Product Review: Soultree Apricot Oil & Honey Moisturizer With Kokum Butter

Hi

I am so glad to receive a product from one of my much-appreciated brand Soultree few days ago. I could not resist using the product the moment it got delivered and here is my review on the same :)

Brand Info:

Soul Tree is India’s only range of certified natural personal care products. Made from Organic herbs and natural origin ingredients, it carries the assurance of BDIH seal, the German hall mark for natural beauty products. It is meant exclusively for the conscious consumer who is not willing to compromise. All its products are environment friendly. The raw material sourcing follows environment friendly practices like organic farming & water conservation. The products themselves are non-toxic.

Product Description: 

This fragrant, non-greasy skin care lotion is a blend of vitamin-rich oil cold pressed from ripe Himalayan Apricots, organically cultivated ayurvedic herbs, and wild honey from the Sirumalai forests of South India. It is further infused with Kokum butter, known for its hydrating and regenerating properties to keep your skin naturally moisturised, supple and smooth. 

Ingredients:
Aqua, Aloe barbadensis*, Coco-caprylate/caprate, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) oil, Helianthus annus* oil, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate SE, Garcinia indica (Kokum) butter, Cetearyl alcohol, Mel* (Honey), Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Rubia cordifolia*, Tocopherol, Parfum**, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, Xanthan gum, Lactic acid, Limonene**, Linalool**, Geraniol**

* indicates from Certified Organic Farms
** indicates from Essential Oils

How to use:

Apply daily after a shower all over your body and face. Use firm, upward strokes, particularly around the neck and jawline. If you have oily facial skin, refrain from using it on your face.

Price: Rs 350 for 200 ml. Can be purchased here
Shelf Life: 30 months

Packaging:

The moisturizer comes in a cylindrical plastic bottle with black cap. The flip-open cap has small hole pierced into it to take out enough quantity. 

My experience with the product:

The Apricot Oil & Honey Moisturizer With Kokum Butter which I received is from Soultree's Amrita - Soul to Skin range. I loved the concept that they have given meaningful hindi themes to every category of the products (y)

The moisturizer is pale brown/beige in color. It has deep nutty fragrance that seems originating from real apricot oil. The fragrance settles down to a lighter tone after some time. It will not bother those who dislike stronger scents. 

I liked the consistency of the moisturizer which is slightly thicker, but it doesn't make the product tougher to penetrate the skin. It spreads easily on the skin and shows no undesired sheen on skin post application. The apricot oil is very finely absorbed by the skin & works on the deeper layers, leaving a non-greasy feel. 

The brilliant emollient formulated with apricot oil, kokum butter and honey keeps the skin hydrated for good long time and increases the re-application intervals. It relieves me a lot when I need not use it every now n then.

The brand recommends the moisturizer to be suitable for body as well as face. I have used very small quantity on my face and it caused me no issues. But oily skin won't be able to handle it. Not only does the moisturizer performs its main job of keeping the skin soft n supple, but also prevents skin damage due to its anti-oxidant and anti-ageing properties.

Not to forget, a little quantity is enough per usage. My son (who seems to be a budding junior reviewer in my team now) says "itna sa lagaya hai, to bhi lagta hai jaise bahot zayada lagaya ho" So I am expecting my bottle to last till the end of winter months, else no worries... coz I will buy another one for sure ;)

Pros:

Contains no Parabens or Silicons
Certified Organic Ayurvedic Herbs

Made from organically cultivated ayurvedic herbs

Free of Synthetic Preservatives, Colours or Fragrances
Recyclable Packaging
No Animal Testing

Nice fragrance.

Intense moisturization.

Cons:

Slightly expensive for some, but I don't mind paying some extra bucks for the excellent product.

Soultree Apricot Oil & Honey Moisturizer With Kokum Butter is a product to keep your dry skin healthy specially during cold weather. Its made with organically grown ingredients so won't have any side effects on your skin.

