Fashion Blog

Do you feel uncomfortable and imperfect without a belt around your belly? If yes, then it’s the right time to buy yourself a collection of ‘just perfect’ belts.  Belts are not just a piece of leather or cloth to hold your trouser or jeans, but they can be unique fashionable accessories too. If you choose a right belt, you can not only enhance your personality but your complete style statement too.   While a tie is an embodiment of a man’s inner self, a belt provides a balance and proportion to his body. You should be very careful while purchasing your accessories, particularly while buying a belt. If not selected as per your body type, it can ruin your personality.   Still, scores of Indian males really are unaware of how to buy a right belt for themselves. Don’t worry at all!! We are here to help you. Here are some tips gathered from various fashion experts to help you choose a perfect belt for your wardrobe:  

• While buying a belt have a look on its tag, indicating the size of a belt. Preferably, buy a belt whose size is bigger than your waist size. For example, if your waist size is 32, buy a belt of size 36 or 40.
• Also, consider the width of the belts seriously while shopping. Belts, one or one and a half inches wide are ideal for formal wear. If it’s over two inches wide, it falls under the casual category.
• Always look out for a belt which is not costlier than your shoes or clothes. At the same time, never buy a belt that’s so cheap as to make your outfit and appearance shabby.  
• The length of the belt should be such so as to make it easier for you to buckle it tightly in the middle hole.
• Remember the color and finish of your shoes before finalizing a belt. This is because of a thumb rule according to which the color of both, the belt and shoes should match.
• All types of belts have some types of tightening clamps or buckles. While shopping for a belt remember that flat and long buckles go well with formal apparels. Whereas, the big, bulky and flashy buckles are meant for party wear and casual dresses.
• If you are buying a belt for work, go for leather belts that have a glossy and reflective finish. For informal events you can choose amongst the canvas or cloth belts.
• Leave the printed, studded, cowboy belts or the ones in unusual colors for celebrities and fashion models. Even if you are buying the belt for a party, analyze your personality and choose the belt accordingly.

It is very important that you pick the right lip liner, when it comes to your beauty shopping. Infact, cosmetics of any kind demand that we devote some time and have some idea regarding what we are looking for. Random shopping never helps, when it comes to picking products that are required to complement your looks. Moreover, with such a wide variety of cosmetic brands in the market, one tends to get confused as to which brand, shade or quality of lip liner will do the magic trick. A lip liner can accentuate your lips and give them the perfect precision and shape that you always desired. Similarly, a lip liner that doesn’t gel well with the shade of your lipstick can spoil your entire facial make up. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind before you shop for your next lip liner.

How to Buy a Lip Liner

First decide which brand of lip liner you would like to go for. Different brand of lip liners are available in the market for different prices. You may take the advice of your beautician in this regard or simply choose a brand that you feel you can trust.
Next, decide if you would like to go for a wooded pencil type or a twist-up type liner. Twist-up liners are more convenient, as they do not require sharpening. Wooded pencils on the other hand provide a fresh and a fine point every time you sharp them.
Next understand if you are buying the liner to simply outline your lips, to fill your lips (like lipstick) or both.Choose a simple stick if you plan to use it in order to give shape to your lips. If you plan to use it like a lipstick, you can choose a liner that comes with a lip coloring stick and a brush.
If you are buying a liner to use it with a particular lipstick that you already have, see that its shade is similar to your lipstick or may be a shade lighter. Never pick one that is of a darker shade than your lipstick. You may also pick a neutral shade that goes with different shades of lipstick.
You may choose a long lasting lip liner that stays longer and is preferable if you have a busy lifestyle. You can put it under your lipstick for a long-stay effect. Otherwise, you may also go for a liner that might require some touch up every now and then.

Best Lip Liner Brands in India
Here are some of the best lip liner brands that are available in India.

