Cosmedic... A Dermatologists' Take on Cosmetics...

Ever wished if whatever products you are using on your face and body were actually recommended by dermatologists? Better still, wish they were formulated and "created" by dermatologists themselves? If yes, then fret no more... Your wait is over...

I was lucky enough to be contacted by Cosmedic, which is the cosmeceutical division of Future Skin... They sent me some information brochures and some products for me to try out... I have been trying them out since a week now and am quite impressed with them. Dunno if you all have been able to see any marked improvements on my skin since the past week or so :) I will be reviewing the products one by one...

This is just going to be an introductory post though...

Cosmedic is founded by dermatologist Dr. Kiran Lohia who is a Columbia University graduate and a United States trained M.D, specializing in Dermatology. She is also American Board Certified with a further degree in Aesthetic Medicine. Dr. Lohia is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, European Society of Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dermatology, International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology among others. Having additionally completed a Diploma course in Cosmetic Science through the U.K. Society of Cosmetic Scientists, Dr. Lohia has the distinction of being the first physician with both advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Chemistry knowledge.

Cosmedic has launched advanced skin therapeutics that are the first worldwide to be formulated, tested and approved by dermatologists. Led by a team of dermatologists, physicians, chemists and ayurvedic physicians, Cosmedic has sponsored R&D centers in France, USA and Italy to create the latest technologies in dermatological science. Our proprietary skin technologies are proven against prevalent issues such as pimples, pigmentation, dry skin and allergies. In fact, we are the first company in India to commission clinical trials on Indian skin for each and every one of our products to ensure rapidly effective and safe results!

On an ethical standpoint, Cosmedic believes in safety and honesty. Cosmedic creates products that are baby friendly, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and gentle enough to be used in your regular skin care regimen. All our solutions are approved by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which is a worldwide organisation that certifies products that have not been tested on animals. We are also certified by Vegetarian Society, UK, which guarantees that all our skin solutions are 100% vegan. Please see www.cosmedic.in for more details. 

Stay tuned for my reviews coming up :)

(Teaser) Allen Solly F/W 2012 Collection In Stores... #DressFest

With the Winters setting in, in almost all cities across India, it is not surprising to find only Fall and Winter apparels and accessories in store show windows and mannequins. From oxblood, greys, navy blues and of course the all time favorite Black, you are spoilt for choice :) This is exactly what happened to me when I visited the Allen Solly store at Phoenix Market City (Pune) yesterday... They had sent me a PR post about a DressFest that was going on at some selected Allen Solly stores and curiosity got the better of me :)

What Is The DRESSFEST?

Check it out here...

And to see a preview of the new Winter collection by Allen Solly, do visit my new blog at ISimplyLoveToDressUp

I Said YES To Color... L'Oreal Casting Creme Gloss in Black Cherry

As you all know I had ranted last week about how I had decided to get my hair colored and the factors that led me to make this decision. If not, then go ahead and check out this post of mine HERE :) Plus it helped that the L'Oreal people sent me some quizzes that helped me decide what shade would look best on me and further provided me with the color that I asked for :) My quiz revealed that the shade Black Cherry would look good on me and voila I received it at my doorstep :)

So how do I feel about it? Well. for starters, their claim of no Ammonia and it being a conditioning color is totally up to the mark! My hair was soft after application and it still is. I have seen colors that make one's hair all rough and dull but not this color! It made my hair all shiny and bouncy and well yeah voluminous! I really like Volume in my hair and it made my hair all that and more :) Even the fragrance of the product was pleasant and not at all pungent like many other hair colors!

Another significant mention is the amount of product one gets in one package! It's too much! I mean, I applied it all over my hair, then applied it for my mom and still there was so much product left! I volunteered to apply it for the pati but when he read the shade name (Black Cherry), he just ran away from home and did not return for 2 days. Ok the last part was melodrama :P

The whole DIY kit comes with the following:
1. Creme Colorant
2. Developer Cream
3. Gloss Conditioner
4. Hand Gloves
5. Information pamphlet

The whole procedure of coloring on your won is made so simple that you really find the need to go to the parlor for a coloring session useless.

