Holiday 2014 Sephora Favorite "Makeup Must-Haves Beauty Essentials" Kit: Quick Review and swatches!!!

Holidays are here, finally! :-) Given that I came back from vacationing in India not that long ago, I don't feel like "Holiday"; yet! But I am going for a short trip soon, so I am slowly getting into the holiday groove. This is the time of the year when beauty-market is filled with holiday edition products from all the different cosmetics brands. I am usually good at holding back temptations but at imes a good deal is just too hard to pass on!

Makeup Must-Haves Beauty Essentials Sephora Favorite kit exclusive to Sephora inside JC Penny was such a deal for me :-) These "Sephora Favorite" kits are made of their best-selling products. I have successfully tried a few kits. Sometimes all the products in the kit may not suit you or may not be 100% useful or even worth the money; but they give you a GREAT chance to test out different products at a much better price and size.

Among all the irresistible kits that were displayed at the store,  this one stood out the most because 4 out of 6 products are Full-Size at a total price of $39. All the items are interesting and luckily are not presently in my collection. The total value of this is $122. The geeky, nerdy girl in me was very excited to do the calculation and break it down for you.

Product	Full-Size Amount	Full-Size Price	Amount in Kit	Value
Bite Beauty Lipstick	0.15 oz.	$24	2g/0.07 oz.	$11.2
They are real Mascara	0.3 oz.	$23	1.42 g/0.05 oz.	$3.83
Smashbox BB Cream	1 oz.	$39	1 oz. (Full-Size)	$39
Urban Decay Eyeshadow	0.05 oz.	$18	1.5g/0.05 oz. (Full-Size)	$18
NARS Blush	0.15 oz.	$30	4.8 g/0.05 oz. (Full-Size)	$30
Stilla Eyeliner	0.016 oz.	$20	0.5 ml/0.016 oz. (Full-Size)	$20

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick (in "Palomino"): It is one of my favorite brands, so I am going to start with it. Their rouge lipsticks are very moisturizing, extremely pigmented and have super impressive staying power. The color range they have is also very wide. I loved "Palomino" - it's a bright bold deep-pink color. I did have this shade in another Mini Double Ended Lipstick but I know I am going get use out of this. The packaging is pretty and sturdy! And how cute and adorable is this tiny bullet anyway :-)

Benefit Cosmetics "They Are Real Mascara": This is such a popular product. It performed just "ok" for me though. The bristles are of stiff plastic which is not really my cup of tea. Staying power was good! The consistency is also ok! But I am NOT really "wow"ed by it. It did not give me the "They are real" effect that I was hoping for!

Smashbox BB Cream (in "Light"): I have heard good things about this and I liked using it. The consistency was good and easy to apply with my beauty blender type makeup sponge. It lasted the entire time without any oxidization! However, the shade is a little light for me so I need to mix  it with my other darker bases. But other than that it was a good first experience.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow (in "Sin"): Other than the Naked Palettes, UD products in general was never exciting-enough for me. But after I received a few free samples like their lipsticks, setting spray, I have started to view the brand in a whole new light! "Sin" is a very popular shade in Urban Decay's arsenal. An absolutely gorgoreous color! It is a shimmery champaigne color with a light pink undertone. Swipe accross and there you have stunning shining lid; appropriate for work or for daytime. It can also be used as a inner corner and cheek highlighter too. I used it with UD Primer Potion and it lasted 7-8 hrs before fading! Not a bad performance for the first use!

NARS Blush (in "Orgasm"): Whoo!! Controversial name but the whole beauty world is filled with stellar reviews for this product in this particular shade. I never understood the hype and love for this product, especially after I swatched it in the store (on my hand though!). It always appeared to have so much glitter in it; I was scared to even imagine how it will look on the cheeks. But after I gave it a try today, I have changed my opinion. I am really liking the glowing effect it has been giving me. "Orgasm" is a beautiful peach color with an orange undertone and whole lot of micro glitter. Holidays demand glitters, right!!?

Stilla Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner (in "Black"): I have been wanting to try this product for forever and now that I have tried I think it is worth the hype. And when they say waterproof they mean "WATERPROOF"! It's kind of a permanent marker for your eyes until you apply a waterproof makeup remover. I tried using water to remove the hand-swatch after 4-5 hrs of use and it did not budge. It is a pen-type liquid eyeliner with a decent length tip (just like my beloved Lakme Eyeliner). The finish is semi-glossy! Overall, first impression has been great! I love when this type of poplar product performs exactly the way I expect it to.

