Lovely reader Rima was recently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where she happened to find a great line of makeup brushes ! Rima was kind enough to share the deets with us.
Thank you Rima - the brushes are gorgeous !
"Brand - Mikyajy
Website - www.mikyajy.com (currently under construction)
Products purchased - Makeup brushes from the "Girls Tools" range (10 brushes + brush roll)
Purchased from - Mikyajy company outlet at a mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Price - Around 200 Saudi Riyals (roughly INR 2600/USD 57 if my math is right)
Naturally, Mikyajy is a brand that most of us have not heard of. I was apprehensive about entering the store but the product packaging looked so great that I had to take a look. I went in and swatched a few products on my skin to test the quality. I also smelled them! Excellent stuff, to say the least! I decided to skip the makeup and buy the brushes as those were what I needed most.
The bristles are oh so soft and fine! Even after a thorough cleaning, they don't lose their shape or softness. The handles are non-slippery and fit snugly between my fingers. I would rate these brushes better than Mac. Yes ladies, BETTER! I find it difficult to believe my luck. Who gets to buy 10 excellent, professional quality brushes at such a cheap price? You know how expensive good quality makeup brushes are.. Though the brushes are still going strong, it scares me when I think that I might never get to lay my hands on this brand again! :( "
A few pictures of Mikyajy stores ... I love how colorful the stores are !
Lovely reader Ria (pretty in blue !) was shopping at SFO Bebe store when she ran into Priyanka Chopra. According to Ria - Priyanka wore a very matte face and matte lipstick - no surprises there !
Big thanks to Ria for sharing the picture with us ! This is so much fun !
A few weeks back I received this wonderful email from reader Reehana. She introduced me to some of her makeup favorites and among them was the Smashbox Halo Hydrating Powder. I've been a big fan of the product since December. But before I tell ya why I love it, listen to what Rehaana had to say ...
"Smashbox halo powder is another miracle worker for me. Give it a few minutes to settle into your skin and it makes your face just glow. I don't have great skin but this stuff works so well for me that people (by people I mean overly nosey aunties who like to invade your personal space and loudly ask you awkward questions in large crowds) have been accusing me of having the "pregnancy glow." I suppose it doesn't help that I recently got married so everyone is already checking their watches, lol. Aaaah, desis..."
LOL !
I got a sample of the powder along with the Perfect Complexion kit (Medium) that was released during Christmas last year.
Can ya believe its February already ! Time is doing more than flying...
My Thoughts
If you
hate the heavy feeling of makeup, or are new to makeup or hate the white cast that come from most translucent powders...
you have got to try the Halo powder . Its lighter than feather and vanishes onto your skin leaving behind a softly iridescent finished face. I use it over my liquid foundation in place of translucent powder. Given how sheer it is , I may not recommend it for coverage as such. But if you have fairly clear face and just need a finishing touch grab this pronto !
I've worn this on days when my skin was super dry and drenched with moisturizer and loved the semi matte, barely there coverage. I also use it to set my concealer, where a powder as light as this is perfect coz it doesn't alter the texture around the eyes. Some powders suck up all the moisture and make my eye area dry and flaky.
The design is a hit with me. I am the worst when it comes to storing loose powders but find pressed powders too heavy for a light makeup kinda days. So, this built in shaver has my heart. More On The Product
The product is said to be great on mature skin. Some statistics mentioned on their site are : after 10 minutes there is a 33% decrease in the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes. And after 6 weeks of use, there is a 67% decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles overall.
The formulation consists of pure gold, 48 minerals, 11 amino acids and a powerful peptide that are said to deliver powerful anti-aging benefits while their patented hydration system continuously revitalizes skin for a brighter, more radiant complexion all day.
The Halo powders are all Oil-free, Talc-free, and Paraben-free & come with a custom Kabuki brush and a sample of the Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
Overall though I cant say much on the anti aging benefits, I love it for it does ! In Other News
Did you have a good Valentines day ? Relaxed and pumped up to start the week ?
I had one of the greatest times ! Will put up some pics soon but lemme tell you this - I almost touched a giraffe , got face to face with a zebra, got scared $hit by an antelope and five feet away from a leopards ! One of the most surreal experiences a city girl can have !
