Make-Up Envy- Charlotte Casiraghi

Charlotte Casiraghi

I was going through Hello magazine today, and Charlotte Casiraghi, who belongs to the Royal family of Monaco, caught my eye. She came in second in their 'young style icons of the year' and obviously Duchess of the Cambridge came first. I admit Charlotte is stylish (in my opinion even more so than the Duchess) and gorgeous but what I love about her the most is her simple make-up. 

She doesn't let her natural beauty hide behind all the make-up, she always keeps it simple. She has lightly-tanned skin, a mauve lip and gently flushed cheek, and smudgy black-brown eyeliner, slightly winged at the corners and that is IT! This is her signature look. She hardly ever wears bold make-up. 

This is as bold as she gets.

So many celebrities and girls tend to layer a ton of make-up on and without it they look like completely different people. This is a look I can definitely see myself recreating. It's an ideal way to let ones natural beauty shine through.  

What do you prefer a face full of make-up (eye shadows and all) or a more subtle, natural look like Charlotte's?

Sana

How To: Prevent Waterline/Eye Pencil Smudging

With all these new 'smudge proof' and 'water proof' eye liners out there, I thought applying pencil/eye liner on the water line would stop being a pain. Well, I thought wrong. I know this probably may sound blasphemous to some but Urban Decay 24/7 are not the worth the hype (I'm removing it from my top ten. Ha!). Yes, there I said it. It worked for me in the beginning (I'll tell you why in a bit). 

After I got over my disappointment I started obsessing over how to make the eye pencil/kajal stay longer on my water line. There had to be something, right? Well, thankfully after reading dozen blog comments on various blogs and watching various video's on Youtube I found some tips. I thought I'd share them with you.

Obviously, you don't have to follow all the tips. Pick your favourite(s), or whatever works for you rather than doing all of the above.

• Take a oil free-mattafying powder and dab all over the eye area which is under the eye. These is where  the smudging mostly appears.  (This is for those who have an oily eye area)

• Take a Q-tip/cotton swab and gently sweep it over your water line and the inner part as well. This will eliminate some of the moisture and make the eye liner last longer. Trust me, judging by the comments and video's this is one of the most tried and tested tips. 

• After you applied the kajal or eye pencil take a matte black eye shadow and dab it over the already lined area. Use a small brush like an eye liner brush to dab the eye shadow on you water-line. This will not only make the make the pencil/kajal look more intense, it will stick to your eye liner and help in reducing the smudging.

• You can also use a oil free, mattifying face powder and dab it over the water-line to set the eye pencil as well, instead of the eye shadow.

• Some even suggested using  a water proof gel eye liner instead of the traditional eye pencil/kajal and setting it with a black eye shadow. The gel eye liner is supposed to be ideal for tight lining the eyes. (The Maybelline waterproof gel eye liner is really good, it lasts for ever.)

I have two favourites from all of the above. If I have time I'll use the Q-tip, if I don't I'll just skip that. After I apply my eye pencil, I'll dab face powder over my water line. I was really scared to do this at first, but I didn't experience anything bad (even though I wear lenses. It didn't dry out my eyes), so I stuck with it. Trust me, my pencil lasted for hours. ( I really recommend the Tarte Smooth Operator setting powder.)  

The reason my Urban Decay 24/7 worked so great in the beginning was only  because I used face powder near my lower lashes (almost on my water line) to set my concealer (this was on during the Eid days when I had to go out). This is the reason why it stayed on as long as it did. When I stopped doing that, it started smudging. I didn't even know about these tips back then.

The best thing about these tips is that you can use any pencil, liner or kajal! I really hope these tips are helpful. Now I don't worry as much as I used to about raccoon eyes. 

Sana

Review: Dior Addict Lipstick In Diorkiss 578

Youtube is so bad for me. With all those beauty guru's and commercials  online what's a girl to do? I came across Kate Moss's Dior Addict video a couple of months ago and I'm telling you it was obsession at first sight.

Dior Addict in Diorkiss 578

Warning: This is going to be a product rave!

I've never even thought of splurging on a lipstick before I saw this video. It's a marketing genius on Dior's part taking inspiration from Breakfast at Tiffany's (It doesn't get Iconic than that)! All I knew was I wanted the shade that Kate Moss had on!

Diorkiss 578 is the shade Kate Moss is wearing throughout the campaign. Diorkiss is described as “Kate’s choice. Essential, simple pink; it lights up her lips with a taste of things to come and gives her rock-chick look a twist with its striking presence.” This shade is considered to be part of the Rock Icon Style. It is a beautiful very shiny medium (strawberry) pink.

