Massage gel (dry skin)

Hi friends,

Today is the last day of my schedules DIY week. Firstly, a big thank you to all my friends for so much of love and appreciation. I  will be back soon with more DIYs .

Let’s begin with our last recipe: Day 7: massage gel for dry patchy skin.

Ingredients:

1. Honey: it is loaded with anti-oxidants and works as an amazing moisture get gel.

2. Olive oil( extra virgin, cold pressed) : it is immensely moisturising and has a power doze of vitamin E. It helps in repair and building of new skin.

Procedure:

1. Mix equal amount of honey and olive oil in a container and mix well. Although they both can not be thoroughly mixed due to their difference in densities, still beat them together to mix well.

2. Apply a generous amount of the mixture and massage well for around 10 minutes. Leave the gel on face for about 10 more minutes.

3. Wash of with a face wash and pat dry .

In my personal opinion, this massage gel deeply moisturises skin and regular use makes skin soft.

Until next time🙋🏻,

  STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!!

Do comment below if you have enjoyed the DIY and which ones will you use / have used. Stay connected 🙋🏻.

Lots of love,

AQSAimage

Anti- aging face-pack

Hi friends,

Aging is a natural phenomenon, and we cant defy it. But with proper care it can be delayed, and trust me you don’t need high end cosmetics to achieve it. Lets start with Day6 : Anti – aging face-pack.

Next time you boil rice, think twice before throwing the water. Rice water is rich in beauty minerals and vitamins that make it fantastic for both skin and hair. Asian women have used rice water for centuries to beautify their hair, face and skin.

Rice water has been used in eastern medicine to keep skin pliable and youthful-looking and to make hair grow strong and shiny since ancient times, in places ranging across the Asian continent. You won’t find any sulfates or silicates in a bowl of rice water, and the best part is that you can whip it up quickly in the comfort of your own home for a price that can’t be beaten.

Traditionally, female rice farmers in Japan used to bathe and wash in the water used for cleaning white rice. and their beauty needs no description.

Ingredients:

Rice , water.

Procedure :

Boil a handfull of rice in excess of water and overcook the rice . Once the rice is cooked, grind the water and the rice together to form a smooth paste. Apply a thick coat on face and neck. Strictly do not talk while the pack dries. Wash off with cold water and pat dry.

The logic behind using rice water is simple. It starches our skin to avoid wrinkles(similar to cotton-fabric)

With this simple receipe discover the youthful you!!!

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS- STAY YOU!!

Lot’s of  love,

AQSA

Hair straightening and conditioning.

Hi friends,

I would begin with a gentle reminder, don’t forget to cast your vote.#mumbaikar #votekar

Having said that, let’s start with Day5: hair straightening and conditioning.

Its almost every girls dream to have straight long manageable hair. But many of us aren’t blessed with it. This simple recipe will certainly change the curves of your hair, slowly but safely.

Ingredients:

coconut milk, corn flour, lemon juice , almond oil

Procedure:

1. Cut a large coconut into small pieces and grind in a mixer with a cup of water, until thick creamy juice can be squeezed out. ( Dabur coconut milk is readily available in tetra pack. Although I cannot comment on its results because I have always used fresh milk )

2. Take half a cup of lemon juice and add a table spoon of corn flour into it. Mix well to avoid any lump formation. Add 2 tablespoon of almond oil into it. Mix thoroughly well to make a smooth thick paste.

3. Boil the already prepared coconut milk and then add the paste prepared in step2 to the boiling milk and wait till it thickens. Let it simmer till it gets a creamy consistency.

4. Let the mixture cool.

5. Section your hair into small parts and apply the mixture from scalp to the end properly.

6. Once the paste applied on hair has semi dried take a wide tooth comb and comb the hair straight .

7. Let it dry for almost 45 mins n keep combing in between if the hair turns wavy.

8. Rinse with warm water and then shampoo.

You are all set to go girls!! Flaunt the gorgeous conditioned and straight hair!!

image
Unruly curly hair😏

I have been doing this almost every month or sometimes twice a month since 2 yrs now . My hair has totally transformed from unruly curly to beautifully manageable slightly wavy hair. There is definitely a transformation in their texture and type both.

 

It’s worth a try gurlz!

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS -STAY YOU!

