Under Eye Circles & Bags : Causes & Remedies, Indian Beauty Blog, Skin care

Under Eye Circles & Bags : Causes & Remedies

Dark Circles, Lifestyle, Skin care, Tips, Tips and Tricks, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Under Eye Circles & Bags : Causes & Remedies

By Ishleen

Lifestyles today are more stressful than comfortable, despite the luxuries that we can indulge in. Computers, mobiles, and all the electronic gadgets that we have involved to make our lives simpler have further disturbed our working schedules, that too on the cost of the health of our body. More work, less sleep; and the direct results are clearly visible in the puffiness and dark shadows around our eyes.

Raccoon eyes, under-eye bags, dark circles, shadows, panda eyes; all these are names of the same problem. So what basically causes our eyes to develop such conditions?

Read below to know more.

Causes

Whether you may know it or not, the skin which appears to be bluish black under our eyes is because of the skin in that area being too thin, thus making the blood vessels visible all the more. No, your blood vessels are not exactly blue; but only the wavelengths of blue and purple colors are allowed to be reflected by your under-eye skin, thus giving an impression of bluish-black under eye bags.

1. Genetics

One of the major causes of recurring or prominent dark circles is genetics. If your parents have thin skin around the eyes, or more than average blood vessels, it is almost certain that you will be passed on with the unfortunate trait.

2. Age and Gender

Dark circles under the eyes can begin to be dominantly visible in your 20’s, both in males and females alike; but they are most daunting in the old age. In old age, our skins loose elasticity and do not have the ability to regenerate the skin cells at a steady pace, thus the predominance of raccoon eyes.

3. Fatigue and sleeplessness

In case of fatigue, skin produces a chemical named cortisol, to give your body dynamism when it is working on low levels of energy. It increases the volume of blood in the body, thereby enlarging the blood vessels by creating more pressure in them. As the skin is thin around your delicate eyes, the engorged blood vessels are more prominently visible.

4. Ruptured blood vessels

At times, blood vessels under the eyes can get ruptured and the blood leaking from them starts oxidizing; leading to dim shadows on the lean membrane underneath the eyes. However this is nothing to be much apprehensive about, as in the company of the right type of treatments; this hitch can be easily rectified.

5. Excess of sleep and other lifestyle reasons

Dark under eye circles can even be caused by high sodium intake; which helps in retaining more fluids in body, leading to puffiness; which in turns makes dark circles more visible. Sleeping on your stomach for prolonged periods of time, leads to the accumulation of fluids in the facial area, especially around the eyes, causing freaky dark circles. Or say, when you have been crying uncontrollably, for any reason whatsoever, the salinity of your tears leads to puffiness around your eyes. So forget what happened and just smile 🙂

Remedies

If you are one of those few unlucky ones who have to bear with the problem of dark under eye circles, no matter what, and you do not want to spend on swanky under eye creams or laser surgeries; these home remedies await you.

a) Cucumber apart from acting as a cooling agent, also works as a lightening instrument and an astringent for your skin. Placing cucumber slices on your eyes, or gently rubbing cotton balls dipped in fresh cucumber juice can help to reduce the dark circles. Though the cucumber juice works better if you leave it overnight. Don’t worry; your skin will readily absorb it.

b) Potato juice is great to reduce the puffiness around the eyes, and is often used for treating tan spots and blemishes. Grate a raw potato, extract its juice, and apply the freshly squeezed juice to the affected area. Leave it on overnight if possible.

c) For added goodness, mix both cucumber and potato juice, and with a soft cotton pad, dab the juice gently on to the skin. Leave the juice on for about half an hour, and wash the face with cold water.

ADDITIONAL TIP: To keep the eyes moisturized, follow up by gently massaging olive, coconut or almond oil around the eye area. Remember not to put too much pressure around the eyes.

2. Frozen metal spoons

For instant relief from under eye circles caused by lack of sleep, or sleeping in the wrong posture for prolonged periods of time; all you need is two frozen metal spoons. Make it a habit to keep two metal spoons in your freezer so that you can utilize them any time you want. Just place the rounded edges of the spoon on the eye area and let it rest till the temp of the spoon becomes normal. The cooling effect will help stimulate blood circulation and also decrease the quantity of fluid accumulation around the peepers.

3. Chilled Green tea bags

Green tea is chock full of anti-oxidants, and anti-oxidants are good for your skin. Period. Dip two green tea bags in boiling water, and let them stay immersed for about 3-4 minutes. Take out the tea bags and place them in the freezer, letting them stay till they are chilled. (In the meanwhile, enjoy the goodness of your green tea.) Once the tea bags are chilled enough, place them onto your under eye areas, one bag on each eye, and let them rest for 15-20 minutes. You will notice the results for yourself.

