Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer : Review

Traditionally it has always been easy for me to find something to soothe my dry skin during winter months. I try a couple and most often if they are a bit heavy - they keep me happy. And when all else fails I just slather on some olive oil !

Summers have never been easy. And around here Summer starts in April. It gets HOT and I get irritated. To top it all off my skin gets oily and keeps me looking every bit tired as the sun makes me. Finding a moisturizer to soothe my summer skin has been a challenge. But this year I am happy I've found something way before the heat hits !

The Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer is going to keep me happy . I can tell .

The moisturizer is light, non greasy, non sticky, has a pleasant smell and almost vanishes into my skin. It gives me some moisture and soothes my skin. Aveeno also writes about how this product is suppose to minimize the appearance of unwanted hair but I'm not buying into it, yet. The pump model is great . You can close it so nothing drips off .

Good things aside - $12.99 is rather expensive for a drugstore product ! Its times like these that make me wanna stick with Clean & Clear - cheap & effective. Most folks look for sunscreen in Summer moisturizer - not there.

I've had plenty of readers ask me if I had tried Aveeno, many others highly recommended it ! I am happy to say I have, now. This product is good - if it were cheaper , say $7 - I'd be all over it !

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Summer Of Love From Urban Decay : Preview

Gorgeous new offerings from Urban Decay For Summer ! Its all about psychedelic colors & hippie - chic - think Windy from Life On Mars ! They've got Tinted Moisturizers, Setting Sprays, Nail Polish Kit, Eyeliner, Lipglosses , Mattyfying gels - everything !

Its all available in their site - go check em out !!

I am stoked about the makeup setting sprays - I cannot go a day without them ! And in summer the cool sprays keep me from losin it. Hurrah for the Tinted Moisturizers - I'm a total TM girl and so are most of you during Spring/ Summer. I am hoping this will be everything I dream it will be...UD hardly ever disappoints !










Love,
Indian Girl

GIVEAWAY For Readers In India : Dermalogica Skin Kit

Hiya !

This time around we have a special giveaway open only to readers in India ! Enter today to win the Dermalogica Skin Kit worth Rs.1995 !

The Dermalogica Skin Kit (normal/ dry ) contains a full regimen of what your skin needs most.
The kit includes -

Special Cleansing Gel(1.7 oz),
Multi-Active Toner(1.7oz),
Skin Smoothing Cream (0.75oz),
Gentle Cream Exfoliant (0.3oz),
Soothing Eye Make-up Remover(sample)
Skin Hydrating Masque (sample)

How To Enter The Giveaway

Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway.


RT @IndianGirl Dermalogica Skin Kit Giveaway on An Indian's Makeup Blog for readers in India! RT to Enter http://tinyurl.com/yznp7ch

http://twitter.com/IndianGirl


This contest is open only to residents of India and ends on Monday,April 5 , 2010 at 8 PM IST. I'll be picking out the winner randomly and announcing them the next day!

Love,
Indian Girl

Beauty News & Deals

Bobbi Brown Brightening Skincare

“I believe beauty starts with healthy, glowing skin. Traveling through Asia, I’ve discovered that many brightening skincare lines do not address women’s immediate need to cover dark spots. I used my makeup artist’s perspective to create this simple 5-step regimen: It includes skincare to give you brighter, smoother and clearer skin over time—and treatment makeup to give you a beautiful, even complexion instantly.” – Bobbi Brown

Introducing Bobbi’s ritual for fresh, radiant, lit-from-within skin:

1 PREPARE - BRIGHTENING HYDRATING LOTION
Price: $50
2 BRIGHTEN - BRIGHTENING INTENSIVE SERUM
Price: $95
3 MOISTURIZE - BRIGHTENING MOISTURE CREAM
Price: $70
4 PROTECT - SPF 50 UV PROTECTIVE FACE BASE
Price: $38
5 TREAT, COVER & PERFECT -BRIGHTENING SPOT TREATMENT CORRECTOR SPF 25
Price: $35

SEPHORA

Beauty Insiders save 15% off their entire purchase April 12th –19th!
If you're not a Beauty Insider, become one by signing up on Sephora.com – it’s fast and free.