But one complain that I have of the product is that the fact that the color wasn't as vibrant as I had expected it to be :( And it did not cover much grey... Well that could be cause maybe I didn't keep the color on my head for very long. My mom kept the color for 10 mins more than the prescribed time and she got wonderful coverage. On the other hand, I kept it for the mentioned time span and I got very light coverage :(

Image of the Product

Hair Swatch

Oooohhhs And Aaaahhhhss!!!
1. Makes hair soft and glossy as promised.
2. Does not have a strong, pungent smell.
3. Very easy to DIY
4. Did not damage my hair!
5. Gave me volume and bouncy and well who doesn't love bouncy curls?
6. I think it is pretty well priced especially for the amount you get out of it.
  
Ouches!!!
1. I expected it to impart a more vibrant or rather a pigmented color. It was pretty light.
2. It didnt give me much grey coverage though my mom was pretty happy with hers!

Price
It costs INR 499/-

Repurchase?
Maybe, but this time in a different shade ;)

Would I Recommend
If you are looking for a hair color that you can use at home on your own and want a silky gloss to your hair without damaging it, then this is the product for you! But if you are looking for heavy grey coverage then you might need to experiment with it a bit. It didn't cover my greys but my mom was pretty satisfied with her grey coverage. I am guessing it is relative to one's hair texture.

Overall Rating
8.5/10

 

Hair Color? This is how I made up my mind about it!

Now let's face it, I have terrible hair... No really I do... Let's say what God didn't give my hair, compensated it with my skin and I sure have bad hair... People tweet and rant about Bad Hair Days, but for me Bad Hair Days are like any other day and it is the Good Hair Days that I actually tweet and post about ;) You get the drift don't you? :P

So every time I plan to do something new to my hair like rebond, straighten, color or even get a haircut, I have to like give it a lot of thought and totally research things well... And this is what I went through last week when I suddenly decided to color my hair... Now my hair is like the darkest of browns and am totally against getting lighter brown or even blonde highlights... Nope they wouldn't suit me and my coarse hair... I was looking more at shades like Burgundy and Dark Reds but I wasn't quite sure :(




Then I had a mentos and meri dimaag ki batti jal gayee, yup that's a bit of drama that I like to add here and there and well I remembered receiving some PR emails from L'Oreal Paris reps about this new L'Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss... I dug out my inbox for those emails and lo behold! :D I so love this beauty blogging hobby of mine, it gives me insight about so many new things coming up in the beauty market... :D

So anyways, some excerpts of what I received in the email...

We recently launched the Say Yes to Colour Campaign on digital which is about the benefits of using Casting Crème Gloss to colour your hair. India as you know has always been a grey coverage market but we feel that given the right product, we can get the modern Indian woman to experiment with colour and bring out her individuality.

OMG, its as if they read my mind! I need Grey Coverage too!!! It's like a hereditary thing for me and I have been living with it since so long that I almost forgot I needed to cover Grey! ha ha ha :D

Casting Crème Gloss is the perfect hair colour for women who prize quality and care over everything else. It is a no ammonia hair colourant that gives your hair rich, visible tones and a stunning glossy shine. Enriched with Royal Jelly, a naturally occurring substance known for its rare nutritive and rejuvenating quality, Casting Crème Gloss ensures that post colouring hair is left revitalized with a glossy shine. Its crème formula contains a special patented conditioning complex that helps protect the hair fibre inside and out for exceptionally soft voluptuous hair. It is easy to apply, takes just 20 minutes and comes in a do-it-yourself kit which saves unnecessary trips to the parlour. The delicate fragrance makes colouring a luxurious treat! It delivers on every aspect, quite like the modern Indian woman. 

Oh yeah baby! You had me at righ glossy tones and a stunning glossy shine! *giggle* *giggle*... I so wanted it like right now! They even had a link with like a ton of FAQs and I must say I was quite impressed with how they were sure I would love their hair color product ;) Here's the link in case you want some questions answered too...
http://www.lorealparis.co.in/_en/_in/about/faq.aspx#tab:FAQ_Haircolor

But still I was like in double minds, if I should or should not...

