Monday, August 31, 2009

Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara Review

I received the somewhat popular Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara and have finally had some time to test drive this baby. This mascara claims to thicken and lengthen lashes to the extreme that it looks like you are wearing falsies. My experience was not so.

The formula itself is quite thick and the brush has densely packed bristles, as shown below:
I typically like this type of wand because it gets to each and every lash, even those baby ones in the corners. However, the mascara formula was not so great. It did not coat my lashes very well and it did not hold the curl for longer than half an hour. I rarely go out for only 30 minutes so what good does that do?

Overall, I am unimpressed and am still of fan of Lancome Definicils and MAC Plushlash. What are your favorites?

So I reached India yesterday and I am loving it. We are taking an afternoon break right now before I head out for some Indian retail therapy. =) Ahhh, I love vacations.....

....will keep you posted on my cosmetic encounters here in India...

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Loose powders making a mess? Here's what I do

Do you own any makeup that is a loose powder? Ever notice how it always makes a mess and you end up spilling a good amount every time you use it? I am so clumsy with loose powders it practically turns me off of buying more...but alas some products are just so amazing that I have to deal with the mess. Until now.

What I discovered not too long ago is a little trick to minimize the spillage factor. I will take my loose powder product and try to get the powder to go back down the filter through the little holes. I will use some kind of clean, sanitized spatula so I don't get bacteria in the product. Here I used one of those little spoons you get when you go out for gelato. (Yes, I save and clean these guys and keep them handy for makeup, putting in little spice jars, etc.) I take the spoon and move the powder back and forth allowing it to fall through the filter holes like so:
Once most of the powder is down through the holes (or when I have lost my patience doing so), then I will move the remaining powder on the filter to one side. Then I take a piece of clear tape and cover most of the holes. In this photo I have covered about half of the holes:
I will keep doing this until only 3 or 4 holes are exposed. I find that is enough to give me the right amount of product for one application.

With this powder I had already opened and used it months ago so I had a lot of product I had to push through the holes. Therefore, I recommend taping holes as soon as you purchase and open a new loose powder. Most loose powders should have a sticker on the filter that you have to peel off. As soon as you peel that off, use some tape and tape up the holes. That way, you can avoid the first step I showed you here and you will thank yourself for saving that time. Ta-da! Easy as that and now you will not have a powdery mess when you open up a loose powder jar!

Oh, in case you are wondering what product I was using in the photos, that is a MAC loose beauty powder in drizzlegold. It is a sheer shimmery powder that can be used anywhere, but is absolutely divine as a highlighter on all skintones. I will use the 224 to pick some up and dust it lightly above the cheekbones and on the temples. This also gives a great shimmer to the shoulders and other areas of the body. It gives a subtle sheen to the skin and picks up the light beautifully. Loose beauty powders are a PRO product so if you are interested in getting one, check out or call a MAC PRO store.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol II

So you know how I raved about the Urban Decay Book of Shadows a couple months ago? Well, guess what....UD has released Vol II of their exclusive, best-selling shadow palette!

Just released this week is Urban Decay's Book of Shadows, Vol II, containing:

1. The following 8 Existing/best-selling shades: Sellout, Gunmetal, Ecstasy, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Twice Baked, Half Baked, Flipside and YDK; and

2. 8 NEW/exclusive shades: AC/DC (deep eggplant shimmer), Nylon (champagne sparkler), Mushroom (taupey-gunmetal), Sphynx (pink sparkle/shimmer), Jinx (bright blue shimmer), Homegrown (bright green shimmer), Misdemeanor (deep teal sparkle), and Perversion (matte black).

Also, instead of two mini brushes, they have two smaller than normal sizes of the amazing 24/7 liners in Zero and Bourbon, AND a mini eyeshadow primer potion. If you thought last year's version was great, this year's book of shadows might be even better. Want one? Check it out at Urban Decay Online.


