Nivea blackberry shine
I’m a big fan of Nivea’s lip care range, but I’ve been veering towards using other brands to add a tint of colour to my lips when I don’t want to wear lipstick. My regular lip balm now leaves a light pink tinge across my lips, so I was a little sceptical about the purple berry shade that this one seems to have when you first open it. However, the delicious-smelling (a strong blackberry scent that reminded me of jelly sweets) lip balm is so lightly tinted that it was almost too little colour for me. It also fades away very quickly, so it’s only good for when you want a completely natural look. However, where the colour fails, the benefits surpass most other lip balms currently available in the market. The moisturised feeling lasts almost all day long and helps keep your lips from feeling dry or chapped (especially when it’s used over drier, matte lipstick). The shimmer it promises is missing, unless you count the slight sheen that it coats your lips with, but I’m not a big fan of shimmer so there were no complaints in that department. As a daily wear balm it’s easy to carry, the cap stays on (this is important in a large purse!) and it smells delicious, which is enough of a reason to add it to your makeup kit.
Price Rs. 185
Where Retail websites and stores across the city
Plum Green TEA CLEAR MASK
A face mask that offers instantly brighter, healthier-looking skin, the first thing I noticed was the great packaging of this face mask from one of my favourite paraben-free beauty brands. The mask recommends weekly usage, and the soft, creamy formula spreads across your skin in a jiffy, leaving you feeling cool and refreshed as it dries. It takes a while to dry completely (around thirty minutes, so don’t use it when you’re in a hurry!), and it doesn’t stretch, pull or burn your skin like other masks do. It’s also as easy to wash off as promised. While it’s no magic potion, it does leave your skin looking and feeling fresher. While it’s touted as a product to help keep acne at bay, it may take a while longer to really control breakouts. However, it does get rid of the grime, clog and dead skin that comes with pollution in the city, leaving your skin feeling lighter. A little goes a long way, so it’s definitely a value-for-money product too!
Price Rs. 475
Where www.plumgoodness.com