{REVIEW} Pure Reds by L'oreal Paris


"How many shades of RED lipstick do you need?" they asked. She said"That question is complex and intriguing".

L'oreal has put me exactly into the same frame of mind. I'm overwhelmed with the selection & can't decide. There was a time, when I would endlessly search for my perfect red. With these 7 exquisite matte shades that are chosen by 7 ionic L'Oréal Paris ambassadors, including Aishwarya Rai,Sonam Kapoor,Freida Pinto and Blake Lively, L'oreal has done the impossible!
What a girl wants? Never-ending choice of Matte Reds. The Color Riche Pure Reds by L'oreal Paris are intensely pigmented, stay on forever (upto 8 hours with meals) and can never go wrong! Its the same formula as the Moist Mat collection from L'or Lumiere Cannes 2014 collection, which I swore by! Its velvet matte and unlike matte lippies,doesnt accentuate fine lines on the lips!

It was long ago when I checked if this will interest you- How to wear RED lipstick & how to choose one. And yes, this post covers both! And so many of you who answered yes, would be happy to see the post!

How to APPLY RED LIPSTICK:

1. Always rub lip-balm onto your lips about 15mins before application.
2. Use a gentle scrub like sugar to wipe off the balm and make way for smoother lips.
3. (Optional) If you are headed to a Party, a lip plumper can do wonders . Use Sally Hansen or any other you may get your hands on. A perfect pout begins with a plumper!
4. Line your lips with a lip-liner and fill them completely . Choose the lip-liner based on your lip's skin-color. It pays to have 2-3 liners in various shades of red (Maroon/Poppy Red/True Red) . You can blend them to get the right shade.
5. Finally swipe the red lippie in small strokes to fill your lips evenly. Blot with a tissue and add more swipes.

Tada!!! You have the most irresistible pout you ever saw on yourself! Try it and tell me how it felt!

And now, for your perfect PURE RED from L'oreal Paris ;check the swatches below! It can get tricky ;)


1. My first look is PURE ROUGE by Freida Pinto. Its a TRUE RED (neutral) and was picked for me by Namrata Soni. This is the most pigmented shade of the lot. 1 Swipe and you will be surprised, needless to say, its a universal red- almost like Ruby Woo and suits any skintone! Perfect for anytime of the day-this shade screams perfection!
Brand: L'Oreal Paris Pure Reds by Color Riche
Photographer: Rema Chaudhary
Hair & Make-Up Expert: Namrata Soni
 2. Pure Brick by Aishwarya Rai : As the name suggests , its a brick red shade . This can be worn at work effortlessly without attracting extra attention to your lips and still getting to wear your RED!



3. Pure Scarleto by Blake Lively:  Pure Scarleto is a mysterious one here! Its bright- and on my pigmented lips, it looked like a dark pink-ish red without the liner. This shade will work well with medium to fair skintones. Preferably worn in the evening,under dim candle-lights :)


4. Pure Vermeil by Fan Bingbing: Bordering heavily on a pinkish coral side, this red can be the perfect "first red" to a girl's collection. Its fresh and looks more pink than red. In the bullet it looks red, but a younger version of it ;) Absolutely perfect for day-time wear and definitely an all-skintone color!



5. Pure Amaranthe by Gong Li : This is another deep-pinkish shade for someone who loves a hint of pink with a bit of RED. This shade is perfect for medium-fair skin-tones . 

6. Pure Fire by Li Bingbing : Achtung! This has to be the hottest (literally) shade of the collection. This glamorous Red will set you on fire. Its like wearing "flame of the forest" flowers on your lips with a dash of Neon. An orange Red (maybe , I will drop the word "RED") ,this shade is the most difficult to wear on its own. Combined with a red lip-liner, this complements cool skin-tones with its warmth. I have even worn it to office- A toned down version by wearing it under a brick-red lip liner. It looked fabulously fresh and unique. 

7. Pure Garnet By Sonam Kapoor: ONe look at the bullet and you are reminded of those lippies from your mom's make-up drawers. Yes, this is the same maroon-red that our mom's were smitten with . I don't see myself wearing this often, but a little birdie told me I should try! This shade will complement all skin-tones but its upto you if you want to add that "maturity" to your look.



Hope you have picked your RED by now!
As for now, I am gearing up for yet another launch from L'oreal Paris for Cannes 2015. Stay tuned on instagram and twitter for updates !
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{Foodie-Heaven} The GRAND TRUNK ROAD delicacies at O22 Trident



The Historical Grand Trunk Road also known as the "Badshahi Sadak". Ever thought what it would be like to go on a gastronomic journey from Kolkata to Kabul? The Chefs at O22 at Trident,BKC have curated a menu that brings to the table flavors from this 2500 Km stretch!

The flavors are unique. And some remind you of ghar ka khana. Its exotic yet familiar. This special spread from the Grand Trunk Road has so many varieties, it adds different preparations everyday.I was there on a Sunday which explains the extensive spread also spanning a global spread besides the GT Road-Italian/French/Japanese.
Try it before it ends on May 1st! My favorites from this special #Hornplease spread:


1. Kake Da Cola ( Your favorite masala coke with a dash of coriander & spices)
2. Chaas ( The most malaidar and rich Chaas from Punjab)

3. Mash ki Dal (Kabul)
4. Saag Paneer (Punjab)
5. Dahi Wali Arbi ( Punjab)
6. Bhindi ka Salan (Uttar Pradesh)
7. Dum ka Tinda (Punjab)
8. Litti Chokha (Sasaram,Bihar)
9. Matar ki Kachori ( Uttar Pradesh)
10. Rajma (Punjab)

10. Kesari Petha (Uttar Pradesh)
11. Kalakand (Delhi)

Besides, O22 Chefs surprise you with their specialities which will make you come back for more!

