First Blog Anniversary cum Valentine Giveaway (Closed)

Hey Lovelies!!

Hope you know that my blog completed one year few days ago and I wanted to share my happiness with those who are the actual reason to make it happen i.e my readers. I wanted to give a fab treat to you all, so hosting this GRAND GIVEAWAY where almost everyone with creative bend of mind can win something for him/her.

My regular readers might be reading my posts where I admired skin safe products from Ethicare Remedies / Ethinext Pharma. I sincerely wanted to give you a chance to try those luxurious products, so managed to convince the large-hearted people over there to sponsor this giveaway for you all :) Thanks to the wonderful Ethicare team!!

As you will read the giveaway details below, you will get to know why I call them Large Hearted ;)

Mandatory Rules:

1. Like Facebook page of Ethicare Remedies, Ethinext Pharma and Alive n Kicking here.
2. Follow @ethicareremedie and @ethinext on twitter.
3. Subscribe to my blog via email and follow by GFC publicly (Private followers will not be eligible to win)
4. Post the answer to below mentioned question on my facebook timeline (not in comments) while tagging @Alive n Kicking, @Ethicare Remedies, @Ethinext Pharma pages
5.Use hashtag #EthiMySkin with your answer.
6.Only ONE answer per person is allowed.
7.Share the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter and don’t forget to properly tag me and the sponsor pages.
8. When you are done with your entry, just comment "Entries Completed" in the comment box under this blog post to confirm your participation.
9. The giveaway starts on 14 Jan and will end on 14 Feb, 2015 (both days inclusive)
10.The result will be announced by me in co-ordination with the brand within a week after the closing date (as we need ample time to read every answer carefully)
11. The winners will have to provide the postal details within 24 hours else the prize will be forfeited.
12. Anybody with an Indian address is eligible to participate in the giveaway.

Contest Question

Visit the official website of Ethicare Remedies or Ethinext Pharma and Which product from Ethicare Remedies / Ethinext Pharma’s product range do you think can help you handle your toughest skin concern and why?

Winners Selection: The 100 best answers will be selected on FIRST COME FIRST SERVE basis who will receive TESTER KIT hampers as per their skin types.

Grand Winners Selection: The 6 Grand winners will be selected on the basis of most active participation+best answer who will get hampers worth Rs 500 each of wonderful Ethicare Remedies / Ethinext Pharma products that you will love for sure. One participant will be eligible to win only one prize.

So here are the tempting prize hampers ;)

P.S. This is a sponsored giveaway. So I'm only responsible to forward the winners details to the brand who will be sending the prizes of winners directly. No communication will be entertained regarding the winner selection and dispatch of the prizes.

Hope I'm clear with the T&C of the giveaway, so don't waste your time and pour in your entries :) For any queries, comment under the blog post ONLY and I will answer ASAP (private messages sent on my page or personal account won't be answered).

Good Luck everyone!!

 

Fuschia's Arabian Jasmine Anti Ageing Night Cream Review

Hi Friends,

Remember I have been using some beautifully crafted skin / body care products from Fuschia and also gave my opinion on the same in some previous posts. As the year 2015 began, Fuschia surprised me with some thoughtful gifts with a lovely message. I had been reading about their planning to launch a new range of products, but didn't expect that I will be lucky enough to receive them before anyone else could order it ;) Lol. Fuschia launched five brand new products namely Exfoliating Body and Face Scrub, Day Cream with SPF15, Arabian Jasmine Anti-aging Night Cream, Strawberry Passion Lip Balm and Cherry Caramel Lip Balm. 

So here I reveal what I received in my pack from Fuschia ..

Out of these two products, I am reviewing the Arabian Jasmine Anti Ageing Cream today. 
Why to use a night cream?
Many of my friends think that if they are already using an effective day cream or moisturizing lotion onto their skin,  why do they need to apply a separate night cream? Frankly speaking, I also had the similar thinking long ago. But now I'm aware of the reality that a night cream applied before bed time is something that our skin needs to increase the skin renewal rate during our beauty sleep.

About Fuschia Arabian Jasmine Anti Ageing Night

Packing Specifications: 
The Fuschia Arabian Jasmine night cream comes in a transparent plastic tub with screw cap. The cap bears a sticker mentioning the product name and quantity on it. The product is accompanied with lil descriptive cards that elaborates what all has gone into making this cream. 