Love you all,

AQSA❤️

Home-made bleach

Hi friends,

At the onset of a beautiful week, I would like to send my warm regards to all my friends.

Tomorrow is BMC elections in MUMBAI, and I remind each mumbai-ite to vote. Casting our vote is our basic right and we should execute it.

With a hope of having a cleaner and greener Mumbai, I proceed with Day 4 : Home-made bleach.

Ingredients :

  1. Rice Flour : The high levels of PABA (para aminobenzonic acid) can act as a sunscreen.The allantoin present in it soothes sun burns and promotes skin repair.The tyrosinase present in it controls the production of melamine in the skin.It removes excess oil and sebum from the skin.It is a rich source of vitamin B which boosts new cell production and slows down the aging process.It helps to brighten the skin by improving the collagen and elasticity of the skin.
  1. Lemon juice: it acts a natural bleaching agent.
  2. Orange juice: it is also a mild bleaching agent and is loaded with vitamin C which prevents free radicals and provides freshness to your skin.
  3. Turmeric: its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties are used to cure any acne , skin issues. It helps to brighten and lighten our skin.
  4. Baking soda: Baking soda is composed of sodium and a pH neutralizer which exfoliates the dead skin cells throughout the skin. The pH of baking soda helps to neutralize the acid– alkaline nature of the skin.It acts as an exfoliant that removes the cellular damage in the darkened skin.Regular application will make your skin whiter, softer and shinier. It has anti – bacterial, anti – fungal, antiseptic and anti – inflammatory properties that clear all the infection on the skin along with its scars. It acts as good oil – absorbing agent to clear excess oil.It evens the skin tone and prevents the buildup from clogged pores. . It deeply cleanses skin by absorbing the excess oil.

Procedure:

Take on table-spoon of  rice flour in a bowl, add half lemon juice and one table spoon of fresh orange juice to it.(Do not add packed juice as it will contain loads of preservatives and sugar. Squeeze some fresh orange pieces into a bowl with hand. Orange is optional. In off-season we can skip orange juice)

Mix half tea-spoon turmeric and a tea-spoon of baking soda.

The moment we add soda , bubbles start releasing , mix the content well to form a smooth paste and apply all over the face and neck.

Let it dry for 15 mins then massage the dried bleach with wet fingers and then wash off with cold water(only)

Don’t apply soap on face for 3 hrs after bleaching and avoid direct sunlight.

Try this preservative free homemade herbal bleach to knock out the dullness from your face and find the radiant you!!

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!!

Love you all,

AQSA

Almond scrub and facepack

Hi friends,

I hope you all are having a relaxed Sunday. Today , I am very excited to share my third recipe of almond scrub and pack. I have been using this past a week everyday and it has made my skin unbelievably soft and radiant.

Ingredients:

  1. Almonds: benefit the complexion as they contains a good amount of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which helps in preventing cell damage and also helps in preventing the damage caused by the sun’s rays. Almond milk is also rich in proteins and vitamins and helps hydrate and soften the skin.
  2. Raw milk (without boiling):it works as:
    • Natural Face Cleanser. Raw milk is an amazing natural facial cleanser.
    • Great Moisturizer.
    • Lighten Tans and Skin Tone
    • Exfoliates Skin Cells.
    • Soothes Sunburned and Inflamed Skin.
    • Face Scrub.
  3. Kesar: its an amazing beauty ingredient for naturally glowing skin.

Procedure:

Soak 15 almonds overnight in 2 tablespoon of raw milk and 2 strands of Saffron (Kesar). Don’t add excess milk.

Grind the soaked almonds with the milk and kesar into a coarse mixture.

Scrub your face with the coarse paste thoroughly for 3 mins and then leave the paste on your face for 15 mins to dry.

Wash off with cold water and repeat daily for shiny – soft – groomed skin.

Fill the paste into a clean container and you can refrigerate for a week.

Enjoy the new glow with Almond scrub and pack!!

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!

Love you all,

AQSA

 

 

 

Pigmentation and blemish pack

Embarrassing skin problems affect people of all ages, races, socioeconomic statuses and genders, at some point during their lifetime.

It is not life-threatening, but most people experiencing severe blemish problems will agree that it significantly alters their lives and self-esteem. It can leave unsightly scars on the surface of the skin. Unfortunately, general knowledge concerning the causes of blemished skin is scarce.

