Swarovski Haul

Time to Shine!

Have you ever walked in to a Swarovski store? If you did, most of us might agree that the sparkle and shine of their beautiful jewelry is difficult to resist. All you will see is, bling and bling. For those who care about the history of this beautiful brand, Daniel Swarovski (1862-1956) was the man behind the existence of the Swarovski Company. It was in 1895 that he patented his newly-invented machine for cutting and polishing jewelry stones and moved from Northern Bohemian (now Czech Republic) to Wattens, Austria and that's where the company's headquarter is situated.

Did you know since ancient days, crystals are used for their healing power? An online source says that crystals have being used since civilizations to influence mood, energy, health and prosperity. I don't know if this is a fact/myth but if it’s true then am all ready to shine and shine day and night with it. 

Let’s see how my crystals add sparkle to my life.. 

I have three Swarovski accessories in my kitty. I am a bare minimum accessory person. My favorite accessories are scarves, eye shades, bags and one statement watch. I don't even  wear my wedding band. I got these classic pieces of Swarovski as a little birthday gift by my DH. My DH cannot stand any accessories (read jewelry) on me (neither do I..though am now sincerely trying to appreciate them). I am aware of this fact so I was quite surprised to receive these babies for my birthday. He got me very neat pieces.  I was impressed. He later told me that he played safe and didn't experiment much, which suits me perfectly.

Coming up below is the description about the 3 Swarovski pieces that I received as gift:

Solitaire Pendant: Price: Rs 4,990 (78 USD approx)

This solitaire pendant is crystal clear and the chain attached is a rhodium-plated, which reveals three beautiful crystals. The crystal solitaire looks dazzling and beautiful. The design is simple, yet elegant. Trust me it does look better than the pictures here. 

The delicate chain with the pendant is perfect for my liking as its summers now and this is very light weight. You can wear this with almost any outfit for casual or formal wear. You can get creative by layering them up with other long chains. I would prefer to wear them with a collar or V-neck tops/shirts or dresses. 

Solitaire Pierced Earrings (Studs):Rs 3,990 (63 USD approx)

The studs comprise of one solitaire crystal each. This pair of studs comes in 3 colors, which is, pink crystal with rose gold plating, white crystal with rhodium plating and white crystal with rose golf plating. I have the plain white crystal with rhodium plating. I have used these kinds of studs before, just for the fear of the closing of my pierced ears for not wearing anything in them for long. I remember, I had struggled very hard to put in those dangling ear rings during my wedding and was painful. But this pair of Swarovski is elegant and a classic piece with real crystals. I feel good wearing them :) These studs will go with everyday look and are perfect for those (like me), who do not like to wear too much bling jewelry but still prefer to put on something very minimalist. One can combine this set with the above Swarovski solitaire pendant-chain for a complete look; they are almost made for each other.

Stone Mini Bangle: Rs 6,990 (78 USD approx)

This is mini bangle is of small size, I would prefer to call it a 'bracelet'. This bracelet has four rows of sparkling crystals paved on the front side with a finishing of rhodium plating on the inside. I am in love with this statement piece which is glamorous yet subtle.

I would style it with almost anything. You may also wear it along with other trendy bangles for a touch of bling. This Stone Mini Bangle comes in four colors which is, gold, black, rhodium and rose. Mine is beautiful rhodium again like the above other pieces.

Swarovski jewelry and accessories are a work of art. If you get time do visit the stores to appreciate these beauties. There is something for everybody, whether you are in to colorful jewelry or statement pieces or you looking for just simple, classic pieces for day to day wear or other accessories like a Swarovski pen or wallet, they have a wonderful versatile collection. So, I will say, good job DH, I love your present and am looking forward to visit Swarovski again soon coz the crystals did add a little sparkle to my life :)

Forest Essentials Facial Ubtan 'Tejasvi'

Mira Kulkarni started Forest Essentials in 2000. Forest Essentials is an exotic ayurvedic brand in India and the ingredients are sourced from plants, trees and herbs which are naturally grown in forests.

Here are few awesome facts about Forest Essentials:

No child labor involved in their manufacturing process.

Not tested on animals.

Local suppliers and local labors are hired, hence local employment is encouraged.

The products are not manufactured in a factory but in Himalayas, using their own spring water.

Completely organic range of products.

This is the second time that I bought the same face pack from Forest Essentials. This 'ubtan'  also known as face pack is an exfoliating treatment, which has gone through ayurvedic process and is made with hand grinder. The product is completely pure and organic. To learn more about the product, you may read here. 

