Tag Archives: fashion blog

Tata Bolt, A Hatchback Like No Other

Tata Bolt, A Hatchback Like No Other….

 I will start this write up with one simple fact. Tata Motors is not known for the best products in the passenger car segment.  This legacy perception still carries on since the days of the Indica, the first passenger car from Tata Motors, which was plagued with problems on output power as well as mileage.

To be fair, Tata Motors has always tried to front lead and create a whole new segment via its passenger vehicles – Indica (small car segment) and Safari (SUV segment) specifically for the Indian market. Somehow, they met with limited success in understanding the pulse of the Indian consumer.

15 years after the Indica, In 2013-14, Tata Motors embarked on a mission – Project Falcon, to overcome the inherent limitation in TaMo’s passenger cars – Design & Styling. However, having one look at the Zest & Bolt, anyone will say that they score home runs on all fronts– Design, Performance, Mileage & Pricing.

Zest, launched in late 2014, had some initial production constraints, was well accepted by consumers. Bolt, promises to be better, and will mark the beginning of the Tata Motors Era in passenger cars. Both these are equipped with the Revetron engine (more on this later)  –  Reminds me of how Pulsar with its path breaking DTSi engine coupled with competitive pricing, performance and mileage changed the fortunes of Bajaj and soon became every Biker’s dream machine. Déjà vu. Competitors should be afraid.. very very afraid…

I was super excited on 14th January 2015 – Had set out to TCS Neptune, Thane to check out the Tata Bolt. I had dreamt of taking a Selfie with the Bolt. But met with a rude shock – Pics were not allowed inside the company premises for security reasons.  🙁

Anyways, I was completely bowled over by the Bolt. The design was sexy, neither too manly neither feminine. It was just right. Suited for a working professional as well as the girl next door.

One of my cousin, a car enthusiast warned me that it is completely normal to get taken away due to the media coverage, chutzpah and marketing blitzkrieg surrounding new car launches for big brands. I decided to do some objective ground level research and fact finding – Talking to car enthusiasts, dealers, existing car owners amongst my friends and online websites too – A first for me, as a beauty/fashion blogger. I nevertheless decided to take up this challenge.

Have penned down key points of my analysis in the table below, basically arrived at after comparing Bolt with two of the best-selling premium hatchbacks in the country – Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Grand i10. The below table will tell you almost everything you need to know before zeroing in on a hatchback. Of course, everything cannot be spoon-fed, you will have to go find out the nitty gritties on your own. 😎  I sincerely hope this table helps.

Bolt looks like a clear winner – whether it is performance, value for money or safety, Tata has once again proved that when push comes to shove, no one can beat it on value offerings, which is what we consumers want,  😉

In case you are wondering if this is the end of this post, well, it’s not. The icing on the cake is still to come. Apart from the above comparison matrix, there are some super cool features that clearly belong to Gen 2020. Earlier this week, I also had the luxury of taking this beast out for a test drive in the suburbs of Mumbai and came across some features, Features I loved in the new Bolt, which will blow your mind away…. Here goes…

Driving Mode

We commute to office, weekend getaways, inter city congested areas, etc. It becomes difficult to balance or change our driving styles to suit the commute with optimum performance and mileage. TaMo has had smart engineers working on this problem and has come up with a semi-automated solution. It lets us choose from 3 options to select the drive mode: Sport, Eco & City. Sport is for that adrenaline rush for highway drives, Eco for the best fuel efficiency and city to make the bumper to bumper traffic seem less taxing for the engine and us.

I did some research on it and basically, what this does is controls the flow of fuel to the engine when we use the accelerator. Simple but useful application of the laws of science.

Safety

We always say, “Kitna deti hai?” and “Kitne ki hai?” However, safety is one aspect which we tend to overlook. However, India has among the worst road accident records in the world. Just to add one more line for those who are still not convinced, Safety may not be for us, it is for the ones who care about us.

Bolt is laden with safety features –

  • Anti Lock Braking System is the most advanced globally. It comes with Electronic brake-force distribution, which distributes the brake force thus eliminating force concentration risk and gives better control to the driver. It also comes laden with Corner stability control which improves safety while taking steep turns/tight corners.
  • Dual front Air bags. Double Protection. I needn’t say more.
  • Speed sensitive door locks. Auto door locking when the vehicle’s speed increases. No more worrying about what your kid is upto on the backseat. You can drive in peace knowing that he is as safe as he is within the four walls of your home.