In my blog we focus more on, how we can improve. Imperfections are a part of each one’s life and they can be surely treated.

Blemishes or pigmentation caused either due to acne scars or sun-tan etc can be reduced with an effective home remedy. Past November, I suffered from dengue and post treatment , my face wascovered with visible black spots due to heat-boils/ acne. My face appeared more like a “chess – board”. This seems a joke now, because the marks have faded and so have the emotional scars on me. But back then, it was an emotional pressure.

This particular pack has helped me to reduce my scars considerably and I found it necessary to share it with you all!

Ingredients:

  1. Cucumber juice: We are aware about the age-old trick of placing cooled cucumber slices over eyes to hydrates the skin and contract blood vessels to reduce swelling and puffiness.  It’s juice works as a tightening toner and has skin lightening effects. Rich minerals and vitamins present in cucumber is best for skin care. Cucumber juice contains natural skin lightening agent which ultimately helps to improve skin tone naturally. Mild bleaching property in cucumber helps to increase fairness in face. Cucumber juice cures skin problems like acne, dry skin, oily skin, pigmentation and keeps skin from any damages.
  2. Potato juice: Applying cold potato juice on blemishes –affected face helps to diminish them on continuous use. Potato does wonders for pacifying the sunburnt skin too. Potato juice helps in keeping the attack of premature wrinkles at bay. Regular application of potato juice gives a healthy glow and softness to the skin. Potato is a great help for removing dark circles.
  3. Nut-meg ( Jaiphal):This is the star performer of our face-pack. Nut-meg is an oval shaped seed of an evergreen tree-“Myrstica fragrans”. It is available in powdered form or whole.

    nutmeg
    Jaiphal

This exotic spice has an active component known as “Maslignan” , which is responsible for reducing fine lines , wrinkles. Due to its anti-inflammatory anti-microbial properties it is very effective in reducing acne and its scars. It is an effective moisturizer and exfoliator hence reducing dullness and blemishes on skin.

Procedure:

  1. Juice half a potato and half a cucumber with skin into a bowl. For juicing, you can use a juicer if you have or else grate the cucumber and potato with skin into a bowl and squeeze out the juice with hand.
  2. Add 2 tea spoon of nutmeg powder (easily available at Gandhi-stores / grocery stores)
  3. Mix them thororughly to form a homogeneous solution.
  4. Dip a cotton bob into it and apply the pack on the face specially targeting the scars , blemishes or darkened neck area.
  5. Keep it for 20 mins till it air-dries. Do not talk while it dries.
  6. Wash off with cold water.

You can store the pack for a week in refrigerator.

Continuous use for a week shows visible difference in the blemish marks.

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!!

Love you all,

AQSA

 

 

NIGHT SERUM

If you generally go to bed without having used a night cream, then you are doing something wrong. This is because of the benefits of night cream on your skin that you wouldn’t have ever imagined! Though the idea of applying night cream seems trivial, how it enhances your skin can’t be explained in mere words!

I have an acne prone skin, any medication or treatment doesn’t have lasting effect on me. In the vicious loop of wanting a clear and good skin and being unable to do so , I have wasted a lot of money behind beauty products which do more bad than good to skin , considering its chemical content.

My version of night serum is a miracle solution which works for :

  1. Skin Lightening ( here I precisely mean reduction in uneven patches or tan. I don’t believe in “Fair and Lovely “ theory because I am personally very fond of deeper skin beauties)
  2. Acne Problems
  3. Reducing Visible Pores On Cheeks
  4. Moisturing And Toning.

The ingredients required for the night serum are as follows:

  1. Rose water: Its mild astringent properties help tighten the pores and gently tones the skin.
  2. Glycerin: helps moisturize the skin without making it oily. It does this by attracting water to the skin and then helping the skin hold in this moisture.
  3. Turmeric: is effective in the treatment of acne due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties that fight pimples and breakouts to provide a youthful glow to your skin. Turmeric not only helps to clear acne scars and inflammation, but also reduces the oil secretion by the sebaceous glands.
  4. Lemon: are antibacterial, they can help treat acne.  Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citric acid, so they can help brighten and lighten your skin when used over time.
  5. Saffron: Saffron, often called as ‘Kesar’ in Hindi, is a popular spice and an expensive one too. It gives an overall glow and natural fairness.
  6. EVION vitamin E capsules( easily available at pharmacies): these are oil filled capsules loaded with vitamin E and can be used on skin and hair both.  Vitamin E contains antioxidants that neutralize the effects of free radicals caused by ultraviolet radiation, thus soothing sunburns.

