Gold and Copper Indian Bridal Look

One of the most challenging tasks for a bride-to-be is finding someone who would make her look like a million bucks rather than a caked up porcelain doll! Instead of slapping a spectrum of colours on your face, choose a few wisely- depending on your outfit , eye shape and your personality! Make sure you go for a look that your comfortable with because  your going to be cherishing those pictures for the rest of your life!

There are soooo many different types of for "Bridal" looks! Every bride I've attended to, has their own individual requirements of how the would like their makeup to be- simple, subtle, dramatic, minimalistic, vibrant, bollywood inspired, colour based etc.. That's the advantage about comfortably attending a Bridal Trial, where you get a chance to experiment with different looks and choose the one that looks the best on you!

The colours aren't too clear in this pic :/

For this tutorial, I've used two GORGEOUS shades (Gold and Copper) which suits every complexion! You just cannot go wrong with these colours!!

*The products I've used are listed in the bottom of this page*

I wanted to try out my new Inglot palette (I'm still contemplating on the 4th colour to complete it) which has 3 stunning, highly pigmented shades!
The Inglot copper shade (the code for it at Inglot is #605P)  is very similar to  MAC Coppering eyeshadow and the gold shade ( #606P)is a slighter deeper shade of MAC Goldmine!
If you have a magnetic Inglot pallete, be careful!!! Just slide the plastic cover to the side..The number of times I've dug my nails into the Copper eyeshadow!!... Grrrrr

The highlighter I used - MAC Melon Pigment is kept in a little sampling jar which I bought from the US.. You do get the standard sizes in India! Pigments are sooooooo pretty but tricky to use because they fall EVERYWHERE!

I'm planning on doing more bridal tutorials with bright shades like greens, blues, purples and more (you could wear this for a Reception/Sangeet/Mehendi) just to give you ideas on how you can choose literally any colour and make it "bridal"...

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

BRUSHES:
Vega Professional- Flat Eyeshadow Brush
MAC- 217 Blending Brush
MAC- 224 Blending Brush
Vega Professional- Angular Brush
Oriflame- Eyebrow Brush

BASE
MAC Prep+Prime Face Primer
MAC Studio Finish Oncealer NC 42
MAC Studio Fix Foundation- NC 37
MAC Pressed Powder NC 30

EYES
Kryolan Eyeshadow Base
MAC- Amber Lights
Inglot- Pearl Eyeshadow #605P
Inglot- Pearl Eyeshadow #606P
Oriflame- "Make that Change" Palette- Deep red brown
MAC Pigment- Melon (for highlighting under the brow bone)

Eye kohl: Lakme Absolute 9-5 Kohl Ultimate
Eyeliner- Maybelline Gel Eyliner- 01 Black
Mascara: Lakme Absolute Flutter Secrets Dramatic Eyes Mascara

CHEEKS:
MAC- Sunbasque Blush
MAC Cream Color Base- Hush (Highlighter)

LIPS
MAC- Cherry Lip Pencil
MAC- Diva Lipstick
MAC- Bronze Shimmer Lipstick

I hope you enjoyed the video!

See you later!! =)

How to Apply Gel Eyeliner

Hopefully, my video explains most of what a gel eyeliner is and how to apply it, but I'd like to add a bit more here!

For those of you who haven't watched the video, here it is:

Most gel liners are- Long wearing, smudge proof and water-resistant.

They come in a variety of colours! MAC has gorgeousss shades, my favorites being Waveline (Navy Blue) and Macroviolet (Purple)...If you can get hold of Bobbi Brown gel eyeliners, (not available in India as yet) please do so, they spread beautifully, although they are a lil pricey!
In my video, I've used the Maybelline gel eyeliner in Black.. It works brilliantly and doesn't dry up as quickly as the MAC liner! It's also very affordable and comes with an eyeliner brush!! What more can you ask for ;)

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner and Brush

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner- 01 Black

Now, if you want to smudge the gel liner, you must do so immediately before it dries up and becomes stubborn! Using a pencil brush / smudge brush is ideal for smudging, but you can also use a Q-tip (a.k.a, ear bud) to achieve a smudged effect! Just make sure your gentle around your eye area and try not poking your eye with it! :P

P.s- There are moments in my video where I'm literally pressing the brush into my eyelid, that's because the gel liner was a bit dry and wasn't gliding on smoothly! This is what I hate about it! Liquid liners thankfully don't disappoint in this aspect!

I've swatched 3 types of eyeliners in the epic below:

Again, there's no right or wrong. Use an eyeliner your most comfortable with =) Remember, you might not get it right the first time, you gotta keep practicing! If I show you how awful my eyeliner was, the first time I drew one with a pencil, you'll stop visiting my blog!

