Sidrah Beauty

With my dark circles, concealer sticks are what I normally go for because of the high coverage. I picked up MUA's new High & Conceal Stick just to see if I was missing out on a good product. So was it worth it?

What MUA Says:
"A NEW Formula... our NEW Hide and Conceal Sticks in three colours- Fair,Natural and Almond. A creamy, easy to use new and improved formula to cover any blemishes or skin imperfections."

Swatches:

Let's Talk About It:
I picked this up in the shade Almond since it was the most peachiest shade out of the range. I have pretty prominent dark circles and since I wear glasses the dark shadows are more visible so it's highly crucial for me to conceal.

Almond is a very pale peach shade. It has a very creamy, emollient texture, it's not at all stiff or hard. If you suffer from dry eyes, this will work really well to combat any dry areas. It blends into the skin really easily but does need to be layered on a few times for medium coverage but will begin to crease if applied too much.

Since the texture is very creamy, the concealer slips and slides all over the place if not set with a good mattifying pressed powder. It will crease after about 4-5 hours even after setting it with a powder, it will settle into any and all fine lines that you may have. If you have very dark, purple tone undereyes this will leave a grey cast since it's not that peachy.

I don't reach for this concealer often to hide my dark circles but instead I use it to highlight right above my cheek bones, I love the effect it gives with my foundation. If you're looking for a cream product to use along with your concealer to help it brighten, this will work really well.

Likes-
-Creamy Formula
-Easily Blendable
-Brightens

Dislikes-
-Not long-wearing
-Settles into fine lines
-Not full coverage

Rating- 3/5
Availability- Just4Girls.pk
Price- 200rs

If you follow me on Facebook and Instagram, you might have noticed I've been hauling a few skincare things. I hardly ever use moisturizer during the summer months but for the past few weeks my skin has been needing a bit of TLC, particularly dry patches and tight skin after I wash my face. Thus leads to my skincare purchases this past week.

Freeman Clay Mask Mint & Lemon (390rs) - Just4girls.pk
SkinTruth Equalising Toner (650rs) - Just4girls.pk
SkinTruth Equalising Moisturizer (650rs) - Just4girls.pk
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture SPF 15 (800rs) - Hyperstar
Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash (free with purchase) - Hyperstar
Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Tan (975rs) - ShopBeautyHub.com

My most exciting purchase has been the much wished for Hard Candy concealer, I've been wanting this one for ages and luckily Beauty Hub had these available. I will for sure be posting my review on it!

You can't go wrong with a fresh, floral scented perfume for the winter season. Essence recently launched a collection of fragrances, Like a Rollercoaster Ride is just one of the few that offers a distinct floral scent versatile for both day and night.

Like a Rollercoaster Ride is like an adrenaline rush, heart beating, expectation and pure fun. The fragrance offers floral, fresh and cheerful notes, which are as exciting and surprising as a swirl. It provides the feeling of absolute freedom.

Top Notes: Apple, White Peach

Heart Notes: Peony, White Flowers

Base Notes: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Musk

Let's Talk About it:

Like a Rollercoaster Ride is a scent right up my alley! It has a very delicate floral scent with a hint of soft/sweet citrus in the mix. If you love fresh, floral, citrus scents this will be a perfume you will adore. From what I gather, most of the fragrances from Essence lean towards florals and fruity scents. I would prefer this over any body mists during the day since they never tend to last very long.

The perfume comes in a 50ml EDT, you can easily throw this into your purse without weighing it down. Its adorably packaged in a sleek bottle with a little ribbon. What amazed me the most was how long the scent lasted, I usually apply a few spritz in the morning and by the end of the day the scent would still linger. On some occasions I would reapply mid-day and it does a lovely job of giving a fresh scent without it being over powering.

I'm definitely going to look into the other fragrances from Essence since these are affordable and travel-friendly.

Price: 1,250rs for 50ml EDT

Availability: Purchase online at Just4girls.pk

To get frequent updates on Essence Pakistan new product launches, visit their Facebook Page

For months I've been stalking Beauty Joint and weighing my options against buying from a Facebook store. I went ahead, crossed my fingers and placed my order. I picked out some items that've been on my wishlist for ages! I only wanted to buy some Wet n Wild things since I've been in love with their lipstick formula and eyeshadows. So here is what i got!

