Discover Your Inner Fashionista With Bornprettystore

To add a touch of luxury to your look and to discover your inner fashionista, just put on some makeup and compliment it with beautifully crafted pieces of jewelry. You may find countless number of websites dealing the makeup and accessories, but to stay ahead of the trends with an unparalleled selection of chic fashion stuff, my preferred shopping destination is none other than BornprettyStore.

My association with the website is quite mature now and whenever I explore it after a gap of some days, I notice the collection gets updated with numerous irresistible fashion items. And you may easily guess why I'm telling you all this..bcz I've again shopped with them at guilt-free prices with Free Worldwide Shipping.

So here is the time to indulge in the striking beauties I bought in this order..

When you're getting preparations done for some special occasion, you may need some classy jewelry. Golden is the colour of festivity, celebration and merriment. I always choose to wear tinkling bangles set with ethnic outfits. And if I go for something western or indo-western, there is always a gold cuff bangle with me like the one I got from BornprettyStore. 

It has an outstanding appeal and looks glam. You can wear it for all kinds of situations, for a holiday or a party; and it takes your fashion appeal raised up effortlessly. 

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While scouting the site for some more glam jewelry pieces, a dazzling collar necklace almost stole my heart <3 The design is elaborate, yet light-weight. I chose the multi-coloured necklace out of the four options available and I loved my selection.

It's not excessively sparkling and gives a smooth matte look which is exactly how I want my accessories to be. It's neckchain is made of Resign material which is synthetic organic polymer. It's flexible and airy-light to wear around my neck for even long hours.

And next, I ordered this Professional Lipstick Palette. I'm seriously fallen head over heels in love with this pretty makeup companion. What I can recall, that's my most expensive purchase from BPS till date ;)

It has 32 high quality lipstick shades ranging from primaries and neutrals to bold brights. The makeup enthusiasts like me would love to create an endless array of looks by mixing and customizing these pigmented, long-wearing lip shades. The lipshades are quite moisturizing while on lips and has sassy finish.

The sleek size of palette makes it travel-friendly. The only regret that I have on this palette that the applicator brush is not provided with it, but it doesn't lessen my fancy for the adorable palette.

Overall, it's a wonderful beginning of my BPS shopping series for 2017 ;) For those who are planning to buy some great accessories can use coupon code WEMT10 for get 10% off on non-discounted items on entire collection on the website.

I'm eager to know how you liked my choice :) Do share your views.

Win Premium Bedsheets in #MyIconicHomeContest (Closed)

Starting from tomorrow, we will post one trivia question every alternate day related to the sponsor website Myiconichome.com or my blog on our "Facebook" timeline. 

All you have to do is to answer all the questions on the contest posts.

COMPULSORY RULES:

1. Subscribe to my blog via email and verify your subscription.
2. Follow Alive n Kicking PUBLICLY on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and YouTube.
3. Follow Myiconichome PUBLICLY on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram.
4. Share this blog post and every Trivia post on your Facebook timeline using hashtag #MyIconicHomeContest. Do tag both pages and atleast 5 friends (the more the merrier) while sharing.
5. After completing all 4 steps above, just mention your email address, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube names in comment section of this blog post (we will not be able to track your entry if you don't comment here) 

Prizes:

THREE lucky winners who complete the compulsory steps mentioned above, give all answers correct and are interactively engaged with us during contest will take home a beautiful premium quality Welhouse double bedsheet each. 

P.S. Your efforts will be closely monitored.

Its a sponsored giveaway, so I won't be held responsible for delay or damage of prize hamper in transit.

Winners Update (31.01.17)
Congratulations Latika Dheer, Aishwarya P Krishnammachary, Saloni Almal. Wait for an email from us to claim your prize.

Decor Diaries ft.myiconichome.com

Your bed is somewhere that you return to every day for rest and recovery from your busy lifestyle. Naturally, you’ll want the very best premium bedsheets, so that you get the best night sleep possible. What’s more, your bedsheets also form a major part of your interior design, topping off the look of your bedroom. 

