Every holiday season Real Techniques release a new brush set. This year they offered us the Deluxe Gift Set. When I saw it on sale at Flipkart, I snapped it up immediately.

With five brushes, out of which two are set exclusives, you get a white envelope clutch as well. The clutch is decent, but honestly, I would have preferred a makeup bag instead. This is just my opinion though.


The brushes are different from the other Real Techniques brushes in the fact that the ferrule has a glossy finish. The brushes look quite festive and cheerful!

The brushes included in this set are:

Multitask Brush: This brush is a huge favorite of mine. It comes as a part of the Travel Essentials Set as well. Its an extremely versatile brush that I use to apply blush, bronzer and setting powder. I'm very happy to have another backup of this brush!

Pointed Foundation Brush (set exclusive): This is a flat foundation brush, much thicker than the other flat foundation brushes offered by Real Techniques. I use this to apply foundation all over my face. It works quite well. The bristles are soft and help me reach the corners of my face.

Base Shadow Brush: Another favorite of mine from this set, I use it to apply a light wash of neutral eye-shadow all over my eyelid. It can also be used for blending purposes. This brush picks up just the right amount of product. The Base Shadow Brush is also a part of the Real Techniques Starter Set.

Angled Highlighter Brush (set exclusive): This brush is meant for applying powder highlighter to the high points of the face. And it does its job well. The slanting/angled tip allows a thorough distribution of highlighter to the face. This brush reminded me of the Real Techniques Setting Brush.

Fine Liner Brush: This brush is perfect for applying gel eyeliner. Picks up the perfect amount of product, this brush makes it easy to apply a thin, uniform line, even for those with the most unsteady hands! I really enjoy working with gel eyeliner using this brush.

Overall, I really like this set, although I wouldn't say that it is a 'must have.' If you are a huge fan of Real Techniques (like I am) and like collecting their brushes, I'd suggest you give this set a go.

Another month has flown by and I present to you my March Makeup Edit. These are the products I've been reaching for throughout the month, which help me look fresh and presentable.

Base: March was pretty much the month of light makeup base for me. Light, but it needed to stay put. I mixed a bit of Revlon Photoready Skinlights into my Bourjois CC Cream and buffed it into the skin with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. For concealer, I used my favorite, Revlon Colorstay. I set my base with Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder so that it lasted all day.

Cheeks and lips: I didn't mess around with blushes and bronzers too much this month. Just used a bit of Benefit  Benetint on my cheeks (if I felt like it). For lips, I stuck to a few old favorites: Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream (Antwerp), Maybelline Colorsensational Lip Liner (Velvet Beige) and my all time favorite, Benetint.

Eyes: For eyes I went back to my favorite Maybelline Hypersharp Liner for a super skinny line along my upper lid, along with a couple coats of the game changing Benefit They're Real Mascara.

What were your makeup favorites this month? 

I am a fan of highlighters, and Benefit highlighters are considered to be some of the best in the market. I wanted to try the Sun Beam and Watts Up!

But when I spotted High Beam (as a part of the Sugarlicious kit) I bought it immediately. High Beam is a pearly liquid highlighter, which is to be applied to the high points of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, Cupid's bow etc.

It has a nail polish brush style applicator. High Beam blends very easily into the skin with fingers and imparts an iridescent, lit from within glow. No chunky glitter in sight!

High Beam will suit almost every skin color, except for the really dusky skinned beauties. It might show up too starkly on their skin.

High Beam lasts on my skin for 7-8 hours and I love layering it with a powder highlighter for an extra punch.

You cannot go wrong with this highlighter. I love it! When and if I make it to an Indian Sephora, I'll definitely stock up on the full size!

Everyone is a fan of rosy, just bitten lips. So am I! Which makes the Benefit Benetint the perfect product for the job. The deep pink, watery lip stain leaves the perfect amount of pigment on your lips.

You can layer it up for greater impact. I'm in love with this product for its ease of application. The color is a universal shade which will suit almost everyone.