Our campaign aims to educate women about the benefits of colouring their hair. We would like to also get them to Say Yes To Colour! Since, most women are apprehensive about colouring their hair; we want to introduce women to the safe No Ammonia Casting Crème Gloss. We want women to rediscover themselves and try different shades from our range!

Oh yeah I want myself educated! Education is important isn't it ;) I made up my mind to actually try it for myself! But which shade would suit me? And then they said something like this...

To pick a shade that suits you the best, take our 'My Hair My Colour' quiz here:http://bit.ly/MyHairMyColour

And well the shade that was recommended to me after I took the quiz is something that made me ecstatically happy :D He he..

I am yet to color my hair, but I have received a sample from them in the shade that I chose after taking the quiz and I guess it'll be my weekend home work ;) Stay tuned for color updates! :D

How could I resist, when they promised me:
1. Stunning Glossy Shine
2. No Ammonia and hence no damage
3. Easy DIY kit!
4. Grey Coverage!

Pond's Made Femina Miss India Pune 2013 "Gorgeously Alive"

Those of you who follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook Page would know that I was invited by Ponds to attend the Ponds Femina Miss India Pune 2013 event held at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center yesterday evening. You can imagine my excitement and the hustle bustle that must have gone in rushing back home from office, getting ready in my "beauty blogger" avatar and of course trying to control the pati's over excitement about watching gorgeous models strut their stuff on the ramp :D Yup! I took him along too and well I guess he is now a fan of my beauty blogging hobby for life ;)

I did some research and found that this year the Miss India contest would be held in laps and folds, with auditions taking place in 12 cities, followed by pageants in 7 cities and finally the winners of the pageants being given direct entry into the Ponds Femina Miss India 2013 final contest to be held in Mumbai. I was invited to the Pune pageant leg and well the rest as they is history :)

We Just Got Seated :)

Loved The Lighting!

From the entrance of the hotel to of course the hall where the event was held, Pond's presence was commanding. The title sponsors of the event, Ponds was everywhere and it made me realise how the brand had evolved over the years from just a cold cream name to a premium skin care range today. They had a stall showcasing their revolutionary products from Anti-ageing Gold serums to night creams, from fairness solutions to daily care.

Quoting the Hindustan Unilever Vice President, Arun Srinivas said "Ponds believes that a woman is born beautiful and the Ponds product helps her maintain it." He further added that Ponds as a brand helps women understand their beauty and give them more confidence. Thus collaborating with Femina Miss India is like coming together of two powerful brands to host one of the most prestigious beauty pageants in India.

The event started on a nostalgic note with a slideshow video of all Miss India's from the start to the latest. A special feature was done on Meher Mistry who was crowned as the first ever Miss India in 1964. She still looked so graceful and came out as elegant and sophisticated :)

After the slideshow, they had a beautiful Ponds ad which had a soothing song playing in the background depicting on how Ponds made women "Gorgeously Alive" by their revolutionary products... I don't know about the message but I totally loved the song and I have been trying to find it on youtube but in vain :( If I get it, I'll share it with you guys...

The Judges Panel

The chief guest of the evening was none other than Randeep Hooda... Yes ladies, he really is very handsome in person! I was dying to take a closeup pic with him, but honestly, I was too shy to do it, so I was happy clicking pictures from 4 rows behind :P Then there was Manjiri Phadnis ( of Jaane Tu Na Jaane Na fame) in the panel of judges and well the pati went all ga-ga over her :P
The entertainment was provided by the Bollywood composer and singer duo Sajid-Wajid and a dance troupe called Sharp Shooters! One word to describe them... F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

Sun Dresses by MAX

Black Cocktail Dresses Designed by Jaya Mishra

Arun Srinivas, Vice President HUL crowning Ponds Miss Glowing Skin, Apoorva Lonkar

