I was planning to do something else today but my midnight blue started calling my name again.

Golden Blue

So this is the looks using lots of golden glitter and blue. You can use golden with bronze, green, purple, mermaid blue, black or any colour that matches your Diwali dress. Also, the golden sparkles on your eyes would look pretty in different Diwali lights.

Let’s start.

Start with priming your eye lids. Don’t put powder on top of it because we want the base to be a little sticky.

Prime

Now take a dark blue eye kohl pencil.

Revlon matte pencil midnight blue

Trace your upper lash liner and outer corner of your eye with the pencil.

Line with blue pencil

Pick up some blue eye shadow on a pencil brush

Pencil brush blue

Smudge the liner with the brush and softly push the blue on the outer V inside.

SMudge

Like so.

Smudged

On the tip of a blending brush pick up some blue eye shadow .

blue on fluffy brush

Softly place the brush on the outer V and bring the colour above the crease and inside the eye.

blend

Like So,

blended

Now pick a  golden highlighter

Highlighter

and palce it just below the arch of your eye brow.

brow bone

Pick some loose powder on a blending brush

Loose Powder

and apply it on the rest of the lid.

browbone

Now pick golden glitter on a flat brush..

golden Glitter

and press it on the inner corner of your eye. Don’t swipe your brush, just press. If your glitter doesn’t stick too well, you can put a little vaseline on your lid and then press the golden glitter.

Press on the inner corner

Line your upper lash line.

Line eyes

Apply kajal or the same blue eye liner inside the eye

Apply kajal

Line your lower lashline with the same blue eye shadow

Blue on pencil brush

Stop at two third.

line outer third

Put the golden highlighter on the inner corner of the eye.

Highlighter on the inner corner

Curl lashes and apply mascara.

Apply mascara

Your are done.

Finished

Keep rest of the makeup soft but don’t forget to highlight your cheeks with the golden highlighter. If not, use a shimmery blush.

Golden Blue makeup

Paint your nails with sparkly nail polish.

Golden Blue makeup

Eye Makeup : Golden and blue eye shadow by Inglot, No 56 Body Sparkle Inglot, MAC Painterly paint pot, Bobbi Brown gel liner Cavier Ink ( not shown in pic), Lotus Herbal Kajal, Estee Lauder Maganascopic Mascara

Eye products

Face Makeup : MAC Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation, The Body Shop Loose Powder, MAC Springsheen Blush, Chanel glossimer

Face Products

All brushes are by Sigma except the Inglot 30 T eyeliner brush.

Brushes

Wish you all a very Happy Diwali. Lots of love, joy and prosperity to all of you. :-*

L’Oreal Kohl Minerals Powder Eyeliner

Anything with the word Kohl really attracts me. I got this because it seemed like a good multi-tasking product. Looks almost like powder eye shadow, but makes for a good mineral eyeliner too! Let’s see if this does live up to the claim.

What does L’Oreal say about Kohl Minerals powder eyeliner?

Whether you’re going for smoky eyes or a more romantic look this season, eyeliner is a must and it comes in mineral form too! This liner and applicator duo contains 95% naturally-derived micronised minerals, plus Vitamin E and aloe vera to make it gentle on sensitive eyes. Intense, accurate and easy to apply.

Colours available: 01 Black, 02 Stellar Grey, 03 Meteorite Blue.

Price: I am not sure; I think I got it for about Rs.400 – 450 sometime in 2009.

What I think about this?

The product comes in a small jar filled with a screw top lid with a brush attached and also a sifter which helps control the amount of product dispersed.

This is how the packaging looks.

loreal mineral kohl

Although the packaging looks cute, it’s made from a very low quality plastic so it’s pretty much prone to big time breakage. I got this in two colours, Black and grey. The grey colour fell down and broke into pieces within a few months. So, you can imagine the hard time I would have had cleaning up the powder L . We gotta be very careful while handling this one.

Loreal Mineral Kohl

There is a small brush, which is of pretty decent quality. It’s a small angled brush. Nothing very special, just another angled brush with a very good grip for precise application. If you do not like the brush, you can use any angled brush/eyebrow filler brush. I personally prefer this brush, because it’s small and gives me pretty good control on the amount of product I want to deposit.

