Oriflame The ONE Long Wear Nail Polish Review & Swatches

"The inner beauty surely is great, but a little nailpolish never hurts."

I've to admit that I'm never satisfied with the number of nailpaints I own. There was a time when I had been devoted towards traditional shades of nailpaints imagining that not every colour would suit my dusky skin tone. But I seriously feel surprised on myself now when I'm attracted to buy unusual shades of nailpaints and I really like those on my finger nails.

Let me show you the current inclusion in my existing nail paint collection. These are from none other than the popular cosmetic brand Oriflame. I chose to have the nail paints from The One Long Wear range of Oriflame in shades Ruby Rouge, Lilac Silk, London Red. 

Ruby Rogue is a deep burgundy, fall-appropriate shade. If you are an attention-seeker, this is the shade for you. I goes really well with traditional hued ethnic outfit when you are ready to rock wedding parties styling load of embellishments on you :) I'm in never-ending love with this shade.

In a total contrast to my usual preferences for dark shades, I opted for a lighter shade called Lilac Silk shade. This is such pretty girly shade that will definitely be a favourite of girls for its unique tint. Just make sure to paint your nails with two coats for finest opaque finish. I bet its your ticket to get noticed when you flaunt subtle nailpaint like Lilac Silk. It gives a touch of intricate femininity to the wearer. This shade deserves to be called as my newly discovered love.

And, if want to continue your unfailing dedication for Reds like me, then you have London Red to make you smile bigger. It's a shade that most women adore irrespective of the season, occasion or kind of outfit they are wearing it with.

The nail paints of The One range come in a long, transparent glass bottle with greyish cap. The applicator brush is so comfortable to hold. The wider n thicker applicator brush eases your job to paint the entire nail in single swipe from the base to the tip with precision. The unique thing of the packaging is a bottle lock which I never found in any other brand nail paint bottles.

All the nail paints I swatched have beautiful glossy finish but its not shimmery. I'm so happy to share that the wearing time of these nail paints is much better than most nail paints. It survived on my finger nails for more than a week after doing all households with only minimal chipping on the edges, which is worth appreciation. I believe the longevity can be increased by using a top coat, which I didn't use purposely.

For a price of INR 299 each, The ONE Long Wear Nail Polishes offer 8 ml of content. So your search for long-lasting, high coverage nail polish in the latest shades ends here. There are tens of other gorgeous shades too.  Check it out!!

Did you like any of these shades or you want me to review other shades next time ;)

Nelf Cosmetics Eye Rock Eyeshadow Palette Review

Are you one of those style icons who want to wear a bold eye makeup look to make a statement without going overboard for a wedding ceremony you are attending this season. Then we have a great recommendation of a bold hued eyeshadow palette.

6 Musketeers.... as they call it, is an eyeshadow palette from Nelf Cosmetics containing 6 amazingly beautiful shades to dramatize your eye makeup in a jiffy. If you are bored of your usual favourite eyeshadow in nude n neutral and try some these vibrant shades.

The palette comes in a sleek carton with cute graphics printed on it. The palette contained in the carton has a tiny applicator brush and a small mirror as well. So if you are usually on travel, keeping this one palette in your makeup kit will relieve you from packing mirror etc separately.

Ingredients (refer image below)
Price: Rs. 425/-

The fun shades of six complementing shadows will intensify your eye makeup by adding a touch of sultriness to your overall look. For this fall-winter season, a deeper hued eyeshadow can make the rest of your face appear fresh and full of life. These eye shadows can be used to create as many looks as an individual may imagine by creative thinking of mix n match.

The shades are greatly pigmented and offer non-patchy application so smoothly, but it needs building up to bring out the warmth of the shade. The shades blend like magic for their soft texture. (apologies for blur swatches below)

The brand recommends to apply smooth primer over eye area to help prevent eye shadow color from fading or creasing. The lighter shades can be swept onto lid and the inner corner of eye while the medium shade go for crease. The two darkest shades can be blended into the outer corner of eye and along lower lash line and you are gravitated toward presenting timeless makeup look in your own right.