**PR Sample

Winners for Skin 18 Giveaway

Hello Friends

I have been missing posting for last few days, coz just like you all I am also occupied with festive arrangements. So without any delay, here are the winners for Skin 18 Giveaway :

 Nishat Anjum
 Sonali S
Swati Mittal

These lucky ladies will receive a hamper of exclusive face mask sheets and ampoules each from Skin 18. Congratulation dearies!!
The winners are requested to DM me their complete address with Postal Code and Phone no. by tomorrow so that I may forward it to the sponsor team.

For everyone else, there is Diwali giveaway running on the blog for a chance to win cool Diwali hampers :) Do give it your best shot !!

Good night!!

Ayorma Fairness and Anti-Tan Mist Review

Hi

Sharing my views on a revitalizing face mist from Ayorma's range today..

Product Info:

This cleanses your skin of excess oil and dirt and is very good for oily or pimple-prone skin. Feel refreshed by spraying 1 or 2 spritz of Ayorma face mist on those hot & sunny days. Easy to carry, this mist revitalizes your skin & rejuvenates your spirit.

Key Ingredients:
Peppermint Oil controls excess oil.
French Lavender Oil soothes the skin.

Turmeric for skin-lightening.

How to Use:  

Spray the mist all over the face and neck.Wipe off with cotton, tissue or a clean cloth.

Price: Rs 249 for 100 ml

My take on the product:
Mists are my recent favourites because my nose is sensitive to strong fragrances of perfumes and deodorants..Most of the times, I avoid using them at all as I start sneezing immediately upon spraying :P But the mists have been really kind to me and cause me no such trouble.

Ayorma Fairness and Anti-Tan Mist comes in a transparent plastic bottle. It follows the same color theme identical to most of Ayorma's product range. The bottle has golden neck and white pump-dispenser. There is a transparent cap to keep the nozzle free from dust and other impurities. This cap is tight enough that won't fall off until you take it off.

I will begin my review with a mention of its aroma which is so rejuvenating to instantly freshen you up. Earlier when I used the face mists, I just used to spritz it once or twice on my face and leave it on my skin to settle it there. But its for the first time that I wiped it off with a tissue following the usage instructions on the bottle. True to its claims, it has quite refreshing and light feel on skin and gives cleansed look with toned skin.

I have no issue like excessive oil on my facial skin, so not able to comment whether it helps to control it or not. You may use it as a makeup-setter if you spritz it on your face without wiping it off after your makeup is done.

Though the toner has alcohol content in it, but enriched with beneficial ingredients like lavender oil and turmeric, this mist is a well-formulated toner. It adds required amount of moisture on the skin and lightens the skin with prolonged use.

Pros:
Smells good.
Natural ingredients.
Lightens skin tone if used regularly.
Not so expensive.
See-through packaging.
For all skin types.
No paraben preservatives

Cons:
Alcohol content

**PR Sample

Vedantika Harmless Diwali Moments Contest

Just like we celebrated Holi with team Vedantika Herbals, why not indulge ourselves in the celebration of the festival of lights with them with loads of fun n frolic. The team at Vedantika Herbals is so generous that they offered me to start a Diwali Contest for my followers. So here are the simple rules.

Mandatory Entries:

• Follow Vedantika Herbals and Alive n Kicking on Facebook. 
• Post a picture that shows how you celebrated Diwali in an environment-friendly way in the comment section of this facebook post with the hashtag #VedantikaHarmlessDiwaliMoments and describe that moment.
• Share the giveaway on your Facebook timeline and don't forget to tag both the pages and your friends with the same hashtag mentioned above.
• The giveaway will be on from 06 Nov 2015 to 14 Nov 2015.
• There will be 3 winners who will win a hamper each by Vedantika Herbals.
• Contest open to all male or female residents of India.

Optional Entries:

• The blog subscribers will be given weightage. So do subscribe to the blog via email and verify the same.
• You may share the giveaway on Twitter, Instagram, Google+ etc. 

Prizes:

1. The First winner gets Diwali Gift Box (Big) worth Rs 650/-

2. Second winner gets Diwali Gift Box (Medium) worth Rs. 550/-

3. The Third winner gets Diwali Gift Box (Small) worth Rs 300/- 

Not just that, every participant gets a discount of upto 20% on their purchase.