Ingredients:
Like all the products manufactured under the Fuschia's brand name are handmade and use natural ingredients. This night cream is also filled with the decency of 100% vegetarian

constituents like Jasmine Oil, Olive Oil, Kokum Butter, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Sweet Almond Oil and  BioStine HP. 

The list of constituents includes all essential oils that help keeping the mature skin free from sagging with their distinct properties. The BioSTine HP is used to offer maximum moisturizing efficacy to skin.

Pricing & Qty:

The pack of 50 gms is priced at Rs 675/- which is suggested to be used safely within 30 months from the date of manufacturing.

My Experience

The moment I opened the cream pack, a stronger rejuvenated fragrance entered my nostrils that took me down the memory lane to my childhood days when I used to feel refreshing by the smell of white Jasmine flowers. It won't be a hype, if I call Jasmine as my most favourite flower and the jasmine fragrance as my favourite floral smell. So I was excited to try the Arabian Jasmine night cream that very moment :)

The cream is in pearly off-white color and is somewhat as light as of the consistency of whipped cream. Though I was damn sure that this night cream is safe to apply directly on face, still I did a patch test on my wrist to check for any irritation etc. Thank God! it didn't cause me any type of itching or discomfort on skin.

 As per the instructions to use the cream, I cleaned my face with a mild cleanser first of all and then applied the required quantity on my face and neck area. I needed to rub the cream gently for a while to allow its proper penetration into skin. The fragrance of Jasmine Oil worked wondrous for me as it with its calming effect while sleeping. 

The product claims to flush out the toxins accumulated in skin through out the day and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I cannot exactly comment on the effectiveness of the cream on wrinkles bcz I have no wrinkles on my face as yet, but after a continuous use of almost two weeks I have experienced that it reverse dryness from my overly dry skin with its intensive moisture that lasts all night on my skin and improves overall skin texture. A few pleasing compliments n remarks from colleagues have confirmed the visible result on my face as the skin looks firmer & sufficiently rested. 

 vegetarian

Pros:

• 100% vegetarian ingredients. 
  
  
  
• Smells wonderful.
• Chemical / Paraben Free.
• Deeply hydrates the skin.
•  Slows down ageing process.
•  Suited to all skin types.
• Not much quantity needed for single use.
• Provides radiant glow to the skin.
• Available at Fuschia's website and at many other shopping portals.
• Can be used by men n women both.

Cons:

• Some people might find tub packing as unhygenic and prefer tube packing (but you don't need to insert your finger more than once as that quantity on your finger tip is enough for single use)
• A bit expensive. (Currently available at a discounted price of Rs 525/-. otherwise also I would be willing to pay the price for happy skin.)
• Sensitive noses might feel the fragrance overpowering. (But I truly loved it)

Free of parabens, phthalates, petroleumase, artificial tints  &  synthetic  perfumes. - See more at: http://vkarebiosciences.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=234#sthash.7oNjo0uN.dpuf

This Fuschia anti-ageing night cream is suited for those whose skin tone tends towards dryness, as well as for those with normal skin who want to prevent skin damage and wrinkles. It synchs with your skin’s sleep cycle at the time when your skin is most receptive to beauty treatments. Apply the Fuschia Night Cream every night and wake up to skin that looks revitalized & restored to youth again :) I am determined to buy and use it regularly in future also.

Soap Opera Orange Soap Review

Hi Everyone,

Its been almost a week that I wrote any new post..nopes! it was not due to my pathetic broadband connection but the weather. The shivering cold at my place got my hands badly swollen and I'm uncomfortable typing due to itching on my fingers :'( Still I managed to start writing today because I am excited to review a brand that I'm loving these days.... I am talking about Puresense by Soap Opera.

About the Brand: 
Puresense is a brand by Soap Opera that has been created on the philosophy of living a life free of toxins. To achieve this objective, Puresense created a wide range of premium quality personal care products which were essentially non-carcinogenic, free from Parabens, formaldehydes and sulphates.

