5 Makeup Products I can't live without!

I've been playing with makeup ever since I was 15...The minute I realized that filling in my brows and adding a tinted lip balm could make a world of a difference to my face, I was hooked. Today, I love makeup just as much as I did when I was a teenager. Nothing makes me happier than when I walk into Sephora and lay my eyes on all it has to offer...from luminous highlighters to creamy lipsticks. they all hold a special place in my heart. Can I buy everything I want? No. Absolutely not. I am not a makeup hoarder (although my hubby thinks so!). I mean, my relationship with makeup has changed in the sense that I now realize that I only have so much eyelid space, so much skin on my face and so much lips...buying too much makeup would mean I would have to throw some out after a few years. Buying makeup makes me happy but I try to justify a purchase by saying that I really need this color or I ran out of this product. I try to use products in a way that keeps me looking like me with an added bit of flair. Finding happiness in makeup doesn't have to mean anything negative, as long as it isn't consuming you and is just something you enjoy dabbling in a little more than usual :)

Here are my 5 products I can't live without (not in picture):

1. Eyebrow pencil : Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony
This eyebrow pencil can double as a subtle eyeliner hence the lack of eyeliner in my top 5.

2. Peach concealer: MAC Studio Finish Concealer NW35
Amazingggg product for dark undereye circles. I usually use two shades of this product. A peachy one to counteract purple/blue circles and a lighter one to higlight. However, the peachy shade is a must-have as it totally neutralizes the dark circles.

3. Pressed powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent.
Superb product to keep your face looking matte and fresh.

4. Mascara: Maybelline Falsies Mascara
This mascara is a god-send. It adds volume like no other and is a staple in my makeup bag.

5. Lip stain: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balmstain in Sweetheart
This product is nothing short of amazing. It can be used lightly to add a light stain and can be worn in full strength as a beautiful pink shade.

Youtube Vlogger: ItsJudysLife

Ok... ever since Web 2.0, I've been watching YouTube like regular TV...Ok that analogy didn't fly too well. I mean't I browse for content how I would on a TV. I browse for interesting people who make interesting videos. Some people don't get it and don't find it intriguing to watch a regular (or what seems like regular) person talking about banana milkshake! I just love watching them...especially how-to videos (read: beauty and makeup tutorials). One of my favorite vloggers is Judy Travis of Itsjudyslife. I have to watch her vlogs everyday as she uploads daily. She basically chronicles her daily life with her husband and 1 year old child. My hubby enjoys watching their vlogs too! Go and have a see!

Thank You :)

I've been noticing quite a bit of traffic on my blog.There's approximately 30 views in a day...could be from 30 people or could be from a few people who view my blog multiple times. Whatever the case, it does make me smile :) I don't get paid or any ad money from this blog. It's just a personal diary where I share stuff about this and that, here and there. You taking the time to visit this blog says that you care about me so a big, BIG, Thank You!

Picture source: http://www.npengage.com/nonprofit-management/how-thank-your-board-sing-their-praises/

Dumb Ways to Die

A young friend of mine introduced me to this game called 'Dumb Ways to Die'...It is the funniest game ever! They even made a song for this game..It's quite catchy and the lyrics are hilarious! Here are the lyrics:

Set fire to your hair
Poke a stick at a grizzly bear
Eat medicines that’s out of date
Use your private parts as piranha bait

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Get your toast out with a fork
Do your own electrical work
Teach yourself how to fly
Eat a two week old unrefrigerated pie

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Invite a psycho-killer inside
Scratch your drug dealer’s brand new ride
Take your helmet off in outer space
Use your clothes dryer as a hiding place

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/tangerine-kitty-dumb-ways-to-die-lyrics.html ]
Keep a rattlesnake as pet
Sell both the kidneys on the internet
Eat a tube of superglue
“I wonder what’s this red button do?”

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Dress up like a moose during hunting season
Disturb a nest of wasps for no good reason
Stand on the edge of a train station platform
Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing
Run across the tracks between the platforms
They may not rhyme but they’re quite possibly

Dumbest ways to die ie
Dumbest ways to die
Dumbest ways to die
So many dumb
So many dumb ways to die

Be safe around trains. A message from Metro 

Picture source: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/interactive/2012/11/dumb_ways_to_die.jpg
Lyrics source: http://www.lyricsty.com/tangerine-kitty-dumb-ways-to-die-lyrics.html

One of my favorites: Due Date

Screenshots of some of my favorite scenes from the movie Due Date. Love Zach Galifianakis!