4. The goodness of rose water

Pure Rose water is one product which is the answer of almost all skin care problems. Yes it is that good. Dab a pair of cotton balls in cold rose water, and apply it to the eyes. Let the cotton balls stay on the eyes for as long as possible and wash your face off. Do not forget to follow up with a rich moisturizer.

5. The Wonderful Tomato juice

Most of the treatments for dark under eye circles lie in our own kitchen. Tomatoes comprise of lycopene, which is a great anti-oxidant and has the ability to lighten your skin. Squeeze the juice of one ripe tomato, or mash the pulp and mix in a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice again acts as a bleaching agent and has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce puffiness. Apply this mixture under the eyes and let it stay for about 15 minutes and wash it off with cold water for better results.

6. Crushed mint leaves

Mint has amazing cooling properties which helps in instantly soothing the skin and reducing the appearance of dark discoloration around the eyes. Crush a few mint leaves using a mortar and pestle and apply the leaves as it is under the eyes. Wait for about 15 minutes and then remove any residue with a damp cotton swab. You can even mix the goodness of cucumber juice to the crushed leaves for better results.

7. Cold compress or ice pack

Cold compress works on the same principal as that of the metal spoons. The chilling effect will help stimulate blood circulation, thereby diminishing puffiness and rectifying the temporary pigmentation under the eyes. Either use a gel based cold compress, or take a few ice cubes wrapped in a thin cloth, and place them under your eyes till the ice melts off completely. Goodbye, raccoon eyes. 😉

8. The efficient milk and fenugreek seed paste

This DIY under eye face mask can work wonders to rectify dark circles. Take a few fenugreek (methi) seeds and soak them overnight. The next day, grind the seeds to form a fine paste. To this paste add a tablespoon of milk and a pinch of turmeric. Mix well, and apply the paste under the eyes.

9. White bread and milk

Milk has both fats and proteins, making it the best moisturizer for our skin. Mix this elixir of goodness with a slice of white bread, mixing it into a fine paste. Apply this paste daily on your under eye area for smoother and even toned under eye skin.

10. Say goodbye to bad habits

Smoking, drinking and stressing a tad bit too much are the main causes which can lead to hyper pigmentation around the eyes and leads to fluid accumulation, causing puffiness. For eyes that do not resemble that of a panda, try bidding goobye to these bad habits of yours.

Till when are you going to hide the dark under eye area with corrective concealers and heavy-duty foundations? It is high time you followed one of these easy tips listed above and bid goodbye to these nasty shadows which never allow you to look your best. But remember that all the points listed above are purely natural and you should not expect instantaneous results; patience is the key.

Editor’s Note: Well written post Ishleen, I am going to try some of the tips myself 😀

Do you have dark circles? Use any of the tips mentioned? Also add your own tips in the comments below which work for you.

P.S: Images from Google

Jaipur Diaries: Part 2 (Food & More Food)

Food, Lifestyle, Restaurant Review, Reviews, Travel, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jaipur Diaries: Part 2 (Food & More Food)

Well if you haven’t read my part 1 yet, go HERE. And if you have, we talk about the 2nd main thing in Jaipur now, the food!

I had a fulfilling breakfast at The Bazaar at Zone by the Park in Jaipur for 2 days.

Also I am very picky about my tea, and it was perfect, just the way I like it! They serve it a mini Parle G and some crispies.

They do have buffet options for both lunch and dinner, hubby went with the buffet once. I went with a-la-carte coz I like to try different things.

I tried the Caesar Salad and Zone Chilli Cheese Khakhra Toast the first day, loved both the khakhra was real spicy and not for the faint hearted 😀

Ordered Biryani for room service once and loved it too, perfect blend of spices and served with raita, just the way a biryani is meant to be.

And also tried the Alfredo Pasta once

Not much of a fun, coz I like my pasta more cheesy. I wanted to try their wood fired pizzas which are their speciality but there was some technical issue in the oven and I could not, my bad luck!

Other items I tried were Veg. Dumplings & Noodles with Honey Chilli Potatoes, Mango Blueberry Panna Cotta, Gajar Ka Halwa and Moong Dal Halwa. I found the dumplings a bit under cooked, absolutely loved the honey chilli potatoes. The artificial mango taste killed the panna cotta but it was not the season, so can’t blame them. Love their Indian desserts, moong dal halwa and gajar ka halwa were terrific!

