REVIEW:  Tingez Green Tea Face Wash

Ok, so being a person with a combination to oily skin type, I've tried my hands on quite a lot of face washes that are available in the market to find 'The One'! But this quest to find the right face wash has often been disappointing. I either had breakouts, or my skin felt extremely dry and lifeless. In other words, the products I used were ok-ok. So, I decided to move forward with my quest and try the Tingez Green Tea Face Wash.

Green tea has been proven to aid skincare and help detoxify and rejuvenate the skin from the inside. It is, in fact, the core ingredient in many skincare products available in the market. But Tingez face wash claims to be 100% paraben and sulphate free, so I had to try this one and the results were amazing!

About The Brand

According to the brand: "Tingez is an exceptional brand family of skin care & well being products made using Kookkal Topical Grade™ green tea powder, rich in Catechins, and exclusive to our formulations. The Tingez range is specially designed to mitigate the harmful effects of environmental exposure such as sunlight, pollution, toxins etc and arrest the decline of optimum skin functioning."

Product Description

The brand states: "An exceptional skin care product made exclusively with the catechin rich kookkal tropical grade green tea from the Nilgiris mountain in South India. Catechins provides wonderful sun protection and anti-aging benefits to skin keeping it moist smooth and flexible by preventing the break down of collagen & elastin whiich is essential for keeping the skin young and healthy. Tingez facewash also provides healing benefits to sensitive skin."

• The main attribute about the face wash is that it is sulphate and paraben free. Sulphates are known to remove the skin from its essential moisture and are basically harsh on the skin, especially your face as the skin here tends to be quite sensitive than the rest of the body. 

• It is an all-organic, Vegan, all-natural product and is does not have any animal derivatives as well.

• The second major quality about this product is that it's key ingredient is green tea that has been exclusively sourced from the Nilgiri mountains. So, you can be sure that it is the best source of green tea that you'll be getting in the product.

Packaging

• The Tingez Green Tea face wash comes in a traditional white squeezy tube with a flip open cap which is, off course, travel friendly. 

• It costs for Rs. 349 for 100 gm of product. But I got it for Rs.199 at a discount from purplle.com You can click this link to purchase the face wash.

My Take 

The face wash has a runny gel like consistency. It is light brown in color and does not lather like other soaps or face washes because it is in fact free of soap and harsh chemicals. It also has a strong green tea fragrance to it which is quite earthy and gives you that feeling of using an all organic and natural product.

The product is quite smooth on the face. It glides on well. A little amount goes a long way. It removes all the dirt and impurities and doesn't dry out the skin. So, I'm sure people with a dry skin type will love it as well. 

It is in fact quite mild and soothing. I take a small amount and massage it on my face for a good minute and then rinse it off.

My skin feels fresh, hydrated and clean. It deep cleans the impurities , dirt and pollutants that have accumulated on your face during the day. My face definitely felt light and rejuvenated.

Green tea is said to have active anti-oxidants that help detoxify the skin. And using it on your face also helps in tightening and brightening of the skin. 

There have been instances where I had to put on heavy makeup for hours at a stretch, especially during parties or events that ran late. I was afraid that my skin would breakout. But after I removed off my makeup with a makeup remover, I used the Tingez Face Wash and it helped cleanse my skin so well and I had absolutely no breakouts!

I have been using this face wash regularly for 5 months now and I can say that I have definitely seen a reduction in breakouts, pimples and acne. I used to get dry patches every time there was a season change, but that has reduced too. My skin feels soft, refreshed and clean. I have a sensitive skin and the face wash claims to be excellent for sensitive skin types. It totally lives up to its claims. 

All in all I'm in love with this face wash as it has done wonders for my skin and my skin has never felt so alive and fresh in years. The price is definitely on the higher side but it is a guaranteed effective product. So if you ever get your hands on it, (if you're lucky enough to find it in stock!) do try it on and let me know your experience in the comments below.

Pros

• Organic, Vegan, Sulphate and Paraben free.

• Contains good quality Nilgiri grade green tea.

• Soap free, mild on the skin.

• Does not dry out the skin after use.

• Reduces pimples, acne and breakouts from cosmetics.

• Suitable for sensitive skin types and dry skin types as well.

• Travel friendly.

• Detoxifies the face helps reduce skin problems.

Cons

• If you do not enjoy strong earthy scents, you may not like the green tea fragrance.
• Is expensive as compared to other face washes in the market.
• Only available online. Try purplle.com or tingez.com.

Would I Recommend?

