Spread The Vibe & Feed The Hungry

Party season is inviting us all to celebrate varied reasons and be a part of great feasts. In the majestic grandeur of such parties, culinary stage is one of the main attraction for people of all ages. We all love tasting culinary masterpieces prepared and presented lavishly by catering people. But in the quest of tasting every dish, we tend to dump much of food in the trash after a bite or two and then move ahead. The percentage of wastage of food is probably much more than its consumption. It feels really tear-jerking when food is discarded by people who have easy access to eat it and on the other hand, there is a large group of population that is striving to manage food one time a day (that is also uncertain at times).. We all are aware of the need to save food and might lecture others on the same, but somehow be a reason ourselves to waste food.

In this post, I am publicizing a unique initiative that has inspired me deeply and I want to do my bit to #SpreadTheVibe and prove that YouthKiAwaaz can make mountains move.

To start the year 2016 on a positive note, Mumbai's Dabbawallas have visioned and implemented a noble endeavour to prevent wastage of food in social gatherings. This unique initiative called "Roti Bank" has already started functioning early this month where hundreds of dabbawallas have collaborated with event managers and caterers in the regions of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai to collect unconsumed food after a social gathering. The Dabbawallas are working round the clock to pull off some hours after their routine scheduled deliveries and then proceed to distribute this food to poor and underprivileged people in the nearby locations. Within the time span of just 10 days, a lot of professionals in the trade as well as individuals have joined hands to combat hunger in their own distinctive way.

PC: www.5mm.in

To cope up the time management in more efficient manner, the Dabbawallas have expanded their reach to anyone in the city by providing two contact numbers as well (919867221310 and +918652760542) so that any of the volunteer can donate food by making them a call and schedule a pick up. Another milestone to be added to this journey is to depute a permanent member at certain point of the city where people can leave the leftover food any time for distribution.

In my opinion, this 'Roti Bank' is not only a noble gesture of these untaught daily workers of Mumbai, but I feel they have defeated most of the well-educated entrepreneurs who need a strategic plan to implement their projects. The blessings of pavement dwellers, slum residents and anyone who will get to eat through Roti Bank will bring unexpected success to this endeavour in future.
And because every good-doer deserves a pat on his back, we should applaud for these selfless Dabbawallas for replicating humanity in most humble manner in society.
A Salute To Mumbai's Dabbawallas and #YouthKiAwaaz!

Strike Up A New Cinema League

Indian Cinema has traversed through significant stages in past decades and has explored the most critical aspects of life in much influential manner. Since eternity, films have been most engaging medium of entertainment for the fulfillment of our desire to spend leisurely time with friends and family. And its not surprising that Cinema has amassed greatest following ever since its inception. Living in the digital world today, we have access to almost every possible instrument to treat us with a satisfying experience to watch heart-warming films at any place or any time, but has your heart ever fancied for a platform where you can converse with film fanatics like yourselves over enthralling topics about films and cinema... If yes, Muvizz.com has extended such a stage to its audience where we can not only watch films but can initiate gripping discussions and ultimately turn entertainment into an interactive experience.

The movie listing on this platform is thoughtfully segregated in categories to choose what mood are you in and what kind of movie will be your preferred choice at that moment. I bet you won't find those unheard movies anywhere else which Muvizz.com has brought together. Those age old Award Winning Films that are so close to our hearts some times go missing from our favourite playlist and leave a vacuum in our hearts because films are precisely related to our emotions. But Muvizz.com ensures to live by your dream just a click away. 

We have people with an intellectual bend of mind among us who think and express differently. For them, films are not just a means of recreation, but to uncover the carpeted truth of actual life. For people of this refined liking, the best of Documentary Films and Short Films are laid elegantly to watch online & meet their expectations. 

The language support for the listed films is indeed commendable where you don't pause only for Hindi films, but can range over Bhojpuri, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali and English films too. 

For the gadget freak generation, the devices like Mobile, Tablet, PC, Mac, and TV have been made compatible to watch any films.

