Sunday, 23 March 2014

Poora London Thumak ja

Hello everyone,

Did u all watched recently released Queen. If not, do go and watch. It's a must see . After watching this movie, for the first time I have become a fan of Kangana Ranaut. I take a bow to Kanagana, the scriptwriter and the Director . Each  and every sequence of the movie is flawlessly woven . Each and every character has been well crafted and all of them have acted so well. N there is a ultra cute Russian guy Olexender who took my heart away. Check him our girls, he looks super cute.

Anyway the movie is about a simple homely girl Rani whose world revolve around her family, friends and her fiancée. She is about to get married and is real excited about her simple but caged life ahead and mostly about her honeymoon in Paris. However the things go awry and her dreams are shattered when her fiancée refuses to marry her. Heartbroken, she decides to go on her honeymoon alone. The girl who has never stepped out of her house alone, steps into the foreign country with fearful eyes but brave heart. There she makes  weird but honest friends with half Spanish /half French- Indi girl  , gets drunk and dance to her heart's content, share a room with  Russian, Japanese and French guys  and shares her first kiss with an Italian guy. Her journey in Paris-Amsterdam helps her in discovering herself, boost her self confidence and restores the twinkling in her eyes. There is absolutely no melodrama , no over the top exaggeration in the movie . Kanagana Ranaut who surely deserves all the awards of 2014 for this movie has played the character perfect to the part. Her acting is very controlled  and makes the audience connect to the right emotions. All the other characters are also very good. Rajkumar Rao as usual deepens your belief about comparing his league with that of Irfaan Khan. It's a feel good movie and I couldn't get the song "London Thumak Jaa" out of my mind for days.

Btw have you Mumbaikars tried this restaurant-Sanchos (Mexican cuisine ). I adore this restaurant . It's a great place to satiate my Mexican food cravings. Sanchos with its warm brown plaster walls and wood tables with floral tiles atop is an ideal place for leisurely lunch/dinner. The Playlist consist of exotic Mexican music and the atmosphere remains quite chatty and carefree. They have an extension range of drinks and food items. Although in drinks, I have never gone far a ice tea, in food I have tried their Fajitas, Enchiladas, Green curry and Burritos ( Alll in veg though ).The food is outstanding. One of the restaurant which has never disappointed me with their servings. Their Green  mole curry and Enchiladas are a must try . The service is quite good too. However they don't accept prior reservations and there is a huge queue outside the restaurant on Fridays, Sat's and Sundays . So either land early like about 8:30ish or be prepared to wait for 30-45 mins. About the price , the restaurant is on a tad expensive side. Meal for two with drinks , food and without desserts costs around Rs. 1700-1800 (including taxes ). However is you are craving Mexican, Sancho's is a must try.

P.S: I always goto the one in Khar West.          


Sanchos in Khar W

So did u all watched Queen? Have you tried Sanchos yet?

Would love to hear your experiences about both. Till then,

Bye bye.














Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Pack

Hey everyone,

Today I will be reviewing Himalaya Neem Face pack which is a staple in my skincare regime.


100gm costs Rs. 115/-
50 gm costs Rs. 65/-

Product Description

Clears skin and prevent outbreaks and rcurrence of pimples.Rejuvenates and firms up the skin. Imparts  natural glow.Antibacterial purifying neem face pack regulates excess oil secretion , cleans clogged pores and prevents recurrence of pimples. Improves skin texture. Neem, well known for its antibacterial properties helps in controlling acne and pimple, and their recurrence. When combined with turmeric, it effectively eliminates acne-causing bacteria. Fuller's earth (Multani mitti) cools and soothes the skin.

Mainly for 

Oily and pimple prone skin

Ingredients 

Neem
Fuller's earth
Turmeric

Use directions

Apply evenly over cleansed face and neck, avoiding the area around eyes. Allow it to dry for 10-15 mins. Remove with wet sponge and wash the skin with cool water. Use once or twice a week.

