Have a little cheekbone, girl... Intro to highlight and contour

I have only recently discovered this gem. So whatever I say will be only from a limited experience. Highlighting and contouring has been in existence for very long time. But it has gained popularity now with the advent of social media and YouTube. Kim Kardashian tweeted a series of selfies with highlight and contour makeup in process. And everyone wanted it done.. After all, the difference in her face was massive.

Women have been made aware that its not difficult to have some bone structure where none exists (atleast have an illusion of bone structure for photographs to post on Facebook, Instagram, etc.).

Highlight means you literally put a spotlight on features that you want to stand out in pictures or even plain light. So these features are a lighter shade. Contour is its exact opposite. You darken parts of your face that you want to hide. How many times have we seen pictures of models and filmstars and coveted that chiseled face... Well, its not difficult to get that. You just have to use the right type of highlighting and contouring and Voila... you have prominent cheekbones, your nose looks smaller, your double chin is hidden and your chubby face appears thinner. Really??? Yes... really.. Well, atleast on special occasions.. In fact I do this only on spl occasions.  After all I'm no Kim Kardashian.. 

What you need for these is a product with a darker shade (atleast 2-3 shades darker than your natural skin tone) and a lighter shade (2-3 shades lighter). Various companies make bronzers and highlighters and make sure you get the ones which are non-shimmery or your face will glow like a light bulb. And I mean in a bad way.. So after applying your foundation your face starts looking nice and even and thats what you dont want... Start applying your bronzer and highlighter and dont be afraid of a little colour on your face. After all, plain white pleases no one...

                              

This picture gives a precise idea as to where your bronzer and highlighter go. Feel your cheekbone and apply below it in a line extending from middle of the ear to the mouth. Use an angled brush to apply the bronzer. But dont go all the way. Stop at the middle of the eye.. Now use a small concealer brush or your finger or using a stick product, apply the dark colour to the side of your nose as shown, extending all the way to the tip of your nose. Apply bronzer to the temples, side of the forehead and below the jawbone too. Apply highlighter as shown to the side of your nose, below the eye, on the ridge of the nose, to the cupid's bow,chin, etc...  

Then blend out with a sponge, beauty blender or a flat stippling brush. Make sure no harsh lines remain and it all blends in and you just leave with shadows and light on the face. This is what gives the carved out look to the face... Now apply a little blush on the apples of the cheeks blending it towards the hairline at an angle of about 45 degrees. Add some setting powder. And voila... you have a thinner nose, your double chin is hidden, your forehead appears smaller and so on... But ladies, a word of caution.. you might want to leave the contouring out when attending a place where there is plenty of sunlight or you might end up looking muddy.. And if you still want to do it, do so very subtly.. Go ahead, give it a try and practice a few times before attempting to do it for a special occasion. It really works.. trust me.. Those of you who have seen my new Whatsapp DP will know what I'm talking about.

Products I Use:

• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural : Shade Dark 
  
  
  
• MAC Cream Colour Base : Shade Hush (frost) 
  
• Maybelline Dream Touch Blush : Shade 07 Plum 

• Vega Contour Angled Brush 
  

Try using a light and dark eyeshadow as your contour and highlight colour and tell me how it goes..

Keep Smiling Sweeties,

Much love,

Dr. Rasika

Gorapan.. Sawlapan.. The great Indian whitening tamasha..