An innovative feature of Muvizz.com is Pay Per View that allows to watch a film within 72 hours and supports live streaming. New titles are frequently added to the existing listing to not let your tempo go down. So whats the wait now! Lets dive into the never-ending buzz of Cinema.

IHA Cool 'n' Soothe Bathing Bar Review

Coming up today is a review of minty handcrafted bathing bar by IHA Vedic.

Product Info:
IHA Vedic Essentials COOL ‘N’ SOOTHE Natural Bathing Bar keeps you cool, fresh and revitalized through out the day. It’s herbal actives fight body odor, soothe & heal sweat rashes and prickly heat, leaving a cooler, fresher and un-irritated skin 24 X 7.

Active Ingredients: (find in the pic below)

Price: Rs. 120 for 100 gm 

Shelf Life: 3 yrs.

My views on the product:
IHA Cool 'n' Soothe bathing bar is a handcrafted ayurvedic soap bar in deep greenish blue color. It comes wrapped in plastic sheet with a label that reads the soap name. Its good to have this label so that you know which variant is it in case you lose the outer cardboard box. You can find all the information about the bathing bar on the cardboard box.

The soap smells refreshing on opening the plastic sheet covering. The light, uplifting fragrance is inspired from mint, so is pleasantly bearable to most people & it doesn't last very long. Taking a bath with this bathing bar gives mild cooling sensation. Post bathing, it left my skin bit drier though other family members felt nothing of that sort. It may be because of my skin type or because my skin need more moisture during winters. I may expect this soap to perform better for me in summer season.

The soap bar produces no extra-ordinary foamy lather, but generates light creamy one to cleanse the skin gently. It doesn't worries me at all as long as the purpose if solved. The soap claims to be free of chemicals, so I already expected only light lathering which is a usual characteristic of handmade soaps.

The soap doesn't melt any extra so may last about a month. It helps fighting against any bad odor, so can be a good choice to people facing body odor problem.
   
Likes:
an ayurvedic, hand crafted soap.
free from harmful chemicals.
eco-friendly and skin friendly.
not animal tested.
pH balanced with herbal actives.
mildly scented.
easy on pocket.

Dislikes:
can make the skin dry if you already have dry skin type, else no other dislikes.

**PR Sample

Anherb Natural Olive Hair Shampoo Review

Here comes the detail talk on a herbal shampoo from Anherb Natural that I received in my winter product kit...

Product Details: 
An Herbal Hair Shampoo tailored to provide the right cleaning, conditioning & nourishing to all sort of hairs. It is rich in herbal extract which are reputed, documented and time tested for their beneficial effect on scalp and hair. Since it is well balanced, it suits all types of hairs.

Ingredients: 
Neem, Olive, Aloevera, Amla, Shikakai.

Amla : Source of Vitamin C,Strength & promotes Hair Growth.
Shikakai : Natural Hair Cleanser, Promotes Hair Growth.
Aloevera : Skin & Hair Moisturizer, soft, silky & shiny.
Neem : Anti Dandruff and anti fungal effect.
Olive : Improve Hair Strength and overall nourishment.

Pricing: Its available in 200ml and 400 ml packaging priced at Rs 175 and Rs 275 respectively. 
How to use: Apply directly to wet hair. Lather & rinse thoroughly.

Packaging & Texture:
The product is a light brown color shampoo with normal consistency that is neither runny nor extra thick. It comes is a dark brown plastic bottle with flip open cap which is very tight and leak proof.

What do I feel for the product:
All the Anherb products that I have tried till date have been worthy of my requirements, which makes me more interested to try new ones every time.
Anherb Natural Olive Hair Shampoo is a potent combination of exotic Indian herbs that have been known for their good properties like neem, amla, shikakai etc. Impressed with the ingredients list, I used the shampoo on my un-oiled hair. Though I oil my hair before headbath most of the times, but skip it at times. The coin sized quantity taken twice was enough to produce sufficient lather to wash my long hair. My hair type is normal, so it didn't create any mess with them. Rinsing also came pretty easy. I used it twice a week to evaluate its effect more closely. I observed that reapplication of shampoo is needed when washing oiled hair so that all the dirt is removed without leaving any greasy residue behind. I didn't take chance to skip conditioning my hair in both the cases, otherwise it makes me feel uncomfortable to manage those flyaways. The repeated use of the shampoo for few more times reduced the dandruff on the scalp that is the unwanted gift of winters every year. I expect it to clean my scalp completely with constant use.

