What are some ‘natural’ beauty brands?

Why is it that often with a skincare regime, when an acne breakout happens our immediate response is something out of our grandma’s books – which is more often than not something very simple, basic and natural? Till date, I trust in the powers of this ancient Indian moisturizer called ‘Vicco Turmeric’, most of it because it smells like my grandma.

This transition of moving to things that are more organic, refined and natural has been gradually gaining immense popularity, whether it’s our food, skincare and, even, makeup.  Detoxing has come a long way from just green juices, with people looking at detoxing their beauty cabinets and makeup bags.

Most natural beauty brands produce tinted lip balms, muddy eyeshadows, and even the occasional diminishing blush. We understand that it isn’t easy to find green beauty brands that produce vivid colours and formulas that could really work. Helping you along with your research, we have gathered a few out of favourite brands that use either all-organic ingredients or use a combination of natural and organic ingredients.  It is what they don’t use that counts: unnecessary chemicals, parabens, additives, etc.

A few products that we recommend:

‘Uncover Up’ Foundations by RMS Beauty

They might not have as many foundations as Fenty Beauty, but all their 8 varied shades of foundation help in enhancing your skin. The formulas make for a flawless looking skin, but with sheer coverage.

 

Lipsticks by ILIA Beauty

The brand’s ideology of simplicity and transparency is visible through their products. They use high-quality ingredients sourced from organic farmers around the world. Their lipsticks are probably the most popular of the range. The brand is popular for the organic classic true red. The formula just melts into your lips and builds a beautiful satin finish with a creamy texture.

Pure Pressed Blush by Jane Iredale

Committed to enhancing beauty through natural products that nurture your skin, Jane Iredale’s blushes add as a supplement for healthy skin. There isn’t just one or two, but a whole of 11 colours to choose from! The colours stay on your cheek and add a colour of natural glow that complements the skin.

Eyeliners and Eyeshadows from Lush Cosmetics

Lush has been the pioneer of natural products, so it was quite pleasing when they expanded into makeup. They’ve got a huge selection of eyeliners and eyeshadows to pick from. The colours are very pigmented and vivid and make great additions to the make-up bag.

 

Mascaras by The Body Shop

Mascaras can be where most beauty brands might fail to deliver. But with at least 7 types of mascaras to select from, you can add a little definition to your lashes, whether it’s dramatic or vintage.

 

Written originally for Masala! Magazine (February 2018)

Finding the right Foundation

I spent about 2 weeks last month just researching on foundations for Masala Magazine. And turns out there was a lot more to learn than just dabbing it on the back of your hand at Sephora.

This season has been all about foundation launches, what with Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty’s 40 foundation shades, Huda Kattan’s Faux Filter with some 20 shades, it’s easy to assume that foundation is on our minds.

Long gone are the days when it was hard to find a shade of foundation that matched the exact skin colour. With celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, and much more, beauty brands are increasingly investing is catering to a wider market. And with an influx of rising beauty brands and their competitions, there are so many options with brands, colours and types, it’s safe to say I found it daunting to pick what would suit my skin. Ask anyone and they will confirm that foundation is one of the trickiest beauty buys- will the colour match your skin, will it suit your skin type, is it going to give the right type of coverage, what about this “undertone” that experts keep talking about and lots of more of these questions.

Since foundations create the base of our entire look, with Indian skin tones, it is important that the foundation has a slight yellowish/olive pigment or undertone. Several brands offer foundations they have pink, peach-ish undertones which will make your skin look whitish and rather chalky, and the yellow/olive will give a rather dewy finish.

BECCA Cosmetics ’ Style Director, Kerry Cole says, “Glowing skin can look beautiful when it’s not overdone.  Find a foundation that has a hint of luminosity built into the formula.  This way you’ll still get colour, and coverage from the formula but won’t be overdone with too much shimmer. ”

As a general rule, it is advisable to use a foundation that gives a healthy glow and look without being sticky. The best way to determine what matches your skin tone is by applying a foundation, and if it disappears into your skin, then that specific colour is your skin tone. Skin tones can change based on weather and sun exposure, for example, you will need a darker foundation in the summer and lighter on in the winter.

