Star Of The Month - Series I

She is beautiful, soft-spoken, patient-enough and always willing to help! At the store, I keep observing her way of handling the customers, especially when the customer is not sure of how to apply a particular product with a specified tool! She comes to their rescue beaming! Her customers are her celebrities! She frankly admits her faults, just in case! After a zillion visits to the store, I finally got hold of her! She is none other than Vicky, The Body Shop makeup artist!

1. How long did you work for TBS? How does it feel? 2-1/2 years! Didn't feel so long! Its same everyday, but enjoyable! Great brand to work for! I love their charity work!

2. What was your experience like so far? Mixed, I can say! I like to build rapport with loyal customers! I look forward to speak to them, in fact! I love to learn things from a different level! Fun part is to experience the latest launch! Shop lifters put me off!

3. What kind of techniques did you learn so far? Its hard to know what a trick is! Its a natural way of doing things for a makeup artist! Not a technique, basically! As per the customer specification, we do a make-over, lip-over, eye-over etc!

4. Share your Pick 1 from Body Shop? Body butter, obviously!

5. Share your Pick 3 from Body Shop? Body butter, Sea weed Clarifying toner and face powder!

6. What products does your skincare routine include? I was given Philosophy's Hope In A Jar, so I have to use it to the last drop! Otherwise, my skincare routine includes only Body Shop products!

7. What products does your haircare routine include? Because of my hair extensions, I have to use Pro range! Otherwise, I use Olive range, Honey range and Amlika Leave-In Conditioner from Body Shop!

8. What brands does your makeup include? We don't do waterproof makeup @ TBS! My eyes tend to water, so liner comes off easily! Hence, I use Gosh waterproof eyeliner! Otherwise, I use Body Shop makeup!

9. Did you ever try MAC? Would you like to? I did not try MAC! Do you think I should?

10. Drugstore or High-end makeup? In between like Body Shop range! If I did not work for TBS, I would have chosen high-end stuff! I don't like to use cheap stuff as they don't work for me!

11.What would you recommend straight away to a new customer? Body butter and Vitamin C Skin Reviver! It helps brighten the complexion! Boosts skin's smoothness, radiance and vitality! Has Orange oil and Grapefruit oil! Instant gratification product!

12. Assume you dont work for TBS, what would you buy? Makeup, body butter, skincare and Love Etc perfume!

13. Do you like any specific line of your makeup? I am a more eye makeup person! Partial, I can say! I like to coordinate my eyes and lips!

14. What Body Shop makeup tool is under-rated according to you? Foundation brush! Retails for 12 pounds, but is worth every penny! Lasts long! Doesnt shred! Every wash, it looks new!

15. What's your insight on fragrance oil? Makes a great gift! Great alternative when you are not sure what to choose for your friends or family, especially when sensitive to cosmetics! I love Satsuma, Coconut, Exotic and Line Dried Cotton!

Will be continued later...

P.S - From now, I will feature a makeup artist on my blog whenever possible! In my opinion, makeup artist doesnt have to be a celebrity artist! If thats what you are looking for, kindly ignore! As mentioned earlier, Series I includes only Vicky! If you think I can interview you in the most silly way possible, please mail me!

Body Shop Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream

Claims - A protective and soothing hand cream infused with Angelica extract and Organic Olive oil to care for the skin leaving it silky soft to touch! This non-greasy formula sinks into the skin to moisturise and condition! With a sparkling green fragrance with fresh citrus aspects in the top, leading to an elegant floral heart on a warm amber background! Cares for skin while leaving it feeling soft, smooth and supple with a light, yet richly moisturizing lotion with a refreshing fragrance! This non-greasy formula sinks into the skin to moisturize and condition! It also helps condition hair and give it a silky shine! Best for normal to dry skin!

Retails for Rs.345 in India, £5 in UK and $10 in US! Product comes in a squeezy 75 ml or 2.5 US FL OZ tube! Easy to control! Consistency is not creamy, but kinda liquidy! Not runny, by the way! Milk white in color! Its a fragrant product! I dont know about the notes, but I feel its floral like something related to jasmine family! I might be wrong, but its a scented product in a good way! The formula sinks in easily and kinda evaporates! Skin might appear dry after a while, but the product stays on! Staying power of the fragrance is phenomenal!