Album #1, Photo #10






















I was tagged by my blogger pal at Suka & Spice to do a photo post. The idea is to:

1. Open the first photo folder
2. Scroll to the 10th photo
3. Post the photo on your blog and tell the story behind it
4. Tag people to do the same

Ok, so I have to admit I cheated here. This was the 10th photo in my second folder not the first folder. In the first photo folder, the 10th photo was an embarrassing shot of an old friend and out of respect and privacy for my friend, I chose not to post that. So....I moved on the the next folder and this was the 10th one there.

This is a picture of me in a telephone booth in London. When I was in the UK a few years ago and I first saw this phone booth I went crazy because I have seen numerous Bollywood movies filmed in London and they always have a shot with the lead actor singing in and around a red phone booth. Who know, maybe Hrithik Roshan was once standing in this very booth!!! EEeeeks!
Now that you have seem my photo, I tag the following bloggers to do the same:

Thank You hugs to my readers!

Thank you to all of you for continuing to support my blog and for entering the giveaway! The winner will be notified later today...yippee!

I also wanted to let you all know that I leave this Friday to go to India for a couple weeks so I probably will not be posting as frequently as I would like to. I am going to try and do a few in the next few days but let's see how that goes with me also trying to work and pack. Yes, I know, packing shouldn't be a major issue, but if any of you have family abroad, then you know that packing to go to a foreign country means having to run around at the last minute like a madwoman buying presents for everyone and also buying the loooooong list of items that family members have requested. I don't mind this process as it builds the excitement for the trip, it just means added chaos leading up to the moment I go to the airport. Ahhhh......the thrill of traveling....=)

Anyhoo, I also plan to hit up some cosmetic counters while I am there so stay tuned for my reports on whether or not I find anything good. I am most excited to see if they have good kajal-like eyeliner pencils for the waterline. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Giveaway!!!! - The Sweet 15 Kit

I have been wanting to do this for awhile now and finally it's here! It's my first giveaway!!!

You have an opportunity to win the Jane Iredale Sweet 15 Kit pictured below!! It is a limited edition palette featuring 15 shadows, 3 blushes, and 3 lip colors, all packaged in 1 kit that comes with a mirror inside. This palette is not even released yet but my people were kind enough to offer up 1 of these fabulous kits to the readers of Kajal Couture.
This kit is in a storybook form, when you open the first page you will see the 15 PurePressed eyeshadows pictured below. There is a really good mix of neutrals and colors, some are Jane Iredale's best selling colors and some are new.


The next page features the 3 PurePressed blushes and 3 Just Kissed Lip Plumpers. These are just too cute! On the left of the page is a decent sized mirror that can be used if you have no other mirror handy.
The little flyer that comes with this kit even has instructions on how to achieve different looks.

This is wonderful for both beginners and pros alike! The colors will suit almost all skin tones and you will definitely find at least a few faves. It sells for $78 but is valued at $129! Overall I think it is a great kit and I kind of wish I could keep it for myself, but I will stick to my plan and make one lucky winner very happy!

So what do you have to do to win? All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment in this post telling me what you like about this blog and what types of posts you would like to see in the future, AND

2. Write in your email address in your comment post. If you are uncomfortable leaving your email address in the post, feel free to email me at kajalcouture@gmail.com and let me know which post is yours.

Entries/comments are due at midnight, Monday August 24, 2009 so make sure you comment by then. That's it! Good luck and I hope you use your comments to make this blog better for all of you!! =)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Mega Deal on UD Primers!

So I was almost about to get the new Urban Decay face primers from their friends and family sale, until I decided to check out the reviews on Sephora. I got sidetracked because I found this AMAZING deal!!! Come to think of it, I still haven't finished reading the reviews....oh well, I am willing to try my luck since this deal is so fabulous.

For a limited time only, Sephora has this UD primer set featuring full sizes off all the following:

- Complexion Primer Potion - Brightening

- Complexion Primer Potion - Pore Perfecting

- Eyeshadow Primer Potion

- Eyelash Primer Potion

- Lip Primer Potion - SPF15

If you were to purchase each product separately it would cost you $114, but right now Sephora is selling this set for $65!!! That is nearly half off! I just couldn't resist this set and I am a new fan of UD so I just had do have it! Once I get it and try out the new primers, I will definitely write reviews. Let me know if you have tried any of them or are planning to try them!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Comments?

