[NAILS] Minty Blue Cruise


I’m back after a month long hiatus! It wasn’t exactly planned to take such a long time off but I’m sure my blogging sisters know how hectic life can be at times and adding blogging in the mix can be a tough challenge. But without further adieu I wanted to jump back into blogging and bring some great reviews and nail of the days. 
I hardly ever do nail of the days because I hate my cuticles, I try to clip any dead skin but my fingers never look tidy in photos. If you guys can suggest a good cuticle remover type of product I would love to hear your suggestions!


I’ve really been digging pale blues and greens lately so Color Studio’s Mint nail polish was right up my alley. I wanted a bit of pop so I added NX’s nail polish in Cruise on my ring finger and thumb. Both are gorgeous polishes, Mint is more of a pale blue-grey while Cruise is similar to a sky blue hue but a bit paler. I love these hues lately although I hardly ever wear blue nail polish. 

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[REVIEW] Color Studio Professional Matt Foundation HD Stick

In the beauty world, its always intriguing to try out something new. My first experience with a stick foundation is with the new Matt Foundation HD Stick  by Color Studio Professional, promising to offer a full coverage finish ideal for Pakistan's hot weather. 
What Color Studio Professional Say:

Extremely easy to apply, characterized by a dry touch and a matt finish. Its high coverage assures a perfect minimization of the skin imperfections and its soft formulation takes care of the skin assuring a decongestant and anti - oxidant action. Particular active principles like chestnut extract and vitamin E works together to protect the skin.
Color Studio Professional Matt Foundation HD Stick Beige
Swatches: 
Beige is a peach undertone shade ideal for medium skin tones, if you have a light complexion and end up tanning in the summer- this shade would suit your skin better then Ivory. Ivory leans more on a whitish appearance to my complexion when I tested it out.
Color Studio Professional Matt Foundation HD Stick Beige




Let's Talk About it: 

 Since I’ve never used a stick foundation prior to this, my experience called for a bit of trial and error. A stick foundation needs more time to work with and blend into the skin. Applying an even layer was the trickiest part since you can leave out areas without product. I learned the hard way that you can leave out patches on your face when working with a stick foundation- the first few times that I applied it I left out an area on my cheek which was noticeable in daylight. I never use a sponge to apply foundation since a flat top foundation brush is easier for me.

The initial use I found that skipping on a moisturizer created dry patches on my cheeks and a flaky appearance- this was also the reason why I kept leaving out areas of product on my skin since I wasn't able to blend the foundation evenly although the stick is creamy I needed a bit more moisture to help it blend in evenly. Once I used a light moisturizer beforehand it helped the application process a lot! The moisturizer helped to blend in the foundation while not enhancing dry patches. 

 The foundation itself has a creamy texture- it's not at all drying when applied.  Once you’ve figured out how to apply the stick, the coverage is quite opaque and gives an even complexion. I didn’t feel the need to use a concealer with this. It works well for my dark circles since the peachy tone helped to cover up the purple tone of my under eye area. The moisturizer also helped for blending  the product onto the eye area.

The foundation did keep my skin semi-matte throughout the day which is due to using a moisturizer beforehand, after 4-5 hours oil does begin to appear around my t-zone while the rest of my skin is matte. I really like the coverage and it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at the end of the day. Overall I really like the coverage, it's versatile and can be worn during the day without looking overly done up. 

Likes
-Full coverage
-Conceals dark circles
-Not Drying
-Doesn't feel heavy on the skin

Dislikes
-Enhances dry patches without a moisturizer

Rating: 4/5
Price: 850Rs
Availability: BeautyArena.pk and Just4Girls.pk

Check out Color Studio Pakistan on Facebook

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[REVIEW] Invincible Powder by Color Studio Professional

With the summer weather settling in Karachi, I know I'll need to change up my foundation routine to suit my skin. A heavy duty, mattifying powder is at the top of my list for summer. With a new range of foundation released by Color Studio Professional, a matte pressed powder is one of the newest face product released. The Invincible Pressed Powder is described as an ‘All Day Water Proof and Heat Proof Powder’. 
The powder range comes in 4 shades including Transparent. The shade that matched my skin tone is Silk Beige that suits light-medium complexion which is a tad bit lighter then Beige- the darkest shade in the range.  

Invincible All Day Water Proof, Heat Proof Powder
AN INFALLIBLE WATERPROOF POWDER WITH THE PLUS OF BEING WATER - REPELLENT, HUMIDITY RESISTANT, PERFECT UNDER THE SUN AND DURING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THE DELICATE AND VELVETY FORMULATION TAKES CARE OF THE SKIN GUARANTEEING AN EXCEPTIONAL ANTI - AGING AND ANTI - OXIDANT ACTION.

