Reader Request: Suggestions For Long Wear Foundations For Office

Navya says,

Hi Samyukta,
Your blog is very nice and has given me inspiration to take make up seriously. I really wish that you should have been in my office so that i would have been able to learn each and every thing from you face to face :). I really like your "Office Look" series. The only thing i want is that please let me know the foundation you use for every day wear in office (basically for long hours which one is good). Haan and one post on night creams which are available in market and their pros and cons.
I really would appreciate your help/suggestions. Thanks for the help in advance.
Thanks
Navya 


Hi Navya... First off thank you so much for all your kind words :) Am so glad that you like my "Office Look" series :) All thanks goes to Pranali for motivating me to do it...


Regarding a long wear foundation suitable for office, I do not use any but I could surely suggest a few... Do note that I am listing out "light coverage" foundations as heavier coverage ones might end up looking cakey in the bright and harsh office lights :) So here goes a list...
1. The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation
This is a light to medium coverage foundation that blends easily and comes with a foundation brush. It will not give you a matte look btw. Read the full review here

2. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
I haven't really used this but the Indian Beauty Blogosphere simply loves it! I haven't heard a single negative review about this product.

3. MAC Mineralize SPF15 Foundation In Compact Form
I haven't yet reviewed this but this is an AWESOME product. A bit on the pricier side but worth every cent! This too comes in a cream compact form and provides light to medium coverage.

4. Colorbar Full Cover MakeUp Stick With SPF30
This is a new discovery of mine and I bought it in my last trip to Mumbai's Beauty Center. It is a superb foundation and though I have used it only thrice, I am already in love with it. I shall be reviewing it soon. Btw this doubles up as a light coverage concealer too...


Hope this helps :)
I shall  be doing different post about Night Creams :)


If anyone would like to add to list then please put it in the comments section :)

Reader Query: Light Makeup for an Indian Wedding

Jayde asks,

Hey Samyukta,

I've got my brother's wedding coming up and I'm not a big fan of heavy make-up and only ever use nivea lipbalm on my lips. But one of my Bhabhi's (sister-in-laws) decided that we are all going to get dolled up! 

I have incredibly fair indian skin and have been burdened with quite thin lips. I want quite a natural look rather than walking in looking like a clown, so no typically bright colours. What natural colours and make up brands would you recommend to enhance my lips?

 

P.S. 

Yeah, I live in the UK unfortunately. We are mixed race - my mum was Spanish and my Dad is Indian Gujarati. However, my dad's features turned out to be more dominant, so I have deep dark brown curly hair and brown eyes with fair skin.

My brother will be having a traditional Gujarati wedding ceremony based in London, so what would you advise? Nothing too bright? I'll be wearing a turquoise Saree if that helps in any way .. 

Hey Jayde, first off I just cannot stop imagining how exotic your looks must be with a mix of Spanish and Indian in your genes :) Secondly "thin" lips are never an issue cause I myself have them and have been "enhancing" since eternity now ;) LOL... 

 

Now since you say you are wearing a Turquoise saree, I am praying that it has golden accents rather than silver and so I would suggest you to go for a light golden wash of eye shadow on your eyes. Suggestion: MAC All That Glitters (hands down!), some kohl, liquid liner and lots of mascara :) Its an Indian wedding after all :D

If by chance your saree has silver accents, then DO NOT use a silver eye shadow. Instead go for something shimmery neutral like MAC Ricepaper/Nylon or MAC Loose Pigment in Naked

 

Now for the lips, I would have worn Red lipstick ;) but since you specifically want something not very bright, then I would suggest some soft pink lipsticks in a glossy or shiny finish. Stay away from matte lippies as they make the lips look more severe and hence thinner :( Now am not too sure about the brands that you get in the UK but I am guess MAC is a common brand between us for sure so I'll stick to that :) Lipstick suggestions: MAC Craving, MAC Angel, MAC Syrup.

Also you could altogether give a lipstick a miss and go for MAC cremesheen lipglass in "Double Dare"... Its an opaque glossy pink gloss... Gorgeous for warm skinned beauties :)

The trick behind "enhancing" thin lips is to make it look hydrated and glossy. Dry/matte lips look thin while glossy lips look more plumped up and well "juicy" :P

 

Also do go for a peachy, corally blush. Preferably matte as you'll be having a shiny lip... Suggestion: MAC Immortal Flower, MAC Springsheen (though it isn't matte) and MAC Margin. Remember to apply it really lightly.