Since the shampoo has natural provision of curing skin eruption on scalp because of neem, it doesn't itch the skin. There is no visible hair growth observed as such, but at least it didn't cause me sudden hair fall. So thats fine with me.
A shampoo that treats your hair with multiple natural ingredients and offers benefits like cleansing of shikakai, nourishment of olive oil and anti-fungal properties of neem is best buy at this price. The shampoo smells herbal and soothing and is not unbearable.
The only drawback is infusion of SLS and TEA which are basically surfactants or lather producing agents that may make the scalp dry for some. But there are only few "all natural" shampoos as most of them use more or less proportion of these detergents.
In my opinion, this shampoo can keep you hair healthy and protected provided combined with some good hair care regimen like oil massage, hair pack etc and you give it some time to show results.

Pros:
Use of effective ingredients.
Smells good
Pocket friendly price.
Gives squeaky clean scalp.
Leaves no oily, dirty particles in hair.
Leak-proof packaging.
Effective for dandruff-control.

Cons:
Has SLS and TEA.

**PR Sample

Winner for Jabong & House This Contest

Thanks everyone for being a part of the celebration of my blog's second anniversary. Its been so kind of Team Jabong and House This to sponsor the contest and give away such lovely gifts to winner. We loved reading your plans to decorate your homes and felt like fulfilling every wish. But there has to be only one winner, so here goes the announcement --  
The lucky gal to win this contest is Ankita Agarwal. She win products worth Rs. 1000 for her sweet home from one of the finest brand House This. 

Congratulations Gal! Do send me your postal address, phone number and email id via Facebook DM at the earliest to claim your prize.

We have many contests lined up soon, so don't regret not winning this contest..you will have many opportunities in future contests :)

Anherb Mandarin Orange Body Lotion Review

An orange is a fruit liked by most people..And because its a seasonal fruit, I enjoy buying every variety available in the vegetable shop to relish every taste. The juicy, tangy flavour really fills me with energy. Actually, I don't mind drying out and storing the orange peels for its beauty benefits too ;) Among all the varieties of oranges, Mandarin Oranges are relatively smaller ones with pleasant taste. In our home remedies, if we eat or apply it on the top of skin, many skin benefits can be achieved so easily. For the lazy bones like me, Anherb has simplified the job for preparing the home remedies and has come up with a body lotion made of mandarin oranges. Recently, I got Anherb Mandarin Orange Body Lotion as a part of my winter care kit from the brand and I could not resist applying it almost immediately. So sharing my first impression with the product.

Product Details: A good source of Vitamin A due to carotenoids makes Mandarin Orange good for dull and damaged skin. A citrus fruit like this inherits the presence of a very high concentration of Vitamin C which makes it good in fighting free radicals thereby improving skin glow and helping in making the skin look younger, brighter, soft and fresh.

Ingredients: Vitamin A,Vitamin C Carotenes, Honey, Mandarin Orange Extract

Price: Rs 275 for 300 ml with a shelf life of 3 yrs. 

What I feel about the product performance?

I seriously had been eyeing on Anherb Mandarin Orange Body Lotion since long. There had been a gut feeling that this product will fare very well for my skin. Well! its is a pleasure to review it at the right time when the cold, dry winds are making my skin flaky. 

The mandarin body lotion is a delightful looking lotion in light orange color. Its like a breath of fresh air when you smell its delicious sweet fragrance. My junior finds its yummy smell identical to his favourite orange flavoured waffles. ;) The fragrance is quite short-lived, so no worries if don't wanna smell fruity. 

The lotion is thicker than most products of this line and I'm definitely loving its super rich, creamy texture a lot.. I've started applying it on body after bathing for better soaking up by the skin. Upon application on damp skin, there is no greasy feel rather deep hydration makes my skin plump, smooth and much more even looking. Its prolonged use may work towards reducing minor skin damages due to presence of carotenoids that protects skin tissues against environmental toxins.