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.

My First Liebster Award (2015)

Blogging to me is a means to have my say on different issues. I became a part of blogging world around 2 years ago, 22 months to be exact. I had been noticing and reading about this Liebster Award, but never had any intentions of getting nominated for the same. Or may be, I had a misconception that it is meant for established celebrity bloggers. I didn't pay much heed to it.

This time, I got my first nomination from Ghazala Naseem, worthy newbie owning Indian Beauty Bloom blog. A heartfelt thanks for dear Ghazala for consideration and I choose to accept it happily :) On her nomination only, I needed to explore the details of the award ;) 

Ghazala has asked me to answer her random questions about myself and here I go about it..

1. How did you decide on the title of your blog?

The title of my blog was suggested by my husband. I wanted something different than stereotype and I found it quite meaningful as per my philosophy of life. So I immediately finalized the same. 

2. Why did you start blogging?

Starting a blog had been a secret wish since long, but frankly I didn't have the courage to take the initiative. Moreover, I didn't find myself suited for the genre. But one fine day, during my winter break from work, I just expressed my thoughts to my husband and it simply kick-started. There were no reasons behind my wish, just felt inspired from what others used to write.

3. What are your three must have beauty products ?

Nice, bold lipcolors are my favs. Other than that a good quality emollient is a must have beauty product and then come Nailpaints.

4. Which is your favourite cosmetic brand and why?
Frankly can't choose one. There are few brands whose cosmetics I love more than others like Avon, Maybelline, Soultree, Colorbar etc. 

5. Which is your favourite Holiday destination?
Dalhousie, that is the paradise on Earth. You won't find a moment when you don't want to capture its beauty.

6. Home made food or Restaurant food ? and why ?
A mix of both. I love Restaurant food/snacks atleast once a week preferably on weekends. Because other than those leisurely days, homemade food is the only choice.

7. What is your Stress-Buster?

Some good music and a conversation with mom/sis.

8. How has blogging helped you to grow as a person ?
Blogging has given boost to my self-esteem. I feel myself worth of something (may be its not upto others' expectation till date), but there is a positivism in me. My communication skills are greatly polished as well.

9. Favourite Website ? and Why?

That again can't be a single one. Still I would mention Glarms.com that gives excellent tuts on varied themes which are damn easy to follow :)

10. Favourite Online store ?

Amazon.com for its wide variety.

11. What did you like most about my (Ghazala's) blog( If anything) ?

I like your enthusiasm of writing on everything you feel.

If you are also unaware, these are the Rules For The Liebster Award:

• Thank the person who nominated you and comment on their blog.
• Include a link to their blog.
• Nominate 11 bloggers that you think deserve the award and notify them.
• Answer the 11 questions you’re given and give 10 more for the bloggers you nominate to answer.
• Make a copy of rules in your post.

The Liebster award requires a blogger to nominate 11 more bloggers to continue the chain. And I chosen these :

1. Fatima Nayani from Health, Beauty and Food
2. Khushboo Motihar from Munni of All Trades
3. Sapna Amit Aggarwal from I'm a Consultant
4. Nivedita B from Beauty At Times is Skin Deep
5. Maitreni Mishra from The Style Symphony
6. Sonali from Golden Rim
7. Dipti from Rainbow Columns
8. Anjli Sengar from Zig Zac Mania
9. Harleen from Fab n Pretty
10. Prerna Ranjan from Giveaway Dose
11. Roma Gupta Sinha from Straight from The Heart

My questions to these bloggers are:

1. Who has been your motivation in the blogging world?
2. What do you wish you were better at?
3. Any cute childhood memory.
4. What's your fav pastime?
5. On which social platform can we find you most active?
6. Define yourself as a person in one sentence.
7. What is your unfulfilled dream till date?
8. What is the most important thing you learnt from blogging?
9. Which kind of attire you prefer in daily routine?
10. Did you ever have any unpleasant experience related to blogging? If yes, brief about it.
11. Please give a suggestion/compliment/feedback about my blog Alive n Kicking :)

Hope you liked reading this post :P Do comment how is it ...
I am excited to read what the nominated bloggers have to say about my questions ;)

Nail Care Regimen With Moha Nail Care Cream

Till date, I have reviewed many products from the product line of Moha and I swear each and every product is as efficient as the other. Today I have yet another exclusive product to talk about i.e. Moha Nail Care Cream. 