LORAC

When you purchase $50 worth of LORAC beauty essentials on www.loraccosmetics.com, receive a complimentary MINI MOCKTAIL SET (6 FREE glosses) and free shipping!


JERGENS

30 Rock star, Jane Krakowski, has teamed up with Jergens and The Skin Cancer Foundation to help consumers get In the Glow and get their glow the healthy way instead of tanning this summer. To get the word out, Jane created a video that includes her tips on how to get a healthy glow as well as admitting to some of her poor sun choices in the past. Now until the end of summer, we can log onto www.youtube.com/jergens to view the video and share it with our friends. Every time the video is viewed Jergens will donate $1 to The Skin Cancer Foundation !

Love,
Indian Girl

myfaceworks Paper Face Masks : Review

Yesterday after almost a week long break, I got back on the P90X wagon ! And to reward myself I treated myself to a the I Need a Quickie face pack from myfaceworks

I've been saving these for a day when I would need them the most. And when you want something so much, getting it as a reward for good behavior makes you savor it a lot more.

Paper Facial Masks 101

If you've never tried paper facial mask , I highly recommend ones from myfaceworks! They have 12 different types of paper masks , each with its own purpose like brightening, healing, detox-ing and plenty others. The paper facial masks come individually packed. Each one is in the shape of a face with holes cut out around eyes , mouth and flap over the nose. This paper comes soaked in a viscous gel filled with ingredients that are good for your skin. You simple tear open the pack, pull the paper mask over your face and go about doing what you do !
Or you could do what I do :
Pick out a quiet, dark spot in your house.
Play some soothing music.
Cleanse your face
Pull the mask on and relax for 20 minutes.

While you are at it, clear your mind and enjoy the few minutes of alone time. I like to tap my fingers on my forehead, temples and between my brows where we store our stress. I've heard this also helps disperse fluid that get retained around the eyes.

Relaxing & Stress Diffusing Y'all !

The mask has a soothing , cooling effect on my skin which continues for 20 - 30 minutes. After 30 - 40 minutes it slowly starts drying. But before than five minutes into the "experience" you will feel all the stressed muscles on your face relax . I didn't know that my muscles were so tight and so stressed out. It took a relaxing 30 minutes to pull those muscles out and place em where they belong in their non stressed state.


Relaxing and stress diffusing apart - it is a wonderful moisturizer. Even if it does not replace my regular moisturizer on my dry skin I think folks with all kinds of skin will love the way it drenches your skin with a fountain of supple soft skin nourishing goodness ! And bonus - it smells divine !

You & Me - We Need It

After a long day at work with a nagging boss or a coworker who steals your ideas or after a day at the library trying to catch up on classes - you need this to make you feel calm and prepare you to go through with it all over again tomorrow. It never ends, i tell ya !

Or if you are a mother with tiny (or grown up) kids running around trying your patience - you need this to give you a moment of piece. And if that moment comes only at night just before you hit the bed - take it. I swear the mask is truly the most relaxing experience a paper can bring.

MOM Needs It The Most

Mother's day is coming up soon and I am putting together a " Love You, Maa" package for my mom with my sister. This one is on top of my list ! We all know how moms are - stressed out is one word that almost always applies to them !

The myfaceworks face masks can be bought on their site

Have you tried paper facial masks ? Do you have one you cannot live without ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Raw Zucchini Salad Recipe & A Food Challenge

Last night I made myself a salad with raw zucchini. This is my first time eating Zucchini raw - I always broil / grill / stir fry it. Its a vegetable I *love* except when a couple of bitter ones come along. However this time I managed to get my hands on organically grown beautiful small zucchini that begged to be eaten raw.

The salad is almost raw except for the roasted red bell peppers. If I had fresh peppers I would have diced and used them raw too.

Ingredients

1 or 2 Zucchini
1/4 Cup Red Onion
1/4 Cup Red Bell Peppers
1 Tomato
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Oilve / Sesame Oil
Sea Salt, Pepper & Ground Oregano

Make That Salad

Slice all vegetables into thin strips.
Pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a bowl. Add onion into the mixture and let it sit for five minutes. The mixture of vinegar and oil mellows the strong taste of raw onion but it still retains the crunch.
Layer the vegetable onto your plate. Top it off with the onions mixture. Add salt pepper and oregano. That's it ! Its a very refreshing and cooling sald for spring/ summer.

