Like every other beauty blogger, I too, have my personal favorites that keep on changing from time to time. So,in today's post, I'm going to list out my favorites, not only in Beauty products, but also in Food and Books.. This is a December Favorites post actually, but since it has got real chilly in Mumbai why not make it Winter Favorites? And I'm going to such 'Favorites' posts monthly. Be sure to read the complete post, because there is just a little something at the end..

Beauty- Starting with Beauty, my favorites when it comes to Beauty products this month, are as follows-
1) Maybelline Color Show's 'Blackcurrant Pop' and 'Porcelain White'- Maybelline has been my favorite brand for quite a while, and it never fails to impress me. The Blackcurrant shade is a pastel purple which suits calm and cool climate like the one that is now. The Porcelain White is, as the name says a White, and even plain White is lovely. Like all Maybelline Color Show Nail polishes, even these ones are lovely and smooth as ever. For some reason, I feel they have a sort of charm and elegance.

2) Maybelline's Baby Lips Electro Pop- I know that I mention Maybelline products too much(way too much!), but I can't help it! And I recently got this one home. The flavor that I have is 'Oh! Orange'. At first, I wasn't impressed by it, but now I'm addicted! I love how the look isn't all orange-ey on me, and suits well.

They should make me Maybelline's brand ambassador. Haha. 

Books- Reading is more than just a hobby to me. It's a drug, that I can't live without. I cannot go a day without reading. Be it the hard-copy books, or the eBooks, I am willing to read them. So here go my favorites for December-
1) I Too Had A Love Story- This book by Ravinder Singh, touches your heart so well, I'd like to say, it's one of those books, which, when you finish them, you are left questioning your existence on the planet. That is how good this was. I'd recommend it to one and all. Go read it!

2) My Wattpad Love- This book, is one I read on an online reading and writing community,'Wattpad'. I'm totally in love with this book. The characters are so relatable, the author, Ariana Godoy's writing so enjoyable, you don't feel like putting the book aside for a minute. Definitely one of those books, which one can go back and read over and over again.

Food- I don't hesitate to say, that I'm a huge foodie! I love food, and I'm proud to say, I'm one of those people who live to eat and not the other way round! Here's what I liked in food in December!-
1) Pizza Dosa- Pizza Dosa that you get right in front of NM(Narsee Monjee) College of Commerce and Economics(Where I study!) tastes divine. You are left licking your fingers in the end! And I mean it literally..

2) Paneer Tikka Pizza- Paneer Tikka Pizza from Pizza Box, in Vile Parle East, Hanuman Road, right beside Panshikar Sweet shop, is amazing. No words to describe how good it was. A bit costly yes, but you only live once!

Congratulations! You came this far! Now, there's a reward for you!

GIVEAWAY! 
So,I'm giving away a Maybelline Color Show(not disclosing the shade) to a lucky one ! To win it, all you have to do is:
1) +1 this post. 
2) Add me to your circles
3) Follow me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty
4) Drop in a Comment/Tweet/Twitlonger telling me about any of your Winter Favorites, and who knows you might just be lucky! ;) 
Contest open till 10th January, 2015. Winner will be declared on my twitter soon after that! Open to Indian citizens only!

I won't be posting next week, since I'm flying out to Malaysia and Singapore! :D
So, take care and I'll see you after quite a while. ;)
-Srushti

So, winter has officially hit Mumbai! I feel the weather is really pleasant, except for the fact that no matter what, I have to get out of bed every morning. Who doesn't want to stay bundled up in their blanket on chilling winter mornings? But with this climate change, a lot of us get chapped lips. Chapped lips happen because our lips are really thin layered compared to the rest of our skin, and that is why it tends to dry easily in winter. But with today's DOs and DON'Ts list you'll manage having perfect lips even in Winter.

DO's-
1) Apply Petroleum Jelly- You get these in the local drug stores and sometimes, at genereal stores too, very easily. Vaseline, Imami Vasocare, etc. are some of the available brands. Petroleum Jelly or some sort of lip balm(not those flavored ones) can be used. These are very effective in helping heal dry and chapped lips.

2) Use Ghee- Yes, the Ghee we use for cooking at home, can be used to cure chappped lips. This is an effective home remedy, and used in quite a lot of households in the country. Just be sure not to lick it off!