How to use this?

The powdered kohl as such is not very pigmented. It’s black in colour but not rich black or anything. The sifter arrangement helps us get the product on top for the brush to pick up. I personally feel that the dispensing hole(s) for the product is too big. The Kohl as such is finely milled and even the gentlest of handling somehow gets a bit too much of product out.

Tap very gently on the base and some product comes on top. A light tap will do. Make sure you don’t get too much product or else, it’s going to become really messy.

Take a little amount on the accompanying angled brush and gently run along the upper/lower lash line. Stays put for about 5 hours or so.

One thing I hate about this is the crazeee amount of fall out. Even the tiniest amount of product has soo much of fallout which is a big turn off. Check out the amount of fall out just while swatching.

loreal mineral kohl swatch

There is a small sponge which is a seal that covers the product while new. Make sure you do not throw it away. Every time after each use, it’s better if you cover the dispensing hole with the sponge to avoid product spilling all over. I threw away mine and I am having a very tough time using this.

Other uses of L’Oreal Minerals Kohl Powder Eyeliner that I see.

• Can be used as what it’s intended for – eyeliner on the upper and lower lash line. Not sure about the waterline. I know its kohl and its mineral and all that, but it’s in the powdered form so I am not committing anything.  Also, another reason why I am telling you this is, the colours do contain mild shimmer  and I wouldn’t dare to put on anything with shimmer on my waterline .
• This is perfect to be used as a setting powder for any Kajal that tends to smudge. This one as such, does not have the tendency to smudge once its set. So what I usually do, I apply lotus Kajal on the lower waterline and use this or a black eye shadow to set it. This way, the mineral Kohl also stays for a longer time.
• This is perfect for a smoky eye. The brush is so cute, it helps you create a nice winged look and perfect for defining the outer v too. One stoke of this will give you a nice and soft smudged look, nothing intense.
• If this did not have mild shimmer and also had one in dark brown colour, I would use it to fill my brows too! Talk about multi-tasking J

loreal mineral kohl bottle

What I like about L’Oreal Minerals Kohl Powder Eyeliner:

• The whole concept of mineral kohl in powdered form itself is very intriguing.
• Tendency to smudge less compared to other Kohls. I know most of the kohls smudge like crazy, this one doesn’t, once it’s set.
• The  brush is pretty decent in quality.
• Water resistant. Not really waterproof J but I need oil/makeup remover. I use olive oil to remove all my eye makeup and this one comes off easily with that too.
• Ways in which this can be used. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, setting powder for Kajal etc

What I dis-like about L’Oreal Minerals Kohl Powder Eyeliner:

• Bad quality packaging. Not only the plastic is of poor quality, too much product comes out sometimes leading to product wastage. Really messy to handle!
• Although it’s easy to apply it’s totally not travel friendly. Don’t even try toting this around.
• There is crazy fallout. Once I apply on my lower lashes, there is some on my cheeks which I have to eventually clean up and do a re-touch L and to clean this up, plain water ain’t enoughJ. I have to reach for a q-tip with some moisturizer or makeup remover.

Will I re-purchase? This one will last me a good one and a half years. After that I might consider if L’Oreal improves the packaging .

To sum up, this is a nice product if you, like me are a kohl lover. I love kohl in any form and this was really something that attracted me:). This is definitely worth a try if you are willing to put up with the fall out and bad packaging. It would be a different experience to play around with powdered kohl. If nothing works, this makes for a good powder to set your Kajal J

Have you tried powdered kohl?  Was L’Oreal minerals Kohl powder a winner for you? Share your thoughts.

Plush Purple and Gold Makeup Look

Hi dear all,

The above mentioned look, as the name suggests is plush, purple and golden. It is apt for an evening out or a party or wedding or such.

This look can also be an alternative for black smokey eyes. If you find black to stark for your taste, this look can give you dramatic eyes and you won’t have to worry about Panda eyes.

So let’s get started….

