A Lovely Morning Breakfast ! My wish

It’s not every day that we get to start our day sitting in a cafe sipping some hot beverage along with a lip-smacking breakfast meal and yes chatting with our friends too!

Recently I decided to fulfil my wish to start off the day with breakfast at a cafe nearby and that is none other than Starbucks!

This post is not from the point of view of reviewing the cafe or the food, it is about spending some time; to slow down the fast-paced life we have and relax for sometime. To start with I decided to order a Chilli Cheese Toast and seeing this the health freak angel in me told me to balance it off with a cup of Green Tea instead of Hot Chocolate 😛 so here comes the Green Tea with my Chilly Cheese Toast!

(I generally eat early breakfast but today had a late one)

Since it was morning time, it wasn’t crowded at all and this made it even better for me to sit back & continue the gabfest with my friends.

I would like to end this post by saying that, it may not be possible for us to plan a vacation very often considering the busy schedule we all have and in order to compensate for this it’s nice to catch up with your family & friends and relax !! Oh yes and start to fulfil small wishes from your wishlist!

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Himalaya Lip Balm Review Buy or Not to buy ?

When the lips are dry & chapped or when you are just too lazy to apply a lip stick.Lipbalms are the best companion for our lips.

Even though a regular petroleum jelly can do the job of a lip balm quite well;we would still want to get something that’s cute and made specifically for our lips.

Today I am going to review a lip balm from the brand Himalaya

Himalaya as a brand is about making cost effective herbal,natural products with less or no chemicals in it.

So let’s get started !!

Name :Himalaya Lip Balm

Type : No colour , plain in nature

Price :Rs.30/- for 10grams 🙂

Ingredients: (almost strained my eyes trying to read the small words, but my PASHION for blogging kept me motivated)

Oils of

• Wheatgerm (Godhuma – Triticum Sativum)
• Carrot (Garijara -Daucus Carota)
• Castor oil/ castor bean plant (Eranda-Ricinus Communis)
• Sweet Indrajao ( Hyamaraka -Wrightia Tinctoria
• Coconut ( Narikela-Cocos Nucifera)

Truly a Herbal product isn’t it ?

(Back side of the lip balm)

Coming to the analysis of the Lip balm

• This is a simple lip balm and the colour is some what similar to that of a petroleum jelly

• The consistency is not as thick as the petroleum jelly though, it feels quite light after applying

• The key ingredients here are Wheatgerm & Carrot Seed Oil which is something unusual than the typical fruit lip balms we see in the stores

(Wheatgerm oil is a rich source of Vitamin E,also helps moisturise & heal cracked, dry skin while Carrot seed oil is full of anti oxidants and helps moisturise skin)

• It has a mild sweet fragrance which I really like

• The lip balm does it’s job well of keeping the lips moisturised
• It claims to act a sun screen for the lips; protecting it from the UV rays of the sun,though I haven’t been able to notice anything significant with respect to the protection from the UV rays,may be because I never observed this previously.

To sum up the PROS & CONS,

PROS

• Does it what it is supposed to do – protect & nourishes the lips
• Cost effective (it’s almost 3months I am still using the same lip balm, I use this not more than twice a day and also before applying lipstick)
• No colour so if you are someone who doesn’t like coloured lip balms this is one of the best to try
• The packaging is such that it can be used directly onto the lips without having to mess your fingers
• Travel friendly
• In case you have forgotten,your hand cream,you can use the lip balm on your palms too !

CONS

• Sometimes it leaves a whitish layer on the lips which I don’t like but then with so many benefits of this lip balm I can let go this point !!

My Ratings : I would give it a 9.5/10 since I couldn’t find any other lip balm that is so economical to buy and also provides good quality product.

(-0.5 since there is always scope for more:-P )

I hope you enjoyed this post and should try this product at least once.

Please follow+ the blog, like,share & comment on the post.

Be Pashionably Intelligent !