The Eye Rock Eyeshadow Palette is available in 4 options presently that will certainly inspire you to discover perfect choice for your personality. Make one yours !!

Mesmerizing Memories of Dubai Vacations

I love the time of life when I'm never knowing what day of the week it is, and that's the time when I'm on vacation with my girly gang. 

Aah! Those lazy days and beautiful nights, some girly talk and crazy cat fights ;) ha ha ha. 

On a serious note, I truly love travelling :) Travel for me is not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. It's actually a new way to see things around and feel privileged that you could witness the beauty of this lively planet.

Few months back (in the month of June, to be exact), me and my girly gang got an amazing opportunity to create magic in our lives by enjoying an overseas trip together. We knew our 'summer' will end with good memories now, so we quickly enrolled ourselves to avail the travel package to Dubai. 

We felt elated to find that our two-way flights were booked with Emirates Airlines, one of the leading airlines across the world that offers excellent service in terms of baggage allowance, in-flight dining, passenger security and everything else. Adding to our convenience, all the pre and post booking procedure was provide online that relieved us from all the hassle.

Immediately after landing at the beautiful destination, the exuberant girls just took few minutes to freshen up their looks with quick touch ups and we were good to go ;) And here's how the 'land of fantasies' entertained us with its world-class attractions.

The live Dolphin and Seal Show at the Dubai Dolphinarium was the highlight of Day 1. Watching these amicable creatures perform incredible acrobatic moves thrilled everyone present in the hall full of thousands of spectators. Hats off to the trainers who conduct every show with such precision!

Another leisurely activity to thrill the adventurers in us awaited us at the soft sand of Dubai Desert Safari the next day. The Camel Trekking, Sand boarding, Quad Riding activities followed by BBQ dinner served under starlit sky & the belly dancers performing sultry moves made it an experience that we will never forget. Watching the sun go down over the horizon from the highest sand dune served a perfect backdrop for many memorable photographs.

I know, you are all wondering if we missed visiting the mega sky scrapper?? Well, nah! Next morning after we had our breakfast, we were transported to the tallest building of the world, Burj Khalifa. Wow! the stunning marvel of engineering presented a view that left us breathless.

Before heading back to the hotel, we spent some gala time at places like Gold Souk, Marina Dhow Cruise and Sheikhs Palace too. As our wonderful trip was coming to an end, we bought some exclusive souvenirs for family back home from the charming gift shops of Dubai and returned back richer in our memories. Because traveling with friends is the only thing that makes you 'richer' and 'happier'.

Oriflame Nature Secrets Nettle and Lemon Shampoo Review

I've been using Oriflame cosmetics & fragrances for quite some time now and found myself attracted towards all its excellent quality products. On reviewing the Oriflame Hair Mask, I received a few messages from my readers to recommend some oriflame shampoo that they can use prior to mask application. So here is one of the shampoos from Oriflame Nature Secrets in Nettle & Lemon variant that I've tested and reviewing it for you today.

To begin with, the colorful label on the shampoo packaging appealed me in the very first look. You may notice the key ingredients Nettle leaves and Lemons printed on the label for a charming appearance. The sleek, but tall bottle fits in the grip of your hand comfortably due to the curvy shape of bottle. It's a see-through bottle to keep an eye on the content of the bottle. 

On the rear part of the bottle, you may find the list of ingredients.

As always, I liked the flip-open cap on the bottle to ooze the product out as per need.

The shampoo looks to have faint green colour when in bottle, but comes colourless on your palm. The consistency is moderately thick as compared to some shampoos I've used in past. If you expect the shampoo to be low-lathering, think again. The shampoo, despite being mild on hair and scalp, produces sufficient frothy bubbles to clean the dirt, oil and grime accumulated on the hair roots and length. 

The shampoo has light, citrusy fragrance that doesn't annoy even the most responsive smelling senses, but will be pleasant to most of us. The smell lasts not very long in your tresses after you rinse it off.