 Puresense currently offers a range of non toxic products including --

• Fruit Soaps in Orange, Cucumber, Royal Apple, Strawberry variants.
• Floral Soaps in Rose, lavender, Madhumati, Frangipani variants.
• Spice Soaps in Green Tea, Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon Grass, Spearmint variants.
• Bodywashes in Green Tea, Lemon Grass, Spearmint variants.
• Shampoos in Green Tea, Lemon Grass, Spearmint variants.
• Bodymists in Vanilla Bloom, Lemony Fresh variants.
• A Sleep Inducer.

Out of the above non-toxic products, I received this lovely hamper of three soaps from different categories along with a bodymist, shampoo and sleep inducer as well.

And today's post concentrates on Puresense Orange Soap from Fruit Soap category :)

I received the cute n sleek sample pack of the soap which weighs 30g. But the usual soap bar is of 100 gms being sold at a price of Rs 99. I genuinely appreciate Puresense for giving complete detail of ingredients even on the SAMPLE soap packing unlike most brands which lack on this part.

The soap is crafted with high percentage of Olive Oil along with Sodium Palmate, Sodium palm kernalate, Aqua, Sodium cocoyl Isetionate, Fragrance, Ethylene Hydroxydiphosphonate, Sorbitol, Titanium dioxide, Glyceryl stearate, Disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate. These scientific names of the ingredients might confuse you, but actually these are beneficial essential oils extracted from nature.

Talking about the impressive packaging, I loved the way how Puresense wraps the soap bar in thin transparent cling film which peeps out from an external cardboard pack :) An oval sticker bearing the brand name 'Soap Opera' keeps holding the soap bar without letting it slip out from pack.

My Experience: As soon as I unwrapped the packaging, I could not stop smiling at the decently simple square piece of soap bar that looked edible slice of dessert because of orangy chunks in it. The soap also is embossed with the brand name 'Soap Opera' on it. The soap smells somewhat sweet n tangy to me which doesn't causes irritation in my nose.

The soap lathers gently enough when rubbed between palms with water. My skin felt thoroughly cleansed as well as hydrated the dried skin post shower. The mild fragrance could be experienced for quite some time, but doesn't last very long. People who like short-termed perfumes on their body would love this specially.

The richness of Olive Oil provides softness n moisture as it is kind to the skin. The powdered orange peel used to be my favourite home remedy to gain fresh n supple skin years back. I can substitute that with Puresense orange soap now and can enjoy healthy skin.

This soap bar lasted around one week and didn't melt unexpectedly quick. So I can make out that the full-size soap bar won't finish as early as one month or so.


Pros:

1. Gentle on skin.
2. Lathers Well.
3. Doesn't melt easily.
4. Smells Nice.
5. Causes no itching.
6. Suitable for all skin types.
7. Moisturizes sufficiently.

8. Non-Toxic.
9. No Animal derived ingredients.
10. Goodness of Olive oil.

Cons:
Actually Nothing. But may need to apply body lotion during extreme weather conditions.


You may place your order directly from Pusesense's official website or can choose to buy it from other online shopping portal like Nykaa..

Save While U Shop With 27Coupons.com

Shopping is an absolute mood changer for me. But I am damn lazy to dress myself up to get ready for an exclusive shop hunt. It irritates me when I need to negotiate for overpriced products. And at times its so difficult to spare time to drive to the far away malls to buy few small but important items. In such situations, online shopping is my savior for sure. Making purchasing online not only cuts down the required time and is comfortable, but I find exclusive deals, discounts and offers which are usually not available on the same brand's products in physical stores. So what else can I expect for a pleasant online shopping experience.

During my hunt for some deals on clothing, footwear and accessories for Christmas & New Year shopping few days back, I encountered a web portal listing huge number of discount coupons under one roof. I'm talking about 27coupons.com that is one of the leading deals distribution platform in India at present. Since it was my first experience with 27Coupons, I thought to give it a try and got myself registered on the portal. Interestingly, the portal offers a Registration Bonus of Rs 250 in a new a/c that can be redeemed after reaching a threshold of Rs 1000 :)
I was curious to know which all online stores have been listed on 27coupons.com so I clicked on Stores tab on the top of the screen. Oh My God, the list was so extensively long that I could not even scroll till the bottom to read n check every store name. But I could easily make out that 27coupons.com has not left any shopping category behind; be it chocolates, lingerie, trips/tours, accessories, apparels, food/dining, movies, gifts, matrimony, jewelery, footwear, gadgets, florists, housing, phone recharges and what not...

