Books This Week 4

Time for another "Books This Week" edition. These are the books I read this past week

Organizing From The Inside Out- Julie Morgenstern 4/5

I'm a pretty disorganized person-I always start with a system but somehow it never lasts more than a week. Of course it doesn't help that I have a ton of stuff. This book arrived just in time. Love the simple organizing tips given in the book. Also I particularly love the fact that she doesn't ask you to purge your stuff left, right and centre. Instead she just tells you to have a place for everything. It's no wonder your stuff is everywhere-they don't have a home. Also her organizing ideas are not rigid, she tells you to change things around when a particular system is not working. Highly recommended for pack rats like me.

The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency- Alexander McCall Smith 4/5

Very simple story telling that takes you to the heart of Africa. I loved the protagonist- Precious Ramotswe's pragmatic approach towards detection and life in general. Characters are lovable and come to life as you read. Loved it.

Tears of a Giraffe- Alexander McCall Smith 3/5

The second part of The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I'm not able to stop reading this series.

My Very Own Box- August 2015

Hi all. My no buy is still going strong.  I'm almost halfway through half of the first instalment. I discovered so many new, unused products while doing my inventory that I can continue with "My Very Own Box" feature for 4-5 months more.

Most of us lavish all our attention on our face, but the hands and legs that do so much of our work are a neglected lot. So this month's box will have only stuff to keep them in good shape. Here we go

Biocare Foot Scrub with Apricot Jojoba & Organic Rosemary INR 180 for 500 ml

This is a cream based scrub with harsh scrub particles. It's very effective for scrubbing feet. Given the price,  I feel its fabulous value for money. I recently used it as a body scrub & was pleasantly surprised by how soft my skin felt. Loving this

Swiss Beauty Manicure Kit INR 175

I wanted an entire manicure kit which didn't take up too much space. This one fits in my palm easily and contains 2 nail cutters -one regular, one for ingrown nails, 1 pair of scissors,  1 nail file, 1 cuticle trimmer, 1 pair of tweezers,  1 nail pick. I love the design of the outer cover too. Looks classy

Pedispin INR 315

I was lemming for the Scholl foot thingy ever since it was launched, but at close to 3 grand it was way out of my budget.  I noticed this while browsing one day & decided to order. Not only does this scrape away the dead cells effortlessly,  it also collects them in a tiny chamber making cleaning easier. Also the pedicure effect lasts almost a week.  Love

V Color Nail Polish Remover Pads in Strawberry, Lemon, Grapes  INR 155 for 3 packs of 40 wipes each

This was an impulse buy which I'm regretting already. I bought it because it would be convenient to use while traveling.  Also I chose scented ones hoping it would mask the strong acetone smell most of these nail polish removers have. I have only opened the strawberry one so far & it reeks of beer. On the plus side, one pad is sufficient to remove nail paint from all 10 nails.

Vaadi Nail & Cuticle Oil INR 55

This one's just genius. Why didn't anyone think of this before? The oil is packaged with a roller ball applicator making using it a breeze. The uplifting lemongrass scent doesn't hurt either. I have only used this a couple of times but my cuticles are already in much better shape.

That's all for now. What are your stellar hand care products?

100 Days No Buy Challenge

Yesterday I took an inventory of all my stuff- both makeup and beauty. Oh dear Lord! I have enough to last a couple of years at least. Since I don't want to die smothered by clutter, I've decided to go on a "100 Days No Buy Challenge". I've tried it before in January of this year & failed miserably. I plan to be stronger this time. I think just looking at the number 100 makes it a huge thing. I plan to divide into 10 day increments so it looks doable. Afterall, 10 days is just a bit more than a week.  Surely I can reign in my inner shopping demon for a week. Plus it's not like I'm depriving myself of anything.  I'm just doing this to use stuff before it goes bad & make myself more accountable. Okay the rules first

Organize my stuff - I used to have an excel sheet with all my skincare products along with their expiry dates. Time to start again

Use makeup every time I go out- As a not so new mommy, time is at a premium. I want to spare 5 minutes before any outing to slap on the war paint.

Paint my nails- I have a huge pile of nail paints & I recently bought 24 glitter ones (I know, I know).