I believe, most of you will agree to what you read above... Actually this is vision of Myiconichome which is an online portal to provide its customers with the ultimate home decor products to bring a touch of luxury and comfort to the heart of your home. During my recent collaboration with the brand/portal, I was veritably impressed by the quality products they deal in. And so, I decided to shop for some bed linen for my new home <3

They stock some of the highest quality bedsheets available in the market, including Thuhil, Home Elite and Welhouse. These brands are all well known for their great degree of comfort, and are available in a wide selection of fantastic patterns, designs and price range. Whatever is your style and budget there’s something for you. I was yearning to get some soft fabric bedsheets for daily use. While browsing the wide selection, plenty of ideas spring to my mind when I found these interesting tips- 

Tips to choose bedsheets online:

• Consider the mood that you want to create in your bedroom. For those looking to make a big statement, the bold colours and geometric designs provide a focal point around which you can shape the rest of the room. 
• Stripes, on the other hand, help to create a flow in the room- the eye is naturally drawn along these lines, taking in the general ambiance right away. 
• For those who prefer a more subdued approach, the soft pastel colours and textured designer patterned bedsheets are the way to go. 

Now, I could made a clear choice and ordered 4 print bedsheets from Welhouse. I received all my order details via SMS and email instantly. The progress about the order status was regularly updated on the mail and finally the order arrived at the given address quite well packed without any delay or hassle.

Check out the individual pics...

 

The double bedsheets that I received are incredibly soft to touch. The quality seems to last much longer than the cheaper alternatives. I'm excited for a wonderful night sleep in utmost comfort. This site is undoubtedly the perfect place for those who care about the look of their home.

Tell me honestly, was I able to spark up your zing to own these beautiful bed linen?? I'm all ear to receive your opinion. If I loved your feedback, then you're IN for a treat for yourself...

I'll reveal the surprise soon!! 

Win Mama Earth Baby Products (closed)

Hey everyone

When I asked you to vote for your favourite giveaway gifts, many of you were eager to win something for your bundles of joy. I had recently introduced Mama Earth on my blog and reviewed their skin-safe baby care products also. If you missed reading the post, check it out here. The products' efficacy really impressed me, so I proposed the brand to do a simple contest with us and the innovative mommy Ms. Ghazal gave us a thumbs up :)

Now coming to the contest rules...

The contest will run simultaneously on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The participant can play the contest on ANY ONE or ALL of the platforms.

For Facebook Users:

• Follow Alive n Kicking and Mama Earth on Facebook.
• Name one of the Mama Earth products that you would love to gift to your little one in the comment section of this post.
• Share the giveaway post (public) on your timeline with with #WinWithMamaEarth and tag at least 5 friends (the more, the merrier). 

For Twitter Users:

• Follow artisanme79 and Mama Earth India on twitter. 
• Name one of the Mama Earth products that you would love to gift to your little one in reply to this thread. 
• Retweet the giveaway post (public) with #WinWithMamaEarth on your timeline and tag at least 5 friends (the more, the merrier). 

For Instagram Users:

• Follow shilpabindlish and Mamaearth_India on Instagram
• Name one of the Mama Earth products that you would love to gift to your little one in comment section of this post.
• Repost the giveaway post (public) with #WinWithMamaEarth on your timeline and tag at least 5 friends (the more, the merrier) 

Additional Information:

Giveaway Duration: 17 Jan to 31 Jan.

Valid for Indian residents. 

Prizes:

3 lucky winners will be selected on basis of maximum engagement (one on each platform). Winners will get a baby essential kit for their kids. 

P.S. Its a sponsored giveaway by Mama Earth & the brand will be sending prizes. We won't take any responsibility of delay or damage in transit.

Winner Update (2 Feb, 2017):
Congratulations to Jagjeet Kaur, Preeti Tiwai and Shweta Ahuja for winning the Mama Earth gift packs for their babies. Kindly look for our message to claim your prizes.