US and Indian market claims 100% of the profits from the sale of this product will be donated to global NGO partner ECPAT! UK market, £3.45 from purchase is donated to campaign partner ECPAT, who are actively working to stop the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and young people in the UK and around the world! Human trafficking is the 3rd largest and fast-growing criminal industry in the world! International and national members of the ECPAT network aims to help protect children and young people from trafficking! By purchasing this product, you can reach out and show your support for children and young people suffering across the globe, by taking direct and positive action to protect them!

Ingredients - Aqua,  Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Caprylyl Glycol, Zea Mays Starch, Parfum, Sorbitan Olivate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cyclohexasiloxane, p-Anisic Acid, Dimethicone, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol.

P.S - I dont insist you buy this! Every now and then Body Shop supports a cause and their latest campaign is Soft Hands Kind Heart! If you buy, it supports a cause being a charity product! As far as my knowledge goes, it might be a limited edition product or available for a shorter period! Correct me if I am wrong!

Beauty with brains!

You have a question? She has an answer! What if she doesnt know? She will do her own research and will let you know at the earliest! She is addicted to blushes, hence her blog "Addicted To Blush"! She is a cosmetic chemist rather than a beauty blogger! This is all I can say about Tanveer Parmar, the beauty with brains! Do you wanna know more about her?

1. What brings you to the Beauty Blogosphere, knowing there are tonnes already? Do you fancy a career that involves makeup? I started my blog in November 2008! I think there are too few blogs on Indian Makeup & Skincare even today! I was going to get married in 2 months and wanted advise and reviews on make-up and skin care! While I found a lot of great sites on skin & hair care, I just couldn’t find any site that reviewed regular Indian makeup/skincare like Biotique, Colorbar, Lakme, Maybelline or Streetwear or international brands like Revlon etc! The web was full of MAC, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, Stilla, which sounded great but either had to be shipped online or were quite expensive! When I looked back, I realized that there were so many products that I bought were gems and needed to be shared with others or duds where money needed to be saved! So, I began writing my blog as a tool to help other girls like me! Do I fancy a career? Hmm...I don’t mind it sometime in the future! Not working on it now, though. I am happy rolling out culture change initiatives right now!

2. What role does makeup play in your daily life? Is makeup a must for your profession? Makeup time is like play time! I love playing around with the colors and textures! I feel like a kid! Its not a must for my profession! I am in HR and specialize in Organizational Change Management! That just requires you to look presentable and professional (must when I am conducting a training or leading a communication initiative) and has more emphasis on communication skills! The rest is up to your discretion!

3. Whom do you find the most-inspiring, makeup or any aspect of your life? For make-up, I have an eccentric mix of people I look up to for inspiration! I like Kate Winslet for her natural looks! But even Lady Gaga is very interesting in her eccentric experimentation with colors and designs! Katy Perry also is very experimental! In life, I look up to Oprah!

4. Tanveer, a shopaholic or Tanveer, a bargain-shopper? Definitely a compulsive bargain hunter! The thrill lies in the kill!

5. Your place doesn’t stock most of the international brands! How do you update your collection? I just make use of whatever is available locally like Jordana, NYX, Bourjois etc!

6. What is your favourite makeup brand? High-end or drug store? Are you brand-conscious? Maybelline and Colorbar from drugstore! High-end, Bobbi Brown! Yet to try, but somehow feel like am going to like this! I am brand-conscious in the sense that if I had to shell out 2000 bucks for a foundation on a brand I neither heard nor are there any reviews online, I would think twice! As it has become obvious, I am a little stingy!

7. What are your go-to makeup products? Anything you reach for, no matter what occasion! Tinted moisturiser, mascara and tinted lip balm/gloss!