Purge- Get rid of old cream based products- cream blushes and lipgloss

Stop saving my special occasion makeup- Every day that I'm alive and healthy is a special occasion.  Whatever possessed me to "save" makeup?!!

Anyone want to join me on the challenge? Comment below. Stay strong people

Biotique Bio Dandelion Ageless Lightening Serum Review

Ever since I hit 30's only anti-aging stuff seems to be catching my eye. The latest one I've tried is Biotique Bio Dandelion Ageless Lightening Serum (insert obligatory long name comment). I've been using this twice a day for the past 8 weeks & my bottle's almost empty. Time is ripe for a review.

Biotique serum comes in a miniature sized version of the regular Biotique bottles housed in a cardboard box. The bottle has a stopper with a small hole to control the amount of product. All the necessary information is printed on the outer box as well as on the bottle label. The bottle fits in the palm of your hand.

M.R.P 199 INR for 40 ml

The serum is white coloured and ultra light weightweight. It simply melts into your skin. A little goes a long way- you only need about 3 drops for your face and neck. Also it has a lovely herbal type smell which I love. It suits my oily skin perfectly. I'm using it both as a night cream as well as day cream. I simply layer on sunscreen if I'm going out. Most night creams break me out but this serum didn't. After 8 weeks my skin texture seems to have improved quite a bit. My skin is brighter and my acne marks have faded. My dry patches are also gone. My frown lines have not reduced, I suppose that will take more time.

Yays

Lovely scent

Super light weight,  literally sinks into my skin.

Skin appears better than before- improved texture, acne marks faded, dry patches gone

Does not break me out

Nays

My biggest peeve is the bottle itself. It is not the most user friendly design & I had to keep it upside down to make using easier.  Also the last centimetre or so of product refuses to come out no matter how much you squeeze. Finally in desperation I pulled out the stopper thingy with a scissor.

At almost 200 bucks for just 40 ml (35 ml in newer bottles) of product, it's not the cheapest. But it lasts 2 months even with regular use. Also it's available cheaper online.

With such stellar results, I say go for it. I'm super happy that at least some products stay true to their claims.

Vaadi Herbals Lavender Anti-aging Spa Facial Kit Review

Since I've entered my 30's I've stepped up my skin care regime. One of the things I'm doing is a fortnightly at home facial. I'm simply loving these ready facial kits available in the market. Vaadi Herbals Lavender Anti-aging Spa Facial Kit is the latest one I've tried. It comes with 4 cute pots housed in a cardboard box. All the necessary information is printed on the outer cover.  Initially I had thought that it would last me for 4 usages but such less quantity is required that I think it will last more.

1. Lavender Anti-aging Cleansing Cream-  This is a really thick lavender coloured cream. I had some difficulty spreading this over my face given the thickness of the cream. I used a little rose water to give it some slip. After massaging for a while, I removed it with cotton.

2. Lavender Anti-aging Face Scrub-  This is a creamy scrub with tightly packed exfoliating beads. I spread this onto my face and scrubbed for some time. It does the job well. My skin felt really soft.

3. Lavender Anti-aging Massage Cream- This is again a thick lavender coloured cream, thicker than the cleansing cream. I took a bit and started massaging my face. After a while it actually sank into my skin. My face felt smooth and moisturized from within. I had not expected this - I had thought the cream would just sit on my skin.  Needless to say this is my favorite product from the kit.

4. Lavender Anti-aging Face Pack-  This is a smooth pack in a slightly dirty lavender shade. I applied it and waited for 15 minutes. There was slight tingling at the sides of my nose but it disappeared in minutes. The pack did not dry even after 20 minutes and I removed it eventually. 

The whole facial process was very relaxing because of the superb lavender fragrance but I didn't notice any glow or anything. Infact it make my skin look really dull although my skin felt very soft.

The big question-to repurchase or not? The scent is to die for but it doesn't do anything for my skin. If I'm investing my time and money,  it should have atleast a little return. My regular Nature's Essence facial kits work much better. So, not withstanding the fabulous scent , I have to pass on this. No repurchase. Maybe I'll purchase the individually available massage cream separately. Cheers

Books This Week 3

Another week flew by & it's time for mini reviews of the books I've read. Here we go

1. Scion of Ikshvaku-  Amish Tripathi 3/5

I normally love mythological books especially if the author has done a good job of interpreting the story. This one I didn't particularly like. Its good but not great.

