The Fight For Frizz-Free Hair

Before you style your hair you need to repair it. The monsoons may be synonymous with moist and humid weather but quite ironically they dry out your hair. Dry hair is responsible for that annoying frizz in your hair which makes it look like a bird's nest. So before any birds decide to settle down in your hair, start a moisture-locking routine for your hair. Look for L'oréal's Liss Ultime line. This line Has a shampoo and conditioner that help lock in your hair's natural oils and prevent it from drying out. They also have a serum that detangles hair and calms down frizz. I have not had great results from this line but I know quite a few people who would vouch for it so give it a try. 

If, like me, your hair just doesn't like this line very much, you may want to try the Matrix Hydra-créme. Their deep repair masque can work wonders for the driest of hair! Since it is a hair masque and not a conditioner, you don't need to use it every time you shampoo your hair but I still do because I cannot get enough of this amazingly magical potion.

Next up is the Dove Elixir Nourished Shine. Even the guy that lives on that remote rock on Jupiter  may have noticed the blogosphere going abuzz about Argan Oil. The Dove Elixir Nourished Shine has this miracle oil and that was enough to convince me to try it. It is the perfect product to add shine to dry hair. 

As a general rule, don't color your hair during monsoon. Coloring dries out the hair that is already damaged by the weather. However if you do color your hair,  Lush's Daddy-O shampoo will give it some added moisture and also prevent it from going brassy. 

Once you've got the hair you want, you can style it. The easiest of the lot are the Summer Waves. You could achieve this look with a curling iron but the humid weather will just ruin it. Instead, split your hair into sections and braid each of these sections after a shower and while it's still damp. You may use a hair dryer if you're in a rush but I prefer to just let it dry naturally. Once it's dried, just open out the braids and brush through your hair. A few drops of serum later you'll have those perfect Summer Waves.

If you would rather tie up your hair, a fishtail braid or a French braid looks classy and yet edgy. 

For more hairstyles, click on the link below and check out this video by Blair Fowler:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x6XYFWmTI1w

I would love to know any other hair care tips or favorite hairstyles you may know and also any suggestions for what you would like to read about next so please leave a comment. 

T <3

Monsoon v/s Mascara

You step out of the house feeling happy and beautiful. You've taken the time to go through your daily makeup routine. Maybe you even put in some extra time to make it look flawless for a special event and then the rain comes pouring down and washes it all off. This is probably the most frustrating aspect of the monsoon in the day of every fashionista. However, I was determined to not let the rain keep me away from experiencing the little flutter of joy I feel every time I put on some lovely bright eyeshadow or blush. Soon I realized that all you need is a little change in products and routine to avoid looking like a monster with eyeliner and mascara running down your face every time it rains. So here's my list of dos and donts to perfect your waterproof makeup routine.

Rain means humidity which is your first cue to stay away from heavy moisturizers. Use a light moisturizer or better still, opt for a tinted moisturizer that would replace your heavy foundation as well. 

Stay away from powder foundation! These would run down your face and look cakey at the first touch of water. BB creams are a great alternative to powder or liquid foundations. Most BB creams are also waterproof and therefore will give you coverage even through the rain. Although powder foundations could ruin a look during the monsoon, mattifying powders could be your best friends. Always keep some mattifying powder or oil absorbing tissues handy to soak up the oil and grease that could form on your skin after a bit of rain.

Recommended products: Maxfactor Miracle Touch Foundation, MUFE Face and Body Foundation, Truematch by Loreal and Dream Matte Foundation by Maybelline (though it is not marketed as a waterproof foundation it does not budge even if you go for a swim) 

No girl would want to skip her blush. It adds a healthy glow and is a necessity for any makeup look (especially if you have pale skin like mine which would look lifeless without a stroke of blush). Cream blushes are your best bet for the monsoon and even the summer. Cream blushes are usually waterproof but even when they aren't waterproof they're still quite difficult to take off with just water.

Recommended: MUFE Aqua cream for eyes and cheeks (this is a multitasking product that can be used as an eyeshadow or a lip/cheek tint depending on the shade). I also heard that it is used by the Aqualillies (a professional synchronized swim team from the USA) so you couldn't go wrong with these little pots of color. Maxfactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush, Benetint or Posietint by Benefit cosmetics.

It is best to avoid lipsticks and lipglosses when it's pouring outside. I'm sure we've all experienced how sticky they tend to get when they're touched by water. They also don't perform so well on the staying-power front. My favorites for the monsoon and summer are lip stains. 

Recommended: Benetint by Benefit cosmetics, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain ( this one is my favorite and I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat! It stays on all day and because it is a fusion of lip balm and lipstain, it does not leave you with the dry-matte-lips feeling that most lip stains do). Lip stains, sadly, are yet to peak in popularity in India. How I wish the Stila Cherry Crush lip stain was available here. 

Lastly we talk about the eyes. I saved the most exciting one for last! Fortunately, there is a whole plethora of waterproof eye makeup that you can experiment with. In my opinion, Maybelline makes the best waterproof mascaras. They have a waterproof version to every formulation of mascara they bring out. It is better to skip applying mascara on your lower lashes since that is where it is most likely to smudge and spread. As for eyeliners, waterproof liquid eyeliners are your safest bets. Gel eyeliners smudge very easily with water and very few pencil eyeliners have a waterproof formula. Maybelline again, has some of the best waterproof eyeliners I have ever used. Loreal Telescopic Waterproof Eyeliner is also a lasting liner.

It seems Maybelline has mastered the art of waterproof makeup with their new release of the 24hr Color Tattoos. These cream eyeshadows are waterproof and don't even crease! They also make for a great base for other eyeshadows. NYX Jumbo Eyepencils are also said to be water resistant although I have never tried them myself. Revlon Cream Eyeshadow Quads(Review here) come in a great range of shades and will stay put through the rains.

This post turned out to be much longer than I expected but if you're going to waterproof your makeup, just like anything else, there must be no leaks. I hope I've helped you with this post. Come back for another post for the best hairstyles for monsoon/summer this year to keep the rain and sweat away from your lovely locks. I will also include some tips for hair care during this humid weather. (You can find the post here)

T <3