but let me tell you that I am the kind of person who when experiences good results from a certain product from a certain brand would be tempted to try all the other ranges of that brand. And by that logic, I picked up the Bio Almond Soothing and Nourishing Eye cream during my recent visit to a local super-market.

Packaging :

The cream comes in a small white tub with the biotique's standard green cap. The tub was altogether packed in small carton box.

Bio Almond Soothing and Nourishing Eye Cream

Ingredients :

Surajmukhi tail (Helianthus annuus), Badam tail (Prunes amygdalus), Bihidana (Pyres cydonia), Jaiphal (Myristica fragrans), Sikta tail Q.S.

My Experience :

Having had an amazing experience with Biotique shampoo and the sunscreen, I had huge expectation from this eye cream. I picked this up onw evening while I was simply browsing the skincare section of a local supermarket. I couldn't hold the excitement to try this out and so I decided to give it a try the very same night after my CTM. I applied a small amount of this cream around my eyes.

The smell of this cream is not pleasant but also not something that bothered me. The next morning my eyes started to burn. The whole day it was burning like applied chillies on it. I wasn't sure what caused this as I also didn't have proper sleep the previous night. It was only after several washes and applying Aloevera gel multiple times that I felt better.

Unsure of the cause of this inflammation, I applied the cream that night again. This time I used even more small quantity than the previous night. As suspected, my eyes were burning the next morning, confirming the real culprit behind the inflammation. Let me tell you that the inflammation was so severe that I refrained from watching television and using my mobile phone that day. I had to make use of aloevera gel to bring it back to normal.

I never ever touched that vicious eye cream since then. Calling it a huge disappointment would be an understatement. Forget the product not doing what it claims, this one created a whole new problem.

Price :

INR 199 for 20 ml

Verdict :

I didn't feel like listing out any pros or cons as this is the worst product that I've come across in recent times. I highly recommend you not to waste your 199 rupees on something that would harm your eyes instead of nourishing it.