In Red Evening Gowns Designed by Jaya Mishra

In Red Evening Gowns Designed by Jaya Mishra

Randeep Hooda crowning the Winner

Randeep Hooda with the Winner Saniah Baig

 The events started with Apoorva Lonkar being crowned Pond's Miss Glowing Skin and Manasi Moghe being crowned as Lakme Miss Eyeconic eyes and felicitated by Mr. Arun Srinivas, Vice President Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Finally Saniah Baig was crowned Ponds Femina Miss India Pune 2013 and felicitated by Randeep Hooda himself! Lucky Girl! ;)

All and all a beautiful evening and my moment of pride of being a beauty blogger :)

I will be doing a separate post for my outfit and look of the evening :)

REVIEW: Vivel 3-in-1 Face Wash+Scrub

OMG I feel like I am doing a product review after ages and yup it has been a while hasn't it :) Thanks to all of you, who missed and actually wrote to me saying so :) It is mails like these that make my hobby of being a beauty blogger all the more special :) Thank you!

Today, I shall be reviewing Vivel's 3-in-1 Face Wash+Scrub for soft, clear and glowing skin. It is supposed to be "All Skin Types" and "For Everyday Use". It contains jojoba beads, which are nothing but Jojoba esters created by complete hydrogenation of Jojoba oils. The oils are used as emollients and the esters or the beads are used for exfoliation.

Vivel Face wash+scrub is actually what is it called. It has these exfoliating jojoba beads floating in a face wash. The exfoliating beads are just right, they are not at all harsh and neither do they dissolve in water very fast. I loved the product as a scrub. It does have a strong fragrance but it isn't unbearable or synthetic smelling.

The product did have a downside though and that was the fact that I do not think it is suitable for dry skin. Though they claim that it is for all skin types but after a couple of uses I started finding dry patches on my skin (I do have extremely dry skin), very similar to the ones caused by Clean and Clear face washes. So I asked my friend with oily skin to try it and well she apparently loved it. So I guess its a fabulous product for those with oily skin but dry skin beauties are better off without it...

Image of the Product

Swatch

Oooohhsss And Aaaahhhsss!!!
1. The jojoba beads are of the perfect hardness and texture for exfoliation. They weren't harsh on the skin.
2. It really and I mean really helped me scrub away dead cells. My skin actually felt all sparkly and clean!
3. I like the fact that it has both a scrub as well as a face wash. It was awesome to have a lather working up while exfoliating.
4. Very very easily and widely available in all general and departmental stores.

Ouches!!!
1. Though they claim the product to be for all skin types, it does not suit dry skin.
2. It does have a somewhat strong fragrance.

Price
it costs INR 105/- for 100 ml.

Would I Recommend?
I would for sure recommend it for oily skinned ladies who are looking for a good scrub with an oil control face wash. But dry skinned beauties should stay away from this product.

Overall Rating:
5/10 - Dry Skin
8/10 - Oily Skin

The product was sent by PR for consideration. It has in no way affected my review.

Handlooms Of India Photoshoot Looks...

Helllloooooo my beautiful readers :) If you follow my blog regularly or at least are on FB and twitter with me you'll know that I had been chosen as the Face of Handlooms Of India? No, you didnt know? Oooh check this post out then...

Anyways, with their online store launch on Ganesh Chaturthi i.e. 19th September, the photoshoots for various of their products are now in full swing! And that means I have become even more busy... Phew! But I am enjoying every bit of it :) I am today gonna be sharing a few pics with you all (at least the ones I am allowed to share :P) to give you guys an insight about the makeup I did and the looks I was ask to sport :) So here goes...

There are three major looks that I sported that require a mention here...
1. Look 1: Manic and esoteric for some gorgeous hand crafted Camel Bone jewellery. For this I did a fierce and thick winged liner look. I did it for me and another model...

2. Look 2: Modern and eclectic for a traditional handloom called Khand that seems to be taking the ramps at LFW by storm. For this I did a smokey eye look.

3. Look 3: Traditional and Indian for a batch of beautifully woven handloom sarees from the Deccan. For this I used some golden eye shadow and smoked it out with some copper and black shadows.

