Luxuriate Your Body & Senses With PureSense

Winter season brings a beautiful climate that most people enjoy. While you love cladding yourselves in layers of cozy warm clothing and look stylish, your skin feels rough due to freezing temperatures and dry air. Though good skincare is recommended every single day for the whole year, it become more important amidst winters. For this reason, your skincare products should be adjusted according to the weather conditions.

This season I've been trying a curation of plants' extract enriched skincare formulations trusted for their high performance and quality from the house of PureSense.

About PureSense

The brand believes in the theory of - Beauty begins with wellness. Hence, they craft products that go deeper and help you savour every day. The intoxicating scents and indulgent textures used in their products are worth an experience for your body. Once you indulge into PureSense care, you'll feel the refreshing glow and charismatic aura that comes from the vibrancy of exotic, organic ingredients.

To make my selfcare journey delightful with their nourishing products, I've got this combo for effective skincare.

Exfoliation is an essential step in skincare that help banish dull skin through the cold months and year-round. When the dead skin cells build up on the skin's surface, it might result in a complexion that looks dry and dull. Pick a formula that contains plant or fruit extract so that it’s soothing and non-drying. I chose PureSense face Scrubs in two variants i.e. Papaya and Pink Guava that are designed to nourish sensitive skin without being harsh. I prefer to exfoliate my face twice a week to shoo away dullness and to reveal brighter and radiant skin. With a usage of few weeks, your skin tone and texture would become smoother.

In the journey of face care, I added PureSense Grapefruit Reviving Day Cream and Anti Ageing Sleeping Mask. 

The Grapefruit Reviving Day Cream is quite lightweight, gets quickly absorbed and deeply nourishes your skin. It also serves as a shield from UV A and UV Bsunrays as it's enriched with SPF 20 PA +++. Your skin feels hydrated and supple with the goodness of Vitamin C and Niacinamide all the day long.

The Anti Ageing Sleeping Mask has been my favourite of all. Formulated with Retinol combined with Rosehip Oil offers miraculous effect for sensitive skin. Along with the anti-aging benefits like wrinkle & fine lines reduction, this night mask helps revitalize skin cells, hydrate & tone skin when you sleep in your cozy bed. This mask has gel-like texture that gets immersed in skin promptly. Its mild fragrance is very pleasing to senses. 

Sheet Masks have been quite a rage in skincare regime these days. So I picked a Hydrating Sheet Mask with Hyaluronic Acid that's suitable for my maturing skin. I like it as it helps restore the radiance and glow of your skin, specially when you're pressed on time. The sheet masks are usually formulated with specialized serums that make your skin feel plump and glowy with a boost of moisture. One can use it twice a month or as demanded by your skin condition. Make sure to rub the serum left on the skin for few minutes after removing the mask for better effect.

One more of my favourite PureSense product is Relaxing Macadamia Deep Moisturising Body Oil. I own quite dry skin all over my body and an oil massage definitely is the best therapy to pamper my skin. This luxurious body oil is rich in minerals, intensely nourishes your skin and relaxes your senses. It is suitable for all skin types. Ideally it should be applied post shower on your damp skin to retain the hydration for longer.

All these PureSense best sellers come with a promise of No Parabens, No Preservatives, No Chemicals, No Animal Cruelty, No Sulphate and No False Claims. Such revitalizing range of beauty products are what you need to include in your self-care journey and pamper your skin with the best of care it deserves.

A Step Towards Holistic Health ft. Saffola Fittify

Health is the complete integration of body and mind. It's not just a 'medical fix' but a way of living. Just this week, many of you must have resolved to achieve good health and well-being as your new year resolution. While some concensious ones might be on-track already, others would still be looking for hints from where to begin and what lifestyles changes to incorporate in their everyday routine.

You may have had certain eating habits for so long that you do not realize they are unhealthy. At times, your poor eating habits become an integral part of your daily life, and you don't realize the need to change it. I'm no exception to this case, but better late than never. This year, I'm also determined to reinforce new eating patterns in my daily diet . To add to my existing nutrition plan, I've picked some products from Fittify.in that helped me make a healthy switch.