Oh, I forgot to talk about the make up bag. I love collecting these. They are especially handy for gifting purpose when I go home (to India) for vacation. This is a decent size bag in a bautiful matallic bronze color. If you dont carry a pile of makeup with you while travelling, this would be prefect; it is also nice to put into in your handbag for daily use. 

As you can already tell, I have been pretty happy to realize that I made a good investment in this kit. I also love that all the products make this a very comprehensive kit. Apart from the lower lashline and the bronzer, everything I used in this look is from this kit. You really can achieve an elegant look just by using this set. My nearest Sephora inside JC penny still have a plenty of this left. I really think it will be a very useful gift for someone who is just starting with makeup :-)

Happy holidays, folks!

Love,

~Arrru

Ash Gourd and Chickpeas with Alkali ( কোমোৰাৰ আগ আৰু বুটৰ সৈতে খাৰ)

Life has been hectic past few months! I had a very busy trip to India; before and after that I lived in different cities for different projects. Among all that, I have not been able to find time as well as inspiration to cook much at the comfort of my own kitchen!

Anyway, you guys know that I love authentic Assamese cuisine. One of the major reasons for that is my mother’s awesome cooking! Her style of cooking is simple and very fast and her dishes are never boring no matter how many times she prepares them! When I went to India in 2013 for vacation, I did not really have much chance to gorge on mom-made awesome food, but for this trip I made sure that I don’t miss any lunch and dinners at home among my cozy little family :-) There have been pigeon meat, duck curries, pork fries, different type of freshwater fish and lot of pitha-laru (delicious sweet snacks loved by every Assamese)! I have every intention of sharing all these recipes but let's first start with something green and healthy :-) This sabji (curry) is one of the many tricks my mom uses to jazz up an otherwise boring vegetarian meal! It's definitely different than the vegetarian recipes that I can prepare here in USA.

Ingredients: Young/budding leaves and vines of Ash Gourd tree (not the best description so please refer to the picture below :-)), Chickpeas (white ones known as Kabuli Boot or Brown ones known as Desi Boot in Assam), Ginger Paste, Pasfuron, Dry Red Chilies, Khar (alkali solution. you can also substitute it for Baking Powder), Salt, fresh Green Chilies. Turmeric powder is NOT needed.

1. Soak the chickpeas in water for at least 2-3 hrs.

2. We need to clean up the leaves and the stems. First peel away the outer layer (which is also covered with short coarse hair) of the stems and chop them into medium or to your preferred size.

3. Heat oil in a pan (I use mustard oil). Add the pasfuron and dry chilies.

4. Add the vegetables and chickpeas. Keep stirring.

5. Add ginger paste, you may add a clove of garlic if you want.

6. Add the khar/baking powder and salt.

7. When you can start seeing the vegetables have started to melt add the green chilies. This gives a fresh aroma to the sabji. Keep stirring.

8. This sabji does not really need a lot of time to cook. Add a little bit of water and bring to heavy-thick gravy like consistency.

9. Serve with rice, roti, bread or with whatever you wish for.

10. The other side-dish you see in the plate (at the bottom) consists of the vegetables seen on the picture at the side :-) (Very easy to prepare; add the vegetables in a heated oil and keep frying untill it melts with little ginger-garlic paste, that's it.)

In a proper Assamese meal this khar sabji serves as a side dish. :-) I am yet to figure out a grocery store here in USA where I can find these type of green stems so I don't really know when next I am going to taste this sabji again :-) I can only hope :-( 

Love,

~Arrru

BITE BEAUTY Best Bite High Pigment Pencil Set

Value sets, lipsticks and Bite Beauty!!! My 3 current weaknesses together in this cute little tin box :-)

Ever since I got their Luminous Creme Lipstick in Cin Cin (reviewed here) last Spring, I have completely fallen in love with Bite Beauty. I have seen similar sets floating around in beauty blogosphere for quite some time now! So, when I saw this kit reappear in Sephora, I ordered it immediately :-) and I am really glad that I did.

