SUBTLE INDIAN MAKEUP

As you would have noticed, most of my makeup tutorials have a lot of focus on the eyes. I strongly believe that if you can highlight your eyes , half the battle is won. Indian look is synonymous to dark eyes and red lips. This is a look created with the red and golden hues(but not going overboard) which is perfect for Indian weddings and parties.

Gold is a great shade for makeup and it suits the Indian skin tone really well. It is a royal color which makes your eyes pop with kohled eyes.

On the eyes –

Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Eye shadow palette

Desert sand all over the eye lids until smooth

Nefertiti on the inner corners and slowly moving towards the mid of the eye lids

Saffron and Blazing on outer corner of the eyes blended in really well

INGLOT AMC 77 Eyeliner – My favorite black of all times.Used it on the upper lash line and water line.

Maybelline Eye Mascara Long Lashes

Benefit Big Brows

On the Face

Foundation mix of MAC Studio Fix NC 25 and Bobbi Brown

Blush Too Faced Sweet Hearts

Highlighter Moonlight from Cover FX

Finishing Powder by Laura Mercier

 

On the Lips

Huda Beauty Heart Breaker dabbed with a brush in little quantities to get a lighter shade of cherry red.

 

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GLAMRADA – Real People,Genuine Reviews

Glamrada is an online beauty community where one can read & review skincare & makeup products,share honest opinion with brands & fellow members of the community.Anything from a regretful purchase to a new obsession, people are free to give their opinions and it also works as a great repository for reviews which can be referred to before you buy a product.

If you are a Glamrada member, you would not miss a latest trend or styling tip that is reserved for only registered members.Well not just that, you also have coupons and deals on the best of brands which help you make an informed decision on your skincare and cosmetics purchases. Blogs to makeup/hairstyle tutorials, food to healthy lifestyle products, they have it all covered. Check them out on Instagram  –

 

Depending upon how active you are,you could be a part of their trial squad,where you get to test products from the featured brand for free & in turn you are expected to write a genuine review on their website. So guys, check it out and join me in the trial squad for the coming month.

FLYING WITH A BABY?

 

While vacationing with a baby might sound like an oxymoron, good planning and preparation can ease off a huge amount of load from the parents. Basically, if you are prepared ahead of time, it could be a smooth experience. I have traveled with V since she was 3 months and by the time she was 1, she had made it to her 18^th flight. It was never perfect but it was never that bad to put my travel life grind to a halt. Here are few tips which can help you on those long flights that you are dreading –

1. First and foremost, book the front seat with a bassinet – Lot of airlines do give you the option of pre – booking the bassinet seat online but some could  ask you to wait till you collect your boarding pass and request for a bassinet seat at the counter. In that case, it will be based on availability, so it is better to check with the airlines beforehand because once the baby is asleep, you can safely place him/her on the bassinet and give your arms some rest. The crew does not fit the bassinet during takeoff and landing, so you will have to manage that time on your own. Bassinet is quite a boon until your baby has reached the crawling/walking phase.
2. Lots of extras – You have to forget the concept of travelling light when it comes to travelling with a baby. Layering is important as flights get very cold after they take off, also if you carry layers,you can take them off in warmer temperatures . I always dress V in light clothes which are confortable while travelling and layer her up as and when required.Hence, you should have space in the diaper bag to fit in those extra jackets. Extra outfits and diapers are a must – you never know when there is spilt food/water or for that matter even poop J
3. Medicines – One of the most important things which I never forget to carry. I learnt it the hard way in one of the flights back to India when V threw up for no apparent reason and I did not have the medicine handy. Guess what, I went around asking a few mothers on board and no body had a sickness medicine in their handbags. It was a huge mistake and since then, I never forget to carry the whole set of medicines with prescriptions wherever I go.
4. Food and fluids – If you are a nursing mother, chances are you will have a smooth flight. Baby should be hydrated at all times as airplanes can be really drying. If he/she has started to munch on few finger foods or other snacks, please do not forget to carry those with you. I noticed V got a lot more curious about food after we introduced solids at the age of 6 months – I didn’t mind giving her a bite of the food we ordered on the flight as well.
5. Things baby associate familiarity with – It could be a favorite toy, a favorite blanket or even a favorite pillow. Anything that the baby is used to and is compact enough to be carried must be in your cabin baggage. I have a particular chipmunk soft toy that V relates sleep with. So it becomes a lot easier for her to be calm and comfortable hugging the toy.
6. Plan your travel around baby’s sleep schedule – Fortunately, most international flights from India are late in the night. In the initial days, V used to be in deep sleep in the mornings only, so I used to prefer booking the morning flights for domestic travel. Gradually when she started to sleep well in the night, we planned our international trips with most of the travel happening in the night flights.
7. Carrier or stroller – Each one has its own benefits, you got to make a choice. I used to carry V in the initial days but it was a pain to take the carrier off each time during the security Check-ins. Although it is the same for strollers as well but the biggest advantage of the stroller is you can let the baby sleep in a reclining position and keep your hands free. Typically, I use carriers during sightseeing and prefer stroller during flight travels.

Guys, come what may, your baby is not going to behave his/her best while travelling unless you are extremely lucky. Let’s understand it is a change of place and by all probabilities an unpleasant one for him/her. So you will get those smirks, frosty stares and unwanted advice from your fellow passengers but good news is it doesn’t matter. Remember when you traveled during college and there were babies wailing in the flight. Could you do anything about it?No!So do not bother with what others are thinking of you – just try to make the baby comfortable as much as you can. Hope you have a safe flight with your munchkin!

WHY CHILDREN SHOULD PLAY OUTDOORS?