My Online Shopping From Miway Fashion

Every girl next-door who desires to express her style by fusing her personal approach with trendy clothing is always look out for a shopping destination from where she can pick the apparels reflecting her personality. I personally like to keep my wardrobe up-to-date and for the obvious reasons of being a busy working women, online shopping is my way of exploring fashion brands. About a week ago, I shopped from a new brand Miway Fashion that helps women to empower themselves through the simple act of dressing up.
Know the Brand:
Harbouring the perfect amalgamation of comfort wear and stylish design, ‘Miway’ is a fashion brand that caters exclusively to women. 'Miway’ caters to every need of the modern woman, from everyday wear to formal wear for those special occasions. Their competitive pricing, exclusive collections and a superbly managed supply chain are some of the attributes which keep them going in the market. Made with love and handled with care, ‘Miway’ is a one stop destination for all your fashion needs.

My Haul:
I usually buy my clothing not by just looking at the colour, fabric, pattern etc; but considering the utility about where can how frequently can I wear it. Keeping this in mind, I chose to order this solid-coloured button-up shirt in maroon colour that I may wear with my semi-formal trousers at work. Not only this colour brightens my complexion, but the soft viscose fabric has a figure-skimming fit on me.

 Another piece that I picked is a Low Hipster Dress in my all time favourite black color. The dress gives you an edge over mainstream clothing. I liked how the embellished golden sequence work promises an alluring look to the wearer. I'm planning to adorn this classy dress with high heels and red bold lips for perfect diva look. This trendy dress is perfect pick for my party wardrobe. What say!

When shopping for clothing, I can never skip adding a piece for my casual family outings and get-togethers with friends. And hence, there was this A-Line dress with neck snug collar in my shopping cart. The light-weight Georgette fabric in lemon-yellow color is pretty to look at and is easy to carry. This dress fits snugly, but not tightly on the upper part of body. I'm in love with the neckband that is an attention-grabber. The overall look that one can create with this dress can either be quite playful or sensual.

I'm delighted to own the clothing that fits my fashionable needs and I cannot wait to style these lovely dresses, but still eyeing on many more trendy outfits to buy in my next purchase. 

You may find midi dresses, maxi dresses, crop tops, blouses, jackets, jumpsuits and different types of bottoms on Miway. Miway Fashion along with their own website is available at many shopping portals such as Limeroad.com, Jabong.com, Voonik.com. Amazon.com. So no more waiting, start filling your carts and get ready to create delightful looks <3

Cakelicious Shopping From IGP.com & Giveaway (Closed)

With my busy life and crazy schedule, it doesn’t happen often in my home that I may think of something beyond planned routine. It seems like days, months and years fly in a blink of eye without anything exciting, uplifting and really fun happening at home. Sigh! 

But today, I thought of arranging a little surprise somewhere around my home that can put a smile on my kid's face who remains so occupied these days with his school assignments that I rarely see him grinning. Being an avid online-shopper, I planned to order him some craft material so that he can bring his imagination to reality. On traversing a few familiar websites, I realized that the magic of  an instant surprise would be much appreciated instead of burying his head in those crafty goodies.

I stumbled upon a very attractive gifting portal IGP.com with super cute graphics on its home page and it simply brought my websites navigation to stop. You know why??

In the first click to range over the Categories of products, my eyes sparkled finding Cakes listed as the primary item in which they specialize. 

I knew gifting a yummy Chocolate Cake to my little one will immediately make him feel better. And I believe a beautifully decorated cake brings about the perfect amount of sweetness to brighten up anybody's day. 

So without wasting a moment, I quickly filtered the cakes on weight, flavour n shape criteria. Now while selecting a perfectly textured and lovingly crafted cake, I had least expectations that the cake could be delivered to my address. Reason being, my new residence is in the outskirts of the city far away from the central locations. But on checking the delivery option via Pincode, I almost jumped with joy to find my address deliverable.

Looking at the door of my room with corner of my eyes and trying keeping my son out of my room, I managed to order a Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Chips & Cherry Toppings. No wonder, I opted for Same Day Delivery. 