How to use: 

Take a half spoon and mix with either yogurt or rose water for a creamy paste. 

Apply on face and neck area. 

Leave it on until its dry.

Wash your face or exfoliate in circular manner with little water. 

Let your face dry naturally

I really like this face pack as its smells great, easy to apply, removes excess oil from skin, works as a wonderful scrub and skin feels supple and soft after use. It also helps in removing tan, prevents fine lines and brings natural glow. The quantity is generous enough to last few months. Honestly, I am unable to use it regularly coz of my busy schedule at home (read:taking care of my baby) but whenever I get time, I use it and it works great for me. 

The product is priced at Rs795/- and can be bought here.

Body Shop Moringa Range

“You’ve got to be hungry – for ideas, to make things happen and to see your vision made into reality.”

Dame Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop

I have being a Body Shop fan since memories go back to my teenage days. Those days Body Shop was not available in India and a family friend will often bring me the Body Shop goodies from Dubai. It's been more than 10 years but am still in awe of Body Shop products. I love its 'lets keep it simple' style, simple but classy. Anita Roddick found The Body Shop in 1976, which became a part of Loreal in 2006. Body Shop's headquarters are situated in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England. 

I lovedBody Shop's Moringa range of products. 'Moringa' tree is a native of Sub-Himalayan area of India. The bark of the tree, leaves, flowers, seed oil and roots are used for medicinal purpose. 
All the products in Moringa range smells so heavenly and the smell is definitely very feminine..it has a tropical and a floralvibe. I like the packaging of the product and the humble yellow color looks lovely to eyes.

Moringa Beautifying Oil

The Moringa Beautifying Oil is a light weight oil which has Moringa and Marula. 'Marula' oil is a product from Namibia, extracted from dried nuts of Marula fruit. The oil can be used on face and hair both for a lustrous finish. I really like this one! The bottle has a small nozzle on top and feels really light on skin when applied. I would prefer to apply the oil on my skin rather than the hair. This is most suitable for dry skin. One can use it after shower or before bed time. I use this oil as a moisturizer. It is priced at Rs1095/- and can be bought here.

Moringa Body Scrub

Meet my new girl friend, I love this scrub!! The exfoliating scrub contains Moringa seeds oil and has a creamy texture. I use it twice a week. We all know how to apply a scrub, so am not going there. It definitely leaves my skin soft and the skin feels really clean. It is priced at Rs1095/- and can be purchased here.

Moringa Shower Gel

The shower gel is a soap free product with Moringa seeds oil in it. Lathers up very well with a loofah, leaves a lingering smell of Moringa for a very long time on your skin. I am a very 'shower-gel' kinda person, coz I find shower gels more hygienic compared to traditional soaps. So I keep trying different shower gels. This one is a big thumbs up from me. The product is priced nominally at Rs425/- and can be purchased here.

Moringa Body Sorbet

A sorbet is a frozen desert and a body sorbet is a body moisturizer with a twist. Yes, the texture is not that of a normal body lotion but has a sorbet texture which gets absorbed in the skin immediately. The texture is bit frosty, hence the name 'sorbet'.The Moringa Body Sorbet is infused with Moringa seed oils and smells so good again. I use it regularly and the skin feels hydrated for a long time. Store the sorbet in fridge, true to its name, when you use it, its going to feel very refreshing. The product is priced at Rs795/- and can be bought here.

Other products in the Moringa range are the hand cream, soap, eau de toilette, body mist and body butter and body lotion. Body Shop India is always offering occasional discounts, so you may try their online store. I am looking forward to their new launch 'Drops of Youth' range. Its in my wish list :)

My Envy Box: May Edition: Deluxe BeuTea Box

My Envy Box, May edition, knocking my door. 