Benetint lasts on my lips for 6-7 hours, including meals. It is perfect for a 'no makeup makeup' look when you want to add a wash of color to your lips.

Sometimes I apply a few drops of Benetint on my cheeks and blend it in for a lovely pink flush. This versatile product has become a favorite of mine! I will definitely buy the full size!

Sunscreen is the best anti aging product. The best way to prevent tanning, burning and sun damage is to slather yourself in sunscreen, come rain or shine. These are my all time favorites:

Lotus Herbals 3-in-1 Matte Look Sunblock (SPF 40):
This tinted sunscreen is a cult product in India. It applies easily over moisturized skin and dries to a matte finish, giving a slight coverage. Perfect for every skin type, all through the year. And I love its sandalwood scent!

Lotus UV Screen Matte Gel (SPF 50): Another great product from Lotus Herbals, this floral scented gel dries to a matte finish on the skin. Perfect for those who hate wearing sunscreen! I've gone through countless tubes of this one!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Complete UV Moisture (SPF 50): This light, runny sunscreen comes most in use during winters when I need a more moisturizing sunscreen, or when I'm wearing makeup over it. Its not greasy and doesn't break me out!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock (SPF 50): This is my beach sunscreen of choice. Water-resistant and sweat proof, this provides maximum protection. Just make sure to reapply frequently. Also, don't let it get into your eyes. It stings.
I wore this sunscreen during my holiday in Goa and it helped prevent me from getting tanned!

VMV Hypoallergenics Armada Sport (SPF 70): This moisturizing, fragrance free sunscreen is another favorite of mine, especially during the cold weather. It is a lightweight cream that sinks easily into my skin. If you have sensitive skin or hate the smell of sunscreen, please give this one a go!

Which are your favorite sunscreens?

One of the best mascaras all around is the Benefit They're Real Mascara. I own a mini version of it.

It has a plastic brush that really gets into the roots of the lashes and dispenses product throughout the length. This mascara is waterproof and simultaneously lengthens and adds volume to my lashes. There is no smudging or smearing throughout the day and it really holds the curl in my lashes.

Honestly, I don't see the point in buying expensive mascaras (you'll have to discard them after 2 months in any case). And my Maybelline mascaras have served me well.

However, I'm willing to make an exception for only Benefit's They're Real Mascara. For the results, I'm willing to pay the full price. If it were easily available, I'd DEFINITELY repurchase the full size!

Sugar Cosmetics is a relatively new player on the Indian market and their cutesy packaging and catchy product names intrigued me. Also, I know you're tired of reading Maroon 5's Sugar references with respect to this brand, but I felt like I 'need a little sweetness in my life!'
(There. I put it). I bought their It's A Pout Time Lipstick in Breaking Bare. Priced at Rs. 599, this lipstick comes in a sleek and elegant black tube. Also, there are four shades in all in the Its A Pout Time Range, inspired by various TV shows. I'm going to list them and try to guess their origins as best as I can okay?

1) Breaking Bare (from Breaking Bad, for sure)
2) The Big Bang Berry (Easy. The Big Bang Theory)
3) Mad Magenta (from Mad Men?)
4) Coraline In The City (Caroline In The City???) 

Anyway, Breaking Bare is a gorgeous rose pink shade. The texture of this lipstick is more creamy matte than powdery matte. It goes on quite smoothly on the lips. Be sure to exfoliate and moisturize your lips before putting on this lipstick as matte formulations can exaggerate dry patches. Two swipes will give you full color payoff. The lipstick has a slightly waxy feel to it, but it settles down to a satin matte finish in a few minutes. The lipstick has a faint vanilla scent, nothing too strong. Breaking Bare brightens up my skin color and is quite a fresh, youthful shade. This shade will suit every Indian skin tone, from the palest to the duskiest. The lipstick has a great lasting power, I chomped my way through a pizza with this one on and it remained pretty much intact. It stayed on my lips for 5-6 hours with minimal fading.
I'm impressed by this offering by Sugar cosmetics and am eyeing up their Matte As Hell Lip Crayon in Holly Golightly next. As for Breaking Bare, I'm definitely getting myself another tube after I'm finished with this one!