Here are things I am using for the look-

For Face:

• Maxfactor Age Renew Foundation in Bronze
• Maybelline Whitestay UV compact in Fawn
• Colorbar Peachy Rose Blush
• Colorbar Just Earth Blush

For Eyes:

• MAC Veluxe e/s in Trax (A jewel toned purple with a looot of golden shimmer)
• MAC matte in e/s in Embark (A dark matte brown)
• MAC Frosted e/s Bagatelle (A pure solid gold)
• Lakme Intense Shine liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Colorbar i-define pencil in Desert Glow
• Maybelline Colossal Volume Express mascara
• Lotus Herbal kajal

For Lips:

• Colorbar Metallic lipstick in Pleasure
• Maybelline Watershine Gloss

Let’s start painting!!!

• On a cleansed, toned and moisturized face, apply foundation and concealer to create a flawless base.
• I have used compact powder to get a matte finish.

• Apply an eye shadow primer on your lids. I use a thin layer of concealer for the same.
• Colour your entire lid in the purple colour.

• Apply the dark brown colour in the crease and outer corner of your eye.

• Blend well.

• Apply a golden eye shadow on the brow bone to create a stark contrast which enhances the lid colour.

• Apply the golden e/s on the outer corner of lower lash line.
• Next, draw a thin line with the black eye liner on the upper lash line.
• You can wing it out for added drama.

• Do up both the eyes.

12.    Draw a thick line with the gold pencil on the lower lash line. Apply Kajal on the waterline.

13.    Curl your lashes and apply 2-3 coats of mascara. Again, false eyelashes will add a lot of drama.

• Here’s the finished Eye look…

• Finish the look by applying a hint of blush in the hollows of cheek and highlight the apples of your cheek. (Thanks for the tip Rati… Looks awesome!!!)
• Apply a nude, metallic or golden lipstick to round off the plush look.

Here’s the final pic-

Thank you…

Hope you all like it!!!
Love
Mrunmayee

VlCC Kajal vs Lotus Herbals Natural Kajal vs Himalaya Kajal

I would like to give credit for this craze to IMBB. A little while ago I was not a kajal person. I am a liquid liner person for years but tried my hands on kajal long time back. But racoon eyes made me feel that I can really pass it and also I felt kajal made my eyes appear smaller. But not with the right style and better complexion and over all make up kajal can actually help my eyes look bigger. I don’t over do it for fear of smudging but I am now quite comfy with kajal. This article will basically be comparison between the features of these three kajals – VLCC, Lotus Herbals and Himalaya . You can pick according to preference.

VlCC Natural Sciences Kajal

(liquorice camphor)

Relaxes and soothes eyes without smudging

Price: Rs. 135 for 2.5 gram

What the pack says: A unique formulation that does not smudge, smear or fade after application. The goodness of natural oils and herbal extract nourish and relax the eyes. Triphala helps in maintaining good vision.

Method of use: Apply gently on the inside edge of the eyelids

Key ingredients: Triphala, liquorice extracts, camphor, almond oil

My take on VLCC Kajal:

• Extremely smooth
• Dense black in colour

• Very matte, which I like
• Does not have an oil finish
• Mediocre packaging in the form of a lipstick tube
• Good quantity of 2.5 grams
• Will be best before two years
• No cooling effect on application
• Lasts upto 3 to 4 hours without smudging
• No allergy or unwanted sensation( waterline safe)
• Contact lens safe ( I wear cosmetic lenses and I apply it on my waterline and found it very safe)

Lotus Herbals Natural Kajal

100% natural and safe

Price: Rs 115 for 4 gram

• Relaxes and soothes eyes for all day
• Smudge proof and long lasting
• 100% natural kajal enriched with botanical extracts of camphor, liquorice & almond oil which pamper and relax your eyes all day. Also helps in growth of eye lashes. Can be used daily.

