Pages

Tuesday 27 August 2013

A Realistic Tan (aka how to piss off South Asian Aunties)

Perhaps you are South Asian. Perhaps not.

(Then again, perhaps you are naught but shadows and dust in the cobwebs of my mind. But let's not go there eh.)

As a South Asian (or possibly Asian in general?), you may well be aware of the vehement furor and snobbish disdain that a tan ensures in our lovely community.

Said tan may be quite, quite natural.

In fact, like my baby son, your tan may be part of your genetic makeup. THIS DOES NOT LET YOU OFF THE HOOK. YOU HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME OF ALL CRIMES AND YOU SHALL PAY! Let's see how thick your skin really is, eh?

A tan is a revelation. It shows JUST HOW STRONGLY one's social standing relies on looks.

Not with everyone, of course, but definitely among some foul-hearted beeshes prominent in our community. Vile comments abound!

I mean, hello! How could anyone tolerate skin so glowing as to make supermodels jealous? Cover that horrifically healthy colour up! Use bleach, Fair & Lovely, baby powder! Hurry, chop chop! My eyes are burning!

 Yes, even if the offensive tan belongs to a pure, innocent little baby boy with eyes like melting chocolate kisses. (Is my bitterness showing?)

Just recently I was at a Shiseido counter getting colour matched, for their glorious Perfect Refining Foundation. Lady matches me to 020. Then she eyes me up and down, noting my desi-ness. "Of course," she says crisply, "You'd prefer a few shades lighter, right?"

Only desis are so accommodating as to be racist against themselves.

Anyway, having witnessed many variations of the above, enduring ridiculous conversations about--what else--skin colour....I decided enough was enough. I wanted to piss off those superficial, pathetic aunty figures, and really rub it in.

So I went the self-tanner route. It was a necessity before big parties.

That became too hard to maintain, although it was worth it to see certain aunties flinch at my tan. After that, I went for liquid bronzers, gels and creams.

I also kind of like seeing myself 'tan' when I stay indoors most days. Psychological gratification, and all that. So after loads of bronzing gels and the like, I have finally found my HOLY GRAIL of realistic bronzer.... The Guerlain Terracotta Tinted Moisturizer! *cue trumpets*

The quick rundown: it's long lasting, looks dewy-fresh, not greasy--important!--the colour (brunettes) is perfect for mixing a drop into foundation to darken it, matches my natural tan perfectly--works very well as a gel bronzer (applied with fingers or brush)...ensures compliments on my "gorgeous skin" from strangers! C'est vraiment MAGNIFIQUE!

Here is a pic with me wearing it (center of face has vichy dermablend mixed with a drop of the guerlain tm).
(eyes: Fyrinnae Immortality, the lightest shade of Annabelle Java quad)

   It looks so natural!! It blends effortlessly, smells beautiful, and no breakouts in over a week of using it. Perfect product and will definitely ensure a few nasty glances from certain...aunties. What more could you ask for?

Friday 23 August 2013

Annabelle's new quads

Annabelle's new(ish?) eyeshadow quads have me flabbergasted. You must have seen them. 
They cost about 11.99 at SDM, have gloriously flattering shades, and DAMN I FOUND A DIOR DUPE (but it's better).

Annabelle Cosmetics are a Canadian line, like Marcelle and Lise Watier, that have drugstore prices similar to Rimmel & co.

 Usually they surpass their drugstore counterparts, e.g. their eyeliners, BB creams, smudgepots, eyeshadow trios, and now these! 


For one thing, the moment I swatched the tester at SDM when these were first released, the item out for swatch (Chai) reminded me mightily of Dior's Earth Reflections palette. Scarily so. In any case, the shades were so glorious, so smooth, pigmented, and shimmery in a tasteful, expensive way, that I just had to have it. Sadly, other, savvier shoppers must've thought the same. This specific shade has been sold out at every single shop I have been in, in several cities! If you (crickets) see it, GRAB IT! Grab several. Sell the extras on ebay later and fund a marathon with the profit... 

But I digress. After a couple of months (yes I am that sad) of holding out for the Chai quad, I decided to settle for Java instead. After all, the colours were cooler toned and would probably stand out more on my warm colouring. 