Dior Addict in Diorkiss 578

I wasn't disappointed when I got my hands on it. Even though it was a little different from what I thought It'd be, it has quickly become my favourite lipstick. Trust me, this is out of comfort zone because it's a bright-ish pink. However the colour is just stunning and I fall in love with it all over again whenever I apply it. It's the perfect pop of colour that would compliment any skin tone. I've always gotten compliments when ever I had it on. 

The lipstick has a gel-based formula which is a dream to apply. It glides on smoothly and feels moisturising on the lips. Even though it's described as 'sheer' It goes on a little bright. It is build-able but it does not have acompletely opaque coverage. Because of the balm-like texture, this lipsticks last only about 2.5 to 3 hours on my lips, which is good enough for me. I don't have any lipsticks that last longer than that.

 Diorkiss 578

For me, it was worth the investment. You can probably tell from the pictures that the lipstick is well-loved and used quite often. I would love to get my hands on a light baby pink shade from the Dior Addict line. 


PS. How gorgeous is the packaging?
 Have you tired the Dior Addict lipsticks? Is there any shade that is on your wishlist? 

Sana

Review: Luscious Blush In Peach Melba

I know I don't need another blush (still here I'm obsessing over three blushes that are on my wish list *sigh*) but I figured buying a budget friendly blush wouldn't hurt. Right? I've had this blush for quite a while now and I didn't get to use it until two weeks ago. I was just wanted to perk my complexion up a bit and surprisingly I reached for this.

Video Tutorial: Fishtail Braid

The fishtail braid looks so chic! It has quickly become my favourite braid because not only does it get me so many compliments it looks effortless and stylish. Who doesn't like that, right? I usually asked someone to braid it for me though. Recently Lauren Conrad, did a video tutorial on it and I thought I'd share it. Her hair stylist Kristin Ess gives one of her favourite secret tricks on how to make a perfect fishtail braid. According to her even the most uncoordinated person (like me) will be able to make one after watching the tutorial. It's a big promise right? Well, I've certainly been practising and I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Tools: 2 clear elastics, scissors, patience.

Steps:

For a smoother braid, brush your hair out first. For a messier braid, leave the natural texture and separate the hair with your fingers.

Create a ponytail using a clear elastic.

Split the ponytail into two separate pieces.

Take a piece from the first side and pass it to the 2nd side.

Next take a piece from the 2nd side and pass it back to the 1st side

Once you’ve finished your braid, go in with your scissors and CAREFULLY cut the clear elastic at the top.

Optional: gently pull on the pieces to loosen it up if you wish!


I hope this helps :)

Sana

Courtesy: Thebeautydepartment.com

Review: Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Mascara

I really needed a really good mascara for Eid. My Benefits 'They're Real' mascara hadn't arrived yet so I was getting desperate. A few days before Eid, Aroosa and I went to the Mall of Lahore. It's safe to say it's one of our favourite places in Lahore. We can hang out there even if we're completely broke. 

We saw a Bourjois counter at the new super market that had just opened there (you can imagine how excited I was). I spent a good ten minutes or more just looking at all the make-up while Aroosa patiently waited. I ended up buying the Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Mascara. Was I disappointed?

Bourjois claims:

Ten times the volume. Intensified eyes. Glamour guaranteed.

10 times more volume* for 16 hours**

Volume Glamour revisited for 10 x as much volume*!

The Good

This mascara really lengthens my lashes beautifully. It provides dramatic volume as well. I was sold when the girl at the counter told me she had this mascara on her lashes. They were incredibly  long and had intense volume. Does it do the same for me? Yes, it does! Although mine never seem as long as hers did. However this mascara is perfect for anyone who wants dramatic, fuller glamorous eye lashes. It gives the appearance of thicker fuller lashes, which I love.

 I apply multiple coats and I haven't experienced any clumping.  It has a petite wand ( I don't know how else to describe it) which is slightly narrowed at the end. The narrowed end is great for those little lashes in the corner of the eyes.

I really like curvy the tube, even though it's black. The mascara is a water proof one so you don't have to worry about it smudging or smearing. It lasts for a really long time as well. I've had it on while working out (it's a long story) and despite the sweat, the mascara stayed intact.

Before

The Bad

The only bad thing about it is the price. It's for RS1250 which I think is a little pricey for a mascara. However I justified the price to myself by comparing it to the Maybelline mascara's which are all RS800 and above.

