Online Shopping – Violetbag.com experience

Looks like the shopping gods have heard every makeup crazy Indian girl’s prayer…Yes prayers for some good sites to shop.

I am sure you remember our intro posts to some shopping sites spotted. Read all about it here.

Now, this is all about a new entrant to the league – Violet Bag. I was quite excited to get an opportunity to review their services.

A little about the venture

VioletBag is the venture of a self-driven and committed team of IIT/IIM graduates who founded VioletBag.com after having built another flourishing e-commerce startup. In addition to their experience in eCommerce, the VioletBag team, after successful career stints in leading companies, brings in expertise from areas like technology, product development, operations, finance and marketing. As is evident from their diverse backgrounds, each team member brings a unique set of capabilities to the table. As a group, they have valued these differences and have encouraged each other to question, create and experiment in their pursuit of excellence. However, the inimitable strength of the team lies in each individual’s ability to work independently and in their ability to build things from scratch. A deep sense of ownership has resulted in considerable throughput during the initial phases of development and roll-out; and as they go forward, it is their aim to continue building on these values and strengths in new members as well as within the organization.

Brands they Offer

Olay, Vega, L’Oreal, Garnier, Lakme, Pond’s. VLCC, Calvin Klein, Lotus Herbals, Wella Kolestint, Biotique, Maybelline, Neutrogena and many perfume brands like Issey Miyake, Escada, Davidoff and many many more.

Payment and Shipping Options

The site accepts various modes of payment to make your experience with us more enriching. Here is a list of payment options:

Credit Card, Debit Card, Netbanking – Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, J & K Bank, Citibank, Federal Bank, Cash Card – ITZ Cash, Cash on Delivery (COD)

Violetbag offers free shipping within India on all orders above Rs 250. All orders below the amount are charged shipping at a flat rate of Rs 50 per order. According to the company, they have partnered with multiple courier providers for shipment of orders and based on the customer’s location, they ship the order through any one of them.

My Experience
I placed an order on their website last Saturday. As soon as the order was placed, I received a call from their customer care confirming the order as I had opted for a Cash on Delivery option. There was also an accompanying email sent confirming the order.

On Tuesday morning, I received an email from them saying the package was shipped. The delivery was quite fast, considering the fact that it was holiday season due to navratri. I received the package on Thursday.

The products were all packed individually in bubble wrap and then in a box which was wrapped in cling film.

Tight packed with thermocol cubes to prevent damages in transit.

Wanna see what I purchased?

Lotus Herbals Lip Seduction lipgloss in Mocha Spice,

Maybelline Colour Sensational Moisture Extreme lipstick in Windsor Rose,

Lakme Eye Quartet in Tanjore Rush.

All in all, I liked the online shopping experience and customer care provided by the site. Above all that, the way they deal with the customer is very professional. I have had some unprofessional behaviour from  sites like Fashion and You. So, this was a feel good factor for me.

The Good

Almost all major skin care and makeup brands are available

Discounts on products.

Fresh stocks (ie no near to expiry stuff and all)

Quick and Professional service.

Multiple payment options for the customer.

Would I recommend the site to others? Yes

From what I observed, they are definitely working towards increasing the brands they sell. When I shopped, many like Biotique, Vega etc were missing. But now they have been added, which is a positive development.

Will post swatches and reviews soon…Lots of events happening before Diwali and I’m running short of time like crazy :-))
Meanwhile, do check out the latest collections added at Swaram and a lots more coming up before Diwali.

Info – Shopping voucher provided by brand. But our opinion is honest as always as our priority is always you.

Tip of the Day – Sanitizing your hand,before digging into the tub

As responsible beauty bloggers/ skin care enthusiasts, we are also research fellows 🙂
At some point or the other, we pry deep into the ingredient list of products, whether they contain harmful chemicals and also conscious about their expiry and shelf life.

How many of us have often kept away from buying skin care products that come in tubs? Those yummy body butters from The Body Shop? lovely lip balms? and the list goes on.

And many a times, we even ignore some beauties just for the same reason.

Ok…this long intro is for those who refrain from buying products packed in tubs just because we feel that they get contaminated after a while as we may not always be able to wash our hands and dry them before we dig into the tubs.

Hand sanitizers are a big boon in this case. Not only do they cleanse your hands, but also helps eliminating the germs. Moreover, there is no long drying time. They just evaporate in seconds.

So, next time you don’t need to refrain from getting that favourite body butter tub of yours. Make sure you stock up on a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer.

Pre Wedding Skin Care – Homemade Ubtan

Monsoon showers are almost gone and it is the time of celebrations – festivals, weddings etc.

Remember the pre wedding skin care series we had done last year?

Read all about it here

1) Papaya for Clear skin

2) Amla for healthy hair

3) Supple skin

4) Anti acne/pimple

In continuation, this time I have a recipe for home made ubtan for the brides to be.

I made this ubtan about 2 weeks back and have used it atleast twice a week.

Here is the recipe

Powdered Green Gram(moong) – 3 cups

Green gram powder is one of the best natural exfoliant and cleanser for the skin. A paste of this powder with water/milk is an excellent exfoliant, yet gentle on the skin. In our hometown, babies are normally bathed using this paste instead of baby soap after an oil massage.