My take on the product 

It's a face pack cum scrub and comes in a white tube with green coloured flip flop cap. Though flip flop cap makes it convenient to use , the particles get dry and gets accumulated on the cap. The tube contains dirty green coloured face pack in a liquid form which becomes quite runny after some time of using the product. It smells heavily of neem but now after using it for a long while, I have become quite use to it. The face pack has a grainy texture and hence while washing it off, it exfoliates the skin. Once applied on the face and neck, it takes around 20-25 mins to get completely dry and then requires a lot of water to wash it off. But the result is a clean clear fresh looking skin. It's a must for girlies with oily/acne prone skin as it wipes off any trace of oil or grease on the face and helps in declogging of the pores. It also helps in minimising the occurrence of acne on my face. And being a herbal product, it might not be having any side effects . Atleast I didn't face any though using it for now past many years.Plus it's affordable too 

I highly recommend it for girls who have oily/acne prone skin and hence shy from face packs/scrubs
.
Do tell me what products do you use for your skincare regime?

Till then,

Adios


Thursday, 13 March 2014

Maybelline Colorshow-Nude Skin

Maybelline India launched new Nailpaint range - Colorshow in 4 gorgeous shades during Summer 2013. And the awesome part is  that each is priced at Rs. 75/- which entitles everyone to built their own Colorshow collection. I picked three of them recently

Nude Skin
Berry Sexy and
Denim Dash

The one I am going to review today is Nude skin (015)

Rs. 75/- , 6 ml 


It's a beautiful earthy  shade and I am in absolute love with it. It make my hand looks so elegant. And it's a great office wear shade. 

Applied in 2 coats, it gives a creamy finish to the nails. The most notable part about Maybelline Color Show collection is that nailpaints dries very quickly and hence is a boon for women with a busy schedule. When applied with top coat, it remains chip free for 4-5 days.

Being such modestly priced, it's a must shade in every girl's vanity kit.

Have you tried Maybelline Color Show collection yet? Which is your favourite shade ?

Till then, 

Bye bye 

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Maybelline Baby lips -Neon Rose

Hey one n all,

Today I am reviewing my favourite, yours favourite and almost everyone's favourite Maybelline Baby Lip Balm :P

The one I am reviewing is Neon Rose - it was launched in Nov-Dec, 13 as part of Maybelline Baby lips Bright collection-Limited edition. This edition launched three new colours in the market

- Neon Rose
-Tangerine Pop
-Pink Peony
Amongst the three, I picked Neon Rose for its most attractive shade.




Lip balm comes in a cute pink colour plastic retractable tube- packaging similar to old Baby lip balms. Product description claims bright colour with continuos moisture and SPF 16. Being a Maybelline product it's prices at reasonable cost of Rs. 150/-.

My take on the product 

Lip balm has a sheer pink colour, not bright and far from any neonish taint. It takes 3-4 swipes to show the colour on the lips and might not show at all on pigmented lips. However it's very hydrating on lips and keeps them moisturize for 3-4 hours. It easily glide on the lips and though a little sticky , feels very light. Even after having a full meal, a slight pinkish hue remains on the lips .





Since it's quite transparent in colour, I also use it as a gloss on my matte lippers. For such a affordable cost, it's a staple for me .

Do tell me, who his your favourite shade amongst Maybelline Lip Balms.

Ciao. 

Trip to City of Lakes

Hey everyone,

In the mid week of Feb, 14  I took a short trip to Udaipur known as City of Lakes. I went with my husband and  friends.

Udaipur is such a mesmerizing place - adorned  with scenic mountains and lovely lakes. Since we went in February, ideal time to visit , the cold was enjoyable. But then February is also the peak season for weddings over there, so one must do the advance bookings for the stay arrangements and be ready to shell out more then what is normally charged.

Since at that time we were already at Jaipur, we took a taxi to Udaipur which is 6 hours drive away. The road is comfortable. Our stay arrangements were done at Hotel Inderprakash-reasonable hotel with well built rooms and basic amenities. It is just opposite the Lake Fatehsagar. It's a beautiful location.   Since we reached in the afternoon and was bound by time constraint, we immediately had our lunch at the hotel itself (Its really weird in Udaipur- you don't get lunch anywhere after 3:30 p.m and dinner after 10:30 p.m) and went for the sightseeing. Our driver first took us to Chetak Smarak where history behind kings of Mewar, famous Haldoghati  Battle  and Valiance  of  Great Maharana Pratap and his faithful horse Chetak is depicted. Up the slope there is a memorial of Chetak with a small garden nearby which also offers great view of city.

