My Acne Fight Story

In my early teens, I experienced acne for the first time. A mild zit rested on my chin slightly below the lower lip. I hardly paid any attention to it for next few days, may be because I didn't feel much pain. I guess the girls in the tender age of 12-13 were not so beauty-obsessed in those good old days. But as the zit got bigger in size, my classmates and friends started staring at my face in a strange way. I felt miserable when I overheard one of my classmate calling me 'Ugly Pagli' :(  Mommy consoled me with an assurance to get me rid of it in a day or two. She managed to bring neem tree leaves and crushed them into a paste. In few applications of this paste, my skin woe was settled bringing back smile on my face. Another few years passed without causing me similar issue and the incident completely got washed off from my memories. 

But you know history repeats itself... one fine day I got up with sudden arrival of a giant bump positioned between my brows.

1

I tried to convince myself that it wasn't that noticeable and wore myself with thick layers of makeup before I stepped out of my house. This time mommy was more worried than me because my Ring Ceremony was supposed to take place in a month's time. She cursed me for eating junk food and experimenting with latest cosmetics which I was shopping for my vanity those days. I was shedding tears silently as if I had committed a crime. The condition worsened when most part of my forehead got covered with big n small zits that were painful to touch. 

These acne didn't affect my skin only but disturbed quality of my life :'( People made me feel self-conscious and embarrassed of my appearance at public places. And those who could not help interacting me (like office colleagues) loaded me with weird tips to try on me. I genuinely practiced real patience while THANKING them for their so-called valuable advices. I was even avoided being invited to pose for some group picture at work place after our workshops or orientation programmes. The severity of acne considerably took away my mental peace and lowered my self-esteem to greater extent.

I confined myself to my home doing some herbal remedies, when my bestie came to inquire what was wrong with me. Knowing the whole episode, she smiled and said "dear, don't blame yourself for eating junk n all, there may be varied reasons for adult acne including hormonal changes, stress level, exertion etc. You need no medication or herbs to shoo away these beauty-threats. Just do think positive and try Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash for few days and these red bumps are gonna disappear before your Special Day arrives.." :)

When I argued her about what was so special about the product. She convinced me by showing the ingredient list on the packaging that read 'enriched with power of Neem Leaf Extract and Tea Tree Oil'. I was happy and hopeful to have a promising product to cure my skin.

I religiously used Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash for a week twice a day during shower in the morning and before bed time in the night. What I specially liked about the product is that its soap-free formulation didn't make my facial skin stretched and dry plus the mild fragrance never irritated my nose. The gel like consistency of the facewash made it easy to spread on damp skin and deeply cleansed the dirt n other skin impurities.

Before much damage to my skin and my persona, Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash significantly treated my acne and got the scars faded substantially. I could see the Healthy Version of My Skin in the mirror.

I am dedicated to Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash till date and keep one pack handy in my handbag also in case I'm travelling. Thanks to Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash that my skin looks much nourished and clean than I could ever thought of.

This post is written for Indiblogger blogging campaign held in association with Garnier Pure Active.

Navarasas Stress Relief Body Wash Review

Stress is something that everyone is dealing with in day to day life... some of us prefer meditating and others believe in yoga, but lazy me look for easy yet instant remedies to unwind. Getting to know that a body wash can do wonders in relieving one's stress is something I was skeptical to believe until I tried Navarasas Stress Relief Body Wash.

Product Claims:
Navarasas Stress Relief Body Wash is one of the luxurious creation infused with Grapefruit, Spearmint and Eucalyptus packaged in a shower gel by Ms. Nikki. A combination that has been brewed claims to relieve stress and leave your body feel fresh.

How to Use it:
Apply this body wash ontoyour damp skin during a shower and rinse off well. You can use it in a relaxing bubble bath by adding required quantity in running water. It is advised to use it in sync with Stress Relief scrub and body butter for optimum results.
Price & Packaging :
The body wash is packed in a simple sturdy transparent plastic bottle with flip-open screw cap tight enough to make the bottle leak-proof. I received the sample pack of 30 ml. But the full size bottle of 200 ml can be purchased at a cost of Rs 399

My Experience:

In the first glimpse of the body wash, I appreciated the packaging which has been kept very uncomplicated and effortless. Though I needed to press the bottle a bit harder to eject few drops on my palm. The body wash is a very pale yellow liquid with moderately thick consistency... not as runny as water, but flows quicker.