The shampoo has extracts of lemon and nettle plant leaves. To the ones, for whom Nettle is a new name, it is an plant whose leaves have an astringent quality for deep cleaning the hair and supply your hair with lots of body. I personally experienced that the shampoo fulfills its claims. Both the Nettle extract and Lemon extract are best natural remedies to eliminate dandruff and are said to be more effective for oily, greasy hair. The shampoo can be used everyday if your hair get oily sooner, but I recommend to either limit the quantity per usage or washing your hair on alternate days since the formula is not completely herbal. 

In general, the shampoo suits all hair types without causing any side effects like overdry n itchy scalp, irritated eyes or tangled hair which commonly happen with many of us after using a wrong shampoo type. I'm believing that it is because Nettle and Lemon contain high levels of vitamins and minerals to enhance hair health. I'm happy how soft, manageable and tangle-free hair I get after using Oriflame Nature Secrets Nettle and Lemon Shampoo every time.

If you would like to buy the product, it's available here for a price of INR 329 for 250 ml pack.

Winners for #TripleDiwaliDhamaka giveaway

Hey everyone

Thank you so much for the fanatical zeal to participate in our #TripleDiwaliDhamaka giveaway. Due to some unavoidable reasons, the winner announcement got so late and we really apologize for the same.

But that should not dull your mood as we are finally here with the lucky winners names :)

Drum rolls for the lucky ladies .... 

1. Niharika Seth

2. Kashifah Shaikh

3. Ankita Chaudhary

The winners have been chosen from the qualified entries on the basis on consistent and unwavering participation over social media platforms and blogs. 

So ladies, we understand your curiosity to know what you've won for yourself, so refer the image below to find who gets which of three lovely gift hampers, 

The winners are requested to DM their complete postal addresses including zip code and phone number to the concerned FB page where they have won. All of us will try to dispatch the prizes as soon as possible. 

Once again, a big thanks to all the participants and my lovely friends Jhilmil from Beauty & Beyond and Khushboo from Munni of All Trades for teaming up with Alive n Kicking for this wonderful collaboration giveaway.. 

Keep watching this space for next contest announcement very soon.

Best Buddies and Best Brands Make Up The Best Celebrations

"The night we partied until dawn was the best time I had in my life." 

I say this to my gang of buddies every time we have a celebration together. Call me freakish, but I’m not the one who waits for an occasion to hang out with friends, just a bite from party bug and the fun is on... While I declare my undying love for my friends, isn't this feeling worth celebrating :) 

For my gang, we either fall for a delectable menu and some fine textured drinks served at a tranquil place at times, or just like to make some noise on the dance floor. Either way, we raise the toast to such get-togethers to relax, forget work and have a good time with fun-loving friends. 

And hey! Just like the company of great friends makes a celebration all memoirs, it's a matter of ultimate pleasure to celebrate with some of the best brands of sparkling drinks that sit pretty in the extensive collection of your favourite outlet bar to make your party even more perfect. 

If asked for my opinion, I totally go by the saying, "With every celebration there goes a drink, but not all the drinks go with the every celebration."

Lately, we've been really choosy for the desired party venue. You ask why? For the comforting ambiance, amenities offered and of course for the right vibes. And ultimately this gleeful gang of ours has narrowed down our choices to the Lava Bar at The Taj, Chandigarh. 

The place is so inviting when it comes to throwing a party that lifts even the dullest mood. As you celebrate together with iconic brands that you always wish to be on your party table, are all stacked so gracefully that instantaneously pick up on those vibes. Absolut, being the ruler of my taste is simply heart-stopping good. 

Hence proved, while breaking the rules and having fun celebrations with your friends, the bubbles and popping corks are a must to sound like a perfectly enjoyable party. And I bet you are never truly over with the best celebrations life can extend to you ever. #CantWaitToCelebrate.

So three cheers for all party animals that celebrate 'life' together!!

Hydrate Your Tired Skin With Lavender Mask ft. Aroma Essentials

I've been living under extreme work pressure since many days and it's not going to end for one more month. This daily stress and other environmental issues leave my skin sickly-looking & washed-out. To combat the tiredness of my skin, I've started using Lavender Mask because Lavender oil counteracts various skin disorders.