Avon
Chambor
Christian Dior
Clinique
Elizabeth Arden
Estee Lauder
L’oreal
Lakme
Lancome
MAC Cosmetics
Max Factor
Maybelline
Oriflame
Revlon
Sheisido

An important part of your make up kit, a few masterful strokes of a lip liner can do wonders to your lips. Simply smudging your lips with a branded lipstick will never suffice, if you do not properly define your lips with a lip liner first. You can easily define the shape of your lips or prevent color feathering and color spreading of your lipstick, by making correct use of this magical wand. You can even make your drooping or thin lip appear more luscious or simply camouflage heavy lips with the help of a lip liner. Learn the necessary application technique of a lip liner to add that ultra-glam look to your lips that is simply eye-catching.   How to Apply Lip Liner   Things Required

• Mirror
• Lip Liner
• Sharpener
• Lipstick
• Make-up sponge

  Procedure

• First and foremost see that your lips are clean and free of greasy lip balms and other oil based products. Clean them thoroughly with water and wipe them with a cotton ball or a tissue.
• Choose a lip liner shade that is closest to the shade of the lipstick you plan to apply or pick one that matches the natural color of your lips. Never choose a shade that is darker than the shade of your lipstick
• Sharpen your liner before application. Try storing it in the refrigerator for a few minutes before sharpening. If your liner becomes too pointed, smooth it across a tissue and slightly soften it
• Carefully make a dot at the center of the upper lips. Follow by making a few more dots on the entire border of the upper lip. Repeat the procedure with the lower lip as well.
• Now, with a firm but light hand, carefully join these dots together in your upper lips and cover the line till the edge of your lips. Follow the same procedure with your lower lips
• See that the lines are not too straight and are uniformly colored throughout the lips. If you notice any spaces, fill it up with light stokes, but don’t overdo the lining.
• Once you finish lining, see that there is no excess color outside the natural lip line. Carefully wipe away unnecessary traces of color with the tip of your fingers or with the corner of a makeup sponge.
• Now apply lipstick to your lips. You can apply it directly or use a lip brush for more precision. Properly blend the lipstick and the outlined lips and see that the line looks smooth and even.

  Tips

• To make lips appear thinner, dust the edges of your lips with a foundation. Now, draw a line with a light or a neutral shade lip liner, just below your original lip line and fill the lips with a matching lipstick
• If you have thinner lips, and want them to appear a bit fuller, blend the outlined edges of the liner and your painted lips with a sponge applicator and put some lip gloss over your lipstick
• To add some extra definition to your lips, draw a lip line with your lining pencil once again after you are through with your lip make up. Never ever let outlined lips stand alone without applying a lipstick. It looks gross.

Compact is one make-up item that you will find in the purse of almost every woman. It is the perfect tool that helps you touch up your makeup throughout the day. Those with oily skin should especially keep a compact with them, to wipe off any excess oil as and when it appears. At the same time, if applied after foundation, it helps give a smooth look to the face. However, you need to be quite careful while buying a compact, since it can enliven up your face as well as make you look like a person, straight out of circus. Follow the tips given below for buying that perfect compact.

How to Buy Compact
For buying a good compact, go to a store that houses a number of brands. This way you will have a wide variety to choose from.
The next step is to decide on the particular brand which you want to buy. I would advise you to go for the brands that you usually buy in case of other cosmetics.
After narrowing your choice to 2-3 brands, check out the colors offered by them. Go for the ones that have color most similar to the color of your own skin.
Next step will be testing the compact. Do not go for back of your hand or wrists. The best place for checking the color of the compact will be along your jaw line.
Tube light or bulb light might not tell the exact picture. Go out in sunlight and check your jaw line after the application of compact.
If your jaw line merges with the rest of the face, the compact is perfect. If it does not, go for a shade darker or lighter than the one you have. Repeat the process till you get the perfect color.

Best Compact Brands in India
Avon
Chambor
Chanel
Clinique
Elizabeth Arden
Estee Lauder
L’oreal
Lakme
Lancome
MAC Cosmetics
Max Factor
Maybelline
Olay
Oriflame
Revlon

Removing makeup demands as much time and attention as does its application. Infact, at times, the former takes much more time, since even the slightest trace of makeup on your skin can lead to pimples. This is especially true if you happen to sleep with the makeup not fully removed. If you want to make sure that your skin remains clean and soft even after applying loads of makeup, you will have to take due care while removing it. To help you with this task, we have provided the complete procedure that will tell you how to remove makeup.

Removing Makeup
Follow the instructions given below for removing makeup in the best and the easiest way.

