Category Archives: Beauty

10.02.15
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Tattva, for the perfect rejuvenation!

Well, the recent times have seen me making repeated trips to the Pink City of India, Jaipur. Honestly, I am not complaining, for the place sure exposes one to rich culture, lip-smacking delicacies, gorgeous architecture and so much more. But any work trip does come with considerable amount of sweat and running-around. Last time around I would say I got double lucky as not only was I staying at one of the quality hotels i.e.Lemon Tree Premier which truly make for a value for money stay but also got to indulge in rejuvenating and refreshing treatments by Tattva. The hotel proudly houses- Fresco which is their spa and fitness center.

The spa menu is designed rather well and there are sufficient options to choose from. First, I opted for Vitamin Facial which they say is ideal for neglected skin. Sometimes we do tend to neglect taking care of some basics, don’t we?  This active detoxifying face treatment is believed to be rich in essential skin vitamins. Specific care is given to restore the natural balance and it certainly contributes to purifying the skin. This pressure point massage relaxes one’s facial muscles and improves blood and lymph circulation, making one’s skin looking rather fresh. Seldom do I go for any sort of pampering for the face, but I was honestly quite glad that I went ahead with a quality facial. This treatment for 60 minutes is priced at INR 1790.

Then to ease off some stress in my feet, I chose their foot massage- Walk in the Air which is based on ancient techniques of reflexology, this treatment is great for reducing fatigue. They work on ensuring that you are left like walking on air. I must say that this came as blessing after a packed day at work. This treatment would cost you INR 490 for 20 minutes.

Though these are the ones I tried but there are many more on offer. Others which sound rather interesting include the likes of Travel Energizer Massage, Citrus Deep Tissue Massage, Signature Lemony Massage, Spicy Orange Scrub, Green Tea Scrub and Ayurvedic Potali Massage. Don’t you feel like indulging in all of them? I certainly do 🙂

And for those fighting hair woes, they even have a Hair Care Treatment. I must share their staff is really warm and are very good at what they do as I found the pressure put during my therapy just perfect!

So, hope all this information comes handy next time around you are in the beautiful city of Jaipur. Don’t forget to gift yourself a blessed time at Tattva!

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09.19.15
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20 years and counting…The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil

Well, it is my special day and feel that it is a great reason to spend time on things rather special. I am sure you would love to know more about this special product from a brand that is surely one of my favourites.

Believed to be fresh, invigorating and zingy, The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Range is a hit globally and what is truly incredible is the fact that the Tea Tree Oil is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this month. In an industry where just about every now and then, there is a new product which gets introduced, it takes a lot for one to blossom with much success for these many years. A solid highlight being that this skin-saving bottle is sold every 8 seconds globally. There might be few to whom this would be news but the Tea Tree Oil actually comes from the foothills of Mount Kenya. The leaves are hand-picked and steam-distilled to release the oil. It is believed to be extremely powerful to the extent that you can feel it working from the time of the very first application.
For many girls, it has been a part of their growing up years when they have tackled the issue of zits with Tea Tree Oil. The oil is considered to be effective and gentle, without leading to too much over-drying, it simply makes the skin look clearer. The best part being that it is non-greasy and gets easily absorbed.

The Tea Tree Oil is a part of the skin care regime of the gorgeous Jacqueline Fernandez. She calls it her hero product and no doubt it is one! Here is our salute to this true hero!

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

Much respect,
Sonali

11.18.14
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The Kronokare Krush!

So, the story goes like this…one fine evening on returning from work, my eyes popped out when I was surprised with the much talked about Kronokare products waiting for me!!!!

And what is more is that the flurry of surprises only continued to unravel as each and every product has been such a blessing!

Let me share a bit on their two superb ranges- the Caribbean Ginger and the Mediterranean Citrus. I found the products to be extremely refreshing and they actually work well for me as an effective stress buster. The mild fragrance that comes from them is rather alluring. These products quite set me for my busy days!

Ginger is believed to purify and detox, so the range on a whole has a feel good factor.  The other range swears on the fact that Citrus works on cleansing from within and on every inch, from face to chin.

For those who like to buy wisely, must take note as these products are Paraben and SLS Free.

