Current Winter Skin care Favorites! – CORALLISTA

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing a few of my current winter skin care favorites. My skin gets very dehydrated in the winters so I’ve introduced some new products in my routine to keep it nourished and moisturized. Hope some of my recommendations are helpful to you. There are two serums that I’m switching between these days. The Clarins Double Serum is excellent for the winters because of its oil-water hybrid texture. It is literally two serums, housed side-by-side, dispensing out from a single pump. It is an anti-ageing product, with high concentration of turmeric that helps with uneven tone as well as lines and wrinkles. My skin feels instantly softer and smoother when I use this. I alternate this with the Forest Essentials Soundarya Advanced Serum which is a little oilier than the Clarins one. It smells absolutely beautiful and supposedly contains actually gold bhasma for age control benefits. I would recommend this one for dry and mature skin. I only use it when my skin is feeling very dry. A skin care brand that I’ve discovered very recently is Dr. Sheth’s, an Indian dermatologist brand that has been specifically designed for Indian skin and conditions. I have 4 of their products in my routine currently – the  Basic Brightening Daily Cleanser (Rs 375 | buy here) which is a gel-based, gentle cleanser containing rosehip seed extracts, almond oil, coconut oil-based cleansing agent and Vitamin E. Their Basic Brightening Extra Gentle Daily Peel (Rs 850 | buy here) is excellent to include some gentle exfoliation in your daily routine. It contains 5% Glycolic Acid (for immediate exfoliation), 5% Lactic Acid (for long term exfoliation), glycerin, pomegranate extracts, lecithin, oat sugars, grapefruit extracts and calendula. I didn’t experience any tingling or unpleasant sensation when I used this. The lotion-like consistency feels nice and calming on the skin. The Basic Brightening Daily Sunscreen (Rs 1899 | buy here) has become a staple in my routine. Its non-greasy, leaves no white cast, spreads and blends well, feels mildly moisturizing yet lightweight on the skin. There’s nothing not to love! Its a mineral sunscreen containing titanium and zinc oxide for sun protection. Also contains lecithin for hydration and sunflower + licorice extracts for brightening. Coming to moisturizers, I love the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief gel-creme . Its the most lightweight of moisturizers in terms of consistency but it feels very very hydrating! Delivers pure moisture into the skin, ideal for dehydrated winter skin! Dr. Sheth’s Ultimate Brightening Youth Enhancer (Rs 2250 | buy here) is the only cream in the market with over 15 actives! Its a powerful cocktail of ingredients like kojic acid, vitamins A + C + E, niacinamide, wheat sugars, hyaluronic acid, avocado oil, glow milliglowbules that help in brightening uneven skin, firming and tightening prematurely ageing skin, while addressing dryness of course. This is a night cream, and I noticed a difference in my skin from the first use itself! If there’s only one product I can recommend from Dr. Sheth’s, it would be this! Apart from these, I’ve also been loving Bio Oil for the body and the Neutrogena Hand Cream for the hands. The latter is excellent for very dry/chapped hands and gives instant relief from extreme dryness. So those are my current winter care favorites! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments section below!

Glowing skin with Oxylife this wedding season – CORALLISTA

We all love radiant skin; more so this time of the year when there are loads of weddings and parties to attend and we want our skin to look its best! I like to maintain a regular skin care routine so that my skin is always at its healthiest, but due to stress, daily exposure to sun and dust/pollution and festive season indulgences, the skin can get dull and develop dark spots. One of the reasons for skin to look fatigued is the lack of oxygen. Poor oxygen results in skin that looks lifeless and dull. A boost of oxygen is one of the quickest ways to get instantly radiant and healthy looking skin. I recently tried out Oxylife after seeing it used in professional salons and I’m pleased to report how well it has worked for my skin. When you need an instant fix, there’s nothing quite as effective as Oxylife to give life to fatigued, oxygen-deprived skin! Oxylife Natural Radiance 5 Crème Bleach targets the five major issues that result in poor skin – dark spots, dead cells, uneven tone, sun tan and dullness. Choosing the right bleach is very important and I always go with Oxylife. It is one of the most trusted and widely used bleach brands. It doesn’t feel harsh on the skin and the post-bleach serum gives a wonderfully soft and smooth feeling. Even though it feels fairly mild, I’d still recommend doing patch test before using it on your face. The usage is very simple – mix the activator with the cream in a ratio of 1:7 and apply it on cleansed skin. For deep skin tones, you need to keep it on for about 10 minutes. If you have medium to fair skin, keep it on for about 15 minutes. After removing the bleach, follow up with the post-bleach radiance serum for smooth, soft, glowing skin! Refer to the leaflet inside the pack for detailed application instruction. The formula has patented German Technology – Oxysphere , which enables pure Oxygen molecule to be penetrated inside the skin, giving it pure boost of Oxygen, leaving it naturally radiant. It is also enriched with Vitamin E to condition skin and Glycerin which helps brighten and nourish skin so your skin doesn’t feel dry after use. So if you’re looking for an effective bleach that you can include in your regular skin care regime, check out the Oxylife range. For the wedding and party season, it is a must-have in your beauty kit! Please note: I do not promote skin ‘whitening’ or ‘fairness’. All skin tones and colors are beautiful; the purpose of using Oxylife bleach is to add radiance to uneven, dull and fatigued skin. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Oxylife.