 

Even if you plan to forgo the eye makeup, do wear loads of mascara. The Lip makeup and the blush are a must though :)

Oh and for your face do apply a light foundation. MAC Mineralize Cream Foundation in the compact form gives a light coverage that you can build up easily if need be :)

Reader Query: How to Get a Glow for Dry Skin

I keep getting a lot of queries for getting glowing skin, but this I guess is the first time I got one that sounded really earnest... So rather than rattling out "my" skin care regimen and products, I decided to do an in-depth post about it. I analysed and researched a LOT and I finally came up with this...

Do read on... And btw this is what Vani asked :)

Hey Suma :)

First thing Kudos to you and your blog... I just love you and your cute face.... and yes you have a wonderful smile :)

Keep doing this good job..

My query is I apply moisturizer (fab india green tea) and then I apply maybelilne BB cream but somehow I feel my skin is not glowing from inside. I feel that I am missing somewhere... I am always confused when should I use sunscreen (though maybelline BB cream has SPF 21+) and also do I need to apply loose powder. I have dry skin and after applying the BB cream my skin looks bit oily. I have dark circles as well so please suggest me what cream should I use to make my skin have that glow which you have (hahahaaa :*).

Please suggest me a loose powder suiting dry skin, a sunscreen, something to conceal dark circle (daily wear) and also the techniques to apply this and also after which step do i need to apply BB cream.

With Luv,
Vani 

First off, let me state that there are 2 ways we can get glowing skin. One using makeup and the other by using the right skin care products. I'll cover both here :)

1. Glow with MakeUp
If you want to "glow" using makeup then there are a few points you will need to keep in mind...
i) Finding the right base. I find Maybelline's BB Cream to not work for me if worn for a longer duration. 3-4 hours is fine with it but it cannot survive 8 hours in office on me. I find it makes me feel dry on the cheeks and forehead but makes the T-zone oily! If you want to use a base on a daily basis you could either look for a Tinted Moisturizer that suits you or get yourself a light coverage mineral foundation or do what I do and mix a liquid foundation meant for dry skin with your moisturiser and apply it :) 

ii) Also use a cream blush instead of a powder blush. It is guaranteed to give a glow to your cheeks :) Remember to apply the cream blush in a "pat-pat" motion :)

iii) Use a highlighter lightly on the bridge of your nose and apples of your cheeks to get that instant glow! Though this tip should be avoided in college/office :P



2. Glow with Skin Care 
This is the way that is my favorite cause it is lasts longer and gives you a natural glow :) So let's get started. Do note that I am assuming that you follow a "healthy" diet. There are two things that keep one's skin from glowing and that is "dryness"/lack of moisture and dead skin. Yup these are the only two things that you need to fight in order to get your skin to glow and look flawless :) 

Of course combating dead skin is easy, you need to get yourself a good face scrub and exfoliate at least once in a week. I exfoliate twice a week cause it works for me better. You need to find what works for you and follow that :) I oscillate between FabIndia's Walnut scrub, St Ives Apricot Scrub and EverYuth's Peach scrub. 


Now let's look at a strategy to fight against lack of moisture. All skin types including Oily skin need the right amount of moisture and since Vani you have mentioned that you have dry skin, moisturising should be your foremost priority. You use FabIndia's Green Tea Moisturising Lotion but I am guessing it isn't working for you cause it is more of a "All Skin Types" lotion. Us dry skin beauties need to take "dry skin" very seriously because if not taken care of properly we are the first ones to show signs of aging in the form of wrinkles. Therefore I would suggest going for moisturisers that are specific to dry skin only! You will need to try out a couple of samples of different lotions and creams to see what suits you best! I generally use TBS Vitamin E cream and Garnier's Body Cocoon on my face.The next time I am in either Mumbai or Delhi, I will be picking up their UltraFacial Cream as well cause I had tried the sample and it proved to be heavenly for my skin :) You should try that out as well :)