Healthy eating, directly or indirectly, is associated with right kind of edible oil. When deciding which oil to consume, there are a few factors to consider like flavour, nutrition, usability etc. As most people would agree that olive oil (especially extra virgin oil) is good for us, I picked up premium quality Saffola Aura Extra Virgin Olive Oil from fittify that is imported from Spain. It is rich in mono saturated fatty acids and has natural anti oxidant. Extra virgin olive oil is said to retain some of the antioxidants and bioactive compounds from olives, thus considered healthier than its more refined version.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil does not have a very high heat point, so not recommended for frying and heavy cooking. Instead it's ideally used only for raw or cold cooking, as salad dressings, for making breads and dips or for light sauteing to avail its umpteen health benefits.

Next interesting product that I got is an assorted pack of Hi-Protein Meal Replacement Shakes that contains 7 sachets of milkshakes in Swiss Chocolate, Alphonso Mango, Cookies & Cream & Pistachio Almond flavours. These shakes contain 5 superfoods like quinoa, moringa, amaranth, chia seeds & turmeric plus 26 essential vitamins and minerals that help you manage weight effectively while supporting lean muscle building in an effortless manner.
I purposely bought this meal replacement combo pack to carry it with me to work as well as during travels when I have to skip meals due to lack of time or non-availability of desired food items. It's so convenient to just mix the content of a sachet in milk and gulp it down in a jiffy to feel full.

Lastly I got The Perfekt Gummies For Bone Health Calcium and Vitamin D to get rid of my traditional calcium pills. These gummies are a tasty alternate to tablets and feel like chewing a candy. As a dietary supplement, I take two gummy vitamins per day with food as the stomach acid produced while eating helps our body absorb calcium carbonate easily. These gummies help to support healthy bone density, strong teeth, enhance muscle support & better immune system overall. 

In the end, I would say health is the goal and wellness is the active process of growth and change for achieving it. So we all should constantly make efforts to adopt lifestyles that would improve our health, prevent diseases, and enhance our sense of well-being to lead a joyful life.

Year End Beauty Haul from FacesCanada

"Treat your makeup like jewelry for the face. Play with colors, shapes, structure - it can transform you.”    - François Nars

Well, the quote above is quite relatable for most women. Many women who love wearing makeup acclaim feeling naked without it, thus makeup becomes one of the most critical aspects of their wardrobe. 

I personally don't wear makeup on daily basis except coloring my pout, but when it comes to looking presentable, accentuating my features and creating a mood on special occasions, then I love dressing my face well. And today, I'm sharing my cosmetic haul experience from one of the most popular globally acclaimed brand FaceCanada 

Though FacesCanada needs no introduction, but just to brief a bit, they offer an exclusive line of high-quality makeup and skincare products. Their products are thoughtfully crafted to suit every ethnicity, skin type, skin tone, complexion & skin texture. 

I've been buying FacesCanada products from retail stores earlier, but when i noticed some exclusive deals n offers on their website, I couldn't resist my temptation to get my hands on some of my faves. So here's what my mixed-bag shopping looked like-

As I stated earlier, lipstick is my go-to makeup product without which I don't step out, so my first pick was long lasting liquid lipsticks. Though I prefer usual bullet lipsticks, but matte texture attracted me and I chose two of them in shades End of Story 03 and Hope This Helps 06. Both the lipsticks have ultimate stay or i should say the longest stay I've got with any lipsticks. It feels light on lips, not overdrying and survives meals without transferring stains.

Next on my list was a combo for well-defined eyes i.e. Magneteye Kajal and Magneteye Matte Eyeliner. Both come in a sleek packaging and give intense black strokes. So easy to glide, doesn't itch your lashline and stays decently for whole day.

Also got two base makeup products to wear them occasionally - the Hydra Matte Foundation and the Face Blush. The Blush comes in three gorgeous shades that flatter every skin tone. The powder blush is beautifully pigmented and gives your cheeks a mattified, HD finish with a natural glow.

On the other hand, the foundation has ten versatile shades to choose from. This is a multi-purpose foundation that duals as a moisturizer cum sunscreen too. Not only it gives a high-coverage but offers a broad UV spectrum of SPF 30 and the goodness of a moisturizer all packed in one product. So that makes it a steal deal for sure. Just make sure to pick the suitable shade closely matching your skin tone while ordering. 

There’s something spellbinding and mesmerizing about every product in my haul. The USP of the brand is that they strictly disapprove of animal testing and always use safe ingredients. Their products are cruelty free and hypoallergenic. 

I'm absolutely satisfied with my purchase. So if too are keen to get FacesCanada products for yourself, these're available in over 140 cities with over 1500 cosmetic retail stores across India. The online shoppers can order it at their convenience from brand website or ecommerce websites like Nykaa, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Purplle etc. 