I cannot resist myself from sharing that the brand pays good amount of attention to the packaging of the products. What I found impressive were the taglines on each of the products. For instance- Sure to be Pure on the Caribbean Ginger Shampoo, then Hydrate and Untangle on the Mediterranean Citrus Hair Conditioner.

Well, I am sure turning to be one of their loyal users as I am even taken over by the body lotion. Thankfully, the texture is absolutely perfect and it actually fabulously fixes one’s skin, living up to its tag-line.

I reckon that you too explore the World of Kronokare as they are quite user friendly since you shall be getting quality at a good price. And this is just a little teaser, log onto their website to be overwhelmed with their umpteen ranges, I am already etching to get their Bam-booo and Champa-holic scented candles, after all a little pampering is always good!!!

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Wishing you smiles…
Sonali

09.06.14
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My Envy Box!

For every woman likes her beauty kitty full of quality brands… I too love the whole lot ranging from L’Occitane, Forest Essentials to Lancome and so many others. However, each one of these calls for some serious investment. Though they all are surely good value for money, but at times you want a little bit of this and a little bit of that. And that is what brings us to put the spotlight on: My Envy Box…

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A wise and sensible option for women who like beautifying luxuriously. It works rather simply, based on the subscription you take, you’ll be pampered with a box each month that shall have 5 high-end beauty products. Don’t be stressed about the level of brands as their website would educate you enough on what to expect.

I had the privilege of trying both their July and August boxes and I absolutely loved them. They came as a blessing as I was fighting hair woes and I got to try out the Kama Ayurveda Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment which gradually is doing wonders to my locks. Also, being this huge L’Occitane fan- I was delighted to see its presence both times. The L’Occitane Control Styling Prep-Cream looks promising. For I have always wanted to but never got to try the brand- H2o+ but this time I am quite kicked about trying it regularly.

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For beauty lovers, getting acquainted with a new brand is almost like finding a new friend.  Some of the new ones I got my hands on included the likes of Avene, Wild Ferns and Epique.

I think the concept is amazing and is here to stay.

I am happy to say that I am a proud recipient of the ENVY BOX!!!

Best,
Sonali

07.22.14
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Manish Malhotra @ the India Couture Week 14´

Soon after the much awaited Manish Malhotra fashion show got over in the Capital, one of his show-stoppers and Bollywood’s recent sensation, Alia Bhatt posted her picture on instagram saying, “Dream come true”. I shared her sentiments as this was the very first time, one was able to witness live the opulent creations of our most loved designer. One was left asking for more as the collection was absolutely stunning. The usage of mirrors, Kashmiri-work, richness of reds and greens and the sophistication of the neutral hues-  all worked like magic on us. And not to forget his show-stoppers who took everyone by surprise. In such a splendid setting, the fashion icon managed to even make me feel like a princess!

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Manish with show-stoppers Alia and Aditya

07.03.14
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Well Travelled Tenerife

Summers by definition (our definition atleast) mean a beach holiday. Bikinis, tankinis, summer hats, sunscreens, flip-flops, pina-coladas and more become the key essentials. My recent trip to Tenerife, Spain was all about these and here I am sharing a tiny part of my Travel Diary with you guys. To tell you a little about it, Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands. Being a volcanic island, it is not exactly green but a beautiful blend of high peaks, clear waters, barren roads and lot of adventure. On the one hand there are famous beaches such as Playa de La Vistas, Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas that will make you feel like a small part of a big tourist crowd and on the other hand there are those like Playa de La Teresitas that don´t just beautifully beam with their golden sand but also give you enough sense of peace and alone time. Saying that, this island will give you enough space to meditate and party your head down when you like.

Tenerife is not that big and is well connected by a highway. We had hired a cute little Audi for 9 days (its actually cheap) and encircled the island in just a few hours. Since, our experience was good, I can actually suggest hiring from Gold Car. Its a beautiful experience to drive on a smooth highway running through small mountains and right next to the sea.

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Starting with my favourite beach of all, Del Duque is for people who constantly seek all things chic. Being located in the buzzing Costa Adeje, this beach was in fact a short walk away from our hotel, H10 Costa Adeje. The sand is a beautiful mix of white and grey and the water is all blue (I know that is a little obvious). However, this beach is a a little rocky and not the best place for swimmers. But girls have something more to look forward to. Check out below the images of this shopping center, `Centro Commercial El Mirador´ lining the beach. It is super stylish with tiny cosy cafes and shops selling everything luxurious.