Product Info:
Discover shiny, nourished nails with Moha Nail Care Cream. Formulated with natural ingredients like Flaxseed and Almond Oils, it softens cuticles, reduces brittleness and encourages healthy nails.

Ingredients:
Almond (Prunus amygdalus) oil softens and smoothens extremely chapped nails.
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) oil nourishes & strengthens dry or brittle nails, preventing them from cracking, and also promoting healthy nail.

How to use :

Trim your nails when they get too long. Clean your nails and remove stains.
Dip your fingernails in lukewarm olive oil just for 15-20 minutes on every alternate day.
Massage your nails.Use a cotton ball dipped in fresh lemon juice and clean your nails.

Apply on pre-cleaned nail and nail base. Massage gently till the cream is absorbed. Preferably use at bedtime.

Price: Rs. 148

Pack Size: 100 gm
Available here

Packaging:
The cream comes in identical packaging as that of Moha Foot Care Cream. Its a plastic tube, quite handy and made of good quality material. It has a flip-open cap that makes the pack easy to use.

My experience with the product:
There have been some requests from my readers lately that they need to have a recommendation on some product that can work on weak, dry and brittle nails effectively. Since I didn't use one that time, I was literally clueless. But I am happy that I got to try this Moha Nail Care Cream that is the answer of all those problems.

The cream is off white in color and nicely concentrated. It smells too good for a nail cream. I am sure you will like it a lot. It takes only a little quantity as low as a pea size to apply on your nail of one hand or foot. A gentle rubbing on the nail gets the cream easily do its job. Make sure you pre-clean your nails before your apply the cream. The dry and hard cuticles gets softer if you use it everyday. I would suggest that you may use it more often if your nails have a tendency of peeling, cracking or getting rough.

The brand recommends it to be used at the bedtime for retaining moisture overnight, but there is one other way that I used it... Those who indulge themselves in home pedicure sessions, can just apply the cream on their nail, leave it without massage and soak your feet in lukewarm water for few minutes. I tell you it would be so easy to  get salon like results. Don't think twice if you have applied nailcolor and are hesitating removing it just to apply this cream. I feel it gives atleast some soothing relief to nail even then (though may be a little less). The cream is formulated with natural ingredients like almond oil and flaxseed oil that in long run help your nails resist splits, peels and breaks plus give a nourished shine to nails.

Pros:

Strengthens brittle and cracking nails
Softens cuticles
Moisturizes and nourishes the nails.
Encourages healthy nail growth.
Make the nails shiny
Made of natural ingredients.
Cost effective.

Cons: 
Nothing

Overall, Moha Nail Care Cream is a budget friendly option to repair and condition cuticles of your nails thereby improving the beauty of your nails :)

**PR Sample

Asus Promises Har Pal Happiness in Your Life

This is that time of the year that shoppers like me are focusing their attention looking for right gift for the special and important people in their lives. The markets are flooded with gifts of every budget suited for everyone's choice. But when I say 'right gift', I literally mean that there is one special gift that actually makes the receiver happiest. I always liked making others feel loved with little 'gifts of utility' that fit in their lifestyle somewhere and remind them that someone care for them.

To me, gifting is an act of showing unselfish concern to the ones who matter to you without expecting anything in reciprocation. Exchanging gifts is one of the most humble way to express your feelings of love, care, regard, gratitude and at times apologies too. And in every relation, it reinforces internal satisfaction and strengthens the bond between people :)

And now, when the sparkling festival of India is nearing, it requires a lot of head-scratching deciding what gift items will illuminate the life of my loved ones. I can see myself spending all my savings buying beautiful tokens of love for everyone and thereby indulging in a memorable celebration of festival of lights.