An aromatic journey started with a stronger delightful scent being inhaled by me during hot water bath. The reviving aroma actually cleared my breath as I whiffed the liquid on my palm most probably due to presence of Eucalyptus & Spearmint loaded with decongestant properties. I absolutely loved how this body wash easily spreads on damp skin either with a loofah or with hands. The body wash is indeed a fast foaming gel that made my skin feel softened after usage and instantly kicked my senses because of its beneficial natural ingredients. And why not!! Navarasas by Nikki has got brilliance to blend essential oils so tactfully that it miraculously rejuvenates me whatever product I use from their collection. 

During summers, I don't think I would need to moisturize my skin after bathing with this body wash as it is enriched with gentle skin conditioners. But in this winter season, I followed by applying a layer of the lavender body butter for deeper hydration which had a stimulant action on the mind.

 Pros: 

• Excellent Ingredients.
• Authentic Preparation Without Chemicals
• Travel Friendly Packaging.
• Cool, Refreshing Fragrance.
• Calming Effect on Mood and Mind.
• Cleanses and hydrates the skin gently.
• Not overly Expensive. (if you glance at the natural things gone into it)

Cons:

• The bottle is made up of more of robust plastic that needs to be pressed hard.

All in all, adding Navarasas Stress Relief Body Wash in your daily bathing ritual will not only promote your skin's health, but will also wash off your stress caused by any reasons. I have been using this 30 ml content in almost 7-8 showers, which is pretty admirable.

Soap Opera Frangipani and Cinnamon Soap Review

Hi

Soap Opera, under the brand name of Puresense, is crafting premium body care products like soaps, body washes, shampoos, body mists. I have been using some these products for last few days and also written reviews here and here.

Today I am writing for two of the soaps from the Soap Opera's product range...the Frangipani Soap and the Cinnamon Soap. Both the soaps come wrapped in a thin transparent sheet which is encased in a cardboard packaging similar to the full-sized soap bars. The sample soap bars received by me are of 30 gm each and can be really useful as testers to help you decide if you want to place an order for specific soap after the first time usage.

Frangipani Soap:

This one is a sweet smelling soap of Floral variants by Soap Opera.

 The Soap bar is white in color that has deep crimson yellowish chunks embedded in it.  Like all other soap bars of Soap Opera, this one is also an Oilve Oil rich bathing bar with richness of moisturizing properties.

I smell very distinctive scent in this soap. The soap bar is very mild but originates decent creamy lather.  The li'l bar can last around 8-10 days easily. Its full sized packing of 100 gms is available at Rs 85/- only.

Cinnamon Soap

Cinnamon is one of the strongest aromatic spice which reserves its place in every kitchen. But have you tried this aroma in your bathing essentials ever?? Soap Opera offers fabulous bathing bars in its Spicy variants and Cinnamon bar is one of them. 

The Cinnamon Soap is again blended with finest natural ingredients other than Olive Oil which provide the complete care to skin. Since cinnamon is known for its antiseptic and disinfectant properties, my hubby experimented to use it as shaving bar and liked it that way also. It may not be true for everyone.

I liked the shades of brown smudged on the soap very beautifully. The smell of the soap doesn't linger on too long. So I found the soap suitable for people who don't want to smell like a spice ;) The skin feels deeply cleansed and hydrated that enlivens my senses after shower using this soap. But as per the moisturization requirement of my skin in this winter season, I had to apply body lotion afterwards.

I am sure bathing with Cinnamon soap eradicates germs from top surface of our skin, so the children can also use this soap while bathing after play time to remove dirt n dust from their skin.

Overall Opinion on Soap Opera Soaps
All the exotic soap bars are free of sulphates, parabens, formaldehydes and are totally non-toxic. Every soap bar is enriched with one or the other beneficial characteristic due to all-natural essential oils suited for whole family.

So I will remain dedicated to these natural soap in future to make my skin feel pampered. Do try these chemical-free soaps and stay happy within the skin you are in :)

Derma Green Plus Herbal Whitening Cream Review

Hi
Today's post is focusing on a promising product to cure pigmented facial spots. Herbal India Products sent me their bestseller product Derma Green Plus Herbal Whitening Cream that is crafted to give visible whitening of the skin in just 21 days with regular usage.