Lakme Lip Love- Sangria Seduction

I'm in love with this entire range of lipsticks! Lakme Lip Love collection have got some fabulous colours!  I'm going to do a review on these lipsticks soon! :P For this look, I used Sangria Seduction.. sounds so exotic!! ha ha

Lakme Lip Love- Sangria Seduction

For my eyes, Ive used two shades form MAC:

1) Naked Lunch on the eyelid

2) Sketch on the crease!

Thank you for stopping by! I really hope the video was useful! =) Please do give me your feedback, would really help! (I won't get offended! :P )

Goodnight,

Akriti

THE INVINCIBLE- Tea Tree Oil

I can't stress enough how miraculous this particular essential oil is...It's been used for centuries-  popularly known for its infection fighting abilities and for soothing the skin!
I used it the last time I broke out into two spots (thanks to fried food), and I dabbed some on using a cotton pad twice a day! It does burn and tingle when you first apply it, but it settles down in a few minutes! =D It REALLY works!
What I love about it is, that it's colourless, so you can even apply it while your out! (unlike other ointments which leave an ugly creamish residue!) Oh, and the smell of tea tree is so refreshing, it actually calms me down, somewhat like aromatherapy! Ha ha

Rs. 465

Rs. 449

What some of us are unaware of, is it's multifunctional properties:

1. It's amazing to clear blemishes without overdrying the skin. Apply it directly onto the blemish, either with a clean finger or using a cotton pad.
2. It's also useful to cure Dandruff! All you gotta do is apply a few drops of it and gently massage it into your scalp for a few mins before you shampoo your hair. Follow this with regular shampoo and rinse thoroughly!
3. For all you clumsy ones like me, it helps to put TT oil on cuts and burns! Really soothes it down :)
4. If your suffering from a cold, chest congestion or bronchitis, add about 3 drops in boiling hot water, and inhale the steam for 5-10 minutes. Such a relief!!
5. Pamper yourself in a hot bath tub and stir in a few drops of TT oil and experience bliss.. :P
6. To keep them germs away, you can use it as an all-purpose cleanser by combining 2 teaspoons of TT oil in 2 cups of water. Then transfer it into a spray bottle.. tadaaa! you've got a "Do it Yourself" Cleaning Spray!

There are sooooo many more uses- like putting a few drops into the washing machine to make your clothes smell yummy, cleaning your bathroom tiles with it and even destroying head lice!! :O


So there it is!...A must-have in every household!

 All Hail Tea Tree Oil! *_*

Kerala Cuisine!

I visited Kerala for two days to conduct makeup workshops- 3 Group sessions in Thrissur and 1 in Kochi. It was organized by a lovely lady, Sona who was the perfect host! I had a really good time with the women there! They were warm, friendly, enthusiastic and kept me laughing throughout with their witty jokes!

Sona Aunty and I

Her cook, Bhavani, was simply AMAZING! We couldn't communicate with each other because I didn't know Malyali and she didn't know Tamil, but we kept smiling at each other and nodding our heads! :P

With Bhavani :)

I wanted to share with you guys, some of the mouth-watering dishes that I tried while I was there. I'm a hardcore Foodie, but I do limit my portions! :P

Day 1 

Lunch: Currymean (Fish)

Aunty explained to me how the fish is wrapped in a banana leaf with a delicious marinade and steamed for a few minutes.. Little did i know that it was a WHOLE fish (with the tail) staring right at me!! :O I FREAKED out! Not even kidding! I've never eaten fish with bones, but I pep talked myself into doing so! I'm glad I did because it was by farrrr the BEST fish I've ever tasted!! It didn't smell fishy (phew!) and it wasn't spicy (because she knew I had zero tolerance for spices!)

SURPRISE!!

Snack: Jackfruit chips

I was addicted to these! I'm not a fan of raw jackfruit, but I couldn't stop munching on these!! YUMMY!

Dinner: Masala Prawns 

Less oil, less spices! PERFECTLY cooked with a tangy twist.. Mixed it with steamed rice and kept on eating! *_* Ha ha

Day 2 

Lunch: Drumstick+Jackfruit Seed Curry with Steamed Rice

I loveeee vegetable curries (more than meaty curries) and this one was packed with flavours! Reminded me of my fav Sambar (because of the drumsticks). The jackfruit seeds which are highly nutritious looked like gigantic garlic cloves (same texture too) but taste completely different! Calories overload!

Snack: Kozhukkatta

Scrumptious steamed rice dumplings with jaggery and coconuts stuffed inside! An authentic Kerala snack!..  It's sorta like a guilt-free desert :P ... I just about managed to finish 2 of them! They're FILLING!