That being said - I have a healthy appetite. So, next time I'll plan on adding lotsa garbanzo beans to it. Now that would it more filling !


I thought it would be fun for us to have a food challenge for this week. Will definitely make us try something new !

Your challenge for this week is to eat a vegetable raw. One that you have never eaten raw prior to this week. Come back and let us know which veggie you tried !

Like I ate the zucchini. I have plenty more baby zucchinis in the refrigerator. I plan on making many more raw salads with it.

Love,
Indian Girl

Smashbox Lip Tech : Swatches

Ladies !

Happy Friday ! I am so lookin forward to the weekend . Need to get my P90X game on. Plus I have a food challenge coming up for us. Will make us eat healthier and make better choices. Whoz up for it ?

For now, lemme leave you with some pictures of lip techs that have me goin crazy for them ! Its a whole another story that life has me goin crazy in a whole another no-fair kinda way. In one day I went from making a website outta my blog to possibly not blogging extensively in the near future to an I-dont-know-man-whatevs state. But like I said that's a story for another time.Will follow up with review and lip swatches soon !

Hard to stop droolin.






Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Hard Candy Walk The Line Liquid Eyeliner - Dream Girl & Night Sky : Review & Swatches

Two more Hard Candy Walk The Line Liquid Liner Swatches. I wrote about Licorice (shiny black) & Praline ( brown bronze) a few weeks back. You can read all about them here

My thoughts on these two are similar to the others I've tried - great for the price ($6). Great even otherwise. The only problem is the dry time. Between Dream Girl - yellow gold and Night Sky ( sparkling gray) , Dream girl dries in a few seconds while Night Sky takes a lot more time. That being said Night Sky is uber gorgeous - literally like a night sky with stars twinkling. Draw a fairly thick line for more its beauty to shine through. Dream Girl is too gold-y for me but when I do heavy looks I know I'll reach for it.

They are available at Walmart.

Without flash

With Flash
Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Jennifer Love Hewitt - Looking Good !

In love with the copper - brown / gold eye look ! The hair is lookin mighty fine and the dress - sexy ! This is my inspiration for my next eye makeup look post. It looks perfect for brown eyes and dark hair !


Love,
Indian Girl

The Best Makeup Remover

Whassup y'all !

Tell you what I have a feeling this is the wedding season . Why else would my inbox be flooded with mails from brides - to - be !!! I love helping out with as much as I know and I am right on it. So brides, I'll get back to y'all soon - I promise.

Speaking of e-mails, I had one this morning informing me that I hadn't written on makeup removers - ever. True - I haven't ! And this is me getting to work answering the e- mails .

I'm cool like that (guess that song)

My most favorite, the best, no more eyeliner induced dark circles, works on everything makeup remover is Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover. The product even takes care of those (dadgum) sparkles. Hello UD 24/7 eyeliner in Crash - Silver glitter everywhere even after three days of use - that was the day I ran outta Neutrogena and had to use Clinique ( blue bottle)


It costs around $8 depending on the size and lasts for a long long time. I think I buy one every 5- 6 months. I've tried several other makeup removers, including the oh-so-popular ones from Clinique. Didn't stand a chance against Neutrogena. I am never ever going to spend $$$ on any other makeup remover.

Besides it doesn't make sense spending $ on makeup removers. I'd rather save that money and use it on lipsticks.

Now that makes sense.

Lipsticks.

Though it says oil - free there is a little oil-ish feeling left after using it. But it hardly bothers me because it takes off makeup in one clean swipe, does not damage my delicate skin around the eyes and anyways I always wash my face with a cleanser after taking makeup off !

TIP : Always shake the bottle before use. The formula tends to separate and shaking is essential to combine the layers.

TIP TIP : If you are out of makeup remover use oil (coconut / olive) or even milk . Try not to rub the cleanser under your eyes to shake out the eyeliner.

What is your favorite makeup remover ? Dish...