I recommend their buffet and Indian sweets apart from the pizzas, salads, biryani and breakfast of course is included in the stay. I saw many people visiting just at the Bazaar restaurant for the dining experience too.

Few other places that are a must visit in Jaipur when it comes to food are:

Doodh Mishtan Bhandar (DMB Sweets) for sweets of course and kachoris, mirchi wadas, all farsans are equally good.

Rawat Sweets, for their Pyaaz Kachori! They are mind blowing, even got them packed. And rest of the sweets plus ghevar, got all packed! Mawa Kachori is also good if you like sweet stuff, a little too sweet for me. The stuffed khandvi was the best! Hated the lassi, full of essence and way too sweet.

Chokhi Dhani, you cannot not come here when in Jaipur. It’s an experience in itself, a little pricey at Rs.900/- per plate, but it includes an entire experience of seeing around. You can do activities like boating, camel riding, or playing games, buying stuff,etc., at an extra cost. But looking around, watching the dances and shows, and the different historical and religious places recreated is all included in the entry. The food is amazing, authentic and pure Marwadi food full of ghee! The way they serve and feed you is amazing.

Coming back to Zone by the Park, they also have a mini infinity pool, a rooftop bar, a gym and a spa. They have a separate club area which they were making sound proof and the work would have been completed before 31st Dec.

Rooftop Restaurant & Bar

I also tried a spa service, went for the Swedish Body Massage as I wanted something with light pressure coz of my back and leg fractures. The masseuse was very gentle and I felt completely relaxed. I was a bit nervous at first since this was the first body massage post the accident, but she was quite light with her hands and I loved it! She used lemongrass oil for the body massage and it also covered head massage. My body felt light and skin felt super hydrated even in that cold climate, post bath too and without any additional moisturizer.

Swedish Body Massage at Zone By The Park Spa

I do recommend trying out the spa services too and burning all the calories from the yummy food at the gym or by swimming! You have so much to do in Jaipur outside and within the hotel too!

This was one memorable trip for me!

Have you been to Jaipur? Tried all the yummy food?

Why is Asus Zenfone 2 Laser a Girl’s Best Friend!

Asus, Lifestyle, Reviews, Smartphone, Tech, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why is Asus Zenfone 2 Laser a Girl’s Best Friend!

Hi guys,

Yes today I am talking about this super device which I have been testing since the past 2 weeks. I know you have read a million reviews of the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser by now!

It comes with a warranty card, user guide and a charger. I have the ZE550KL 2GB RAM one in Gold.

The technical aspects like 64-bit Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 410 processor, LTE Category 4 for download speeds up to 150Mbps, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi built in for butter smooth WiFi connectivity, 3000mAh battery, Dual sim, 1280×720 HD IPS display that offers wide 178-degree viewing angles and staggering 267 ppi pixel density, TruVivid technology, Glove Touch Technology, Sonic Master for Crystal Clear Audio, Smart Asus Audio Wizard to name a few (Phew!) are quite amazing indeed and a lot of industry firsts!

But today I am talking about the phone from a blogger, specifically a beauty and fashion blogger or any girl’s perspective.

Starting with the design, it is super sleek and thin with slight round edges. It looks and feels like a phone with 5x the price! It is ergonomically designed with a button behind to adjust volume and take selfies which is like the best part here, coz we all know how difficult it is to hold the button and adjust your finger to click on Capture 😀

ZenFone 2 Laser’s 13MP PixelMaster camera with its f/2.0-aperture lens captures stunning, high-resolution photos with zero shutter lag. The brand-new laser-autofocus feature greatly reduces blurring and enhances image stabilization, and the industry-leading Low Light mode employs pixel-merging technology to capture up to 400%-brighter photos at night or in low-light scenes — all without the need for a flash. Backlight (Super HDR) mode lets you see clearly through daytime shadow and Super Resolution mode helps you to capture detailed images at resolutions of up to 52MP!  Near instant focus as fast as 0.03 seconds with zero shutter lag (the phone is aptly named ‘Laser’ coz of this feature) PixelMaster technology automatically adjusts the ratio of maximum contrast (the brightest point to the darkest point of the image) to enhance the ability of framing features and shapes of the subject, improving the detail of darker areas. Low Light mode increases light sensitivity by up to 400%. It also enhances noise reduction and boosts color contrast by up to 400%, for clear and bright low-light shots with no need for flash. Selfie Panorama helps you get all your friends together in one selfie and cut no one out of the picture! And the best of all, Beautification mode where you can look perfectly made up without makeup 😀

Why is it a girl’s best friend?

1. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 4 making it damage resistant and scratch resistant. Yes we don’t have big pockets and have our bags and gazillion other things to handle along with our hair and dress and we do drop our phones at times. Also if our phone is in our bags, it competes with 100 other things for space and may get scratched. But no worries now with the Corning Gorilla Glass 4!

2. Camera, Camera, Camera. Yes, 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, amazing picture quality with perfectly vivid colors, sharpness and brightness. We girls need a good camera each day, every day!

Picture taken in Asus Zenfone 2 Laser with Front Camera in Beautification Mode

3. Beautification mode. On days when we are too lazy to put on any makeup, we just use the beautification mode for pictures and look perfectly made up. It has color correction, skin correction, eyes, blush, every feature to correct and all this before taking a picture, so edit before clicking now!

4. Camera Features. Coming to the best part in this phone, the camera features it has. Apart from the basic Auto, Manual and the above mentioned Super HDR, Low Light, Selfie Panorama and Beautification Modes, it has night, depth of field, effect (filters), normal panorama, GIF Animation creator, Time Rewind, All Smiles, Miniature, Smart Remove, Time Lapse and Slow motion. Now create GIF’s, fun Slow-mo and Fast forward videos, smartly remove any unwanted object or person from your picture, select the best smiles of every person in the picture with All Smiles. You name it and the phone has it, it is like a genie!

5. Colors available. It comes in black, white, grey, red and gold. This is the gold one and I absolutely love gold.

The pictures are slightly grainy with the rear camera compared to high end phones and cameras but the front camera pictures are razor sharp, crisp and clear. At Rs.9999/- this is the best phone in the market in that price category. No phone under Rs.10,000 has this good a camera with laser auto focus and these many camera features plus the technical features.

What do you think about Asus Zenfone 2 Laser? Liked the features?

P.S: Phone sent for review but has not affected my opinion.

UrbanClap: Local Service Professionals at Clap of your Hands

Apps, Lifestyle, Reviews, Tech, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UrbanClap: Local Service Professionals at Clap of your Hands

Hi guys,

These days we have 1-2 new apps coming up every other day, so what makes an app different and are all the apps in the market actually helpful? Nah! But one app I came across in December is actually very helpful! One of my friend works full time, both the husband and wife work whole day on weekdays and they only get weekends to chill or go out, her major concern always was cleaning and the home stuff. I was at her place last to last month and she told me she calls for whatever services she needs on this new app ‘Urbanclap’. One Sunday it is bathroom cleaning, and one Sunday it is sofa cleaning, she even calls for the beauty services she needs, she need not go to a salon or take an appointment, etc., her life is sorted!

I thought that’s an amazing idea, I downloaded the app to see how exactly it works. Last month before my Jaipur trip, I did not have the time to go to a salon and I called for beauty services at home on the Urbanclap app. If you follow me on twitter, you must have read a mini review of the services too. They have Rs.300/- off over services of Rs.800/- offer going on, they keep having offers, so watch out for that.

The app is super easy to use, understand and navigate. Select the service you need from the list of services, it catches your location and lets you know the fixed prices for blue collared jobs, or asks for your exact requirements from the options available for white collared jobs and the service providers send you a quote. You have three different price options too according to your budget. You have the option of the service providers calling you or you calling them, the latter is always safer and better unless you wish to be bombarded by calls whole day! You can even directly pay on the app for the blue collared services with fixed prices.

All the blue collared services have fixed pricing per hour which is around Rs.199/- Currently I am looking for a plumber for some minor work and all local plumbers tell me they will charge Rs.500/- for visiting even if 5 minutes job! Thank goodness for apps like this for saving us from being exploited.

I was looking for a yoga trainer at home for my back issue, and I chose that service and the ‘home’ option and my budget. These are the quotes and providers I got already within 5 minutes.

Things I did not like and which could improve, even after selecting the lower budget option here i.e. below Rs.3500/-, I got contacted by all providers giving a quote of Rs.4000 to 6000. Only the providers who give services within the mentioned budget should be able to give a quote or contact the buyer, coz it’s a waste of time.

I think Urbanclap is a huge help for working couples who hardly get time to get home stuff sorted, and even otherwise for families when you cannot find local services easily, now you can with just a touch on your phone! Apps like these sort your life, it has already received three rounds of funding and much deserved.

If you still haven’t tried Urbanclap, do so now! For Android users, go HERE and for Apple users, go HERE. You can thank me later 🙂 Currently it only available in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, but they are expanding to other cities this year.

Have you tried the Urbanclap app yet?

