Things I Buy - Valentino Studded Heels

Keeping with the current trend, I recently received these awesome Valentino studded heels in Nude. I had placed the order for these heels quite some time ago and just received them. Here is a picture of the heels: 

Valentino Studded Heels - Nude

Coffee Escapades -Starbucks Coffee

As I had written in my previous post here, I was all geared up and excited to go for the grand opening of Starbucks Coffee at Horniman Circle this weekend. However, when I had read that Starbucks India had decided to source its coffee from India and not internationally for the first time in their business history, I was a tad bit disappointed and my excitement had died down a bit. I know that this would only help to boost the Indian coffee plantations and the economy, but I still wanted to taste the famous Starbucks coffee that is known all over the world. However, I still made my way to Horniman Circle for the opening and then I saw the 3km long queue and changed my mind about going to Starbucks then and there itself and decided to wait for all the excitement to die down. 

So, while I was waiting, Starbucks had announced that it was opening two more outlets at Taj Palace and Tower Hotels at Apollo Bunder and at Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East on Dusshera! I couldn't believe my ears and my luck! The Oberoi Mall outlet is right next to my house. So, I went over yesterday for the inauguration and I am so happy I did.

Coffee - Part Trois

One of the new coffee shop chains to open up in Mumbai are the Bru World Cafe shops. As you can gather from the name itself, these coffee shops are owned and run by Bru coffee. Hence, its no surprise that the coffee made there is primarily with Bru coffee and to promote the coffee also. 

One of the Bru coffee shops opened near my office and I have been visiting it for quite sometime. Generally, I do not like the Bru instant coffee that you get at all supermarkets as I find them to be too light. I am more of the Nescafe girl. But, I really like the coffee served at these coffee shops. They serve a wide variety of coffees that are made from beans from different parts of the world. For instance, currently they are having a Guatemala special, where they have a special coffees made with Guatemala coffee beans. I can't exactly remember the name of the cappuccino I had, but it was heavenly. Smooth, creamy, cinnamony, aromatic and strong. Just the way I like it. Here's a picture of the cappuccino I had. (It had some fancy name that I can't remember now.)

Guatemala Cappuccino with cinnamon

My First Blog Award by Poorva

Hello girlies,

All excited about the weekend. Well, I am and guess what!! I just got nominated for my first blog award!!! Yippee!!! 

The award was given to me by this really sweet girl - Poorva from All Things Beautiful. You should definitely check her blog out, its really pretty. :) Thanks a ton Poorva, really, really, really appreciate it.

Coffee - Part deux

Sometimes you can get the best coffee at the cheapest places. :) In this case it is the special coffee at Sreeji's in Oshiwara.

Special Coffee at Sreeji's

Recapping Ritu Kumar's art deco collection at the WIFW finale

Hello lovelies,

Today, I'll be recpping about one of the premier fashion and trade events - the Wills Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (Spring-Summer 2013). Yes! Yes! I know its ended and I am a tad bit late, but I simply had to write about it here. So here it goes.

The event, which was organised by the Fashion Design Council of India, ended with a collection by the ueen of haute couture in India- Ritu Kumar. Her collection was completely inspired by the Art Deco style, a trend that was very popular during the 1930's. 

 Just like in architecture, Art Deco in fashion is all about structure! Structure with clean bold lines, shapely cuts, form and figure. Now, in her collection, Ritu Kumar primarily used motifs and moods of the era to offer a modern representation. The collection was a perfect juxtaposition of Indian traditional motifs and designs with art deco cuts. The collection primarily showcased dropped waistlines, bold forms and delicate embroideries that were juxtaposed with modern techniques and shaping, making the collection very graphic. Ritu Kumar primarily used silks in chiffon, crepe and twill in her entire collection.

