I went crazy shopping on body shop website during the 50% sale. I had been eyeing the blueberry range since it was launched but did not want to spend unnecessarily. But with 50% off, it is all affordable now.
Another range that I love is the Ginger Sparkle. I hate ginger in my food but love the Body Shop range. Love the spicy smell.

I bought:
- Ginger sparkle gift set
- Blueberry body scrub
- Blueberry body lotion
- Cramberry reed diffuser set

Blueberry body scrub: MRP Rs 1195. Got it for 50%
I have been drooling all year over this. It smells so delicious. But did not want to spend 1k on a scrub. And now I bought it. After this, I am set till 2015 and do not need any more body scrubs.

Blueberry body lotion: MRP Rs 695. 250 ml. 

Needed a body lotion and picked this up for 50% off. 

Cranberry reed diffuser: MRP Rs 2595
I have become obsessed with the house smelling nice and have placed a reed/oil diffuser in the living room, bedroom and bathroom. I have the cranberry diffuser oil (picked it up 50% off in the previous sale) and it smells awesome. So, I had to buy this one. Expensive even after the discount.

Ginger Sparkle gift set: MRP Rs 2495
Last year Body Shop launched their X'mas collection which had vanilla, ginger and cranberry ranges. I became obsessed with the vanilla range specially the bath gel. Then I tried the ginger one and vanilla was soon forgotten. Had to pick this up at 50%.

It includes :
Body butter 50 ml

Shower gel 250 ml

Body scrub 75 ml: And now I don't need a scrub till 2016

 A cute heart shaped soap

How cute is the container...

Really like Body Shop service. 2 days after ordering I mailed them asking when it was getting shipped. An executive called in the next hour and informed me. The order reached the very next day. Hope they keep this up. 

I started using a body wash when I had to travel daily and carrying a soap was not convenient. I have been hooked since... sure, they are expensive but do not dry out the skin like soap and smell awesome.
Finally, I have found my favorite body washes. The best part is they come in sooooo many fragrances and I plan to try each one.

Here they are... body wash by Sephora. MRP is Rs 400 for 140 ml.

They are more expensive than Body Shop which costs Rs 425 for 250 ml. But Body Shop's fragrance does not last. They smell good only in the bottle... I cannot smell it on the skin. And for some reason, I tend to use more quantity in the bath. So, they don't even last long. Also, the pump pack means that the shower cream cannot be used fully... some of it gets left in the bottle and is out of reach.

I have already used chocolate, mango and vanilla and bought coconut and blueberry.

The product is very thin and very little quantity is needed to lather up making them last atleast a month or two. Plus, they smell awesome in the bath.
I am loving them!!!

Hellos... am back after many, many days. Not because I had nothing to blog about... in fact, some of the empties have been lying around for months for their reviews. But before that, let me show you what I purchased today. Sephora has opened in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon... after months. I would wonder how much rent they were paying for a store which was not yet open. The 1st time I went to Sephora was because everyone was doing so... I did buy stuff but none of it was what I really wanted. These brands were on my wishlist:
- Make Up Forever
- Benefit
- NYX
- Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo

Unfortunately, they were all so over priced that I gave up. Instead I have discovered new brands.
This is what I bought:

- Body Wash from Sephora- coconut and blueberry. MRP Rs 400 each
- Kama herbal hair wash powder. MRP Rs 425
- Kama vanilla and oatmeal soap. MRP Rs 395
- Nail paint from the face shop. MRP Rs 100 (not kidding)
Got the samples of Kama hair intensive treatment free. It is basically an oil.

And bought hand sanitise from The Body Shop for Rs 350. I love their hand sanitisers... they last long and smell good. This is my second bottle.

Kama is a new brand in Sephora. I am glad because I wanted to try it out. 

I just received my Vellvette box and am very happy with their delivery timeline this month.

It is a navy blue bag this time which contains the following:
- Full size products of Vantiv lemon shower gel- MRP Rs 214 for 180 ml
- Full size Vantiv moisturising shampoo- MRP Rs 187 for 250 ml
- Florelle wet and dry blush - MRP Rs 750
- Origins make a difference rejuvenating treatment lotion - MRP Rs 2000 for 150 ml

I have mixed feelings about the bag. I like the navy blue bag which will come handy. The shampoo and body lotion are manufactured by some company in Dehradun. Isn't the bag supposed to contain only 'premium' products?
I could not find any reviews for the Florelle blush online.
Thankfully, for Origins I did find reviews but the it is just a sample size. Don't know how long it will last.

I am wondering if the bag is worth the 500 bucks I am paying.

I don't understand how other bloggers can rave and appreciate these products. It has become a fad without actually evaluating anything.