The Lavender Mask that I'm trying these days is sent to me by one of the most authentic herbal brand Aroma Essentials and I totally trust the indulgent ingredients used in its products. So had high hopes with this product as well.

The mask has jelly-like (not gel-like) appearance and is thick in viscosity. If you tilt the tiny tub containing the product, it won't spill. The light-green colour and soothing aroma are quite refreshing to my senses. The application of mask is quite easy involving no mixing or diluting. Just spreading a thin layer of mask on face for 10 mins and wiping it off with wet tissue. This is the reason that I'm using it every alternate day usually in the afternoon during my lunch break at work because by that time my skin starts showing signs of fatigue.

The mask gives mild cooling sensation while on skin and calms inflamed skin. The skin feels de-stressed, hydrated and looks glowing for next an hour or two. The only con that I find with the product is that the radiance on the skin is quite short-lived, otherwise there is no arguement about benefits of Lavender for skin.

Other than Lavender oil, the mask is infused with Chamomile flower oil and aloe gel. Chamomile possesses effective characteristics to heal wounds, burns and scars on the skin. A prolonged use of the mask can render numerous benefits for all types of skin and enhance the appearance of otherwise sallow skin. 

Being cruelty-free, chemical-free, artificial-fragrance free and dermatologically tested are added pluses for the product. So your search for a natural skin-healer ends here. The lavender mask is available at Rs. 300 for 35 gm. 

Pamper Your Skin With AHA Skin Polishing ft. Aroma Essentials

While your mind is keeping you more than occupied, don't forget to take care of your skin. If you are trapped in similar situation like I'm, don't panic to find your skin misbehaving in this changing weather; simply catch up on your favourite skin care products and indulge into some self-pampering time.

I confess that I've been really careless for my skin since last one month or so, and of course the effect can be seen on different parts of my body. To rescue my skin from more damage, I took a skin exfoliating treatment at home using Aha Sugar Polish sent by Aroma Essentials.

Skin Polishing is an exfoliation treatment much like scrubbing, but the purpose varies. While the scrubs are meant to clean the outer layer of the skin by removing dead skin cells, dirt and oil; the skin polishing targets moisturizing n smoothening the skin by exfoliating the already cleansed skin and bring the radiance out.

The Aha Sugar Polish as the name suggests uses Brown Sugar as the base ingredient which is really gentle on skin. The other ingredients include Tamarind Powder, Jaggery, Lavender Buds Powder, Sugar Powder, Walnut Powder Apricot Oil, Castile Soap. I can confidently say that I've found the most indulgent natural ingredients in the AE products and using these products add to my knowledge too ;)

Aha Sugar Polish is a thick, brown colored, abrasive product with heavenly fragrance. The product is to be used during the shower on the wet skin, left on skin for 10 minutes and then rub gently before rinsing off. 

This grainy mixture of skin-sloughing ingredients instantly rid your skin off dry, flaking skin on rough areas of body like elbow joints and knuckles. But be gentle with your rubbing strokes as the ingredients in the product do not dissolve cent-percent and may leave marks on skin if you are aggressive. There is visible improvement on my back skin after using it twice. A moisturised layer of fresh, clean and smooth skin is all what I wanted and achieved. The only thing I wish is to add some more essential oils in the product for extra dry skin so that a body lotion can be completely skipped post shower. For making my experience more productive, I recreated the sugar polish by adding few drops of sweet almond oil and enjoyed really soft and silky skin packed with little more moisture.

If you are using it on delicate skin of your face, limit the use twice a month only. The sugar polish is suitable to almost all skin types including sensitive skin and doesn't break out. The aroma of the product stays for some time after washing your skin off and the ingredients used in it keep on relaxing and stimulating your senses. 

The 100 gm packaging of the sugar polish is priced at Rs 650/-

So next time, when it's the time for a hot shower, don't forget to carry Aha Sugar Polish along and come out with glowing skin.

Change Your Diet, Change Your Life With Raw Pressery Juices

Preparing uniquely refreshing juices at home from variety of fruits might be quite customary for most households like mine, because we all typically believe that freshly extracted juices have higher nutritional value than packed juices. 