8. Do you have any products you cannot live without? Staples! Blushes & eyeliners!

9. What is lying untouched in your vanity from day #1? Any future for that? This VOV eyeshadow palette (11 shades) I bought for my wedding after hearing rave reviews! I still keep reading! For some reason, the colors look horrible on me! Like I am sick or something! I can’t figure out what’s wrong! I just don’t know what to do with it! No future with me!

10. What’s your take on Smoky eye - nude lips? Looks nice! I do a simple smokey eye with brown, grey or purple and team it with light berry/pink lips! No brown lips!

11. Do you collect anything related to makeup? I collect eyeliners in all colors! That is when I am not collecting blushes!

12. What’s your take on bloggers' recommendations on products? Do you consider? Sure! I have to thank Cynthia for the Ponds Tinted Mosituriser, Rati for the Colorbar blushes & you for Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom body butter!

13. Would you like to share your best and worst experiences so far? I have not had any bad experiences with beauty blogging! Best? There are just too many! I was very proud when my home-made Lush Angels On Bare Skin Scrub helped Palak in her acne! I was also very happy when Sweta from Nasik wrote a very sweet comment on how I had helped her out! Actually, there are just too many! I love helping people out! It just makes my day to know that my blog has made a positive difference in someone’s life! Besides, not to mention all the great friends I have made when blogging!

14. Would you like to share your daily routine? Skincare or haircare? Skincare daily routine: Exfoliate with Body Shop Face Buffer with a drop of cleanser and moisturize with Neutrogena (currently) in the morning, follow with make-up for office! At night, deep cleanse with Jergens All Purpose Facial Cream followed by daily pack of honey and lemon! Before sleep, I use eye cream on alternate days! I use plain curd as a face pack on a weekly basis! Haircare: I wash my hair once every 3 days with L'Oreal Repair 5 shampoo (currently)! I skip conditioner as it is very heavy for my fine hair! I instead use Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Moisture Kick Moisture Spray-in Conditioner, which is very light and perfect for my hair!

15. Would you like to share a picture when you felt that your make-up had come out almost flawless and was at its best? This photograph is from my engagement ceremony! I wore a white silk satin gown and I feel this is the best smokey eyes ever done on me! Attached a picture of me with my hubby (He has a beard here as he had specially grown it for the Sikh wedding ceremony to be held after two days! Ours is a love marriage!)

 

 
P.S - Thank you very much, Tanvi, for the customization and the session! It was a great pleasure to know more about you! Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I do! Long live young love!

Body Shop Buriti Baby Body Butter

Claims - Gentle buttery moisturisation for wriggly babies, enriched with oil from the precious Amazonian buriti tree! A gentle, intensely moisturising treat for baby's delicate skin! Packed with natural caring ingredients, this soothing formula melts into the skin on contact to condition and protect! Paediatrician approved! Suitable for sensitive skin!

Buriti Baby range includes body butter, body wash, shampoo, massage gel, bamboo hair brush, bath towel, soft wash cloth, body lotion, sponge, muslin cloths and mini essentials! Mini essentials has 50 ml body butter, 60 ml body wash, 60 ml shampoo and 60 ml massage gel beautifully set in a pouch!

Body butter is an intense moisturizer that can be used on entire body! They are specially formulated to maximize skin hydration! They are likely to be used during dry times of the year or when the skin suffers from severe lack of moisture! The ingredients contained in body butter often offer the skin both hydration and protection!

The body butter comes in a 200 ml or 200 g or 7 OZ tub! Retails for 12.50 pounds! The formula is creamy and ivory-colored! Consistency is very buttery! The soothing formula melts into the skin on contact to condition and protect! The product evaporates once you apply! No greasy residue, but a healthy sheen! Shortly put, invisible formula! Skin is visibly and tangibly soft! Apply the moisturizer on damp skin! It helps lock the moisturizer better!

Fragrance? Divine! Heavenly! Not overwhelming, thanks to the ingredients! The staying power of the fragrance is phenomenal! My perspective, Buriti Baby body butter is a fragrant moisturizer! I dont know what Buriti means, so I cannot describe the flavor! Do not expect any crazy fragrance as it is meant for babies! For a longer lasting fragrance and to maximise the skin care benefits, use together with other products from the Buriti Baby range in a layering regime!