A regular lip crayon from them costs $24 for 0.09 oz. In this kit there are 4 beautiful hues, each of 0.05 oz. (1.48 g) for a total cost of $25. Per oz. costwise, this is a BETTER deal. And I really LOVE that these are deluxe size; that makes me hopeful that I might be able to finish these up at some point :-) 

These lip pencils are very very creamy. It glides on extremely easy and does not bleed. Very long-wearing too!  Each shade is really pigmented. In the packaging the texture is mentioned as modern matte, but I don't find the finish either to be glossy or matte. It has a beautiful gliding sheen, which I am really really loving. Overall, I am very satisfied with the quality. Feel and consistency wise, the lip crayons and the Creme lipsticks appears almost similar to me. However, after 5-6 hours of wear I do feel that it gets a bit drying on the lips.

I love the packaging too! How cute is the tin box, I think I might jump on another similar set just for the box. It also has a good size mirror, which is pretty cool! The lip pencils are housed in Bite Beauty's signature rubberized dark-grey tubes. Very slick! They are automatic, so no trouble of sharpening :-) I love that they are mini size (I said that already :-)), it is so much easier to put it in the purse and run outta home. I also love the color range. You pretty much get all the "must have" colors for your collection. I am a big fan of bold colors, so having 3 bright-er colors in the set surely makes me happy.

Madeira: This is very nude for my skin tone. Still, I can mix it with a brighter lip gloss to make it more wearable. I also love to pair it with classic black smokey eye to achieve a slightly more dramatic look! This definitely will be much more flattering if you have lighter skin tone than mine :-)

Cranberry: This is one of my favorites; unfortunately this is a limited-edition shade. A beautiful vibrant deep red. Different than the the other reds that I have! :-)

Rhubarb: An everyday rosy-mauve no-fuss kinda shade. Everyone needs one of these, one shade that you can wear without thinking if it will match with your eyeshadow, blush or the entire look. I also love the stain it leaves after 4-5 hours of wear.

Quince: This may be one of my top favorite shades from my whole collection. A very deep fuchsia color. Even if it's a bold color, it's not difficult to carry off. When I am having a sick day or if I am not in a very jolly mood, this is the shade I reach for in the hope of cheering myself up. I love how it brightens up my entire face and eventually my mood too! And this is such a flattering color which will look good with every skin tone.

Pros: 

• Excellent value
• Great range of color
• Very moisturizing; Food grade ingredient is an added bonus.
• Very slim. Perfect for carrying it in the purse.

Cons:

• Few of the shades may feel a bit drying after 5-6 hours of wear.
• Limited edition.

This was a limited-edition set sold in Sephora & looks like it is not available anymore. I must tell, if this or any similar set like this from Bite Beauty is available, snag it! If you are just a beginner, this kit has all the color that you need in your arsenal and if you are a pro, this is a deal not to pass up! :-)

There are a lot of interesting holiday lip-sets in the market these days...have you guys tried any? Tell me more; I would love to know... :-)

Love you.

~~Arrru

CK One Color Mascara :: ULTA Free Birthday Gift 2014

I know I am dangerously late in reviewing this product considering my birthday falls in January! 

I discovered Ulta Beauty in last December and I have become a fan! There are definitely some issues like every other store, but I have loved it so far! Mainly for two reasons, 
a) you can find high-end and drugstore products at the same place which is very convenient., 
b) Their "cash-back" Rewards program! 
If you live in USA and have not yet started your obsession with "Ulta Beauty", you need to! Ha ha! But before that do enroll yourself in their free membership program. There are lots of perks that comes with it. One such reward perk is their birthday gift. This was my first year receiving it and I was so happy to learn that it was a Full-size product. :-) For 2014, they offered the CK One Mascara! CK stands for Calvin Klein; (duh... everybody knows that :-) !)

The product weighs 0.31 fl oz. and has a regular price of $18 (which I think is expensive!). It’s a regular black shade. The minimalistic black and white packaging is attractive, but I find it a bit bulky. The black rubbery type material also gets dirty with usage. It has a plastic brush which feels very stiff. One cool thing is that the brush can be adjusted into two positions by just twisting the lid. As listed in Ulta's website "Twist in cap to provide more mascara load for more volume. Twist out cap to define, lift and lengthen. Apply mascara from lash roots to tips. Removes easily with any eye makeup remove." 

