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Jaipur Diaries: Part 2 (Food & More Food), Zone By The Park, Jaipur Best Places for Food

Jaipur Diaries: Part 2 (Food & More Food)

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!

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

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?

Jaipur Diaries: Zone By The Park

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

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

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?

New Whisper Ultra Clean: 5x Better Protection

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?

Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme SPF-25 Review

Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme SPF-25 Review

By Archana

Today, I will be reviewing another product from the Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow range which is the Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme SPF-25. I have already reviewed the serum (Read HERE) from the same range and I had been using this day cream together with the serum for synergic effect. Read on to know how it fares.

Products claims:

WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme is a breakthrough formulation from Lotus Herbals that lightens, whitens & brightens your skin tone.

* Lightens: It lightens skin’s tone by reducing uneven pigmentation.

* Whitens: It unveils visibly fairer skin by reducing dark spots.

* Brightens: It enhances skin’s radiance naturally.

Why Gel Creme: WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme is a revolutionary fairness solution that incorporates the advantages of a gel and a creme.

* Spreads easily on your skin.

* Advanced formula allows for better delivery of active ingredients.

* Good for all skin types including oily and combination skin.

How it works: Clinical trials show that the following plant extracts lighten, whiten and brighten the skin with 7 days of regular use:

* Grape Extract (Vitis Vinifera): Exfoliator – helps active ingredients penetrate into the skin.

* Mulberry Extract (Triter Penoids, Phenyl Flavones): Tyrosinase inhibitor.

* Milk Enzyme: Blocks melanin pathways.

* Saxifraga Extract (Epigallocatechin): Free radical scavenger & tyrosinase inhibition.

Why WhiteGlow?

WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening range is a breakthrough formula from Lotus Herbals. It comes with an advance formula that has triple action on skin – lightening, whitening & brightening. It is enriched with rare fruit and potent plant extracts that penetrate deep into the skin to provide enduring action. The result, your skin looks fairer, flawless and radiant. It is free from harsh chemicals, that generally have side effects.

Ingredients:

Directions to use: Use every day in the morning & evening all over face & neck after cleansing thoroughly with Whiteglow 3 in 1 Deep Cleansing Skin Whitening Facial Foam. For synergic effect, use in conjunction with Whiteglow Intensive Skin Whitening & Brightening Serum.

Packaging: The day cream comes in a convenient, squeezable tube packaging with a grey screw cap. There is an outer carton box with all the details of the product printed on it. The entire packaging is compact and travel-friendly. I carry it in my handbag to office and use it in the afternoon for freshening up. There is also a bigger size which comes in a tub-like packaging. But, I prefer tubes over tub as they are more hygienic, so I got this.

Texture and fragrance: Now, actually I expected this to be a gel-based creme from the product name. But it turned out to be not a gel, but a regular cream. I don’t have any issues with that, but I feel that the name is misleading. Someone who is particular about getting a gel creme, might end up with this on seeing the name. Coming to the cream, it is milky white in color with a very light consistency. The fragrance is like the signature Whiteglow range scent, a subtle mix of floral and fruity.

My experience: I have been using this day cream in conjuction with the serum from the same range. The cream is very light and gets absorbed easily without leaving behind any greasiness or stickiness. It also hydrates the skin well, though very dry skin people might need something more. There is a light dewy effect which I love. Unlike other whitening creams, it doesn’t leave behind any whitish cast. It basically performs the role of a day cream well – moisturizes without making face oily and has SPF 25 for sun protection. But apart from that, I haven’t observed any other whitening or brightening effect. To test the efficacy of this, I stopped the serum for a week and was using only this day cream. And there was no visible results as such. I feel the serum and the night cream are the most effective ones in this Whiteglow range. If you wish to try only one or two products from this range, I would recommend only these two. The day cream and face wash can be used additionally for a synergic effect. But alone, they are not helpful much for whitening or brightening.

Pros:

* Light and easily absorbed.

* Moisturizes and hydrates skin well.

* Doesn’t cause oiliness or greasiness.

* Contains SPF-25 for sun protection.

* Gives a nice dewy effect.

* Compact, travel-friendly packaging.

* Doesn’t leave any whitish cast.

* Doesn’t cause breakouts.

* Suitable for all skin types.

Cons:

* Parabens.

* No whitening or brightening effects as claimed.

* Not moisturizing enough for very dry skin people.

* Its a cream, not gel. Misleading name.

Price and quantity: Rs.99 for 20g and Rs.345 for 60g.