That also reminds me that you can´t hit a chic beach without a fit body. Well, I myself  love Gymondo for being the new age way to fitness. Whenever, I find time during the day, I switch on my laptop and start training with this online fitness studio. I specially love their beach body workouts. At the moment the videos are only in German but exercises ask for no language. 😉 Subscribe for the trial period and see how you like it and do share the feedback.

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And when you be done with water, sand and sun, then take a drive down to a pretty little town, La Oratova in North Tenerife. Here you can spend a day walking through old lanes featuring the typical ancient Spanish wooden doors and balconies. When tired, rest by at some cafe and drink local wine for prices so cheap that you will be surprised. I am sharing below lots of pictures from this small pretty town simply because small towns and countryside fascinates me like nothing else.

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Every other door got my attention with its exquisite carvings.

 

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And the lanes in which you can just get lost and not care about the world…

 

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There is something very royal about Spanish wooden architecture.

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Tenerife is also a proud owner of Parque Nacional Del Teide (Del Teide National Park). It is one of the the most visited heritage sites of the world. To excite you a little bit, this place is extremely similar to Mars in terms of geographical conditions and serves as a testing site for robots. This place is a must see for it makes you feel like in a different world that of rocks and lava. And just BTW films like ‘Planet of the Apes’ and ‘Star Wars’ were also shot here. The way to Teida is an experience in itself that you should not miss and you can easily drive to the highest permissible point from where you can take a rope-way and get further up to the peak.

TIP- Book your tickets beforehand for the rope-way. Also, if you want to trek up till the crater then you have to make prior reservation on their official website. Lastly, do carry a warm jacket with yourself as the temperature keeps falling as you go higher.

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Way  to the Teida is extremely beautiful and one that you will always remember.

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Mount Del Teida

On our way back, we stopped by at this beautiful and quiet beach, El Medano. It´s a black sand beach but great if you don’t want to see lot of people and get some alone time. However, know that there is a section of the beach that is exclusively for naturists.

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Another of my favourite things from this place was whale and dolphin watching. Seeing them in the most natural surroundings is way more chic and fun than seeing them dance in a zoo. I am sharing this picture below to give a fair impression of how close you can see them from. I could hear the whales breath. Yea, that close!

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And now getting to my favourite part- `fashion´, here are my beach essentials for 2014. You can click on any photo to view enlarged gallery (and also read captions).

Aviators and Statement Earrings
A Pareo
A Big Beach Bag
Crop Tops in Neutrals
Some Drama For The Head
Bamboo Slippers and Espadrilles
Magazines and Mints!!
Beach Cover Up in White
Retro Is My Word
White Shirt
A Comfortable Printed Dress
Flashy Shorts
A Flowy Dress
A Big Sun Hat
And Some Style!

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xoxo

04.15.14
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Not just for the sweet tooth!

To all our Thai friends, here is wishing you all A Very Happy Songkran!!! I remember being in Thailand around this time of overwhelming festivity wherein everyone was soaked with joy and excitement…

Thai love their desserts and we too love their local sweet items, especially the Banana Roti and Sticky Rice Mango. I sure love to go big on the latter! It is one dessert which is constantly good whether at a plush restaurant or a street-side cafe. But what I am most thrilled to share amidst all the festive favour is about this rather interesting Body Scrub treatment on offer at all Oasis Spa outlets in Thailand. Believe it or not but it is the Mango Sticky Rice Body Scrub. Stopping rubbing your eyes, you read it right. Your favourite dessert is all set to impress you as an exotic and rejuvenating body treatment.

For all those who are already intrigued, here is more. The scrub is made up of mango butter to nourish your skin while being exfoliated with a mixture of finely textured coconut and rice. And at the same time,the mango delights your senses.

The spa chain has an enticing promotion running till the end of next month i.e. May, where this sublime treatment comes free with any of their signature treatments.

So, if in Thailand, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pamper your skin with some sweetness!

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12.28.13
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Sandy FACES

FACES cosmetics recently unveiled their latest ULTIME PRO SAND COAT nail lacquers at their flagship store in GK-1, M Block Market. The collection was launched over a fun-filled afternoon event that got bloggers and journalists together to enjoy nail makeover by `Nail Spa by Gurpreet´.