Whisper Out Loud Blogger Hangout- #OwnThose5Days

Events, New Launches, Whisper, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Whisper Out Loud Blogger Hangout- #OwnThose5Days

Hi guys,

If you read my previous post about the all new Whisper Ultra (go HERE), I talked about this exclusive bloggers’ meet that took place on 19th Dec at Palladium/St.Regis Hotel.

In a bid to help India’s women power through their chosen path of success and #OwnThose5Days of the month , Whisper India launched The New Whisper Ultra – a revolutionary pad that absorb more & lasts longer. Whisper wants to enable women to keep striding forward.

In an exclusive preview organised for bloggers, Whisper India, the no. 1 sanitary napkin brand in the country, showcased a never seen before innovation via powerful demonstrations highlighting the benefits of the New Whisper Ultra. The event previewed the top sheet upgrade & boosted core of the new product from Whisper India that offers more absorption for long hours and better dryness for clean feeling.

The ‘Whisper Out Loud Blogger Hangout’, was the first exclusive bloggers only preview to be organized by a sanitary napkin brand in the country.

Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin, Gynaecologist Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, Whisper R&D Expert Chetan Kotyalkar & stand-up comedian Aditi Mittal brought to life the need to break free from the various irrelevant period taboos and the importance of menstrual hygiene. Aditi Mittal’s stand up act was hilarious, she is always a pleasure to listen to!

Aditi Mittal

Women still practice irrelevant period Taboos like not exercising, not wearing white, not washing hair for the first two days and stay largely at home during periods among others. With the New Whisper Ultra, women should not feel restricted anymore on their period days.

The Whisper Panel of experts engaged in a never seen before product demonstration clearly showcasing that the New Whisper Ultra offers five times more protection than any ordinary pad. Kalki and Aditi shared personal experiences and opinions expressing the need for a superior sanitary napkin for a woman to be truly unstoppable.

Aditi & Kalki

Dr. Nandita Palshetkar showcased her expertise to explain the menstruation process and the dos and don’ts every woman should incorporate in her monthly routine. It was the most educative session, she talked about having less salt and caffeine or not having at all, is possible. That is the main reason of bloating during periods and can be tackled by doing away with salt and caffeine. Also light exercises, proper rest are some of the other things to do. Some girls do not exercise at all thinking it should not be done during periods which again is a myth.She also educated all about the importance of menstrual hygiene.

R&D expert Chetan Kotyalkar highlighted the unique features of the New Whisper Ultra that comes with 1000 suction holes to offer better protection for long hours. He showed each and every feature in a presentation and how they have worked towards making the all new Whisper Ultra Clean ‘better’ in so many ways.

The ‘Whisper Out Loud Blogger Hangout’ culminated with Whisper’s super fun #OwnThose5Days challenge. To celebrate the spirit of being unstoppable during periods, #OwnThose5Days challenge comprised of a series of five activities which depicted everyday physical hurdles in a fun way. Kalki and Aditi kick started the challenge and we all followed them. From cycling to trying out the water soaking capacity of the 1000 suction holes, we did all of it practically.

You can also try the all new Whisper Ultra Clean, get your free sample HERE and #OwnThose5Days 🙂

Jaipur Diaries: Zone By The Park

Lifestyle, Restaurant Review, Reviews, Travel, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jaipur Diaries: Zone By The Park

Hi guys,

I travelled to Jaipur at the end of December, last year we went to Hong Kong, Macau and Andamans which I wanted to pen down on the blog but couldn’t coz of the accident in Jan and then it never happened.

This time I didn’t want to procrastinate one bit and made sure I post about my Jaipur trip. I always wanted to go to Jaipur (Rajasthan in General), having covered most of the parts of India, Rajasthan somehow never happened. This time it was a sudden plan at the end of November coz December was birthday and anniversary month 🙂

My trip started with this amazing take-off hyperlapse video (I love window seats!)

We stayed two days at Zone By the Park located in Bani Park in Jaipur. It’s a four star property. The rooms available are Zone Room, Zone Quad, Zone Trio and Zone Suite. We were in Zone Suite and it was huge and spacious with a beautiful living area, huge bedroom and a perfect bathroom. The rooms are modern but yet have the classic, old world charm through the paintings and artifacts. What I absolutely loved is the cleanliness and hygiene factor! The rooms were super clean and had smart, organized storage cabinets to keep your luggage, etc. I had place for my laptop, camera, bags and nothing came in between. The hotel is a bit far from the airport, the distance being about 13-14 kms but it is just 3 kms from the railway station and 2 kms from the central bus station.