Bangladesh Night 2013

Did I mention that I recently took part in an event called Bangladesh Night at the University of Texas at Dallas?I took part in two dances, one of them was a 'mujra' dance which is predominantly inspired by the Mughal era when this kind of dance was performed to entertain royal patrons and such. I had a ball of time with the girls I performed with. All of them such sweethearts!

A bit late but Happy 43rd National Day Oman!

The King (Sultan) of Oman, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said's birthday is on November 18th, which is celebrated as Oman's National Day. He turned 43 this year making it the 43rd National Day! The city is adorned like a bride all the month of November...the colors of the flag, white, red and green are used to decorate the city.  This thing is getting justified in a funky way...the alignment.

 The Royal Oman Police allowed car decorations for National Day. People put stickers on their cars and are allowed to keep it on from November 18 until the end of November. How cool!

 How beautiful!

 Lamp posts decorated so beautifully! Reminds me of a headpiece on a bride!

Royal Opera House, Oman (haven't visited this yet but definitely will!)

I ombre'd my hair!

This is old news...I ombre'd my hair about 2 months ago! I bought all the supplies from Sally's beauty and did it in 2 hours. 

Skin care saviors!

I've always loved tea tree oil. I first came to know about tea tree oil when I was in 9th grade and did so by visiting The Body Shop. You know that entire tea tree oil line that Body Shop does...been around for ages. I've come a long way since that. Since the last 8 years or so, I've been investing in pure tea tree essential oil. I apply it to pimples, scars, etc. and find the effects to be much more powerful. I've also been using lavender oil and rosemary oil as well. I use these oils in my hair too. As a skin-care item, I add few drops of the tea tree and rosemary oils to my palm and add a healthy squirt of jojoba oil. I use this concoction to moisturize my face and it has a guaranteed no-breakout result. I'll also use the same mixture to deep cleanse my face using a hot washcloth. Jojoba oil is a wondrous oil, especially for oily skin. Oftentimes I'll notice that high-end face serums and oils list jojoba oil as its main ingredient. So why not buy a whole bottle and mix it with other essential oils to make your own elixir?

I've also recently been using Dickinson's Witch Hazel toner. I used to use this way back when but then sort of got off the toner bandwagon. But now I'm on it again and I can't imagine my skin-care routine without this. I saturate a cottonball with it and rub it over my entire face. It feels soothing, cleansing and gives a pore-tightening feeling (as mentioned on the bottle).

My new favorite fragrance: The Body Shop Honeymania EDT

 I can't really describe the smell. It smells like flowery honey. I just love it and can't get enough of it. Have to pick up the body butter next!

Battle of the black eyeliner: Which one is blackest of them all?

So I decided to swatch all my black eyeliners (pencil) and see which one of them is the blackest and most smudge-proof. 

 The contenders (From top to bottom):

1)MAC Kohl power eye pencil in Feline ($16)

2)Maybelline Colossal Kajal in Black ($8)

3)NYX Slide on Glide on eyeliner in Jet Black ($8)

4)Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Zero ($19)

From Left to Right: MAC Feline, Maybelline Colossal Kajal, NYX Slide on Glide on pencil in Jet Black, Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero

I wanna say MAC Feline and Maybelline Colossal Kajal are pretty similar as in they are both rich, sort of glossy blacks. NYX Slide on Glide on pencil is very similar in texture to the Urban Decay 24/7 pencil. I don't own the Urban Decay 24/7 in Perversion which is even blacker than the original Zero. 

 Also, all of them are in pencil form and the Maybelline Colossal Kajal is a retractable liner.

 I decided to pour some makeup cleansing oil on the liners to see which ones ran off first.

 MAC Feline went off the fastest. It is a kohl pencil that makes absolutely no claims of being waterproof. NYX Slide on Glide on pencil did hold up pretty well and so did the Maybelline Colossal Kajal.

To sum it up, MAC Feline is the blackest of them all and NYX Slide on Glide on pencil held up best in the smudge test. My favorite at the moment however is the Maybelline Colossal Kajal as it is a rich black and smudge proof upto 6 hours (as it says on the packaging). However, MAC Feline being a non-waterproof eye kohl delivers the most sultry, smokey, smudgey eyeliner look (if thats what you are going for). If you apply an eyehshadow primer before using MAC Feline and set it with some translucent powder and re-apply throughout the day, it actually works pretty well.