Where have the Clarins, Clinique, Dior products gone? 

I have/am going to finish so many products this month that I decided to blog about them.

1) Nivea lemon and oil body wash: MRP Rs 165 for 250 ml. I bought this for my brother when he had come to stay for a few days. I would never have tried it otherwise. After he left, I used it to finish it off. A good product. It smells of lemon (obviously) and lathers well. It also consists of small yellow beads giving it an attractive look. The bottle is travel friendly and the flip cap does not open up while travelling.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. Why not.

2) The Nature's Co Peppermint face wash: MRP Rs 325 for 125 ml. I bought this when Vellvette sent me a coupon for a spa at their store. I visited their store in R City, Ghatkopar. This was a forced purchase. Details here. Anyway, I have been using it for the past few months. The face wash is for oily skin. It is slow to lather specially if face is already oily and smells like spirit... you know, the product which doctors use to disinfect before giving an injection. Yuck!!! On applying, it tingles in a good way. After washing the skin does not feel squeaky clean... it does not feel dirty but I don't get the squeaky sound which is a test of cleanliness. This may not be a bad thing but I am so used to judging cleanliness by this that I prefer it that way. The face wash is ok. Nothing great. And the price is a hindrance for me.
Will I re-purchase? No.

3) Baby Lips Coral Crush: MRP Rs 125. The Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms do stand out in the market. I have bought one in every shade. Finally, I finished 1 lip balm and can now open a new pack. They make my lips smooth and keep them moisturized. They did not work when my lips became very dry and damaged but I think that was an extreme reaction to some lipstick. For regular usage, they are good but if you are looking for specific care/concern this may not be the ideal product.
Will I re-purchase? Of course.

4) Clinique Clarifying Lotion : MRP Rs 1400 for 200 ml. This toner has lasted me for around 2 months. The brand does have a bigger bottle which is cheaper but would be difficult to carry while travelling. This bottle is sturdy and travel friendly. I wish they had 100 ml bottles to carry while travelling. The SA at the store told me it is a clarifying lotion. It tones but also removes dead skin cells. I wish I could see the effect on my skin. Earlier, I used Vichy Normaderm toner. I don't think Clinique lotion has made any significant difference to my skin. It did not stop breakouts (I get 1 pimple every month). I soak a cotton with the lotion and dab onto my face. The product tingles a little and may burn if there is a cut on skin. Also, it has a lot of alcohol and smells like it. I am so confused... the SA at Clinique tells me that alcohol is good for skin while the one at Keihl's tells me that it is not good for sensitive skin. Arrgh!!! I am still trying to figure it out.
Will I re-purchase? No. I will be trying Keihls caldula toner next.

5) Garnier deo Absolute Dry: This is my favorite antiperspirant. MRP Rs 150 for 150 ml. It is a little expensive compared to other deos in the market but I love it. Earlier, my underarms would smell and the deodorant (Fa, Charlie, Reebok) would add to the smell and make it worse. Plus, they started making my underarms dark. Oh, how I hated those days. Then, I discovered Garnier deos. I do not smell at all now. The deos does not smell too great but it is not bad. The point is that it does its job well. It does not darken my underarms and I am so glad.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. I have been using this for years and have not even tried any other deo.

6) Bourjois magic nail polish remover: MRP Rs 400 (I think, it has been months since I bought this). This nail polish remover reduced my nail care time drastically. No more turning off the fan... soaking cotton... closing the lid fast so that the remover does not disappear... rubbing.. rubbing... and then repeating for each nail. You just have to dip your nail and turn 1-2 times and ta da... nail polish gone. It has a very sweet fragrance which gets on my nails. I don't always like the fragrance. The liquid is non sticky. I have been using it for months and it got ruined when I used it to remove glitter nail paints. Now, I am using it to remove only glitter nail paints and Colorbar ultimate nail polish remover (similar one minus the smell) for regular nail paints.
Will I re-purchase? Maybe not. I think the Colorbar one is better ... it does not have the fragrance.

7) The Body Shop Satsuma Body Mist: MRP Rs 745 for 100 ml. It smells just the way I like it... like fruits. I prefer fruity fragrance to anything else. It has lasted me months. I apply it on my body after a bath and it smells good. On the downside, it is a mist so cannot be applied on clothes. Plus the lasting power is low. You can smell it as soon as I apply it but not later.
Will I re-purchase? I don't know. I am using the Victoria's Secret body mist and it lasts slightly longer.

8) Sally Hansen Insta Brite: Rs 775 for 13.3 ml. Yep, it is damn expensive. I bought it 'coz my nails were yellowing due to excessive use of nail polish. I thought this would help. But nope. It is the biggest disappointment. I apply it before nail polish but it is transparent and does not whiten the nails or cover up the yellowing at all. Hate it. Have used it as base coat to finish it off.
Will I re-purchase? No. I am trying out Inglot nail whitener.