I was really getting impatient to wait for the delivery of surprise gift for my boy, when I received a call to confirm my address by the vendor. In almost three hours of placing my order, I heard the sweet tone of doorbell ringing ;) I purposely called my son at the door to collect the order and I swear his expressions were worth clicking ;)  

The simple decoration on the cake with choco chips toss sprinkled all around the edges looks so tempting that we barely could resist our urge to bite into it.

I'm so happy that I found the best gift for my son and it was indeed the cheesiest way to tell him how much his happiness mean to me. 

Such little surprises so easily bring people together and create truly a joyful environment around. 

I highly recommend exploring IGP.com as one of India’s largest multi-category gifting portal offering best curated collection of gifts for all ages and occasions. They ship to 150+ countries (including USA, UK, Australia, Canada etc) and 7,000+ pin codes in India. You may even plan surprising someone last minute as they provide same day delivery network in 300 cities in India.

If you are looking for cool Valentine Gifts for your beloved, then your search ends here.

Giveaway For You

What you win?
One of the lucky reader of my blog will win a GIFT VOUCHER worth Rs. 1000.

Compulsory steps:

1. Subscribe to my blog via email.
2. Follow Alive n Kicking on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
3. Follow IGP.com on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
4. Invite your friends to participate and share the post.
5. Comment on your favourite blogposts.
6. Mention your name and email address in comment section.
7. Giveaway ends on 17 Jan, 2017. 

Winner Update (18.01.17):

Congratulations Nehal Roy for being the winner of contest. Wait for an email from us to claim your prize. 

Dos and Don'ts of Baby Health Care

For any couple, attaining parenthood comes with a multitude of responsibilities for their child. Even when they feel themselves prepared for the arrival of their baby, the factors affecting their life in mysterious ways can't always be anticipated. The prime concern of every parent is to ensure the well being of a child and to ensure whether they are giving their baby the best care.

Most parents know the basics of keeping children healthy, but it is only through experience that you can completely understand how your expected roles change from an unsure parent to a confident one. So, these simple baby care tips would ensure you be a wonderful parent-

Tracking Feed & Poop Timings:

The early months after giving birth are the most challenging for every mom from breastfeeding to cleaning poop several times a day. For either a breastfed or a bottle-fed baby, track how long the baby nurses and approximately what quantity. The feeding routine of babies is directly co-related to their peeing or pooping timings. My mom advised me to even notice the colour and texture of poop that gives you insights of baby's stomach condition most of the times.

Dealing with Crying Baby: 

Understanding the cries of my baby and soothing him was the toughest challenge for me. Many a times, changing the wet diaper, swinging or swaddling eased down the discomfort of my baby. Then I started using reflexology by lightly pressurizing/massaging under his feet for relieving him from pains in different parts of body and I realized he very well responded to my touch.

Sterilizing Tip:
To save your child from the bout of sickness, always use BPA (a synthetic compound) free feeding bottles. Do not compromise in sterilization of entire feeding gear including bottles, pacifiers, rings, caps etc to keep them germ free. You may either use electric steam bottle sterilizers or simply microwave the bottles half filled with water for two minutes without cap. The hot temperature thoroughly sanitizes the bottles and saves you from old-fashioned way of boiling the bottles in pan over gas stove. I recommend keeping the pacifiers clean on-the-go by storing them in soufflé cups.

Avoiding frequent startling:When the baby has no sense of day and night, his body fails to respond to long stretches of night for long sleep and this is why babies tend to wake up many a times during night. A strange yet practical trick is to create white-noise (like sound a fan makes) in the room that imitates the sound which baby would hear in your womb. It magically lengthens the sleeping time and avoids startling reaction due to sound.

Follow Immunization Schedule:
As soon as a baby is born, he may come into contact with different bacteria and viruses every day, and obviously parents want their baby's immune system to cope well. Vaccination plays a vital role in regular screenings for potentially fatal diseases. Though we may not like seeing our baby being given an injection, however, regular vaccination may sometimes cause the difference between life and death.