Me Out !

Love,
Indian Girl

My Five Favorite Ab Ripping Exercise Videos

These are five of my favorite ab exercises. I picked these out because

a. You can do it comfortably in your house.
b. All you need is your body and space .
c. No extra gadgets required.

If I could I would just put up the whole video of P90X Ab ripper because it is THE BEST. I am far away from ripped abdominals but I'm trying !

Favorite these videos on youtube and make a playlist outta them. Play it on your computer and get started with your ab exercises. The P90X guide suggests working your ab muscles no more than 3 times a week if you are doing a strenuous routine like Ab Ripper X and it is best done on days on which you do your strength training.

Important Note : I am not a trained fitness professional - merely a budding enthusiast. Do not take anything from my fitness / diet posts any more seriously than you would take something that comes up in a conversation with your friend. Talk to a trained professional / physician before starting out on any exercise / diet routine - Most gyms offer free body assessments.


Britney Abs - All The Basics

My best friend taught me these exercises when I was 17. I loved them then - love them even more now !



Mason Twists

Hands down my most favorite ab exercise. These can be done with free hands or you can add some free weights. I use 7.5 pounds, works for me. You will love this too, I'm sure !



Scissors

These hurt like madness but you will almost feel your lower abdominals getting stronger with your first try ! The sides get some work too ...



Heel To Heel

Love handles be gone !



Crunchie Frogs

Another favorite of mine - Wrap and open !



Try these and lemme know how you like em ! Another thing I love doing is working out with an exercise ball. In a couple of weeks I'll put up my favorite exercises to do with an exercise ball. Now go on and share your favorite ab moves. Its a community and its all about helping each other !

Love,
Indian Girl

Kajol Makeup : How To ?

I thought Kajol looked particularly stunning on this cover of Asian Woman Magazine !


Given that its a spring issue - the makeup is spot on !

Springs are all about peaches and pinks on your lips and cheeks ! Store away your reds, wines, burgundy shades and pull out your peaches, corals and pinks from hiding ! For the eyes - nothing is more springy than colored eyeliners. Bright greens, teals, blues replace dark blues and blacks in my stash.

For Kajol's Look :

Face
1. Start off with a light moisturizer
Rec : Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel / Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer
2. Follow up with a tinted moisturizer or a foundation with sheer to medium coverage.
Rec : Hard Candy Tinted Moisturizer / Smashbox HD Foundation

Eyes
1. Do your brows and apply a satin peach shadow on your lids.
Rec : MAC Samoa Silk / MAC Paradisco Eyeshadow
2. Line your upper lash line with a deep brown powder shadow and smudge it along the length of your lash line for a soft finish.
Rec : MAC Charcoal Brown / Folie Eyeshadow
3. Run a bright green eyeliner along your lower lash line and waterline. Or you could do a brown along the waterline.
Rec : Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner - Covet
4. Curl your lashes and apply a lengthening mascara
Rec : Cover Girl Lash Blast Length

Cheeks
1. Apply a matte/ satin peach blush on your cheeks.
Long face - go for the apple of your cheeks
Round face - Go upward and outward from the hollow of your cheeks (do a fish face to find the hollow) towards your temples.
Rec : Smashbox Reign Blush ( my forever favorite peach blush) / MAC Sheertone Blush - Peaches

Lips
1. Apply a peachy coral lipstick and follow with a clear lip gloss
Rec : Smashbox Lip Pencil - Amaretto / MAC Ravishing Lipstick

Love,
Indian Girl

pic source

N.Y.C Blushable Crème Stick - Berry Newyorker & South St.Seashell : Review & Swatches

Spring is almost here ! As I say this I see beautiful snow flakes falling through my window...
Such an optimist !

When Spring does get here, I've got a little something that will keep you looking fresh and gorgeous - The Blushable Crème Stick ($3.99) from New York Color.

Creamy Natural Goodness

I have been a huge fan of Clinique Blushwear Creme Sticks for ever and the new NYC blush able creme sticks are almost similar except they are a bit more moisturizing and I only pay $3.99 for it - crazy deal, y'all ! The creme sticks have a creamy , oil- free formula that looks uber natural. All I do is dot it on my cheek and blend with my fingers. It stays put for 3 hours or so; at which point I'd like go in for a touch up. I highly recommend these to creme blush novices - its hard to wrong with it.