Also, if you live in a humid city like Mumbai, Kolkata, Vizag, Kochi etc, then I would suggest you to apply Almond Oil on your face, neck and arms every third night before you go to sleep. If you stay in a "dry" city like Pune, Delhi, Bangalore etc like I do then I would suggest you to use Olive Oil every alternate night before you go to sleep :) I stay in Pune and use Olive Oil :)

Remember Moisturising is the key to Glowing skin especially if you have dry skin :D

Also do note that regular exercises and lots of fruits in ones diet gives a lovely natural glow too :)

Regarding your other queries:
1. Since you have dry skin you needn't use loose powder. I mean there is no need for it :) Why do you want to clog your pores for no reason at all? :P

2. Concealing dark circles is a MUST. If you have light circles under your eyes like I sometimes get, use a lighter concealer like Colorbar's stick concealer. If your dark circle problem is more persistent then I would suggest you to go for either Bourjois or MAC. They are the best in the market :D Clinique is also awesome!

3. Sunscreen should be worn when you plan to go out in the sun even if it is for 10 mins. You can use it above your moisturiser like I do. Lakme's New Sun Expert Range suits me very well :)

I hope all this helps you :) If you need to know more please do not hesitate to get back to me :)

Reader Request: Kareena Kapoor's Makeup For Tanned Skin

Ms Nyx asks,

Hey Samyukta,

Let me begin by telling you that I have spent hours checking out your blog. Love the effort you put in and although I'm a new follower, I'm hooked. I have 2 requests.

1. I love how Kareena's makeup is usually a soft eyeliner, with blush and it looks like she hasn't used bronzer to sculpt her face here and here - my prob is every time I use peachy blush like her I end up looking more tan than I am. Are there any alternatives except for pink? I don't want color to drain off my face. Please, could you do a Kareena Kapoor inspired makeup tutorial for tanned skin?

2. What's your take on mineral blushes for the summer? My powder blushes just disappear during the day and cream blushes ain't for me cuz it makes my skin oily. 

It'll be really nice to hear from you. Keep up the great work!

Love,

Ms. Nyx of Bak Bak Queen

First off thanks so much Ms Nyx for liking my blog so much :D and appreciating the effort that I put into it :) Yay! This is exactly why I loved Reader Requests so much cause everyone starts with saying something nice :) Mmmmmuuuaaahhh love you all for that! Yup am a teeny bit of a narcissist ;) and all these nice things keeping fueling my ego and in turn I keep trying to do nicer looks for you all ;) See we ve worked out such a nice win-win situation for each other :P Pure Genius I say! *giggle* *giggle*

1. You are totally right with Kareena Kapoor's makeup... Its so soft and feminine and it somehow looks like she does her makeup herself rather than relying on a MUA, which her a "realness" :) And since you have asked for a tanned makeup tute, i think the timing is perfect as I have tanned two shades darker... 


Yup using a peach or a coral blush can make one look shades darker than we really are and yes it does sometimes make one look washed out too... Nothing attractive about that. In order to emulate her blush tone, we need to understand one thing... She is going for an overall "sun kissed" look and since she is super fair, a peach blush is doing the trick for her... For medium skinned and tanned beauties like us (Ahem!), we can achieve this look by either using a bronzer as a blush or using a peach toned blush with golden shimmer. I have and have used Lakme Absolute Moonlit Highlighter's darker shade on my cheek bones. Maybelline's Powder Blush in Apricot Flush also gives the same results :)

Maybelline Blush in Apricot Flush

Lakme Absolute Moonlit Highlighter

The Look

 Now for the tutorial...
Eyes
a) Notice that she likes to liner her eyes (waterline and tightline) with kajal and then smudges it around eyes to give that "soft" look. For this I have used Maybelline's Gel Liner in black and Colorbar Flat Eye Smudger Brush no 122 to smudge around the eye area...