Right off the bat, this guy decided HE DID NOT WANT TO BE TOUCHED. A bugger to open, there ought to be a little booklet explaining how with it. Or an Annabelle quad opener, like a bottle opener. They could sell it for a nickel, I'd buy it. 

OK so once opened, and used several times (compliment getter, btw!)...I realized that one shade in particular resembled a Dior eyeshadow that I love. 

A lovely "minky" (as Lisa Eldridge described it) colour, the star of the quint. (The Dior palette was SUCH a fail for me, barely showed up, but for this particular colour, I'd willingly get a backup. It is that good.)

So seeing as I own no decent camera, just a phone one, and the swatch photos I took were promptly deleted, you'll just have to be content with trusting me on this.
Dior Rosy Tan, meet Annabelle Java.

See the bottom left shade in the Dior?
Now see the top right shade in the Annabelle? That's the dupe. Almost exact, except that the Annabelle one goes on more smoothly. The Dior one isn't as finely milled, so it comes out looking more *chunky* than the Annabelle. It may also appear a hair warmer in certain lights, but honestly, on the lids they look like clones.

So, again, no swatches. Horrible blogger, I be. But if you trust me on this, you'll be losing, what, 12 bucks? And gaining a gorgeous flattering palette that is horrible to open? 

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Aunty's Makeup Tutorial


This girl is hilarious, deliciously accurate in her portrayal of certain aunties.

So why am I posting here?

 Well, such a no-nonsense beauty routine is a breath of fresh air in today's world of over-groomed, minty-breathed, glossy-hair-flipping laydeez (which undoubtedly describes every single reader of this popular blog)....
(Especially Jiminy Cricket there).

For non-South Asians, an "aunty" is any sort of older lady who is too old to be a "baji" (big sister),
and doesn't have to be related.
It could be a stranger, a math teacher, a hairdresser.




Lipstick Palette and brief how-to

 Carting around a load of lipsticks, glosses seems like a frivolity. It is actually quite essential to running my daily errands. A comfort blanket sort of thing. One to refresh the favoured lip of the day, another dozen 'just in case'--to stave off boredom I suppose. Of course, one or two more, bought during the day's course, to come join the happy family.

 I tried to keep it up, I really did. Despite the already cumbersome 'diaper bag' (what an ugly term),  crowded with cosmetics, a couple of books, tissues, keys, coins, wallet, bottles of formula, and, yes-diapers... I persisted with my 10+ unnecessary lipsticks. 

But then I went and did this...

Ugly old eyeshadow palette full of chalky colours. In this pic the useless eyeshadows have been scraped out, palette washed and disinfected..


To snazzy lip palette painted prettily for kicks... 


There are plenty of depotting tutorials on the internet, for lipsticks. The gist is: behead the luckless lippie. Put it in spoon, hold spoon above candle (NOT TOO CLOSE!). 

Whistle the classic tune relied upon by generations of lumberjacks and gold prospectors, it's raining men.

 There will be fumes. They are not to be inhaled (nausea! headache!). 

Once the lipstick seems to have completely liquified, delicately pour it into the pan without burning yourself. Leave to set. You can mix lipsticks (eg a sliver of a brown lipstick, a sliver of a pink) to make different shades. Experimenting is fun! My favourite shade here is the mix of Vasanti's Spain and Estee Lauder's Bois de Rose.

Here we have an array of well-melted and not-so-well-melted lipsticks (where I got impatient, and didn't wait for it to fully melt, are the blotchy bits). Yes, it's been used and loved. Just this and a lip brush is all I need.

Right to left
 Estee Lauder Tiramisu
Revlon lip butter Creme brulee
Estee Lauder Tiger eye

Rimmel paradise
Rimmel Kate Moss 14
Estee Lauder Rose tea

Revlon Copperglow berry + tiramisu
Revlon Copperglow berry
Bois de rose

Estee Lauder Tiramisu (again)
Rimmel amethyst shimmer
Rimmel amethyst shimmer (twice because I have several tubes of this)

Vasanti spain
Vasanti spain + EL bois de rose
boots sheer temptation delight

Guerlain Gigi
Revlon fuchsia fusion
Revlon love that pink