About the Brand:
Herbal India Products is high-class beauty and wellness products distributor in India and abroad whose focus is to provide a broad range of high quality products comprising of health supplements and skin care products made from the pure and natural ingredients available. The company promises to deliver their products in any part of the world in tactful packaging in shortest possible time span.

About the Product:
Derma Green Plus Herbal Whitening Cream is packaged in a black crystal tub pack with a bright red sticker on its top lid having the product name on it.

The ingredients and price details are printed at the bottom of the packaging. The cream is infused with the goodness of natural ingredients like Emu Oil, Almond Oil, Aloe, Lemon Grass, Sandal, Turmeric, Honey, Mulberry and RoseHips. The 30 gms content in the pack is sold at a price of Rs.3000 and shelf life of each pack is 24 months during which the cream can be safely used.

How did I like the product:
The Derma Green Plus impressed me with its floral fragrance and minty green color in the first glimpse. The cream is of the consistency as thick as a face pack. Even if you flip the pack upside down by mistake, rest assure that the content won't spill off :)

The brand recommends to apply the Derma Green Plus Herbal Whitening Cream as an overnight leave-on face mask on the face. So I applied the cream all over my face as well as neck area, which is exposed to all kinds of environmental issues most of the time. It took me a bit of effort to spread the thick cream on my skin so that it properly penetrates the skin.

The next morning I swiped off the cream from my face using wet cotton. After following the similar practice for almost 20 days now, the cream has imparted a visible glow to my skin. I can notice the lightening of the sun damaged patches from my forehead, though the skin is not yet evenly merged with the rest of facial tone. I am expecting better outcome with continuous use.

The cream claims to delay ageing to a great extent due to its beneficial herbal ingredients. I have great faith in home remedies, and when a product is prepared keeping in mind the effectiveness of its constituents, its a blessing in disguise for busy bees like me. Just a layer of Derma Green Plus on my face every night can improve blood circulation and thereby render youthful skin.

In the ingredients list, I noticed an interesting skincare element i.e Emu Oil which is said to repair the skin by reducing wrinkles, scar marks, skin irritation, cuts/scrapes arising out of different reasons. Thankfully I have no scar marks on my face, so I am unable to comment on its effectiveness on the same, but I am very happy with the efficacy of Derma Green Plus that has treated pigmentation and brightened my overall complexion.

Pros:

1. Natural Ingredients.
2. Lovely Fragrance.
3. Effective on blemish n pigmentation.
4. Suitable for all skin types.
5. Causes no side effects.
6. Impressive packing with inner lid.
7. Whitens and brightens the complexion.

Cons:

1. Expensive (might be due to its pure ingredients.

Overall Opinion:
Derma Green Plus Herbal Whitening Cream fulfills its commitment by providing multiple benefits to facial skin. It penetrates deep into the skin and relieves from flaky, patchy, dehydrated skin. People looking for safe product to cure pigmentation must go for Derma Green Plus.

The Great Indian Litterbug on Chandigarh Darshan

Recently I came across TOI's social campaign 'The Great Indian Litterbug'.

I just went through the interesting posts on the link http://greatindian.timesofindia.com/ that evoked my feelings for the cause. Like most of us, I am no exception to criticize of unhygienic surroundings in day to day life when I come across litter being thrown here n there, but the 'The Great Indian Litterbug' campaign made me question my own role in creating similar conditions. The thought-provoking message is being spread in the most viable manner to make general public relate to it. Atleast, it made me feel conscientious for being a guilty at one or the other moment in my life. So today I am geared up to bring forward my edition of 'The Great Indian Litterbug on Chandigarh Darshan' ...

Tower On Flower
The Rose festival is one of the prime event of Chandigarh every year. Lakhs of visitors including myself await to be a part of the mesmerizing showcase of variety of roses at Rose Garden. The tall masculine-built fellow enjoying sunny day reaches carrying his backpack packed with dozens of bananas, multiple soy-milk cartons. Seems like a big  gym freak, following strict diet instructions of his instructor ;) Despite being threatened by the gardeners, carelessly tramples the flower beds just because he can enjoy better sunlight at certain place n frowns at the gardener littering the garden with banana peels n empty cartons turning the sweet fragrance of roses into delectable fruity aroma.