This winter has been very tough for me as far as V’s health was concerned. We struggled for nights with blocked nose, persistent cough and sore throat. I had to do an extensive research on how to deal with baby’s cough and cold , how to boost immunity and how to get rid of recurring flu. While I was not successful in the initial attempts, I learnt a lot through the failed attempts. One of the biggest myths that burst for me was that babies/kids should be kept indoors to avoid any kind of health issue. Contrary to this popular belief, there are in fact hundreds of benefits for kids who play outside regularly, it is also advised that kids should spend more than 3 hours outdoors each day. Some of the reasons why you should let your child spend time outside are listed below –

1. Confinement breeds diseases: While rest is extremely important for the sick and we are perennially worried about our kids catching cold when they step out, the reality is virus is easy to catch in closed environments. In open areas, there are lesser chances of kids catching the virus and in open air.
2. Emotional and social competencies: Outdoor play has brain-boosting benefits for kids, starting in infancy. It strengthens the language and communication interactions among children who play together in the park. The more they socialize, the faster their learning is.
3. Vitamin D Levels : Vitamin D has several health benefits like strengthening bone health which is a key parameter for growth in kids. Since, most of our kids have minimum exposure to sun these days, we try to supplement through food and tablets but sunlight is the most natural and effective way of receiving Vitamin D. Ofcourse, the precautionary measures must be taken for children who get sun burns easily.
4. Channelize energy and increase curiosity: Kids come with a huge amount of energy which has to be channelized in a productive way. Kids who are confident about their physical abilities tend to be more positive about their lives in general. When they are exposed to newer things, their curiosity levels rise up, their tendency to ask questions increases and all of this contributes to the overall energy levels of a child.
5. Increased attention span : Green outdoor settings always appear to reduce Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms amongst children, that includes the exposure they get to natural settings through different outdoor activities.
6. Concept of leadership and team work – Outdoor play is extremely important to the social development of children particularly for building self-confidence. In addition to it, children also get more empathetic through social play, and they develop more skills for coping with conflict. Group activities also help develop team skills and leadership/moderation skills at a very early age.
7. Boosting creativity: Sensory inputs help boost creativity and imagination. It also helps with quick learning – we all know we learn to do by doing and there is no substitute to experience. So, if you touch the sand, you would understand the concept of coarse and fine and there is no other way to explain it by seeing or reading. Hence, we must encourage our kids to step out and enjoy the sun, grass and wide skies.

I would be so happy to receive inputs from other moms who are willing to share their experiences and tricks which have worked for them.

 

 

NO RIGHT OR WRONG TO ACCESSORISING

An accessory can make or break an outfit. You don’t really need a designer brand name or the aid of a stylist if you use the right accessories.You could rock a tee and jeans or even a plain simple dress would come off looking really stylish with the right accessories. I love to experiment with my accessories – I had recently used a hair accessory as a choker and it got me tonnes of appreciation. Here, I am using a long neck piece in a different way to brighten up my solid red dress .Neck piece on the neck is too mainstream, so you can see how I have used it differently.

 

Since cinched waist is in, here’s a belt from Stalk Buy Love which is perfect for flaunting an hour glass figure. There you go  –

No wonder accessorizing is almost an art now. It separates the well dressed from the boring ones. There are incredible accessories available that can fit any budget and the best thing about accessories is you could pair it with absolutely basic clothes.

 

 

 

Dress – Westside

Neckpiece – Street shopping in Thailand

Shoes – KOOVs

 

Shoot Location – Museum of Ethnology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

HAPPY HOLI WITH NO COLORS

Holi is the most exciting of all the Indian festivals, for adults and children alike. While the color blast is sure to lift your spirits, the celebration can get really messy! Also, with all the water conservation issues lately, I think people are looking at more options to celebrate Holi in a unique way avoiding colors in the first place. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways in which you can have fun and celebrate the festival of colors in an eco-friendly manner. If you are not looking forward to Holi because of the colors, here are 7 other reasons you can create for yourselves to enjoy the festival –

1. The Décor : Festive décor is a must for the right vibes around any festival. Go for simple props as a display e.g gulal in chai glasses – It will set the mood at the entrance itself. You can string up bright balloons and paper ribbons all around. Colorful flowers will further add to the life of the occasion.
2. Food, food and more food : Holi is associated with food as much as it is with color. Well, that’s how most Indian festivals are J If you are fond of cooking, this is the time to make some lip smacking sweets, particularly gujiyas (Sweet dumpling made with flour and stuffed with khoya). If you are fond of eating like me, the choices are never ending. I always wait for Holi to get the best of food throughout the day gorging on sweets and savories in all the meals.
3. Colors for the kids: I am sure there would be many over protective moms like me who wouldn’t want their kids to play with colors but I am definitely not averse to the idea of introducing the concept of having fun with colors. While V is too small to even understand the art and craft, I plan to help her with few splatter cards and coloring books. Looks like fun, let’s see if she really enjoys it.
4. Photo shoot – What a wonderful occasion to get few pictures clicked. You can make it a day to remember using a blank wall and a variety of props such as rainbow wigs, outsized sunglasses, multicolored hats, and colorful boards. Also, don’t forget a pile of masks and pouts to add to the fun.
5. Forgive and forget – Did you know the festival of Holi is actually a day to forgive and forget, and to try and end conflicts. So, make peace amongst your groups and people you do not get along with.
6. Chance to dress up : The traditional dress code for Holi has always been white but if you want to celebrate the festival with colors on your clothes, you can dress up in the brightest of colors and enjoy the color blast.
7. Go for a theme: Themes in parties are always fun. A good theme can take a boring gathering to a legendary party.Go for funky themes or a floral theme where the décor to your dresses, everything is filled with flowers. Never underestimate the power that bunches of colorful fresh flowers wield.

Hope you enjoy Holi the way you like.HAPPY HOLI , guys!:)