Rating: 4.2/5

Verdict: Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Skin Whitening & Brightening Gel Creme SPF-25 is a good day cream for all skin types. It moisturizes skin well without causing any oiliness and also has SPF-25 for sun protection. Two things to be noted are – one, don’t get fooled by its name of gel, its actually a cream, but light in texture. Secondly, there is no whitening/brightening effect as claimed.

Editor’s Note: I really like the sound of the Lotus Herbals White Glow Range, nice review Archana 🙂

My Year: 2015 Rewind

My Year: 2015 Rewind

Hi guys,

It’s the last day of the year 2015. 2015 was a mixed bag for me, 2014 Dec I got married so it was all supposed to be rosy and good, but in mid Jan itself I met with the accident which has in many ways changed my life and for the bad. The six months post the accident were terrible, can say the worst period of my life. I was affected even emotionally and mentally more than physically. Relationships were also strained coz of all the pain and stress. I used to get the accident nightmares every single night and whenever I was free or unoccupied. I tried keeping myself occupied and worked a lot, so that I did not have any free time. I even started my YouTube channel in June (Subscribe if you still haven’t!)

Things are better now, we shifted to a new place this month and also celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I am gaining back the lost confidence slowly, but I still feel afraid of doing many things so as to not aggravate my pain. I still get back ache if I sit without back support, so that does happen while clicking pictures or filming or anything like that. I need to take a break in between. I haven’t exercised or anything since ages except my Physiotherapy which I did very religiously with weights, etc. coz I wanted to be normal and walking super soon! Ever since I got back, I have been super lazy, I had ordered ankle weights and have my light dumbbells too which should be put to good use now, since the body has had enough rest and will complete one year to the accident in mid Jan.

Also I do everything on the blog from clicking the pictures to editing to writing the posts all by myself and it is difficult! When you cannot even see if you are in focus or not and all such stuff, managing alone is difficult. So I just opened the blog to new voices and new writers this mid November (Click HERE to know more). These last 2-3 months have been amazing career/work wise when it comes to blogs and collaborations/social media. I hope this was the stepping stone to 2016, 2017 and many more years to come. Brands are also realizing the importance of blogs, bloggers and social media which is great! Coz that was the only area where India lagged behind.

I did not travel much this year coz of the accident, just one Goa trip with Blogadda in mid June and this month we went to Jaipur. I hope to travel a lot more in 2016.

Also social media is doing really good, I crossed 8700 followers on my Twitter, 13000 on my Instagram, 10600 on my Facebook, also all genuine unlike the trend of ‘buying followers’ that is being followed by many new followers 😀 And the PR don’t even know, it is so easy to make out! Snapchat is doing really good too (Add me @bhumika_t) I also joined Periscope and do few monthly beams on the Fame app too. My Klout Score has been 72, even touched 74 in between 😀 So, social media wise I can only see it going ahead and ahead with the number of new things coming up everyday 🙂

Anyhoo, this was the small recap of my and the blog’s 2015 🙂 How has your year been? Let me know in the comments below. And Happy New Year!! 🙂

P.S: This OOTD was clicked during Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014, but never went on the blog somehow. I am currently loving this bird print peter pan collar white dress again 🙂

Dress, Bag: Romwe, Blazer: Shein, Watch: Daniel Wellington, Shoes: Tmart

Best of 2015: Makeup

Best of 2015: Makeup

Hi Guys,

After sharing the skin and hair favourites, it’s time for makeup. This year for me has been all about winged liner, no kohl, no gloss, matte bright lips. Here are my 2015 makeup favourites..

See my previous years’ favourites here:

Also check out a list of 18 everyday skincare and makeup products within a budget ofRs.5000/- with their reasons HERE

Click on the links to read reviews or see swatches..

Face:

Primer: Haven’t really used much of primer this year, but still love this Too Faced Primed and Poreless 

Foundation:

Liquid: L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24H Foundation, Revlon Nearly Naked, Za True White Liquid Foundation, Za Perfect Fit Liquid Foundation (Lovee it!)

Powder: The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Loose Powder FoundationSheer Cover Mineral Powders

BB Cream: MUA BB Cream

CC Cream: Kaya CC Cream

Concealer:

Cream: Khuraira Age Control Concealer

Liquid: Maybelline Dream Lumitouch ConcealerLakme Absolute Face Stylist Concealer

Pressed Powder/Compact: Lakme Absolute Face Stylist Compact, L’Oreal Paris Mat Magique, Maybelline White Super Fresh

Blush:

Cream: Oriflame Beauty Studio Artist Cream BlushBobbi Brown Pot Rouge,Illasmasqua Velvet Blusher Flirtatious, MUA Cream Blush

Powder: Deborah Milano Hi Tech Blush Rose Pesca, Illamasqua Powder Blush, MAC Bite of an AppleSleek MakeUP Rose Gold,Maybelline Cheeky Glow Blush 