Do check out their exclusive Year End beauty Haul offers and make the best of it.

Happy shopping!

Understanding Body Shapers & Waist Trainers

Curves on the female body have always been an attraction. Seeing a curvaceous woman feels like a pleasant view not just to the men, but also to fellow women. Majority of women love their bodies only till the time they're shapely and they feel themselves as the epitome of femininity. Because long lean legs, stick-like arms, full in the chest or butt region define the stereotypical beauty mold. On the other hand, plus-sized women usually find it difficult to embrace their body shape easily and are unhappy for being plumper.

Though a woman’s mindset should be that of celebrating her body and loving every inch of it even if she has cellulite or extra fat, but the modern day body shapers are like miraculous products for them to help moving with grace, class, and sensuality. 

The slimming, stretchy undergarments aka full body shapewear that are consciously designed, actually make desired marvels achievable for flabby females and can help them go down a dress size and make their body seem smaller and firmer. 

When worn with some common sense, these compression garments are perfectly safe. Modern body shapers are made of skin-friendly and breathable materials that are more comfortable, if properly selected and worn. While picking a full body shapewear, it's important to choose the appropriate fit that makes your body comfortable and allows free movement. And wearing an appropriate size also means that your silhouette will look smoother in your clothes as you wish to.

Another trick to effectively get into the right product is to look for the target area that you wish to slim down or shape up. Because shapewear are not only meant for those who are overweight, but can also be worn just to give a perfect shape for certain body parts. Some variants that top the list are waist trainers, thigh slimmers, slip shapers, top shapers, extended briefs and much more. 

For females who are keen to wear their body hugging outfits and showing off their torso usually opt for high quality waist trainers and wear them under their dress just like a concealed corset.

The concept behind a waist trainer is to gradually train up your body for wearing it for longer periods of time each day and mold your waist & hips to sculpt a more well-defined hourglass figure. Ideally one should be careful while wearing a waist trainer and make sure all the muscles are smoothly held in places tightly and should avoid any pinching of muscles or skin portions to prevent health issues.

Women who're still skeptical whether to wear these garments, might try them confidently as these shapewear are extremely flexible and the stretch of their fibers is up to 500%. Just need to be smart about your choices. Because the reward you get for a boost of self-confidence due to the smoothening of extra flab is worth a try.

iTokri - Delivering Authentic Handloom Weaves At Your Doorstep

I've always been in the awe of traditional Indian weaves, especially the handlooms. I feel handlooms are an integral part of our national legacy and exhibit the richness of our country while showcasing the weavers' artistry in a beautiful way. Since ages, weaving by hand has been a treasured cultural ethos of our country. It has been sustained by transferring skills from one generation to another over the centuries. While Indian handlooms proudly boast of their uniqueness, it has always shown adaptability to innovation for the modern fashion industry. Why I adore handloom fabrics because they are least burdensome on the ecosystem.

Usually the authentic handloom fabrics can be procured from their place of origin. But it might not be easy for everyone to get one's hand on them by visiting the place. In my case, I have been resorting to some trusted online portals that offer myriad fabrics from all parts of the country under one roof and that too at pocket-friendly prices.

iTokri.com is one such online marketplace that has been my MOST favourite since the time I first shopped from them. I usually buy unstitched fabrics and get them tailored for my measurements. But this time, other than the fabric for my outfit, I explored their Men's Section for the first time and bought a decent Short Cotton Kurta for my brother. The kurta not just makes a graceful attire, but gives the reflection of a laidback and carefree attitude. 

Kurtas are often considered to be a traditional attire but short kurtas have now become common everyday wear in modern times. One can style a kurta with tight pyjama/pyjami to attend a social gathering or can pair it with jeans as a casual wear. Their versatility of kurtas is evident by the fact that these have become a favorite of younger generations and older generations alike because these're so comfortable yet stylish. iTokri offers the best possible patterns and styles in conventional primary colors combinations to contemporary colors that are suitable for all age groups. The exclusive men's collection on iTokri extends the range from shirts, t-shirts, boxers, dhotis, nehru jackets and much more. 

This marketplace sources products, including jewelry, dress materials, metalware, bed linen, paintings, household items etc from thousands of artisans across India, making it the largest curated portal for art and handicraft products with a huge listings. The portal adds hundreds of new products on a daily basis, so I recommend you visit them frequently and handpick product of your liking. 

To sum up, when you buy from local artisans, it's your indirect support to preserve the rich textile heritage of India and to create a sustainable future.