When I am not able to bear the scenario, I stand up from there and walk onwards to enjoy the pleasant weather and colorful bounty of roses. My son is full of curious questions about names, colors n sizes of the lovely flowers which are enveloping us in a heavenly feel; when the little boy suddenly slips over a disposable plate lying nearby. As I tur around, it is more of a jaw dropping scene :/

Cheesy Teasy
 A family having gala time celebrating their baby's birthday with their friends or relatives. The eatables being served generously to each of them in larger portions. Most of them unable to finish their snacks are just placing the left-over stuff very decently with a smile on the faces, and giving an open invitation to crows ;) The paper plates, water bottles, crumpled napkins instantly become the deserving center-of-attraction for all. And why not, we are sophisticated enough ...

Moving ahead with a sorry note, I am about to sit down on a marbled bench to relax myself; when I realize myself stepping on something unusual...

Crunchy Munchy
My foot gets rooted in a virtual sea of neatly spilled peanuts. With strange expressions on my face I look around. A group of teenager boys winking at each other and giving a mysterious look to me. Worse than that, I feel heart-broken to see the bits n pieces of paper, polythene bags n other trash material carelessly tossed between the beautifully-laid flowerbeds.   

The litterbugs are not micro-bugs hidden secretly, rather they are seen with bare eyes. Where did you find them..tell me na !!

This post is written for Indiblogger's 'The Great Indian Litterbug' HappyHour activity in association with Times of India.

Puresense Sleep Inducer Review

My Facebook followers might have seen the lovely sample products sent to me by Puresense few weeks ago. I reviewed one of the products here earlier while sharing the hamper pic. I am reviewing an unusual yet wonderful product in today's post i.e. the Puresense Sleep Inducer.

Hey, don't presume this product being suitable for insomniacs ;) As claimed by the brand, the Sleep Inducer is a non-toxic & aromatic blend of Rosemary, Lavender and Bergamot that is formulated to improve the quality of your sleep with regular use. The magical mix of these ingredients calms your stressed mind and induces sleep.

The sample pack of Sleep Inducer that I received is a transparent spritz bottle of 10ml filled with the colorless liquid of watery consistency in it. The bottle's tip is covered with a tight transparent cap too, that doesn't let the liquid leak out.

The liquid comes out with 2-3 effortless pushes after removing the cap.

My experience:
I have a tendency to sleep quite late at night for last many years. And being employed on a full-time job doesn't allow me to get up late in the morning. So I usually get to sleep around 5-6 hrs max. Now the another worry-some fact is that the quality of my sleep is damn poor.  And it makes me feel drowsy the very next day.

To test the effect of this sleep inducer on me, I sprinkled its few drops on my pulse point & also gave few spritz to my pillowcover on both side of my head after I switched off the lights for night sleep. The moment I inhaled the mild fragrance of Puresense Sleep Inducer, I could deeply breath with relaxation.

During a regular usage of around a week or more, the sleep inducing scent had left amazing psychological effect on my sleep, because I knew that certain fragrances like Lavender, chamomile etc. correct the lack/disorder of sleep at the back of brain and invite tight sleep. I am willing to continue it for some more days, so that this sleeping aid can help me enjoy sound sleep with a peaceful balance of my mind for whatever time I get to sleep.

P.S. I am planning to test this spray as a daily wear therapeutic fragrance with a hope to keep my mind in a calm state throughout the day. Also feeling like putting its few drops to my diffuser and make the aromatic ambiance in my bedroom (though I don't know if it will work or not) ;)

Pros:

• Pocket friendly price.
• Non-toxic formulation.
• Caused no skin irritation.  Soothing mild fragrance.
• Fragrance lasts longer enough on me.
• Leak-proof packaging.
• Calms the stressed brain with regular usage.
• Easy Availability at many web portals.

Cons: 

• Absolutely Nothing.

If you feel you need to avoid medication for sleep disorder, then u can buy the full sized bottle of 100 ml for Rs 375 only here.