Key Ingredients - Buriti Oil from the Amazonian 'tree of life' is a mild and gentle natural ingredient that helps to soothe, soften and protect the skin against over drying! Organic olive oil smoothes, softens and soothes the skin! Natural lipids work together with essential fatty acids to help prevent water loss and restore the suppleness! Shea butter moisturises and helps soften the skin! Also contains antioxidant vitamins E and F, which helps protect the skin!

Ingredients - Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cyclomethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Beeswax, Steareth-2, Caprylyl Glycol, Olea Europaea Oil, Steareth-20, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid.

P.S - I did review this product for adult usage! If you wish to try the Buriti Baby range for your little ones, kindly seek a paediatrician's advice! If you consider yourself a kid, I highly recommend you invest in Buriti Baby range!

Earth Diva Cosmetics

I received this beautiful mail from Earth Diva Cosmetics, US-based mineral makeup company! Exclusively 100% mineral makeup! Certified Vegan and Organic! Health, animal and environment-friendly!

The package had a brochure, 2 foundation samples, blush sample, setting powder sample and an eye shadow sample! The show stealer is their travel-size kabuki, which is their latest launch! I did try the foundations and the kabuki so far! Expect a review soon!

Their products claim to be free of artificial fillers, dyes, binders and irritant synthetics!Hypo-allergenic! Eco-friendly! You can order samples for a very less price if you wish to try their products! Right now, they have some great deals online! I believe they sell their products online!

I love their huge eye shadow range, especially the semi-shimmer ones! Their brush range looks just like EcoTools! The foundation range has a wide spectrum! Claims excellent coverage for a variety of skin conditions such as acne and rosacea! First thoughts! It does give a medium to heavy coverage! Thank you very much, Rachel!

P.S - The products featured were sent by Earth Diva Cosmetics! If you do not fancy mineral makeup or free stuff reviews, kindly ignore this post!

What's In Sarah's Makeup Bag?

Do you fancy peeping into other's bags? I like that sound! Some are very cooperative and some very fussy! Not everybody is like our Sarah! Thank you very much, Sarah, for emptying your bag! Let's see what Sarah has to offer!

Bag is from Next @ London, sent by a friend! Wallet says Guess, but not sure of its authenticity! Blackberry Curve 8320 Gold with pink casing! Pink & black are my favorite colors!Samsung camera! Fragrance, which is Calvin Klein Escape! My shades are from New Bird! Not high-end brand, but still costs me 1700 rupees!

Let's move on to the chocolate brown & pink makeup bag! It has a compact mirror! Revlon matte lipstick in Pink Pout! Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in Read My Lips, which is a perfect nude gloss! Bourjois Eau De Gloss in #21 Cappuccino Ice!  Extra Rimmel lipstick in Cool Shine #024 Spritz, which is discontinued! Benefit Bag Gal mascara! Etude blush #21, which is peachy pink! Sorry, but they dont have names! Pop Beauty Hot Pot gel liner in black! Hashmi kajal, which is perfect for natural day time look and great for smoked smouldery evening look! Must-have for Sarah! Benefit Pocket Pal and ELF face powder!

Revlon angled eyeliner brush, ELF blush brush, Coastal Scents fluffy eye shadow brush! Extra hair band and a pair of hoops! Mobile charger and headphones! Q-tips and hair pins! Tissues, safety pins, hair pins, "Extra" sugar free chewing gum and hand sanitizer!

P.S - Kindly ignore if you dont fancy such fun features! You wanna feature your bag? Kindly mail me!

Body Shop Hemp Body Butter

Claims - An ultra-rich, intensive and creamy all over body moisturiser with pure hemp seed oil! It absorbs easily into the skin, helps condition, soften and smooth the skin! Ultra-rich herbal-scented cream that moisturizes and conditions for up to 24 hours! For extremely dry skin!