Comfort

  • Space will always be an issue when I make a buying decision. Because making 5 people sit cramped doesn’t make sense neither does making my hubby saying yes to a hatchback (He was already apprehensive about the hatchback visit). I can safely say this is the first hatchback he loved. Because it is big. Enough to make a 6’3 tall guy feel at ease.
  • Seats are plush and comfortable. Doesn’t feel cheap. But comfortable and cozy.
  • Smart Steering – When you are cruising, then the steering becomes more sturdy. When you slow down, it becomes more sensitive. Also, the active return function makes sure that the steering wheel comes back to close to original position when left on its own.

Design

  • This has to be seen to be realised. The Interiors are nicely spruced up and feel different. Black with a tinge of grey. Not one of those colors or materials which will easily get dirty.
  • Headlamps look suave and are smoked, IMHO, better than those fitted in Grand i10 or Suzuki Swift.
  • BTW, Bolt also comes with an in car entertainment system with 8 speakers 😮 . No more comments. Now listen to yo yo honey singh’s songs on full blast while commuting.
  • Tail lamps are tall, slim and sexy. Flame tail lamps, as TaMo calls it.

Dhoom machale

  • Running the risk of repeating myself, What is amazing in this revolutionary engine is it delivers a torque of 140 nm @ only 1,500 rpm, leaving everybody behind by miles and miles….
  • Again, inspite of the power, it gives a mileage in late teens which is only slightly less than that of the Swift, which again is brilliant to say the least.

Watch the Tata Bolt TVC here..

Phew…. I am now done with my longest blog post (Long because I am now a super fan of Tata Bolt, else I would not have cared much to elaborate in such detail).

No prizes for guessing the moral of the story – Get. Set. Bolt……  😛 😆 😮 😎

P.S: This post is a part of the Get. Set. Bolt. activity at BlogAdda.

Images from Google.

Head & Shoulders Nourishing Winter Care Contest

Head & Shoulders Nourishing Winter Care Contest

Hey guys,

Head & Shoulders has recently launched a new winter variant in their Anti Dandruff shampoo range i.e. Nourishing  Winter Care. We have come with a small contest where two of you would win this Head & Shoulders Nourishing Winter Care Hamper.

All you have to do is:

1. Answer ‘What is your favourite winter memory?’ in the comments below.

2. Follow me on twitter (@bhumika_t) and like us on facebook (New Love)

3. Share this contest on twitter/facebook/instagram, for extra entries.

Two best answers will win this hamper. The contest starts today and ends on 15th Feb,2015. Open to residents of India and the prizes will be sent by the company.

I am about to try out this range..and will post a review soon 🙂

Good Luck 😀

Update: And the winners are

Chenar

and

Seema Rastogi

Congrats ladies..mail me your details soon.

Who Wore What: 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards 2015

Who Wore What: 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards 2015

Yesterday night was the 60th Filmfare Awards night and we saw the Bollywood ladies in their best attire on the red carpet..here are a few I liked..

Ileana D’Cruz was seen in Nikhil Thampi black separates with a wide metallic gold belt and a dramatic cape completing the look with Dior earrings. I think she looked amazing and carried this off really well.

Sonam Kapoor went for Anamika Khanna lace separates with a cape and matching ankle strap sandals. The Sunita Kapoor jewellery and a hair updo to finish the look. It could have been perfect but heavy earrings and three heavy statement neck pieces was over accessorizing, something could have been skipped.

Kajol looked amazing in the Nikhil and Shantanu princessy gown and side swept hair

Madhuri kept it simple and chic in her navy blue self striped gown and bold red lips

Neha Dhupia stole the show in her Alpana Neeraj blue and black gown and that hair updo <3

Deepika Padukone wore a white Ashi Studio gown with white pumps and her signature vampy lips..kinda ok.

 

I think Neha Dhupia, Kajol and Illeana were clearly the best dressed..what do you think? Your Favourites?

P.S: Images from Google

Gillette Venus Review and the Apt #UseYourAnd Campaign

Gillette Venus Review and the Apt #UseYourAnd Campaign

“And” does indeed act as a wonderful oxymoron. Gillette has firmly taken up the challenge of standing up against stereotyping, given it a feminist flavour and has come up with a wonderful take on the same. A video which asks women from around the world to shed the one dimensional labels, telling them that they can be much more, much more than what they think they can, and they fit the “Master of multiple trades” tag wonderfully. A video starts with a young girl playing around with a helmet dreaming to become a astronaut.