The hotel has 47  rooms and they come with complimentary breakfast, fast Wi-Fi and one way airport/railway transfer. It has a restaurant named ‘The Bazaar’ which has global and regional cuisine, from the South Indian breakfast to the vast buffet spread for lunch or dinner, to the various a-la-carte options. I will share more on the restaurant and other facilities they have in my next post. It is a perfect stay option for corporates, families and even couples.

The Zone Suite room..

Here are a few pics from my Jaipur trip, some of you must have already seen the pictures on my Instagram.

Entire Jaipur view from Nahargarh Fort (Panorama)

We visited the City Palace, Amber Fort and Nahargarh Fort. Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal and Hawa Mahal we saw from a distance as it was not open for public. I was told the royal family lives at Jaigarh Fort and hence it is restricted. Jal Mahal was open for public untill 15 years ago.

Hawa Mahal
Sunset View from Nahargarh Fort
The Door at Nahargarh Fort
At City Palace

At Zone by the Park, they had beautifully decorated the entire lobby for Christmas.

There is also a seating arrangement outside, but we did not dare to sit out, since it was quite cold!

Zone by the Park Hotels are currently in Jaipur, Chennai and Coimbatore. They are soon opening in Raipur, Jodhpur, Goa and Mahabalipuram.

The best thing about Zone by the Park has to be the amazing staff and hospitality. They were very courteous and always smiling, you can feel the warm welcome. One of my best hotel experiences till date! I am definitely looking forward to visit more of their properties.

If you are in search of a hotel in Jaipur, you can blindly book Zone by The Park. You will thank me later 🙂

One of the best thing about Jaipur is the food! I will include it in my next post coz this post would be way too image heavy otherwise.

Have you been to Jaipur? What do you like the most about Jaipur?

L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Ritual Experiental & Vlog

Experientals, Hair Care, Hair Mask, L'Oreal Professionnel, Reviews, Salons and Spas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Ritual Experiental & Vlog

Hi guys,

So a few days ago I went to the L’Oreal Academy for the L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Ritual Experiental. Let me tell you a little more about the Mythic Oil Range and the service.

Mythic Oil Range: A unique range infused with 4 precious oils to unlock the secret to that legendary hair you’ve always wanted!

Argan Oil, a deeply hydrating oil known to restore smoothness and shine

Cotton Seed Oil, an oil that helps in regeneration

Rice Bran Oil, deeply nourishes each hair strand to leave hair smooth and soft

Cranberry Oil, A precious oil with illuminating properties to enhance the radiance

Your Mythical Must-Have: Mythic Oil Rich Oil

The Mythic Oil Rich Oil is a versatile oil like no other! Try it before you shampoo, to give you that deep nourishment! Use it as a styling product for that legendary look with a magical shine or overnight for intensive nourishment.

Rich Oil is a perfect blend of the most potent oils in nature; Argan oil from the magical argan tree or “tree of life” and rice bran oil. This versatile oil is immediately absorbed for a light weight feel, leaving the hair looking deeply illuminated and magical nourishment. This Oil is sure to be your mane-favourite!

It has 8 different types of rituals which depend on the condition of your hair. Since I had travelled to Jaipur and the hard water and climate there made my hair quite dry, we went with the ‘Mythic Repair Magic‘.

Mythic Repair Magic, a deeply nourishing ritual, specially designed for repairing extremely dry and damaged hair. It gently treats the scalp and helps protect hair against frizz and also illuminates it.

Here is a small vlog of the procedure:

Coming to the procedure:

1. Usually the ritual starts with application of a mix of ‘Rich Oil’ and ‘Oil Bar’ concentrate. But since my hair was not washed 2-3 days prior, the expert first washed my hair and blow dried it, for the ritual to work better.

2. And then a mix of oils is applied on every section of the hair and the scalp.

3. Scalp is massaged for about 5 minutes.

4. Hair is washed again with the Mythic Oil Shampoo.

5. Then the mask is applied on each section of hair, which has a few drops of the ‘Rich Oil’ mixed in it.

6. It is kept for about 10-15 minutes

7. Hair is washed again but only with plain water this time.

8. Blow dried and the Rich Oil is applied towards the lower half and ends.

I absolutely loved how my hair felt post the treatment. As mentioned above due to travelling and change in climate, my hair was in the worst condition possible and very dry, it was back to normal and more softer and smoother.

Duration: Around 1-1.5 hours

Price: Rs.1000 to 1500/- depending on the salon from where you get it done.

L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Ritual is available at all major salons all over India.

Here are the ‘Before-After’ pics, ignore the half hair behind :/

The ritual is pretty economical and any salon nearby you would be doing it for about 1000 bucks, I definitely recommend getting it done once in 2 months, if you don’t have the time to get it done once in a month. It makes a huge difference to the hair.