Body butter is an intense moisturizer that can be used on entire body! They are specially formulated to maximize skin hydration! They are likely to be used during dry times of the year or when the skin suffers from severe lack of moisture! The ingredients contained in body butter often offer the skin both hydration and protection!
                                          

Body Shop is the first major retailer to carry a body care line featuring the benefits of super-moisturizing hemp seed oil since May 1998! Other products from the Hemp range are foot protector, lip protector, hand protector and face protector! Hemp hand protector is their best seller ever! As far as my knowledge goes, Hemp range is their permanent line! Hemp body butter comes in a 200 ml or 192 g or 6.7 OZ tub! Retails for 12.50 pounds! Body Butter tubs usually carry a color theme that coordinates with the fragrance! Sage green tub with a hemp leaf on the lid!

The product is obviously sage green in color! Consistency is very creamy! First thoughts! As mentioned earlier, this works wonders for dry to extremely dry skin! How will you react to products not meant for your skin type? It might be the same with Hemp range! Fortunately, I dont fall under Hemp category! I wanted to make the best use of the product, so I did work hard! But, its easy to work with! Not to mention, it is so damn hydrating! Leaves your skin skin sheeny shiny! Visibly soft!

Hemp Heroes!

Apply the moisturizer on damp skin! It helps lock the moisturizer better! Fragrance? Like herbal garden! Sometimes, like incense stick! Sometimes, medicinal! Dont worry, doesnt smell like pharmacy! I am very choosy, but I liked the Hemp fragrance! Surprise! It should not be overwhelming, especially if you are in to herbal jazz! Staying power of the scent is above average! Whereas staying power of the moisturization is phenomenal! To maximise the skin care benefits, use together with other products from the Hemp range in a layering regime!

Key Ingredients - Hemp seed oil has an unusually high concentration of essential fatty acids that help repair the skin's moisture barrier thus helping restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness! Organic Babassu oil is nature's best, wonderful, light and non-greasy skin moisturizer extracted from the wild-growing babassu palm trees! Shea butter moisturizes and helps soften the skin! Cocoa butter is an excellent moisturiser that melts at body temperature leaving the skin feeling soft and silky smooth!

Ingredients - Aqua, Cannabis sativa, Butyrospermum parkii, Cyclomethicone, Theobroma cacao, Glycerin, Orbignya oleifera, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lanolin Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Evernia furfuracea, Talc, Limonene, Citronellol, Sodium Hydroxide, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral.

P.S - Lately, my blog has been flooded with Body Shop products! If at all you consider my reviews, please dont get confused not knowing what to invest on! Its a trial to introduce the product to you, just in case if you are not aware! Fragrances are personal! Some people swear by the Sweet Lemon range whereas some people find that smell like Lemon-flavored toilet cleaner! How tempting the pictures and reviews might be, try the product in store for yourself! Kindly ignore if you are exhausted reading my reviews! Couple of weeks, at least!

Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette #19

Claims - Four new colours create a gentle contrast of hazy shades and vibrant blues, greens and lilacs! Perfect for turning day time make-up into a stunning party look!

Shimmer Cubes palette #19 comes from the Nature's Color Collection Spring makeup range! Retails for 16 pounds! I believe the shades are Sea Shell, Emerald Sea, Hushed Orchid and Sparkling Sky! Pearlized and wearable! Dry for sheer application! Wet for intense pigmentation! I believe these are the baked versions! Correct me if I am wrong!

The packaging is nothing dramatic, but more realistic in approach! Comes in a transparent box; seperate upper half and lower half! The eye shadow cubes are detachable! You can carry whatever shade you like as each cube comes with a seperate lid! Great for hand bag and travel! You get a hell lotta product for each cube, which is nearly 4 grams!

Tip - Apply to the eyelid using eyeshadow brush for overall cover and using a dampened slanted brush for a line of defined colour on both the lower and upper lash line!

Dry swatches!

Key Ingredients - Marula oil is a very effective moisturiser that also helps condition the skin over time! Sesame seed oil helps leave the skin supple and soft! Aloe vera contains numerous vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, natural sugars and is believed to be anti-inflammatory!