DON'Ts-
1) Licking your lips- Licking of lips is strictly prohibited. It does make you feel relieved for a while, but it takes away the moisture that is left in your lips, drying them further. Licking of lips equals to extreme chapped lips. So, DO NOT lick your lips.

2) Use Gloss- Gloss may hide away your chapped lips from the world,but it does not have any effect in helping cure them. Even those, which claim to protect your lips and stuff, are redundant. All they do, is give your lips a shiny look and hide away the dry chapped lips. Never trust these to cure your dried lips.

So, I hope these DO's and DON'Ts help you out! :)
Have a Happy Winter and Wait for my next post. I may post something interesting ;)
Next post will be on Saturday. :P
Please drop in a comment or so if you want me to review any product. And I value some constructive feedback too :)
Connect to me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty
Take Care! I'll see you next time :
-Srushti

Me, being the crazy Nail Polish/Nail Art lover that I am, always go on purchasing new Nail Polishes. From the cheap ones costing INR 20, to the costly ones costing upto INR 150 or 200. And Maybelline, has been one of my favorite brands for quite some time, so I thought why not try out their Color Show polishes?

I have a total of 6 normal Color Show shades, and 2 Glitter Mania ones. So, in today's post, I'm going to be telling you how these really were, and whether or not you should go for it.

The 6 normal shades that I have are- Porcelain White, Velvety Wine, Shocking Seas, Blackcurrant Pop,Kiss me Pink and Keep-up-the-Flame. The 2 Glitter Mania ones that I have are Starry Nights and Matinee Mauve.

Talking about the shades of the normal ones, I really feel that Maybelline should also introduce a bit brighter shades. These are really nice ones, but somehow they feel a bit dull. Perfect with all the Imperfections, I'd like to call these. Or maybe, they wanted to introduce the brighter ones separately, which is why they introduced the 'Bright Sparks' range recently. I need to get my hands on those too, but they aren't available as yet.

The Glitter Mania are amazing though. At first, I was a bit skeptic whether to buy them or not, because they looked like all those normal ones, with a tinge of glitter in it, which when applied, look like you have applied normal polish with an uneven glittery top coat. But then, I ended up buying and trying them out. And Lo and Behold! Amazingly glittery nails, here they go! The glitter is perfectly blended with the polish, and gives an amazing smokey look. All my doubts vanished when I used it, and it gave me perfect effects. The glitter does not look uneven at all and it is as smooth as ever. Perfect!

Maybelline never fails to deliver smoothness in it's Nail Polishes. I realized this when I first started using the Color Show polishes. All of these polishes, will be smooth as butter. They are long-lasting as well, which might just prove to be the icing on your cake!

These polishes come in a cylindrical shaped polish bottle, and look really appealing to me at least. Of course, every kind of nail polish bottle, looks appealing to me.. And that is how I end up buying them!(I have 48 nail polishes!)

The normal ones cost you INR 75 and the Glitter Mania ones cost INR 125. I find these quite reasonable seeing the quality and quantity. If you keep them right, they'll last at least 6 months according to my what I estimate.

So, that's it for Maybelline Color Show. I hope this post helps you(rather go buy it!).
Once I get the Bright Sparks, I'll post about it too :)
I may be doing #TheRedDare. Excited about it.
Will post next on Thursday ;)
Please comment, if you want me to review any products/write about something specific. I'd also like some constructive feedback, so please comment :)
Follow me on my twitter @SrushtiBeauty ;)
Bye lovelies. Ciao. Take care.
-Srushti

A lot of people(like me) probably love nail art out there! But, I remember as a newbie, I did not know a lot of things. So today's post is dedicated to give out some tips on Nail Art.

First thing, the Base Coat. The reason you apply a base coat, before actually starting with your manicure/nail art creation is to protect your natural nails. I, never actually bothered to apply a base coat, until I heard about a person who had to take treatment because of overuse of different nail polishes on her nails. Apparently, the chemicals in a nail polish can harm your nails, if you overuse nail polishes. And, it's always better to be late than sorry. So, I started applying Base Coat.