Key ingredients: camphor, liquorice and almond oil

My take on Lotus Herbals Kajal:

• Extremely smooth
• Dense black in color

• Mild oil sheen to it
• Amazing packaging but small bothersome cap
• Amazing quantity of 4 gram
• Will be best before 3 years
• Cooling effect on application
• Lasts upto 3 to 4 hours without smudging
• No allergy or unwanted sensation ( waterline safe)
• Contact lens safe ( I wear cosmetic lenses and I apply it on my waterline and found it very safe)

Himalaya Herbal Healthcare Kajal

Price: Rs 105 for 2.7 gram

• Extra smooth, waterproof herbal eye definer
• Enriched with almond oil that nourishes your eyes, keeps them cool, and makes u look fresh and bright
• A unique blend of herbal extracts that cools and nourishes your eyes

Directions: Apply kajal within your lash line

Key ingredients: Almond oil, castor oil camphor, damask rose, triphala

• No sharpening required
• Hypoallergenic
• No harmful chemicals
• Opthalmologically tested

My take on Himalaya kajal:

• Extremely smooth
• Sheer black color

• Oily sheen to it
• Bad packaging (reminds me of vicks inhaler)
• 2.7 gram in comparison to the other two
• Will be best before 3 years
• No cooling effect on application
• Last for two to three hours
• Smudges more in comparison as it has an oily finish to it
• No allergy or unwanted sensation ( waterline safe)
• Contact lens safe ( I wear cosmetic lenses and I apply it on my waterline and found it very safe)

Why pick VLCC Kajal?

• Matte, more staying, very black

Why pick Lotus Herbals Kajal?

• Staying, more quantity for lesser price, cooling effect and decent packaging, blackest of the lot

Why pick Himalaya Kajal?

• For the ingredients. castor oil helps promote lash growth, this also mentions Hypoallergenic
• No harmful chemicals and Opthalmologically tested

Camphor and almond oil are common to all three

Why not to pick VLCC Kajal?

• For the price

Why not to pick up Lotus Kajal?

• Umm could not think of anything

Why not to pick up Himalaya Kajal?

• Oily sheen makes it sheer instead of dense and the packaging looks like cheap plastic. Himalaya also smudges most out of the three.

Ratings :

• Lotus Herbals Kajal : :heart: :heart::heart::heart:
• Himalaya Kajal :heart::heart::heart:
• VLCC Kajal :heart::heart: :heart::heart:

I personally found the matte one to be better for me but you can pick according to requirement. Camphor has been used for years in Indian home made kajal of soot as it cools eyes. Almond oil is effective for dark circles under eyes. Triphala is also a cleanser for eyes. I found all the kajals to be easy to be applied on upper and lower lash line. Though it is sure to smudge if get the kajal between the lashes where it may accumulate and smudge through the day. I tried it on at upper waterline and went to bed but all smudged badly when I woke up. All these kajals are standard quality but choice varies as to the finish of the kajal and the brand.

Ask any Indian girl if she has kohl/kajal. Chances are that almost everybody has at least some type or the other. Kohl is known by various names in South Asian languages, like surma in Punjabi, kajal in Hindi and Urdu, kaatuka in Telugu, kan mai in Tamil and kaadige in Kannada. Ancient ayurveda describes kajal as something that would act as a coolant for the eyes especially with the presence of camphor. Tradition also considers applying Kajal to infants to ward of evil eye and protect them. I have been wearing kajal ever since I was a kid in school days. Back then when I was kid, we were not allowed to wear any kind of makeup. Kajal was the only thing that I would wear. Since then it is a constant feature in my makeup routine. Well, I cannot even call it makeup routine. It’s an everyday thing like brushing your teeth! I started experimenting with kajal sticks in college and the first one I tried was boutique’s almond kajal. That wasn’t too bad. It was OK. But then I have always wanted an intense black in my lower lash line and waterline. In my quest to find that intense black kajal I stumbled across shahnaz husian’s kajal. I know not many people like this one. But to me it works like a charm. Sure it smudges and all that , but it really does give me this beautiful kohl rimmed eyes . For days I want my makeup to last longer I would definitely prefer to use liners like MAC PowerPoint or urban decay’s 24X7. But otherwise when I am just running errands etc I prefer to use this. I have had SO many people ask me what I am wearing on my eyes. I have also recommended this many people .So, without further ado…

What does the product claim? A very special combination of precious herbs and pure almond oil to pamper your eyes. The flower extracts help to relax the eyes while the pure almond oil encourages the growth of luxuriant eyelashes. Triphala was used in ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine for maintaining and improving vision.