Recently I read an article by Nandita Das, the dark skinned acting powerhouse about her campaign against fairness products.. I was so happy that someone's taking this stand. When I was getting married everyone would ask me one question.. how did he choose you.. He's so fair and you're so wheatish.. Well wheatish was the kindest of the lot.. The bottom line is that our society is very crazy about fair skin.. Every minute atleast two to three channels show infomercials about fairness products. Our superstars make crores of Rupees endorsing fairness creams. They don't give two hoots about the impact of their image attached to these products. We have been brainwashed since childhood that if you are not fair you'll not get good husband, good job, good future... Not true.. I got a good husband..I became a dentist. And I never used fair and lovely or anything..
Yes, I agree for a few months before my marriage I was sort of depressed and got a few chemical peels and all done. But all it did was removed the upper layer of dead skin cells. So naturally the new layer looks fairer.. But after a few hours you look back to normal.. But once I understood that someone's love is not dependant on my skin, I stopped all that. Nowadays even my facials are only skin improving ones not skin lightening.. And honestly I'm happy I'm not predisposed to sun burn or worse.. skin cancer. A little dark skin hurt no one..
Some people say their children were so fair when they were born and then turned dark.. Naturally, sunlight does not reach the womb and the melanin concentration increases with age and exposure to sun. This melanin protects your skin from harmful effects of sun. Same thing happens to children with light hair and eyes. Staying in a tropical country like India, these higher concentrations of melanin is surely a boon. Also fair skin wrinkles more easily. Compare old fair skinned and dark skinned women and you'll know what I'm saying.. I have nothing against fair skin but just that instead of determining your happiness with your skin colour, learn to love yourself as you are.. HAPPY AND DARK or HAPPY AND FAIR.. To each his own..

Dry hands and cracked heels.. Ouch..

Hola beauties...
I see so many people, even youngsters with cracked heels and dry hands and it gets painful even, for some. So what to do.. We should understand that dryness of the skin is due to lack of moisturisation (duh!).. So what to do.. Put back what's lost... We are blessed to live in a country which is the birth place of ayurveda and has so many varied medicinal plants. I used to get cracked heels till a few years ago. But regular pedicures and daily application of foot cream seems to work.. My beautician started using a small razor on my foot to remove dead and dried skin.. But get this done from an experienced therapist, you don't want to bleed from your foot.. I went and bought this said razor from beauty centre, crawford market and started removing the dead skin. Very enthusiastically.  Needless to say I couldn't put my foot on the floor for 4-5 days and was hobbling about :-( So be careful.. Has any of you tried kokum butter or kokum oil. This is a waxy substance from the kokum tree ( garcinia indica). This works wonders on cracked heels. Its also supposed to work well on other dry skin areas. The super famous and expensive Burt's bees products have kokum butter in it.
https://m.burtsbees.com/ingredients/kokum-butter.html?ingredientId=1000000015996&tab=
so why spend so much for something available easily. Go to your local ayurvedic store and ask for a blob of kokum butter/tel and apply it every night to soothe your feet. Some people also wear socks after applying foot cream. Try it. What's the harm..
I am a dentist and need to wash my hands very frequently with soap. So I used to have dry hands.. This seems to be a concern with many people. We wash our hands several times a day and use hand sanitiser frequently.  But all it does is exacerbate the problem. Soap dries your hands and the alcohol content in the hand sanitiser makes it worse.. So what to do.. apply kokum butter here as well. But you cant always roam around with it. Now what.. I found a hand lotion from Marks and Spencer recently which is real good. And its only Rs. 199. I have been using this for a couple of months and its been good. If you know of some other stuff do let me know.. and as far as possible don't wash hands so frequently.. Unless you are a doctor, nurse or a young mother why wash hands like a person with OCD.. Dont become Sheldon Cooper.
Oh yeah. Before I forget.. my shoe always wears out a certain way and my orthopedic surgeon said its because of the way my foot is designed. Unequal weight distribution and what not.This also gives rise to many varied problems of the foot and subsequently the spine. So if thats happening with you, consult an orthopaedic surgeon or a podiatrist immediately.  They will give you corrective footwear/inserts etc.
Stay healthy.
Love,
Tfs.com