A 100% yes. This face wash has done wonders for my skin with off course regular use. It is, however, on the costly side but can be obtained on a discount from purplle.com. But, I believe for those people who've been suffering from various skin problems and have been investing in even costlier products that are laden with harsh chemicals, this product can help you overcome your skin woes to a certain extent. After all it is green tea in its most luxurious form!  

Easy Guide to Contouring and Highlighting Your Face

Contouring is one makeup routine that everyone is always quite confused off, even me. But after trying out a handful of different tips and tricks, I can say with certainty that I have overcome quite a lot of my flaws. So, it's safe to say that I can guide you through an easy contouring routine that is simple and basic as can be, especially if you're a beginner or a newbie.

Contouring is really not that difficult as it seems on the internet. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes almost a daily routine due to the results it has on your face. 

The Basics

For good contouring and highlighting techniques, it is necessary to really understand the purpose behind why it is done:

• The whole contouring process is a means of giving your face a sculpted look. It helps hide under eye dark circles or any other dark areas on your face, camouflages your double chin to give the look of a sculpted sleek jaw, and also uplifts your cheeks for a more thinner looking face.

• Firstly highlighting and contouring are two separate parts of a process. Highlighting brings out the features of your face that you would like to emphasize more. These are the areas under your eyes, on your forehead between your brows, down the bridge of your nose, around the corners of your nose (if they tend to be dark or red), your cupid's bow and slightly on your chin. These are places where the light hits your face. So emphasizing them through highlighting brings them out.

• Contouring, on the other hand, recedes the features that you wish to hide. It creates a false shadow that helps to hide or uplift different features of your face depending on where you apply the contour shade. For eg., Applying a  contour shade on the areas right underneath your cheeks, creates a shadow that gives the appearance of an uplifted cheek bone. Whereas, contouring the area right on your jawline (sides) helps hide a double chin and gives a more sculpted look to your face.

Contour and Highlighting Map

• Thus, contouring is adjusted accordingly to your needs and gives you a healthy sculpted look.

• For highlighting, it's preferable to use a color that is two to three shades lighter than your natural skin tone and, likewise, for contouring use a color that is two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone.

Easy Method For Contouring and Highlight:

Highlighting:

• The areas where you will be applying your concealer/ highlighter shade are the areas you want to bring out.

• You start out by drawing an inverted triangle under your eyes. This is for hiding any dark circles that you may have.

• The next area is on the forehead between your eyebrows and slowly dragging a line from it down the bridge of your nose, i.e. where the bone is.

• Next, you highlight your chin area just below your mouth by drawing a circle or an inverted triangle, whichever suits you best. 

• Optional: You can also use the highlighting shade under your eyebrows to highlight them and give your brows a sharper look. This also helps hide those stray hairs if you haven't had the time to get your eyebrows plucked.

• Blend everything using a concealer brush in circular motions or by lightly tapping your fingers. You could also use a damp Beauty Blender/ Makeup sponge for a more smoother finish.

• After blending away the highlighter, use a compact powder/loose powder on your concealer brush and set all the areas that you have highlighted to prevent the product from settling in your fine lines.

Contouring:

• For giving your cheekbones an uplifted and chiseled look, create a hollow in your cheeks by pulling your cheeks in with a strong pout. This is where your cheeks end. Start contouring with the darker shade from where your earlobes start, bringing the color down along the hollow that you've created towards the middle of face. End just in the middle of your face. (For reference stop along the axis where the centre of your eyes are) You don't want to go too far or it will look too much. Now blend the contour upwards using an angled contour brush or a simple contour brush by gently tapping first and then using sliding motions to blend the product away, concentrating the contouring more towards the start of your earlobes. 

• For hiding your double chin and sculpting the face even more. Draw a line along the sides of your jawline. Blend the lines in a downward motion towards your neck by sliding the brush along your jawline. 

• The next area is for people with a higher foreheads. In order to create an illusion of a shorter forehead, draw a thin line along your hairline. Blend it out by using your brush in an upwards direction towards your hairline.

• For slimming down your nose, draw two very thin lines along the sides of the bridge of your nose and gradually blend it with your fingers. Do not use a brush for this.

• Blend everything out until you get a smooth contour.

• If you do go overboard with your contour, don't worry, just use a loose powder/ compact on a large fluffy brush over the areas you have contoured to counteract it and lighten it out. 

Please note that I wasn’t born an expert, I’ve had my share of embarrassing contouring moments by either contouring too heavy or going crazy with the concealer!  I’ve learned it by practice and going through tons of tutorials on YouTube. But trust me, watching a bunch of videos or reading guides on the internet is of no use unless you actually try it on your face. And no one is perfect the first time, it takes practice and it’s no rocket science!