Our next stop was Saheliyon ki Bari which in earlier days was use by Queen and her minions to stroll around and have girly fun. Now it is a well maintained garden with fountains not so well maintained. From there we headed to City Palace sound and light show. Now City palace is the major attraction of Udaipur mainly for its grant grand grandeur . Light and sound show is basically a history lesson in Mewar Dynasty , quite informative though. And the city palace  looks breathtakingly beautiful bathed in golden coloured lights . Since it is the the banks of Lake Pichola , it gives the dazzling view of Lake Palace, Jag Mandir , Uday Vilas and other luxury hotels. One can just stand over ether and gaze for infinity.

Next morning we started with Breakfast on the street corners of Lake Fatehsagar and had the yummiest Pao-bhaji -it was really tempting. Then we headed to Lake Pichola boat ride . It's a 20 mins ride and gives you a tour of all the heritage locations -locations where all the celebrities get married (you can only feast your eyes on this locations while sitting in the boat ).

Word of Caution- if you are planning to take a tour of City Palace and ready to shell out  more and are really hell bound on taking a tour of a heritage, don't waste your money on this ride. 

 My husband really wanted to goto Jag Mandir and hence we took the similar boat ride from inside the City palace by paying triple the price with the only addition of extra inside tour of Jag Mandir. It was a boat ride of 1 hour . The most famous thing that guide could recollect about this heritage was that Raveena Tandon got married here. Anyway the tour inside was worth the hefty price we paid. The heritage is elegantly built, very well kept and of course gives amazing locations for photography. The terrace gives the serene view of Lake Pichola . There is also a restaurant inside it; however we didn't had the lunch over there. Since we were running for the time and two repititive boat rides had made is more precious, we ran for the tour of City Palace. 

Now City Palace is the primary attraction of Udaipur. It's a magnificent palace showing rich heritage and culture of Mewar Dynasty . Guide takes you around the tour of king and queen place, their courtyard, bedrooms, guest rooms all done with Belgium glasses, Ivory made doors , and fine embroidered work on the walls , all preserved and well maintained . It's a must visit in Udaipur. Tour takes around 1.5-2 hours though we missed on Crystal Gallary and Vintage car collection. 

After that we ran for Sajjangarh. The fort is built atop the mountain and road is very curvy and steep. But it's a great view for sunset and thankfully me managed to reached 15 mins before sunset. From atop you  also get the view of green lush valleys and miniature view of Udaipur. The valleys and mountains reminded of the exact locations used in movies like LOTR and GoT. It's a peaceful place.

The day was ended with the dinner at Ambrei restaurant by the lake, the perfect ending for the perfect trip.

I had so much fun visiting the City of Lakes. 



Gulabi Rajasthan


City palace was being decorated to celebrate Birthday of Kokila Ben ( I am the one in coral colour :D).

Adios



Monday, 24 February 2014

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Sunday, 23 February 2014

My Envy Box February 2014

Bonjour lovely ppl

While writing this post I am in such a happy state. Reason: I just got my first My Envy box , February 2014. Most of u must be already aware of this Treasure chest , but for those who are still unaware , here is a brief rundown.

About My Envy Box 

My Envy box is a beauty subscription service which can be subscribed only through invitation . Invitation can be requested by clicking Here. The monthly box contains 5 luxury samples ( Yes they actually adhere to the term 'Luxury') of beauty products ranging from skincare to makeup varieties to fragrances. Subscription can be availed on a montly, quarterly, half  yearly and annual basis. One months subscription costs Rs. 850/- . Amazing part is that you can redeem 25% of your paid amount  on your next purchase on Myenvybox.com. Plus they donate 1% of their earnings to Elle breast cancer campaign. So you can always tell yourself that you are shopping for a cause :D.

What did I get in My Envy Box, February 2014



It is such a pretty box and quite useful too. It is big in size and can be use for multipurposes. I am thinking of storing my accessories in it. 



All the products were beautifully wrapped inside this cute multicoloured checkered bag. Again a convenient storage utility.