Devouring Classic Indian Delights ft SweetkaramCoffee

Snacking industry has been revolutionized extensively in the past decade. As a 70s kid, I remember myself looking forward to the day when my parents would go shopping on first Sunday of every month and bring home a bagful of snacks as a part of monthly grocery shopping and we, the kids in the family, would wholeheartedly enjoy tasty mom-made delicacies in that formidable hour between lunch and dinner especially over weekends. Despite munching tit-bits all the time, there was no stress of eating unhealthy junk as everything was unadulterated those days.

But when I see my kids ordering online snacks in a jiffy during study break or on-the-go, I literally feel worried about the amount of noxious food eaten by them. 

In a quest to find some authentic homemade food items, I chanced upon SweetkaramCoffee.in and it felt like my childhood memories were brought to life. 

Sweet Karam Coffee is a platform that is basically your smart solution to grab classic Indian delights that are not just authentic, tasty, and healthy, but also sans any chemicals or preservatives.

Since most of us don't have time to stress over how should we get our hands on healthy eatables, having access to Sweet Karam Coffee seemed to be life-changing. 

I explored their exclusive range of homemade delights that makes it place on the shelves of their online store and found some options like Banana Chips, Murukku, Filter coffee powder, Ghee, Rice, Avakkai, Idly podi, Puliyogare paste and so much more. 

You'll find products thoughtfully classified into categories and it's quite a smooth navigation from one stop to another. I decided to place a mixed-bag order to give it a shot and included a couple of products from almost all categories. So here is how my order looked like-

As an enthusiastic home-cook, I first picked some everyday cooking spices from Masalas & Instant Mixes category that could bring a flavourful and aromatic novelty to my routine food items. The adjoining category of Pickles caught my eyeballs and I chose to add our favourite Garlic Pickle and Green Chilli Pickle to my cart. 

When it comes to everyday cooking, one shouldn't miss some organic lentils that are a good source of folate. The Daily Essentials store of Sweet Karam Coffee left me amazed with variety of options including organic rice, millets, grains, sugar, oils, butter and everything else you may need on your kitchen shelves. 

Not just I bought lentils for my hearty meals, but picked some healthy organic gluten-free flours also that our chapati/ breads can be more nutritious using a combination of whole wheat flour, barley flour and gram flour. 

My kiddo insisted on getting Sandwich Bhakarwadi, Mixed Millet Poha and vegan Masala Mixed Dhal for tea-time snacks from their Sweets & Snacks category. 

My order was shipped in next 24 hours and I was intimated about transit updates via email and SMS. The order was packed carefully and every item I received was freshly packed. 

A few items from my order have already been consumed by me and I'm satisfied with the quality and taste. 

After a delightful shopping experience with Sweet Karam Coffee, I've already made my mind to order some delectable homemade brownies, cakes, cookies, chocolates and bakery products for my friends and relatives during upcoming festive occasions that they may enjoy without guilt. The Onam Spl Snacks is also one of the highly recommended sections.  

India's favourite destination good food store for your entire family with zero preservatives and zero toxic chemicals.

So, it's time to devour classic Indian delights with a healthy and homemade twist and unleash happiness because 'Happiness is Homemade' ❤️

Sourcing Versatile Fabrics Made Easy ft Fabcurate

“Fit is everything. I don’t care what your body type is like: 

If you’re not wearing clothes that fit you, you can’t have style.”

— Stacy London

The quote above totally resonates my styling mantra that emphasizes the importance of exquisite clothing in enhancing one's physical appearance. Though majority of modern generation might plump for readymade garments as those are readily available in varied choices, designs, and patterns; but there is a large chuck of population that still tilts towards tailored clothing where you can always have a say in even the minute details of making of your garment and flaunt your fit inch by inch.

For those who fall in second category like me, and are keen to explore versatile fabrics, we've got you covered. If you’ve not heard me talk about Fabcurate earlier, this is an online fabric supplier platform based in Surat, serving a nationwide community of talented artisans. They have a selection of over thousands different fabrics from over hundreds of wholesale suppliers, which serves as an impressive library to source fabrics from.

While you may find tons of recommendations for branded physical stores for dress materials, I highly recommend you to have a thorough hunt at this digi-market and trust me, you won't be disappointed.

As the festive season is in full swing and it makes a fab excuse to buy new clothes to get dolled up, I've handpicked some gorgeous pieces to upgrade my wardrobe very thoughtfully and get the most snazzy ethnic ensembles curated for special occasions.