1. The Breads (Esp Tahini Bread , which is made to order ) is a twisted bread with herbs by Chef  Deep Bajaj- MUST HAVE!
2. The SUSHI ( Can't get over the most pretty looking & equally delicious Sushi by Chef Cecep)
3. The Crepes ( This one with Orange and Cherry compote filled with icecream, was the most amazing crepe after having those in France!)

The O22 spread also has delicacies for the omnivores especially from Punjab and Bengal. You have to go and try for yourself!

And now, lets tempt you more...

 
Sampling it all , in batches :D












The most Delicious SUSHI ever- If you have never liked SUSHI, this will convert you!

The Crepe station with endless fillings and toppings

This CREPE was to die for!

Tempted much? Head to O22 before 1st May!
Venue: O22, TRIDENT BKC,MUMBAI
Timings: Lunch 12.30 p.m.-3 p.m., Dinner 7.30 p.m-11 p.m.
Price: INR 2100 plus tax 2250 plus taxes


Till next time ! CIAO!
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So much for Summer

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby









Denim: Levi's 501 CT| Blouse: Splash Fashions | Lace Cape: Vero Moda| Grey Sandals: Nine West| Glares: Promod


Every time summers set in, the summer breeze brings memories. Memories of the meticulous planning during school,of how to spend the summer holidays.The exam calendar would make way for my holiday calendar. Hours of video games. Hosting friends at home after 10 am till lunch. Sometimes from lunch till evenings.Hours of bath-time fun. Imaginary sleep-overs. Hours of board games- Business, Countdown, Scrabble. My little book exchange club with a select friends. Hours of dwelling in the world of Enid Blyton. Waiting for "Goosebumps" on Star World. Telling mom to bake cakes, homemade icecreams, Aam Panna. Hours of cycling,swimming and playing badminton.May be I will write again and tell you more from those amazing days. Perhaps I would love to hear  from you too?
So much for summer!

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{REVIEW} Za True white liquid foundation

Hello Girls in summer dresses!

Its that time of the year when weather transitions are happening for the worse. Heat and some more heat. But it doesn't deter our spirits. We have our favorite summer companions -shorts/minis/hats/umbrellas to make this time worthwhile! And now, I am sure you must have stocked on the Za true white two-way foundation as it contains SPF! Well, for those of you who haven't ,read my review here & buy it here.


Let me now introduce you to another member of the family- The Za true white liquid foundation, again with an SPF . Lets see if this can be your new summer companion especially during the evenings!  Well, evenings because this liquid foundation contains small gold specs to illuminate the skin and you would be surprised with the results as you read below.


What the product says: Enriched with Vitamin C & E, Minerals & Hyaluronic acid, this Breakthrough Illuminating & Poreless Liquid Foundation creates Pearly Translucent & Radiant skin. SPF 25 • PA++ protects skin from UVA and UVB. Get Brilliant Luminosity and Perfect Finish Now get long lasting satin smooth & even-toned coverage.



Quantity: 30 ML / 1Fl.oz
Price: INR 950
Shades: Comes in 6 shades . Refer the Za color chart to know more about what each shade implies. All shades have been created keeping in mind the asian skintones and I must say they have done a brilliant job at that! The OC30 shade was recommended to me by the Za skin expert and look how its blends into my complexion without looking like a foundation!

Packaging: The design of this bottle is the prettiest I have ever seen and felt amongst foundations. Its cute like a tiny keepsake.  The best part is it comes with a pump. This guarantees a spill-proof, mess-proof storage and application


Travel-friendly? It is travel friendly depending upon how you carry it. You cant just throw it into any bag as its a glass bottle. Wrap in a nice cotton bag when you need to carry it on a holiday.

Fragrance:  Like all Za products from the True-white line, this foundation also has a faint rhubarb/rose fragrance that fades away with application. However,the fragance is so natural & refreshing, it elevates the mood.

Directions for use: Its important to prime the face before applying foundation. I prefer using Za perfect solution moisturiser on the face before applying the foundation. This moisturiser is perfect for Mumbai summers and lets my oily-combination skin breathe while giving it the perfect balance of moisture. After application of the moisturiser, I use the foundation . If you want to know how much of the foundation is required for the entire face, refer my swatch below. Yes,almost 1/4th of a pea-size amount! Dot your face with this amount and tap with fingers. The foundation absorbs beautifully.


Coverage: The foundation is highly pigmented,which explains the tiny amount required to give coverage to the entire face. Because it has luminous gold particles,it illuminates the skin making you photo-ready and flawless! I didnt need a concealer inspite of acne blemishes!
Final Verdict: Need I say more? The no-edit pictures below tell you how the Za true white liquid foundation is like fairy dust- your fairy godmother just waved her wand & blessed you with. The skin looks so luminous ,you need nothing else to layer! This is one power packed product which needs no accompaniments to make you look fresh & flawless as a dew-drop. Yet another oily-skin loving product from the stable of Za. Finally we can enjoy the virtues of skincare in makeup products. With the goodness of SPF, Melanin inhibitors & lot more, I cannot ask for more in a foundation! Thank you Za. I have more reasons to love my oily skin .

What are you waiting for? Get lumious.Get party-ready with Za true white liquid foundation! Any queries? Any suggestions? Drop them below in the comment box and I will be happy to answer :)

Follow ZA on :

Website:  Oh look, who's there on the website! :)
http://www.za-beauty.in/