2. Age Erase- Dr Rashmi Shetty 4/5

This is like a beginners guide to cosmetic procedures.  The author takes you through all the procedures available. The best part of the book for me though, was when she suggested how you can use the same cream in different ways- as is as cleanser, mixed with little sugar as scrub, layered on as a face mask, mixed with calamine as sunscreen,  mixed with essential oils as night cream, mixed with little water to hydrate the face & even as under eye cream and lip balm. We are so used to seeing different products being sold for different body parts that this seems like a radical idea.  I love the fact that she doesn't use "Use this high end cream or your skin is done for" tone that many others do. Also she suggests a very simple skin care regime, nothing complicated with various lotions etc.

3. Coconut Oil for Health & Beauty- Simone McGrath 2/5

As a self respecting South Indian, I love using coconut oil to oil my hair & even as a body moisturizer.  But this author takes things tad too far- she claims just about any medical condition will improve, atleast partly by including coconut oil in our diets. It seems too far fetched. Also there are a ton of recipes at the end of the book including coconut oil smoothie. Ew, I mean, just ew. A spoonful every other day might be beneficial but the dosage recommended is just too much. ODing on  something good can't be good in the long run. Moderation is key to good health.

That's all for now. Have you read any new books?

July Empties 2015

Another month has gone by which means it's time for another empties post. I'm eternally grateful to whoever came up with this idea. It's helping me keep track of my purchases as well as getting rid of those things nearing expiry. Let's begin

Meera Herbal Hairwash Powder INR 50 for 80 gm

This had a lot of herbal and ayurvedic stuff written on it which made me grab it without a second thought. It did cool down my head initially but with time the cooling ability seemed to lessen. Also it left my hair like straw despite oiling before bath- all dry and tangled up. It lathers like crazy which makes me question the whole herbal thing. Never again. Stay away from this one.

Medicare Anti Lice Treatment Shampoo INR 45 for 50 ml

I picked up lice from a school going cousin a while back. It was a nightmare getting rid of them- they multiply like crazy. This shampoo helped a great deal. Hopefully will never have to repurchase again.

Himalaya Herbals Oil Control Lemon Foaming Face Wash INR 65 for 50 ml

I've been trying to go soap free from a few months. I use face wash only at night so I can clean my face well before sleeping. Rest of the time I use powdered oatmeal or besan. So its a big deal when I finish a bottle of face wash. This one has a weird smell which I didn't like but it cleans out all the oil from the face. Repurchase?  Nah

Nivea Total Face Cleanup INR 99 for 50 ml

I loved this one initially but started hating it when I was midway through the tube. There was a burning sensation on my cheeks and the sides of my nose every time I used it. Also I'm not happy with the ultra mild exfoliation it provides. Not buying again.

Vivel Summer Fair INR 50 for 25 gm

This is the second and final tube of Vivel cream I bought a while back. I know its marketed as a summer cream-which I think means light moisturizer- but this one does not even moisturize. Glad to see it gone. Not buying again.

Garnier Skin Naturals Daily Moisturizer INR 10 for 7.5 gm

Once upon a time I used to have oily skin but since I hit 25 it's been steadily getting drier. I bought a small sachet just to test it. This cream didn't suit me earlier but now its just great. Will get the full sized one.

Maybelline lip balm in Mandarin INR 99

Such a pretty colour but a dud of a lip balm.

Vivel Kokum Butter Lip care (free with Vivel cream)

This is the first time when the free gift was better than the original product. Loved this, has a pleasant smell and softens lips.

Vaadi Herbals Luxurious Saffron Soap INR 38 for 75 gm

Lovely smell. This is the first time I used a 2 toned soap- half of it is orange coloured gel, the other half is a peach coloured regular soap. Love it.

Ayur Rose Satin Fairness Bleach INR 30 for 20 gm

I almost never bleach my face. I bought this to discolour a few stray hair on my face which are getting steadily thicker. Throwing away almost the whole packet as it expired last month -used it just once