PS: Be sure to avail the 10% off coupon from the Sugar Cosmetics official website! It makes for a pretty sweet deal!

Earlier I used to use my fingers to apply foundation and concealer. I simply did not see the point of buying multiple brushes to apply makeup. But once I did get my hands on my first brush (Real Techniques Expert Face Brush) there was no looking back. Today I'm going to talk about my favorite foundation brushes and why I love them!

1) Real Techniques Expert Face Brush: This was my first makeup brush EVER from Real Techniques and it CHANGED MY LIFE. Its short, firm bristles blended my foundation and concealer into my skin, giving me an even, streak free base with minimum effort. I have loved this brush and have used it numerous times over the past 3 years. I've also bought a backup!

2) Real Techniques Buffing Brush: Its the star of the Real Techniques Core Collection. A dense, flat top buffing brush, I use this to apply tinted moisturizer and BB/CC creams. It has become one of my favorites! I wish it was sold individually, so that I'd be able to buy backups, without the other Core Collection brushes.

3) Zoeva Silk Finish Brush: This brush is INCREDIBLE. I can go on all day praising this brush. With super soft, dense bristles, this brush is best for applying cream/liquid foundations. It gives me the highest and most flawless coverage out of all the brushes in my collection. A total star!

4) Real Techniques Essential Foundation Brush: This comes in the Real Techniques Travel Essentials Set. It is a typical flat foundation brush with a tapered tip, best for applying foundation in thin layers on the face. This was the brush that made me want to explore more flat foundation brushes.

5) Real Techniques Foundation Brush: This brush is my most recent acquisition. A flat foundation brush with a slanting tip, which helps you reach all the nooks and corners of your face. Apply foundation with thin layers and use a buffing brush to blend! An integral part of my 'Two Brush Foundation Application Method'.

These are all my favorite base makeup brushes. Which are yours? Let me know!

Over the years, after numerous trials and errors, I've found a select few skincare products that work well on my skin. These are the products that I keep repurchasing and will continue to do so for as long as they are made!

1) Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion: This simple, fuss free cleanser is perfect for my acne treatment sensitized skin. It has never irritated my skin. I've gone through countless bottles of this over the past SIX YEARS and you'll always find a bottle of this in my bathroom.

2) Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion: This is such a versatile moisturizer. I use it on my face (at night, after acid toning) and body. It has never broken me out and is such a mild product. The fact that it is easily available and fragrance free is a bonus!

3) Emolene Cream: This pale blue metal tube contains my favorite water-based moisturizer. Its serum like consistency makes sure that it sinks into my skin immediately, without leaving it greasy. Also fragrance free, I love layering this under my Cetaphil moisturizer at night.

4) Clean & Clear Oil Free Moisturizer: My favorite day time moisturizer to wear post-cleansing, before sunscreen. And the fact that it contains a small amount of salicylic acid means that it helps to keep my acne flare-ups in check!

5) Glyco-6 cream: Easily available at any medical store, this cream contains 6% glycolic acid. It helps in exfoliating my skin, making it look brighter and reducing the frequency of my hormonal breakouts. I use this every other night, alternating between this and the next product.

6) Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Pads: On the nights when I'm not using Glyco 6, I use one of these pads. Simply swipe it all over your face after cleansing. These pads (one jar contains 60 pads) contain glycolic acid (exfoliant) as well as the gold standard for skin hydration: hyaluronic acid. These pads have helped my skin become clearer, without drying it out. Total win!

These are my six favorite skincare products that I will always repurchase. Which products are an important part of your routine?

Dirty makeup brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria. The bristles of your makeup brushes (after use) contain not only leftover makeup, but oils from your skin. 

If brushes aren't cleansed regularly and thoroughly, they can harbor bacteria which can lead to infections and breakouts on your skin. Yikes! Regular cleaning of brushes is a must.

I clean my powder/blush/bronzer brushes every 2-3 uses. I clean my base makeup brushes (foundation and concealer) after every use.