ACTIVES AND CLAIMS
LIPOSOLUBLE WHITE TEA EXTRACT, WITH ANTI-AGING, ANTI OXIDANT



Color Studio Professional- Invincible Silk Beige 

Let’s Talk About It-
I tend to use powders throughout the year since my t-zone gets shiny by mid-day, now with the hot weather in Karachi spiking I can never skip out on a pressed powder. I always go for mattifying powders which promises to keep oil at bay for hours. Color Studio Professional launched the Invincible Pressed Powder specially targeting the humid climate since it claims to be 'sweat-proof and water resistant’, the two main causes of makeup melting off. 
The Invincible is a heavy duty face powder since it completely gives a matte finish without looking one dimensional on the skin. The powder has a very soft, finely milt texture that makes application very smooth and gives a velvety finish to the skin. This wore a lot better than my NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat (review) which also had similar claims of sweat and water resistant. The shade Silk Beige has a neutral yellow undertone, ideal for medium skin tones if you are lingering towards the light side. 


For application, the powder gives a slight amount of coverage but not enough to cover dark imperfections- this is ideal paired with concealer if you’re looking to add a hint of color to your complexion. It sets my foundation really well without giving a white cast on the skin that other powders seem to leave behind. The pressed powder works really well when paired with a dewy finish foundation since it takes away excess shine. The powder puff that the compact comes with packs on a good amount of powder, the quality of the puff works really well for setting foundation and visibly reducing the appearance of pores around my nose. I don’t feel the need to use a brush with this since the puff does a good job on its own. 

 Apart from dewy foundations, I don’t recommend pairing this with a semi-matte finish foundation since it enhances dry flakes and dry areas on the skin creating a cakey appearance. 

 The powder lasts about 5-6 hours before shine begins to show up around my nose which is a good amount of time considering some powders last about 2-3 hours during hot climates. When shine does appear on my t-zone, I dab a tissue along my nose to reduce it instead of adding more product since the tint from the powder doesn’t fade even through the oil while the rest of my face continues to feel soft. The powder feels really light on the skin and doesn’t fade throughout the day even with shine coming through. 

 Packaging wise, I really like that the compact comes with a mirror ideal for touch ups throughout the day. 

 Likes:
-Light Coverage
-Smooth Finish
-Mattifying
-Portable Compact
-Good Quality Powder applicator
-Long-wearing
-Fade Resistant

Dislikes:
-Enhances Dry patches paired with semi-matte foundations

Rating: 4.5/5

Price: 1250rs
Available: Just4Girls.pk, visit Color Studio Pakistan on Facebook

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[REVIEW] Wet n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette

An eyeshadow palette that I've been craving for the longest time! I finally got my hands on the much awaited Wet n' Wild Comfort Zone palette featuring 8 richly textured eyeshadows. 4 in browns and neutrals and 4 olive shades, let's check out this palette up close!
 Wet n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette Swatches

Let's Talk About it:
I'm sure there isn't a single beauty fanatic out there who hasn't heard amazing reviews about Wet n' Wild eyeshadows. I was expecting these eyeshadows to be more on the creamy side since each shadow is highly pigmented. The texture of these are powdery but is formulated so it clings to the skin easily without too much fall out. I swatched the shadows WITHOUT any primer and I was truly amazed at how easily these apply on the lid with a brush. Blending the shadows wasn't difficult since the texture is easy to work with but the shimmer does leave fall out.

All of the shadows have a shimmery finish. The 2 lightest Browbone shades have more subtle shimmer compared to the rest of the shades. My favorite shade out of all of these is the Peach tone Eyelid shadow, it's perfect for an all over lid shade paired with a matte brown shadow. 

Both of the Definer shades and Olive Crease shade have bigger specks of sparkle but doesn't show up highly shimmery on the eyelid. I do wish the palette consisted a matte shadow, either a matte brown or matte cream color as a highlight. 

As for the wear time on the lids, since I hardly ever wear eyeshadows on a daily basis I wasn't able to test extreme longevity but with a eyeshadow primer these can wear well for hours without fading or creasing. The times I did test the shadows I didn't experience any creasing or fading after 4-5 hours of wear. 
The Look:
Shadows: Light Cream (highlight and inner corner), Olive (all over lid), Deep Green (outer corner and lower lash)
Mascara: Catrice Maximum Resist Volume Mascara 010 Blackest Black
Liner: Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Black Fever

Likes:
-Highly pigmented
-Variety of shades and tones
-Easy to apply
-Easy to blend

Dislikes:
-Shimmer fall out
-Not easily available
-No Matte shades

Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 720RS (price may vary)
Available: BeautyInBudget4u

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[OUTFIT] Pink Blossom

With the winter weather almost fading away, we can transition into richer colors and fabrics. Aisha Alam's latest collection for Fall/Winter includes rich shades of plums and pinks embroidered with sleek embellishments including buckles, pleating, over-sized buttons.
About the designer:
Aisha Alam is an upcoming fashion designer with an aesthetic for chic yet bold prints. Her summer collection is said to be inspired by a keen sense to create trendy and fashionable prêt wear while being easy on your wallet. By incorporating bold printed shirts with simple embellishments along with fashion forward cuts create a trendy fashion choice.