Surviving outings with baby:
Taking your baby for an outing, even to the neighbourhood park for a short time, demands packing a number of items in his diaper bag including wipes, bibs, hand sanitizer, pacifier and of course an extra pair of clothing. I used to put a crib sheet on the top of my baby's pram so that the pesky mosquitoes don't try feast on his blood and cause rashes even worse spread diseases to my baby. Also since recently, there have been cases of dangerous mosquitoes spreading diseases such as dengue, encephalitis, malaria and chikungunya I have been over cautious and considered using a proper personal mosquito repellent. That is when I started searching for a fabric based application and I found out about Good knight Fabric Roll-On. I simply rub the Good Knight Fabric Roll On on my baby's pram before stepping out and my baby remains safe from mosquitoes for up to 8 hours, for my older son I apply 4-dots of this innovative product on his T-shirt and shorts before he goes to school of goes out to play. This product is absolutely affordable (just for Rs 75 and you can buy here).

Embrace the 'skin to skin' time:
Staying sane in the midst of hectic schedule for constant care of your baby is not easy. But when you are rewarded with a new life, the emotional bond between the mother and baby gets stronger as time rolls around. Enjoy co-sleeping with your baby cherishing the moments of cuddles and snuggles. Remember, it not only promotes healthy weight gain and accelerated development of the baby; but also reduces mommy's stress. So, don't hesitate soaking up all the happiness you can with your bundle of joy and you'll rock during this new journey of parenthood in your life.

Happy Parenting!

Nirma Advanced- Rebranding of A Classic Detergent

Remember seeing this little girl in lovely frilly white dress twirling to the tune of catchy jingle in a television commercial years ago?? 

Well! I bet, no one would need much of the head scratching to identify the popular Nirma Girl that was an endearing image for “Washing Powder Nirma, Sabki Pasand Nirma".

I've personally witnessed my mom switching from her usual laundry soaps to detergent powder with the advent of Nirma detergent several decades ago and also remember her going gaga over the effective laundry capabilities of the product when kids in the family always entered home with stains of all kinds on their clothes. She would gratefully thank the brand Nirma for presenting a low-cost, no-frills alternative to expensive prevailing detergents aimed to lure high-class society. Feeling really nostalgic over moments of singing peppy jingle of Nirma that was much more in vogue than any movie song of the era.

This time around, while Nirma is back in the reckoning with its Advance variant, the roles of Hema-Rekha-Jaya-Sushma have changed. The brand drops the concept of presenting females/housewives doing the everyday laundry and gets innovative placing the dancing sensation of the nation, Hrithik Roshan for the new spot.

It's really great fun watching the brand new, dynamic Nirma Advance TVC that shows a young kid challenging Hritik to a dance face off  to get his hands on the washing powder lying on washroom rack to clean the stubborn stains off his shirt during a party. The TVC introduces Nirma’s newest product offering in the luxury detergent space in a grand style and appeals all sections of the society.

Though the new packaging has got some cosmetic changes to make it more relevant and refreshing, I'm glad that Nirma Girl lives on the pack design keeping the emotional connect intact. :) The tagline ‘Naye Zamane Ke Ziddi Daagon Ke Liye’ also makes sense because a detergent is an ideal product when it not only shrugs off stubborn stains from clothes that come as part and parcel of modern day living, but also intensifies the brightness and whiteness of clothes. Time and again, Nirma Washing Powder has proven beautifully that it can stand true to tall expectations of Indian laundry requirements. I can foresee the brand to emerge from the sea of detergent brands as a winner and take significant place in our homes once again.

Oriflame Giordani Gold Iconic Lipstick SPF 15 Review (Cherry Love & Copper Shine)

For lipstick lovers, getting hands on a lipstick that is flying off the shelves is pure magic ;) Regardless of what you expect from the product, you want to own few of these before they sell out. I felt the same while obtaining Oriflame Giordani Gold Iconic Lipstick to determine whether it felt good and looked great. Let me elaborate ...