Items Needed
Cotton Swabs
Eye Makeup Remover
Cleansing Milk
Makeup Remover/Cleanser (face wash)
Towel
Moisturizer
Procedure
First thing you will have to do for removing makeup is to secure you hair tightly, so that they don’t fall on your face. For this, you can either use a rubber band, if your hair is long, or a hair band, if your hair is short.
Now let us come to wiping off your makeup. Concentrate on the eyes first. Take a cotton swab and dab it with eye makeup remover. Gently wipe each eye with the cotton, till the makeup dissolves completely.
Now is the turn of your face. Take another cotton swab and dab it with cleansing milk. Wipe you face with it, avoiding the eye area, till the time the makeup comes off.
Wash you face with lukewarm water. Take the makeup remover or cleanser and put a dollop on your palm.
Rub your hands together, to generate lather. Now, apply this lather all over the face, again avoiding the eye area. Keep rubbing it gently all over your face for around one minute.
Rinse off the lather with water. Splash your face with water a number of times, to make sure that no traces of makeup and lather are left.
Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel. Do not rub.
Lastly apply moisturizer on your face and massage it gently, atleast for a minute.
Removing Eye Makeup
For removing eye makeup, make sure to use a makeup remover that is especially made for the eyes. This is because eyes are very sensitive. The cleanser/remover that you use for removing face make up might be too harsh on them. You can also use petroleum jelly or baby oil for removing eye makeup.

Removing Lip Makeup
For removing lipstick or lip liner, use cold cream. Take a cotton swab and put a little cold cream on it. Now, softly rub the cotton over your lips. After wiping off the lipstick, make sure to apply moisturizer over your lips. This will help in keeping them soft and conditioned.

Using Homemade Makeup Removers
You can use the following home products, instead of buying makeup removers from market, for wiping off the makeup:
Cucumber Juice
Coconut Water
Raw Milk
Milk Cream (not recommended for oily skin)
Plain Yoghurt (Curd)
A solution of 1 tbsp castor oil, 1 tbsp light olive oil and 2 tsp Canola oil (for removing eye makeup)
Solution of honey and rose water.

Wrinkles on face add years to your visual age, whereas firm and smooth skin can make your face look younger than your actual age. To swank such beautiful skin throughout your life, all you need to do is facial exercises which tone-up the facial muscles. In fact, facial exercises are good for all because those who have saggy or wrinkled skin can make their skin firmer and those who don’t have loose skin, can maintain their skin by following face exercises. These exercises must be done once a day, or at least thrice a week after finishing a month of daily exercises. Moreover, Facial exercises can be carried out at any place as you are not required to have any specific equipment.

Facial Exercises to Make Your Face Look Younger
With age or habitual facial expressions, fine lines and wrinkles appear on our face. Saggy and creepy skin further disfigures the face. Given here are some popular facial exercises that help skin muscles to get tightened and thereby making your skin beautiful.

Facial Exercises for Neck and Throat
Sit straight and lean your head towards back. Look at the ceiling, keeping your lips closed and after that, start a chewing movement. You will experience that muscles in your neck and throat area are working. Repeat the exercise for 20 times.
Sit straight and lean your head towards back. Look at the ceiling while keeping your lips closed and relaxed. Begin puckering your lips jointly in a kiss and stretch the kiss, as if you are trying to kiss the ceiling. Keep your lips in the same position for 10 counts. Relax and return your head in the same position. Repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Facial Exercises for Eyes
Sit upright and keep your eyes closed and relaxed during the exercise. Lift your eyebrows, while try to stretch your eyelids down as much as possible. Stay in this position for 5 counts. Relax and repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Sit upright, keeping your eyes open and looking ahead. Firstly, look up and then down, while keeping your head still. Repeat it for 10 times. Afterwards, start looking left and right in the same manner. Repeat it 10 times.
Facial Exercises for Forehead
To the maximum possible limit, frown and bring your eyebrows over your eyes while pulling the eyebrows toward each other. After that, lift your eyebrows maximum possible, while opening your eyes as much as possible. Repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Sit straight facing forward and bring your eyebrows down over your eyes. Wrinkle up your nose as much as possible, while flaring your nostrils. After a count of 10, relax a little. Repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Facial Exercises for Lips
Sit straight facing forward and pucker your lips together. Lift your puckered lips towards your nose and keep there for 5 counts. Relax and repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Bring your lips into a puckered kiss. While relaxing the kiss, keep your lips closed and then curl your lips into your mouth across your teeth. Hold the position for 10 counts. Repeat the exercise for 5 times.
Facial Exercises for Cheeks
Sit straight facing forward, while keeping your lips closed and relaxed. Using the cheek muscles, pucker and pout your lips. Hold the position for 10 counts. Relax and repeat the exercise for 10 times.
Keeping your lips closed, smile in a relaxed manner. Suck in your cheeks towards and on to your jaws. Hold this position for 10 counts. Relax and repeat the exercise for 10 times.