May in Bloom

May is so beautiful: Orchards are fair; Branches of fruit trees Make gardens of air. Flowers of fragrance Bloom in the light; Fall like the snowflakes Showering white. Orchards of heaven Grow with a grace, And like a blessing Perfume the place. Each tree in blossom, Each lovely spray, In this month of Our Lady, Bring glory to May. Helen Maring  The Magnificat. Volume LXVIII. Number 1. May 1941 Hey guys, May is here bringing in scorching heat, that means extra care for your skin and hair. This is when we wish for a relaxing spa. My envy box has come up with Spa edition in a lovely green box, the color, which I found very refreshing. The box consists of 5 samples of Vana Vidhi. To be honest I have never heard of Vana Vidhi, hence I further looked it up on the net. I could not find much about the brand, but it says that it is a luxury ayurvedic brand which is a complete natural bath and body product. It is also vegan and hence not tested on animals.The products are also completely parabens free, sulphates free and has no added colors. Contents of the box: The Vana Vidhi samples in the box are Darjeeling Green Tea Luxe Summer Spa products. The miniatures are each 40 ml, well they again remind me of my hotel stays, where the toiletries were something I looked forward to. Not all hotels had quality stuff but I did get some amazing ones from few luxury hotels. The 5 samples in the box are as follows: Green Tea Natural Face Wash: 40 ml. 115 ml costs Rs1899/- Aloe Vera and Green Tea Body Wash: 40 ml. 200 ml  costs Rs1899/- Green Tea Shampoo: 40 ml.115 ml costs Rs1500/- Green Tea Hair Conditioner: 40 ml. 115 ml  costs Rs1599/- Green Tea Natural Moisturizing Body Lotion: 40 ml. 115 ml costs Rs1500/- Darjeeling Forest Incense Sticks:2 sticks. 12 sticks cost Rs399/-  I tried the products before writing the review, so here is my take on my first Envy Box: Green Tea Shampoo and Hair Conditioner: 40 ml is too less a quantity. I finished the miniature conditioner in just 2 wash. I have almost long and thick hair, hence I use a lot of conditioner. Shampoo may last me for 3 hair wash, not more than that. Both shampoo and conditioner could not play any magic on my hair and left my hair dry and wry. So its a thumbs down from me. I am never gonna use it.,NEVER. Green Tea Natural Face Wash: I like the face wash. It left my face refreshingly clean, soft and subtle. The sample might last for 2 weeks. Aloe Vera and Green Tea Body Wash: The body wash was as good as the face wash but like me, if you are looking for lingering fragrances on your skin after shower then these products are not for you.  Green Tea Natural Moisturizing Lotion: The lotion is the winner of the lot for me. It absorbs easily in to the skin without any stickiness. Though I might keep it in my hand bag as hand cream coz of its size.  I am not into incense sticks, so I just put them away. I don't think am making anyone green with envy with the box. I was actually hopping for some makeup products in this month's envy box like the April box, was a tad bit disappointed with this month's products. Then I kicked the teenager out of me and instantly felt better coz the products are luxury ayurvedic products and is a must try at least once. Personally I am not a sucker for ayurvedic products but I do try them once in a while. I feel life is too short to take yourself or your skin too seriously. For me which ever skin or hair products does the job, I keep them. You can subscribe to My Envy Box here. I have read such good reviews about My Envy Box that I went ahead and took a 3 months subscription. My sister tried the April box and she quite liked it.  P.S. For the summers keep hydrating yourself and do not venture out without a sunblock and shades!

Mini vacation at Mt.Abu.

My DH (dear husband) surprised me by taking us on a mini vacation to Mount Abu. Looking at my vast experience of hotel stays..thanks to my previous crew life..usually I am the one who plays a major role in deciding on hotels but this time my DH finalized the hotel and decided to keep it as a secret. I kept my fingers crossed wishing that the surprise is gonna be a fine one...oh pls god pls!!! After a scenic drive of about 3-4 hrs from Ahmadabad to Mount Abu we reached our hotel..well it was not a hotel..ha!! It was a freaking palace!!

We checked in ourselves in Palace Hotel (Bikaner House) for a night and two days. True to its name the palace was built in 1893 by the royal family of Bikaner. The Late Maharaja Dr.Karni Singh, the 23rd ruler of Bikaner (1924-1988), converted the Bikaner House into 'The Palace Hotel' in 1962. When you drive in the gates of the Bikaner House, you will see a stretch of green lush garden, birds chirping, silence of nature and you get an immediate feeling of slowly been taken away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The property exudes the charm of old world and takes you back in time.

Palace Hotel at dusk

Accomodation

Our suite was huge with a vintage bedroom, dressing room, huge bathroom and a sitting room opening up to a private portico. I am very particular about cleanliness of bathroom and linen. Bathroom had modern fittings and was absolutely clean and well maintained. Though the toileteries were very basic and I wish I had not forgotten my vanity kit home. The hotel has about 33 rooms which are divided into Super Deluxe, Suites and Grand Suites. We had a chance to visit various rooms and we were told that each room is different. Below are the snapshots taken during the palace tour:

Our Suite

Dining

Either one could dine in the open air or inside the hotel premises. The dining/restaurant was again a reminder of the elegant past, with  beautiful interiors, crisp white table linen, neatly placed crockery and cutlery.The staff was hospitable and warm. They were dressed in their crisp uniforms which reminded me of royal discipline. The menu was not elaborate and consisted of Indian and Continental cuisine. We almost had all our meals at the hotel, all the meals that we had cannot be called gourmet meals but was satisfactory. Although I Continental is definitely not their specialty. I would advise travelers to stick to Indian cuisine. While dining there I just imagined, the history that this place must have witnessed.