WET N WILD Color Icon Bronzer- Goddess
e.l.f. Studio Bronzer- Golden Bronzer
WET N WILD Color Icon Blusher Mellow Wine
WET N WILD Color Icon Blusher Pearlescent Pink
WET N WILD Mega Last in Smokin' Hot Pink
WET N WILD Mega Last in Sugar Plum Fairy
WET N WILD Mega Last in Wine Room
WET N WILD Mega Last in Sand Storm
WET N WILD Mega Last un Cherry Picking
JORDANA Matte Lipstick in Matte Terra Cotta

My Shopping Experience:

Since this was my first time shopping for makeup internationally, I was a bit nervous about getting everything in tact. I placed my order around the second week of October and after the payment was cleared it was processed within a few days. i selected the Standard International shipping option (weight based) along with shipping insurance to be on the safe side because of the powder blushes. The more items you order, the higher your shipping charges will be so keep that in mind if you do decide to place an order. After about a month I received my items in a bubble wrapped package. Fortunately nothing came damaged! I only paid 30rs for customs since the package was small.

I'm definitely one happy makeup addict now which isn't good news for my wallet.

For those who aren't able to order online, Beauty Hub has quite a few drugstore products available including the Wet n Wild lipsticks at 450rs, hurry and shop while they are still in stock!

The Essence Pure Skin range was launched about a month or so ago. I absolutely love the brand for having such low prices on makeup, with a new skin care range will the products live up to expectations? I've got 4 new products to talk about so this is going to be a long review!

Essence Pure Skin SOS Spot Killer

What Essence Say:

Pure skin while you sleep! There it is again – whenever you need it least… a spot! But now there’s an sos helper for emergencies: the essence pure skin sos spot killer! The innovative 2-phase formula with a clearderm complex is super fast and effective as it dries out spots overnight to battle skin impurities. Shake before use, apply on the affected areas after cleansing in the evening, leave on overnight and simply rinse off again in the morning.

What I think:

Essence Pure Skin SOS Spot Killer is an alcohol based spot treatment that has a white, creamy texture. The product comes in a glass tube and a brush for application. It has a very strong alcohol scent. It contains about 60% alcohol so it’s great for those with small acne breakouts here and there to help dry it out.

I’ve had 2 breakouts around my chin area and I applied the spot treatment at night before going to bed. It feels very tingly at first but once it dries it stays put until you wash it off. There was no drastic change in the breakout so I tried it again the next night and still it hadn’t cleared up. The third day I did see some slight change in the size of the breakout.

I would’ve liked if this worked as an overnight treatment, how awesome would that be! Most acne treatments take about a week to show results because by that time the pimple has dried up. Overall this works but you have to be patient with it.

Rating: 4/5

Price: 590rs

Essence Pure Skin Anti-Shine Pore Refining Serum

What Essence Say:

Triple power! This serum is a true all-rounder and the perfect basis for your daily skin care routine. The fast-absorbing formula with our clearderm complex regulates sebum production and frees the skin of excess oil. The serum visibly refines pores, controls shine and actively battles pimples and blackheads. A highly effective new addition product for a smooth and silky complexion.

What I think:

As someone with an extremely oily t-zone, this would have been a dream! It claims to visibly refine pores, keep your face matte throughout the day and fight blackheads- all of which I have a problem with.

The product is a clear blue gel/serum consistency. It has a very mild medicated scent to it but that nothing too overpowering. It dries down once its applied. I tried applying this in a few different ways. The first time I wore this on my t-zone bare without any cream or moisturizer- I took a small amount and massaged it in the areas and nothing! It didn’t make any different on my BB cream application, I paired this with the Pure Skin BB cream thinking I would get a good result. Later I thought that I wasn’t letting the product dry enough, so I applied it and then did my eye makeup. After about 5-10 minutes I still didn’t notice anything different. I've even applied it in a dabbing and pressing motion, still nothing noticeable. I've been testing this out in various ways for the past 2 months- all of which didn't give a noticeable result.

This didn't work at all for me, as far as the blackhead prevention I didn't notice any less blackheads or spots on my skin with use. It does a good job with prepping my skin before applying any makeup, it hydrates any dry patches you may have.

Rating: 1.5/5

Essence Pure Skin All-in-One BB Cream

What Essence Say:

Universal: One for all! This lightly tinted cream ensures a smooth, radiant and flawless complexion. It makes small skin imperfections disappear without blocking your pores. The oil and perfume-free beauty balm is with SPF 30 is a must-have amongst foundations for a smooth complexion. This all-in-one BB cream beauty balm, moisturises and smoothes complexion, and has a light formula for a healthy look, less visible imperfections, even, smooth, radiant and moisturised complexion. It doesn't clog the pores. Is oil-free and fragrance-free, and has SPF 30. Dermatologically tested.