Procedure:

Take a 50 ml spray bottle, fill it :3/4 by rose water and remaining ¼ with glycerine.

Add a tea spoon of turmeric, almost 5 strands of kesar, half a lemon( acne prone / oily skin), and prick open 3 evion capsules and empty it into the bottle. Shake well to form a homogeneous mixture and store in a cool dry place.

I usually make this in a sufficient quantity to run for atleast week. Due to presence of lemon refrigeration is mandatory. Dry skin beauties can skip lemon and store the solution at normal temperature too.

Spritz it over your already clean face , and massage well for 3 minutes. Leave it overnight for all the natural ingredients to act wonders to your skin.

Get up next morning to see a clearer – acne free- glowing YOU!!

( Natural remedies require some time to show effect, but in 15 days you shall see the difference and 3 months would transform your skin into a new YOU!)

STAY HAPPY – STAY FABULOUS- STAY YOU!!

Love you all,

AQSA

 

 

Dear Zindagi

life-is-good

When I was younger, I read somewhere that you can either choose to live your life in fear or you can choose to live your life in love. But you can’t live a life in both love and fear.

That moment I decided almost instantaneous that I wanted to live a life of love. A life that I could fill with laughs, smiles, and most importantly love. To be able to live a life without any regrets. I have seen my fair share of pain, suffering, and loss in my life and it has always made me take a step back and look at my own life. Life is one of the most precious things that has been gifted to me and it’s almost always too short, so why would you waste it?

That decision was taken by a young girl who did not think anything beyond that. There were many instances where I have lived a life filled with complete fear, something deeper and intense.

Fear of not scoring well in exams, fear of not winning the prize in elocution, fear of not making a career good enough to earn well, fear of opening my heart up, because of the fear of getting my heart broken and alone than I already do. My life was filled with undetected fears.

I have listed down things I wish I knew then:

1 – Some people are just rare. You don’t know why, you don’t know how. They have that thing that changes your whole mood and provides your whole being with positivity. Some souls are special; they’re guardian angels in disguise.

2 – Solitude is a good thing. You need to learn how to be alone without feeling lonely. Study yourself to avoid letting people telling you who you are.

3 – Happiness is little moments put together, it’s not a destination. Everything’s temporary, don’t forget.

4 – Don’t let your past control your present. Use it to change your future for the better.

5 – Don’t ever spend the night time around those you barely trust. Follow your instinct and be around people you can trust during your vulnerable moments.

6 – Some things can’t be explained, some things don’t even deserve to be described. Sometimes words ruin the beauty of a mystery.

7 – Being yourself is hard but being someone else and keeping a fake persona is harder.

8 – Family is more than flesh and blood. Most of the time, you choose your real family. Those who stand by you in darkness are your family.

9 – People love to talk. If you do good they’ll talk more, don’t feel ashamed of being proud of yourself because you hear words against your happiness. “Humbled” is a word often used by people, I dislike the hypocritically obsequious connotation of it in some contexts. I will say that you should be proud of your pride moments because such occasions have a way of putting you right in the right place!

I have my version of Dear Zindagi  enumerated for you all !!

  1. Unswerving [not changing or becoming weaker; steady or constant]

It is an absolute prerequisite to a happy and successful life. Don’t ever treat your little stupidities as if they are eccentricities that ought to be veiled from the rest of the world. Concede them and use them to define your own way of living the only life you have. All the most beautiful people in the world, the most creative, the ones who led revolutions, who discovered and invented things, did so because they embraced their own eccentricities. There’s no such thing as ‘normal’. That’s just another word for lifeless.

  1. Being Brave

 Don’t let your fears become closets for you. Open them out, feel them and turn them into the greatest courage you are capable of. I promise you, nothing will go wrong. But if you live by your fears, everything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong.

All the planning in the world, won’t take you where you want to get to. It’s fine to take chances and not to know what you want to be twenty years from now.