My quick makeup routine

Hello all beautiful people,
We all live such fast lives that who has the time and energy to apply makeup everyday, right?? Wrong! We should always spare a few minutes to groom ourselves. To look presentable and fresh-faced in front of our colleagues, staff, clients, friends.. Thats the basic courtesy.. Then you would say even if I do all that, by the time I reach office/college, its all a mess thanks to the great indian travel.. But cant we reach 5 minutes early and primp up ourselves.. (look who's talking, the late latif...).
So, today I will tell you my 5 minute routine to a very quick makeup. I recently discovered mineral makeup and decided to give it a try. And it does actually work wonders. I bought Bare Minerals get started kit and my makeup has been simplified so much.. What I routinely do is I do my 3 steps (i.e. Cleansing, toning, moisturising) immediately after shower. My bare minerals kit came with a primer called Prime Time. This is a transparent liquid which when spread on the face gives a smooth surface to the face. Then its the turn of the actual foundation. This comes in a powder form. There are 2 colours in my kit called medium and medium beige. I take a small amount of both the colours and do the swirl, tap and buff motion. And Voila.. My foundation is done.. 30 seconds flat.. Then I apply my creme blush Maybelline Dream Touch blush no.04 (mrp. Rs.375). The kit also comes with a dark colour for some warmth ( called Warmth :-/ ). But I dont apply this colour routinely and only use this for contouring (we'll talk about that later). Then its the original mineral veil applied in the same motion. This sets your makeup. A quick dab of kajal and lip gloss and I'm done...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zdy576AWljk
This video shows the swirl, tap and buff motion.
I know you would say bare minerals are not available in India but you can use L'oreal mineral foundation powders equally well.
http://www.lorealparis.co.in/cosmetics/face/true-match-minerals/honey-glow.aspx#tab:profits
Basically, I'm in love with mineral makeup currently.. sigh sigh..
Try sheer cover instead.. A friend wore it to a professionsl photoshoot and the results were great..
Btw.. I found Bare Minerals get started kit on http://www.junglee.com/100%25-Pure-BareMinerals-Started-Complexion/dp/B002GQI6PC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1377060914&sr=8-9&keywords=bare+minerals
I know the price quoted here is Rs. 6158/- but the dollar exchange rate has increased. I got my kit for $60 last year and there's not even a dent in it. It lasts and lasts and lasts..
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oEEbKl1sqb0 This is a video link for sheercover.  You can buy sheer cover at www.sheercover.in . The only problem (according to a few friends) is that sometimes this site automatically sends you kits monthly even if you dont want them.. Many other companies too make mineral foundations in powder form and since its mineral makeup, it doesn't harm your skin.
This is my everyday routine.. Get going guys.. Put your best face and smile forward..
Love,

Tfs.com

Basic skincare routine

A good makeup begins with good skin. And to take care of such a skin involves a few steps. These, while being very easy and quick are also very important. You need to follow these like a religion. For these will not only keep your skin clean and supple today but for many years to come. You must have heard of these 3 steps but I cannot tell you enough about them. CLEANSING,  TONING, MOISTURISING...

• Cleansing: You need to clean your face with a facewash that suits your skin type. Clean your face atleast 3 times a day but dont overdo it.. you'll just dry your skin out. Pat your skin dry and be ready for the next step before your face dries out completely.
• Toning: This step is very important as the first one. A good toner should tighten your skin and reduce the size of the pores. Skip this and you may get blackheads or whiteheads due to dirt settling inside your open pores. Apply toner with a cotton ball in circular motion. Now before the toner dries up do the next step. 
• Moisturising: Use of a good moisturising lotion/cream is extremely important. This one should also be according to your skin type. Your skin becomes thirsty every time you wash it. So this is its elixir. Apply moisturiser from middle of the face outwards. 

These 3 products should be your best friends. Buy them from a good store. As far as possible do not buy from your friendly, neighbourhood 'makeup ke samaan ka dukaan'. You never know if the products are spurious (nakli) :( .. Go to your nearest mall. Buy from places like shoppers' stop or lifestyle or central. Trust me, money spent on this is really worth it..

I personally use the Clinique 3 step system. For the past few months I use the dramatically different moisturiser only if my dkin feels extra dry otherwise it's just moisture surge for me. Also sometimes I use liquid neutrogena facial wash or L'oreal deep clean facewash(comes with its own scrublet). Also get a pack of cotton balls to apply your toner. Now get going girls.. 

Much love, 

Tfs.com

                       

Note how the Clinique ones have the skin type on them. So thats real cool. In the next few posts I'll do a review of some of the other CTM systems which are not expensive.