The formula is not that bad though; not very dry or wet. I kept it unopened for few months and I loved that it did not really dry up :-) I am a simple natural-lashes kind of girl; this does that! It separates my lashes and gives a decent length to them. After I twist it up into the next position, I see a very very minor improvement which does not really impress me much. So far it has not flaked on me apart from that one time I took a nap during the day :-) The stiff plastic brushes are not very comfortable to use though, it almost hurts my lashes! Unfortunately! :-(

However the good impression on the first trial was totally overturned when I started to wash off my makeup. It took ages and ages to get rid of it, and it’s not even waterproof! I tried with Neutrogena Eye makeup remover which does a pretty good job in removing my other waterproof mascaras. I left scratching, scrubbing and rubbing my eyes but no matter how much I wash; I can still see flakes adhered to my lashes. I feel like I spend FOREVER in removing the mascara. I have tried with coconut and olive oil as well but same result. I really don't want to spend 15-20 minutes in removing eye makeup alone! I love the look the mascara gives me but because of the "removal" process I have stopped using it. Sadly!! :-(

I do not particularly love the mascara but I do HIGHLY appreciate Ulta Beauty for offering a full size product for their member’s birthday. I know it's December already, but if your birthday has not gone yet, go and pick it up, you might like it!!

You can register at Ulta rewards here :-) I can't wait to see what Ulta will offer as 2015 Birthday Gifts...Just a few more weeks to know. :-)

Review: LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant

Ahh! The feeling of finding a product that a favorite YouTuber has been raving about and is also under 10$ in Sephora :-) I don't know about you, but I feel victorious; more so when this happens during Sephora's once-in-a-blue-moon sales :-) I am talking about the LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant.

I bought the travel size product of The Healthy Mini Deodorant in Pure Vanilla at $6 for 0.90 oz. (25 g) during Sephora's 15% spring sale. You can also find it in Lavanilla website. The regular size costs $14 for 1.7 oz. Right now they have a gift set which comes with 2 of these travel size Pure Vanilla deodorants at $14.

First of all, how elegant is the packaging! Simple, classy and quite sturdy! I love the colors of the bottle too! Plus it is a natural product, which is always good thing. As mentioned in their website there are "no Parabens, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, Silicones, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oils, Synthetic Dyes, Sulfates, Chemical Sunscreens, or Aluminum". The scent is to die for! It's very relaxing, moderately sweet and peaceful. (Well, I am not particularly great in describing scent-notes :-) ). It's a white solid type of deodorant; glides on very smoothly, takes just a minute or two to dry and does not transform to the clothing. The longevity is not super impressive though! It gives me decent wear time during my normal work hours or when I am running just a few errands. Based on my experience, I don't think it will be 100 % effective for long time wear during heavy-duty tasks!!   

Lavanilla has different types of deodorent with vanilla as the base scent e.g. Vanilla-grapefruit and vanilla lavender. I think I am going to stick with vanilla original. It's mild, peaceful and very refreshing :-) And I like the size! I have been constantly travelling for my work for last two years and I have unknowingly started to choose travel-size products over regular sized ones. 

Overall, I am definitely happy with the performance when compared against my need and will happily repurchase.What are you all's favorite deodorant? Any suggestions for me? :-)

Love,

~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 2

Woohoo!!! My second empties post!! :-) I believe I am getting better at this; you know in "using up products" :) :) :) Without further awe, let's see what in the list this time :-)

1. When Hope is Not Enough Facial Farming Serum (43 USD for 1 oz.): Philosophy's "Hope in a jar" line of products are very very hyped. I bought a value-set sometime last year. While I was not completely blown away by the entire set, I can definitely vouch for this serum. Unfortunately, the tip of the glass dropper broke and fell into the serum (I have been travelling insanely last few weeks). Hence I had to get rid of this. I am sad that I lost about 1/6th of the product in this process :-(

Anyway, I really LOVEd using it. I am dangerously closing the age of 30, so last year, I finally started incorporating anti-aging products into my skincare routine. I used it every other day. Just a few drops is enough per use. I really feel it has smoothened my skin. I have a few sample serums to finish off first, but I am definitely going to repurchase it. It is pricey, but I feel its worth it.

2. Davidoff Cool Water Gentle Shower Breeze (Price varies depending on the store): I got a Davidoff kit last year as a gift during the holidays which included this shower gel. I love the "Cool Water" fragrance line! I have been using their Eau De Toilette for a few years now. The same exact fragrance; clean, refreshing and performs wonderful as a shower gel. It is a travel size tube, so I generally brought it with me whenever I am on trips spanning 2-3 days :-) May be that is why it took me a lot of time to finish it off.

3. Hope in a Jar Moisturizer for Dry Skin (42 USD for 2 oz): I have reviewed it in my earlier post in details. It is a decent moisturizer; nothing to complain about or nothing to rave about either. It is VERY pricey, and I am not yet sure if I am going to repurchase it. I liked it while it lasted but I think I am still in search of the perfect heavy-moisturizer for my dry skin during the cold chilly moths in the windy city.