A Quick Note:

All you need to begin with is by studying your face and analyzing your flaws and embracing them nonetheless. Because makeup is temporary and it should not be a means to your happiness. Just hear me out when I say this that no amount of makeup can make you feel happy unless you’re happy with your true self. Learn to accept yourself for who you really are. We all have flaws. Even celebrities that we look up to, have imperfections. It just doesn’t seem that evident through makeup, and that is what makeup does. With that being said, always remember that you’re beautiful, and makeup is just a means of enhancing your true beauty. It’s not the makeup that makes you feel beautiful, it’s the confidence that you carry with it that does wonders.

REVIEW: Kiss Beauty Highlighter and Contour Palette (Affordable Contour Palette)

While I was buying this palette, I was a little skeptical because the price was too low for a contour palette and I didn't quite think the quality would be any good for starters. But you guys recommended this to me and I thought, eh! what the heck, i'll buy it. It's only for Rs. 300, what's the harm, and OMG! was I so wrong! I was shocked at the results.

Product Description:

Well, I couldn't find much about the brand, but apparently it's been manufactured by the Shantou Ying Ji Cosmetics Factory.

The brand says: "Kiss beauty professional makeup highlighter and contour palette is a super delicate light powder formula, extremely perfect fitting skin, moisturizing, perfect concealer while protecting the skin, light color, shading, a box of easily creating three - dimensional facial features, so that make up flawless lasting."

The packaging says: "Super delicate light powder formula, easily create three-dimensional facial features."

Packaging:

• The palette comes in a black and gold box and has a plastic packaging. 

• The palette has a transparent plastic cover which is see through that displays all the 8 shades of the palette.

•  It is a light cream based formula with four concealer and four contour shades.

• It costs Rs. 399 (price varies according to discounts offered at Amazon or eBay) for 25 g of product.

Directions of Use:

For a detailed guide on contouring and highlighting, see my: Easy Guide To Contouring and Highlighting Your Face.

My Take:

After using a handful of contour palettes, I never would imagine a palette to be cheap and good at the same time. But the Kiss Beauty Highlighting and Contour Palette has changed my opinion all together.

This palette is a cream based contouring palette. It has 8 shades ranging from yellow tones to pink followed by warm colors. The formula has a soft creamy texture as the brand claims and it is quite pigmented. 

I used this palette to contour my face for a wedding. 

I'm not quite happy with the concealer shades as they tend to crease a little. But the contour shades are amazing...like truly amazing. I picked up the darkest color of the palette on a contour brush and applied it on to the hollows of my cheek. And Oh my God, I was flabbergasted! 

It blended out so well, I honestly wasn't expecting it to. The color pay off was excellent and damn those contoured cheekbones were on fleek! 

For highlighting, I picked the second shade on the palette, and it went on quite nice on my skin. 

The yellow based lighter shades in the palette can also be used as color correctors under the eyes or other areas on your face that tend to have dark spots. So, this palette is truly multipurpose! And the most important aspect of the whole review, the reason I actually did this, is the fact that despite being a cheap palette it is truly delicate on your skin and also works for sensitive skin. And I can say that because I tend to have a very sensitive skin type.

All in all, for the price I paid, this was a total 'paisa vasool' purchase. All though I was skeptical at first, but thanks to you guys who recommended this to me, I found this to be a totally affordable and excellent contour palette. For people who are new to contouring or those who are looking for a cheap alternative to those expensive palettes in the market, this one's an excellent buy.

Pros

• Super blendable and light.

• Non-patchy and does not drag on your face.

• Gives a soft finish

• Totally affordable

• Smooth and pigmented

• Perfect for everyday use.

• Despite of its cost, it is has a nice quality.

• Can be used on sensitive skin.

Cons

• Concealer shades crease easily.

• A salmon based pink shade could have been included in the palette as well, for counteracting darker under eyes.

Would I Recommend:

Yes, for the cost of the palette and the results, this is a very good purchase. It is by far the most affordable and good contour palette I've come across. So, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to those high end contour palettes, the Kiss Beauty Highlighter and Contour Palette is the best option. 

Where to Buy:

You can find the Kiss Beauty Highlighter and Contour Palette on:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.in/Kiss-Beauty-Highlighter-Contour-Concealer/dp/B019ZUCA5I

eBay:http://www.ebay.in/itm/161975310305?aff_source=Sok-Goog

DIY Face Mask For Oily Skin - Your Natural Homemade Botox 

Today, I've got for you an amazing 1 ingredient face mask that will not only refresh your skin from within, but also tighten and brighten it. This mask is especially good for those who have an oily skin or have large pores.