What I think:

I got this in the shade 020 Natural. Its has a yellow-peachy undertone which does a great job in giving a medium coverage. The shades are targeted for Asian complexion which is ideal for those who can't find a good matching BB cream.

The finish is dewy but not too much that it slides off your face. Honestly BB creams aren't meant for oily skin types. I can't wear this on its own throughout the day since it feels very heavy and ends up making my t-zone shine even further.

I would not skip out on wearing a powder with this, it helps set the BB cream. I do like how it blurs any flaws and imperfections. It blends into the skin easily without any fuss. For dry skin types or for the winter season this would be perfect.

The only downside about this BB cream is that it doesn't last long on my skin. After about 4-5 hours of wear it fades and I end up looking like I have nothing on my skin. The only way I made the longevity work for me is by mixing it in with my Garnier BB cream for Oil/Combination Skin. It gives the perfect balance of brighten and a nice finish that I can wear all day without feeling too greasy. I love wearing the 2 together lately.

Rating: 4/5

Price: 700rs

Essence Pure Skin Anti-Spot Cover Cream

What Essence Say:

Undercover… the natural-looking tinted cream with our clearderm complex has a double effect: it quickly and efficiently battles impurities and offers targeted coverage for individual pimples and red areas of skin at the same time! Simply apply on the affected areas, blend softly and enjoy your flawless complexion. Effectiveness dermatologically confirmed.

What I think:

The Anti Spot Cover Cream is said to fight spots and blemishes while covering imperfections. It has a very creamy consistency with a dry texture which makes it difficult to blend out. The shade is on the beige side, it doesn't help with covering dark spots or undereyes with a purplish tone. It ends up exaggerating imperfections more than it should. I've tried dabbing this onto any spots but it's very difficult to blend into my skin. The coverage is medium which will work on blemishes more easily than with undereye circles.

On my swatch I applied it around my eyes, nose and any darkness around my face. While it covers everything in the photo it looks very unnatural in person but once you blend it out with a good foundation this can work well as a concealer.

Rating: 3.5/5

Swatches:

For more information and details on the new Essence Pure Skin range, visit them on Facebook. You can purchase Essence online at Just4girls.pk.

Rimmel London have just recently launched a collection of Salon Pro with Lycra. Along with the collection of 49 shades total, 12 of them have been created in collab with Kate Moss. I absolutely love the Kate Moss Lipstick collection so these have the same sleek product packaging similar to the lipsticks.

What Rimmel Say:

Rimmel introduces its new and improved Lycra¹ nail polish collection: Salon Pro With Lycra^®¹. Now you can get professional looking long-lasting, glossy, salon-style nails without the fuss! It’s the first Lycra^®¹ polish that gives you an expert gel salon manicure finish without the hassle of curing. Combining all the benefits of a 5-step salon manicure in one, the shiny, super-resilient, shock-proof colour lasts for up to 10 days.

From vivacious brights to subtle nudes, Salon Pro With Lycra^®¹ has a huge global palette of 49 fashion-driven shades. Furthermore, the collection includes 12 bold new shades created, named and signed by Kate Moss herself. Inspired by Kate’s love of the London music scene, each of her cutting-edge colours offers something for everyone.

Application:
The applicator has a wide brush which I absolutely love. It makes application on both hands easy and quick. This also helps to apply the nail polish evenly and smoothly, I really like how the finish turned out on all of these polishes and since the applicator was wide, it made less of a mess since it gives you more control.

Rimmel Salon Pro | Kate Moss Collection 378 Posh Trash Swatch

378 Posh Trash is a medium metallic bronze. It applies a bit streaky but I learned to apply thinner layers to prevent it from happening. It applies opaque in 2 coats but you can get away with 1 coat.

Rimmel Salon Pro | Kate Moss Collection 703 Rock N Roll Swatch

703 Rock N Roll is a bright cherry red. It has a very gorgeous glossy finish when dried. It applies opaque in 2 coats.

Rimmel Salon Pro | Kate Moss Collection 311 Spring Yellow Swatch

311 Spring Yellow is a subtle yellow. This was the sheerest of the bunch. It would work best with a white base. It took about 3-4 coats to get it opaque enough.

These have been launched internationally in the UK and UAE but I'm unsure if these will be available in Pakistan anytime soon. I do hope they do soon since I really liked a few bright colors from the range!