And these are the description placards of the products I got in my box. Besides the price information and ingredients information, they also contain tips on how to use the products. With these five cards, I also received complimentary Givenchy gift card which entitles me for free consultations and makeover at nearby Givenchy counter. Since it's going to get expire on 28th February, I better hurry on locating a nearby counter.


*Drumrolls* These are the goodies in my Treasure Chest. So beautiful they look. 


I received sample pieces of Thalgo Collagen Cream 2ml*2 . The description says that it's the daily moisturizer that helps to prolong and preserve youthfulness.The light texture is very well absorbed into the skin , smoothed fine lines and brightens the complexion. 

 Thalgo is a premier luxury brand and I am very happy on receiving its sample product. Though at this age I don't need any wrinkle smoothing cream , the cream itself is very light on my skin and gives a good hydration. As I have mentioned before that due to my uber sensitive skin, I am always on the lookout for face creams/ moisturizers that do not break me out /makes my face look oily but at the same time provides balanced hydration for my skin. In this context Thalgo seems to be good investment.Its full product -50 ml costs Rs. 2400/-.


To add a Valentine touch , My Envy Box has send sample perfumes of Givenchy
Gentlemen Only- For that special Man in your life 
Cost: 50 ml/ Rs. 4110 ; 100 ml/Rs. 5695

Dahlia Noir Leau - refreshing citrus fragrance 
Cost: 50 ml/Rs. 4745 ; 100 ml/Rs. 7499

I received 1ml vial of each. Both are lovely fragrances . For men I had always been crazy about Chrome-Azzaro but this Givenchy one has changed my preferences. And Dahlia Noir is such a fresh 
citrus fragnance -nothing like I have smelled so far. I tried it and it remained with me for the 
whole day. I think I know what next I want for my anniversary/birthday ;)



Next I have received a sample size 15 ml of Rene Furterer shampoo. However as read from review of other people's My Envy Box, I so wanted that Crabtree & Evelyn Hand cream ( C'mon I love that brand ).Anyway the product description says that it's a mositurizing shampoo for dehyradated scalp and hair , providing then with the essential nutrients. It restores softness to dry hair. 

Too bad , both me and my husband have oily hair. Otherwise Rene Furterer is the luxury Paris hair care brand and shampoo smells most amazing. It has a fruity frangnanace which is so soothing to my senses :P. 

The full size product for 150 ml costs Rs. 1320.


This is the yummiest product I have ever came across. Eminence Organics - Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque . Product description says it replenishes moisture to plump and revitalise the skin. Contains Cocoa, Macadamia , Almond and Jojoba Oils. I received a sample size; however quantity is not mentioned .Placard says 4 uses. 

This masque smells like a Chocolate Mousse- nothing more nothing less. It has simply been invented to test your will power;the resistance you can exercise on yourself from not eating it (Atleast I felt it this way ). Other then that it seems to be a good hydration masque. I have read elsewhere about benefits of chocolate on skin and hence it may prove to be a good use.

The full size product -60 ml costs Rs. 4393/-.


And this is the highlight of this month's Envy Box. It came in a delicate ivory potli on which Forest Essentials  was engraved in golden letters. Such a pretty pretty packaging. Inside the potli there was a square brown coloured box which appeared like a gift box. And inside the gift box was encased Baby pink and golden coloured tub containing FULL SIZE Sugared Rose Petal Lip balm. The first glance and your heart is taken away.

According to me , Forest Essential defines luxury. And I always find their packaging very rich. And of  course the inclusion of full size product was enough to give full marks to Envy box Subscription. The lip balm smells heavenly of roses. I apply it with my fingertips and the frangnance lingers for 3-4 hours. And yeah it is very hydrating on my lips. Undoubtedly the best lip balm I have used so far.

The full product -5 gm costs Rs. 595/-.

I love subscribing to these beauty subscriptions. They are my personal Santa delighting me every month and keeping the excitement level high. As read and confirmed fom other reviews, My Envy Box is the only beauty subscription service available at present in India which is actually providing the access to luxury beauty samples. Though on a expensive side, it's a must have for the ones who are actively involved in their beauty regime.

So what are your views on My Envy Box and how did you find your February edition? Would love to hear all about it.

Till then,

Adeus.