Disclaimer:The opinion is solely of my own and what may work for me may not work for you, so it is advisable to enquire well & do a patch test if possible before you use any services & products mentioned in the blog

What is the Modern day Rapunzel’s Hair Care Routine like ?

Who doesn’t know Rapunzel- the one with golden coloured seventy feet long hair ! Modern day Rapunzel is all about clean,thick, frizz free hair & long enough to manage life.

With the scorching sun above and increased levels of pollution everywhere, it is difficult to maintain our hair.The soaring temperatures have added fuel to the fire by making our heads sweaty all the time.

Today I am going to discuss step by step how we all can achieve the Tag of Modern day Rapunzel with dandruff free,thick,silky & long hair (not 70feet long though !).

The Steps include Hair Care Routine along with the products I use that I believe will help me in achieve this tag.

Just like any of you,spending hours on managing my hair is next to impossible so my hair care routine is a simple one with only the necessary products in it.

Also,I may not have the best hair in the world to boast about but I do my best to keep it well maintained.

Here is a photo I thought to share with you all, to give you an understanding of how my hair looks.It might not be in it’s best because I wasn’t really prepared for this click (just a random click). In general I have thick hair which gets frizzy if I don’t maintain it well.

I also have a very sensitive scalp ,yes you heard it right! People only talk about sensitive skin ,I have sensitive scalp as well which gives me limited options to try for my hair.My scalp is extremely intolerant to almond oil ,even some of the best shampoos don’t suit me.

1. Oiling your hair – Champi as we call it in Hindi !

I am not sure how many of you actually oil your hair before taking a head bath, but I always make sure to have an oil massage for my scalp before taking head bath.(I can never imagine myself having a hair wash without oiling).

Now why am I focusing so much on oiling hair ?

– Oiling your hair aids blood circulation of the scalp region.

– If you haven’t oiled your hair and take a head bath,chances are high that the shampoo will strip off the natural oils of your hair,to avoid this it’s better to oil your hair.

– Depending on the type of oil you use, the ingredients in it penetrate your scalp & repair your hair,thus improving the quality of your hair in the long run.

– Bonding time, in case it’s your sister or mum who gives you a nice oil massage don’t say no to them, some of the best conversations arise during the Champi time.It is also like a Me Time in case you have to do it on your own, so don’t miss it !

I am using ‘Neelibhringadi coconut Hair oil‘ .

I was introduced to this product by my mum who trusts this product from her childhood days. This oil is used as an ingredient in preparing other types of hair oils as well.

2. Shampoo my hair

Even before finishing the bottle of shampoo we are currently using, we want to try the new one we saw on TV the other day and now slowly the old shampoo bottle is going to be pushed to other family members to try their hands on(that way we wouldn’t feel bad about throwing it & we can buy the new one).Many of us do this,believe it or not.

What is to be kept in mind with Shampoo is the frequency of washing hair & type of shampoo to use. I generally wash my hair 2-3 times a week and if the climate is such that my hair is so oily ,that it’s enough to make French fries then of course I wash my hair more frequently.

Currently the Shampoo I am using is from Loréal Professional – Serieexpert Anti dandruff Shampoo.

It was my hair dresser who recommended this to me first,when I was suffering from dandruff.

Depending on what are your hair problems, you can opt for a particular type of shampoo that satisfies your hair needs.

3. Hair Conditioner

In case you have naturally soft, silky hair which does not get affected even a bit from the chemicals present in the shampoo, then you may skip this step,but for the rest of you like me you cannot escape this !(Evil smile)

Hair conditioner helps to restore nutrients back to your hair and should not be skipped if you have frizzy, dry hair.

My all time favourite is Dove Intense Repair Hair conditioner.

While using a hair conditioner the trick is to keep it for 2-4 mins and to apply as per the instructions mentioned on the product, since some conditioners are not meant to be applied to the roots of your hair.

4. Hair serum

In my opinion, this is one step that most of us skip. Use of hair serum is as important as using a shampoo & conditioner.Those who have frizzy hair should not skip this step under any circumstance.

I use Streax Hair Serum – the one with Walnut oil.