Other Facilities

There is a lounge area where you can see the walls adorned by the portraits and pictures of the royal family. You may also request for some indoor games here. Or you can go out on a walk within the premises of the hotel which has some great views of the valley, you can sit there, order a drink or a beverage and have a quiet moment of your own. 

Tariff

According to the hotel staff, the hotel is usually busy during  the weekends and the tariffs may vary from season to season. The current tariffs are as follows:

Superior Deluxe Rs7900/-

Suites Rs9300/-

Grand Suites Rs14200/-

The above tariffs are for double occupancy and includes breakfast and taxes. For further details you may contact here

About Mount Abu

Mt.Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station situated at about 4000ft. The hill station was a summer holiday destination for royal families of Rajasthan. There are many temples on the hill, there is a wildlife park, there is a busy Nakki lake and the headquarters of the world famous Brahamakumaris is situated in Mt.Abu. My personal favorite activity was simply to go on a long drive!! We did not venture out much in Abu except having lunch on the way back home, at Hotel Hillock, which was great. We stayed within our hotel most of the time during our stay and simply enjoyed the beauty and grandeur of the palace and its outdoors.

How to get there

By Air: Nearest airport is 185 km in Udaipur but the best option would be Ahmadabad which is 221 km by road from Mount Abu. Ahmadabad has better air-connectivity compared to Udaipur.

By Road: Mount Abu is well connected with most of the major cities. If you are travelling to Mt.Abu from Ahmadabad, it is about 3-4hrs drive.

By Train: Mount Abu railway station is about 25 Km drive from the city and is connected to couple of major cities. 

Or you may click here for any further assistance.

My Experience

I will not do justice by merely putting down words here, as you need to experience it on your own . Though Mt.Abu is relatively very small hill station but if you are looking for a quite, refreshing get away, to have a 'Me-time' with your loved ones then this heritage Hotel, Bikaner House is highly recommended. I had my fill of peace and tranquility. I feel revived and headed back home happily. Had some unexpected visitors on the way back!

April Fab Bag.. Nine to 9 Secrets

April Fab Bag! My new find..

Now that I have quit working and am home full time, I often browse during my free time. This is when I came across Fab Bag. It is a monthly subscription concept, where experts put together 3-4 or more beauty products and deliver at your door step. I was so impressed with the concept that I put on my google cap and decided to research more on it. Wow! there are so many monthly subscriptions out there.Most of the subscriptions are beauty related products, this is for the beauty enthusiasts who love surprises and would like to try new and different products!! How did I never know about these lovelies..coz I really love surprises and am open to try new products, also honestly I hardly ever come to know about new products or new brands that are being launched as I have always been busy, earlier coz of my work and now coz of my baby. I think it is a great way of knowing new products and trying them out without even stepping out of your home, suits busy mums like me.

Fab Bag have a different pouch every month, I was very curious about what kind of pouch will they be sending out for April. It's a 'zebra' print pouch, with 5 products inside and a magazine describing the products and how to use them. The pouch also includes a personalized card with your name and the price of each product is mentioned on the same card. April month is called Nine to 9 Beauty Secrets, in which they have introduced 2 new products which is Denman and Malavara.

April Fab Bag's Contents:

1. Malavara Body Lotion (Rs 390 for 60ml) (Lime Vetiver)
2. Malavara Shower Gel (Rs300 for 60ml) (Lime Vetiver)
3. Iraya Manjistha Eye Contour Gel (Rs395 for 25gm, though it shows 20gm on the product)
4. City Color Blush Quad-Pink (Full size for Rs500)
5. Denman Black Hair Brush (Full size for Rs475)

My Verdict:

I am no beauty or makeup expert. Although due to my vast flying experience, I have a fair knowledge about beauty and makeup products. Hence, it is just my own personal verdict, you may consider the following review from a layman point of view:

1.Malavara Body Lotion: Malavara is a newly launched company. The lotion smells very citrus and fresh. I made sure to use it few times before writing the blog and I quite liked it. The lotion is non sticky. The lovely citrus fragrance stays on the skin for long time and 60ml is good enough to last for 2 weeks for a busy mum like me.