 Her popular designs include her sailor-cut shirt, her cowl neck kurta, and long flowing shirts. Aisha has said to enjoy using color blocking into her works of art. By using elegant, easy flowing shirts and bold color choices ends to create a unique look. “Color blocking is really fun and exciting,” says Aisha Alam. “It’s a great way to mix and match colors and create gradients and shades.”



The Outfit:
The butterfly designed shirt by Aisha Alam is something new that I haven't seen many designers come out with. The shirt is a loose fitting top and has an elastic band fitted on the waistline to give the butterfly design some shape. I paired the top with a basic fitted blue jeans. I think the shirt would look nice on most body type except for petite women since the shirt design doesn't have a formal fitting. I really like how the shirt length hits the knee so  it's not too long or too short. Overall the dress is very comfortable to wear and the loose fitting would appeal to most body types. 

You can find Aisha Alam on Facebook for her latest collection.
Price: 5,300PKR

[OUTFIT] Feminine Chic

Today's outfit is by a fairly new designing duo out in the fashion market, Aleena & Fareena recently launched their collection for the public. Their recent showcasing was at Easy Breezy Chic in Karachi. Their outfits consist of  semi-formal and formal dresses using chiffons and georgettes mostly.


Let's Talk About It:

The outfit by Aleena & Fareena is a grey and red long pleated dress made using georgette fabric. The traditional style dress has a lot of fabric that is weighed down using tassels stitched the bottom of the dress. The heavy fall of the dress gives it a formal and feminine look. The contrasting red embroidered neckline of the dress structures the outfit since it’s completely made of georgette material.

The dress came with a chooridar sleeve chamis since the outfit is sleeveless. I really like the style of this dress but the amount of fabric can be overwhelming to wear to an occasion. I paired the outfit with a plain red dupatta, dark grey chooridar tights and red/black peep-toe heels. Overall I really like this outfit, it’s perfect for any formal occasion and partywear.

 For more information on Aleena and Fareena check out their Facebook.

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[REVIEW] Essence 2 in 1 Hand & Nail Balm

When the winter season begins, I always need to carry a hand cream with me in my purse during the day. The Essence 2 in 1 Hand & Nail Balm Care cream promises to hydrate and protect during the cold dry season. Let’s see how it worked out for me.

Let's Talk About it:
The Essence hand cream comes in a convenient squeeze bottle perfect to carry around. The product has a very unique subtle scent, I can't really pin-point it but it’s almost like a yogurt/vanilla scent since it contains ingredients of yogurt extract. It’s not a strong scent and it fades after a few minutes of using. The cream has a nice consistency, not too thick or too watery it’s ideal to use often throughout the day. I like that it doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy or sticky which matters most to me for a hand cream.

The cream feels really nice on the hands especially if your hands are dry because of the cold weather. It hydrates the hands enough that it doesn’t leave a greasy residue all over the place. The hand cream sinks into the skin after about 10 minutes. If you suffer from very dry hands, I recommend using a larger amount of the cream since it doesn’t have enough moisturizing properties to hydrate the nails and cuticles with a small amount. I did end up reapplying the cream a few times through the day and I didn’t notice any drastic changes but if I end up using a coin size amount the cream will feel more hydrating.

Likes
Inexpensive
Portable packaging
Creamy consistency
Absorbs quick

Dislikes
Not hydrating for cuticles
Not suitable for very dry hands
Need to use a few times for better results

Rating: 3.5/5
Price: 160RS

For more information, you can find Essence Pakistan on Facebook. 

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[OUTFIT] Jeweled Emerald

The color of the year, Emerald Green is going to be springing up this year more often. For today's outfit we have a dress by designer Monica Couture. 
 
Monica Couture is a not just another fashion brand. It has set itself a noble and challenging task of reviving centuries’ old techniques of hand embroidery and embellishment using gold, silver and silk threads and semi-precious stones. These specialized crafts move down in families but are a dying art due to lack of innovation and declining demand and its total absence in the pret wear. 

 Monica Couture’s strategy is to introduce it in more popular, middle ranging lines with rapid turnover to create demand for the work. Traditional patterns and motifs inspired from Ottoman and Mughal periods on latest trends and cuts catering to the international market is one of the ways to operationalize this strategy
Outfit:
The lush emerald shade of this dress is vivid and bright yet subtle to be carried for a evening outfit. The sequence design on both sides of the outfit gives the dress an elegant formal touch. The pleating of the dress gives the top a loose fit. The dress is very comfortable to wear and is the perfect length with the rounded damaan. I paired the outfit with a basic white trousers and dupatta since the top gives the dress a classy look. 

You can find Monica Couture on Facebook for more information. 
Price: 9,800PKR

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