Website Review- Aplava

Aplava is a beauty website with a wide range of beauty products ranging from skin care, makeup, hair care, bath & body, fragrances and baby products too. The products are from various segments- drugstore to premium. You have to go online, select your products and they'll ship them free... Sounds Familiar? Of course! It is an online beauty site, so that's what they do!

But here comes something that makes Aplava different from the other online beauty websites- when you register your account, you are asked for your beauty profile. You have to tell about your Skin Type, kind of activities you do, your tendency to sweat, your skin tone, hair type etc. Then the products are recommended based on your beauty type so everything shown to you would be personalized to you. Isn't that wonderful. You won't see a wonderful foundation only to realize later that there is no color for your skin tone!

The brands range from Maybelline, L'oreal, Dermalogica, O3, Bodyography, Braun, Faces, Gillette, Just Herbs, Olay, Revlon, Sebamed, Vichy, Wild Earth and many others.
The check out process is simple and delivery is free. You get complimentary samples with every order.
There is a loyalty program for beauty shoppers- Apalava Prestige, wherein you are given double points for every purchase and also early access to deals and new products!

Another wonderful news is that they are having upto 50% off Summer Sale. I am sure you all would love to check it out!

I am going for my shopping spree... Are you coming???

Signing off for now

Beauty Resolutions 2016

Everyone goes in to make resolutions in a hope that they can follow them even after the first week of January and I am no different. I prefer to set realistic goals and take them through the year... So let's go and check out my beauty resolutions for 2016... I know I am late to make resolutions, but wanted to let 2016 sink in so that they are more realistic... :D

1. Drink lots of water during the day... even though I do it now but want to keep doing it forever
2. Follow CTM (Cleansing, Toning, Moisturizing) religiously
3. Experiment with makeup and try looks that are beyond my comfort zone
4. Getting a good 6-7 hours sleep every night... will have to work really hard for this
5.  Be regular with this blog... again a lot of hard work required here ;)

What are your beauty resolutions for 2016? Do leave a comment

Signing off for now

Pigment Haul- Inglot & MAC

Hey everyone!

I am back after a shopping spree basically wanted to refill my stock of pigments. If you are wondering which pigments I am talking about, let me tell you- Pigments are highly concentrated loose colors. They are mainly used as eye shadow but can also be used as eyeliner (will tell you how in another post!), some as highlighters. The effect could be anywhere from subtle to intense depending on the application.

So, basically I went to MAC store to pick up two of my favorite pigments- Rose and Blue Brown. Though I found Rose but Blue Brown was as usual out of stock so decided to check Inglot for their AMC Pure Pigment Eye shadow in 85, which is as close as possible to Blue Brown. And while at Inglot store, I decided to pick up a couple more pigments.Without further delay... let me share some pics of my PIGMENT HAUL!!

Inglot AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow No.85- This is a blue brown pigment with brown base and blue glitter. It is one of my favorite pigments when I just need to pop up the eyes a bit. It's a beautiful combination and goes very well with the Indian skin tones.

Inglot AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow No.86- This is another pretty color with copper base and pinkish purple glitter. It is wonderful when used for brides for reception or cocktail as eye shadow or in center to pop up the eyes. Can also be used to pop up the lips.

Inglot AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow No.84- A wonderful color for Indian tones. This was an impulse buy but am glad I picked it up. It is a light copperish base with green glitter pigments. Amazing for brides specially when they are wearing the traditional red outfit. This color gives a nice contrast with green pigments.

MAC Rose- This is another beautiful color and one of my favorites. This can add a bit of glitz and glam anywhere on the face. It is a deep rose pink base with gold glitters. It can be used as eye shadow or highlighter. It can also be mixed with a moisturizer and used as blush. It can also be used a lip color. It is simply an awesome thing to have in your kitty.

The price of Inglot AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadows is Rs.1100/- for 2 gms pot while the MAC is for Rs.1850/- for 4.5g bottle.

Have you tried pigments? Which Brands and shades are your favorite? Do leave a comment a share your views.

Signing off for now

Oriflame Product Review

Hey everyone,

Recently I was contacted by Oriflame to review some of their products. November catalog was shared with me and I was to pick up 3 products of my choice for review. I selected following products-

1. Giordani Gold Bronzing Pearls in Natural Radiance

2. The One Power Shine Lipstick in Trendy Berry

3. Very Me Soft 'N' Glam Eye shadow in Sweet Olive

Let's talk about each product in detail

Giordani Gold Bronzing Pearls in Natural Radiance

Product Description- A simple swirl with the brush and the perfect blend of micro pearls will give your skin a seamless, natural glow and flawless luminescence. Enriched with precious mica and silica minerals for a more radiant look.

My Take- I always get fascinated with things that are different. So bronzing pearls caught my eye and was the first product that I ordered for. Though I was a bit disappointed with the packaging, the plastic bowl and the flap lid in dirty yellow color... When the product name says gold, I was expecting something better. There is a sponge to keep the beads in place.