 

You know I used to proud on my knowledge of online stores and actually help my friends with my valuable suggestions. But after visiting 27coupons, I realized how wrong I was... there were hundreds of online shopping sites that I was totally unaware of...

Happy with the store list, I was damn excited to look for some tempting discount coupons for my tried-n tested stores. So I checked under Coupons tab and my heart pumped lil faster to see that there were almost 618 Active Coupons and 970 Active Offers at that moment. My all time favourite store Myntra could be see on the top itself. I opted for an interesting coupon of Myntra which was applicable on Fashion/Apparel, Bags, Footwear categories and also supported my ICICI Bank A/c for a discount of 35% on minimum purchase of Rs.1299 & above.

Here is what I ordered using that coupon..

 I needed to order some comfy trackpants for myself which I found on Flipkart and I availed a fabulous discount on these with the below offer..

 The winter nights have become more cozily warm with these good quality lowers which I bought from Flipkart in almost half the price :)

The shopping spree didn't end here. As I wanted to surprise my lil boy with a treat of his choice. I knew no one other than Domino's can make him smile, so I availed a coupon for a tasty treat. The Domino's coupon code helped me make my new year celebration yummilicious. I could straight away save 25% on my order that was around Rs. 650 thought this coupon...

 Look at the tasty treat I gave to my small family on New Year eve :)

My overall experience with 27coupons.com has been better than my expectations. I recommend all shoppers to explore the possibilities of greater savings here. Thanks to 27coupons for making the offers of all possible websites readily available for the buyers and that too without any extra charges ;)

P.S. All the coupon codes used by me are valid and active on the day of submission of the post.
This post is written as a part of New Year Blogging Contest organized by 27Coupons.com.

One Year of Blogging

Alive n Kicking turned 1 today, though I still feel I am taking my first baby steps into the blogging world :) This day marked the conception of the idea that I can write too. This journey got me acquainted me with loads of people who are always ready to answer my queries n clear my doubts. I feel humbled to have them as my mentors And the ones who are equally important to me are my lovely readers who appreciate me in many ways in my venture.

Thank you everyone from the core of my heart for keeping me Alive and helping me Kick away the troubles ...

Oops!! how can i forget to tell you about the celebration I'm planning for you all ...ummm, but wait for next few days for a GRAND CELEBRATION ANNOUNCEMENT :)

Till then keep guessing what can it be and don't forget to shout out loud to call ur family n friends on my blog http://maliveandkicking.blogspot.in/

Valentine Romance My Way

 "I'm not an actor, I'm not a star. And I don't even have my own car. 

But I'm hoping so much you'll stay. That you will love me anyway."

He sang this lovely song for me in 2002 on Valentine's Day and gave me a piece of paper with a couple picture drawn on it with cute stick figures. The sparkle in his eyes waited for my YES and I was moved by his innocence..The Cupid's arrow pierced my heart even deeper when I read this poem he had composed for me ~~

The love he showered me on that Valentine's Day 12 yrs back is still being sprinkled on me with utmost care bcz I could not afford to miss breathing in so much of true love to live happily with him...and that 'special' person became the 'most important' person in my life as we tied a knot in 2005. Since then, no day had been less than a Valentine’s Day for us that brings along an undeniable feeling of love inspite of the silly fights we have on stupid issues ;) But having that someone special by my side who takes care of my every whim and fancy is truly a dream realized with God's grace..

Our Valentine's celebration completely avoids the plasticky, artificial feel of pretending like teenaged love birds bcz no added pleasure can be experienced by spending beyond our limits on one specific day; but definitely I would keep my thoughts centered upon those things to make my soulmate's memories to be sweeter and longer-lasting this year too...

I am eager to accompany my man to a less-visited serene yet lovey-dovey exotic location away from home (and ofcourse office) to discover a new element to our relationship.... where I want to wake him up with the sight of me standing in front of his bed with a bouquet of Yellow n Red Roses and a handwritten love-note with those touchy couplet composed by me that is bound to make his heart melt and earn me a 'kiss-of-love' to begin the day on a sweeter note ;) And hey! my man is a foodie to the core and so every meal of the day MUST be nothing, but the best from his favourite food list...Though we enjoy cooking together at home when he gets some leisurely moments, but frankly I don't want to involve any of us in cooking on V'Day rather I am planning getting the PERSONALIZED food prepared at the place we are enjoying our day with certain modifications suggested by me to the original recipe to fill his day as well as his tummy  with delight ;) :P

Now for getting ready for some scenic outing at the romantic destination, I will not miss the opportunity to reveal how I would look like in a bit tempting attire of his choice to get my guy in the mood ;) We may not gaze at each other for hours, but would catch up with light conversation to fill up the silence between us because the day of love is incomplete without expressing the deep feelings of affection that we hold for each other....