The Flat Smudger Brush

Apply gel liner/kajal on the waterline and tightline

Smudge the liner under your lashes

Do the same on the upper lashline as well

b) She wears falsies! Yes she does but not the complete set but singles. If you can manage single falsies, then good else stick to a nice volumising and a lengthening mascara :)

 

Cheeks
Like you yourself pointed out, she doesn't contour cause she is blessed with some killer cheekbones. So I haven't contoured either and simply used Lakme Absolute Moonlit Highlighter's Darker shade as blush on my cheekbones... Am pretty happy with the result ;)

Lips
Am wearing NYX Heredes lippy topped with Colorbar Star Metal Lip Gloss in Astral.

Skin
She has a luminous glow on her face (all the time), my trick is to mix a bit of orangish golden highlighter or even eye shadow (skin illuminator would be best) with your moisturiser or foundation and apply it all over. Of course this needs a lot of practice :P     


Here's the look...

2. Regarding Mineral Blushes, then I must say I endorse them wholeheartedly and since they are known to be good for the skin as well as not block pores I think they are perfect for summers :) Go for it! :D

P.S. Haven't I tanned a lot? I am quite loving it actually :) "Pati" says I look like "Eva Mendes".. Ok I know he is just saying it, but a girl can dream now can't she? ;)

Pointers From the Readers:
1. PARITA says,
     You are looking gorgeous girl even when tanned! btw another point I want to add if you dont mind is..if you check out both the pics..her under area area is really bright! so if you want the blush to come out in proper color use a good under area concealer and drag it down towards the cheekbones! then apply your blush :)
 

Reader Request: Make-up for a Pink Dress

Garima asks,

Email1

Hey samyukta,

I am  big fan your blog and spl love d way have given tutorials for makeup.They are extremely helpful for newbies like me..Its a great effort u are putting into it;even tried doing face contouring using your tutorial and also  few eye makeups

I needed a lil help of yours. I would be wearing a pink carrotish color suit fr wedding.

If you can help me with the make up suggestion.

I have small eyes and dark circles too.

I am attaching pic of my dress for clarity of color.

Thanking you:)

loads of love

Email2

I basically fit into medium skin tone nd have just started using TV Paint stick by kryolan in FS28 and FS303 as concealer.

If you can particularly help me with the eye makeup part.

Hey Garima :) First off thank you so much for following my bog and liking it so much :) It means a lot... And thank u for recognizing my efforts :D <3 <3

Secondly let me tell you that seeing your pics that you sent me in the follow up emails I totally loved your skin :) Gorgeous skin you have :)

Finally lets get down to business ;) As you have asked me specifically for the eye makeup, I'll just concentrate on that...

1. You are using the perfect foundation and concealer, so I'll not butt in ;)

2. For the eyes, I would suggest you to go for bright/light make-up and to stay away from heavy smokey eyes look! 

3. Since I recommend lighter eyes, I would suggest you to go for a bright pink lippy :) It would totally enhance your skin and brighten your face.

4. For the eye makeup, I have done two looks, pick whichever you think is appropriate for you.

Look1

Look2

Look1 

For this look, I have used baby pink eye shadow, a neutral brown shadow and a shimmery purple shadow...

1. Apply MAC Painterly Paint Pot on the eye lids as a base

2. Apply a light shimmery eye shadow on the brow bone area as a highlighter. I have used MAC Nylon.

3. Apply a neutral brown/beige eye shadow using a blending brush in the crease area to make the eyes look more prominent and deep. I have used MAC Texture using MAC brush 226.

4. Apply a light pink eye shadow with a flat brush on the lid area below the crease. I have used MAC Sushi Flower.

5. Taking a blending brush, take a shimmery purple eye shadow and apply in the crease area over the neutral brown shadow. I am using Colorbar Purple Passion.

6. Take a clean blending brush and blend well in the crease area.

7. Then take a silver eye shadow and apply in the inner corners of the eyes both on the upper and lower lashline.

8. Finally, apply kajal and liner in a wing :)

Look2

This look is simpler than the previous one. All it requires is a silver glittery eye shadow and a black eye shadow.

1. Apply an eye shadow base on the lid area.

2. Apply a glittery silver eye shadow on the lid.

3. Taking a blending brush, apply the black eye shadow lightly in the outer V and blend well.

4. Finish off with kajal and a winged liner :)

Reader Request: MakeUp for Specs Wearers

Its been a while since Anks of NoviceMakeUp asked me to do some makeup looks for specs wearers. Of course the lazy bum that I am, I had been shelving it and the sweet patient friend that she is, she kept on reminding me from time to time. Then there came a point when I could not live the guilt anymore and so I finally did it :P Anks... thank you :) So lets get started...

