Summer make up essentials

I am one of those people who like making lists. You know, those crazy list makers? Not exactly obsessive but it definitely helps me track things a lot better if its in the form a of 'top five'. So on popular demand from my readers, I finally decided to spend a Thursday on enlisting my top five make up essentials for spring summer. These are products that I have been using off late and all my opinions are strictly personal.
I do not fall in the category of women who claim to despise make up and claim to never wear any. Au contraire, I love make up and would almost classify as a hoarder but I don't always wear it. For some blog shoots, I try and keep the look au natural with just some tinted moisturiser, kajal and lip balm but for others I make it a point to sport my fanciest made up look. For all you ladies who pointedly wear make up religiously, it becomes all the more essential to invest in the right products by the right makers. I am also not a slave to 'designer make up' but I make it a point to honestly state what works best for me in terms of its intended purpose. So lets get started shall we?

1. SEPHORA brightening and hydrating foundation: This is a liquid foundation in a bottle with a pump of 20 ml. I use a shade called 'Moyen Medium' which works perfectly for my medium skin tone. I usually apply it with a foundation brush and would recommend using the same for the purpose. It helps in even application. This foundation works well for me. Good coverage, does not make my skin oily and is definitely not cakey. Lasts a whole day without any bother of reapplication. (But then that could also just be me since I'm not a crazy stickler for 24x7 coverage). Priced at Rs. 1200 (INR), its a very good price for that coverage.

2.DIOR Skin Nude: This is a skin perfecting hydrating concealer that comes in this tiny 10 ml tube. I use the shade called Honey or 003 given that I primarily use it as an under eye concealer.The tube is tiny for sure but it requires very little product for a one time use. Take out just a little on your ring finger and dab it and mix under the eye with the foundation. Don't apply too much pressure. It could lead to a little shine and for people trying to work a matte look, best to lock it in with some loose powder at the end. Works wonders for me and this is coming from someone who has tried about three other concealers that definitely didn't work as well. A little expensive on the pocket, its priced at Rs. 5500 (INR) but as an investment, I would definitely buy it again.

3.NYX Matte black liner: The NYX Matte liner is my go-to kajal cause it doesn't bleed and is my second favourite after the gel liner by Maybelline or Bobbi Brown. I also use it as a liner, on the rare occasion that I do wear a liner, since I'm not quite big on the liquid liners. Priced at Rs. 350 (INR), its easy on the pocket and I do not quite mind buying a new one every few months since I essentially wear kajal everyday.

4.DIOR blush duo: This DIOR blush in shade 'Peechy keen' or 553 is the best powder blush I have ever used. The colours are a slightly dark rose and peachy rose and are perfect for the Indian skin tone. I picked this up from the Singapore Duty Free more than a year back and I haven't felt the need to buy another blush and quite obviously, I am not running out of it anytime soon. It is not highly pigmented like the ones by Chanel I think, but that to me is an added benefit since I'm mostly trying to keep it minimal. This is priced at about Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 (INR) depending on where and when you buy it.

5.YSL lipstick in Rouge Volupte Shine 62J800: This is the exact colour as you see in the metal mesh on the body of the lipstick and also the colour you have seen me wear many a times on my blog, here for instance. Its a dark pink or magenta if you will, and definitely a pink that works for my skin tone. Its a glossy lipstick and keeps your lips moisturised and tinted. Requires reapplication in case of a whole day run but definitely does not bleed. For a look where you need not want to wear a whole lot of make up, kajal and this bright lipstick works wonders. This is priced at Rs. 1900 (INR). For the creamy soft bright tint, I would not mind occasionally splurging on one of these YSL babies.

Till then,
x