Final Thoughts

I honestly think this is worth the investment. I also tried the Bourjois Volumizer Mascara (the two in one mascara) and it didn't look half as good as this one does. This mascara does make my lashes look dramatic and glamorous. The pictures don't do justice to it. 

What I love most about this mascara is that I don't have to worry about it drying out or finishing. Bourjois is here (yay!!) and I can repurchase it whenever I want. I tend to be a little stingy with some of my make-up products which aren't available in Lahore. So I'm enjoying this a little more. 

Price:1250

Bourjois counters can be found at Mall of Lahore, Hyper Star, and Al-Fatah

Sana

Pakistani Beauty Blog - Weekly Roundup [Vol2]

Watching people getting NAKED wasn’t easy. Every post that featured this palette ignited her desire to get it. Sara Hasan celebrated her eid day with Urban decay naked palette 

Visit through the streets of Karachi as Rida Rohail guides you through a tour of Port Grand this Eid

Feeling a little British today? Try out Maheen's England Flag look.

Sana & Aroosa shares their collective haul which includes Sephora , Bourjois and more 

Young Foreverism shows of her eid day Mehndi 

"Eid was this time very royal for Anum, and would have been incomplete without the royal on her eyes

Silver Smokey look  for a smokin' hot Eid by Ruqaiya Khan

Sahrish Adeel shares her inexpensive buys for this Eid - Check our her Bling Bling-Jewelry Haul!

Neelum needed a new holy grail lip balm, and it looks like she found it. It is now known as The best lip balm i have ever used

Eid filled with SLEEK Goodies - Rabeeyah created her Eid Day Grey Smokey look using one of her Sleek palette"

Is the Summer too hot for you? Want to wear those perfect icy shades on your eyes? Check out The Feminine Crusade's 'Tatters of Frost' on Eid.

Like Mineral Makeup? Fragancia shares her views on Nude By Nature Mineral cosmetics"

With all the glitz n' glam this eid, Sidrah from Beauteous Blog shares her Jewelry picks  from earrings to bracelets.

This Eid Saleha from Makeupmydrug went for taupe-y blue eyes. 

Is 'Flawless Complexion' just a gimmick or really possible under budget? Find out with PiNkIsH as she reviews Pond's Flawless White Visible Lightening Day Cream

Everybody Loves to shop especially around EID! So Areej went shopping on Chand Raat & got these for herself 

Cheeky Chic From we make up shares her love for a CORAL lipshade that works wonders: FIREFLY by NYC Ultra moist Lipwear

Shycheeks reviews a quite hyped product

Transition your makeup into Autumn/Winter 2011 Sarah Ali @ Glossicious reviews Sleek MakeUP’s NUDE COLLECTION.

Hair Care: Coriander Oil

(No, you didn't come to the wrong place. This post is about Coriander oil and not Starbucks coffee)

We all want flawless hair, right? I know I do! I've always had fine/thin hair and I made my peace with it a long time ago. I used to straighten it a lot and now I have fine/thin damaged hair. I had to stop straightening and I tried not to use a lot of products on my hair.

Flash forward a few years, and I'm still paranoid about using straighteners. I rarely straighten my hair! People who had forgotten what the natural texture of my hair looked like, have forgotten what I looked with straight hair. Yes, I had to make peace with the fact that my hair is not my best friend. 

I do get rebellious though. It happens every summer when one of my best friends Sara and I go swimming every single day for an entire month. We have a blast swimming for a month and then I have stop because *gulp* I start losing hair. Imagine my misery. This happens every year without a fail! Some one else in my position would just stop swimming altogether. No, not I! I ditch Sara for the rest of the summer and then start obsessing over my hair. 

What do I do? I start oiling my hair. (did I even say that correctly?)

Two years ago (brace your selves for another story) I changed my shampoo for a few days and got dandruff. I started using Coriander (dhania) oil for the dandruff. I can't recommend this enough for people who are suffering from it!! You will see the difference within days (for me it took two days).

I've always noticed that when I start using this oil I have less hair in my brush. It's also easier for me to brush my hair. My hair does look a lot more shiny and has noticeably more life in it. Obviously it's no miracle worker. It does help in hair regrowth and hair fall, but for that give it a few weeks before you see a difference. There will be difference in your hair though with time. What you won't like about this oil is the smell. It has a strong funky smell to it, but you'll get use to it.  

I store mine in whatever bottle I have laying around. This time I stored it in the Starbucks bottle. You'll find Coriander oil in your local markets where herbal products are available. Also, try looking for a store that sells herbs and oils, I'm sure you'll find it there. 