Though they are blushes, the twist up sticks double up very well as lipsticks ! On my lips they look almost matte though on the cheeks they have a creamy/ silky finish.

Shades

The two shades I tried were South St.Seashell - a perfect peach ( may be a lil darker peach) and Berry Newyorker - a neutral beige. Both shades work great with my NC-40 skin tone. These two shades didn't have any frost or shimmer to it - just creamy colors !

There are plenty more shades to choose from. Next time I'm gonna go looking for some pinky shades - what is spring without some pink to it, right !



Available Shades: Plaza Pink, Big Apple Blush, Urban Spice, South Street Seashell, Mauvin’ Uptown, Berry New Yorker

Have any of you tried these blushable creme sticks ? I'd love to hear which shades you got and how they perform !

Love,
Indian Girl

The Broadway Stage Awaits You !

Maybelline New York has partnership with CVS/pharmacy on an amazing contest, with the grand prize landing the winner on the Broadway stage, in CHICAGO, the musical !

Although it is called a "walk on", the winner will do much more than walk. Depending on the winner's ability, they will get to sing, dance and most certainly have lines in this once in a lifetime opportunity.


Auditions will be held at the Ambassador Theatre at 219 W 49th Street in NYC on March 22nd from 9am-11am and Noon - 1pm. Auditions will be guaranteed to the first 100 people. Contestants must bring a recent photo of themselves Specific auditioning instructions can be found at BeSensationalAndWin.com.

Auditions can also be uploaded on the BeSensationalAndWin.com web site until April 15th.

For those who want to look like a star, Maybelline New York and CVS invite you to visit CVS/pharmacy at 150 E 42nd Street on March 22nd from 11am-7pm for mini-makeovers, product coupons, and discount tickets to CHICAGO, the musical.

To learn more about entering the contest and razzle dazzle auditioning tips from Michelle Williams, Broadway's newest Roxie, please visit BeSensationalAndWin.com

Love,
Indian Girl

Smashbox Blush Rush - Chiffon, Paradise, Bare : Review & Swatches

I wanted to show you guys the three Smashbox blushes I've tried and *love* so much. As always Smashbox Blush Rush Blushes are of excellent quality ! Very very finely milled , silky texture, great pigmentation without being overly so. The blushes give a warm soft glow, not glitter what so ever- very glamorous , very Hollywood !

Bare is my top pick for days when I wear red lipsticks or a deep wine / burgundy shades on my lips. Its gives a barely there color but high glowy sheen which I die for. I don't have to mess with highlighters or glittery foundations - this one product gives me everything I need !


Paradise is a warm apricot blush made for gorgeous spring days and Chiffon is a warm shimmery golden pink that every girl dreams of. I love pairing Paradise with a shimmery gloss like Smashbox Lip Gloss - Luster / Stila Kitten Lip glaze or a beige nude lipstick. Chiffon is my favorite blush to pair with any kinda pink / fuchsia / nude lipsticks !

Each blush regularly is available for $24 each. But this week alone you can each blush for only $11 ! I'd feel very guilty about recommending three blushes at $24 each but at $11 its a deal I cannot not tell my friends about ! Click here for more details on the offer.

Love,
Indian Girl

Healthy Banana Smoothie Recipe

This is my recovery drink after a workout - a super yummy healthy banana smoothie ! I don't like drinking the heavy protein shakes or Gatorade. I am all for natural, simple nutrition so I make my own recovery drinks !
To make one big glass of smoothie , you'll need :

1 Medium Banana Frozen
1/2 Cup Milk (1% or skim)
1 tsp Flax Seed Powder
2 Walnuts

Whip it up in a blender and there you have your delicious simple smoothie !

I peel the banana , slice them and freeze a bunch of ripe ones in a Ziploc bag. Roughly I cut each banana into ten pieces so I just pull out ten chunks for one smoothie. Alternatively you can use a regular banana and ice. The flax seed powder and walnuts make the smoothie creamy delicious ! For added creamy texture you can also use vanilla yogurt.

