I am Harsha Talreja, and I am the person who reads the ingredient list.

This site started as a place to put the notes I was already writing in my phone after every new purchase. A primer that pilled by lunchtime. A perfume that smelled wonderful for forty minutes and then vanished. A moisturiser I have repurchased six times without ever thinking about it.

I do not do first-impression reviews. Nothing goes up here until I have used it long enough to know how it behaves on a bad skin day, in Indian humidity, under a full day of wear. That usually means at least three weeks.

How I test

• Long enough to be fair. Minimum three weeks of regular use, more for anything that claims results over time.
• In real conditions. Humidity, commutes, long days, no touch-ups.
• Against something I already trust. New products get compared to the thing they would have to replace.
• With the price in mind. A good product at a bad price is still a bad recommendation.

On gifted products and money

Almost everything covered here I bought myself. When something is gifted or sent as a PR sample, it is labelled clearly at the top of the post. I do not accept payment for reviews, and a brand does not get to read a post before it goes live.

What you will find here

Makeup and skincare mostly, fragrance whenever I fall down a new rabbit hole, and a little of everything else — food I cooked badly, films I loved, the odd thought that would not fit anywhere else.