I hope this post is helpful. I know what a misery hair can be and this is something that saves my hair every time. 

Sana

Review: Maybelline Volum' Express 'the Colossal' Mascara

I was in desperate need of a mascara a month or two ago. Sadly my favourite Maybelline Define-A-Lash was out of stock and I was forced to choose between the colossal volum' express and the Falsies. Obviously you can guess which one I chose. My friend Sara, told me to go for the Falsies and bought the colossal volum' espress instead.

Obsessed With ♥

This is what I've been obsessing over this past week

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is one of my favourite books of all times. I've read it about a million times and I always find myself reaching for it when I'm out of good books to read.  Even though I love the entire series, this is obviously my favourite book from it.  I love sitting down and drowning myself in the world of Harry Potter. For me it never ever gets old. I fall in love with it every time.

This is one book don't think I'll ever get tired of reading.

Oh my goodness. Look at Lauren's legs, Diya's arms and Britney's toned body!!!! I want all this! I'm some one who can't diet if her life depended on it. No, I'm not a glutton by any means, I just can't starve myself. So I've been working out every day (I'm doing the '30 day shred'). It's something I love and hate doing at the same time! It's going to be worth it if I can look half as good as that :)!!! Don't you think?

This one of my favourite songs!!! This week I sort of fell in love with it all over again. Listen to it and you'll know why <3 <3 <3!

What have you been obsessing over this past week?

Sana

Pakistani Style: Churidaar Tights From Sarahs

First it was churidar and now it's churidaar tights that are all the rage! What's the difference? These are pretty much like your average tights, with a desi touch. I bought mine a few days before Eid from Sarahs. The ones I bought are white because they'll go with everything. Sarahs had black, white and even had ones with funky prints and patterns on them. They had adorable black tights with white polka dots.  

You can see the tights aren't see through. I'm holding them up against the light

I love that the material of these churidaar tights isn't sheer. I've seen pictures where the flash or the lighting often makes the tights see through. I haven't had that problem with these tights. They're comfortable and hug all the right places. The tights have a stretchy elastic waist that doesn't bite in to my skin. The fitting is flawless. 

Personally, I think the churidar tights are better than the churidar itself because the fitting is better. Also the look is more sleek, polished and oh so chic. It's a very modern take on the traditional chuirdar. I love pairing mine with a long, flowy shirt/kurta. Another plus point is that they don't get wrinkly either. 

Sara's has three sizes to choose from, large, medium and small.

Directions: Sarah's is situated in the market across McDonalds Main Boulevard Gulberg. The market/plaza where Nike, Charles & Keith and Karma are also located.  Umm, more appropriate directions will be the shops adjacent to Home Economics!

Price:800 (which is a steal compared to the ones from Maria B. They're for 1500)

(I'm sorry for the bad lighting. It was really really dark in the last two pictures)

Sana

My Top Ten ♥

A couple of days ago I was awarded with the top ten award by Pandora's Box . Thank you for passing this down to me. Do check out her blog. It's one of my absolute favourites. She has an excellent taste in make-up and perfumes. 

Rules: Mention the person who tagged you

Pass on the award to 10 other bloggers. 

Say 10 things about you 

(or)

Name your Top 10 Products

Pretty In The Dessert

Glossicious, Beauty, Blog

Beauty Geek

What Gloria Knows

Sara Hassan's Blog

Rabeeyah's Blog

saharawansblog

Make-up is art

Areej Usman's Blog

Even though it's obvious I adore make-up, I'm from the school of thought that thinks less is more. I try to keep my make-up as natural as possible. My top ten products mostly consist of all the things I reach for the most or are my absolute favourite beauty products. 

How To: (The Braid Craze) Alexander Wang Inspired Side Braid

I never used to think braids were fashionable-ever! To me they screamed more plain Jane than fashionista! Last year Alexander Wang changed this during his Spring 2010 show. That was last year and this is now, and the trend just refuses to disappear. The braid craze is still going to be big in Fall. 

This season designers tried to give this master piece their own twist by plaiting the hair in to two side braids and loosely wounding up strands for a more youthful look just to name a few. 

Step 1: First, pull all of your hair over to one side. If you want your hair to be behind the ear, be sure to shift the hair in that direction before starting to braid.

Step 2: If you have straight hair, spritz it with a texture spray like to make it look messy. Smooth the top with your hand and start to braid. A typical three-strand braid works perfectly, but the more you experiment the more personalized the look will be.