My Current Skincare Routine – CORALLISTA

Hi everyone! If you guys are following me on Instagram, you’d know I am in New York for the holidays. I was quite looking forward to my vacation, since this past year has been very difficult on the personal front. I was ready to explore the city the moment I landed 7 days ago but jet lag hit me like a train and I have no idea where and how the week just slipped away! I was running on 1-2 hours of sleep though I would spend all night tossing and turning. I don’t know how frequent fliers do it! My brother has joined me from Dallas couple of days so now we’re enjoying the city together. There’s so much to see! Its been very cold (it was – 2 deg.C yesterday!) and supposed to get colder this week (not looking forward to that bit at all!). Because of the stark contrast in the weather, my skin threw a fit the day I landed. I’ve never experienced dryness like this, not just on my face but on the body as well! One of the first things I had to do was hit the drugstore and stock up – lots of oil, lots of moisturizer and body lotion. I’ve figured out a good skin care routine by now though and my skin has *touchwood* been feeling amazing! Just like you need layers of clothing to beat the cold, you need layering in the winter to keep your skin moist, fresh and radiant looking! I was carrying some Innisfree minis with me from the pomegranate range (with worked very well actually – essence, lotion, cream and eye serum) but they lasted me just 3-4 days about. Which was my plan anyway because I planned to shop for beauty products here. Step 1 : I start with a combination of gentle cleansers. Because I wear makeup everyday, cleansing is very important so most days I do a 2-step regime. I picked up the Neutrogena Ultra Light Cleansing Oi l from Rite-Aid. Its a medium-weight oil i.e its not as light as dry oils but its not super viscous either. It doesn’t emulsify a ton to be honest but cleanses nicely enough while giving such more needed slip to my skin. I’m following this up with the L’Oreal Revitalift Bright Reveal Cleanser which has bit of scrubby particles, glycolic acid and produces mild lather – it gets the oil/makeup residue right off without drying the skin. Step 2 : I know the cleansers are working right because my skin doesn’t feel dry/stretchy after cleansing. For step 2, I’ll add a few spritzes of a face mist, carried the Innisfee Aloe Soothing Mist from India which seems to function alright as a basic hydrating mist. Step 3 : I then take some Innisfree Pomegranate Eye Serum and apply it generously around the eyes. Its lightweight enough that it doesn’t leave any greasy after-feel. It won’t last more than 2-3 days I think so I need to go pick something from the drugstore or Sephora soon. Step 4 : For the face, I’m using the CeraVe Skin Renewing Cream Serum, a rich emollient serum that leaves a nice silky moist feel on my skin. I think it is one of the products responsible for how well my skin has been feeling. It contains a hint of retinol and ceramide complex. Retinol can easily dry the skin but I’m using plenty of oil on the skin so thankfully no flaking. I think this is a really nice anti-ageing serum from the drugstore that’s not too bad on the pocket. On alternate days, I’ve started using Sunday Riley Good Genes which is a lactic acid exfoliating overnight treatment. Already loving it so much! Sunday Riley was one of the brands I really wanted to try out. Will definitely look for more of their products at Sephora and do more detailed reviews. Step 5 : I’m still making moisturizer cocktails since I have a little bit of Innisfree Pomegranate lotion and I received a sample of the Själ Cela Intuitif Light Cellular Renewal Crème, which to be honest, blew me away! SO.MUCH.MOISTURE! Själ was a brand I had never heard to before but I was looking at Sunday Riley LUNA at SpaceNK and they didn’t have Luna. The lady suggested the Saphir Concentrate by Själ and the ingredient looked promising so I ended up buying it. The cellular renewal creme was a free sample. I want to go pick up the full size of it, but the brand is so crazy expensive :'( Step 6 : By this step, my skin is feeling quite nice and hydrated but nothing like a light veil of oil to finish it off. I use a few drops of the Själ Saphir Concentrate Anti-Ageing Facial Oil, and press it onto my skin gently instead of massaging it. It smells really nice and leaves my skin very nourished and radiant. I’m all set for either bed time or makeup at this point. The only thing missing in my routine is SPF, I’m only relying on makeup for that which isn’t the best thing to be honest. I need to go pick a sunscreen but since its dead winter here right now, it doesn’t feel urgent! So that is my current skin care routine here in New York!  Let me know if you would like me to do a similar blog post for makeup and body care!