I also got the Mythic Oil range for personal use and would review the range too after using it for about a month or so.

Have you tried the L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Range yet? Will you try this experiental?

P.S: Services were offered by the brand in exchange of review but that has not affected my opinion.

Hamdard Safi Natural Blood Purifier Review

Ayurvedic, Reviews, Skin care, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hamdard Safi Natural Blood Purifier Review

By Pallavi

Hello Girlies,

It is always said that what you eat shows on your skin. So, always eat healthy to keep your skin healthy. But in this age of junk foods and fried foods eating healthy is really not possible. Now, who can resist the tasty pizza and chats???At least I can’t. So, all these fast fried foods take a toll on your skin. When a pimple appears, this is the time when we think that it is the end of the world. But frankly speaking pimple appreance is quite normal. But when pimple takes the form of acne and when this acne leaves a mark on your skin then that it something really serious.

So, here I will be showing you an age old popular method of reducing pimples and keeping your skin healthy. You might have heard from your grandma’s about blood purifiers. Well, they used to have all herbal measures for their skin. But today, we don’t have many herbal methods for us. But Himalaya Safi blood purifier is one among the few products which assist can you in the path of healthy and glowing skin.

Product Description – The herbal remedy for skin disease such as acne vulgaris, boils, skin rashes, blemishes, urticaria etc, checks nose bleeding, cures constipation, corrects indigestion and improves complexion and helps you to stay slim and smart.

Directions to use: Just put 1-2 spoons of the purifier in the glass and drink it. You will gradually get adjusted to the taste.

Price: Rs.152 for 500 ml, Rs.80/- for 200ml

Shelf Life  36 months from packaging

Ingredients:

Packaging – The bottle is available in different sizes – .But I suggest to buy the smaller size to test its effectiveness. The packaging is of rectangular box which is green in colour. The bottle has the entire product name and other details mentioned. Inside which there is a transparent bottle. I like transparent bottles as they show the quantity of product left. The bottle is sealed and tightly enclosed to prevent the product from spilling out.

Key ingredients: Sana, Revand Chini, Neem, tulsi and Chiraita.

Texture: A Blood Purifier is definitely liquid in texture. The liquid is not on thicker side. It is actually quite runny. If you want to drink it with water it will easily get dissolved in water within no time.

My Experience with Hamdard Safi Blood Purifier

The liquid is dark brown in colour. Now, coming to the major part of taste. The taste of this blood purifier is really yukk. It tastes very sour. I need to drink one glass of water after drinking only 1 spoon of this purifier. But as it is said you have to taste something bad for the bigger good in your life. If you feel the taste is too sour then you can also dilute with water and then drink.

Performance wise don’t expecting anything miracle in the first bottle. Even if you drink daily then also I doubt you can observe any changes. Now, you can doubt if it actually works or not. But trust me girls it does. You can see changes on your 4th or 5th bottle. Since it is meant to purify blood thus changes will be gradual and quite slow. But when it start showing effects on your skin don’t stop it immediately, keep drinking some more bottles. Gradually you can see your skin all glowing and healthy.

Even one bottle will last long. With my daily usage size bottle lasted me for 3 months. So, quite economical that way. And you can get it easily in pharmacy stores and even on online portal.

Pros of Hamdard Safi Blood Purifier –

1. Herbal brand

2. Affordable price

3. Comes in different variants

4. Easy to use

5. Purifies blood on a long term.

Cons of Hamdard Safi Blood Purifier –

1. Takes time to show result

2. Tastes too bad

Rating – 4.5/5

Would I recommend the product to you – Of course. This product is definitely a buy. It must be a staple in your daily routine.

Editor’s Note: I have heard so much about it since ages, was going to try this when my skin was in a terrible state during my teens, but I am so scared of the taste :/ But I know of people who religiously drink it everyday from the past many years.

Have you tried Safi yet? Will you try it?

The Perfect Engagement Look – Indian Weddings

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The Perfect Engagement Look – Indian Weddings

Hi guys,

Today we are talking about the perfect engagement look i.e. the makeup, hairstyle and the jewellery. Let me share a few engagement looks you can opt for:

1. Traditional Look

The traditional look would be the basic gold/bronze/copper eyes and a dash of green/purple/blue according to your outfit. Match it with a hot pink lipstick and soft curls for the hair. You can part hair at the centre for the maang tikka and add a nice necklace to finish the look. This look is perfect for a daytime engagement look. Also don’t forget to add false lashes, I had used them too! And they make a lot of difference.