Here I enlist some of my favourite gems for dress materials you would certainly love-

Chanderi:
If you are planning for an alluring attire in Chanderi fabric, the bigger motifs are the best bet. A huge selection of quirky patterns, digital prints, geometric prints and dyeable fabrics is offered that can be your smartest fashion inns for this year. From Kurtis to skirts, dresses to tops, lehanga to saris - everything looks ravishing in Chanderi.

Raw Silk:
One of the smooth and delicate form of fabric that can easily be woven into different types of clothing items. Opt for the solid, printed, embroidered or checkered one - the garment made of raw silk can make for a gorgeous attire in any case.

Sequins Georgette Fabric:
Georgette fabric is durable, stronger, lightweight and a choice for younger women as its easy to carry. The beauty of a printed georgette fabric can be taken to next level when it's embellished with beads and sequins. The sparkle of sequins is quite voguish this year. Bright colours and neutrals both styles are getting an extra kick with all that glitters.

Organza:
Yet another most loved fabric of younger girls is Organza. Who doesn't love its stunning sheer! The translucent fabric reflects light beautifully and the attire looks so dreamy with matching accessories. Definitely a must have!

Fabcurate also gives its customers the choice to get their favourite designs printed on the fabric of their choice. Wow! Isn't it mind blowing to get your custom fabric printed with your own design to create something totally unique..

The best part is that they've an exclusive Men's Section wherein you may find premium quality fabrics for suiting, shirting, kurtas, sherwanis etc for casual wear, work wear or party wear. Don't miss out on Home Furnishing section to aesthetically beautify your space.

Fabcurate has become my go-to digital fabric marketplace coz they efficiently address the needs of an independent customer as well as emerging fashion designers. No minimum order quantity, easy reordering process, effective searching and filtering and competent prices are their distinguished USPs.

So what are you waiting for? Just explore the website to find practically everything that exists in fabric industry!

Interesting Raksha Bandhan Gift Ideas for Brothers

Raksha Bandhan is considered as one of the most loved festivals throughout India. Since ancient times, sisters tie the thread of love on their brother's wrist and in return, the brother showers her with gifts and sweets.

While your brother is busy scrambling for lovely presents for a lovely sister, why not surprise your 'favourite enemy' by the means of some cool return gifts that he might not be expecting from you!

Sisters who're contemplating as to what could be the perfect gift for their brothers, I've got a few amazing recommendations:

1. Customized or Handmade Rakhi: 

Raksha Bandhan is always special, but you may take it to another level by getting a personalizing your Rakhi with brother's name, initials or picture of you both. The unique rakhis available these days on online portals can be worn as bracelets even when the festival is over. 

The sisters who are skilled in craft can make the sacred thread of Rakhi at home using silk thread, wool, satin ribbon, foam, wool, sequins, tassels, beads and much more. Your brother would surely adore you for your efforts.

2. Premium Fragrances & Grooming Kits:

Spoil your brother for choices with some premium perfumes and finest grooming kits that he may utilize on every day basis. For the men who prioritize self-care, a luxurious grooming kit curated thoughtfully with shaving essentials, skin care essentials and bathing essentials is definitely a failsafe idea of conveying your love to your brother.

3. Classy Fashion Accessories: 
Men grab more attention when their well-endowed look is complete with a few classy accessories. Some premium fashion accessories that are undoubtedly the best picks include a leather wallet, a bowtie, lapel pins, cufflinks, neckties, silk scarves etc. You may actually choose to order accessories giftsets online from trusted websites like Mensome as there're plenty of options to choose from and that too in special packaging at pocket-friendly prices. 

  

4. Vegan Snacks & Sweets: 

With a widespread awareness of veganism, people have switched to healthy and plant-based eatables and drinks. A combo pack of guilt-free snacks consisting of roasted, sugarfree, protein-packed snacks gonna be a stand-out return gift for your diet-conscious brother that he may indulge into without having to count calories.

5. Fitness-Oriented Gifts:

For the gym rat in your life who loves spending time in shaping his body, a plethora of gift options are open to win over his heart. Choose from a portable blender, personalized shaker, foam roller, yoga blocks, gym bag, resistance band set, muscle massager or simply a gym-friendly outfit-the workout enthusiast brother will thank you for helping him melt away his body fats. 

The gifting choices for a special sibling are simply endless, however, I would choose to move away from traditional options and consider giving my brother something to enhance his individual style and separate him from the crowd.

Do share in comments which option did you like the most.

#HappyGifting