Product review: Max Factor Weightless Foundation -a gem!

I despise foundations as a rule, as they make your face look like a cake begging to be cut. God save you if you are going to spend some time in the sun with foundation on your face, you will be dripping cake ‘frosting’ in no time.

I was so pleasantly surprised when I discovered the Max Factor Weightless Foundation that is a complete revolution when it comes to foundation. When they say weightless, they mean business, I kid you not. It is actually quite great for the day as well as the night, and you can barely make out whether or not it is there on your skin!

Max Factor Weightless Foundation conceals all blemishes and spots easily, and a minimum quantity does the trick just fine. I dab on some Maybelline Clear Glow Compact Power and the effect is absolutely stunning. The skin looks natural without you trying too hard. This foundation by Max Factor is like an answered prayer for those of us who shy away from or detest the ‘fake’ look that foundations bring to our skin.

I have oily skin around the T-zone and this product works for me brilliantly, even if I wear it for long hours, hence I recommend it to others with the same skin condition. Go pick one for yourself at the nearest Max Factor outlet, and you will not be disappointed!

5 Pocket-friendly Daily Skin Care Must-haves

Beauty care is a daily process. you cannot just wake up one fine morning and say that ‘Hey, I have got a special day coming up soon, and I need to look stunning, so let me start today!’ No, it doesn’t work that way. Taking care of your skin is like taking care of a plant, it needs constant and daily care. Here are 5 daily beauty products that are easy and economical to acquire and work wonders on the skin if used regularly.

• Neutrogena Rainbath Shower Gel

Till date I have tried every possible shower gel there is out there in the market and there isn’t one that I have found that can beat Neutrogena’s Rainbath Shower Gel. It has the most refreshing and soothing fragrance that just seeps into your senses and calms you down. There is nothing glamourous looking about this shower gel, and the packaging is pretty modest, however, if you are looking for a revitalising bath, and not some fancy product that will simply sit on your shelf, then Neutrogena’s Rainbath Shower Gel is the right choice to go with. It doesn’t dry out the skin at all, and just one single pump into a loofah makes enough lather that is adequate for a shower. The fragrance is nothing like anything you will ever have experienced!

• Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Body Lotion

Fair Warning: If you do not want to get addicted to a product, then stir clear of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Body Lotion. Trust me, it is the BEST and the most addictive body lotion out there in the market and is extremely efficient. No matter what the season it moisturises your skin for 24 hours straight, and it gets absorbed into the skin so quickly that there is not the slightest sticky feeling after application. Also, it has a nice fragrance that lasts long.

• Neutrogena Sun Screen Lotion

Neutrogena Sun Screen Lotion works very well with oily skin as it has a matte finish and doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky and greasy unlike other sun blocks. It also has a mousturising base, and during summers saves you the trouble of applying a moisturiser. It also has 4-hours water resistant, and lasts for 6 hours otherwise. Simply dab on some compact power over the sun block and you are good to go!

• Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser

Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser is a one of its kind product out there in the market. Although, this doesn’t have to be used daily, I use it once a week, and the results are great. Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser is basically a battery operated vibrating cleanser that has power pads that have to be attached to it, and exfoliate your skin completely. It claims to remove 10x dirt, spots, blackheads, and all sorts of impurities, and it lives upto that claim. After using Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser for about a month or two, you will not have to invest in monthly facials or beauty treatments. Yes, it is that good!

• Vaseline Cocoa Butter Petroleum Jelly

Last but not the least, my favourite lip care product. I have been using Vaseline Petroleum Jelly for almost 5 years now, recently switched to the cocoa butter one, and no complains there. Simply dab on a generous amount of the jelly onto your lips before bead and let it stay overnight. Do this everynight and never again will you have to invest in expensive lip balms and resort to lip healing products. Its as simple as that. However, make sure that you do not use it in the day time, as when petroleum jelly comes in contact with the sun, it turns your lips dark.

Faces: The Eye Pencil that Saves Face

Those of you who have read the ‘About Me’ section of this blog will know that I am a geek writer turned beauty fanatic. However, there has always been this one beauty product that I have been bonkers about even when I was a novice in the make-up department, and that is the eye pencil. I have used every possible brand of eye pencils that are out there in the market, and sadly, there was never a single one that lived up to the whole ‘smudge-free-long-lasting-waterproof’ chorus that the sales ladies would chant out at the store. I have tried Revlon, L’Oreal, Mac, Chambor, Maybelline, and all of them were one HUGE disappointment. I had almost given up, and felt like one of those chicks who say that they are one bad relationship away from adopting a bunch of cats and living alone; only here I was one more bad eye pencil away from giving up and giving in to looking like I had permanent fever.

However, that was before my eyes met their knight in shining armor, and they were the Faces eye pencils, from Canada. The result was my mind=blown! They are undoubtedly the best, and I say best with a heavy heart as even though that is the highest degree of praise something can attain, it is not enough when it comes to describing the eye pencils that Faces has to offer. These pencils are truly waterproof, smudge-proof, long lasting, all that and more! They make my eyes look FAB. It won’t be a stretch to say that if I could leave beauty products on my will, Faces eye pencils would definitely make it to that list.

So far I have tried on the black and the navy blue shade, and my favourite is the navy blue, hands down. Its so good, that its like a particular chocolate cake who’s taste is hard to describe, and you have to taste it yourself to know how good it is. Reasonably priced, the eye pencil won’t take a toll on your purse. Its almost too good to be true, and I am going to buy them all before they hike the prices. Need I tell you to do the same, or are you out of the door already?

Product Review: Maybelline Clear Glow BB Stick

If you are sick of thick, creamy foundations making your face look like a cake begging to be cut, then ditch them and instead opt for the Maybelline Clear Glow BB Stick. For those of you wondering what BB means, it stands for Blemish Balm, or Beauty Balm. Honestly, calling it Beauty Balm is just merely being polite, but it is really a Blemish Balm. However, it does the job, so no complaints there.

Personally, I have an oily skin, which is prone to acne during the not-so-cool time of the month, and so it is virtually impossible for me to use most of the beauty products out there. Thus, I was reluctant to try out the Maybelline Clear Glow BB Stick, but surprisingly it has yielded great results! It claims to be oil-controlling, and it does the job pretty well, especially when paired with Maybelline Clear Glow Compact Power.

Also, the BB Stick is better than the BB Cream when it comes to oily skin if you wish to preserve the matt finish for a longer period of time. The Maybelline Clear Glow BB Stick is available in two shades; one is 02 Radiance for a fair complexion, and 04 Fawn for an olive to darker complexion.

The best part of the BB Stick is that it doesn’t give a heavy feel to your skin, and instantly covers up spots and the appearance of pores. However, owing to the climatic conditions, I don’t rely on the SPF 21 PA+++ claim, and choose to apply Neutrogena’s sunscreen beforehand.

Maybelline Clear Glow BB Stick has been reasonably priced at Rs 250, and the Maybelline Clear Glow Compact Power at Rs 175. These are the current prices since I bought these products just last week. Also, the size of the stick makes it extremely travel friendly, and can also fit into the pocket of your jeans! However, the BB Stick doesn’t really control the shine for 12 hours, but it is still better when compared to other similar products.