Kozhukkatta

Coconut+Jaggery Stuffing

Dinner: Raw Papaya Vegetable and Mango Curry

It's so fascinating how they incorporate so many different fruits into cooking vegetables, sides and curries! Both the dishes had their own unique flavours! The mango curry was made with REAL mangoes (with the pulp) and yoghurt.. I couldn't believe there were actual mangoes thrown into the curry! How cooool!! it was brilliant!

Raw Papaya Vegetable

Mango Curry

A truly memorable trip! <3

Time for power yoga  to burn off all those calories!!

Till next time! :)

Love,
Akriti

What’s in my Toiletry Bag!

Hey guys! =) I arrived in Kerala (the land of coconuts) a few hours ago, unpacked my suitcase, took a warm shower, and indulged in authentic Kerala Fish Curry & Rice for dinner!  

Now that I’ve satisfied my tummy, I decided to post a pic of some of my skincare essentials which I always carry with me while I’m travelling! (I forgot my eye cream in all that rush!)

Being obsessed with leopard print, it isn’t surprising that I’m head over heels in love with this toiletry bag haha! I bought it from Superdrug, while studying in Manchester!

Apart from my toothbrush & toothpaste, here’s a list of my skincare travel essentials!

1. DOVE- Deep Pure Face Wash

2. ORIFLAME- Pure Organic Aloe Vera and Arnica Extract Toner

3. LAKME- Sun Expert SPF 30 for Oily Skin

4. ORIFLAME- Swedish Spa Night Renewal Hand Cream

5. ORIFLAME- Pure Organic Aloe Vera and Arnica Extract Face Cream (While travelling I carry a miniature jar for my moisturizer! That’s not how the original packaging looks like!)

6. L’OCCTAINE- Verbena Shampoo (I carry this only because it's small and compact :)

7. L’OCCTAINE- Verbena Conditioner

8. THE BODY SHOP- DeoDry Dodrant: Fresh and Floral Roll on

9. DAVIDOFF- Echo EDP 30 ml

I keep my tweezers, hand sanitizers, tissues etc in my makeup bag!

Just wanted to mention, the products are numbered randomly, not in the order I use them :D (Moisturizer must be applied before the sunscreen!)

Thanks for dropping by, off to bed to get some precious sleep for a long day ahead!

Good night everyone! :)

Lots of love from the land of coconuts, bananas and cashewnuts,

Akriti 

xxx

70's Eyeliner with a Twist!

Hello lovelies!! I was getting ready to celebrate Tuscana Pizzeria's (an Italian restaurant in Chennai) 1st birthday, and as it was a day event, I decided to keep the look clean and simple! More than breaking my head over what to wear, I spend ages trying to figure out what makeup I should wear.. Ha ha! Don't get me wrong- you don't HAVE TO wear makeup every time you step out, but it's just fun experimenting with colours! Just how you decide on what accessories to team up with your outfit, or what bag you want to carry along, makeup works the same way - provided you don't cake your face up and look like a different person!! :P

Okay, back to the point!! I used MAC Tinted Moisturizer in Medium (which is basically 50% foundation + 50% moisturizer) as a base for my face. I've lined my eyes with MAC Fluidline- Blacktrack, which is a gel eyeliner  and winged it all the way out using Brush # 209 - MAC (I have the miniature version of it which came with a gift set) ! I've made sure to thicken the line to emphasize my eyes! If you look closely, you can see the eyeliner turn blue right towards the end ( on the wing of the eyeliner). I've done this by dipping the brush in the Oriflame Pro Eyeshadow Trio- Royal Blue (the middle one, refer to the pic below!) and pressing it onto the wing! This gives a classy look with a contemporary twist! Remember, you can use any colour on the wing- green, purple, blue etc...

I've finished off by applying the Lakme Abolute Flutter Secrets Mascara  and using Clinique's Chubby Stick- Super Strawberry. Chubby sticks work as a lipstick+chapstick+gloss, all in one! They are very similar to MAC's Tinted Lip Conditioner, although I prefer MAC's to Clinique's!

P.S- I avoided applying eye kohl on the inner rim of my eyes just to sort of change the look and make my eyes appear wider!

Scroll down to see a pic of the products I've used! (Sorry, didn't realize some of the pics are out of focus!)

That's all for now!! =)

Akriti <3 

Berry Blast

A soft smokey for the summer! I used MAC eyeshadows for this look- Hepcat and Blackcurrant! This is the first time I'm trying out Blackcurrant and I've fallen in love with it! Perfect matte texture, a greyish purple, great for contouring in the crease! The lipstick i used is MAC- Modesty and the mascara I've applied is the Lakme Absolute Flutter Secrets Mascara. (I swear this pic doesn't do justice to my lashes! I went out after, and all my friends thought I was wearing fake eyelashes!) Ofcourse, I curled my lashes before, and applied 2 coats of mascara! =) I brushed on a tad bit of the Lakme Sun Kissed Bronzer to complete the look!

Akriti <3