The moment I put up this look up I got several emails from y'all telling me how the nude eyeliner did not work on you because your skin tone was medium dark - dark.
A white eyeliner is traditionally used to make eyes look bigger and the whites of the eye, brighter. Nude eyeliner serves the same purpose as a white one. While white makes for a stark contrast against medium / dark skin tones , the nude eyeliner softens the look while still managing to make the eyes look fresher, bigger & brighter.
The key is to apply the nude eyeliner just on your waterline and make a thin line at that. The moment it becomes a thick line that runs from waterline onto the lash line - its starts looking odd and almost ghost like.
I use the Julie Hewett Pencil in Omit - its a concealer pencil but its the only one that stays put for real long on my waterline and looks natural on my skin tone (NC 40) . If you have fair / light skin try a white pencil - Julie Hewett Hue Pencil - Aurora. It will give you this angelic / snow bunny like look. Other nude eye color options are Stila Kajal Eyeliner - Topaz.
And if you are still not convinced, check out the gorgeous Rachel Roy. This talented lady rocks the smokey eye with nude eyeliner ! The absence of a dark eyeliner on your waterline makes a huge difference . It makes me look a lot more fresher and lot less made up. Perfect for day time !
This is one of my most asked questions so I had to get it answered on the blog ASAP ! Most recently this question came from reader Farheen
"Thanks for tackling the long wear makeup question. your answer was so help I used the tips you gave and I swear my makeup stays on 4 times longer at least!
The only thing i have noticed is this: when I apply pencil eyeliner on the bottom lid or waterline as they call it, it bleeds in half an hour all under my eye. it takes with it my under eye concealer and everything. I look like a panda! please help"
1. How can I make my eyeliner stay on along the waterline all day ?
We cannot. It is the waterline and eventually our eyes will get what ever is on it out. Unless - the eyeliner you use on your waterline is waterproof and sturdy. Even then do not expect for them to stay on for longer than four to five hours.
2. Whenever I apply eyeliner on the waterline, they bleed out and I end up looking like I have dark circles at the end of the day.
I have plenty of tips that I follow to avoid this :
- Start off with a concealer. If you already have dark circles around the eyes - do not go for a heavy eyeliner look. It makes things look worse.
Instead apply concealer and mask those dark circles. Now we have an even toned surface to start with.
- Use a waterproof eyeliner pencil or creme eyeliner pencil along the upper lash line. Smudge it out a little bit. Now apply a thin layer of powder eyeshadow in a similar shade over it and gently smudge.
-Setting with a powder eyeshadow is essential to keep the creme eyeliner in place. Just as we set liquid / cream foundations with translucent powder , we need to set our eyeliners with powder eyeshadow for longer wear.
You can also draw a line along your lash line with a pencil liner. Go over it with a creme liner and finally set with eyeshadow if you want it stay put for 8 - 10 hours.
The lower lash line & waterline - these are mostly responsible for the dark circles look.
- Line your waterline with a water proof pencil liner. Make it just one layer - do not go over it multiple times.
Now close your eyes so the eyeliner gets transferred to the waterline along upper lash line - easy breezy tight lining. Go over the waterline again with a waterproof pencil liner. Make it just one thin line. The more you cram into the waterline the more the goop that gathers along the corners of your eye.
- Line the lower lash line, using a waterproof creme / pencil liner.
- Set it with a thin layer of powder eyeshadow. Gently smudge.
Apply flake free mascara. Finally apply translucent powder under your eyes.
That's it !
Key Pointers
Contrary to what one might believe applying a thick layer of eyeliner is not going to make it stay on longer.
Multiple thick layers in one go, along waterline is the worst because our eyes push the product out and we end up having a lot of messy liner issues. Instead apply a thin layer and reapply another thin layer when necessary.
Layering is key for long stay. A couple of thin layers set with powder stays on without smudging longer than one very heavy dose of eyeliner.
One other product I've tried is the Becca Eyeliner Compact. It comes with a product called the Sealant. The sealant literally seals the eyeliner and prevents it from smudging. If you are going for the kohl rimmed heavy eyeliner look, I wouldn't recommend this product because it doesn't have that effect to it. Its more of a gentle everyday liner.