I thank my friend Sanika Aroskar who introduced me to this product and is one of the best serums I have ever used. I generally apply a few drops on damp hair and that’s it. I will not suggest you to apply it every now and then,when the hair gets frizzy;as this will only cause build-up on your hair .

5. Healthy food & Water Intake

This is one step that I will shout over the mountains to convey to all of you ! Healthy diet and sufficient water intake is very important for your hair to stay soft & shiny and of course healthy.

6. Comb your Hair

As if you wouldn’t comb your hair! but I know of people who would not comb their hair for days together. (I did this too when I was at home for study leave and it was really bad later). Combing hair is not just for keeping your hair in place but it helps distribute the natural oils of your hair evenly and also helps in blood circulation.

That does not mean you keep on brushing your hair every now & then,limit your hair brushing to two times in a day. Always remember that overdoing of anything will reverse its benefits !

7. Hair Trimming

This won’t help you grow your hair quickly but it surely helps in getting rid off the split ends and also gives a nice shape to your hair.

I hope you all enjoyed this Post.

I will being making a post –reviewing the products I use (this will give you a better understanding of whether you should go for these products or not).

If you like this post then please follow+ the blog and share it with your friends & family. Let me know your comments in the box below.

Also if you like the post,don’t forget to give me stars;click on the star to like the post .

Happy Reading !!

Disclaimer:The opinion is solely of my own and what may work for me may not work for you, so it is advisable to enquire well & do a patch test if possible before you use any services & products mentioned in the blog

The Monsoon Diaries – Post 03

Another post from The Monsoon Diaries – collection of my season specific posts is here. In my previous posts I mentioned about Health Care,Skin Care and now it’s time for Hair Care.

The rainy season makes hair care an uphill task with oily scalp,dandruff,frizzy hair & performances by the ‘The Lice Girls’ (I just realised it’s rhyming with the Spice Girls ! :-P) Most of us end up worrying about our hair care, feeling like there is nothing that can be done about it. Today I am going to share with you some tips to save your tresses from the mighty rains!

• Hair Cleansing, some of you who may have observed that my first point is generally about cleansing. Cleansing will always remain the first and foremost important point.Just like we can get infections on our body similarly our hair is prone to infections too.Lice,dandruff during the rains are common.By cleansing we are protecting our scalp from being a breeding ground to all these problems. Try washing your hair at least 3 times a week.Also make sure to apply some oil on your hair before washing it.

Image source : http://www.shutterstock.com

• Wet hair is the biggest problem for our tresses, no matter what you do to protect your hair, the rain drops somehow manage to fall on your hair and makes it wet. All these years we thought that dry scalp is the only reason behind the snow on our hair Oops ! I meant Dandruff.However wet hair & scalp causes dandruff too!. So do not tie your hair when it is wet as it will make your hair remain damp for too long.

• Avoid going for any type of Hair treatments like smoothening, straightening,etc in the rains, this is because our hair is extremely fragile during the rains and using harsh chemicals would damage it even more.

• Drink loads of boiled water/packaged water to make sure the body & hair remains hydrated and also avoid using hair dryers very often, this will help reduce the frizziness from the hair.

• If you are planning for a hair cut and you are okay with trying something different than usual,then opt for shorter hair-cuts, since maintenance will be low & it will be easier to cover short hair with a rain cap.

• Hair Fall is another common complaint of most women during this season.Since our hair is in a delicate state during this season, do not worry if there is a little more hair fall than usual (If you feel that the hair fall seems quite abnormal, then don’t hesitate to see a doctor). Avoid combing wet hair or drying it using a towel vigorously.Be gentle to your hair.

I hope you all enjoyed the Third post of The Monsoon Diaries.

If you like the post please follow the blog by clicking on Follow+ , share your email address, you will get an email kindly click on confirm & there you are !

Ready to get all that information a beauty with brains like you needs !.

Happy Reading !

Aiswarya

The Monsoon Diaries (Post 02) Skin Care

Once again welcome to ‘The Monsoon Diaries Post- 02′; my collection of season specific posts.