Easy hairstyles for Mehendi ft. BBLUNT – CORALLISTA

Hi everyone! It’s the wedding season and we’re all looking for new looks to try this season. I’ve partnered with BBLUNT to create really easy, beginner-friendly looks for lighter functions like mehendi. Whether you’re the bride yourself or a bridesmaid (or even just a guest!), I’m sure you’ll be able to pull off these looks with great ease. Being a novice when it comes to hair myself, BBLUNT products help make hair styling simpler and are very easy to use! Look 1 : Braided Bun For the first look, I created a braided bun. I started by using the BBLUNT Intense Moisture Hair Serum which is a clear serum that adds nourishment to the hair and makes it more manageable. It also contains oils of Jojoba, Avocado and Argan which make the hair softer and smoother. You can buy this hair serum online and also use it as a heat protectant before styling. Next, I created a centre parting for my hair and proceeded to add some dimension to my hair using the BBLUNT One Night Stand Temporary Hair Colour in Bronze to a few strands of hair. This gives a dramatic splash of temporary colour that you can easily wash off the next day. You can buy these temporary hair colours online and I would highly recommend the shades Bronze and Copper for the festive season. Next, create a simple three-strand braid in your hair and twist it around to create a bun. Use bobby pins to secure the bun. For the finishing touch, use a few spritzes of BBLUNT Spotlight Hair Polish for instant shine. I’ve also noticed that it works like a low-hold hairspray that keeps styles in place without the crunchy feel. It’s a must-have finishing product! Your braided bun is now ready! Look 2 : Messy Side Braid For look 2, I’ve created a messy side braid which looks gorgeous for mehendi functions. It’s similar to a regular braid, just a little more bohemian. I started by adding some beautiful colour to my hair using the BBLUNT One Night Stand Temporary Hair Colour in Copper . This colour adds a beautiful metallic highlight to the hair and is easy to wash off the next day. It looks particularly beautiful in a braid once you interlace the hair and gives you wonderful highlights without spending hours at the salon colouring your hair. In the next step. I pulled the hair over one shoulder and proceeded to create a simple three- strand braid. Make sure you’re not braiding too tightly, leave it a little loose. Once the end has been secured, use your fingers to pull the braid a little looser, giving it a thicker look. Finish off with a few spritzes of the BBLUNT Spotlight Hair Polish for Instant Shine and a soft hold, keeping your braid in place. Your beautiful bohemian braid is ready! Disclaimer : This is a paid partnership in collaboration with BBLUNT.