9) Colorbar nail polish remover. MRP Rs 125 for 110 ml. I am a fan of this product and this brand. This is the best nail polish remover I have used. It beats Lakme also. It removes nail paints quickly. The bottle is plastic and travel friendly. It is also acetone free.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. Have started using the next bottle.

10) Kerastase Elixir Ultime: MRP Rs 2300 for 125 ml. It is very expensive but I bought it at a discount. Love this product. It smells of coconut which I do not like but the fragrance does not linger. 2 pumps are required to cover the entire hair. It gives a healthy shine and reduces frizz. I use it on towel dried hair and apply more on the ends than on roots. If used too much, it may make the hair look oily but does not feel sticky at all. If there is one product you can splurge on, this should be it.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. I already have a back up bottle.

11) Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara: My sister sent me this sample along with other goodies from USA. It has lasted me months. I love it. It gives volume and length to lashes. I would love to buy the full product if I already didn't have so many mascaras. Someday... when I finish off my current stash.

I am a big of Lush... even the store guy at Kurla store knows me well. He has a knowing smile on this face when I enter. I feel so guilty.
I have been trying out their soaps currently. I don't buy the same once twice... why should I when there are so many options to choose from?

Rockstar soap:
I am currently using this soap. It costs between Rs 300-400 for 100 gm and lasts about a month. Lush soaps generally do not last too long since they are very soft and melt easily.
It is bubblegum flavoured and for kids. Yep... I bought a kids soap. I love the smell... so bubblegummy.
It feels soft on the skin, glides easily and foams well.
The only problem is that the fragrance does not last beyond the bath. As a trial, the soap is wonderful but I will not re-purchase.

Honey I washed the kids soap:

This soap is meant for dry skin and I have normal skin (body... face is very oily) but I could not resist the smell of honey. Priced at Rs 380 for 100 gm, it is worth every penny. It feels soft on the skin... foams well... and the honey smell lingers after the bath.

I found the honeycomb at the end a little irritating but it can be removed. 

Generally, with soaps like these cleaning is not effective... meaning, you don't feel squeaky clean. Thankfully, that is not the problem with Lush soaps. They all make me "squeaky clean". 

Bohemian: 

This was the first soap I tried... I was attracted to the lemon scent. It is not as soft as the above soaps but does its job well. Priced at Rs 300, it is one of their cheapest soaps... and lasts longer than the others. 

Try it if you like lemon scent. It is a light yellow coloured soap with a lemon shaped design.

Dirty:
Yep... thats the name of the soap. It is a men's soap but I love it. This is my favourite (along with honey). It has a mint fragrance and feels cool on the skin. I swear... my skin felt cool and tingled (like when mint is applied). It is perfect for the summer. I don't remember the price and it is not available on Lush India website. MRP should be between Rs 300-400. The fragrance lasts after the bath also.
I will definitely re-purchase this one.

Most websites suggest that the soap should be chopped up into smaller pieces... they will last a longer time. I haven't tried it yet... but will do so next time.

Note- All pics taken from Lush websites. 

I have so many empty bottles lying around for the past 1 month. Today I have decided to review them and throw away the empties.

Forest Essentials is a brand I have been reading a lot about on beauty blogs. Its not a brand I would have gravitated towards normally since it is expensive and available at exclusive outlets. But the reviews pulled me towards it. The brand has Ayurveda products priced at Rs 500 and above.

I normally try a  face wash or body wash or face mask of a new brand... since my skin is sensitive and I don't like changing my moisturizer.

Forest Essentials has gift packs as well. I decided to pick up one which has 6 bottles of tiny sizes.



Each bottle is 50 ml and priced around 225 bucks. The box cost me 1300 bucks. The last bottle is missing 'coz I threw it away once it was over. It makes for a good gift. You can pick and choose which products you want in the box.

I picked the below:

- Hair conditioner- Rose

- Shower wash- Honey and Vanilla

- Shower wash- Indian Rose

- Shower wash- Jasmine and Mogra

- Facial cleanser- Lemon and Rosemary

- Bath and Shower Oil- Indian Rose

Hair Conditioner- Rose: I don't like floral smells. None of my perfumes have a floral fragrance. I prefer a fruity fragrance. But Ayurveda products are mostly floral based. This conditioner has a strong Rose smell which I liked (surprisingly).



The conditioner is white in color. I applied it after shampoo and..... it made my hair rough. There was no smoothening effect instead they became more entangled.