So I have a question for you my lovely readers: What should I be doing to get more comments from you? A few of you were very regular about commenting when I first started blogging, but now my posts are so lonely without your wonderful thoughts and comments. =( If you are enjoying this blog and want me to continue, please leave me some comments, even a couple words every now and then so that I feel like my efforts are worth something. It also allows me to get to know you!!

On another note, thank you all for your support and continued dedication to reading my blog...I really do appreciate it!!! =)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Katrina Kaif's Beauty Secrets

Katrina Kaif shares with Vogue India her secrets to looking beautiful:

DAILY RITUALS: I take off my make-up with Shu Uemura cleansing oil and massage my face with La Prairie night cream.

FITNESS MANTRA: I have stopped going to the gym because I put on muscle easily. I do Pilates with Yasmin Karachiwala.

SINFUL SECRET: My cappuccino fix... give me good cappuccino and I will trade it for diamonds.

DIVA TIP: Use serum on your hair and use a paddle brush for a silky smooth de-frizzed look.

DAY AND NIGHT LOOK: A moisturiser by Peter Thomas Roth, lip balm and Max Factor mascara to go with my day look, which is tunics and checked shirts. For the night, I tend to dress up more formally so I use a concealer, liquid liner, lip gloss and Giorgio Armani luminous silk cream blush. I set it with powder, either M.A.C NC 41 or Bobbi Brown.

INNER GLOW: I use acai berry supplements to keep my skin healthy. I have wheatgrass powder every day in a drink. I am trying to give myself an antioxidant boost with green tea and am on a macrobiotic raw food diet...

HAIR SECRETS: I use hair masks and Kiehl's leave-in conditioner. My hair is exposed to a lot of styling and blow-drying so I also use heat-protect products. I use Pantene’s three-minute miracle serum; it really works on my thick hair… I love my hair, but I would chop it off for a role.

I like that she uses normal stuff like Pantene and is addicted to coffee....makes me want to be friends with her and have long chats at Starbucks! =)

Urban Decay Friends and Family 30% Off!!!

Urban Decay is having a Friends and Family Sale! Get 30% off all purchases made at www.urbandecay.com by entering code FNFF1 during checkout. My picks are any of the shadow palettes, eyeshadow primer potion, and the 24/7 eyeliners.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Estee Lauder Makeup/Skincare Class

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend an Estee Lauder Makeup and Skincare class at my local Macys. I was really excited because I hadn't attended a class like that before and I was hoping to learn some new tips and tricks. The class was taught by the Estee Lauder national artists, whatever that means. I had some thoughts on that which I will be explaining later. The class was free, but of course I knew the point of the class was to sell their products and so I knew I would walk away with at least one purchase.

The class started off by one on one consults with a skin care expert to determine the type of skin care that each individual should be using. We then proceeded to do a color and formula match for foundation. The makeup artist put a large dallop of foundation in one of those plastic, 6-well artist pallettes. She filled 2 other wells with my matching concealer and powder. Us students then moved into the area pictured below.

We were in groups of 4 and we started off at the skin care station where the skin care experts explained the benefits and use of the skin care products selected for each of us. We "washed" our faces with their wipes, applied toner, then then applied the appropriate serum, moisturizer and eye cream suited for our needs. This was actually my favorite part of the class because I discovered some new products that I liked, which I will explain later in this post. We were given this handy dandy sheet that shows all their products and as we talked about what was best for us, we would mark that item on here so we could remember what it is later at home.

We then moved to the face makeup station. There the makeup artist taught us how to apply foundation, concealer and powder. The really cool thing about the class was that the artists did not simply apply the products on us. Instead, they showed us how to do it, and each of us applied the products on our own. We had our own set of brushes and mirrors so we would learn to do it ourselves. I really really liked that because most of the time artists apply products on you and you go home and have no clue how to replicate the look. In my situation, I knew most everything they told us, but for beginners or those who don't wear much, this was a fantastic way to learn!