I'm not a huge mascara junkie but after my favorite YouTube Beauty Guru Emily Noel continuously mentions a mascara in almost every favorites video I had to get it to see what the fuss was about and with a brand like Essence you can't pass up on an affordable price tag! So I gave in and ordered the Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara from Just4Girls.

Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara

Application:

Let's Talk About It:

The Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume has a big rubber wand with short and spaced out bristles which is ideal for giving your lashes more volume. The size of the wand is perfect for a really quick application, its not too bulky or large. It easily grabs my lower lashes.

Application is hardly a task with this mascara since the formula is very buildable. It won't clump your lashes and you can easily comb through them. The formula isn't too wet but it is on the wet side, it doesn't take too long for it to dry but I recommend doing your lower lashes before your upper lashes since it can leave a few dots around your eyelid before it dries.

I really like the formula, it will hold a curl but it won't curl your lashes (if that makes sense). It basically doesn't enhance your curl but it will keep your lashes curled the and flexible. It doesn't give a ton of volume but adds a nice bit of definition. You can add add two or more coats without it clumping and it will add more volume with each coat.

Overall I like this for a natural everyday mascara. What I really like is that its not difficult to remove which is plus point for me when i wear mascara daily, the one thing I don't like about some mascaras. It isn't waterproof but it also wont smudge on you throughout the day. If your eyes get watery I wont recommend this mascara.

Likes:

-Flexible formula
-Defines

-No Clumping

-No Flaking

-Holds a Curl

Dislikes
-No Extreme Volume

-Not Waterproof

Rating: 4/5
Availability: Just4Girls.pk
Price: 440rs

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Tint and Balm

You can’t go wrong with a long-lasting lipstain in your makeup stash, they are perfect for a natural lip color to perk up your look. Lately I’ve been wearing the Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Tint and Balm. Let’s see how it worked out for me!

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Tint and Balm

What Rimmel London Say:
1000 Kisses Lip Tint gives your lips a royal flush of intense, vibrant colour that stays on duty and ready for action for hours - leaving no trace, so your kisses never tell.
The speedy two-step application delivers a fabulously flawless finish that is totally on trend and just begs to be kissed. A precision pen-tip delivers the mistake-free colour you're looking for and a caring balm seals the deal, giving lips the extra moisturising they've been waiting for.
There are 6 must-have shades in a translucent colour-matched design that gives you the freedom of being able to re-invent your look every day.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses 310 Long Live Lilac

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses 700 Nothing But Nude

Let's Talk About It:

Lip tints/stains are probably one of the most trickiest lip products out there. Application wise applying them on smooth lips is a must! The Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses come with one of those felt tip applicator which makes it easy to create a crisp line. The only issue with these (and with all felt tip pens) is that they dry out if you don’t keep them upside down. I’ve tried the Revlon Just Bitten Balm + Stain which comes in the same packaging as these and they were horrendous. It was dry and applied patchy, just a nightmare. These however I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it glided onto the lips without tugging, I could easily apply 2 or 3 layers to build up color.

The stain and balm both have a mild scent to them, however the stain has a very strong chemical taste if you end up blotting your lips before it dries. Once it dries it doesn’t have any taste.

700 Nothing But Nude is a peachy color tint. It showed up opaque in two coats on my pigmented lips. It lasted about 3 hours once the balm wore off.

310 Long Live Lilac is a deep plum with a pinky tone. It lasted a pretty good 5 hours but ended up fading on a few parts of my lips, leaving me with patchy stains. Once I wore this and when I came back home my mom asked me what happened to my lips, as if they were bruised! Not a pretty look.

Both of these are transfer proof, they didn’t come off on any cups but if you want to remove it with a tissue immediately after you apply it, these will come off easily. Once your lips are stained you’d need to remove it with a lip scrub.

These do sink into fine lines on the lips while it fades, the balm helps the product to blend onto the lips and it gives a super pretty glossy effect. I really like the balm from this as compared to the Revlon one, its very emollient on application.

Likes:
-Vibrant Color Pay Off
-Emollient Lip Balm
-Transfer-Proof

Dislikes:
-Accentuates Fine Lines
-Fades Patchy

Rating: 3.5/5
Price: 1,395Rs
Available: BeautyArena.pk, Just4Girls.pk

[REVIEW] MUA Hide and Conceal in Almond

Skincare Haul

[REVIEW] Essence Fragrance: Like A Rollercoaster Ride

Beauty Joint Haul!