Guys ! Any product recommendations you have or any tips please let us know about it ! We have have our own ways of dealing with makeup mishaps !
I've tried to apply eyeliner several times but my eyeliner always comes out looking crooked. Help ! - Doli
How do you get your eyeliner looking so neat. Mine never does - Katie
1. Don't apply eyeliner when you are in a hurry. When I am rushing my hands are usually a bit shaky and unsteady.
2. Make your hand steady by placing your elbow on a table.
3. Dot the area along your lash line and connect the dots for a perfect line.
4. Draw the line in small strokes starting from inner corner moving outwards.
5. Use a creme or gel eyeliner with an angled eyeliner brush. They are more forgiving than regular liquid eyeliner bottles.
6. Try a pen eyeliner with felt or brush tip. What ever makes your skirt fly !
7. If you did use a liquid/ gel / creme liner and your line got a little wonky - let it dry. Once its dry, run a bit of powder shadow over it and smudge it out. Nobody will notice a crooked line underneath and the double layers will keep your eyeliner looking fresh longer !
8. Draw a light line along your lash line using a pencil eyeliner. With this as your base, you can now apply a liquid liner over it.
Practice will make it perfect with time. Eventually you'll be a liner queen !
Guys ! What tips do you have on eyeliners ? Do you have a product that helped you master the technique ? Dish ...
"Hi there!My biggest problem is How do I make my makeup stay all day? It seems that when I put it on and its fresh it looks fabulous but through the day my concealer starts to wear off a bit and the makeup seems worn out at the end of my workday.Would really appreciate if you could give some suggestions."
Hi Farheen !
Sorry it has taken me a while to get back.
For makeup to stay on all day the key is layering. This is my routine when I want my makeup to be perfect all day long. I give a one minute break between each step so the product has time to sink into my skin and get comfortable there.
1. Start with a clean face
2. Apply an oil - free moisturizer. If you use sunscreen apply it over the moisturizer. I love Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel or Clean & Clear Moisturizers. As for sunscreens look for oil free ones. I like Clinique Face Cream SPF 30.
3. Apply a mattefying face primer all over your face and on / under your eyes. This is a list of popular primers that can be used on eyes. I love the primers from SKINN. Sally Hansen Natural Beauty makes a good luminizing primer as well.
4. Use oil free foundation over the primer whenever possible for long stay. Apply your concealer.
5. Set the concealer with translucent powder. The setting is important - it adds another layer over your concealer. This way the first thing to disappear will not be your concealer, it is the translucent powder. And from inside out the primer keeps the natural skin oils from completely ruining the concealer. Same goes for foundation as well.
6. Apply your blush, eye makeup and lipstick. Go a little heavy handed with the blush and blend it out with translucent powder. If its too sheer to begin with - its not gonna last the day. Alternatively you can also layer the blush by applying a cream blush under your powder brush. The creme blush layer will be really thin so there is no way its gonna get paste like. I like using Jouer Creme highlighter in Tiare under my blush. The formula is very light and helps the powder blush adhere better.
7. Set your makeup now with translucent powder. Sometimes I use powder foundation over my liquid foundation with a light hand and then apply translucent powder over it. Layering is key for long wear. But its also important to use a light hand so the makeup does not look cake-y and too much.
8. If I'm having a dry skin day... I set my concealer with a little translucent powder and set my face with a setting spray / face mist. I like Clinique Moisture Surge. But I love Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Mist
All my fellow readers / makeup enthusiasts - I'm sure you guys have super awesome tips or may be you do things a different way! Share what works for you. Lets help Farheen out here !
Other than Chanel she has on a touch of MAC amorous creme sheen on top just for a tinsy shine. And all that glow is from NARS Albatross !
If this does not move you to run go try a red lipstick/gloss - I don't know what will ! I am the ambassador of the color red and I declare this a high point in red's relation with brown girls.
Ranjani is a blogger friend of mine and an AIMB reader. She writes at wakeup and smell the masala. She also has youtube videos of her making complicated Indian curries in less than 10 minutes !
After reading the post on Frieda Pinto ('s chin) lovely reader & fellow beauty junkie Sunitha wrote to me with her remedy for it ! Sunitha had a somewhat similar issue with her whole face being about 2-3 shades darker than the neck. She started this routine about 3-4 months ago and has seen a lot of improvement.