I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo to clean my brushes, simply because it is easily available and I love the scent it leaves on my brushes!

To clean your makeup brushes, wet the bristles with warm water and pour a small amount of liquid soap/baby shampoo onto the brush. Then swirl the brush in your palm in a circular motion, allowing the bristles to foam up and the makeup to come off. Then you can rinse the brush with warm water.

Reshape the bristles of your brush and set it on a towel to dry, preferably in sunlight. This simple method will ensure that your brushes are in top shape and will make them as good as new, ready for use!

What type of soap do you use to clean your makeup brushes? Do you use any cleansing mats? Let me know!

I wanted to try some BBlunt hair products desperately, after hearing such glowing reviews about them.
I chose their Climate Control Leave In Cream (Rs. 175), Spotlight Hair Polish (Rs. 250) and their Back To Life Dry Shampoo (Rs. 250).
Stay tuned for their reviews, peeps!

If I'm in a hurry and I need to look 'fresh' and presentable, I turn to my five product face. This is what I use:

1) Apply Lakme CC Cream (or any tinted moisturizer I have on hand) all over my face.

2) Dot Revlon Colortstay Concealer under my eyes and on blemishes and use fingers (or my Real Techniques Sponge) to blend.

3) Apply a line of liquid liner on my upper lids. No wings. Current favorite: Maybelline Hyper Matte Liquid Liner.

4) Apply mascara. Current choice: Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara (waterproof).

5) Apply a lip product. Preferably matte. I love the Maybelline Lip Gradations and Colorstay Matte Balms for their easy application. Pictured here: Maybelline Lip Gradation in Mauve 1.

I might add blush, if I feel like it. Its optional though.

What are your five product face essentials?

It all started when I was searching the internet for inexpensive makeup primer recommendations. The Nivea Men After Shave Balm (sold abroad as Nivea Men Post Shave Balm) had glowing reviews for its alternative role as a primer. I had seen this product pop up on my Instagram feed as well! I decided to give it a go.

On a trip to the supermarket, I picked up a bottle of the Sensitive variant of the After Shave Balm. It comes in a hefty glass bottle with 100ml of product.
This "balm" is very runny in texture. Almost a serum/gel like consistency. It also has a strong, masculine fragrance.

I applied this all over my face, massaging until the finish became a bit tacky/difficult to move around. My skin felt quite hydrated, which is because this product has glycerine as its second ingredient! 

I applied my foundation and concealer over this as usual and my makeup glided on seamlessly. The scent of the balm also disappeared completely. I set my base with powder and went about my business.

During the half day mark, I noticed that my makeup still looked fresh, just as it had been in the morning. Only a little bit of oil had seeped through around the nose area (which is very common). I simply powdered my nose area.
At the end of the day, my makeup still looked intact, almost as fresh as it was in the morning! The after shave balm had done a better job than any makeup primer I had ever tried!

This is one primer that will work for almost all skin types. It is not like those silicone based primers (which have a tendency to break me out). This primer hydrates the skin, and keeps makeup looking fresh and put together. For Rs. 235 for 100ml, this bottle will last you a long, LONG time! I'd like to recommend this primer to EVERYONE, it is a total winner. I have decanted the balm into smaller plastic bottles for travel, as the glass bottle can be a bit heavy/fragile to carry around.

I will keep using this as my makeup primer for as long as it is available. A definite repurchase, it gets two thumbs up from me!

On the days when I want to get a full, even coverage (and I have the time to play around with brushes), I use this two brush foundation application method.

First I apply a thin layer of foundation all over my face using a flat foundation brush (Real Techniques Foundation Brush). I then buff the foundation into my skin using a dense brush (Real Techniques Expert Face Brush). I do one layer all over my face and the second layer concentrating on the problem areas, followed by spot concealing.

This two-brush method gives me the most solid, flawless coverage, perfect for special occasions. This method works best with liquid foundations.

What is your favorite foundation application method? Brushes, fingers or sponge?