The next station was the color stations. This is the other side of the handout that shows how to achieve each of four different looks. We were told to do a classic look. The right side of the sheet was for us to write down the exact product and color of the stuff we used on ourselves.

There was a large selection of colors and again we had our own brushes. The artists selected the colors for us based on our skin tones. We applied eyeshadow base and shadow learning how to use 4 colors, applying the darker color in the crease. Ok, so yes I knew that, but some of the ladies did not know how to do that so it was super helpful for them! We applied eye liner, mascara, blush, lipliner, and finished the look with lipstick.

Ok, so now my thoughts:

The class was super fun and they had delicious Godiva chocolates, brownies, cookies and iced tea to refresh us. Free chocolate and I am there. Of course I always enjoy doing my face up so I enjoyed that too. I did not learn very much about application techniques but I was ok with that.

I did learn about some great skin care products and I am excited to try them out! I picked up the Advanced Night Repair Serum. This baby has been on the market for over 20 years and has only been updated twice!!! The formula is so amazing that they have not had to modify or change it many times. The last update recently took place so the newest formula had just been released and it is better than ever. This is supposed to repair all the damage that our skin encounters throughout the day and repair the cells at the DNA level. It fights aging, helps shrink pores, and helps with all the other yucky skin stuff we women have to deal with. We all got to put a drop on our hands and one of the artists sprayed both our hands with water. The hand with the serum held onto the water. The water on the other hand started dripping off and moving around. This was to show us how the serum helps retain moisture when you apply moisturizer after. I was sold. Then another lady at the table said she had been using it for years and she was in her 50s and she looked 20 years younger. Needless to say, this baby came home with me.

The other product I really liked was the new Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lipstick. Unlike most long wear lipsticks this does not dry out your lips and it really does last and last and last. A review on this is forthcoming.

All in all I had a blast except for some of the pushy makeup artists trying to sell the products instead of teach us. Some of them kept trying to ask, "so what will you be purchasing" every 2 minutes just trying to make the sale. My opinion is, if you have good products, which Estee Lauder does, then you shouldn't have to try so hard since the products will sell themselves. Of course the pressure does affect some people, but it annoys me rather than persuade me to buy more. I mean one of the makeup artists trying to "show" me how to apply the shadow just kept taking my brushes from me and picking up tons of product on the brush and trying to put it on me. Ok, seriously, the point is to teach me not be pushy and get it over with. These were their national artists for goodness sakes and they should have excellent customer service. I am not dumb and I can tell when something does not look nice on me. Rushing me and making me look ugly will not help sell products, it will make me not want them. If any of them are reading this, please take a hint and listen to your customers. Trust me, meeting our needs is going to help make more sales and gain a loyal following. Ok, glad I'm got that off my chest.

Anyhoo, if you ever get the opportunity to take a class like this, do it!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Super slackin

I know I haven't written about anything substantial for a few days, but my life has been crazy busy. Work has been super insane and after a long day, the last thing I have been wanting to do is sit in front of the computer, although I do love my readers and computering for you is sooo different and way more fun than work! In addition, my cousin is getting married in San Francisco this weekend so I have been trying to pack for my trip and prepare for that (I just had to get a pedi). Other family members attending the wedding have recently had babies so I am trying to get presents and make some creative ones too!

I went to an Estee Lauder class at Macys last week and I have been wanting to write about that so hopefully tonight I will be on my way and will have time to type it up and post!

How has your week been? Anything interesting/fun planned for this weekend?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Another Folica Sale!

Folica is having a great back-2-school sale on their hair sets!! Sale, sale...woohoo! Check it out here!

I highly recommend the Sedu products, though they don't have any Sedu irons on sale this time, just the hair dryer. I have also heard great things about Babyliss, but I have not used their products, so can't give you any personal recommendations.

They also have free shipping right now, so if you have been interested in something, now might be the time to get it!

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