From the entire range of Giordani Gold Iconic Lipsticks, I sorted on two shades Copper Shine and Cherry Love.

Indulge lips in rich, creamy colour with this luxurious satin-finish lipstick. Infused with restorative Argan Oil for lasting comfort and superior pigments for colour intensity. With SPF 15 to protect lips against premature ageing caused by the sun.

'Love at first sight' is what you exclaim looking at the packaging. The royal gold lipstick case clearly speaks of its elegance and lavishness. The outer cardboard cover with golden font again is a charmer. Unlike many cosmetic brands, Giordani Gold lipsticks have the complete ingredients list printed on outer carton. 

The shade name and number can be seen at the bottom of lipstick case as well as on the carton. The lipstick is not very tall or chubby, and is easy to hold between fingers. The lipstick case's cap shuts with a click and keeps you free of worries of accidental opening and messing up with items in your vanity kit or handbag.

Cherry Love is a rich, warm shade that looks deliciously tempting on medium-dark complexions.

Copper Shine on the other hand, is a soft toned copper that would be a hit among teenage girls.

The creamy formula makes it super smooth to apply without feathering. Though it offers excellent color coverage immediately after application, but transfers easily due to its texture. You may want to build up more layers to flaunt darker lips with intense shade. 

Both the lipsticks feel lush and silky on application and give a finish with sheen. It's great that these lipsticks with infusion of Argan oil do not leave your lips feeling dry and taut after use. 

The lipsticks have got a fruity kind of scent, which is not overpowering but wasn't desired by me. 

The staying capability of the lipsticks is better than average. I needed no retouching or reapplication for upto 5 hours and its perfectly fine with me. Possessing the SPF 15 within, the lipsticks provide an added protective layer against sun damage for lips.

One thing that I realized about myself after using these two lip shades is an affirmation that I may carry softer shades equally good like my usual preferred bold shades. I'm strangely fallen in love with Copper Shine ;)  

For a price tag of INR 799 each, a shade of Oriflame Giordani Gold Iconic Lipsticks is worth making an entry into your collection.

  

#TriveniWeddingFest Contest on 3 Blog Anniversary (Closed)

Hey frnz

I won't mind saying that this day, when my blog was founded, is more important for me than my own bday. Alive n Kicking turns 3 today and it's a chance for me to express how sincerely grateful I feel to every single person who helped me along the way.

Grabbing this opportunity, I would go a little deeper and reciprocate the love to all the people who are responsible for giving me this pleasure.

One of my most loved ethnic clothing brand TriveniEthnics has gladly joined hands to associate with my blog and we've come up with an easy-peasy contest for everyone which won't be played on blog, but on social media channels of my blog.

Starting from today, we will post one trivia question everyday related to the brand Triveni and my blog on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. All you have to do is answer all the questions on any of our social media channels using hashtag #TriveniWeddingFest. The contest will end on 10 Jan.

It's COMPULSORY for participants to: 

1. Subscribe to my blog via email and verify your subscription.
2. Create and account to register yourself on www.triveniethnics.com
3. Follow Alive n Kicking on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
4. Follow Triveni on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
5. Share, Retweet, Repost the contest post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram using hashtag #TriveniWeddingFest and tag atleast 7 friends inviting them to participate (the more the merrier).
6. Make sure you leave your FB, twitter, Instagram and YT names in comment section including email address, 

Prizes:

2 lucky winners with all the correct answers and maximum engagement will take away clothing of their choice from Triveni (who fulfill the compulsory rules mentioned above). And this is not all! Based on responses, Triveni may have a special winner and something for everyone those who participate without a miss :) So here's your chance to win big! 

P.S. Brownie points to those who comment on blog posts regularly.

Its a sponsored giveaway, so I won't be held responsible for delay or damage of prize hamper in transit.

Update (13.01.17): 
Congratulations Vani AK and Seema Jain for winning the contest. Look for our mail in your inbox to know how to claim your prize.