Indrani Dasgupta for Ritu Kumar

Ritu Kumar's finale show had been divided into two parts. The collection in the second part of the show took inspiration from the Indian Freedom Movement, as well as, Art Deco. As you can see from the pictures below that the collection showcased European influence on Indian royalty during the pre-partition period.  This resulted in the use of rich tapestries, laces, brocades and embroideries. It carried forward the vintage mood of the previous segment but in its Indian avatar. The geometric motifs formed graceful curvilinear feminine lines of paisleys and chintzes in luxurious colors.

Noyonika Chatterjee for Ritu Kumar

In both the collections, the colour scheme primarily included rich reds, gold, black and jeweled ensembles reminiscent of the India of the mid 20th century with its Baroque influences and distinctive style of Indo -European fashion. The show stopper for Ritu Kumar's finale was Esha Gupta. I think she looked really beautiful in the outfit.

Esha Gupta as show stopped for Ritu Kumar

Ritu Kumar and Esha Gupta

I really liked Ritu Kumar's art deco collection. It is a beautiful amalgamation of Indian designs and motifs with the strong bold structure and lines of art deco. However, I feel that her collection is best for evening wear at traditional events, such as weddings. 

What do guys think?

The Coffee Escapades - Part Un

As I had described in my earlier post here, my addiction for coffee lives on and here is another post on a coffee from one of the common coffee shops that are available in Mumbai.

Being a coffee lover, I am not too fond of the coffee that are available in coffee shop chains. Its not that they serve bad coffee, but's its only because there isn't much variation in the coffee available in the stores. Saying that, Barista is one coffee shop that I prefer visiting as the coffee shop makes a really good cup of cappuccino. It's the only coffee that I order whenever I visit the store. However, today I decided to try out the other coffees that are available. While, I ordered the Cafe Mocha, Le BF ordered the Swiss Chocolate. (Le BF is not much of coffee drinker :D)

Barista's Cafe Mocha (in front) and Swiss Chocolate (back)

As you can see from the above picture the Cafe Mocha came with a chocolate syrup on top. It was a nice strong coffee, if you drink it without mixing the chocolate. However, once you mix the coffee, it can get a little sweet. The Swiss Chocolate was quite good, not the regular Cadbury hot cocoa flavour hot chocolates that you would get all other shops.

Things I create - Jamini Roy Paintings

Painting, sketching and drawing have always been one of my favorite hobbies. It has always helped to calm and reduce stress levels whenever I am completely stressed out. However, this time around I decided to create something for a bare wall in my new apartment. After thinking a lot about what to paint, I decided to create a rendition of one of Jamini Roy's paintings to adorn the bare wall in my living/bedroom.

Here's a little about Jamini Roy for those who are not into paintings and artists. :)

Jamini Roy was one of the famous Bengali contemporary artists of India. He is famously known for his bold sweeping brush-strokes. His style of painting was essentially a reaction against the Bengal School of art and Western traditions. His style of painting primarily reflected three aspects: to capture the essence of simplicity embodied in the life of the folk people; to make art accessible to a wider section of people; and to give Indian art its own identity. His work has been exhibited extensively in international exhibitions and can be found in many private and public collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

A variation of Jamini Roy's Three Pujarinis painting

A variation of Jamini Roy's Three Pujarinis painting

I know my painting is not as fine as Jamini Roy's, but I hope I was able to do justice to his artwork.

PS - Sorry for the bad pictures. I used my phone camera for these and it is not very good. I need to get my hands on a better camera for the blog pictures.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub

The one very annoying issue that I face with my skin is the eruption of blackheads and whiteheads. Since, I have to literally spend around 8 to 10 hours travelling, my blackhead, as well as, whitehead problem just gets  aggravated. In fact, the issue is so bad that the affects of a facial or clean-up would last only five days at the most and after I would see the emergence of the blackheads and whiteheads on my skin. Hence, I am always on the look out for a good exfoliating scrub that would take care of both the problems at one go.

