March 23, 2009

Shimmer

I have successfully finished off my very first lipstick!

I am ..well.. happy and also quite sad as that shade does not feature in their catalog anymore! The shade is called Manish Malhotra Shimmer 2, and in fact I have the Shimmer 1 also, which is also bound to finish in another month. I believe this was the first time Lakme came out with the designer inspired line of cosmetics, and from then that has been more like a trademark for them during the India fashion weeks.

I have been looking out at a similar shade once I realized that I would be needing to replace my age old lipstick, and I have also been thinking (maybe because of the saving money streak in the air), why is it that when we have a perfectly nice cosmetic line at home, why did I always keep looking longingly at the Chambor and MAC counters? I looked up the Lakme webpage, and the entire range of products which they have, and I must say, I was quite impressed with the variety and also that there was a great deal more suited to Indian skin tones. ( Ya, I know that was quite expected!) The shades were similar and I already knew that Lakme products are good, infact after visiting lakme salons I know their service is also great! Adept and friendly staff.

This led me to think as to why do we need to pick up a Body shop or Lush product to feel good! There are certainly some products which I believe are not available with Indian brands, but why do we have a tendency (especially in cosmetics) to trust foreign brands over Indian ones?

Is it because of the head start they had? But then we could have learnt and picked up the tried and tested results of the west, right?

Is it because the models who adorn these products are way prettier? Well, we do not look like them, so maybe we should not try to emulate them, right?

Anyhow, at the end of all the reading and surfing, I decided on getting the Aquashine lip colour from Lakme, shade - Wine!

16 comments:

  1. And over in the west everyone increasingly wants to use herbal and ethnic beauty products!

    Oh, I like the color of your latest Lakme product!

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  2. I too am looking forward to buying the new Lakme lipstick.

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  3. I like wine and berry shades too. Somehow I feel it fits well with Indian faces.

    Many times when I buy a new shade it mostly goes unused.

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  4. After living abroad for the last few yrs - I actually prefer buying Indian Cosmetics as I find that they suit Indian skin much better...

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  5. final_transit: Thanks

    Reema: They have come up with some new shades after the India fashion week. Should be available on stands in a month's time.

    Solilo: I just bought a Chambor brown/chocolate shade ( just for a change), and it lies just unused. I feel so sad, and it was expensive too!

    Smitha: I also came to the same conclusion after all the futile trials!

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  6. Aquashine - the new three in one??

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  7. ya, even i liked the designer's collection. am not a cosmetics fan but do occasionally indulge in nail polish. i had one by sabyasachi...
    i feel packaging has a lot of feel-good factor in cosmetics. even if i won't use them, the clarins and elisabeth arden range of lipsticks and blush looks totally awesome.
    Lakme is good in quality, but the last lipsick i bought has such a tacky plastic cover, i'd rather not take it out in public!!! :(
    am contemplating avon...saw the catalogue. tho am not sure of how to decide colours without testing on!!!

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  8. I don't wear lipstick, but I know how frustrating it is for your fav product to be discontinued!

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  9. Tell me about it Athira. Years ago I got a Brown one from Revlon's from India and it was expensive that time as the brand was new. I just couldn't carry it or should I say I didn't like it. Even when I know that Wine or Berry is what I wear still I go try new things and then it stays unused.

    Oh! saw new fashion week pictures 2 days ago. I was just checking Lanvin's summer collection for the color combinations.

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  10. The wine shade sounds good!
    That's true - even though there aren't many portuguese brands I alwaysfeel more attracted to products that don't exist here. I think it's merely a question of the marketing of these great brands being very effective.
    Anyway, congrats on finishing a lipstick!

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  11. I'm a guy and I really don't know what to comment here :-)

    Though I've three Sisters and plenty of friends who wear lipstick, I've never been able to tell the shades apart. All seem red or maroon to me. Now the shade wine is something new to me. I'll try to notice them.

    And I thought women wear lipstick to attract men but I guess only women would notice the different shades, right?

    Anyway, Keep Blogging!

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  12. ha ha... That was a cute post.. Me..Im not one of the lipstick or gloss types. Sometimes when we have to go to a party, I dont even have the right shade with me ...
    But my daughter..yea..now thats a diff story altogether LOL... I wonder if any of my lipsticks will survive to last till the end..coz she just crushes them instead of closing them carefully!

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  13. Sawan: The new liquid lip colour

    craftyshines:That is true, online purchases have to be the colours which we know. Though I have shopped from Sephora and the shades are quite apt, as shown on the swab on their website.

    Ms.Florida: I know. I have had my favourite shampoo also discontinued!

    solilo I haven't seen that, should check that out!

    DevilMood: Thank you!

    Biju: Most women I know wear lipsticks to complete the basic make up requirements. It feels also so much better when there is a nice colour on your face apart from the black of Kajal.

    Ritu: Ha ha! That is exactly what my mom says I used to do.

    I guess I had a fascination for lipsticks from a very young age, I used to insist that I have to wear it to every party we went to!

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  14. My lipstick is also bound to get over dis month!!! Its seriouslly a pain to find a shade dat really luks nice...I like dis blog of urs...Cute!!!

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  15. I was in India last september and the parlour lady shoved the oriflame lipstick catalogue under my nose.Arrgh! Before I could make an U-turn,I saw some awesome shades of berry and ended up buying 2 of them.And now I am SO hooked-the quality and the shades are AWESOME. I dont understand how I missed them all these years(guess I was busy lusting after the expensive brands)I am hoping someone coming over from India can get me those shades- SOON!! :)

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  16. Ronnie: Oriflame I have heard is awesome... should try that too sometime.

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