Next, is the Top Coat. The Top Coat is basically applied to seal in your Nail Art(especially if you have created a fuzzy or beady kind of nail art) and also to give it a shiny effect. I, personally, never forget to apply  Top Coat because I love the shiny effect and also the smoothness that comes along with it.
(Tip: Apply the Top Coat 30 minutes after finishing your Nail Art/Manicure to avoid smudging)

Dotting Tools are also something that a lot of Nail Arts require. In here in India, I didn't find these nearby or at a local beauty store. More than a year after I developed this interest in Nail Art, I finally found a set of dotting tools today. And of course I bought it, but the point is it's not necessary to have dotting tools to do the dot effect. I always used a toothpick(the point for small dots, the end for a bit bigger ones) to do my Nails.

Stripers. Having used Stripers, I can say that nothing can replace stripers. You can have makeshift dotting tools but not stripers. I have done stripe effects with toothpick again, but they cannot ever be as good and smooth as the ones that you get using a striper. Moreover, a striper is also easier to use compared to a toothpick. The only backdrop is that you have to buy different stripers for each color you want to use. But there is a solution. You can clean your striper brush, once you have used up an entire bottle of it, and keep it dry and clean, and dip it in your normal nail polish and use it!

Well, that's it for today!  I hope these tips help you :)
Do comment as I appreciate feedback :)
I'll post next on Saturday. And guess who celebrated sweet sixteen recently? ;)
Do connect to me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty and drop a comment if you want me to review any product :)
Bye. Ciao. Take care.
-Srushti

Elle 18, as a brand didn't make it much big out there, but their products are quite good. I have tried their gloss, and now their nail polish, and I'd like to say I'm quite impressed with them. Me, being obsessed with Nail Polish and Nail Art, could not resist it when I saw them at a local store.

I had seen advertisements of Elle 18's Nail Pops on Television and that is how I came to know about it. Though, it wasn't appealing enough, I thought that there was no harm in giving it a try. So, I went ahead and bought it.

Nail Pops is amazingly smooth and easy to apply. Unlike quite a few other nail polishes, Nail Pops works effectively in one layer. No need for two layers of the Nail Polish. It is very smooth, and seems long-lasting as well.

The packaging. Well, Nail Pops Nail polish comes in a small circular bottle, like the shape of a small ball, with a flat base and opening for the polish brush on the upper side. I found their packaging quite cute and attractive(any nail polish stands attractive for me). It is small in size, so you can even put it in your pocket, while going somewhere.

Coming to the price, it cost me INR 60 per bottle of polish(I bought 2 of these). The quantity is a bit less, but you can't actually ask for much when it comes for just 60 bucks. And moreover, unless you are using the same polish over and over again, it will suffice for quite a long time.

Personally, I'd prefer Maybelline over Elle 18 anytime, but when it comes to managing your money over cosmetics, you have to take alternatives into consideration. Maybelline's Color Show cost INR 75, which is costlier, and I already have 6 of them. And trying something new out does no damage to me, only adds to my Nail Polish collection(which is now a family of 45)!

So, that's it for Elle 18's Nail Pops! If you want me to review any product, please drop in a comment :)
I would love some constructive feedback. :) I will next post on Thursday.
Connect to me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty. I would love talking to you.

P.S. - It's my Sweet Sixteenth birthday on 9th December! :D

-Srushti

When it comes to face wash, one thing I can definitely say, is that their advertisement is so attractive, that anyone would feel like buying them all. That happens to me all the time. I have like 3 or 4 bottles of face wash at home, which are unused ! But, not all of these face washes are effective enough. Some are a total waste of money. And sometimes, it seems home remedies work better than these face washes. And I bet there are many like me, who just buy face wash packs, because they seem attractive.

So here's listing a few face washes, I didn't like and some which I loved. Starting with those which I did NOT like-
1) Clean & Clear Morning Energy Face Wash- I'm currently using this face wash, but I'm not at all pleased with it. Me being me, had bought it because it looked attractive.. But it is not even that much of foamy and tends to be a lot on the liquid-like part rather than the jelly like ones. Moreover, it is not even as flavored or  with those added beads as they claim it to be, and I'm quite disappointed.