Let me be honest, for doing this post I did a lot of research on the internet and well I came across a lot of Dos and Donts... Some made sense and some didn't... So what did I do? Well I made my set of rules and I am sharing them with you :) You can should adapt these pointers of my mine to what suits you best and what you are comfortable with...

Now let me tell you all as to why I am going to proceed with the post... I am first going to list out tips that must be followed while wearing spectacles. Next I am going to illustrate to you all a few looks that I think would look fabulous  when wearing spectacles and finally I am going to open the session for further discussion and for your points and suggestions through the comments section :) So here goes...

Important Pointers to be kept in mind:
Disclaimer: These pointers are for people blessed with Myopic Eyes like moi ;)

1. Glasses in generally are a "huge" face accessory hence it is often a good idea to keep your makeup light when wearing glasses.

• If you want to go for heavy makeup then I would suggest you to go for rimless or transparent rimmed glasses. These type of glasses are makeup's best friend :)

• If you have black frames like mine then eye makeup should be a minimum while playing with lip color is recommended :) 

• If you have colored rims then you have to be very careful with the colors you will use in your makeup, they should not clash with the color of your rims!

2. Spectacles tend to cast a shadow under your eyes and if you have dark circles then it makes them all the more prominent. Hence, it is advisable to conceal at least your dark circles very well and if possible to use a light reflecting concealer like those from Clarins, YSL and Dior. Ok who am I kidding? I did go in search for some "reachable" light reflecting concealers and found that MAC Cover Up concealers are light reflecting and very surprisingly Oriflame makes light reflective concealers too ;)

3. Myopic specs generally tend to make the eyes look smaller and so loads of beauty blogs suggested using a white liner on the waterline. But you guys know na how I much I love a black waterline so I rebelled and then inferred that unless your power is really high like maybe above 3.5 or something, you can give the white/nude liner a skip. But of course ideally the waterline should have a white liner applied :)

4. Smoldering and heavy dark smokey eyes are a huge no no when wearing specs. Yes I never imagined that I would say no to smokey eyes but siigghhhh (btw my sighs are copied from my bestie Manu Sharma) specs means no dark eye shadows on the lids.

5. Continuing with point 4, you must avoid wearing dark shades of eye shadows with specs. Try going for lighter and neutral shades. But I rebelled and well satiated my thirst for color with some colorful and bright eye shadows. But a strict no to dark blues, dark greens and Purples (Mauve is ok)...

6. Ok one very important thing is that if you are wearing specs then your eyebrows should be very well groomed and should frame your face well... Sparse eyebrows (yup like mine) is a strict no-no for specs wearers...

7. Mascaras are a must for glass wearers as they open up the eyes. Try avoiding wearing mascara on your lower lashline though :)

Now for some do-able looks:
1. The nude and natural look...

2. A subtle and soft smokey eyes (Couldn't help myself) look...

3. The classic, winged liner with Red lips look...

4. The fun colored liner and bright lips look...

In the end let me remind you, its your glasses, your face and your life, do what you want and have fun with makeup, just try keeping the top 7 pointers in mind and you can never go wrong!

Video Tutorial (Reader Request): Face Contouring

Manali says...

i would like u to help me out with face contouring...i really love the way u do it...a video tute would be really helpful..
and if possible use lakme absolute moon lit highliter to do the tute
i have my farewell next week...n i plan to do my make-up on my own...also if u can suggest some makeup tips(specially blush,e/s, lippie) for a dark navy blue saree...it would be an early evening function FYI....and yeah i have fair to wheatish complexion with yellow undertone(sorry for this kinda description but i dnt know my NC/NW number)...i can mail u a pick of mine(please let me know)...thanks a lot

Manali did mail her and her saree's pic and I must say that she is gorgeous :)

First off Manali your saree is a beautiful Navy Blue with a lot of golden detailing work right, so I would suggest you to stick with a dark blue and golden combo itself. Plus you say that its an early evening function, hence a smokey look or even a simple dark blue shadow would be quite out of place... 