I know it would sound idiotic to you, but I won't buy any surprise gift for my beloved hubby... hmmm the surprise gifts usually create quarrelsome situations when he doesn't like using the gift I give. Though I know his likes n dislikes exactly, but would prefer taking him along to the multiproduct store to buy a gift that his heart smile on, else it can be a better idea to explore some exclusive V'Day gifting guide at online shopping destinations like Baggout.Needless to say, I may even cut out some expense this way without messing up the celebration :) A cozy cuddly hug in his arms to re-live the tale of our romance will recreate the moments that made me fall in love with him..

True Love needs no hugs, kisses or winks,

When our hearts beat in perfect sync :)

I wish to conclude the day of love with a promise to zest up each other's life with countless reasons to add bright sunshine to our steadfast n meaningful relationship. Ameen!!

This post has been written for Baggouts' Blogging contest on Valentine's day. Baggout provides awesome deals on Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong, Snapdeal, Amazon and 100+ other online stores.

Cloe Lingerie Review

Buying lingerie online might not be as convincing thought for many of you for your apprehensions regarding improper fit, size, quality, fabric, durability, easy care etc. But I find it is much much better to shop for lingerie ONLINE specially for those women who feel shy standing at a local shop counter hesitantly asking the male shopkeeper for their kind of innerwear. Infact the online websites offers greater choices that are generally not easily found elsewhere.

Today I'll share my experience with a reputed lingerie brand Cloe that saves you from the embarrassment of boring, unicolor, ill-fitted lingerie rather blesses you with comfy, colorful and appropriate sized lingerie that fits you like your second skin :)

Cloe collection presents widest range of Bras, Briefs, Nightwears, Shapewears, Garters, and Accessories in finest quality which gives a really pleasant shopping experience to its customers and can definitely match every naughty or nice mood of yours... I think this is the reason that Cloe's website refers its URL as MoodsOfCloe.com

 I got to receive a li'l packet from Cloe few days ago. The packet contained a set of two briefs, one in pink and another in black color. Both the colors suit my choice. 

Both the briefs came individually packed in transparent polypacks with the Cloe logo on it. The first touch of the briefs itself impressed me with their fabric quality first of all that gave me a promise of comfortable feel to my skin. Because I am of the opinion not to compromise in comfort over style. But hats off to the Cloe innerwears that maintain a perfect balance between the two. 

Packaging

Packaging

The closer look at the briefs proved that the designer had given enough attention to deliberately best accentuate the lower waist area. Special emphasis has been laid on its seams, else the lingerie could have been something undesirable to wear. Have a look at the Cloe's tag on the inner side of brief with Size initial and basic washing instructions.

Nicely Stitched Seam

Inner Tag

 As I said comfort is my preferred style, but I felt mesmerized to see that Cloe has added the extra-touch of sensuality to the briefs by stitching cute floral laces within its exquisite designs.

Lacy Sensuality

Lacy Sensuality

The briefs' fabric is perfectly breathable and doesn't feel itchy on skin. I believe it won't cause rashes on skin in hot summer days bcz the fabric seems to allow air in and out to avoid retaining the moisture arising due to sweat. The briefs give complete coverage and stretches generously.

The Final Look

Hope this write-up has helped you to find out the address of a fine lingerie store. So next time when you are about to buy lingerie, do check out Cloe to find a under garment of fine comfort.

*PR Sample

My New Year Resolution & Wishes For U

Last year I resolved for these commitments to myself and I successfully recovered some of my limitations keeping in mind what can help me develop my well being.

2015 has come and I still want to continue with the same resolutions so that the cent-percent performance can come out of my efforts :)

And here I Wish you a Prosperous Happy New Year 2015. May God bless you with a generic and positive thoughts in upcoming year and fill your life with happiness, success and fun.