Egg whites are rich in protein and have been proven to restore the elasticity of skin. An egg contains about 69 different proteins, which have the magical power of reducing fine lines and give temporary relief for the deep ones.

Egg whites are high in collagen and vitamin A (which is essential in the development of products that are able to treat scars or burns). 

Things you Will Need

• 1 Egg (White Part)

• A bowl

• A Blender/ Whisk/ Fork

DIY

Take one egg and crack it into a bowl carefully separating the white part from the yolk, because you will only be needing the white part.

Pour the egg white into a bowl. Now to make this mask you can use a whisk or you can also use a fork. But if you're lazy like me, you can use a cake blender and whip the egg white till it turns frothy and really really stiff. Beating the egg white, eradicates the foul smell.

Now, to check if you have the right consistency, invert the bowl to one side: the egg white should not slide off and it should be able to stay put. 

Application

Take the beaten and stiff egg white onto your fingers and apply it generously in upward motions on the face. Avoid the under eye area and eyebrows. Do not talk or smile while the mask is on your face. Allow the mask to dry for about 15 or 20 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. Dab dry with a towel. Apply a moisturizer immediately to prevent your skin from drying.

You may add a few teaspoons of lemon juice if you want to add a cleansing effect to your mask.

The Result

Soon after you've applied the mask on you skin, you will feel your skin tighten around your cheeks, your forehead and chin. Your skin will ultimately feel young and refreshed. This mask also helps diminish fine lines. Your skin will brighten up and you will be able to see your face's natural glow. 

Some people believe its effects are similar to a short-term face-lift. At the very least egg whites tighten pores and, once rinsed, remove dead skin cells.

Apply this mask once or twice a week for long term effects. 

If you're a vegetarian and you don't eat egg, then this mask is not for you I'm sorry. But do keep a watch for my other natural beauty remedies :)

REVIEW: L'oreal Paris 24Hr Infallible Liquid Foundation

The internet has been raving about the L'oreal Paris 24Hr Infallible Foundation and I, in my quest to find the perfect foundation for me, was tempted to try out this foundation to check out the hype!

Product Description

L'oreal had recently released its Infallible range that includes its 24 Hr Stay Liquid Foundation which comes in 11 different shades to choose from.

According to the brand: 'The L'oreal Paris 24Hr Infallible Foundation is a high coverage, long wear foundation that hides the appearance of fatigue and blemishes. It is a zero compromise foundation with 24 hour stay and maximum coverage. It is totally touch proof, resists extreme humidity and erases imperfections without drying out skin. Now with Hydrating Hyaluron Complex the 24H non-stop formula stays on and feels fresh from day to night. This foundation’s texture is perfect for brush application. It glides over the skin, sets effortlessly and delivers ultimate coverage without a ‘layered’ effect.'

Packaging 

• The foundation comes in a transparent glass bottle which is travel friendly.

• The foundation has an amazing luxury fragrance.

• And, of course, I can not miss the amazing fact that it comes with a pump! Can I get an Amen! Foundations with pumps are just my favorite things.

• It costs Rs. 1325 for 30 ml of product.

• There are 11 Shades available in the market: 

120 Vanilla, 125 Natural Rose, 140 Golden Beige, 145 Rose Beige, 150 Radiant Beige, 200 Golden Sand, 220 Sand, 250 Radiant Sand, 300 Amber, 320 Caramel Toffee, 235 Honey.

Directions of Use

When buying the foundation, for selecting your shade, swatch a small amount of product on your jaw line towards your neck and see if it blends well.  

For application, Take a pump full of product onto the back of your hand and spread it evenly on your face using your fingers. This tends to warm up the product and provides a better coverage. Now use your fingers or a makeup brush to blend the foundation into your skin evenly.

I like to apply the foundation with a buffing brush, that way you get an even coverage. Set the foundation in with a pressed or loose powder to prevent it from creasing or getting into your fine lines.  

My Take 

I have been looking for a holy grail foundation for quite some time now, and all I can say is: Guys, this is the one!

Swatch in the Shade 140 Golden Biege

Swatch After Blending

The first thing that catches my eye about The L'oreal Paris 24H Infallible Foundation is that it comes with a pump, that way you only get the amount of product that you want and don't end up wasting any of it. You don't tend to find many drugstore foundations with a pump provision, so that really clicked with me.

I'm in the shade 140 Golden Biege, and I must say that the color blends so well with my skin tone. It has an excellent medium to high coverage . The minute I applied it on to my skin, I just had to use my fingers to actually blend it in and the end result was just amazing. It had a matte finish and I was lucky enough to skip applying primer, as this foundation sat so well on my face.