I was surprised. It is the worse conditioner I have ever used. I checked the reviews online... they were few but all of them positive. The next time I visited the mall I complained to the store. In the evening the SA called me and asked me to pick up something else for free. According to her there was probably some issue in the product. I had already thrown away the bottle by then but did appreciate the gesture.

Shower Gel: Honey and Vanilla. MRP Rs 195. It smells of honey and vanilla. A very strong smell which I like. What I don't like is how mild it is. I need to use more quantity and since it is pricey... it ends up being very expensive. Also, the bottle is not travel friendly.



Shower gel: Indian Rose. MRP 195. It has a strong Rose smell which is very pleasing (I don't generally like the Rose fragrance). It is also very mild.



Shower Gel: Jasmine and Mogra. MRP Rs 195. It has a strong Jasmine fragrance but it is also very mild as a shower gel.





Facial cleanser- Honey, Lemon and Rosewater. MRP Rs 250. It has a Rose fragrance. I like a face cleanser which gives me a squeaky clean feeling.... after washing, my face should feel squeaky clean. This face wash fails to give that. It is also mild and I need to use more quantity to get a clean feeling.



Bath and Shower Oil- Indian Rose. MRP is Rs 340. It can either be added water while bathing or as a moisturizer after bath. I have not tried the latter since my skin is oily. I add it to my bath. A few drops are enough to make the bathroom smell like roses. I love this. It is expensive but will last me quite sometime... maybe a few months since a little is enough.



What I don't like is the packaging. It has a cap which has to be either be removed with nails (it damages my nail paint) or the cap can be discarded or a hole can be made in the plastic, transparent cap. The last 2 options makes it a bad travel pack. The face wash always leaks out when I carry it in my bag.



Pros of Forest Essentials products:

- Ayurvedic... most ingredients are natural

- Paraban free

- No animal testing (I am not very finicky about this... even medicines are animal tested.. it is unavoidable)

- Very strong floral fragrance

- Mild - making it suitable for sensitive skin and people who do not like too many chemicals

Cons

- Expensive

- Mild (I do not like  mild products) making it expensive

- Fragrance may be a problem for those who do not like floral smells

- Conditioner is bad (but don't take my word for it... maybe I got a bad batch or something)

Will I re-purchase?

I may buy the bath and shower oil once it is over but definitely not the others. I will try out the ubtan and other products from the store next time.

And now I can throw away the empties.

So, after liking shower jelly I picked up Dreamwash shower smoothie from the store a month back. I have been using it for almost a month  and I am almost out of it.

I picked this up instead of the shower jelly 'coz I like trying different body washes. The BA had tried it on my hand. He wet my hand, took a bit of the product, scrubbed a bit and washed it off. There was no smell but my hand was squeaky clean. I like squeaky clean.





The smoothie is priced at Rs 1160 for 250 gm. Thats expensive... very expensive. The shower jelly would have cost around 900 bucks. It has lasted me around 3-4 weeks which is very, very less. The same amount of shower jelly would have lasted atleast 2 months.





The product is white in color and smooth... feels a little like talc. The main ingredients are aloe vera and calamine. It claims to cool the skin and take the heat out of troubled, sensitive skin.





Its usage is a major issue. I tried using the loofah but unlike the shower jelly it does not lather too much. So, I had to take a little product in the loofah... clean one leg... then take some more and then clean another leg. Very inconveniencing. On the 2nd day I decided to skip the loofah but I could not get any lather and my skin didn't feel squeaky clean after bath.

It did make my skin feel soft after bath. I don't mind that it does not have any fragrance... anyways, my body lotion covers up any smell.

Pathetic product... why would anyone create this and price it so high???

Will I re-purchase? No

Why?

1. Expensive... freaking expensive


2. Lasts for barely a month


3. Inconvenient to use


4. Better and cheaper options in the market

Hiya... I have been away and so no posts. My digital camera has conked off... beyond repair. One moment it was good and next moment gone. I will buy a new one this weekend. Currently, I am using my hubby's camcorder so please bear with me. The pics are a little hazy.

After work I was quite bored and decided to visit the SelectCity walk mall. Below is the Lush haul. I bought the Body Shop products few days back. 






Body Shop Peppermint Reviving Foot Soak: I have been using a shampoo as foot soak and decided to try this. There are not many options in the market for foot soak.







I have been looking for a good eye cream to prevent the puffiness, remove dark circles and fine lines. I picked this up from TBS.



















It is part of the Nutriganics collection







I actually went to Lush to buy the full jar of the shower jelly and came across this. Dreamwash Shower Smoothie. It has talc and makes the skin soft and smooth.













I like to experiment with masks and don't mind paying more for them. I picked up Cupcake which has a chocolate scent. It is for oily skin.