2) Lakme Fruit Blast- Again, attractive looks lured me into getting this. This was more on the jelly-like base that I wanted, but the one I had bought(Berry Crush or something), had this weird smell which was nauseating for me. I was trying to finish it, but that scent got too much for me, and I ended up throwing it away.

The Clean & Clear one, comparatively is effective in reducing acne and pimples and stuff, but the Lakme one was displeasing like anything. But overall, I'd say I won't recommend these to anyone, because you may find a better one out there, if you look for it.

=> Face wash I loved-
1) Himalayan Neem Facewash- This face wash was absolutely amazing. It works on acne, pimples, etc. It has a jelly-like base too! And,it is cheap too! Plus it consists of some natural ingredients, which is why it is suitable for all skin types. It does not have any irritating or nauseating scents, is effective and cheap and maybe that is the reason it is the only face wash to make it to my favorites ! It comes in a small size, which you can even pocket, if going somewhere!

So that is it for face washes. Hopefully, you like it :)
If you want me to review any product/write about something specific, please comment :) I would love some feedback.
Connect to me on my twitter @SrushtiBeauty ;)
Next post on Saturday. Till then, Byeee and take care ;)
-Srushti 

At times, we all have been through rough or dry skin which makes our face look a bit dull. Like in winter, my skin tends to dry out, giving a dull, worn-out effect. So, today I'm listing five things, which work wonders in making your skin become soft and smooth.
1) Aloe vera- Aloe Vera works like magic for me! Firstly, it's natural, so you don't have to worry about side-effects(unless you have allergies), and secondly, you can use it for any skin problem! Be it Acne, Pimple, scratches, roughness, dryness, Aloe Vera gel seems to heal all of this. I always use Aloe Vera gel too, for pimple problems.

2) Cucumber- Yes, I know cucumber is good for the eyes, but cucumber is also good for your skin. It works as a good cooling agent in hot summer days. And just like Aloe, no side effects plus it works for almost everything. Recently, I heard from a friend that,cucumber gel also works for getting rid of dark circles. I haven't tried this out yet, but I do intend too, and I'll let you know accordingly.

3) Turmeric- Might seem odd to you, but I've seen people use turmeric as a fairness agent, and I'm quite sure it helps in smoothening  your skin too. For this, you make a paste of turmeric with water, and apply it on your face. Let it dry and wash it out later. It will brighten your face and soften the skin too.

4) Fuller's Earth- Called Multani Mitti in my country, India, this is one very effective product! It is mainly used in facepacks and facial kits. This is quite famous here, because of the instant results it gives. You just have to apply it all over your face and let it dry for quite some time. While drying it tends to give a stretchy feeling on your skin, but well, no pain no gain. Once you are washed with it, smooth and fair skin, here it comes!

5) Coconut oil/ Petroleum jelly- However much I hate oiling my hair, skin or anything, I can't disagree with the fact that it works wonders on your skin. Even petroleum jelly works wonderfully in making your dry skin soft again. And these are probably the best options out there! They are cheap and they work marvelously!

So, these were my 5 things to help you get smooth skin, this winter. Go natural instead of using some creams ! ;)
Connect to me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty
Take care lovelies, next post on Thursday :)
-Srushti 

Whenever, I'm going to apply Lipstick(which is quite rare, seeing I'm just 16) there is always this 'Which one should I go for? Gloss or Matte?' question. Even if I'm buying lipstick, the dilemma is the same. So well, here is my personal opinion on both of them.

Glossy ones are my personal favorites, because they just give that perfect shine, and I'd like to believe that they give you a smokey and sensual look, perfect for parties and stuff.They feel smooth on your lips too, and are quite long- lasting. Glossy ones always catch the attention for me, and I feel glossy gets you attention too!

There will be some cons definitely though. Like, lets just say, with glossy lipstick you have to be careful while eating, or you may get dark lipstick stains on wine glasses. At times, some bread crumbs maybe stuck on your lips and you may never know ! But speaking of it seriously, sometimes Glossy lipstick tends to leave your lips dry, as it's gloss fades out. But this depends on the brand and the ingredients, I'd say.