Anyways, coming to the product now- the beads are pink and brownish. I used a blush brush to apply, the color is not very intense but the shine is. Very difficult to get color in the picture even after building up. I would prefer to use it as a highlighter than as a blush.

Rating- 4/5

The One Power Shine Lipstick in Trendy Berry

I went ahead and ordered this lipstick as I am a big fan of shimmer and glitter and love it even more on lips in a subtle way.

Product Description- Medium coverage lipstick in pearly shades with ultra-reflective MetaShine pearls for amplified shine. Infused with caring LipKiss Complex for softer, smoother lips and even more shine.

My Take on the Product- The lipstick is everything it promise. Medium coverage, gives good shine and keep your lips moisturized. The color is a pretty pink-berry. It stays on comfortably for 4 hours without any lip primer or lip liner and beyond that, the color starts fading but the shine stays.

In all, very happy with the product.

The One Power Shine Lipstick in Trendy Berry- without flash

The One Power Shine Lipstick in Trendy Berry- with flash

Rating- 5/5

Very Me Soft 'N' Glam Eye shadow in Sweet Olive

I have been on a look out for green eye shadow for a while now and love to try them wherever I find one, hence picked this one.

Product Description- The eye shadow duo that’s as versatile as your mood! Apply it dry for a soft, shimmering finish; apply it wet for intense metallic glamour.

My Take on the Product- This eye shadow duo comes in a clear plastic packaging. There is an olive green and a dark moss green color. The colors are not very intense. One swipe doesn't show much. If used wet, it looks better with metallic effect. Overall, nothing great but not bad either.

Rating- 3.5/5

The overall experience was fairly good. Would love to try few more products here

How do you like Oriflame products? Have you tried any of the above products? How do you like them? Please comment and share your views.

Signing off for now

Guest Post- 10 MakeUp Tips to Look Gorgeous this Winter by Gayathry Pillai

Sweaty summers are gone and cool winters have finally stepped in. The days are getting shorter and cold nights are getting longer. It's time for getting yourself prepared to welcome winter. Being beautiful always during winter is not that easy. You need to be specific when it comes to all the products that you use during winter season. It should match with your skin type and tone as well.

A lot of things are needed to be taken care of when it comes to makeup during the winter. In fact, a whole revamping of your makeup kit will be needed to get a gorgeous look during winters. Have a look at 10 makeup tips you should follow this winter to look gorgeous. Make sure you imply them on your routine so that you do not fall out…

Before starting of with the makeup, make sure that you apply moisturizer on your body to keep is soft, supple and moist. Winters can make your skin go dry and chapped. So apply any good body moisturizer twice daily. Oil based moisturizer will be more suitable for the season rather than the water based one. Buy moisturizer at affordable rates from Snapdeal.

Make sure that you use any good oil based face cream on your face to avoid over dryness of the skin. Any branded face cream that suits your skin tone is a good choice. Apply a little of it on your face and spread it evenly for a smooth finish.

If you are too particular in using foundation, make sure that you use a light matte or a soufflé as it can sync well with the winter look. Also try for tinted powder with slight shimmer to get a perfect winter look. Buy branded foundation online from Flipkart at the lowest price.

Using bronzer during this season will make you look gorgeous. The season demands a subtle look during the day time and a bright look during the night.

Play with your eyes this season because it will enhance the beauty of your face. Define your eyes with black or brown. Go for the smoky look which would be a perfect one for the season. Make sure that you highlight all your best features including eyes, lips and brows.

Do not forget to use dark shades for your lips. Use red lipstick as the season demands it. Moreover it will add more color and glamour to your winter look.

Any bright color goes well with this season but one can also opt for neutral shades as well if they prefer. Nude, pink, browns, greys- try them too!

Do not salivate your lips as it will make them chapped and drier. Use lip balms frequently whenever you feel your lips are getting dry.

Light shades will be the best choice if you are using the blush. Go for the pinks, corals, browns, and even gold this season. Choose the right color based on your skin tone.

Last but not the least, give a care to your hair as well as your hairstyle does create an impact on how you look with your makeup on. High chances are there for your hair to become frizzy during this season. Use defrizzer on your hair so that it can be well-maintained.

Author- Gayathry Pillai

Intense, Long Lasting, Reasonably Priced Eye Liner?? Dream or Reality?

Hey Beauties,

I know it's been long... actually realllly long that I have posted on my blog. But, to compensate for the gap... here I am with something absolutely interesting.

How often we are looking for an eyeliner which doesn't smudge, is waterproof and long lasting, easy to apply, mess free and above all... it should fit well in your pocket.

Trying various products for few months now... some in India, some from abroad imported here... some popular and some trying to make an entry into Indian market. In this quest, I found a product that fits into all the above requirements. This product is from Lebanon and made in Taiwan and is just making an entry into Indian markets and is available through distributors only.

So how did I catch hold of this product? The importer of this product gave me two samples of this product to use and review over a period of few weeks. And I was hooked to this product from the first day...