But today, I'm putting an end to this widely held belief by establishing the fact that the juicers or blenders we use at home generate heat due to high-speed rotating blade that causes oxidation and destroys vital nutrients in the juices. A healthier alternative is to opt for 'Cold Pressed' juices which are made with a hydraulic press to extract the maximum amount of liquid from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Now, if you're wondering where to avail cold presses juices from? The answer lies here at             Raw Pressery. 

Raw Pressery is an innovative venture by Mr. Anuj to promote "All Good No Bad" message by delivering cold-pressed juices and cleanses everyday at major cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune. 

When Raw Pressery started delivering at Chandigarh, I couldn't counter my temptation to try some flavours and I was sent one of their popular Raw Bundles called Metabolize by the brand for tasting and testing.

This juice combo is a carefully put together pack of 4 variants named as Glow, Shield, Flush, 100% Pineapple and Ginger in food grade plastic bottles of 250 ml each.

Unlike the Cleanse plans offered by the brand, the Raw Bundle that I received, is not meant to be drunk in any specific order which was a great relief to me. Because its pretty difficult for me to spare even a few minutes for snacking etc. during my working hours. So I drank all these juices at comfort of my home after returning from work.

Glow, a clear looking, superior blend of Cucumber, Coconut Water, Pineapple, Lemongrass, Aloe Vera and Lemon. Loaded with energy, it's great to obtain healthy skin and keep the body cool n properly hydrated. 

Shield, a bright orange colour juice having Tangerine, Carrot and Ginger with thicker consistency. The pulp in the beverage resembles exactly like freshly extracted orange juice and leaves you feel really full as you consume the entire content of the bottle. The presence of Vitamin C helps battle common cold, signs of ageing and allergies.

Flush, the most beautiful looking beverage containing Apple, Beet, Carrot, Ginger and Lemon. The juice owes its colour from beet that goes into the formula. This one is best for people who complaint of high blood pressure as the juice will lowers the blood pressure while purifying the blood and supplying Vitamin A to the body.

100% Pineapple and Ginger, is a sunny yellow colour juice that rich in potassium and vitamin C. But don't expect the taste to be as sweet as usual pineapple juice.

Talking about the flavour of juices, none of the juices taste sweet despite sweet ingredients used in some of them. The aroma and flavours are bit strong and tangy for my taste. I would have loved them more if a healthy alternate of artificial sugar might have been added to sweeten the beverages. But I like the mixing of ginger in most recipes which adds to the health benefits of the juices for its anti-inflammatory, immune boosting properties. As far as the taste is concerned, one can always go slow initially and develop a liking after some time like it happened with me :)

Are Raw Pressery juices genuinely incredible?

Yes! they are. And here I tell you why...

• When most juices generally mean fruit extracts, Raw Pressery juices contain fruits as well as veggies. 
• No use of chemicals, preservatives, artificial colours or added sugar; only freshest and finest quality fruits and veggies sourced directly from local farms (and nothing else).
• If you expect it's plain, watery thin liquid bottled for you to drink, you fail miserably. 'Coz you'll love the mouthful of pulp in every sip.
• There is wide array of choices to subscribe for a delivery plan depending on your requirement like Detox Cleanse, Raw Bundles, Multi Serve packs etc. Each of these will contribute towards your well-being by improving your diet plan.
• One can customize the selection of juices in his subscription plan (only) if certain flavour is not liked. 
• These juices are apt to replace a healthy meal in case you are short of time or not eating due to unavailability of proper food. Not only the adults, but kids will also enjoy these healthy beverages as a 'super food'.
• The nutritional chart is printed on every bottle with details of all your calorie and other nutrition intake from particular variant.
• The bottles used for packaging of juices are food grade PET, 100% BPA free and completely recyclable. The company supports green revolution by arranging collection of the empty bottles from your place as a part of their recycling drive which is worth an applause. 

Overall, a strong recommendation for everyone to introduce yourself to these nectar-like beverages to sooth the internal system of your body and improve the quality of your living.