Ingredients: Triphala Oil, Kapoor Bhimseni (Camphor), Badam Tel, Arandi Tel, Beeswax.

Price: Rs 200 INR One of my favorite actors is Nandita Das. I am sure people who know her can never miss her heavily kajal rimmed eyes. I think it only adds to her natural dusky beauty. What I love about Shahnaz Husain’s herbal kohl?

• The whole kajal on a stick form is a nice idea. Ease to apply and mess free.
• The kajal is a rich intense black. Perfectly fits my bill.
• The product really lasts a long time for me. The first one I bought has come through a whole 2 years and I still have some left. But I got a new one as I didn’t want to take any chances.
• It claims to promote the growth of luxurious lashes. Honestly, I did notice a difference in the length and density of lashes in my lower lash line ever since I started using it. YAY for that . :yes:
• It smells like the real deal. The one our moms and grandmas have been making for years with lantern-soot method. It smells exactly like that.
• I love the packaging with the little mirror on the lid. Makes for good travel product.

What I don’t like about Shahnaz Husain’s herbal kohl?

• This one does smudge. I cannot deny that. But to me it’s not too much. It’s easily manageable. Especially for a daily routine I couldn’t care less. One swipe on both eyes I am all set to look fresh and awake.
• The sharpness of kohl stick does go away after repeated use. But since I use it mainly for my water line and my lower lash line, it doesn’t really matter.
• The price is quite steep. At Rs 200 INR a pop, it is definitely a splurge for a simple kajal.

Tips for application and removal:

• Apply a thick line on your waterline/lower lash line for a sharp defined eye look. This is not suitable for use as an eyeliner for your upper lash line.
• One thing you have to make sure is to use a good makeup remover to remove this. My Holy Grail eye makeup remover is coconut oil. It’s the best. It removes even the most stubborn mascaras. It also softens the skin and conditions my lashes. I don’t think I will ever use any other makeup remover.

Rating: :star: :star: :star:

Having said this, I really want to try the Lotus Herbal Kajal ever since I have read so many rave reviews on IMBB. But I guess I’ll have to wait till my next trip to India . Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this review. Try this if you are in the market for good herbal kohl that’s rich black in color!

IMPORTANT: Someone wants to do a huge sale on the blog but she does not have an online banking option. If you buy from her sale, would you guys be comfortable making payments via cheques or dd? Also, please think about it and then answer. Her’s is a HUGE sale and it would take me almost a whole day to put it up. It would really cost me time and energy. Do let me know what you think.- Rati

Sarah, this one is for you.

What is Lotus herbals Natural kajal?
100% natural kajal that relaxes & soothes eyes through the day. Smudge-proof & long lasting, it contains botanical extracts of camphor & almond oil to pamper eyes & promote lash growth.

Price : Rs 115 (Indian Rupees)

Kajals make a staple part of my makeup routine. I have been using kajals/ surmas since childhood so to me, differentiating between one kajal to other becomes pretty easy. As far as cosmetic kajals go, I have used Lakme, Biotique kajal, Himalaya kajal, Shehnaz Hussain’s Kajal and Lotus Kajal. I would say Lotus’ is the the best Kajal I have come across.

Lotus Herbal Kajal

• It does not smudge on my eyes. A lot of people say it smudges on their eyes but it does not smudge on mine.
• The camphor cools my tired-burning eyes after hours of working on computer.
• Comes in a comfortable bullet packaging.
• It gives a nice shine to my eyes.
• I like the packaging.
• It is very black, which I like.

Cap and Swatch

My only problem with this kajal is that it comes with this tiny cover. The probability of losing it is pretty high and then my whole kajal is going to go for a waste.

Would I purchase this product again?

Heck, yes! This is my Holy Grail kajal.

IMBB Rating : +0.5

Here are the addresses for Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh region for Lotus Herbals.

Note: The product shown in this entry has been purchased by me.

Read Indian Makeup and Beauty Blog review on Lotus Herbal Nail Paints