Munni of all Trades

Award winning Lifestyle and Travel Blog by Khushboo Motihar

Beauty and Fashion

My haul from Aplava.com

Hello!
I hope you had a look at the website review of Aplava.com that I had posted about a few days back. Like I had told you, I had placed an order for some amazing products and was awaiting their delivery. Well, they have arrived and I am so excited to share with you what I bought!

Have a look!

I ordered:
Botteda Di Lungavita Balsamo Spray conditioner
Toni & Guy Reconstruction mask
Vichy Aqualia Thermal eye roll
Intensive Moisturizing Foot socks (not in the photos because I immediately used them!)
Kent Foldable Travel toothbrush
From the range of products and brands that I have mentioned, I am sure you must have realized that Aplava has some really great products.
Let me run you through my shopping experience at Aplava.com
First things first, Aplava has a very appealing design which makes you want to click on products and shop. It is not cluttered and the layout is clean and beautiful.
They have an amazing range of brands, some which are not easily available in India. They surely get brownie points for this! Now, one minor glitch that I faced while ordering the products was that when I clicked on the product image, it would not redirect me to product description. I had to first add to the cart, go to my cart, click on the product and then get access to info about the product. This was pretty annoying for me and I surely hope that they sort this out.
Once I was done with my order, I got an email confirmation about the dispatch and the products reached me in 3 days. Pretty decent I must say! All the products were individually bubble wrapped and the box had an Aplava authenticity seal stating that the brands were a 100% genuine.


Overall verdict: Aplava.com has some drool worthy products ranging from drugstore brands to luxurious ones. I had a great experience shopping with them except for the glitch that I mentioned. Being a startup, I am sure they are still in the process of sorting out the bugs and this would be corrected soon. Stay tuned for the product reviews!

PS Products were sent for review by the brand.

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss Cute Pink: Review and Swatches

Hello girls,
How can one resist using something that is available in the shade Cute Pink? I, for one, can’t! But did the Essence XXXL shine lipgloss live up to its expectations? Let’s find out.

Product description: Timeless, trendy and beautiful! The wonderfully shiny lipglosses are available in bright as well as subtle shades. They give your lips a beautifully pampered look, amazing shine and fresh color. Glossy and light on your lips – these lipglosses are simply irresistible!

Price: Rs. 229

My review of Essence XXXL shine Lipgloss in Cute Pink
Cute pink is a very light shade of baby pink that barely is visible on the lips. The colour looks quite pigmented in the container but in reality is very light. When it comes to shine; it definitely lives up to its name of XXXL shine. My lips look really glossy and I would love to wear it in the evenings! The applicator is easy to use and it spreads the gloss evenly to give a good finish. It is a tad too sticky as compared to other lip glosses and that is a big minus point for me.

The gloss stays on for around 2 hours post which you will have to reapply. The container is quite sturdy and travel friendly as well.
Overall, I think that you should buy the Essence XXXL shine Lipgloss in Cute Pink for its shine factor alone. It is pocket friendly and priced decently. However, if you are looking a gloss with a good shade, you could give this variant a miss.

P.S. PR Sample

All in one Essence CC cream SPF 30: Review & Swatches

Hello gals!
I know I am late to join the bandwagon but off late I have become obsessed with BB creams and CC creams available in the market! I am sure you must have enjoyed my latest Fair and Lovely BB cream review. J
Today, I am going to introduce my first ever CC Cream from essence. Let’s get to know the All in one Essence CC Cream with SPF 30 better.