It is raining BB creams- GARNIER AND CLINIQUE BB CREAMS

Soon after the launch of the Illamasqua BB cream based foundation, it has been a BB cream trend all over.

Just came across these products and thought of sharing with you’ll.

GARNIER MIRACLE SKIN PROTECTOR BB CREAM

WHAT IS IT?

2 letters for perfect-looking skin…instantly! Garnier’s B.B. cream, Miracle Skin Perfector, with mineral pigments and vitamin C. It unifies, illuminates, hydrates and helps protect with SPF 15. Available in two shades.

CLINIQUE AGE DEFENSE BB CREAM SPF 30/PA+++

WHAT IS IT?

Weekend makeup in a minute.

What it does:
This instant morning routine gives skin just about everything it needs for a quick start. SPF protection, antioxidants for prevention, plus enough coverage to banish imperfections. The perfect primer, too. Why is BB Cream an Asian cult favourite? Clinique’s clients in Asia know it means perfect-looking skin. It will take you a minute to realize it’s true.

What else you need to know:
Complexions with very fair to pink undertones, use Shade 1. Very fair, moderately fair and golden undertones, use Shade 2.

Currently these products seem to be available outside India in Sephora and Superdrug.

 

Have any of you tried these yet??

Lotus Herbals WHITEGLOW™ 3-in-1 Deep Cleansing Skin Whitening Facial Foam

A brand new product from Lotus Herbals  – WHITEGLOW™ 3 – in – 1 Deep Cleansing Skin Whitening Facial Foam for All Skin types.

According to sources, this triple action skin whitening facial foam deep cleanses your skin, brightens it and prevents melanin production that causes skin darkening. This results in brighter & radiant skin all day long.

The Body Shop Moisture White™ Shiso BB Cream SPF 25 PA+++

Good news for all the girls who were dying to try BB creams in India. The Body Shop Moisture White Shiso Range has come up with a BB Cream…

Moisture White™ Shiso BB Cream SPF 25 PA+++

What it claims?

This multi-action make-up base creates fairer-looking skin in an instant and conceals, soothes and protects. Available in a tube for ease of application.

Conceals blemishes and fine lines with a clean, natural finish that feels fresh and lets skin breathe. Corrects the colour of skin to give a one tone lighter complexion, soothes dryness and improves over-all skin tone and texture thus giving skin a radiant glow. Protects from UV thanks to its SPF 25 and PA +++.  Can be used alone as a moisturiser for oily skin types, over day time moisturiser for drier skin types or under make-up to provide an added layer of confidence and protection.

Ingredients
Shiso extract – reduces early melanin-making signals even before the hyperpigmentation process and melanin production cycle starts – helping prevent uneven skin tone, brown spots and freckles
Vitamin C – provides anti-oxidant protection helping to reduce the production of melanin
Liquorice – works to limit the effect of melanin synthesis and helps to reduce the variances in skin tone.

Wonder why they never launched it along with the Shiso White range last year..Anyways..I am gonna give it a shot…Are you??

The Lotus Goodie Box

Those of you who tweet along with me might know that I had won the Lotus Herbals Twitter contest about 2 weeks ago. I finally got my stuff yesterday.

Here is what they sent me

The contents 

Beauty Tip of the Day(1) – Pimples and Pimple Marks

An easy remedy for diminishing pimples.

Take a few(1 or 2) tender leaves of guava tree(Guava-Peru/Pera/Amrood/Koyya) and crush them in a stone pestle or simply between your hands. Make sure not to lose the juice of the leaves, because that is the real essence.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Review

What the product claims?

We only make one cleanser because this formulation is the ultimate in concentrated yet gentle cleansing power and works on every age and skin type.Our plant-based cleanser has a 2-phase action, Phase 1 is the cleansing. Free from mineral oil, it has a rich and creamy texture and swiftly removes all traces of face and eye make-up, even stubborn mascara.Phase 2 is the polishing. Polish off the cream using the pure muslin cloth to help gently dislodge dead skin cells and help reveal clean, soft and radiant skin. Use morning and night with pure muslin cloths to reveal fresh, radiant skin. Naturally active ingredients include eucalyptus and cocoa butter for smoother, clearer skin. Suitable for all skin types.

Liz Earle Hot Polish Cloth Cleanser

Key Ingredients

Cocoa Butter

This rich, creamy butter which has moisturising effects on the skin is made from the roasted seeds of the cocoa tree, the same seeds that give us chocolate and cocoa

Hops Extract (Humulus lupulus)

This herbal extract comes from the pinecone-like fruit of the hop plant and has astringent and toning properties.

Bridal Beauty Tip(3) – Supple Skin

A simple home treatment for soft and supple skin for a bride. Take some olive oil in a cup (Adjust quantities as per your requirement).

Warm the oil on stove top or in a microwave oven.

Add one or two drops of Sandalwood Essential Oil to the olive oil. Mix well and apply all over the body in swift movements. Keep massaging till the oil is almost fully absorbed by the skin.