P.S - Subscriber request post! Kindly ignore if you are not into Body Shop makeup!

Body Shop Coconut Shimmer Body Butter

Claims - An intensive, creamy all over body moisturiser that provides up to 24 hours moisturisation! Contains a beautiful subtle shimmer for gorgeous glowing skin that's silky soft and deliciously fragranced! Contains cold pressed coconut oil to lavish and care for your skin!

Body Shop Coconut range of products are made with pure virgin organic cold-pressed coconut oil! This organically certified oil is acquired through natural processes without the use of chemical extraction! This means that more of its beneficial natural nutrients are retained, so you can be sure that you are using the purest, highest quality ingredients to care for your skin!

Courtesy: Flickr

Body butter is an intense moisturizer that can be used on entire body! They are specially formulated to maximize skin hydration! They are likely to be used during dry times of the year or when the skin suffers from severe lack of moisture! The ingredients contained in body butter often offer the skin both hydration and protection!

Cocoa Butter body butter comes in a 200 ml or or 200 g 7 OZ tub! Retails for 12.50 pounds! Body Butter tubs usually carry a color theme that coordinates with the fragrance! White tub with a picture of coconut on the lid! Product is ivory-colored with a pearlized finish! Body Shop does a regular coconut body butter as well as coconut shimmer body butter! Consistency is very rich and creamy!

First thoughts! Yummy! Sweet! Coconut-flavored, obviously! Very tropical scent! Powdery! Once you rub the product on your skin, it smells like coconut oil! Shimmer is silvery! Not chunky! No worry about looking like a disco ball, my perspective! I like fresh coconut, but I simply can't stand the scent of coconut oil! Its hard for me to manage as it gets nauseating after a while! I love the shimmer coz it doesnt look cheap! Body Shop Coconut Shimmer body butter is just like MAC's Strobe! Only thing, its for your body! Whoa! Controversial statement!

Apply the moisturizer on damp skin! It helps lock the moisturizer better! Staying power is above average! Have to work hard to make the product sink in coz its so damn thick! Skin stays hydrated for more than 3 hours inspite of frequent washes! Shimmer doesnt look so glittery after a while! The more number of washes, the more beautiful the glitter looks!

Key Ingredients - Cocoa butter for soft supple skin! Shea butter to protect and soften the skin! Aqua, Cyclomethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lanolin Alcohol, Mica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891, Caramel.

P.S - Do not feel offended as I compared Body Shop's Coconut Shimmer body butter to MAC's Strobe! The review is just my opinion! If you dont agree with the review, kindly ignore my post! Do you know? Coconut body butter is Body Shop's best selling body butter!

Body Shop Colourglide Lip Color #10 Soft Heather

Claims - A collection of lip colors that color, moisturise and smooth the appearance of the lips for a fabulous pout! The butter-like texture glides on effortlessly! It contains a high percentage of color pigments to provide intense coverage in one luscious sweep that lasts for up to four hours! Depending on the color! It leaves the lips feeling soft and smooth! Drench your lips in color! Dermatologically tested!

Looks more plumey!

High percentage of color pigments provide intense coverage in one sweep that lasts for up to 4 hours! Marula oil, natural sesame seed oil and beeswax leave lips feeling soft and supple! Light floral Tahitian gardenia fragrance and delicate vanilla flavor!

Mauvey undertones!

Bullet-like silver packaging! 4g or 0.14 oz retails for 8 pounds! Life expectancy of 36 months! Lipstick has that classic lipstick-scent with vanilla! Some shades of light, it looks like plum! In reality, its more milky pink! Swatches dont lie, after all!

Pigmentation? I dont expect pigmentation from milky pink lipstick! Not wise! Staying power is decent! Does it stay for 4 hours as per the claim? Might be if you are on a hunger strike! I never bother about the staying power, to be honest!

Key ingredients are Marula oil, Sesame oil, Beeswax from an organic source, Jojoba, Rosehip seed, lanolin oil, a blend of Tahitian gardenia and vanilla fruit extracts and Vitamin E! Marula oil is effective moisturiser that helps condition the skin over time! Also provides essential fatty acids that help restore the skin's moisture barrier, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness!