Liner Drama – CORALLISTA

Its been a while since I’ve done a blog post. Its also been some time since I went a little overboard with eyeliner! So putting these two together, here’s the look I created yesterday. I used a combination of black gel liner (tried the Tarte, amazing formula!) and used black and brown eye shadows to soften and blow it out a little for a more diffused look. You can create this with any black gel liner. But you definitely a matte black and brown eye shadow, and a really good, fine brush to create this. And a practiced hand 😅. Products used for the Eyes and Brows : Sigma Medium Brow Powder Sigma Bright to light Highlight Duo Sigma Angled brow brush (used this for the liner as well) Tarte Clay Paint Eyeliner Miss Claire eye shadows (0209 – brown, 0824 – black) Isadora Flashing Volume Mascara Products used for the Face and Lips : Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Makeup : Cashew Tarte Pro to Go Contour kit (to contour lightly and add soft highlight) LA Girl Just Blushing blush : Just Dazzle ColourPop Ultra Blotted Lip Color : Soda Pop (love, LOVE THIS!) I will be posting a quick Instagram tutorial for the eye look next week! If you don’t follow me on Instagram already, head here to check out my page. I post on Instagram daily!

Tropical Red Lip – CORALLISTA

This is usually the time one moves to cooler hues (hello, autumn!) but Mumbai, being Mumbai, is unbelievably hot and humid at the moment and I’m finding myself drawn to more summery styles and colors. This makeup look is inspired by the outfit (as is the case with a lot of my looks!). I picked this tropical print dress from H&M online and took cues from the orange-red hue in the print. I love tropical prints, the greener the better! Not just for outfits but for bedding, cushion covers…anything really! To complement this bright red lip, I did a soft coppery eye with my signature winged liner, some natural looking false lashes and a glowy bronzed cheek! I would normally accessorize this look with warm tones but these jumbo silver sequinned earrings actually worked out quite well here 😀 Dress + Earrings from H&M Lipstick by PAC Cosmetics // Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick #26 NATIO Glowing Bronzer Palette PAC HD Liquid Foundation 2.1 Makeup Revolution SophX eye shadow palette Red Cherry False Lashes #43 Nykaa Glow Getter Highlighter // 24k Glam What do you think of this look? 🙂

My current Skincare favorites! – CORALLISTA

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing some of my current skincare favorites with you. Some of these are new launches, some are just new to me, but all of these have been working very well for my combination skin. FOREO LUNA 2 for Cleansing The weather has become exceedingly warm and humid in Mumbai, which always leads to my skin getting excessively oily, resulting in breakouts. I knew about the LUNA range of FOREO, and had reviewed the LUNA mini 2, about a year ago. Here’s the link, for those who haven’t seen it. Thankfully, the LUNA mini 2 worked wonders for my skin, and with the whole touching 30 phenomenon, I decided to upgrade my gadget into the next model, which is the LUNA 2. The cleansing brush comes in 4 variants, for every skin type and I’m glad there’s a variant for combination skin; I often face quite a bit of struggle when it comes to choosing products for combination skin! TRIED & TESTED: MY VERDICT What I like most about the FOREO cleansing brushes (since I’ve used two now) is the fact that they aren’t harsh and abrasive on the skin, unlike many others available in the market. Made with medically graded silicon, the bristles cleanse through the pores removing excess oil, grime and dirt, thereby making it the perfect skincare buddy and addition into my kit. As a beauty and makeup influencer, my biggest problem (also because of my skin type), was the constant feeling of my skin feeling oily, and lacking lustre. I noticed visible results, and the difference in my skin texture and tone after using it for a month. IS IT WORTH THE INVESTMENT? The product undoubtedly is on the expensive side. However, with all that investment, what you get in return is a drastic improvement in your skins external health, and the best part is it comes with a 2-year warranty (which is very unlike the other brands available in the market). So, it is definitely a YES, from my side! You can get this at Sephora in India, in-store as well as online. Forest Essentials Pure Rosewater mist for toning Right after cleansing, I’ve been using the Forest Essentials Pure Rosewater mist, which is an old favorite. It acts as a toner, as a hydrating mist and I love how it smells! I also like using this throughout the day, just as a refreshing mist and it helps my skin stay hydrated. Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly for moisturizing In the moisturizer/masking department, I’ve had to make the switch to lighter formulations with the changing weather. The new Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly has been working really well because of its feather weight formula. Its a runny jelly, absolutely non- greasy, that sinks into the skin within seconds. It contains hyaluronic acid and glycerin as humectants and a blend of sunflower seed cake, barley and cucumber fruit extract for improving the skin’s moisture barrier. If you have oily skin, give this a go! Kiehl’s Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydrating Masque as a overnight mask The Kiehl’s Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydrating Masque also has a delightfully light jelly consistency that soothes and hydrates the skin instantly. I’ve been using this as an overnight mask lately and it does a great job of plumping and hydrating my skin! Also, a little goes a long way so this 100 ml tub will last you several months easily! Olive Rosehip Oil for dryness, wrinkles, spots and pigmentation The latest new addition to my routine is the Rosehip Oil from the New Zealand-based organic brand, Olive. This just launched at Sephora India recently and I tried out several of their products. It’s a brand based on, you guessed it right, olives! The fresh olives from their farms are used to get the best of the first press of the oil and it is that oil that is used in their products. The Rosehip Oil combines the reparative benefits of rosehip seed oil with the nourishing properties of olive and the resulting mix is a powerful oil that addressed dryness, wrinkles, spots and pigmentation. So those are my current favorite skincare items, have you tried any of these? Let me know your comments below!