Matte! Matte is my mom's favorite haha. Matte give shiny look too, but it's more like the lipstick that gives you a professional look. Matte, atleast to me it seems, gives you a look that is totally on point. Want to make a great first impression at your job? Matte is the answer! On point. Totally. Matte is smooth too, so I'd say if you don't want much shiny stuff on your lips, go for Matte. It is more long-lasting than Glossy ones if I'm not wrong.

The cons here would be that the shimmery effect is obviously less compared to Matte. Otherwise, I don't see much harm in using Matte, just a matter of personal choice.

SO well, there it goes! I know it didn't sort out the confusion of Gloss or Matte, but maybe you get a better outlook on it? Haha. Just my opinions on both of them, though. Will post next on Saturday. Connect with me on twitter @SrushtiBeauty :) If you want me to try out some products let me know, in the comments section. I'd value your feedback.
Take care and see ya, beauties :)
-Srushti 

So, very recently my very frank best friend pointed out, that I have got Fifty Shades of Dark under my eyes, and that I should do something about it! Soon, I was looking for solutions, not to get rid of dark circles, but to hide them instead. That is because, I think that for effectively getting rid of them, I'll need a herbal gel or something.(I feel they are more effective in such cases)

That is when, I found out about Maybelline's Dream Lumi Touch Concealer. I had no idea earlier, that a product like this, from Maybelline exists, because there was no advertisement as such done! Even now, there is none. The only reason, I found out about it is because of Instagram and Twitter. I read some reviews saying, it was quite effective and decided to give it a try.

And yes, it does works wonders! All you have to do is use some of the concealer, under your eyes, or wherever you wish to use it, and pat on it gently, blending it with your natural skin tone. You can apply some compact over it, to make it look more natural.

I have no idea, if this comes according to different skin tones and complexion, though the lady at the Maybelline stall, I got this from, gave this to me, saying it is for my complexion. I highly doubt that it comes differently according to skin tones, though.

The cost is INR 450 if I'm not wrong, which I find a bit pricey. While buying, I was actually considering the herbal gel option to get rid of them permanently, instead of hiding the dark circles! Next time, I'm going for herbal gels for sure!

The packaging is quite good, not appealing probably, but good enough. It is easy to apply, because of it's brush applicator at the end. If you really need a good concealer, then there's no harm trying this out, but you may get some cheaper options in the local market, if you look for them though.



That's it for Maybelline's Dream Lumi Touch Concealer. Hopefully, this post helps you decide whether to buy it or not. Please Comment, if you would like me to try any product. I'll post next on Thursday. I created a twitter recently. It is- @SrushtiBeauty if you'd like to connect with me. Thank you. :)
-Srushti 

Hey lovelies, so this is my first post on this blog! Hurrah for me !
For starters, my name is Srushti, and I'm 16 and from Mumbai. Makeup, Beauty and Writing had always been in my passionate interests, and I always wanted to do something in any of these. So why not combine both and start a beauty blog ?

I guess that is enough of me, going on about myself, and so let me review the first product I used today. I had been longing to try the Lakme Color Crush shades, for quite a while, and today my temptation, got the better of me, and I ended up buying a nice shade of my favorite Pink. I did not wait applying it, and it took me not much, to realize that it is divine. Smooth as silk, applying it on your nails, it also gives you an elegant look! In fact, I'd say, the texture that this Lakme Color Crush gives, was tempting enough to feel the urge to lick my nail ! However, we all know that would be unhygienic. The smoothness is amazing, and it also gives this glowing effect, I would definitely go ahead, and buy a few more of these soon.

Coming to the price, it costs INR 145, which according to me is okay, considering the quality and result that you get applying it. However, if you are looking for cheaper options, the normal Lakme Nail Polishes come for INR 95, which are equally smooth, though I can't assure the shine and look.

The packaging. I got this polish, just as a bottle, like you usually get at any drugstore in India, not packed in any seperate box or container. It's an attractive looking cubical box, with a silver cap, which gives a nice fresh look to it as well, and I'd say this was quite appealing.

So well, that's it. I hope all of this helps you, and if you are a Nail Art fan, like me, then you won't hesitate going ahead and getting few of these in you Nail Polish Collection. I will put up my next blog about another product soon. I plan to post every Saturday and maybe Thursday. If you want me to try out any specific product, or anything else, please comment below. Thank you.
-Srushti