2.Malavara Shower Gel: I was going to buy a shower gel for me and when I got this in the Fab Bag, I was quite happy. The shower gel is equally nice and leaves you fresh and smelling great. The 60ml shower gel is a generous quantity which will last me easily more than 2 weeks. The smell and packaging of the lotion and the shower gel reminds me of the toiletries that we used to get during our stay in the high end hotels, during my flying days.

3.Iraya Manjistha Eye Contour Gel: Iraya is a new brand to me. Hence I did a bit of research before using the eye gel. Iraya is highly influenced from Ayurveda and the products are almost organic. They have their own farm and grow various herbs, flowers and plants. Manjistha is a flowering plant from coffee family. The red pigment is derived from its roots. Before this, I was not using any under eye cream and was thinking of buying one as I have just crossed the threshold of 30's. This is my favorite product in April Fab Bag. I am very happy with the results of the Iraya Eye Gel. I use it twice in a day morning after bath and night before sleeping. I feel that my eyes look much brighter with under eye bags fading. With my baby, my sleep pattern is not disciplined and my husband's early morning work schedules also don't help much. Hence this product is definitely my bestie right now. On applying the gel, the texture feels very hydrating. The 20gm eye gel will last me a month easily. 

4.City Color Blush Quad-Pink: I have never heard of this brand hence I found out more about the brand by checking it out online, you may click here to know more about City Color. I got the pink shade which suits my complexion and I did use it couple of times and am happy with the blush. The blush is in 4 shades of pink, it smells nice and is easy to carry in your hand bag. I was also due to buy a blush since long as I have being using Nars and Mac blushes since about two years which is near expiry. Also you can use these shades as eye shadows. Get creative!

5. Denman Hair Brush: This is my second favorite product in the bag. Its again a new launch. I am in love with the brush. As again I don't get enough time like before to brush my hair. My showers are super quick coz of my cutie pie, my son who has now started rolling :D This hair brush is a life saver. I really love the way it easily removes the tangles from my hair and that too in no time. Big thumbs up for the hair brush.

A big thank you to Fab Bag for the awesome products and the pouch. I recommend Iraya Manjistha Eye Contour Gel and the Denman hair brush. I also like the rest of the products but for me these two were the clear winners!! You can subscribe for Fab Bag here.You may try the bag by taking a month's subscription for Rs599/- or go ahead with 3, 6 or 12 months subscription at discounted rates. The subscription is worth every penny, you definitely get more than what you pay for.

Ahh Goo...were the words...

This post is dedicated to my new bff..my son..who is about to turn 6 months!! Am so excited...recently I celebrated my 31st birthday..but was least excited about it..maybe..still haven't got used to 30's :-/ But!! am so excited about my son's half-yearly birthday :D For me its a major milestone!! Alright, let me introduce myself, I am a first time mommy!! Still basking fresh in the glory of motherhood, still learning, making mistakes, trying different stuff for my son..which ever works best for him...have mastered the art of changing diapers and cut my baby's nails with trembling hands while he is asleep. Also..i can almost successfully predict if my little luv is hungry or sleepy, if he is cold or he is hot or there are poopy or peepee issues and many, many more.. I have developed my senses too, including the sixth sense :D

Wow!! never thought life can change so drastically for this free spirited, freedom seeker, angry-young-woman, super independent, globe trotter, i-take-no-crap, maverick girl!!

And out of all those people out there, this tiny little cute munchkin tamed this tigress!! ha! this little bundle has mellowed me hands down..wowwwiee..he is so CUTE!!! OMG! is he mine?? 

I am a Mommy now!! 

And I don't regret a tiny bit of it!

You know guys, my thoughts were not the same before..I was not even sure if I wanted a baby and if I would be able to go through the trauma of being pregnant, hospitalize, injections, pain, operations, visitors, caring for the baby, waking day n night, no schedule what so ever..etc etc..I was scared of lot of things..what if the baby is always crying!! what will i do...i know nothing about babies..i just don't know how this baby-mother thing works..i have my own life..no..no..no..no babies..!!!

Well..here comes the scholar out of me!! I started researching on babies n motherhood...lol..downloaded couple of apps on my phone..I read whatever I could..took advise of whoever I could..and prepared myself mentally..ofcoz my husband was with me in this throughout..

I had the smoothest pregnancy..hospitalization was not bad..excluding the labor pains :( here comes this little guy..who turned my world upside down..I fell in love with him at the first sight..!!! True..eternal.selfless love....and here our love story begins !!

He has been an awesome baby and the first words that ever came out of his mouth were....'aah goo!!!'