At one of my recent trips to The Body Shop (TBS), I was introduced to their Vitamin C Microdermabrasion scrub by the SA. She claimed that it would not only help to reduce the blackheads and whiteheads, but would stop them from reoccurring after using over a period of time. Now, I have heard about dermabrasions and that they can do miracles to the skin. I have also that they are freaking expensive procedures and if not done properly or at a proper salon can wreak havoc on your skin. So, finding that procedure in a scrub tube, got me all excited. Hence, keeping all this in mind and the fact that I have used millions of products, I decided to try out the scrub and see how it works. After all, it is better to try out a scrub than undergo an intensive procedure that can harm your skin.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub

Before, we go into the review of the product let's see what microdermabrasion is all about. 

What is microdermabrasion?

Mayo Clinic describes microdermabrasion as a process that involves the use of a brush that turns rapidly and essentially "sands down" the surface skin. It is basically an abrasive skin-smoothing technique that removes the top layer of the skin. Microdermabrasion reduces signs of sun damage and aging, helps to clear up acne and repair superficial acne scars on the face and other areas of the body.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub

What TBS website says:

Fine exfoliating micro particles and crushed garnet stones remove dead skin cells to reveal a brighter, more radiant complexion.

• Leaves skin feeling soft and smooth
• Gives skin a brighter, more radiant look
• Improves skin texture and tone

Ingredients:

Aqua (Solvent/Diluent), Solum Diatomeae (Abrasive), Glycerin (Humectant), Aluminum Silicate (Exfoliant), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), Butyrospermum Parkii (Skin-Conditioning Agent/Emollient), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Polysorbate 60 (Surfactant), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Antioxidant), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Citral (Fragrance Ingredient).

Price: Rs. 995

How to use: Wet face and neck. Apply using circular motions and rinse off with clean water. Use once or twice a week. (as described on TBS website)

My experience:

The TBS scrub has a white thick creamy consistency with very fine or minute white (I guess those are the Garnet stones mentioned in the ingredients) particles in it that cannot be seen with the naked eye, but can be felt when touched. The smell of the scrub is all right - it has a slight citrusy smell, but I can also smell a bit of chemical smell in it too. 

TBS scrub swatch - Thick creamy consistency

Minute particles - It is hard to spot the exfoliating particles in the scrub

I usually wet my face and neck with a bit of warm water and then use the scrub on my face. I usually take a pea-size amount, rub it in my palms and then scrub it on my face with a light hand. Since, the scrub has minute exfoliation particles, you only need a tiny bit and also should be careful while scrubbing as if scrubbed with a heavy hand it would lead to redness. While, I use the scrub once every week, it should not be used more than twice a week. 

Result:

I have been using the scrub over a month now and have witnessed a lot of difference in my skin. In fact, I think it is a great product. It has helped to solve my blackheads and whiteheads problem immensely. It has also helped to reduce my tan considerably! The minute particles actually performs the microdermabrasion process on my skin by not only removing the blackheads and whiteheads, but also removing the tan from my skin. It leaves my skin visible smoother, fairer and softer! It also does not give that stretchy dry feeling that most scrubs and face washes gives.

Pros:

• Provides brightening and evens out the complexion.
• Effectively reduces blackheads and whiteheads
• Hygienic - as it comes in a tube and you can control the amount of product needed to be used.
• Long lasting - Since only a small amount is needed, it will last a long time.

Cons:

• Price - While I paid Rs 995 for it, it actually costs around Rs 1097. (I had bought it when TBS was having its sale. I think it is a little too steep for the product.
• Harsh - If not used with a light hand, the product can be harsh on the skin and can cause redness. So, be careful while using it.
• Smell - I don't like that chemical smell in my products. 

So, I think that The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is a great product that is going to become a staple in my beauty regime for a long -long time now. 

Have you used TBS Vitamin C Microdermabrasion scrub? What do you think about it?  

The all new Vellvette Box!

I recently received my very first Vellvette Box and to tell you the truth, I was definitely impressed with the box. Yes, I know what you all are thinking - Not another box! and to tell you the truth, the same thought had crossed my mind too.