The new Sand Coat collections draws inspiration from beach holidays. The glimmering colours leave an interesting sandy texture behind and stays for long.

The spa session was very much based on the Christmas feel of the season and everyone got their nails painted in different festive colours from the collection. I personally feel they fit well for partying and chilling- times when you want to let loose and experiment.

Some other things I recently tried from the brand are Ultramoist lipsticks and nail-paints in neon hues and must say that they are worth it. I am also itching to try their dry oils for body! If you already have then share your feedback 🙂

FACES ULTIME PRO SAND COAT collection

FACES ULTIME PRO SAND COAT collection

With Vishaka Chhaproo AVP- Marketing & PR at FACES Cosmetics India ltd with Lavli at FACES Canada GK Store

With Vishaka Chhaproo AVP- Marketing & PR at FACES Cosmetics India ltd with Lavli at FACES Canada GK Store

 

10.16.13
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Celebrating the Jean-Claude Biguine Way!

On Saturday, all roads in Mumbai led to Olive  Bar & Kitchen to be in company of Jean-Claude Biguine, who visited India for the 5th successful anniversary of the premium salon & spa in India.

The evening was enjoyed with much glitz and glam as in attendance were Vidyut Jamwal, Shaina NC, Gul Panag, Mandira Bedi & Raj Kaushal, Salim Sulaiman among others who graced the event with their presence.

The talk-point of the evening definitely was the fact that designers Troy Costa, Nishka Lulla and Drashta Sarvaiya teamed-up with coiffures from Jean-Claude Biguine India for a gala fashion affair.

The evening beautifully displayed the coming together of hair couture and apparel design in the spirit of Parisian style and fashion.

Let us turn to what the man of the moment had to say,” Beauty is always there…it needs to be enhanced with the right services in the right mood by well trained professionals who practice beauty as a passion, not a profession”, said Jean-Claude Biguine.

So, boys and girls- never the let the spirit of beauty die!

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Dharmendra Manwani,  CEO, Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa, India with the models 

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Gul Panag at the 5th Anniversary of Jean Claude Biguine 

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Mandira Bedi 

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Neeta and Nishka Lulla

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Shruti Seth 

10.15.13
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Fashion Walk @ WIFW

The capital has recently been buzzing with news, rumours and gossip from the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week, where designers showcased their beautiful collections for Spring Summer 14´. Shameless to say that we did go missing this time but made up for it on Day-5 by quickly catching up on each designer´s collection. The splendid pieces left us wanting to turn thieves but we somehow managed to keep sanity. Since, everyone has their favourites, we both also picked some of our most lusted pieces from the week.

Much in talk, Masaba´s collection was a beautiful interplay of sporty and ethnic. There were some pieces that looked a little impractical in terms of silhouette and even wear-ability. We did like some of the pieces and specially the two below apart from the very beautiful and interesting sling bags. Sonali loved the white printed piece and I fell for this blue and red striped dress with princely embroidery used to add contrast.

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Below is a peek into the colours flashing out of Yogesh Chaudhary´s stall. The pieces under the label called Surendri had a mix of spark, colour and lots of fun. Most importantly the pieces looked very wearable and contemporary.

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Do we need to mention that below is a shot from Manish Arora`s stall? The pieces speak out loud and with enough pride. It was our first time to see these Indian ethnic pieces from the designer and it was such a treat. I love this one the most. The pink and green combo with those way too cute hearts are something to heart.

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Now time for a relatively lesser known label, 5 Elements by Radhika Gupta that completely mesmerised us with trendy and quirky accessories. My pick are these two. Skull flats and statement clutch.! And honestly, I was a little confused what to pick for I liked so many pieces. Can I own them all? Are you listening Radhika!

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Well, if you thought that letters and numbers are for kindergarten text books then you might as well take a look at the pics below. Creative designer, Niharika Pandey showed us how pencils, alphabets and more from school can define trends.

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And once we had visited all these fancy stalls, it was time to find something to quench our dry throats. We were indeed lucky to discover Antidote. They are just what you should look out for! Organic, cold pressed and healthy juices! They are yummy and truly rejuvenating and needless to say a much better option to pick over fizz.

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xoxoxo