Dying hair is an easy way to change your looks. It provides a fresh appeal to your personality and definitely boosts your self-confidence, if done the right way! However, for different people, the reason for dying hair could be different. Perhaps, the most common reasons to dye is to cover gray hair, to enhance the facial features or to get a new look. If it’s for the first time that you’re dying your hair, then check out the given tips to ensure that you’re going on the right track.
Always pick a hair color which is approximately like your natural hair color. Keep in mind that after dying, your hair must not look odd as regards to your eyebrow.
If you’re not sure whether the color will suit you, then go for a temporary color or semi-permanent hair dye that would wash out in six to twelve shampoos. In case you don’t like the results, you can always go for another color. If the color suits you, go for a permanent one.
While buying color, always check-out that the temporary hair color should not contain peroxide which permanent dyes have.
If you’re going for permanent dye, then remember such dyes last the longest, if applied to the roots. It contains peroxide and ammonia. When exposed to sunlight, the color eventually fades away and leaving the requirement to reapply the dye.
To keep the color for long, wear a hat or cover your head when going outside in the sunlight. Permanent dyes remain up to twenty-four shampoos.
Different dyes manufactured by different companies might be different in their resultant colors and long-lasting affects.
Hair dye should always be applied to clean, shampooed hair. Before applying any hair dye, don’t condition your hair. Take a patch test near the neck to check if you’re allergic to it. If you experience any skin irritation, loss of hair or results are not what you have desired, bring the process to a halt and immediately wash the area.
Prior to applying color, cut off all dry ends to get the color equally. Never mix dyes with different color bases because the fallouts will not be what you expected.
People having gold or red skin tones, must prefer colors which are similar like gold red or auburn hair dyes.
Always follow the directions for application provided on the color box. It is recommended to wear plastic gloves during application.
Before applying color, keep a towel around the base of your neck so as to avert any dye from falling onto your clothing or skin.
Subsequent to dying your hair, in case the results are darker then expected, wash your hair over a couple of days. It will lighten the color so that you can again dye color the way you’ve wanted.
Use colors as less as possible they are usually harsh on hair.
Natural Hair Color Dye
Today, natural hair color dyes made of tree roots, leaves and barks, are also available in the market. If you find terms like cellophane or vegetable protein-based on the label, it shows that the dye is plant-based. Such dyes only coat the hair shaft and do not penetrate. They don’t contain any harsh chemicals either. Since earlier times, Henna has been considered as safest natural hair color. It not only colors the hair, but also nourishes and conditions the hair. Henna is anti-dandruff and offers protection from ultra-violet rays. It is suitable for everyone because it doesn’t have any side-effects. At times, henna is mixed with tea/ coffee or cranberry juice to get a reddish tint. Lemon juice and chamomile tea is added to it to get light color.

Women, all over the world, turn absolutely clueless when it comes to dressing up for a party. More so, when it is a cocktail party we are talking about, you can very well visualize a woman running helter-skelter to the store to buy that perfect cocktail attire. The little-black-dress never goes out of fashion, but how about you think different for a change? Due to the variety of formal and casual choices available these days, it becomes kind of hard to choose the one that looks best on you. However, keeping a few things in mind and going by your instincts is sure to help you in finding that perfect little cocktail party attire. Read on for ideas on cocktail party attire for a woman.

Cocktail Party Dress Ideas
The very first thing to look for is the invitation. If it is an informal one, like a phone call or an e-mail without any specifications on dress code, you can dress up in informal attire like a knee-length skirt with a halter neck shirt or a fitting blouse. In case of a formal invitation, consider it to be a dressy event, more so if it involves a charity or an event.
Choose the fabrics according to the climate. Opt for a wool-blended fabric or dress for winters and light playful fabrics like silk, rayon, satin, etc. for summers. It is a cocktail party, so don’t plan to wear that fully sequined gown! Save it for a wedding or some other party.
A formal cocktail party after work calls for a business suit as it may involve high profile clients or the members from the upper management. You may take a change of dress with yourself. Since it is a party, consider accessorizing with scarves, stoles or a classy belt. Dash a hint of make up and accentuate your best facial features for a fresh look.
In case you wear informal clothes to office, consider taking a change of dress with yourself if the party is after work. You don’t want to enter the party in shabby and un-ironed clothes and look like you have been doing some serious manual work! A light spaghetti dress is perfect for summer evenings while a woolen skirt with an embroidered cardigan should be fine for winters.
If the party is on a weekend afternoon or early evening, it is supposed to be a more casual affair. Opt for a colorful A-line dress and pair it with a satin or silk stole or shoulder wrap. Make sure your dress reaches till the knees as anything shorter is not recommended.
There are many cocktail parties that have a casual dress code for women. For casual cocktail party attire, you may team up a halter neck long frock in a light pastel shade that fits at the waist. You may wear slim pants in a light fabric along with turtle neck shirt. Do up your hair nicely, apply make-up and don’t forget kitten heels or wedges to go with your attire