Gilbery Soliz, Marc Jacob Beauty’s Global Make-up Artist says, “One of the biggest beauty mistakes that women make is wearing too much or wearing the wrong colour foundation where they end up with a line of demarcation at the jawline. Always consider the state of your skin. The skin changes during each season and knowing what formulas and finishes work best will be the key to looking your best.”

There are four types of face foundations: liquid, powder, stick and mousse. Liquid foundations are by far the most popular. The texture of the liquid foundations are easy to blend on most skin types and do have matt-finish options which will go great with oily skin types. Liquid foundations do offer sheer, medium and full coverage, depending on how heavy the texture is.

Powder foundations are mineral-based and ideal for sheer coverage. They set instantly, and blur the skin’s patchiness. The best example of stick foundations, off the top of my head, is Kim Kardashian’s KKW Beauty’s crayon contour kits. You can use them directly to draw on your face and then blend them in. While they don’t offer full coverage, Mousse Foundations are slowly becoming the norm because they are creamier than liquid foundations and blend in better with the skin.

The Foundations that I recommend using are:

Becca’s Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation is best for those that are looking for that hydrating, luminous everyday foundation. This is perfect for people with normal to dry side skin and want light to medium coverage.

 

La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Concealer Foundation has SPF 15, and it glides on perfectly, giving a natural dewy finish. The luxurious emulsion offers sheer, natural-looking coverage, that is suited to all skin types.

Charlotte Tillbury’s SPF15 Magic Foundation is not as runny as most liquid foundations, but it gives full coverage that doesn’t look caked upon. The only struggle is that you have to mix two colours to get the right shade.

 

MAC Mineralize SPF15 Foundation remains most Indian women’s go-to. The brand gets almost all the shades of Indian skin right, with options for sheer to full coverage, that doesn’t require touch-ups. This particular foundation has Vitamin E and shea butter that hydrates your skin.

 

Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation is the best for travel, as it is sweat and humidity-resistant. The foundation itself has skin tone correcting pigments that even out dark spots and blends easily on the skin.

L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24H Matter Foundation 

(namshi.com)

gives medium to full matte coverage is really smooth to use for skin.

 

 

 

 

This Week’s 3 Beauty Bloggers to Follow!

I have a confession to make- I don’t know how to do my make-up. I’m really really shit at it. But, oh my god- I’m obsessed with watching makeup tutorials on Youtube and Instagram.  And I really mean obsessed. I can not- how much ever I try- get the same results- or even results that you’d recommend to be close to the real thing- but I’m mesmerised by all the many contouring, smoky eyes and the perfect no-make up look. (The only no-makeup look I can pull off is the one where I’m actually just wearing no make-up).

So, I had to put all my knowledge and wit and research to some use- and what better than to share with you, my beloved readers! (HI MOM!)

1. Huda Beauty
   

   

   Picture from Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Online

   Alright, if you don’t know her- you really have been living under a rock for a very long time. She is literally the most amazing and influential beauty blogger ever. Things she’s reviewed on her YouTube channel have sold out instantly. (PR girl pitch here- but – when she reviewed one of the FOREO LUNA devices {my amazing client!}, two of the four types of the devices actually sold out at Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdales in the region!). Her videos are funny and actually- if I were to follow them properly- would suit my skin type! And I mean, she’s a beauty mogul. She’s got her own line of eyelashes, lip contour pencils, lip mattes, highlighters and the buzz is she’s launching her own foundations soon- which if you ask me is super brilliant. I swear by her lip mattes! My current favourite is the Bombshell lip matte!
   And I’ve actually met her- and she’s so sweet and friendly!

2. Kathleen Lights
   

   

   Picture from Instagram- Kathleen Lights

   After Huda, she’s the most fun for me to listen on YouTube. A Cuban-American beauty influencer- she knows what she’s talking about and is just funny to listen to. It’s funny, but her ‘Kat Chats’ are actually something I prefer over her regular beauty videos- mostly because they are start so simple and get so professional that I’m regularly lost- but I can’t help listening to them. She does regularly do series of products that she liked or didn’t like- which are funny and honest! She has her own palette, nail polish ranges and more too!  I’m yet to try her stuff- well whenever it’s available in this side of the world!

3. Nikkie Tutorials
   

   

   Picture from YouTube: NikkeiTutorials

   
   I think she’s from the Netherlands- I’m not sure. But, this girl is funny. Yeah, if you haven’t figured out my trend yet- it’s I like funny beauty tutorials. She’s really quirky and an interesting character to watch. I feel like if I met her in person we’d just talk endlessly about any random nonsense. Her beauty tutorials are absolutely brilliant- nothing that I can copy because- alright I suck at makeup. But, I still like watching them- mostly in a hope that one day- just one day- both my eyes will have eyeliner of the same thickness without drawing on more than one time! She’s launched several things in collab with other brands!

 

 

Travel Essentials for me

When packing for more than 3 days, we all have mental checklists of items to carry. These are the most basic items that we most definitely will need when we travel.

I’m a little OCD. If I could, I would carry everything- basically my whole house- with me. But, I can’t. Also, this is one of the reasons why I don’t think I’d ever be able to do any backpacking. Mostly, because a backpack won’t be able to hold the million things I travel with. But these items below, I can’t imagine travelling without!

1. My passport. DUH.
2. My camera. I love my camera- I’m an amateur photographer- who tried to listen to unlimited podcasts, read about photography and do a lot more research on improving my skills. I can’t imagine travelling without my DSLR.
3. Earphones. I’m a very social person, but the best way for me to really enjoy a place is to put on some music and walk around like I’m in a movie singing that song. Are there any songs with Bollywood dance sequences I imagine myself in? Yes.
4. A good book. As much as I love staring out of the window to the clouds, I love reading my romance novels. I always have a book (or two) that I carry for any trip.
5. Diary and a pen. I like penning my thoughts on occasion. And my favourite muse is travel. I like to make incessant notes about my travel, or anything that inspires me to write.
6. My little vanity bag. Umm. I like to look a little presentable when I’m travelling- or at least look like I’m making some effort. While, I’m not a beauty fanatic or know-it-all, there are a few things I simply can’t travel without:
   – Neutrogena Facial soap
   I’ve been using this baby since I was 15 years old, and needless to say, I’m still very loyal to it, mostly because it’s suited my skin really well and really done wonders for any funny zits around that time of the month.
   
   – Shampoo and Conditioner
   There are lots of people who are crazy about using and collection hotel shampoos and conditioners- I’m just not that person. I bought these tiny bottles that I keep refilling for every trip- but I carry my own shampoo and conditioner to keep my hair and scalp healthy and happy. *does a little hair flip* Currently, since the last 6 months, I’ve been absolutely obsessed with Lush’s Rehab shampoo and American Cream conditioner. So I carry them in little bottles everywhere.
   
   

   

   – VICCO Turmeric cream
   Most of you might not know this, but this is my miracle moisturiser for my face. And if you’re Indian and don’t know this- you are bizzzzzzare. My maternal grandma used to use it for as long as I can remember. I started using it after she passed away because it smelt like her- it’s been some 6 years, and I still love it. It’s like a little bb cream that works for my skin.
   – Make up
   Again, I’m not a beauty fanatic or genius, but I’m all for trying fun make-up brands. I’ll at any point have a lip colour, concealer, bb cream, blush, liner, mascara and highlighter in my make up bag. Although, I’d probably only use the lip colour- but I’d still carry it everywhere. The BEST lip colour to carry is Huda Beauty’s lip matte. They are amazing. They stay on the lips for FOREVER, so you don’t need to do any retouching and they are matte- just the way I like my lip colours!
   – A bazillion hair ties
   I think I have pretty much donated a hair tie in every single hotel I’ve ever been in.

7. Sanitary Napkins- do I need to explain why?
   
8. Crepe Bandage and other emergency first aid crap
   I’m the clumsiest person ever. I’ve fallen and really badly bruised my knees in Moscow, my ankle in Goa, my knees again in Jordan, my ankle again in Singapore, my hand in Singapore, my knees in Kashmir, had an incredibly bad and viral case of warts on both my feet in Maldives (don’t ask- it was bad) .
   
   

What are somethings you can’t travel without? Let me know! Until then…