4. Bath and Body Works Shower Gel "Moonlight Path": To be honest, Bath and Body Works scents become quite overwhelming for me at times. Even if I like a particular flavour at first, I get bored by the time I finish. But "Moonlight Path" is the first fragrance that I actually loved and enjoyed till the end. Its clean, musky and a little bit sweet but not at all overpowering. (Please keep in mind I am not really good in describing scents :-)) I am definitely buying this again once I can finish it off numerous number of backup shower gels I have with me!

5. Bausch+Lomb Bio True Multi Purpose Solution: Currently I use Bausch+Lomb contact lenses and this is my favorite lens solution. Nothing fancy, but a very much a NEEDED product. :-)

6. Neutrogena Body Oil (Light Sesame Formula): I just reviewed this product here. This is one of my HOLY-GRAIL products. I cannot do without this oil, specially during the winter! And when winter lasts 8 months in a year, it's a saviour. I have gone through many many bottles of these and I am pretty sure I am gonna need many more.

Now only I am realizing that every product here are skincare products. Ha ha!! But hey, I gotta pamper myself from time to time./my skin needs the pampering!

7. Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter (6 USD for 1.7 oz/22 USD for 10.1 oz) This is the first product that I tried from this brand which is originally from United Kingdom. It definitely lived up to its name/hype. It's very thick and have a strong but pleasant fragrance which reads a little medicinal to me; pleasant type of "medicinal", if such thing exists, It really IS moisturizing. Its a little bit too thick for my taste, but I get the moisturizing I want.. so that's fine. :-) Plus, I love the cute little pink pot. Perfect for travelling and very very easy for reusing purpose. I do think that as a moisturizer, it is definitely a little bit costly.I got this in a really good value-set, so I am not complaining.

8. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transforming Face Creme: This was a decent sample tub I received as free gift with a purchase from Sephora. This gave me an excellent chance to try out the product. Unfortunately, I DID NOT become a fan. It was very thin; I love and need a thicker moisturizer! It does not have any fragrance but my skin does not feel as supple as I expected.

9. Tarte Maracuja Oil: This thing is all over beauty blogs and YouTube. I was really excited when I got a kit at $10 with this oil (0.23 fl oz) and an eye cream. This is a very small bottle, but you only need a few drops so it lasted for months. I used it at nighttime during Spring and now in Winter. Its not very heavy or not too thin either. It did give me enough moisturizing for some hours but did not last till the morning. I do have an extremely dry skin. I did repurchase the regular size bottle. But I am not sure if I am going to buy another one after that/this.

10. Nivea Lip Balm "A Kiss of Milk & Honey": LOVE this product. Simple, affordable and very very effective lip balm. One of these is always in my purse. Not a glamorous product but absolutely important.

11. UB Lip Balm: Free stuff from my most recent Alma matter. It was a decent balm, but I guess it has been with me purely for nostalgic reasons.

That's it for today. I seriously hope that I get to play more with makeup in coming days and get some of the items finished.I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading my this post...thanks again for sticking with me till now...

Love you.

~Arrru

Neutrogena Body Oil : The Perfect Body Moisturizer for winter!!!

Come winter and all hell breaks loose for my skin! In general, I have very dry skin and during winter it gets specially dry, parched and flaky! I really need extra help as compared to my regular moisturizer. I discovered this product soon after I came here to USA and I have been religiously using it for last 3 years! In short it is one of my HOLY GRAIL skincare products.

It's a very light-weight moisturizing oil, it is yellow in appearance. I have used both the regular and light version. I find the scent very mild, even in the regular oil! Its very mild scent, I personally don't mind it. There is a fragrance free version too. The oil absorbs quickly, non-greasy and keeps my skin hydrated a few solid hours. I love to use it right when I am out of the shower. And sometimes I do use it for overnight moisturization. 

There are two sizes; 16 fl oz. for $15.99 and 8.5 fl oz. for $7.99. The price however varies with the store. It is available in Ulta, Target, Walgreens, Walmart etc. It surely is a well-valued product. I love the packaging, its simple and sturdy. However, while travelling you really need to seal it very very tight, otherwise it spills everywhere. 

I love LOVE product. I have gone through many many tubes of this and I am sure I will be needing many more of this.What moisturizer do you use for winter? I am always interested in suggestions :-)

Love,

~Arrru