FOREO LUNA 2 Cleansing brush : Tried & Tested

Hi everyone! Today I’m reviewing the FOREO LUNA 2, which I’ve been using for some time now, and which has become the most important part of my cleansing routine! My skincare upgrade My first brush with FOREO was the LUNA mini 2 device which came about when Foreo launched in India at Sephora a few years ago. I started by using the LUNA Mini 2 , which is a great device to start with if you are new to t-sonic cleansing brushes. And recently, I upgraded to the LUNA2, since it has the added anti-ageing benefit as well, and I couldn’t be happier! For those who still haven’t seen my LUNA mini 2 review, check: This is also on discount, check it out ! All about LUNA 2 The LUNA 2  is basically a silicone cleansing brush that utilizes up to 2X the T-Sonic™ power to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, unclog pores of makeup residue, and remove up to 99.5% of dirt and oil that can contribute to adult-onset acne breakouts. There are 4 brush options to pick from depending on your skin type – normal, combination, sensitive and oily. Each of the variants comes in a different color so it’s easy to distinguish between them. The one pictured in this post is the blue variant which is meant for combination skin. LUNA 2 for anti-ageing You’ll notice that the other side of the brush has grooves that looks different from the silicone bristle on the top side. Its reverse side uses lower-frequency pulsations to massage the face, visibly reducing fine lines around the eyes and mouth, and leaving the skin looking firm and lifted. The anti-ageing mode of the LUNA 2 also improves the absorption of your favorite skincare products- creams/ serums/gels/toners etc. Using the LUNA2 is very simple ; 1. Apply Cleanser Start by applying your favourite cleanser onto damp skin. Wet the LUNA 2 and activate its Cleansing Mode by pressing the button located in the lower half, center of the device. Gently glide the LUNA 2 ’s cleansing surface in circular motions over your face for 1 minute. Rinse and dry your face. At this stage, you can apply your skincare products (toner, serum, moisturizer etc.) 4. Anti-ageing massage Activate the LUNA 2’s Anti-Ageing Mode. Press its anti-ageing massaging surface onto wrinkle-prone areas (under eye, cheek, forehead, nose etc) for a total of 1 minute. Visible changes in the skin after using LUNA 2 After a few weeks of usage, 2x a day, I’ve noticed my skin feeling and looking much smoother and brighter. The anti-ageing mode helps your skincare absorb much better into the skin, thus boosting the efficacy of the products you may be using already! The deep cleansing helps skin shed the dead cells, not allowing them to build up and clog the pores, hence the skin stays clear and blemish-free. My Verdict Personally, for me, the traditional bristle-type cleansing brushes (with nylon bristles) always felt a little harsh but the FOREO LUNA devices are so gentle on the skin, thanks to the use of soft silicone bristles! I am truly happy to have made the upgrade to the LUNA2 and I highly recommend it to you all as well! Also, this cleansing device is available at a 30% discount for the black Friday and cyber Monday sale. You can check the discounts here. Disclaimer : Paid partnership in collaboration with FOREO. Honest review.

Nykaa Ultra Matte Lipstick SWATCHES – CORALLISTA

Hi everyone! Nykaa launched 8 new shades in their Ultra Matte Lipstick  (INR 599) formula recently, bumping the total tally of shades to 18. I really like this lipstick range; the magnetic closure packaging, the coloured tubes, the silky matte formula with its clean, powdery soft finish, and the fantastic shade range! I think the new shades that have been added are great for the spring/summer season, have a look at my swatch video.