This instantly reminded me of my childhood, when I used to run upto my mother after learning about new professions from TV or newspapers or magazines or anywhere else. I used to tell her, ” Ma, I want to become a soldier/firefighter/cartoonist. And she used to say, ” Haan beta. Why not?”

The video, for starters, is indeed inspiring. We, daughters and sisters in urban India have had the privilege of education and getting the opportunity to fulfill our dreams and ambitions.

The way I see it, this video is a tribute to our mothers, who were our teachers AND protectors AND role models AND cooks AND helpers AND the WORLD for us. My take on the video is, we do not need to look elsewhere for inspiration. All of us have to become much more than the girl next door. We are amongst the first ones from our generation who have got education at par with our male counterparts, have persevered more than anyone else to excel in what we do.

This is why I am a contrarian as well as a multi talented woman,

Shy & Friendly

Fun-loving & Hard working

CA & a Beauty/Fashion Blogger

Girl Next Door & Independent

The journey to increasing the number of ANDs has just begun. Much more to come friends….#UseYourAnd and feel free to use the comments space to tell me why you prefer an “AND” and not an “BUT” or “OR”.

Reviewing the Gillette Venus razor was relatively straightforward. Its quick, its smooth and it looks sexy. In short, in keeping with the spirit of the video, the razor is quick AND smooth AND sexy AND affordable. It has a great designed body, and comfortable finger grips, pivotable head and is in every respect a Premium razor, except for the price tag – INR 199/- 🙂

It goes so smooth in a single stroke and the adjustable head takes the curves at the shape of our legs. So no adjusting,no nips and tucks, a pretty easy and quick experience. Also I noticed very less ingrowth after using Venus and the hair started growing after a good 12-13 days unlike with the usual. The soft cushiony cover around the three blades at the center and the blue indicator strip showing when to replace the blade adds to the convenience of this super amazing razor. You also get a separate pack of 4 cartridges priced at Rs.449/- and one cartridge stays a long long time, so you would not need to replace them soon.

I think it is THE perfect razor to own and every girl should have it, even if you are not into shaving, sometimes you do need a razor! There are always those emergency situations and this is the one worth investing in.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Have you tried the Gillette Venus Razor yet? If not, you should! 😀

P.S: PR Sample. Honest Review

How to get Hollywood Hair

How to get Hollywood Hair

Guest Post

It’s awards season, and unless you’ve been living under a particularly isolated rock, you’ll have been bombarded with images of staggeringly good hair days at the Golden Globes and Critic’s Choice Awards in the run-up to the big ticket event: the Oscars. It’s enough to make a girl green with hair envy, but don’t despair, there’s a polished look just waiting to be discovered for all hair and face types, so pull on your satin gloves, and prepare to make your red carpet debut…

For cropped locks: a multi-tasking bob
Channel Rosamund Pike’s slick bob and opt for a blunt cut to get your lengths looking film-star fashionable. Perfect for any busy mother, this classic style is clean, feminine and easy to maintain. If you have a heart-shaped face which comes to a point at your chin, your cheekbones have earned you the right to take it as short as you dare. For a square jawline, a lob (long bob) will work better. To add awards-night levels of glamour, blow-dry smooth and skim a pea-sized dot of serum across the ends for a silky, shoulder-grazing curtain from which to peep at the paparazzi (even if it is just your selfie stick).

For mid-length tresses: boho beauty

Forget stiff and overly sculpted shape; this year’s looks on the red carpet have, for the most part, been soft, loose and effortless. Reese Witherspoon must have been studying Brigitte Bardot’s style with her choice of ‘do at the Critic’s Choice awards. Her gorgeous blond hair flowed elegantly in underworked elegance. Curling wands are the new way to unleash the shape in your locks. Twist hair as you style for a fuller, beachy look, and finish with a gentle mist of hairspray for hold that will last well into the afterparty.

For elegant up ‘dos: pin like a pro
Harsh, scraped back hair looks a little severe, so style your up do with a view to framing your face in a flattering manner. Use your curling wand on dry hair to sculpt hair around the face into curls. Tie your locks into a loose, side parted ponytail, then pin up the ends for a perfectly flattering face-framing style. Finish your look with a sweep of mulberry lipstick and a dress that shows off your collarbone for high glamour, low maintenance style.

Image by vincentkos used under the Creative Commons license.

OOTD: Striped with Leather,Zebra Print Top

OOTD: Striped with Leather,Zebra Print Top

Hey guys, Zovi had this #BlogForZovi contest where one had to create looks/outfit posts with Zovi merchandise..here is my try 🙂

I paired this black and white belted dress with a leather jacket to add some punk and beige bow wedges to add some girliness to the look.

Black funky earrings and a Daniel Wellington watch to complete the look.

Also this cute zebra print sheer top is from Zovi which I paired with my Forever 21 black denims.

It was super easy to browse and navigate Zovi.com. They have categories for Men,Women,Looks, What’s New, etc. and sub categories for Western wear, Indian wear, Foot wear, Winter wear,etc which is further classified into kurtis, tops,bottoms,etc. The order was placed within minutes and I got an immediate confirmation call,sms and email. I received the order within 3-4 days even though the expected date was supposed to be 6-7 days after placing the order..which was a nice surprise 😀 Also the search bar on Zovi is super quick and impressive, you always find the exact stuff you are looking for.

Dress: Zovi
Bow wedges: Zovi
Leather Jacket, Earrings: Romwe
Top: Zovi

On Lips: L’Oreal Paris Pure Red Lipstick in Pure Brick (Aishwarya Rai)

I hope you like the look 🙂

Oriflame The ONE Colour Impact Cream Eyeshadows Review,Swatches

Oriflame The ONE Colour Impact Cream Eyeshadows Review,Swatches

What the Company claims:

  • Easy to apply and blend for even results.
  • Cream to powder like texture – goes on creamy and transforms to a powder for colour intensity
  • Supreme pigment pay off
  • Pearly to matte shades with a velvetty sheen.

Shades Available:

  • Olive Green
  • Deep Indigo
  • Shimmering Steel
  • Rose Gold
  • Golden Brown
  • Intense Plum

MRP: Rs.449/- for 4g

I love cream eyeshadows and when Oriflame came up with these The ONE Range of cream eyeshadows, I knew I had to try them. Cream eyeshadows are easy and quick to use and my savior when I am in a hurry which is a majority of the times.

They come in a small pot jar with a purple color lid. The jar is quite sturdy and would not break as such.

The texture is rich and creamy and the cream finish is super easy to use and blend and it sets within 1-2 minutes to a pigmented powder form. So one needs to layer and blend quickly. Darker shades are quite pigmented especially the brown, Plum and Steel however need some layering.

They stay for 6-7 hours with minimal creasing or fading. It does start fading later on, but with a good primer can stay even longer.

You would need a good waterproof makeup remover to remove these completely.

Golden Brown is a rich chocolate brown with gold shimmer

Shimmering Steel is a light steel grey with silver shimmer

Intense Plum is bluish purple with silver shimmer

I think these are just perfect to use when you are in a hurry, just blend, layer and set and you are good to go for the day. I love the golden brown especially since it is very versatile and would go with many outfits on different occasions. Shimmering Steel is perfect for soft smokey eyes and Intense Plum with some of your blue, purple toned Indian wear!

I absolutely recommend them. For their price point, they are quite a steal. Only issue with Oriflame would be the availability as you would need to order them though reps.

Rating: 3.75/5

Have you tried the new Oriflame The ONE Colour Impact Cream Eyeshadows?

P.S: PR Samples. Honest Review.

OOTD: Pink Princessy Gown, Sky High Heels

OOTD: Pink Princessy Gown, Sky High Heels

Hey guys,

This is a random OOTD I had to show you guys. I got this pretty pink evening gown from Buyingdress and I paired it with my highest heels coz obviously this gown is long. The heels are 6 inches 😀 I am glad there is platform of 2 inches which makes them comfortable and also they are very light weight.

I love the nude color, strappy design and the tassels behind.

Also the gown has this nice silver detailing on the neck and front, but its not over the top. I wore this diamond in rose gold set along with it and some pearl + diamante bracelets.

Gown: Buyingdress
Shoes: Amiclubwear
Necklace+ Earrings: Wedding Gift 😀
Bracelets: Random

On lips: Lakme Absolute Gloss Stylist in Pink Pout

I hope you like it 😀 I know hubby has shaken 1-2 pics :/ Also not getting enough lighting, could’nt go for a shoot outside sadly.

OOTD: A Day at Ocean Park

OOTD: A Day at Ocean Park

Hey guys,

I am back with an OOTD. We went to Ocean Park in Hong Kong which is a must visit. It was amazing, it is so so huge! The rides were fab and we saw dolphins, penguins, seals, walrus, sea lion, birds, giant panda and so many other animals. It was so amazing to watch them play, roam around, jump, etc <3 I got some beautiful shots and videos, would share those in some other post.

This is what I wore to Ocean Park. A pretty simple electric blue belted shift dress with pockets. It was easy going and chic, usually shift dresses have no shape, the inbuilt belt here cinches the waist and makes your figure look more flattering.

I accessorized it with a pearl necklace and my Silvette stone ring. And the Bata floral shoes to complete the look. Since we had to walk a lot, flats were the only option!

From where I stand

Dress: Miss Chase
Shoes: Bata (Shown HERE)
Necklace: W for Woman
Ring: Silvette
Sunnies: Gifted by Rado
Watch: Daniel Wellington

Happy Me 😀
The blue indeed stands out!

I hope you liked the outfit.Do let me know in the comments below 🙂

Best Online Stores For Makeup Products

Best Online Stores For Makeup Products

Guest Post

‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the person who sees it’ is a well known saying. But, the fact is that it does not imply to the people of the present generation. They prefer to get dressed up in the most fashionable way with top branded makeup products and accessories. The attitude of the people towards fashion, makeup and even styling has changed considerably with time and now people look out for more vibrant colors and unique products in their makeup kit.

Buying a top branded makeup product is not a big deal these days. You can get them online as well as offline. But, the chances of getting them at a more discounted price is all that matters and it is where online shopping helps you.

There are many online stores that sell makeup products from top brands and they are of high quality and standard. They will last long and is worth the price you buy. Check out these online stores for makeup products if you consider revamping your makeup kit this New Year.

Flipkart
Flipkart is one of the most sorted online shopping stores for makeup and beauty related products. It is because there are many numbers of top brands who launches their exclusive products via Flipkart and sells them. You get a chance to experience exclusive shopping experience through Flipkart, which makes it the favorite of most of the online shoppers. Cosmetics online at Flipkart include products from top brands like Lakme, L’Oreal, Revlon, Cameleon, Coloressence, Cosmoface, Mac Matte, Maybeline and many more.

The more interesting fact is that you also get a chance to buy international brands from Flipkart. You get buy anything needed for your perfect look like those including your face, eyes, lips, ears etc. It can turn you into a real fashionista within a quick span of time.

Jabong
Jabong is also yet another online store that mainly focuses on fashion and its related products. They have a huge collection of latest makeup products and that also from good and top brands. They sell quality products that are reliable and durable at discounted prices. They even host big sale where they sell good and branded products at a much cheaper price for their customer satisfaction.

Makeup Kit at Jabong include products from top brands like Miss Claire, Victoria’s Secret, Viviana, Konad, Mtv Muahh by Blue Heaven, Maybelline, Stol’n and LÓreal. Some of them are available at a discounted price and it is worth your time. You can bring that hidden beauty inside you, exploring yourself with a makeup kit from any of these brands.

Nykaa
Nykaa is one of the leading and popular online stores that cater to all your needs related to beauty, makeup and wellness. Nykaa features about 200 brands and more than 10000 products that are of high-quality. They showcase a wide range of products which include makeup, skincare, hair care, fragrances, bath & body for women and men. Nykaa beauty products are 100% guaranteed, reliable and come with no side-effects.

Top brands for makeup products available at Nykaa include Lakme, Maybelline, LÓreal Paris, Colorbar, Elle 18, Revlon, Dove and others. It also includes Skin Care, Hair Care, Bath & Body, Fragrance, Herbal, Wellness, Mom & Baby and Gifts.

Purplle


Purplle helps you to know the inside beauty in you, to get you the perfect makeover look. Yes, the main highlight of this store is that is filled with products related to makeup and beauty and you can try for a makeover online through their virtual makeup studio!
Using this, you can choose a makeover with various products available at Purplle. This makes it easy for you to decide which product will suits you better and thus you can make the right choice. At Purplle you can also get gift sets of beauty products. Some of the popular brands featured in puplle are Escada, Biotique, Herbal Essence, Loreal, Valera and many more.

Myntra
Myntra is the one stop store for all your needs. Yes, it is the favorite hub for all your fashion and beauty needs as well. Myntra helps in getting you the right products for the right fashionista within you.

Makeup products are also sold by Myntra in their beauty category. The makeup products available in Myntra includes from top brands like Lakme, LÓreal Paris, Maybelline, Lotus Herbals, Revlon, Soultree, Colorbar, Nivea, TONI & GUY, Streetwear, Dr Rene and many more.

Check out these online stores for getting the most updated and stylish makeup products and kits to get that real makeover!