The best part - all this deliciousness is without any added extra sugars ! Any sweetness is from the banana !

I used caloriecount.com to figure the calories out

Love,
Indian Girl

Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain : Swatches & Review

Get this. Get at least one of these ASAP.

Speaking of ASAP ...are you one the A-sap kind or are you the A. S. A. P kind ?
I am more of a A.S.A.P kind.
Just thought I'd throw in there...

The CG Outlast Lip stains ($7.50) are CG's gift to girls with pigmented lips. More so if they are unevenly pigmented. Just run the pen over your clean dry lips and you've got yourself some even coloring ! BAM... just like that.

The story doesn't end there. Not with just one BAM !

2 to 3 hours later they fade and become even more natural and pretty. Sometimes I don't wait - I apply the stain and then press my lips against a piece of tissue for the sexy stain ! This stays put for 6 to 8 hours at least !

Of the four shades I tried,
410 - Bit Of Blossom is the most pigmented, a deep fuchsia.
445 - Cinnamon Smile is true to its name, a rich brown.
415 - Teasing blush is a shade in the raisin family and
420 - Sassy Mauve is a nude sombre mauve.


However I've got a piece of advice for ya. DO NOT apply the lips stain over lip gloss or chap stick. It ruins the product. We'll get back to that chap stick later. For now just remember the words - clean, dry lips.

You'll notice my last (415) swatch is a little wonky because I ran it over lip gloss.

Not not ran it over like an accident.
Or wait may be it is ran it over like an accident coz that's what it was - An accident.
An accident you can learn from.

A little something more - they are very pretty as long as you keep em on your lips. The moment you take it out - lips feel dry. This is when you wanna pull that chap stick out.
See, I told you I'd get back to the chap stick !

In Other News

Happy St. Paddy's Day ! Whatchu doing today ? I've got another green eye makeup look coming up with NYX eye shadows. Hang in there...its coming !

And I am returning the new camera. This time I'm gonna for a Canon. Oops I almost typed Conan !

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Three Products From Smashbox For Only $33 !

This week only - mix and match any three Smashbox products for a fixed price of $33 ! And your products will arrive in a chic black woven black case ! More details here

My Picks : Brazillian Bronze Eyeshadow + Blush Rush Chiffon + Lip Gloss - Fame !

or

I'd just pick three blushes - Chiffon + Heatbreak + Paradise !

Make good use of this offer ladies ! They are all full size products !
Love,
Indian Girl

St. Patrick's Day : Green Eye Makeup Tutorial

The new camera arrived yesterday and I got to work immediately with some green looks for St. Pat's day ! Gosh, I've thoroughly missed swatching, doing looks and everything else !

As far as the camera goes. I am still not completely convinced with it ( Samsung SL 420S). The face shots are fairly good but product shots are very very bad. Given how that is what I will mostly be doing with it - I am a little worried. Plus the camera was suppose to have Schneider lens but it had Samsung Lens. I will play around a little more and if I'm not convinced it will have to be returned...

This is how I went about doing this look

1. Start off with concealer and set it with some powder.
I used Smashbox HD Concealer & Cover FX Translucent powder

2. Apply a green / black cream shadow all over the lid.
I used Julie Hewett Creme Shadow - Malachite

3. Pat on a dark forest green color all over the lid.
I used Nixie green ( I don't know the shade name )

4. Use a pistachio green along the cease and blend into the forest green
I used Nixie again

5. Apply a white gold shade under the brow as highlight.
I used Julie Hewett Eyeshadow - Silk

6. Apply a green glitter eyeliner along upper lash line & a copper shade along the waterline
I used Urban Decay Glitter Eyeliner- Stagediva & UD 24/7 liner - Lucky

7. Line lower lash line with a hint of both green - forest & pistachio

8. Do your brows, apply mascara and you're done !

For the lips I chose Hard Candy The Painted lady Lip Color Lipstick - Crush. Its a gorgeous warm golden pink . A great shade to pick up form the Hard Candy line ! Its very moisturizing and has lots of pigment to it !

Love,
Indian Girl