Contour: Sleek MakeUP Face Form Palette, Revlon Nearly Naked in Deep

Bronzer: MUA Shimmer Kisses Bronzer, Sleek MakeUP Face Form Palette, Lakme Absolute Sun Kissed Bronzer

Highlighter: Revlon Highlighting Palette in Bronze GlowRouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination Highlighting Liquid Sea of Showers and Colorbar Illuminator Pen (Liquid), Lioele Jewel Mix Marble Skin Finish and Facefront Autofocus Flashlite Highlight Powder (Powder), Sleek MakeUP Glo Highlighter Peach Shimmer, Laura Mercier Illuminator Stick in Golden Honey Glow, MUA Undress your skin Shimmer Highlighter

Eyes:

Eyeshadow Base: NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone, Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Normal and Candelight (Best !), MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist

Eyeshadows:

Palettes: Sleek Makeup Eye & Cheek Palette in Dancing Till DuskToo faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow CollectionSleek MakeUP Arabian Nights PaletteToo Faced Shadow Bon Bons PaletteMaybelline Chai Latte QuadToo Faced Naked PaletteSleek MakeUP Sparkle 2 Palette, Sleek MakeUP Oh So Special Palette, Sleek MakeUP Showstoppers and Vintage Romance Palette, MUA Undressed,Undress Me Too and Heaven and Earth Palettes, Stila In the Light Palette (I haven’t tried Maybelline The Nudes or L’Oreal Paris LA Palette Nude yet, but both are pretty decent for the price and availability in India)

Singles: MAC RompMAC Bronze, Inglot Eyeshadow Refills (Have some 7-8..love all !),The Body Shop Color Crush Eyeshadows, Liz Earle Eyeshadow Chestnut, L’oreal Infallible Endless Chocolate and All Night BlueBourjois Intense Extrait Eyeshadow 7,Annika Maya Shimmer Powder, Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes, Stila Eyeshadow Diamond Lil, Illamasqua Pure Pigment Beguile, Colorbar EyeshadowsMaxfactor Earth Spirits Eyeshadow Burnt Bark

Cream: Oriflame The One Cream EyeshadowsMaybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadows (Bad to the Bronze is my fav), MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist, Faces Ultime Pro Eye Shadow Crayon

Eye Liners:

Gel: L’Oreal Paris Gel Intenza Gel liners, MAC Blacktrack

Pencil: Plum Goodness NaturStudio Kohl

Jumbo Liners: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

Liquid/Pen: Maybelline Colossal Liner this time (hands down)

Mascara: Maybelline Colossal Volume, Maybelline Falsies, L’oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara, Oriflame Volume Build Mascara, Essence Lash Princess Mascara

Kohl/Kajal: MAC Powerpoint Pencil in Engraved, Lakme Absolute Kohl Ultimate, New Maybelline Colossal Kajal, Plum Goodnes NaturStudio All Day Wear Kajal, MAC Feline

Eyebrow: Maybelline Fashion Brow Duo Shaper

Lips:

Lip Primer: Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer

Lip Liner: Bourjois Levres Contour Lip Liner Enjoleuse, Catrice Lip Liner

Chubby Pencils: Lakme Absolute Matte Lip Pouts, Sugar Cosmetics Matte As Hell Lip Crayon, Faces Ultime Pro Matte Lip Crayons

Lipsticks: MAC Ruby Woo, L’Oreal Paris Pure Reds, Lakme Absolute Sculpt Matte LipsticksL’Oreal Paris Infallible Lipsticks, Maybelline Rebel Bouquet Lipsticks, Maybelline ColorShow Lipsticks, Oriflame The One Matte Lipsticks, Colorbar Darkened Summer Matte Touch Lipsticks, Illasmaqua Glamore LipsticksBobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color Rose BrownMaybelline Bold Matte Lipstick in Mat 2Avon Ultra Color LipsticksShiseido Perfect Rouge Gilded WineMAC Lipstick in Cosmo and Speak LouderSleek MakeUP True Color Lipstick in Loved Up

Lip Matte Creams: Colorbar Kiss Proof Lip Stain

Lip Palettes: Sleek MakeUP Lip4 Palettes

Lip Gloss: (Did not use much of lip gloss this year)

Nails: Maybelline Colorshow, LYN Nail Lacquers

Perfumes/Fragrances: The Body Shop Red Musk EDP, Calvin Klein Eternity Now EDP

Makeup Technique: Strobing, Ombre Lip

What are your 2015 makeup favourites ? Do we share common favourites ? Let me know in the comments below.