Haul from Apothica

Saturday, July 21, 2012
Hi Girls, 

A few weeks back, I had received a $ 50 giftcard from Apothica as sponsorship funds. I went crazy and was so happy to see the huge selection of the makeup, skincare, bath products, just to name a few. But in came a big disappointment when I came to know that almost half of value of gift card would be used in shippng. anyways, no more cribbing because I got the entire value of gift card because at the same time, a very dear friend was visiting USA and I got my goodies shipped to her address. Btw, shipping for every order above value of $ 50 is free within USA. Here's picture of my goodies.


In case you are wondering what Apothica is, visit them here.

About Apothica

Apothica.com is an online beauty boutique, which carries the finest selection of skin care, body care, aromatherapy, and cosmetic products on the market today, including the most natural, organic products available. We are dedicated to providing you with high quality products formulated to promote and enhance your natural beauty. Apothica is our retail store in beautiful downtown Salt Lake City, which features skin care, body care, hair care, fragrances, and much more. The retail store is also the exclusive provider for the Gateway Aesthetic Institute & Laser Center, the largest cosmetic laser center in the world. Click to see Apothica's complete Spa Menu.


You must be wondering why I did not get any makeup product ? Well, that's because I am very unlucky in shades when it comes to online shopping. Let's just say, I order Pink, and it turns out Maroon. Boohoo. 

Do you want me to review any of these products ? Do let me know. 

Thank you Apothica. I love you even more now. :-) Have you shopped from Apothica ?

Brown Eyeliner Anyone ??

Wednesday, June 27, 2012


Hey Girls,

How's the heatwave treating you ? I heard its pouring cats and dogs along the coastal areas. Delhi, as usual is burning. I really hope it rains soon here.

Today's post is a just a photo post about my brown eyeliners. I am very much obsessed with brown eye pencils, kohls and eyeliners. 

Revlon Eyeliner Pencil in Toast, NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown, Faces eyeliner in Metal Brown and
Revlon Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon in Bronze Smoke

Swatches - Revlon Eyeliner Pencil in Toast, NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown, Faces eyeliner in Metal Brown and
Revlon Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon in Bronze Smoke

The Revlon Eyeliner Pencil in Toast is a medium brown colour. It stays on for a good amount of time, but I have to apply it a lot many times for it show up on my waterline as well as eyeliner. I won't purchase again.

The NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown is still a better one and stays on my waterline for good 5-6 hours, does'nt smudge and gradually fades without giving racoon eyes. I would love to try other shades also. Repurchase - Definitely.

The Faces eyeliner In Metal Brown is probably the best in my kitty of brown eyepencils. It's a dark brown rather black brown or grey brown shade. It is quite soft and creamy and applies easily without any tugging and pulling, stays for 7-8 hours. I need a makeup remover to remove this. I am eyeing the other colours from Faces eyepencils, especially the turquoise blue shade. Repurchase - Definitely.

I have mixed feeling about the Revlon Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon in Bronze Smoke. It stings my waterline and the stinging does not go away even after few minutes of applying. The texture of this one also like Faces is quite creamy and stays for a long time. I don't know if I got the bad piece of this eye pencil but every time I open it (rotate from the bottom to make the tip come out) to apply, the whole mass of the pencil comes out. I almost ended up breaking it up twice, but it was saved only because it fell on my bed. And, ya, for the quality of pencil and performance, I am not going to purchase it again. You can read my detailed review here. Just that I won't repurchase the Revlon Crayon eyepencil because after using my faces eyepencil over months, I find it more affordable and value for money and equally good in quality. I would rather hoard more of faces eyepencils in all colours. 

A few lip balms and lip products I love. I just can't make myself throw away that cute avon lip balm tub. It's empty. Just kept it with these for cuteness factor. Let me know if you want me to review any of these. 



Vedic Line Neem & Brahmi Disinfecting Face Wash

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Vedic Line Neem & Brahmi Disinfecting Face Wash has a nice herbal green colour and a soothing fragrance. Perfect for summers. Even with summers setting in with a vengeance, my skin especially my cheeks feel very dry (It was not like that in previous summers). These days, I immediately need to apply a moisturiser after using a facewash but whereas previously, I never used to apply moisturiser on my face in such weather. Never used to feel the need to. Anyways, that’s the current condition of my skin. This facewash came as a surprise. I don’t feel my cheeks dry and stretchy after using this. Not even a bit. It lathers a bit, not much but I am not complaining. The tiny little breakouts which I get on my oily T-zone have also reduced ever since I started using this facewash. My T-zone is quite oily compared to my cheeks and starts to shine like a bulb within 1 hour after washing my face. It does not dry out my skin and leaves my skin squeaky clean also. I can say that it would suit both dry skinned girls and oily skinned girls.




Another best thing I liked about this facewash is that it is very reasonably priced and comes in a transparent packaging, which can be easily carried as the cap closes tightly.

The only con I can find is that it contains harmful SLES and can be purchased only from online shops. 


Apothica SkinCare Rx and SkinBotanica $20 Giftcard Giveaway Winner

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Apothica SkinCare Rx and SkinBotanica $20 Giftcard Giveaway Winner  

 I am so sorry to all my lovely readers for being late in announcing the winner. So, without much jibber jabber, here's the winner.

Here's the winning entry 


Truly the Guerlain Lipstick looks heavenly. Buy one and enjoy. 

Email sent to the winner. Please respond as early as possible.

New Pond’s Age Miracle Range

Monday, May 7, 2012

TURN BACK THE CLOCK WITH THE NEW POND’S AGE MIRACLE

Born from a decade of cutting-edge research on the secrets of aging deep down at the cellular level in human skin, Pond’s Institute presents the next breakthrough in the science of aging - The revolutionary New Intelligent Pro Cell Complex™ technology. This potent combination of 6 Youth Enhancing Bio-Actives, actually makes your skin act younger, making it possible for you to turn back the clock & look up to 10 years younger. Now, isn’t that the miracle that you’ve been waiting for!

As time passes, all women start to show the signs of aging on the surface of their skin, starting to fade the unique and vibrant quality of youth that is vital to beauty. At Pond’s, we believe that youthful looking skin that is truly beautiful, is not about superficially fixing surface signs of aging and imperfections. We believe that it is only when the secrets of youthful skin are unlocked from within, that true beauty can shine through, with a joyous radiance that is full of life.

This is the holy grail of anti-aging – the quintessential search for the secret fountain of youth, for all women who want youthful looking beautiful skin, no matter what their age.

LEARNING THE SCIENCE BEHIND BEAUTY

So how & where does one find the secret fountain of youth? Pond’s Institute has led years of cutting-edge research & collaborations with leading scientists, in understanding the mechanisms of skin renewal and aging at the cellular level, to answer this question.

Skin science knows that when you are born, nature gives your body a finite number of stem cells, which have miraculous properties, and amongst other things, act as the ‘youth factories’ deep down in your skin. However as time passes, these ‘youth factories’ start to slow down and as early as 28-30 years of age, this starts to show on the surface of skin as the signs of aging.

With these novel insights into the mysteries of aging deep down in your cells, Pond’s Institute has created a revolutionary breakthrough in anti-aging—New Intelligent Pro Cell Complex™, a potent system of 6 Bio-Actives that work together like a miracle. Available for the first time in New Pond’s Age Miracle, an anti-aging cream so advanced, that it gives your skin cells 3x more skin renewal power*, helping you turn back the clock and look up to 10 years** younger!

“Most women are flattered and even get excited when people think they look younger than their real age,” says Rajev Shukla, Pond’s Global Vice President. “That’s why the Pond’s Institute sought to develop a new breakthrough in anti-aging through the new Pond’s Age Miracle. Here,


we can make a real difference in our consumer’s daily lives and inspire them to revive their passion for beauty and romance.”


UNLOCKING THE SECRET OF LASTING YOUTH

The Pond’s Institute combined the power of up to 6 bio-actives to create the youth-enhancing miracle that is New Intelligent Pro Cell Complex™. The 6 bio-actives work in combination with each other and with the natural processes of your skin, to comprehensively ensure that age simply cannot catch up.

·               CLA: Miraculous ingredient that stimulates skin cells, thus promoting faster cellular turnover.
·       Retinol: Best proven ingredient that works within skin, influencing and enhancing skin’s ability to produce collagen and repair itself.
·       Two Retinol Boosters: Work with each other to boost the efficacy of Retinol, accelerating and enhancing skin’s ability to act younger, through epidermal rejuvenation.
·            Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA): Gently exfoliates skin by accelerating removal of skin-dulling dead cells. Skin appears smoother and clears the way for renewed skin cells from within.
·              Glycerine: Restores and enhances skin’s moisture level for softer, visibly plumper and younger looking skin.
·            12HSA: Works deep within skin to renew skin cells and adapt to the unique genetic framework of skin.

The unveiled Pond’s Age Miracle Range

Pond's Age Miracle Cell ReGEN™ Day Cream SPF 15 PA++ (50g at Rs.399/-, 35g at Rs.299 & 10g at Rs.99/-)
Daily use luxe feel moisturizing Day Cream, which is the must have secret to keep them guessing what your real age is. Helps renew skin cells so fast, that age simply cannot catch up. Skin looks instantly brighter and youthful from the first application. Use daily to see truly youthful and radiant skin bloom from within, with visible reduction in wrinkles, fine lines, sagging and age spots.



Pond's Age Miracle Deep Action Night Cream (50g at Rs. 399/-)
Does all the hard work while you sleep. Slather on this night cream and while you sleep, let Pond’s Age Miracle Deep Action Night Cream work hard to repair accumulated damage, promote cellular turnover and help your skin rejuvenate itself. 



The following additional Pond’s Age Miracle Products will be introduced later in 2012

Pond's Age Miracle Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam
Start the journey to a younger looking you with this extra moisturizing cleanser, that not just rinses off youth dulling impurities from the surface of your skin, but also helps prepare your skin for the goodies from Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN™ Day Cream.


Pond's Age Miracle Intensive Cell ReGEN™ Serum


Accelerate the rewinding of time with this super concentrated formula, packed with 20 times the power of a day cream. For best results, use after thoroughly cleansing your face and revel in the silky luxe feeling, just before using Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN™ Day Cream.


*Based on in vivo clinical test, 3x more subjects showing full stratum corneum turnover in 15 days versus untreated.
**With regular use.

Revlon Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon in Bronze Smoke

Sunday, May 6, 2012


This post is about another one of my obsession with brown eyeliner and kohl pencils. I always try to persuade myself to look away from brown eyeliners and kohls when I go for makeup shopping, but these little pretties always start calling my name the minute they spot me coming near to them. Moral of the Story - Self Persuasion never helps when it comes to makeup. LOL. Well, this story is no different. I had gone to pick some moisturisers and the MUA was showing these pencils to the lady standing next to me. I had to control myself to stop snatching this eye pencil from the poor girl’s hand. I can only imagine her reaction, had I done that.
What Revlon claims about its Revlon Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon in Bronze Smoke
It claims: Smoky liner & eye shadow. Get a smoky eye effect with creamy rich color.
  • For smoky effect, fill in lid with crayon & blend.
  • For a more defined look, sharpen tip with pull out sharpener. 
Price: Rs. 525 for 1 gm. 

Shades available: Bronze Smoke & Black Smoke, in india. There’s another shade also but not available In India. 




What I liked: 

EVERYTHING

I keep buying brown eye pencils in the hunt for my perfect brown shade but some are either too light and fail to show up on my waterline or are too dark, that they almost appear black on my eyes.

This one shows up well on my lower eyelids, a feat  very few eye pencils have achieved so far.

It stays on my eyes for a long time. I don’t use eyeliners on my upper eyelids, but only as kohls/kajals.

It has a bit of sheen but no outrageous glitter which makes eyes look bling bling. I would call it an brown eye pencil with hints of golden sheen.
It’s quite pigmented and applies smoothly, without tugging my eyes.
A lot of Bloggers call it the perfect dupe for MAC Teddy.
Comes with an inbuilt sharpener. 

What I did not Like
It stings my waterline. But WTH, every damn eye pencil/kohl stings my waterline. I have made my piece with that coz I have no other options. Even the Revlon concealer stings when I apply in on dark circles, though I take adequate care not to apply it close to my waterline, it still stings.
The eye pencil stub is not fixed and if entire length of the eye pencil is opened, it falls out. Happened with my pencil, I was just lucky that it did not break into 2.
Expensive for the amount of product one gets.
Will I repurchase : Of course. Same shade. Just wish it came at half the price.

Giovanni VitaPro Fusion Leave in Hair Treatment

Monday, April 16, 2012

Hello Ladies,

Recently, I have become a bit hyper obsessed with my hair. Yes, it’s all because of you girls flaunting your gorgeous hair. I am not exactly blessed in the hair department, just that my hair is quite thick, heavy and wavy but it lacks all that lustre and healthy shine which I so badly crave for. Did I forget to tell you that my hair is really really dry also...?? (Sighs) So after reading Tanveer of Addicted to Blush’s post about this hair treatment, I got this one for myself. I have mixed feelings about this product. It worked very nicely for her hair, but I guess my hair is doomed for this lifetime.

What Giovanni VitaPro Fusion Leave in Hair Treatment claims: VITAPRO FUSION Protective Moisture Leave-In Hair Treatment with PureOrganic Technology
  • ·         Deep Conditions;
  • ·         Penetrates damaged hair to rebuild and repair;
  • ·         Infuses hair with protein-enriched botanicals;
  • ·         Protects hair from heat, chemicals and bad days.
Vitamins aren't just good for your body. They're also good for your hair. When combined with protein, the result is stronger, healthier, shinier. Vitapro Fusion fuses together the best parts of vitamins with the essential elements in proteins to create soft, manageable, beautiful hair. Professional hair. What a treat.