I have a habit of rubbing some hand cream frequently as my hands get rough n dry every time they come in contact with water. This thick body lotion can double up as a hand cream too due to its whipped consistency that softens the skin of my hands hiding visible jerks. A pea-sized quantity applied on face contributes to flawless, younger look that we all want and causes no break outs. It may not be that appropriate for oily skinned people specially on face.

This packaging of body lotion is a family-sized, economical pack that comes in clear tumbler with pump dispenser opening. So its more suited to be placed on your washroom rack or may be on the bedside table like in my case. To make it travel-suited, simply transfer some quantity in a small portable bottle to carry around. 

Pros:

Yummy fragrance.

Looks inviting.

Thick textured.

Renders natural glow to skin.

Long lasting deep moisturization.

Can be used on body as well as face.

Doesn't cause skin break out.

Easy online availability.

Good value for money. 

Cons:

None.

**PR Sample

Deck Up Your Space With DecoHome

Enhancing your looks must be on your cards for the celebrations that are still on at this time of the year. But like we are so considerate for our appearance, the space where we are living should also be dressed up with an exclusive appeal. In this hi-tech era, when anything and everything is so conveniently obtainable online, I'm tempted to select the best range of home decor for my sweet home to jazz up its current look..and if you too are also looking for some home styling options, this post is gonna be your savior...

If you are racking your brains on how to give your house a luxurious look within budget, DecoHome is here to give your imagination as realistic feel that you always dreamt of. After every few years, we are fed up of seeing same kind of interior in our house including curtains, cushions, pillows, bedding etc. & want to bring in a change. Infact, its a trend now-a-days that every family member insists on adorning his/her space as per personal choices to feel more connected to it. To shop the most varied collection of curtains, cushions, tiebacks online in India, one just needs to explore the smart portal DecoEssential and you will be enticed to spice up your existing interiors with the trendy yet pocket friendly products which are designed keeping in mind the market trends. Not just that, you can simply pick a color theme that goes well with your house's exteriors and can add a pop of colorful accents.

But when your house is ready to strike in new avatar, the old/faded hardware show up their face spoiling the entire glam look. So why not invest some more bucks wisely and install quality curtain rods, blinds, valance etc so that your house screens itself seamlessly decorated. Usually we need to visit and hire a professional for this task, but DecoWindow is within our reach that promises to provide quality products online without stepping out of your cozy space. I bet you won't find this kind of service anywhere else that so keenly looks into the minute details.

Other than accessorizing your house, when you require to utilize the area within your house to the utmost practicality and are thinking of mounting wall shelves, brackets or any other kind of fixtures, you just need to switch to another dedicated section on DecoHome where you would find relatively inexpensive options for lovely wooden fixtures like door seals, bracket sets etc. Do not forget to light up your planting area with garden torches to zest up your leisurely time sitting in your private space :)

Decking up your our homes is much more simpler now without spending hours looking for appropriate place and person to shop for our sweet home. Just a careful eye and refined taste can do wonders to lay down our creative ideas online at DecoHome.

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil (Cocoa Butter Formula) - Review

Hello Everyone

Wishing you all good fortune in 2016!

I am starting the new year with a new brand on my blog that has been quite popular and luckily I got to review their best-seller product. The product is Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil based on Cocoa Butter Formula. 

Brand Info: 

The revolutionary brand Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula was created and introduced to the world under the ownership of  E.T. Browne Drug Company, headquartered in New Jersey for over 50 years. Since that time Palmer’s has expanded on its vast knowledge and heritage, developing brand ranges such as Skin Success, Shea Butter Formula, Olive Butter Formula, Coconut Oil Formula, Olive Oil Formula and Hair Success. Palmer’s has a global presence; available in over 80 countries offering the #1 Cocoa Butter brand in the world.

Product Info:
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil is an advanced multi-purpose skin perfection product that can be used all over the body. This preservative-free, lightweight formula contains an exclusive blend of key ingredients formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry, damaged skin, uneven skin tone, aging skin and fine lines and wrinkles. Skin looks and feels instantly soft and smooth with this unique, non-greasy, non-staining formula.