2. Fun & Girly

If it’s a small ‘family only’ function and you are wearing a simple anarkali, you can go for neutral brown/gold eyes and soft peach lips. An updo with curls on the side would look great and a maang tikka with heavy statement earrings will finish the look. You can skip the necklace here as you don’t want the ‘over done’ look.

3. Boho Chic

For the modern boho bride, you can opt for a messy fishtail bride and accessorize it with a necklace. Soft brown eyeshadow, winged liner and matte red lips on the makeup front. Wear a bindi to finish the look. Polki necklace and earrings are the perfect match with this look.

4. Modern Evening Look

If you have a night time engagement cum party kind of a function. opt for a gown and a glamorous night time look is your best bet. A nice messy bun and smokey eyes with nude lips are perfect. Go for nice statement chandelier earrings and a cocktail statement ring.

Few things to keep in mind:

1. Don’t over spray your hair, it is quite visible and looks made up. I had gone for soft curls with a pouf and my hair is way too soft, I had to spray a lot to keep them in place and trust me, it doesn’t look good in person.

2. Contouring looks good in pictures but you would be meeting a lot of people personally, so don’t over contour, keep it very light and natural.

3. If you opt for false lashes, go for very natural looking ones and not too over sized or dramatic. Also make sure they are glued and stuck well, you don’t want them to come off in the midst of your function.

4. Nails, it will be all about your ring and the hands 😉 Well manicured nails with some pretty nail art and you will get amazing pictures. I went with the classic French manicure, coz I believe they look beautiful with the mehendi. You can also add rhinestones or some floral studs on the white French.

5. Bangles, this is the day when you go all out. They look pretty and complete your entire outfit and look beautifully.

6. You can also add a waist belt/jooda if you are wearing a saree or lehenga.

You can always mix and match the above looks, you need not stick to any single style. I had opted for tight curls with a pouf on top for my engagement. I did not go for a maang tikka but just necklace and earrings and of course lots of bangles. Makeup wise, I went with a mix of bronze and brown with hint of blue as my outfit was blue. Soft pink lips and a small bindi completed my look.

Three things that you must do for any look:

  • Dewy, highlighted skin
  • Filled eye brows
  • False Eyelashes

Rest is upto you and your outfit 🙂

Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

New Whisper Ultra Clean: 5x Better Protection

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New Whisper Ultra Clean: 5x Better Protection

If you follow me on twitter, you would be knowing about the new Whisper Ultra Clean. They also had a Bloggers’ Meet on 19th Dec where Aditi Mittal, Kalki Koechlin were present, more on the event later.

I had received this new Whisper Ultra Clean at the start of December with the event invite and I tried it last month.

What it claims:  It claims to have 1000 suction holes which absorb upto 100% wetness offering more dryness, faster absorption and more protection. Magic Gel Crystals, Odour Lock technology, extra long and a softer, comfortable top cover.

One Whisper Ultra Clean = 5 Ordinary Pads

I have always used Whisper Ultra and was all eager to try this new and improved version. I loved the packaging and how it came in this wooden basket and had this white and green theme going on.

I did feel the change in these newer pads, having used Whisper Ultra always, these ones definitely offered more dryness and I also like the fact that these are XL and long enough to not worry about sleeping or staining the bed sheet.

There are a lot of taboos associated with periods in India. When I was young, my grandmother told me that whenever I get my periods or they just start and I see it, I should immediately go and have a bath including hair bath. I used to follow it for a few years as I was quite naive about the entire periods thing. There were times when I had some important work and was getting late and still had to go and take a bath as I got my periods. As soon as I matured, I realized this ‘custom’ had no logic or reasoning and I stopped following it. Other such taboos are not touching the pickle during periods as it would turn bad, not touching idols or worshipping or going to temples, etc. While I don’t believe in any of the others and don’t follow them, I still avoid going to temples only not to irk someone else’s sentiments or beliefs.

And coming to owing those 5 days, I consider those days as any other days and live normally. My first day at times is a little painful and I usually take a tablet if it obstructs my work or I have to go out. I either go for Spasmonil or Cycolpam, Cyclopam is a little heavy and half an hour you feel a bit weird post having it. I am stuck to Spasmonil ever since I have used it. I don’t go for a tablet unless the pain or cramps are a lot. Few things which doctors recommend and I try to follow  and which work for me during those five days are less salt, less caffeine, light exercise, hot water bag, etc.

You can try a free sample of the new Whisper Ultra Clean, just go HERE and register 🙂

What do you follow to #OwnThose5Days? Have you tried the new Whisper Ultra yet?