We need to keep the look classy yet pretty, so I would suggest you to for a wash of golden eye shadow on the lid and crease area and a pale golden highlighter on your brow bone. I have used a golden eye shadow that has a tinge of Orange in it... Finish off your eye makeup with a thick navy blue eye liner on your upper lashline and kajal for tightlining plus mascara... 

My recommended look... 

Use a bright lipstick, I recommend an Orange based RED. If you are not comfortable with Red, a bright pink lippy would look good too :)

Without Flash

With Flash

For contouring, I have made a video tutorial like you asked me to and here it is :) Hope you find it helpful and easy to follow :)

Products Used:

Face

1. TBS Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation

2. Lakme Absolute Moonlit Highlighter for contouring

3. Colorbar Blush in Floral Fuschia.

Eyes

1. MAC Paint Pot in IndianWood

2. Faces Sparkle Dust in Golden as eye shadow

3. Inglot Cream Liner in Shade 83 on the upper lashline

4. MUFE Star Powder no 940 as highlighter.

5. Maybelline Gel Liner as kajal

6. Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara

Lips

1. Lakme Absolute Matte Lipstick in Classic Red.

 

READER QUERY: How To Apply Makeup on Darker Lids

Dimpal asks...

hi Suma,
i want ur help .. i have duskier eyelids.. colors just refuses to show on my eyelids... i use nyx eyeshadow base and garnier anti dark circle roll on too but thy r nt much help...
thnx n Luv

A lot of us have this issue of having darker eye lids due to which eye shadows do not show up with as much pigmentation as it does on others. But fear not :) Like I always say MakeUp is like magic and it can help you achieve any look you covet and so makeup has a solution for this problem too :) Did I sound very dramatic here? :P

There are three things you can do...
1. Apply a good eye primer before you apply your shadow but you already do that and it doesn't help right? So you'll need to follow steps 2 and 3 :)

2. Use a good concealer, which I am assuming will be 2 shades lighter than your lids and a similar shade to your face. Apply it generously on your lid area till your brow bone. This will ensure a clean and an even canvas to start with your eye makeup. If you have oily lids then do set the concealer with a pressed powder without fail.

3. Invest in a good cream eye shadow base palette. I use one from Oriflame, there used to be a cream shadow palette available with Colorbar as well as NYX too. Or better still if your budget permits then buy some MAC paint pots too :) Use these cream shadow as bases over your concealer application. Then apply your powder eye shadows over these cream shadows. I guarantee some awesome pigmentation with this :)

Do note that after applying the cream shadow base, using a powder shadow is optional. I use a powder shadow over cream cause I have oily lids and I need to set in the cream shadow with a powder one :)

I hope this helps Dimpal... If anyone has any other suggestions do pitch in through the comments section :) It would be highly appreciated! :)

Video Tutorial (reader request): Purple Blue Look

As you all know Zara had asked me to do a tutorial for a blue and purple makeup look, which she wanted to wear for a friend's reception. A few posts earlier I had shared the finished look with you all. Here is the video tutorial now :)

Products Used:
Face
1. TBS Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact
2. Illamasqua Blush in Morale
3. Lakme Absolute Moonlit Highter
4. MUFE Star Powder in shade 940

Eyes
1. NYX Eye Shadow base
2. Inglot Eye Shadow DS72 on the lid.
3. Matte Blue Eye Shadow from Sleek Bad Girl Palette for the crease
4. Blue Eye Shadow from L'Oreal Azur Blonde Trio
5. Revlon Diamond Lust Eye Shadow in Plum Galaxy
6. Maybelline Gel Liner
7. Colorbar Waterproof Liquid Liner
8. Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara

I hope you like the video :)

 

Reader Request LOTD: Blue and Purple EOTD for a wedding reception

Heylo everyone :) I am here with another reader request, this time from Zara who needs to attend a friend's reception. She wanted a purplish-blue look, which she wants to pair with a very heavy purple and blue suit. Here is a look that I have done for her. And Zara, if this is fine then I'll post the video tute as well :)

FYI the video has been recorded. I just need some time for editing ;)

Also, everyone is invited to comment on the look :) Do let me know how you guys like it :)