I don't have straight hair so I don't use a texture spray. I love doing this (well actually asking some one else to do it for me) when I already have beachy/surfer girl waves. With the gel or mousse in my hair it gives my hair more body and volume. 

Step 3: Once the braid is in place, tie the end with an elastic hair tie. Now, hold the braid in the middle with one hand. Then, with your free hand take one or two strands of hair at the end of the braid and pull on these strands of hair. Now gently push the braid in hand up towards the scalp in one-inch increments. Repeat a few times. This gives the braid a chunky, disheveled appearance.

Step 4: Finally, take very small pieces of hair near the end of the braid and pull them free so there is a sort of unfinished, messy look to the braid. That’s right, the look is supposed to be messy, on purpose!

 I usually ask some one to do braid my hair for me. Yes, I'm lazy like that! Yesterday, for a family function I decided to style my hair in a side braid because it was extremely humid. Although I love,love, love this messy side braid, because its effortless and stylish at the same time, I got my hair done in a messy side fish tail braid. Which looked like this:

I love this braid craze!What about you??!!

Sana

Style Crush + Make-Up Envy: Pippa Middleton, Kareena Kapoor, Diya Mirza & Kirsten Prout

This is going to be a long one because it's been a few weeks since I did a style crush and make-up envy posts. What does Pippa Middleton have in common with Bollywood actresses and a Hollywood star? They all have drool worthy style and make-up <3!

Style Crush

I don't understand why the world is obsessed with Pippa Middleton. However I'm crushing on an outfit that she had on yesterday. It's très chic, don't you think?

Pippa Middleton

Have you seen the new song from 'Love, Break-up, Zindagi' called Rab Rakha? I love the song and I love all the clothes the girls are wearing. I even adore the harem pants/shalwar Diya Mirza is wearing on the roof top dance scene. I love the colour combination's of all the outfits. They don't look like costumes from a Bollywood movie, they look wearable and trendy!

Oh, and how stunning does Diya look? I don't consider her one of my favourite actresses but I love her make-up in this song (she looks stunning). She included in my make-up envy list.

 

Make-up Envy

First up on my make-up envy list is Kirsten Prout from the new show The Lying Game. I don't know which blush she's wearing but I'm in love with it. The pictures don't even do justice to how good it looks on the show itself. For the past two episodes I've just been drooling over blush! Does anyone know what she has on her cheeks?

It's such a pretty baby pink shade. I wannnnt!

How gorgeous is Kareena's make-up in Chamak Chalo? She looks gorgeous! I'm in love with her blush as well <3.

My favourite blush at the moment, which is also on my wish list is the one Kirsten Prout has on (who plays Char) in The Lying Game.

Do you agree with my style crushes and make-up envy this week? I would love to know who is on your list. 

Sana

Obsessed With ♥

This week I'm obsessed with two things! The first being the Jillian Michael's workout DVD 'The 30 Day Shred'. My cousin sent it to me a week or two before Eid and I've been working out ever since. The first two days I cursed Nooria (my cousin) because it is so hard and you're panting and sweating like crazy (yes, I know I didn't paint a very pretty picture there. Ha!Ha). Once my body got used to the strenuous workout I got addicted to it. I actually saw a change in my body within a week! No lie!

I still have three and half weeks to reach my goal but for once in my life I just love the thought of working out (Imagine that). This DVD ideal is for some one who wants to tone up/lose weight. It's tough but it's worth it.

The second thing I'm obsessed with is Rihanna's 'Cheers'. By obsessed I literally mean OBSESSED. Its on repeat on my ipod, cell phone and Itunes. It's on repeat when I'm working out. I adore the video and I'm in love with the song. 

What are you obsessed with this week? 

Sana

Collective Haul: Accessorize, Sephora & Bourjois

As soon as a I got some cash ( I <3 Eidie) in my hand after being broke for a month, I decided to spend almost all of it in one day. I treated myself to a bag from Accessorize. I fell in love with the it when I went window shopping with Aroosa a few days ago. It's so chic! 

PS. Small bags are super trendy right now. I love the Chanel-esque gold chains!

My best friend (whose name is also Sana <3 ) sent this mini Sephora haul for eid. It's the Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencil, Benefit They're Real Mascara and Urban Decay De Slick! <3

I also bought a Bourjois Volume Glamour Max mascara.

RS1200

I know I still have to review some of the things from my previous haul, but aaaaaaaah I can't wait to start using my new make-up and tell you guys what I think about it. 

What did you spend your Eidie on?

Sana