Ingredients:

• Canola Oil: helps even skin tone by targeting marks and spots while moisturizing for and conditioning the skin.
• Sesame Oil: moisturizes deeply to improve skin's moisture levels leaving it looking more hydrated, firmer and more plump.
• Cocoa Butter: a rich natural moisturizer that leaves skin soft and silky, transforming even the roughest, driest areas into buttery soft skin.
• Vitamin E: a powerful antioxidant that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and imperfections on the skin, giving a more even and toned appearance.
• Cetesomate-E: helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry, damaged skin, uneven skin tone, aging skin and fine lines and wrinkles.
• Rosehip Oil: contains essential fatty acids, Vitamin C and Vitamin A to promote healthy skin cell rejuvenation.

My Experience:

Actually I had won a bottle of Palmer's Skin Therapy oil (Rosehip fragrace) in a contest almost a month ago and had been enjoying using it since the day cold wave hit the town and my terribly dry skin wanted some special care. When I received another variant of Skin Therapy oil from the brand for review, I had very clear impression on my mind what I have been experiencing with the oil since these days. 

To begin with, the Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil is a pale yellow color oil that looks colorless on your palm. It is packed in a transparent bottle made of good quality plastic. A tight flip-open cap retains the oil within the pack and gives you a leak proof pack to be carried anywhere without any trouble. The bottle is labelled with all the details that we need to refer except the price. But we may find the price label on the outer cardboard carton.

The consistency of the oil is slightly runny than usual oils so we need to be careful while pouring it on our palm to use. I wish it was in a pump dispenser packaging to make it easier to handle. 

Since the product is named 'skin therapy oil', I truly had high expectations of its performance. The Palmer's Cocoa Butter formula skin therapy oil is quite light on skin and stands its claim to be non-greasy. There is no sticky feel on skin due to its excellent absorbency within no time, My dry skin literally drinks the oil, but the good thing about this oil is that you need very less quantity at a time. The hydrating capability of canola oil and cocoa butter makes it perfect to provide needed moisture to skin. The skin instantly turns smooth-to-touch on top layer and moist from deep inside. 

I have no major scar marks on my skin, but I definitely wanted to work on my uneven skin specially on the rougher body parts likes elbow, knuckles, around the ankles etc. Over these past weeks, I have been applying this oil after shower as my skin is more receptive for the goodness of oil that time. And these parts have become softer showing considerable improvement in skin texture. There have been instances when my skin starts showing flaky patches and then I need to give myself a light massage at any time of the day. And honestly, it may happen to me in any season :/ So this oil is one of the perfect option because it doesn't leave stains on my clothes or bedcover, if applied mid day. The brand suggests that the oil to be used not only on body, but also on face, if needed. Despite having dry skin, I have never given myself facial massage entirely with an oil till date. But a dip in this oil and rubbing in here n there to cover up dryness is only tried by me. (Do tell me about the effects if anyone had used it on face)..

How can I forget to mention the divine essence of the oil that I keep smelling for next few hours after the massage :) The not-so-strong fragrance soothes and relaxes me when I apply it at night and aids me sleep like any aromatherapy product. No one would find this light fragrance over-powering or irritating. Its just lovable :) 

The product may seem priced higher at INR 670 for 60ml, but performance n quality of superior ingredients win the race for sure. 

Pros:
Has efficacy of cocoa butter, Vit. E, Canola Oil, Sesame Oil.

Efficiently cures dryness.

Smoothens rough skin.

Light on skin & Non-greasy.

Deep emollient capability.

Causes no itching, inflammation etc.

Mild Smell.

Doesn't leave stains.

Cons:

Wish the packaging be in a pump dispenser.

Bit pricey.

The Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil (Cocoa Butter Formula) is an exclusive blend of many deep hydrating ingredients that work to bring your skin to baby-soft texture if used over a period of time.I am yet to assess if it may work on signs of ageing, as I didn't try it on entire face. But definitely its wont' be an overstatement to call it skin perfection product!!

**PR Sample