Do let me know how you like the looks...
And stay tuned for more of these photo shoot glimpses ;)

I Am The Face Of Handlooms Of India :)

Oh wow! Just saying it makes me feel so awesome! :) If you guys follow me on twitter (you don't? Then you better :P) then you'd know that I had been approached by someone to model for them... Well now let me break the news to you all... I was asked by Handlooms Of India to be their "face"!!! How cool is that?

Well, they are a Pune based enterprise who were looking for a "known" face in the blogging world and Ahem! they chose me! Ok, the fact that I am based out of Pune also helped I guess :P But you guys have to believe me when I say that it feels really cool :D Ha ha! Apart from the "cool" factor, the fact that I got to dress up in these beautiful handloom sarees and don these beautiful pieces of our Indian heritage was just so exhilarating! And then I got to do my hair and makeup, which was simply the cherry on the cake ;) He he... 

Here's something about them in case you are wondering what is it all about (straight from the horse's mouth)...

Handlooms Of India, represents the weaves that color India and has been started as an ode to the richness India has to offer in terms of it's textiles and handicrafts... We are not just any online portal selling traditional sarees and handlooms but are one of a kind one-stop-destination for everything Indian... From bandhej to kalamkari, from ikat to brocade, from phulkari to kaantha, from Paithani to Chanderi, all will be available on HOI.
We are also very proud of the fact that lesser known weaves and crafts like Himru of Aurangabad, Kasavu of Kerela, Taant of Bengal, Muga silk of Assam and many such artistic weaves shall also be showcased on HOI...

As we are committed to provide only authentic and genuine pieces of our Indian tradition to our patrons, we are in the process of revolutionizing the purchase policies for our clientele and are hence yet to open our online store to the public. Nevertheless, we are very much on the scene through our blog and other social networking sites.

Do visit our website, subscribe to our emails to know more about our grand launch date and other updates.
Site URL: http://handloomsofindia.com
Blog URL: http://handloomsofindia.com/blog

You can also follow us on:
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Google+

 Do checkout their site and lemme know how I look ;)

Here are some pics from last weekend's shoot...

INTRODUCING: Pond's Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Facial Foam

Pond’s age miracle™ announces the extension of its range with the new Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam, that’ll counter dullness and enhance your skin’s radiance! The new Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam is a unique combination of Intelligent Pro-Cell Complex™, a system of vital Bio-Actives:  CLA, Retinol, Two Retinol Boosters, Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Glycerin with gentle micro beads that come together to deeply cleanse skin and help remove the dead cells and impurities to reveal visibly youthful skin!

Unlocking the mystery of youth has always been the pursuit of many women. As time
passes, skin cells lose their “youth” and the skin cell renewal slows down. The result?
Visible fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots and uneven skin tone. In light of this, Pond’s Institute
presented the revolution in the science of anti-ageing by launching the new Pond’s age
miracle™ range with its new Pond's age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Day Cream SPF 15 PA++
and Pond's age miracle™ Deep Action Night Cream. Daily use of this moisturizes the skin,
helps renew skin cells and visibly reduces wrinkles, fine lines, sagging and age spots.

Achieving beautiful and youthful skin is not limited to merely repairing surface signs of skin
ageing and damage. Instead, youth should be restored deep within to revive tired and dull-looking
skin. Understanding this, Pond’s Institute has extended their range of
Pond’s age miracle™ with the Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam to counter
dullness and enhance your skin’s radiance!

Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam has a velvety texture with a touch of gentle
microbeads. It tenderly exfoliates skin, and removes dead cells and impurities help your skin look
radiant and fresh. Use the combination of new Pond's age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Day Cream
SPF 15 PA++ and Pond's age miracle™ Deep Action Night Cream Night Cream as your daily skin
care regime to accelerate skin cell renewal and reveal a younger, more radiant you!!
Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam is now available in 100ml for Rs. 215/-across
most of the leading stores. 


Application:
Lather a pea-sized amount of Pond’s age miracle™ Cell ReGEN™ Facial Foam on your palm. After wetting your face, massage it gently with your fingertips in an outward circular motion. Thoroughly rinse off with water and pat-dry. In case of contact with eyes, rinse with water.