About
The future belongs to multifunctional textures that conjure-up flawless results instantly and pamper your skin. As the name reveals, the all-in-one CC cream clear & correct covers irregularities of the skin, spots and redness as well as providing a smooth and soft complexion. The formula is airy and light yet offers a high coverage. With an SPF of 30, it is the foundation for a fresh complexion in the springtime.
Ingredients: In the picture below
Price: Rs. 449 for 30 ml

Packaging

It comes in a an easy to use tube form that does not leak and makes it easy to use the product in small quanitities.
My review
First thing that you should know about the All in one Essence CC cream SPF 30 is that it does not offer variants in shade. It is available in shade 10 natural only and surprisingly it does manage to suit Indian skin tones. I was a little sceptical at first because I did not expect the CC cream to work for me as it seemed darker than my natural colour but it blended well with my skin. I would have really loved it if they offered a range of shades so that I could find the closest match to my skin tone.  

This CC cream has a thick consistency which spreads evenly and feels very light on the skin. I hate heavier creams that don’t allow my skin to breathe. It can mask redness but it is not as effective on dark circles.  The All in one Essence CC cream seemed perfect for my dry skin but I think those with oilier skin may find it to be a little heavy. The best part is that it comes with an SPF of 30 which means that I don’t have to bother to apply a sunscreen over it.

Happy Skin Nourishing Body Cream Extra Dry Skin: Review

Hello girls!

How is the weather treating your skin these days? For me, my skin is in a constant state of flux! On some days, it is bright and sunny and on others it is mildly cold which makes my skin become really dry. To address this problem, I have started using the Happy Skin Nourishing Body Cream which has the goodness of pumpkin seeds in it! I love the name of this product! It instantly makes you smile, doesn’t it?
I have used this product for a week now and I have had…
Before I tell you, let’s get to know the product!

About A rich body cream to relieve extra dry skin. Contains pumpkin seed oil, which nourishes and conditions skin. 200 ml.

Price: Rs.499 for 200ml
Ingredients: In the photo below


My review
Happy Skin Nourishing Body Cream for Extra Dry Skin has a smooth butter like texture and I love applying it on my skin. It was light fragrance which I love sniffing constantly by opening the jar; something that I advise you not to do (or you will be completely addicted!)
My skin absorbs it pretty quickly and I can move out within a few minutes of application, which is a big plus point for me.

It does help my dry and patchy skin look nourished and beautiful instantly and that is one of the best features of this cream. I also love massaging it on to my face in the night time for softer skin in the morning.
I would have loved it if Happy Skin Nourishing Body Cream had SPF protection because then I wouldn’t have to be worried while stepping out in the sun.
Ladies, if you are often inside the office where the AC is hell bent upon freezing you to death, this is a handy cream to have around. I keep it in the desk and apply it every 4 hours to my skin hydrated.
Overall verdict: If this cream came in a tube form, I would have been the happiest person alive but the packaging cannot take away the fact that this is a great cream for all those who have extra dry skin like me.

Essence Long Lasting Love Lipstick in Intensive Red: Review and Swatches

Hello y’all,

I haven’t written about lippies for a long long time and today I decided to experiment a little. I generally am partial to pinks but I wanted to do something different. So here’s presenting my review of Essence Long Lasting Love Lipstick in Intensive Red.

About Essence Lipsticks

Long lasting love… you simply have to fall in love with the longlasting lipsticks by essence. The lipsticks provide your lips with intensive color for several hours without drying them out. You’re sure to find whatever you’re looking for – from bright pink to intensive red and chilled-out berry to subtle nude shades. The essence logo on the texture and the matt, black packaging with a ring of color to match the actual color of the lipstick are true eye-catchers! 

Price: Rs. 299 for 3.8 gms
Best before: 3 years from the date of packaging.

Swatch

My review
Essence Long Lasting Love Lipstick in Intensive Red definitely lives up to its name and just one glide is enough to give a rich intense shade. The lipstick is soft and very easy to apply. Its colour lasts for a good three to four hours but if you are going to be eating or drinking, then its lasting power would be lesser.
The Intensive Red is a great shade and will suit fair to medium skin tone. It is not a matte lipstick but it is not too shiny, too. I would say that it is just right for my skin tone.
I am particularly impressed with its rich formula and for this price, it is definitely a steal. Check out how this shade looks on me J

Until next time….