Body Shop revamped their lipsticks, formula wise! Their latest launch has more moisturizing, creamy, heavily pigmented shades that are hard to resist! Range from Nudes to Neutrals to Cools! There is one for you too!

Body Shop Tribute!

Nothing's gonna change my love for you! You ought to know by now how much I love you! One thing you can be sure of! I'll never ask for more than your love! Love month is long gone, but my love for Body Shop will never fade! Featuring Body Shop's "Best Of The Bunch!"

Welcome the army!

Can the picture get any better? What's your choice? Cranberry or Nutmeg Vanilla or Black Velvet Apricot? My all time favorite is Cranberry! I wish Body Shop makes Cranberry range their permanent line!

Inky Pinky Ponky!

It was real hard to get hold of Cranberry lip balm in UK! So, I did request my brother to visit Body Shop India for a backup, but in vain! It was a full fledged international hunt!

Can you see the gold shimmer?

Rich packaging! Holidayish! Festivalish! Ahem! How cute! Ego-satisfiers come in all forms and shapes!

Will this photo shoot ever end?

Seriously, I can't wait for Christmas 2010! What flavors would they launch this year? Will they bring back the Cranberry range? May be revamped? I wish I bought the Cranberry Body Butter as well! I was very adamant though the staff insisted I buy one! Regrets!

P.S - Why should you believe in me when it's your money and your choice? Dont consider my opinion when you have to invest on any product from my blog! Lets avoid the blame game and play safe! My blog is a platform where I share my love for the products I own! Its a safe place where you can read the review and enjoy the pictures! I am not paid by Body Shop or anybody as such to share the love, though I wish they did! Still, I hope there is one soul waiting for my recommendation! If I am allowed to recommend just one product anytime, I vote for Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Butter!

Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Lip Balm

Claims - Pucker up thanks to a glossy lip balm that leaves lips soft, smooth and shimmering with a fruity flavor! Black Velvet Apricot extract adds a festive juicy fragrance! Community Trade organic beeswax conditions lips and acts as a barrier that seals in moisture! Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that moisturizes and helps to protect skin against premature aging and environmental aggressors! Lanolin is easily absorbed to moisturize and protect rough dry skin! Best for Normal skin!

What can I say about the packaging? I hate gothic themes! What's that? Weird purple and black? It looks blue in the picture! In reality, its more purple! Whatever, I dont think the colors really compliment each other and coordinate at all! Did you ever wonder what on Earth Black Velvet Apricot means? Cross of Apricot and Plum!

Peach-toned sheer balm with gold shimmer! Shimmer is not so specific on lips! Still, shimmer is a No-No for you? Better stay away! Glides easy on the lips! Leaves your lips so damn glossy! The best part, it tastes good! Staying power is not phenomenal! Stays put for a couple of hours if you are on a hunger strike! This lip balm helps tone down bright lipsticks, as well!

Fragrance? Nauseating, but not as much as the Lip Gloss Dots! Still, I can manage! Why? The Black Velvet Apricot formula works wonders for me! No revolutionary statements like "No more Vaseline Rosy Lips, Carmex or Blistex", but Black Velvet Apricot works great! It helps treat chapped lips compared to the Nutmeg Vanilla lip balm! Thanks to the weird cross!

Black Velvet Apricot performs well as a cuticle cream! Bingo! My observation, agree or not! Its greasy on the cuticles compared to how it feels on lips! God knows why! Many of us, transparent balm is no fun! Tiny tin lip balm tubs are real ego-satisfiers! The lid has no threads or doesnt pop up just like that! Turn the lid a full circle and open!

Key Ingredients - Organic beeswax moisturizes and helps to condition dry skin, especially on your lips and around the fingernail beds! Acts as a barrier that helps seal in moisture! Helps to keep product texture consistent when used over time! Sunflower Seed Oil moisturizes and helps soften the skin! Apricot kernel oil moisturizes the skin!

Ingredients - Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Flavor, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Geraniol, Linalool, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake