So I got an email at 3 am at night from Indiblogger on 10th Feb asking for details of a person whom I want to sent a lunchbox to,for the luncboxANDyou campaign.
Hubby rejoined office just 3-4 days ago and its quiet far for him from my inlaws place where we are living currently..and since I am on bed rest, I cannot do anything..I really wanted to surprise him and when I got this opportunity, I thought it was just perfect timing!
Why would I want to sent a lunchbox to hubby? For obvious reasons, he is my husband! 😀 Since his work place was near from our home, he used to come home for lunch and I have never ever sent him a lunchbox before, making it the first time, which is always special 🙂
He loves simple, home cooked food and is not at all fussy. Though he likes limited things, but he never cribs about having the same stuff everyday coz for him, as long as it is nice, home cooked food, he is happy. He is not much a fan of junk,pizzas,etc unlike me :p I sent him a punjabi subzi,rotis,daal tadka and rice followed by non chocolate cupcakes (He doesn’t like chocolate :/)
I even added a small personalized message in the luncbox, thanking him for everything he has done for me till now, especially during this testing time of my accident, when he himself was hurt. He did not even bother to get himself checked or treated untill I was safe and out of ICU. The times were tough, but we stayed strong. It was quiet early in our relationship i.e. within a month of the wedding, that we faced such tough times and we both did not expect each other to be so strong. But it was only his undying support that I am better today and progressing well.
I want to thank #lunchboxANDyou and Indiblogger for giving me this opportunity to surprise hubby 🙂
‘The Lunchbox’ Premieres on Valentine’s Day at 8 PM on &pictures. I loved that movie and would recommend you to watch it, if you haven’t yet! Irrfan and Nimrat were fabulous in the movie.
Have you seen The Lunchbox? Who would you like to send a lunchbox to?
L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Pure Reds Lipsticks Review,Swatches
What the Company claims: Discover a shade of red that is as unique as you are,with the new Pure Reds range of lipsticks by L’Oréal Paris. The range includes 7 exquisite matte shades that are chosen by 7 iconic L’Oréal Paris ambassadors,including Aishwarya Rai,Sonam Kapoor,Freida Pinto and Blake Lively.
The Color Riche Pure Reds Collection is created with a revolutionary and innovative formula that delivers bold,luscious color that lasts for a full 6 hours,making it the ultimate beauty indulgence.The range is enriched with new Light Illum complex that delivers a rich matte effect. The Velvet Fusion capsules and Ultra Gliding Shine Oils provide smooth and silky application.Pure pigments deliver intense color and Jojoba oil gives perfect hydration up to 4 hours.
Today I am reviewing Aishwarya’s Pure Brick, Sonam’s Pure Garnet and Frieda’s Pure Rouge..I couldn’t click the pics and swatches of the rest of the lipstick coz of the accident..I will do a separate post for the remaining shades i.e. Pure Amaranthe, Pure Vermeil, Pure Fire and Pure Scarleto.
It comes in a black square packaging with the matching colored square showing the shade inside with the ambassador’s signature over it to whom the shade is dedicated. Its easy to carry and chic, tough enough and does not break easily as was with some of the Infallible ones. I like how the bullet has the sharp tip in the front making it easier to apply on edges and curves of the lips.
Though the texture is matte, it is not uncomfortably matte or crayon like matte. It goes on smooth without any tugging. It is super duper pigmented, even the swatches took a day to go with rigorous rubbing. I love that these are matte plus moisturising, though a lip balm beneath is advisable, still its not uncomfortable on the lips.
It stays for 6-7 hours and leaves behind a strong tint which stays again 2-3 hours, it survived basic eating and drinking too. I am impressed with the staying power.
Garnet,Rouge,Brick
Aishwarya Rai’s Pure Brick is as named a pure warm,earthy brick red..very wearable and looks pretty as a tint too.
Sonam’s Pure Garnet is a very unique shade..its a pink based red and looks berry wine like in sunlight while a bright,vampy berry indoors.
Freida’s Pure Rouge is a true cool toned bright red, looks like MAC Ruby Woo dupe in arm swatch, but actually Ruby Woo comes up slightly orange on the lips and in pictures while this does not.
Garnet,Rouge,Brick
And here it is on moi..
Garnet,Rouge,Brick
Also, we had this amazing #LorealRedParty for the launch where Namrata Soni and her team dolled all of us and we had this amazing photographer named Rema who captured us beautifully.
Here are the shots..
I am wearing Pure Amaranthe here..just loved the shade!!
And all of us..
Credits:
Brand: L’Oreal Paris Pure Reds by Color Riche
Photographer: Rema Chaudhary
Hair & Make-Up Expert: Namrata Soni
The fact about these lipsticks are these look different on everyone..same shade would look way different on you and on someone else..each one has their favourites here. And one is bound to like 3-4 out of these 7.
My favourites are Pure Brick and Pure Amaranthe out of the 4 I have tried..would update with rest later 😀 Also Pure Garnet is a very unique shade which is a must have if you into berry shades. I do sometimes love wearing berry shades.
Overall, I would say these are just perfect in terms of pigmentation,texture,staying power,shade selection, etc..Only thing is these are a little highly priced but I am glad the quantity is 4.2g compared to the 2.5g in Infallible. Highly recommended!
Rating: 4.75/5
Have you tried the new L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Pure Reds Lipsticks yet? Your favourites?
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, all brands want to do something special for their loyalist fans and have come up with contests..here is another one for you guys.
Lakme Lip Love Lip Care is the latest launch by Lakme..a new lip balm that provides color + care.
What you need to do:
Share with us your lip care regime or your secret lip DIY/experiment in the comments below.
Tag/Post/Tweet/Instagram/Share this contest on social media.
The contest runs for 2 weeks and we have 2 winners each week who win Lakme goodies. It starts today and ends on 24th Feb. Open to Indian residents only.
Good Luck 🙂
Update: Week 1 winners are
Bhavya Nerchehal and Tarannum
Week 2 winners are
Disha and Sheetal
Congrats all 4 ladies..please mail me your details soon 🙂 And thank you guys for participating..we have many more giveaways/contests coming up.
• ‘Illusion’, inspired by the natural phenomenon of the ‘Northern Lights’, it is a playful fusion of colors
• ‘Metamorphosis’ inspired by the complex art forms of postmodern Paris, it is the line of dual hairstyles and textures ranging from straight and curly, to short and long
• ‘Moulin Rouge’, a modern take on the ‘classic elegant’ with bouffants and waves
So I have never ever colored my hair and was very apprehensive but still wanted to give it a shot. I was given an appointment at the Lakme Absolute Salon, Bandra which by the way is the most awesome Lakme Salon in Mumbai. I love that place, been there 3-4 times, its always a pleasure.
I chose the hairstyle in the below pic..
I was attended by Shefali (who btw is amazing) I told her my apprehensions that I want to maintain the length of my hair and I am coloring for the first time, so something very dark and minimal. She heard me out and suggested me the best route we could work on, also since I had cut my hair just a month ago for the wedding, she said the hair flow is perfect and she will just texturize a bit and no need of chopping off.
She brought the hair color booklet (shown above) and played a small game with me as to which color do I naturally divert towards..and it was darker shades obviously. I did not want global color but subtle highlights. we went for streaks at the top and then at the ends starting below the neck with enough space in between for the color to be visible.
She suggested I go with auburn blend which would be perfect for my hair and will just play a peek a boo in between just as I wanted it.
We started with the hair color and it had to be kept on for about 35 minutes. I was also given steam since my hair was virgin which takes more time for the color to develop.
And later the hair was washed, blow dried and some texturizing wherever required. Shefali gave me slightly shorter bangs in the front as I like it that way.
Before-After
I loved the outcome! It was just perfect..the way I pictured it and wanted it to be. I was so happy with the results, I did not expect I would like color on my hair!
One of you will get a chance to experience this Show Stopping Hair Makeover..I will announce the contest soon 🙂
ZIVEG: Celebrating the season of LOVE & A Giveaway
Ziveg has launched a special new collection of heart shaped jewellery this Valentine’s from pendants,rings,earrings to couple bands.
Couple Bands: A stand alone product of ZIVEG, couple bands made with Swarovski are a blend of simplicity with intricacy of designs. ZIVEG couple bands features in Swarovski elements, silver, rose gold, golden hues to savor the taste of every customer who adores the beauty of LOVE.
Heart-Shaped Jewelry: Indulging in the LOVE paradise, heart shaped jewelry is simply a master of art. Capturing the spirit of every one immersed in true LOVE.
Here is a heart shaped Swarovski ring from their collection..isn’t is pretty!
One of you gets a chance to win a heart shaped bauble from Ziveg’s new collection. All you have to do is answer ‘How are you spending your Valentine’s day this time?’
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…… 😛 😆 😮 😎
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.
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 🙂
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?
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! 😀
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.