How you ever wondered why your face look like an oilcake in summers, while some of your colleagues end up looking fresh always?. The answer is very simple; it is all the magic of a compact! One of the basic makeup tools, compact helps give a non-oily and shiny look to your face throughout the day. It is also used after the application of foundation, to give your face a smooth look. Now, you know the reason behind that perfect and fresh look. All you have to do is learn the nuances of applying compact. Just follow the instructions given below and learn how to master that flawless look.   How to Apply Compact Powder

• The first thing to be kept in mind about the application of compact is that it takes place after the use of foundation and concealer.
• At the same time, compact is applied before the use of blush-on, lip makeup and eye makeup.
• For application, take the puff and wipe it over the compact. Shake the puff to remove any excess powder.
• Now, wipe your face with the compact puff in long, even strokes. Make sure to move from the inside, to the outside.
• Make sure to apply compact over your neck as well as the entire area beneath the neck that is visible. Otherwise, your face will end up looking distinct from the rest of the body. 
• Take a tissue and lightly wipe your face with it. This is to make sure that you do not have excess powder over your face.
• Make sure to keep the compact with you throughout the day. You can easily touch up your makeup, to remove any excess oil from your face and look fresh.

You have a date this week and you have been praying all throughout, asking God not to give you pimples till that date. The best part is God answered your prayers. The worst part is that you have got blackheads instead. Your skin is clean and free of pimples, except for your nose that is looking slightly black. What do you do now? Don’t panic. We have the perfect solution for you. In the following lines, we have provided complete information on how to remove blackheads. Follow them and get that perfect, smooth look.

Blackheads Removing Procedure
You can make use of the following three procedures for removing blackheads at home, quickly and easily.

Using Nose Strip
Take a clean face cloth and wet your nose with it. Make sure not to drench your nose, it should be moderately wet.
Dry your hands completely and take out the packet containing the nose strip.
Tear off the packet and take out the nose strip. Remove the covering paper.
Now, place the sticky side of the strip on your nose and press it slightly, to make sure it has stuck to your nose properly.
Wait for 5-7 minutes, till the time the strip dries out completely.
Wait a single stroke of hand; take off the strip from your nose. The blackheads will come off along with it.
Using Scrub
Wash you face with lukewarm water, but do not dry it with a towel.
Take a coin-sized dollop of facial scrub on your hand.
Rub your palms together, to create lather.
Now, apply the lather over your face and massage gently. Make sure to concentrate over nose, just below the lip and the other areas of the face where you usually get blackheads.
Continue the massage for atleast 5 min.
Rinse off the scrub from your face, with the help of cold water.
Using Blackhead Remover Tool
Fill a medium sized container with boiling water.
Take a towel over your head and then, put your face over the container to take a steam.
Continue taking the steam for atleast 10 min. This will soften the blackheads and open up the pores, making it easier to take out the blackheads.
Clean the blackhead remover tool with an astringent or with soap and water.
Place the tip of the tool wherever you have blackheads and apply slight pressure. The blackheads will start coming out very easily.
Tips
Whenever you remove blackheads, your pores open up. Make sure to clean your face with toner after removal. Thereafter, wet a towel with icy cold water and put it on your face. Finally, apply a pore tightening face mask. This will make sure your pores don’t remain open.
Never ever remove blackheads by pinching or squeezing. It might irritate your skin and lead to scars.
Avoid touching your face as much as you can, especially after removing the blackheads.
Do not use facial scrub if you have acne. It can aggravate and spread the condition.
Before removing your blackheads, through any of the three methods, be sure that you skin is clean and free of moisturizers and creams.