*Contains a blend of organic oils, ripe-harvested from renewable plants at the peak of their freshness, cold pressed and refrigerated immediately to ensure maximum purity. Infuses each individual strand of hair with vitamins, nutrients and protein for strength and vitality.

Ingredients - Aqua (purified water) with rosemary (Rosmariuns officianalis) oil, nettle (Uritaca dioca) oil, thyme (thymus vulgaris) oil, birch leaf (butela alba) oil, chamomile (anthemis nobilis flower) oil, clary (salvia sclarea), lavender (lavendula angustifolia), coltsfoot leaf (tussilago farfara), yarrow (achillea millefolium) oil, mallow (malva sylvestris), horsetail (equistetum arvense) oil, soybean protein (glycine soja), tocopherol (vitamin E), trace minerals, PVP, citric acid (corn), sodium hydrozymethylgycinate, grapefruit seed (citrus derived), fragrance with essential oils.

*Certified Organic by Guaranteed Certification Services. No animal by products & cruelty - free. 


Directions
Spray into clean, damp hair. Leave in. Comb through to distribute evenly and style.

For all Hair Types

Price: Rs. 595 for 147 ml

I tried using this in many different ways. I use 4-5 sprays for my shoulder length hair. The spray applicator makes application a cakewalk. Just spray and comb hair to distribute evenly.

Before Hairwash

When  I used it 2 hours before hair wash, it made my hair a bit oily, but after  the hairwash, my hair was back to being its unruly best. It does help with the frizz but only to some extent, only when I use it before as well as hairwash.

After Hairwash

When I used it after a hairwash on naturally dried hair, it did smoothen my hair and the tangles were also very less. My hair looked and felt much smoother, but the effect lasted only for a day.  

Used on my Mother’s Hair

I used it on my mom’s hair too. My mom had lost all her hair 2 years back due to her chemotherapy and right now, her hair reached her neck. Her hair too, is quite wavy but since its quite short right now, the waves appear more like small curly ringlets. My mom had the most gorgeous hair i.e. jet black, thick, long, heavy and lustrous hair before her illness. When I used it on her hair, it seems to work better for her hair. Her hair becomes more smooth and soft. The ringlets also seem to straighten out and her hair looks like it has been cut in small layers rather then the curls, which she too detests. Let me just say, it works way better for her hair then my hair.

What works for me

  • ·Ease of application - The spray packaging makes applying it very easy. No need to use fingers. Just spray and comb hair to distribute evenly.
  • · No parabens, no silicons, no SLES etc.  it’s fully organic and certified.
  • · Very less quantity is needed. Just 4-5 sprays. This is going to last me for a long time. Maybe 1.5 - 2 years. Absolute value for money. It may look a bit expensive but the quantity needed everytime is very less. I have used it every week, before and after hairwash for almost 3 months now, and the quantity in the bottle still looks the same.
  • ·         Easy to carry. No fear of liquid spilling and leaking while travelling.
What did not work for me
  • It has little benefit for my hair. I have used it in a lot many ways, varying the quantity from 8-10 sprays to 4-5 sprays, but the effect is always the same.
In my opinion, I think it will work great for girls with normal hair. Girls with dry, very dry and frizzy hair may give it a pass. I think I need something really heavy duty to moisturise my hair. Maybe L'Oreal Professional Expert Serie Intense Repair Masque. What do you suggest ?



Apothica SkinCare Rx and SkinBotanica $20 Giftcard Giveaway - Closed

Monday, April 2, 2012
Ok Ladies,

How’s the week going ? Any plans for weekend makeup hauls ? No, let me give you a reason to. I am giving away a $ 20 gift card to one of you lucky girls to shop your favourite products from. 







Who wants to win..?

The rules are very simple. Just visit Apothica, SkinCare Rx or Skinbotanica and tell me which product(s) you want, in the comments below.

Write the name of the product alongwith link of the product. Like, if you are skincare lover, take a look at the Best Lotion at SkinCareRx. I will choose my favourite post/comment and I’ll choose the best one to win the $20 gift card!

So, here are the Rules

Follow me via GFC
Email to contact you
Like Blush and the Blog on Facebook
Follow @blushandtheblog on Twitter
Choose your favourite product(s) from apothica.com  skincarerx.com or skinbotanica.com and post a comment about it. You can choose 5 favourite products and put comments about them in separate comments. 

The giveaway is now closed. 


Any confusions, feel free to drop an email at blushandtheblog@hotmail.com  

Winners will be chosen by me based on the best comments. 

Have Fun  Participating.