Today I am going to discuss about the second category to this collection which is about Skin Care.

The largest external organ of human body is the ‘Skin’, during the rainy season, the humidity levels are high making our skin prone to bacterial & fungal infections.This makes it important for us to take good care our skin.

• Cleansing our skin,I have mentioned this in the first post as well that it’s extremely important to keep the surface of our skin clean.Remember to take bath twice a day, once in the morning and once at night after you return home.

• You can add a few drops of essential oils like Tea Tree oil in the water while taking a bath. I will not suggest using an anti-septic liquid like Dettol or Savlon to be mixed with water for bathing as they are harsh on the skin.Instead use their body wash or soaps as they are specifically made for the skin.

• Keeping yourself Dry, moisture or dampness on your body will become the breeding ground for bacteria or fungus, hence always try to keep yourself dry especially between the fingers of your hands & legs.Use a clean towel to pat yourself dry after you get wet ,you can also use talcum powder on your body.

• For all those who thought they can give up wearing Sunscreen for the next few months,here is a bad news for them; we should use the sunscreen even during the rainy season as the harmful rays of the sun are still active (Some of you reading this will be thinking that we anyway never apply sunscreen HaHa 😛 !,In that case let me tell you that using a sunscreen is crucial to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun,however it is never too late start it from today to use a sunscreen).

• Change the products, the condition of our skin differs from season to season, during the summer it tends to be more oily & in winters it is dry as a desert, which is why we may have to change a few of our products depending on how our skin behaves this monsoon.

• Foot soak, add some Epsom Salts (technically Magnesium Sulphate) to lukewarm water and dip your feet in it, this will help to remove the stinky odour & also heals any kind of infections caused due to bacteria or fungus. I would suggest to do a pedicure at home if it’s possible and to avoid any pedicures at beauty salons during monsoon or get it done by an extremely hygienic salon, reason being our nails tend to accumulate lot of dirt and if the instruments used are not well kept chances are that you may end up getting an infection.

• People with high diabetes are more susceptible, since any form of infection on their body would take a lot of time to heal and may lead to severe consequences.Thus they should keep a check for any signs of infections especially in between the toes.

I hope you enjoyed the second post to The Monsoon Diaries,

If you like it, please remember to follow+, like, comment & share with your friends and family.

Happy Reading !!

Aiswarya

In case you missed ‘ The Monsoon Diaries – Post 01’ see it here https://pashionnetin.wordpress.com/2018/06/06/the-monsoon-diaries-post-01/

The Monsoon Diaries- Post 01

Welcome to The Monsoon Diaries – my collection of a season specific posts, here I am going to talk about all that you need to keep in mind this monsoon season.
I have divided the Monsoon diaries into different categories – today’s Post-01 is about Health Care.
Overview of the Season:
Rains are quite controversial in India;it will just drizzle in one year causing draughts or pours so heavily in another year causing floods !
It is our immunity system that first starts feeling the pinch of the rains with cold, cough, fever, stomach upset and what not ! this is because the bacteria formation is quite high in this season, especially with the Nipah Virus around this year, there is nothing more important than healthcare.
So Let’s start with our First post to the Monsoon Diaries – Health Care
1. Water

• Water-borne diseases are very common this season. It happens because of contaminated water being used for drinking, cooking,etc.

• The best way to avoid this is by using boiled water to drink or else packaged drinking water in case you do not have access to boiled water.

• Do not consume tap water,outside beverages like fruit juices, or snacks like Pani Puri from outside.

2. Food

• Freshly prepared home – made food is always the best.

• In case you have to eat outside, avoid eating from street vendors, instead opt for hygienic restaurants (Remember not all restaurants are hygienic- so be careful when you choose one)

• When in restaurants opt for food items that are cooked well like Khichdi, tea,etc. (This will ensure the water gets boiled when the food is cooked)

• Avoid having leafy vegetables, since leafy vegetables are grown in swamps, they are more prone to bacteria growing on them (for those who hate leafy veggies, they will surely have an evil smile on their face; for now they have found an excuse !)