Well... let me just take the mystery away and unveil the product- This is PROVOC Semi permanent eyeliner pencil.

Product Claims

An intense range of semi-permanent makeup pencils that are designed to grab attention. Provoc long lasting, easy to apply makeup pencils come with-

• Semi Permanent Formula
• Waterproof
• Intense Colors
• One Stroke Application
• Outstanding Color Range
• Easy Take Off with Waterproof Makeup Remover

My Take on the Product

These are sharpenable pencils that comes with a transparent plastic lid and a colour indicator and number on the pencil.

The texture is absolutely smooth and creamy and great for one stroke application as claimed. The color is intense and a wide variety of colors are available (29 colors to be exact!). The colors range from the basic black, brown to blues, greens, purples, metallic; from matte to shimmer, basically everything that one can think of in terms of eye pencil.

To test their staying power, I let the black one on my oily eyelids and waterline for the whole day and I went on with my usual routine and at night when I went to remove my makeup, the eyeliner was still intact and intense. That was it... One stroke application, stays on for more than 8 hours, amazing colours... what more can you demand from an eyeliner. It's like using a gel liner without the mess.

Coming to most important part... so how much do these cost?
They are priced at Rs.600 and currently available at few places like some high end beauty salons. If you really want to try them out you can always mail me at nsur20@gmail.com or get connected at my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mirrorimageandstyle and I'll get them shipped to you and if you quote "MAKEOVER", you get 10% discount on MRP.

What do you look out for in an eyeliner pencil? Do leave a comment

Signing off for now

Review: Aplava

Being a part of Blogger's network at Sheroes has its advantages. Being a beauty blogger, I received a call from Srishti that whether I would be interested in doing a review for Aplava.com, an online beauty store. Why would any beauty blogger in sane mind would refuse the offer... and I was no different.

About Aplava

"Aplava derives its name from sanskrit origins. Aplava (pronounced “AAp luv” in original sanskrit) means taking a bath to purify oneself. It’s an ablution process of cleansing oneself." 

(Source: http://www.aplava.com/)

They want to give the customers an experience of divine purity and a beautiful self.

They are a startup and the website looks pretty inviting. They have an assortment of prestigious brands, niche and cult brands as well as household names under various categories like  Skincare, makeup, wellness, fragrance, travel, intimacy etc for men and women; bath and body and diapering for babies; room fragrance, candles etc. under home and gifting options too.

The website is easy to navigate and use and the best part is since they deal directly with manufacturers or authorized distributors, there are hardly any chances of getting a duplicate/fake product.

Also, you can determine your beauty score on the site by answering questions about your skin, hair etc. This will be used to recommend a skin care routine for you as well as the products.

Aplava Website

Package & Delivery

So the package was shipped on 23rd July and was received on 27th July and it was packed in a cardboard box. All the products were individually bubble wrapped.

Products

Now comes the best part, which am sure you all must be waiting for... What did I get in that box??

Let me show you first, before talking about them...

So, in all I got 4 products, 2 samples and a discount card. Let's start with the products first-

1. Natio Ageless Dual Action Cleanser and Exfoliator- Natio is an Australian company manufacturing skincare, makeup and cosmetics based on the principles of Aromatherapy using organic essential oil. The Dual Action Cleanser and Exfoliator contain organic rosehip and orange extracts with microfine exfoliating beads. It has a creamy texture and the exfoliating beads are really fine which help to take off the dead skin layer and reveal a fresh skin underneath. It is a gentle exfoliator with a pleasant fragrance. (Price of 75g tube- Rs. 1010/-)

2. Street Wear Ultramoist Lipstick- It contains mega moisturizers to seal in moisture and colour. I got the shade 25- Pink Persuasion, which is a peachy pink colour and one of those colours which go well with my skin tone. 24 shades are available in this range from berries to red, from brown to nudes and from pink to peaches. Price- Rs.220/-

3. Lakme Enrich Satin Lipcolour- This contain Vitamin E and Olive oil to nourish and moisturize lips combined with intense colours. It has around 15 shades, I got shade P169 which is a rich bubble gum pink, another favorite colour...Price- Rs.240/-

4. TRESemme Hair Fall Defence Conditioner- Tresemme has hair care products of professional category. The shampoo and conditioners are usually good and suit my hair. Although haven't used this one yet but hoping for good results from this one too.

Price- Rs. 79/- for 90ml

Apart of these products, I received two samples from REPECHAGE- a face wash and day cream. looking forward to trying them too. 

Aplava founders were kind enough to share a discount card as well, which I am going to use in my next shopping from Aplava.

If you are looking for some great discounts from Aplava, don't forget to sign up on Sheroes to get some amazing discounts. 

Sheroes is a career destination for women professionals and also is a gateway to finest opportunities, resources and conversations. I am happy to be associated as a Blogger on Sheroes.

Enjoy your shopping and Discounts from Sheroes and Aplava... and do share your experience in the comments

Signing off for now