The foundation did tend to stay on my face for quite a long time. But after 10 hrs or so, it started to wear out. That really busts out its 24 Hr claim, but it's still much longer than the other drugstore foundations and long enough for a typical daytime look.

L'oreal Paris Infallible Foundation blended into my skin.

The other thing that I liked about this foundation was its luxurious fragrance. I couldn't stop myself from smelling it! The foundation is quite pigmented as I only had to use one pump of the product to get the desired full coverage. It covered up my spots and pimples so well. I have an oily skin type and I was a little skeptic when it said matte finish, but it was neither drying nor too oily on my face; it was perfect. 

The only drawback about this foundation is its price. For a drugstore foundation Rs. 1325 is a little over the top, but many websites like Nykaa, Amazon and Purplle tend to have these discounts, so you can buy it on a comparatively lower price. I personally bought it on discount from Nykaa at Rs.900. 

Pros

• Super blendable, light weight foundation.

• Medium to high coverage.

• Comes with a pump.

• Gives a fresh and dewy look.

• Matte finish.

• Stays on all day long.

• Covers up pimples, spots and acne scars well.

• Travel friendly

• Provides a natural look.

• Suitable for sensitive skin type as well.

Cons

• Price is high for a drugstore foundation.

• Some might find it a bit heavy for everyday use.

Would I Recommend?

If you're willing to spend a little more, then this foundation is actually really good. It stands up to its claims and provides an excellent all day long coverage. The internet hasn't been falling over nothing, this foundation is exceptionally good and I've been loving it since the day I bought it. :)

LATEST LAUNCH: Maybelline The Colossal Kajal Super Black

Kajal is like an absolute necessary item in every Indian girl's vanity. No makeup kit is complete without a good kajal. And while we've been loving Maybelline's Colossal Kajal for quite sometime now, the brand has now come up with a newer more intense version of their well beloved kajal: The Colossal Kajal Super Black. 

Product Description

Maybelline The Colossal Kajal Super Black is the newest addition to Maybelline's Colossal range. According to the brand: 
'It gives you a 2X blacker look in one smooth stroke that stays intense for up to 16 hours! With light absorbing pigments, the formula delivers 2 times more blackness* for double the intensity. Enriched with oil for super smooth application, it glides on effortlessly, adding a rich, glossy sheen color that stays waterproof and smudge-proof for up to 16 hours.'

Packaging

The one thing that I'm loving about this product is it's packaging: Black and Bold, one that completely fits its image and gives this feel of intensity and boldness.

• The product comes in a retractable black pencil form, similar to the previous Colossal Kajal.

• It is convenient to use unlike the typical pencil or cone shaped broad kajals that smudge easily and require constant strokes to get the right color.

• It costs Rs.300/- for 0.35g of product.

My Take

The Colossal Kajal has been my holy grail since day one, and I was super excited to use a newer more better version of my favorite kajal.

The intensity of this kajal was mind-blowing. I did not expect such a wonderful color payoff.  It was jet black like the brand claimed and went on with a matte texture. It glided on smoothly and I only had to apply 2 strokes of the pencil to get that amazing black color. I've been using this kajal for a week now and It did not clump or break which I loved. It is waterproof and smudge proof. 

Maybelline The Colossal Kajal Super Black Swatch

I don't know about their 16 hour claim, but for me, the kajal lasted for 9 hours throughout the day after which I had to take it off with a makeup remover, which is amazing. So, if you're going for an all-day look, this baby is your life savior. This kajal is definitely blacker and more pigmented than their previous one. This is the black every kajal lover dreams of. It works well on the lower water line and just as awesome on the upper eyelid as an eyeliner too. 

Comparison: Left Eye - The Colossal Kajal Super Black, Right Eye - The Colossal Kajal. The difference is evident.
(Note: according to reader's perspective) 

Another wonderful thing about this kajal is that it is scientifically tested which makes it suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens users. 

Pros

• Super jet black and stays on throughout the day.

• Smudge-proof, easy application.

• Excellent matte finish.

• You need only 1-2 strokes to get that intense color.

• Long lasting and brings out the brightness in your eyes.

• Attractive packaging.

Cons

• Costlier than the other kajals available in the market.

Would I Recommend?

Yes, definitely it's a must have. For all of you who've been in love with The Colossal Kajal are definitely going to love this kajal. I love the color that it provides for my eyes. But the price is a tad bit too high as compared to the previous Colossal Kajal which prices at Rs. 200, or for that matter any other kajal alternatives available across the counter. Otherwise, it is a good quality kajal and has lived up to its name and image again! :)