In Sunitha's words " am happy to say that my face now looks like it belongs on my body."
This is what Sunitha's program. A big thank you to Sunitha for sharing this with us. I am sure many of us will benefit from this.
" Skin Type : normal/combination
AM : Wash face with Pears or Margo soap Rose water as toner Fragrance free moisturizer + sunblock
PM : Wash face with Pears or Margo soap Rose water as toner Bliss peeling groovy serum Organic rose hip oil /organic aloe vera ( I alternate every other night between them and I buy Aubrey Organics brand from whole foods)
First and foremost I switched to fragrance free skincare. Fragrance can react for some people with UV rays to cause hyper pigmentation.
Switching to fragrance free was the biggest help for me but the other two products that helped me are the Bliss serum and the rose hip oil which seems to be a key ingredient in many moisturizers and anti aging products. "
Another round of Beauty S.O.S ! This mail comes to me from JJ. Lets huddle up and help our girl out !
" I am a 40 year old mother of two. I have tried a few eye creams in the past but they always end up getting flaky and start peeling out. I am looking for recommendations on moisturizing eye creams that will be available at drugstores, possible with some anti aging benefits. Thank you for your help."
JJ, I so know what you're talking about. I remember investing in this face serum once that everybody was raving about and it ended up doing the same on me.
As far as drugstore eye creams go, two of my most favorite ones are from Biore . They are the See The future Fortifying Eye Cream and Enliven Cooling Eye Gel. Both are excellent at moisturizing, are a very good value for money but do not have anti aging properties. These are the ones I've tried and highly recommend !
There are a couple of anti aging eye creams I could recommend checking out, but I haven't tried them yet. One is the Loreal Revitalift Deep Set Wrinkle Repair. This product comes in a long tube with two sides. On one side is a day Cream with SPF 15 and on the other is the night cream. I think the idea is pretty neat !
The other product would be RoC Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. I know many people who swear by it.
Hope this helps !
Ladies, if you have any more recommendations for JJ please help her out !
A couple of days back I asked you guys to define what dewy makeup meant to you. Each of us have our own definition of it depending on our skin tone, age, comfort with makeup and so on. That is why its gonna be so much fun to learn about fellow AIMB reader's dewy makeup routines.
Dear reader Rima sent me a picture of her dewy makeup and a review of all the products she used for the look. Gorgeous Rima is blessed with clear skin so don't get too jealous ! For those of us not so blessed in this category there will be more choices that I'll be writing about later in the week. All the products she used are available in India. So, here you - Rima's version of the Dewy Look !
Forgive the black image. That's Rima's friend. Err..that was. Cropping her came out looking much better than cropping Rima and pasting on a white background. Ignore the black image...okies.
Rima's Dewy Makeup Description " For me, dewiness means sheen, glow. It doesn't mean shiny or sparkly. Moist and supple skin is essential for a dewy complexion. Dewiness to me is more about being natural and less about slopping on shiny makeup.
FabIndia's Vitamin E Daily Moisturizing Cream I have horribly dry skin, even in summers, and this is the best thing that could have happened to me! Believe me, I have tried NUMEROUS creams/lotions/moisturizers on my skin, but they make my skin greasy and shiny without hydrating it. I am not a big fan of creams, but this has me hooked! I am never going to use anything else for my skin again! It has a light and almost airy texture, yet it is wonderfully rich and moisturizing. What I love about this cream is that it leaves no amount of shine whatsoever! Not even in the first second of applying it! Bye bye oily-looking-yet-dry-and-flaky skin! The packaging isn't fancy, just a simple plastic jar. The only "problem" I have with this product is its smell. It isn't repulsive, its just that it reminds me of boring old creams that my grandmother uses. One thing I really like about this cream is that my makeup doesn't become a total mess after a couple of hours (it used to happen with other products). I love this ! A 75g jar retails for Rs.125/- and is available at Fabindia outlets only.