• If at all one has to consume leafy veggies make sure to wash them properly with warm water & salt.

• Avoid heavy meals, non-veg as they are heavy to digest. Rainy season is the breeding time for most fishes so even better to avoid them (this is probably the scientific reason to the religious practices of abstaining from non-veg food or fasting in the monsoon season by many religions in India!)

• Before you prepare any meal, it is better to cook all your veggies to be safe.

• I know how much we all crave those tea time with Pakoras in the rains, but please try to make sure you don’t over eat them.

3. Stay Hygienic

• With all that splash & puddle jumping in dirty water, you are definitely going to bring home guests for dinner;none other than the famous bacteria responsible for malaria, chikungunya, dengue,etc(Wow you will be surprised to know how popular your new guests are !). So it is crucial to keep your body clean.

• If you suffer from cold, cough remember to carry tissues for the sneezy moments, avoid shaking hands with others in order to control the spread of the bacteria.Always wash your hands with hand wash or else use a hand sanitizer.

4. Immunity Boosters & Exercise

• Herbal teas are the best for this weather to give you that extra goodness of nature along with fun of having tea in the rains looking at the rain drops dancing on your window pane.

• For those who did outdoor exercises only,it’s time to shift to indoor exercises options like Yoga, Zumba etc.Add to your daily routine a dollop of immunity booster like Chavanprash,(an Ayurvedic jam – which contains many herbs to boost your immunity).Consume as per the instructions specified on the bottle/ as per your doctor.

I hope you enjoyed The Monsoon Diaries -Post 01
Let me know what’s your favourite part about the rains ?
If you like this post remember to follow,like & comment below.
Happy Reading !
Aiswarya

Acne -Teenager’s Frenemy!!

Hello Everyone,

Teenage is one of the most beautiful phases of life. It’s the time of life when we mature, grow both physically and mentally to another level close to becoming an adult.

However this beautiful phase comes with a free rollercoaster ride of changing hormones, those awkward moments when you are treated neither as a kid nor an adult.

Finally a frenemy called ‘ACNE’ like a friend who is always with you no matter what,at the same time we just hate it, makes it our enemy isn’t it ?

Having gone through it, I feel it’s important for me to share with you all, The Beauty Regime that one must follow in order to have safer rollercoaster rides.

This post is purely about a regime that can help you keep Acne to a minimum or completely avoid it and should be followed by not only those who already have acne but also those wish to keep their skin clear always.

Following are the steps of The Beauty Regime :

1. Cleansing

You need to take bath twice a day if you stay in areas where it is hot & humid or you play a sport or exercise, this is to reduce the heat inside the body and also the breeding ground for acne.However if you stay in colder regions you can take bath once in a day.

2. Moisturizing

Whether your skin is oily/dry/combination you should use a moisturiser depending on skin type you could use a gel based or cream based for oily&combination skin or dry skin respectively.

People with oily skin can restrict it to once during the day.

3. Treatments

A face mask should be used depending on skin type once a week.

I’ll be writing a separate blog post on types of face masks that you could make at home

4. Scrub

Use a mild scrub twice a week and gently scrub away the white & blackheads.

In case you already have acne, do it in a fortnight and be extremely gentle on your skin.

I’ll also make a blog post on the scrubs you can try at home.

5. Healthy Diet

A healthy diet full of fresh fruits & veggies is a must.Try to avoid eating from outside or keep it to a minimum.

7.Water Intake

Drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated is crucial.Water helps flush out toxins from the body.

Most of us sit in air conditioned rooms and therefore do not feel thirsty,this leads to reduced water intake;Thus make sure to drink water even if you are not thirsty in regular intervals.

8.Being Disciplined

This might just sound like a typical school statement but Yes ! You have to religiously follow the routine without giving excuses or else you would probably have to celebrate all your friendship days with your frenemy ‘ACNE’.

I really hope you all implement this beauty regime and let me know your views.

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