Benefit goodies from Sephora

It is a bit of a hassle trying to get your hands on Benefit cosmetics in India as we do not have outlets here. But, luckily for me, my boyfriend decided to surprise me with some goodies that he picked up from Sephora in Kuwait. I absolutely love what he bought me and decided to review the products for anyone interested in buying them. You could ask friends abroad to ship them to you or you can buy Benefit cosmetics from the online store, for which I will share a link.

So, to get started, here are the products he bought me.

Benefit High Beam

I absolutely love this product. I use it as a highlighter on my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, my cupids bow and my brow-bones. It catches light perfectly and gives your skin a healthy glow. It looks great in photographs too.


Benetint

This product did not really blow my senses away. But, if you like a natural flush on your cheeks or lips just dot this product on and quickly smear it with your fingertips. It gives you a subtle hint of a rosy hue. Personally, I prefer a little more colour than the product generates.



Benefit "That Gal" face primer

I must say I am hooked on to this primer. I wear it under my foundation and it evens out my complexion. It is not too greasy. So, my makeup looks fresh for hours. I sometimes just wear it on its own without foundation and it gives my skin a natural healthy glow. The applicator is one I love.


Benefit "They're Real" mascara

It is usually very difficult for me to find a mascara I like. But, I love this one. It makes my eyelashes look longer and thicker without too much clumping.

While my boyfriend was down, I had the opportunity to try all these products on, for our dinner dates. Here are a couple of pictures of me wearing them.

I know that three out of these four products will always be a part of my makeup must-haves from now on. I am hooked onto the primer, mascara and highlighter.

If you want to buy Benefit cosmetics and you do not know anyone who lives in a country that sells them, you can shop online for them at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

By the way, I hear their blush - Coralista, is worth a try too. 

Rethinking my wardrobe

Since November of 2011, I have been giving my wardrobe a little extra consideration. With the holidays that were coming up, my drive to help myself get a mini makeover in terms of clothes and accessories heightened. So, I have decided to share some of the looks I put together for myself this winter.

The next couple of images are of an outfit I put together for work. The jeans and the belt are from M&S, the blazer and the top are from Code, the watch is from Guess and the shoes are Mochi.

The look below was put together by me for my nephew's birthday (hence the balloons in the background). I decided to go monochromatic and teamed my black M&S jeans with a black CK top, a black shrug that I got for dirt cheap in a store near home and a black metal-studded belt from OviesseVenezia

The next couple of images are of my Christmas outfit. I wore a navy blue M&S dress with a simple crystal bracelet that I picked up from Jack and Jones. I teamed this with my Guess watch, black pumps and Swarovski earrings.

I tried a red belt from Accessorize with the outfit, but changed my mind eventually and did without the belt.

I always wanted a jumpsuit and found this one at a steal! I teamed it with an Espirit silver strapped watch and a black pair of peeps from Forever New.

Lastly, this is something I put together for a wintry eve. I teamed a black pair of slacks with M&S leg warmers and boots. Over this, I wore a CK tee and this cozy pullover by Nexus.

As you may notice, most of my outfits are from M&S. This is because I like their fits. They always have something made for my body type unlike some other brands where I might find the right size but not the right fit.

Make me overs

It has been ridiculously long since I last blogged! I have had a hectic year with a lot on my plate. However, today I decided I had to blog!

So, here are a few pictures that I hadn't uploaded onto my blog. They are of friends I practiced my makeup skills on.

This is my friend Christina. She never shies away from me using her as my canvas :) I love to practice looks on her as she has hooded eyes. I like the challenge of having to use the best of my abilities to transform her look for a night out.

Before

After

This is my friend Carolyn. I dressed her up for Easter 2011. However, she did not allow me to capture a 'before the look' picture :)

This is another friend I applied makeup for. She is Ranjitha and she was modelling for an outfit created by a friend - Anusha, who is passionate about fashion. Anusha was having a photo-shoot  and asked me if I would like to apply Ranjitha's makeup. I was only too happy to oblige! Here are a couple of pics.

So, these are some of the looks I practiced while I was away. Now, I hope to blog more frequently.