Last year many companies had launched their own versions of the extremely famous and popular Birch Box in India. However, these companies managed to send out one single box to all the subscribers and then seem to vanish from the face of the Earth without even a word. So, when I came across the Vellvette Box through a Facebook ad, I was little apprehensive and skeptical about the box and decided to do some digging.

Being a brand new company, I obviously didn't find any reviews on the box any where online, but when I did   a little more digging on their website, I found out the price of the box, which was Rs 399 for 3 luxurious products, which seemed decent enough. However, what attracted me the most that they had a Cash-on-Delivery option and that got me interested. So, I decided to order the September box and immediately registered for it. Vellvette has various subscription options, such as 1 month (Rs 399), 3 months (Rs 1099) and an annual subscription where you get 16 percent discount. While registering I had to enter my preferences for cosmetics and beauty products so that they could customize my box and send it to me. Just before they had shipped my box, I had received a call from the company, as well as, a mail stating that the box had been shipped and would reach me withing four days time and it did!

I was really excited to receive my Vellvette Box and they definitely did not disappoint. It arrived in a cute black box wrapped in a pink ribbon with the company's logo on the box. (Very elegant, I should say.)

September Vellvette Box

In the box, I received the following goodies:

1. L'occitane Lavender Hand Sanitiser
2. Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating cream
3. Clinique Raspberry glaze lipstick and Fireberry Lipgloss
4. J Del Pozo Ambar perfume

Since, it was the company's first ever box, they had also sent across the perfume sample as a fourth product.  (Yippee!!!!) Except for the L'occitane hand sanitizer, all the other products are sample sizes. The box also came with description cards for all the products sent in the box and also discount coupons for each product, which can be used on Vellvette's own website to purchase the actual size products if you like them.

Four products I received in the box

Description cards and discount coupons

Here are some close-up pictures of the products I received. Reviews of each product to follow soon. :)

L'occitane Lavender Hand Sanitizer

Clarins Gentle Exfoliation

Clinique Raspberry glaze and Fireberry lip gloss

J Del Pozo - Ambar Perfume

My Experience

I am definitely impressed with the Vellvette Box! The box gives you three luxurious cosmetic and beauty products at an affordable price of Rs 399. Not only is it affordable, but the quantity is great too. I hope this box stays around longer than the other boxes as it is definitely is a great way to try out new products. I just had one small issue with the box, since I am not a keen lipstick user, I would prefer the company at least ask me for a preference in shade before sending the box across to me. I wouldn't want a colour that I don't wear to come in my surprise box the next time. 

Overall verdict:

I love the box and have already placed an order for the next box! Will try it out for a few months and depending on the service and products send, I will then decide to go for an annual subscription.

Have you tried the Vellvette Box? What is your verdict about it?

Coffee!

There is only one thing that I am addicted to in this world and it is Coffee! Yes, I absolutely adore, love and can't live without it. Coffee to me is not just a pick-me-up drink, it is my remedy to everything. I have headache, I have coffee. My day is going bad, I have coffee and yes, if I am feeling sleepy, I have coffee! I know, I know, I am addicted to it. But, it is the most heavenly drink in the world! 

In my pursuit for the perfect coffee, I have tasted and drank coffee from a lot of places and to tell you the truth, it is very, very, very hard to get a place that makes that perfect cup of coffee in Mumbai. One place that makes a great cup of coffee in Mumbai is Moshe's. The coffee here, whether, it is their in-house coffee or the cappuccino, is made just the way I like it - aromatic, strong and smooth. I have heard that the secret behind their awesome coffee is that not only do they select their own coffee beans, but roast and grind them in house, making their coffee fresh.

Here is a picture of the cappuccino that I had today. Guess what! In the world of coffee art, Moshe's had the Facebook "f" on my coffee foam, instead of the usual leaves, smiley faces and hearts that come on the coffee.

Heavenly Cappuccino at Moshe's (Oberoi Mall)