FabIndia's Vitamin E Enriched Night Cream For Dry Skin I usually don't put too much grease on my face, but off late I have developed a phobia of aging. I know I am only 19, but I read somewhere that people with extremely dry skin develop wrinkles early. This has me terrified, so along with the above mentioned cream I got a jar of "vitamin e enriched night cream for dry skin", also from FabIndia. This cream takes a little longer to settle into the skin and leaves a bit of shine. A little goes a long way. I just dip my index finger in the jar and apply whatever sticks to it. It is denser than the day cream. Again, the smell is the only thing I am not really impressed with. It comes in a fancier and sturdier plastic jar, and 100g retails for Rs.200/-. available at FabIndia outlets only.
Lakme's Face Magic Daily Wear Souffle I am on my second jar of this wonderful product. It gives sheer to medium coverage, so if you are looking for something more than that, this isn't the product for you. The souffle is watery and wobbly (pardon the rubbish description). It works like a charm for me because I somehow don't like the look and feel of normal foundation on my face. I dot my face with this product and even it out with my fingers. I used to use a sponge initially, but most of souffle would just disappear into it and I would end up wasting lots of it. So, fingers it is. This product has a mild smell of cucumbers (one of its main ingredients). I did not like it initially, but have grown to appreciate it. The glass jar is extremely cute (though i was initially disappointed by its size). I don't know how much this weighs, but it retails for a mere Rs.99/- and is easily available in stories across India."
Big thanks to Rima for sharing her look with all of us ! Do you have a dewy makeup routine you wanna share with us ? We'd love to hear about your routine ! Just write me an email at makeupgirl007@gmail.com !
This email arrived in my inbox yesterday. Will you guys please help Amritwith her question. This is what she wrote to me.
"so apparently youre indian and you know lots of makeup tips, so heres my questionthe smoky / dark /slick eyed look works well for most 'white' girls but its a bit more complicated for indian/paki girls cuz of the common "panda eyes", you follow me? so say if i wanted to make my eyes , which are naturally small and brown look more...say..victoria secret-like, what style/techniques/manner would befit me?"
What advice do you have for Amrit ? I know a lot of you are awesome with makeup ! And gosh, is it that apparent that I'm Indian ! LOL !
This post was contributed by dear reader Shivali. She talks about her experience with ELF Cosmetics. Big thanks to Shivali for sharing all the info and pictures with us !
If you wanna write in about any products you recently bought or have loved forever, do send them in. I would love to publish them as reader contributions !
Here she goes ....
I really recommend the liquid eyeliner waterproof pen from e.l.f. I have used Prestige for a long time. As much as i love it..I think I found something better. Prestige ends up on my top of my eyelid. I have tried primers and lighter strokes but nope, it doesn't work for me. So I finally gave up on liquid eyeliners...till e.l.f came along. It doesn't smear that easy and I actually put it on in car this morning while going 75mph ( not recommended, LOL). It is very easy, convenient and functional for me. I am usually always running late so I just grab whatever and do my makeup in the car. This is great.
I don't think the camera did justice to liner. It really brought out the brown in my eyes. Combined with a heavy mascara. I just did this look for you really quick. With the brown liner on top and bottom combined with some hot pink/reddish eye shadow.
Their lip plumper/primer duo pen is great. I usually have a problem with lip stuff. My lips end up having stuff in the crease and I hate that. But this plumper has like a Cinnamon fire to it. The primer works great and bring out whatever lip color i want to put on. They also have this lip gloss tin. It tastes like chocolate. i love ittttttt! Its thick enough,smells great, feels great. Really good for a light day..!! I also ordered fake lashes which I am still struggling to put on. Their lip glides work well for me because I prefer the transparency...and a little bit of shine.
Over all, I was happy. I got me a black eyeshadow finally, because every time I go to Clinique they are out of the black eyeshadow!!! I got the liner pen in black and brown. I am hooked to the brown cuz it really suits the black hair, brown eyes, the whole Indian skin tone...its great! I also got a conventional liner in plum color. Haven't tried yet, but will let you know:). And yeah I read your recommendation the Sunkissed blush, I got that too :) I haven't worn it yet but I will surely let you know and yeah you know how much all of this cost me?
I usually don't go for cheap products but this was a good experience :) And yeah I tried their clear mascara that I bought from a store...IT SUCKED. I will stick to Clinique for that :)