Navarasas Tranquility Lavender Ylang Ylang Body Butter Review

Hello All
 

How is life behaving at your end? I'm extremely exhausted for last two weeks due to work pressure and an ailing son :( The energy level was being really sinking at faster pace and I desperately needed something to lift my mood as well as to energize my tired senses. My friends n family suggested me to swallow some medicine to ease down my bodyache, but I am usually not in favour of taking tablets until its unavoidable. So I opted for my all time favourite treatment i.e. an aromatherapy treat to my body. Nothing in this world can match up with the luxurious comfort of self-massage with a body butter after a hot water shower :)

Today I want to share my experience with Navarasas Tranquility Lavender Ylang Ylang Body Butter.

About The Brand:
Navarasas Aromatherapy and Essential Oils by Nikki is a personalized, home based business aimed at creating the blends that are personally researched, studied & created by Ms. Nikki to fully harness the potential of aroma & massage therapies. Because the team 'Navarasas' believes in the fact that health is not simply the absence of disease. Holistic medicine is the concept of treating people by creating a balance between physical, mental, emotional & even spiritual elements of their body. I am instinctively fallen in love with this thought and so am ready with my views today ..

Product Claims:

This tranquil aromatherapy blend of essential oils claim to leave your skin feel smooth & nourished due to its Lavender & Ylang Ylang essential oils that sooth the mind & heal the body.

About the product:

Navarasas Tranquility Lavender Ylang Ylang Body Butter formulated with ingredients like Bee Wax, Essential Oils, Fragrance Oils, Organic Coconut Oil, Raw Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil. It comes in a transparent tub packing with transparent screw cap. A white push-in cap is interleaved inside the screw cap.  

 The distinctive composition of essential oils use in this Tranquility body butter gave my brain a signal of an uplifting aroma as soon as I opened the pack. lavender is one of my most favourite fragrances in bath n body products. Unlike my expectations, this body butter is not of smooth creamy texture, but is composed of relatively visible granules in pearly off-white color. I loved this coarse-grained texture a lot, because it gave me a rich feeling of using some effective n trustworthy home remedy for my skin :) :)

Inspite of the thick consistency, the body butter melts very easily at the body temperature. It feels quite oily until massaged nicely to get it absorbed by the skin properly. The skin feels happy with intensely moisturized with a light sheen visible on the top layer of the skin. My DRY skin behaved reasonably well after the application of Tranquility body butter. The lavender aroma might feel highly sweeter to some, but I like the delightful fragrance that lasts long enough. 

I noticed a great reduction flakes n dry patches on my skin after a regular use of  one week on my body. I recommend it to be used on any body part other than face.

Pros: 

• Smells Lovely.
• Soothes the body n brain.
• Excellent Ingredients.
• Possesses curative properties of essential oils. 
• Greasy enough to treat n heal dry skin.
• Stops moisture escaping from the skin.
• No adverse effect on skin.

Cons:

• The aroma might feel stronger to sensitive noses.

Overall Thoughts:
Navarasas Tranquility Lavender Ylang Ylang Body Butter is an added sumptuous touch to my  bathing and skin care routine. After a stressful day, just luxuriate yourself surrounded by goodness of aromatherapy pampering of Navarasas & forget the world, because the effects of this body butter are far from skin deep :)

All Good Scents SCENTBOX™ Review

Who doesn't like to stay fragrant n fresh all the day long? I love buying scents, perfumes n all other kinds of fragrances for myself and for gifting purposes. But every time I stand on a perfume counter interested in trying something new, I am confused after testing 2 or 3 of the fragrances that mix up on my wrist and I end up buying the tried-n-tested one bcz I am unable to choose the one I liked the most among all. Does it happen with you also?? How does it sound like if we can get to try some fragrances one after the another with a gap of some time and then decide what exactly to buy...

All Good Scents gives you this facility to choose from their lovely fragrances after testing your preferred scents in form of a SCENTBOX™.

About SCENTBOX™:
SCENTBOX™ is a packaging of 3 exciting fragrance testers that is customized as per your choice. Each tester fragrance contains 2ml of quantity and is priced at Rs 55. That means your SCENTBOX™ is delivered to your doorstep at just Rs 165. 

Not only that, but when you order a SCENTBOX™, you receive a special promo code to avail discount while buying your favourite perfume in the next order :)

About the Brand:
All Good Scents masters in creating the right blend of three fragrance note scales.