You know there are some very 'expressive' people in my family who don't mind giving clear hints on what they want as Diwali Gift ;) Like my brother, who had been messaging me almost every second day with one new item to be added into his wish list. Greedy soul you see!! But what to do, the youngest sibling claims it as his right to demand anything from eldest sis... The latest one in his wishlist is a new smart phone which I thought is going to dig a deep hole in my pocket..

Anyways, I started searching for the best option... and felt on cloud nine seeing an extraordinary "Har Pal Happiness Offer" by Asus. 

Why I call it extraordinary?? The offer says that the customers buying an ASUS Zenfone will get a chance to win Flipkart gift vouchers worth Rs.1,000 every hour. And, one lucky customer will also stand a chance to win gold vouchers worth Rs.25,000 every day! The offer is a win-win situation where I not only spread #HarPalHappiness in my brother's life, but also stand to gift happiness to myself.
I truly am fascinated by the new series by Asus that is tempting me to buy an ultra smart gadget from Zenfone Selfie, Zenfone 2 Laser, Zenfone 2 Deluxe or Zenfone Go.
Its simply the best way to celebrate Diwali with Asus and hey the offer is valid till 11th November, 15. So make the best out of it.

Happy Shopping & Happy Celebrations!

Exotic Gifting Options by PickSmiles.com

The festival of lights calls for a glorious celebration. Everyone is busy searching gifts for their loved ones as per their taste and liking. I have bought some exclusive decoratives, silverware, handicraft items and those lovely earthen pots made by local artisans. Though the major portion of my purchasing is done, I am yet to order my fav hampers from trustworthy brands to accompany the gifts for my friends and relatives.

Within this vast array of lovely gifting options available these days, I always feel that a bouquet of flowers is all the way a sensational choice. The colorful fresh blooms can surely make anyone smile. Everytime you gift someone a bunch of flowers, the person feels much closer to you and appreciate your thoughtfulness. I truly love to make my near and dear ones happy by making them surprised getting their favourite flowers delivered to them on their special occasions through online order.

Few days back, I stumbled upon a unfamiliar name in online flower delivery. I felt transfixed by its title Pick Smiles.com as if there had been an invitation to me to choose smile over stress and pains. I genuinely smiled and decided to explore its services.
I ordered a Fruit Cake from them for no-occasion just to surprise my family members. And I swear it was the yummiest, finger-licking-good cake and loaded with fresh fruits.

So I decided to make you familiar with this awesome site. ..

Pick Smiles, with their mission to deliver smiles, is one of the budding Online Florists in India, with presence in all over the country. Living by their commitment to deliver handpicked flowers well in time and with utmost care, the team is gaining limelight by each passing day. The mesmerizing flower arrangements done by skilled floriculturists get delivered at the doorsteps of your loved ones at very reasonable prices. 

The ones who love to add a dash of sparkle to their bouquets can choose to complete their surprise with gifts like yummilicious cakes, tempting chocolates and cuddlesome soft toys ;)

Pick Smiles strives to fulfill your desire to make your loved ones feel special by providing same day, fixed time or midnight delivery. Isn't that amazing?! Simply no chance to be late to wish someone special... Just a quick order placement on Pick Smiles and they will handle all your gifting woos. 

Those who are short of time or have specific choice of colors of flowers or flavour of cake can directly click on the options listed on the left side of home page of the portal. You may even cut down your searching time by simply purchasing gifts according to Occasion or Relation. The site is quite easy-to-navigate and in a few minutes of your precious time, you are done with your order and may sit back relaxed and smiling...  

For this ongoing festive n wedding season, there is 20% discount being offered sitewide which simply means you may spread more smiles within your budget ;) Do refer the coupon code mentioned in the pic below.

Check out online flower delivery for your convenience as well as for sending the brightest smile to someone with an exotic gift of love because everyone deserves a cheerful gift :)