 The top notes of a fragrance are generally recognized immediately upon application of the perfume & are the lightest of all the notes.  The heart notes make an appearance once the top notes evaporate. The base notes are the final fragrance notes that appear once the top & heart notes have evaporated.

My SCENTBOX™:

The SCENTBOX™ is a triangular shaped cardboard box. The box shape and the brand logo is inspired from The Perfume Pyramid, as shown in pic above.

I received the SCENTBOX™ containing Radiant, Lolette, , Smooth fragrances.The Radiant and Lolette is from HER collection and Smooth is from HIM collection of fragrances of AllGoodScents.com

Before I could try these cute li'l babies, my hubby quickly grabbed the pack from my hand and sprinkled SMOOTH fragrance on him saying "dear, its meant for HIM (MEN), so let me give you my feedback on it." ;) The Smooth has top notes of somewhat fruity mix of Thyme, Bergamot, Lemon that one experiences in the initial whiff. The heart notes of Ozone, Cloves, Nutmeg are on a spicy note that trigger your senses instantly. And the base notes are musky Balsam Fir, Sandalwood, White Musk that lasts after 6-8 hours as per my hubby's verdict. The full size packaging of 50 ml is priced at Rs 750. You can buy it here.

 I was excited to pick one fragrance for me too and I sprayed Lolette on me coz it impressed me with its lovely girly purple packaging first of all. Among the fruity Top Notes of Coconut, Plum, Apricot; the most prominent one was the Coconut in the first sniff I had. The heart notes include Tuberose, Pimento, Jasmine Sambac and the base Notes are including  Vanilla, Rose, Jacaranda Wood. This particular fragrance feels so sensual n flirty at the same time and impresses me with its longevity. I genuinely could smell it till the next morning on myself. The admirers of stronger notes MUST give it a try on my recommendation. Its one of the most uplifting fragrance I have ever used. The MRP for a full sized bottle of 50ml is Rs.1200/- You can buy it here.

The RADIANT is again meant for females. The RADIANT fragrances has Hawthorn, Powdery, Lipstick as top notes; the Violet Blossoms, Jasmine, Rose as the heart notes and the Vanilla, Oppoponax, White Musk as the base notes. The subtle, soothing Radiant perfume reminds me of something feminine. The soft vanilla is among my usual favourites so I loved this one too. The MRP for a full sized bottle of 50ml is Rs.750. You can buy it here.

Overall, I am all the way happy to have this SCENTBOX™ delivered to me. Each of the fragrance tester of 2 ml each easily lasts for 5-7 sprays and helps to make up your mind what fragrance to order. 

So choose the right perfume best suited to your personality to exemplify your Signature Style to the world !!

A Journey from ‘OR’ to ‘AND’

Let me begin by asking you ladies "How happy you honestly feel you are with your life?" Most of you would atleast spend few seconds to think before acclaiming "I am very happy with my life with no complaints".  Many women second this thought that they had been fed up being rolled like a ball from 'either This or That' to sacrifice their dreams n wishes, when it comes to make personal choices...

 She had been no better fortunate... but had no complaints to anyone rather always felt content with her family's happiness n progress. But there is always a time in every women's life when the only thing that helps her is her own DECISION. She had to take a stand that day to ditch "OR" and embrace "AND". She could not dare to abandon her first baby girl AND decided to escort the new life till her last breath.
 
The woman whom I am referring is my loving mommy who had the guts to have her say to keep her baby girl alive with all her inner willingness. And so I am here talking to you :)

I have li'l something to say about her how her "AND" formula worked miraculous for my life...

When she conceived me in her womb, she wrapped in her my body AND my organs.

When I was growing, she shaped my views AND my thought process.

When I was aspiring, she nurtured my dreams AND my talents.

When I stepped out, she counseled me well AND darted to check if my world was safe.  

When I was ready to accomplish, she honed my skills AND my career.

When I was in love, she welcomed him AND gave me happiness of lifetime.

Today, she regrets nothing, to see her daughter successful AND happy.

Her soft hands AND firm spirits I hold that guide me like none other.

Hey, I treasure the parts AND parcels of having an affectionate mother.

Mommy is the one who made my heart richer with this feeling that I can achieve a little bit of THIS & THAT & Everything Else, if determined. 

“This post is a part of #UseYourAnd activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus“.