  1. Honoring other peoples contributions

Don’t ever take yourself seriously enough to be so clear about your own ideas that you stop respecting other people’s. Our values are our values, they don’t make us any better than anyone else, at best they make us different. Always try to see the other person’s truth, every human being has a story and you have no right to imagine that yours is better than anyone else’s.

  1. “I do good, I get benefit”

It’s a simple truth. An act of goodness becomes worthless when you assign a brownie point to yourself for it, no matter how subtly you allow yourself to do so. As benevolent as your gesture might be; someone else could have made it too. Regardless of how rich, successful and famous you become, don’t ever underestimate the grace that other people bestow upon you just by being the recipients of your kindnesses!!!!

  1. Embrace Life

Sadness and happiness have the same level of transience. Life is a balanced exchange of one with the other. Don’t attach yourself to either, they’re both going to change with the same certitude. Take them with the ephemeral spirit of their impermanence and manage them with a healthy dose of good humour.

embrace-life

 

 

Live now. Live today. You may not see it with your youthful eyes, but NOW is as much time as you will ever get. Because tomorrow we will all be dead. And just in case there is no cycle of rebirth etc…why take a chance.

Study hard. Work hard. Play harder. Don’t be bound by rules…don’t hurt anybody and never ever live somebody else’s dream. Remember however many times you go wrong, no matter how many times you fail, despair, feel like this world is against you….in the words of Bob Marley…at the end everything is gonna be alright!!

death

I’m not afraid of death. Death is a natural thing, it’s part of life. We’ll all die one day, but till then I want to live mine to the fullest. What I am afraid of though is dying with regrets. Regrets that I didn’t see the things I wanted to see, experience the moments I wanted to experience, or live the type of life that leaves a lasting footprint in people’s hearts and lives for forever.

 

STAY HAPPY-STAY BLESSED- STAY U!

Smile forever!

until next tym,

AQSA.

 

THE PHEONIX IN YOU..

“Phoenix rising from the ashes.” This phrase came into my head recently, and I wasn’t sure why until I did the research. As the story goes, the phoenix is a mythical bird with fiery plumage that lives up to 100 years. Near the end of its life, it settles in to its nest of twigs which then burns ferociously, reducing bird and nest to ashes. And from those ashes, a fledgling phoenix rises – renewed and reborn.
I feel this is the story of my life. Life presented me with some challenging circumstances that left me just hanging on. And now, sanity and peace has returned , Alhamdulillah☺. I look out with fresh eyes. The fog has lifted, and the dark clouds have moved on. They had to move, because change is inevitable.
My experience is not unique – it happens to all of us at some point, it’s a part of the human journey.
TOTAL SUBMISSION :
When life threw me at a curve, I longed for the turmoil to end. I tried hard to create a plan, to know what I didn’t know, and i tried hard to gain control over things happening in my life. I was so busy trying to make things happen that I overlooked what was actually happening.
I ignored my own belief of total submission to the Lord and his plans. Yes, me, the one who writes about welcoming all of our experience with a loving, open heart. I was doing everything but.😔
Finally, I realized my approach wasn’t working. I stopped trying. I let myself be frustrated and impatient. I admitted that there was so much I didn’t know, and I let go of figuring it all out. Life was messy, so I suspended my fruitless attempts to clean it up. I became the spectator of my own life. Let things work according to HIS plan and i took each day afresh and acted to the circumstances as they came in each morning.
DESTINY HAS TIMED EVERYTHING:
When I look back I realise that I had very little control over what happened. The seasons of my experience had to run their course – severe winter storms, cold and darkness, then the seeds hidden from view beginning to sprout (very exciting!). The best I could do was ride the waves, which I did with varying degrees of success.
It’s rightly said,” I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives.

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DARKNESS PLAYS IT’S ROLE:
When darkness descends, everything fades, blots- out and happiness seems non-existent. Everything weighed like a heavy burden, all my activities felt like obligations. When I realized that I had forgotten joy, I created a “bucket-list”. Every time I found myself wandering around in a fog, my job was to pull out the list and do something enjoyable or productive. I organized closets and took walks, finally starting to see the beauty around me.
And I focused on others – being a good human, a good child, good sibling, being a good friend, showing up for someone in needs etc. I don’t care, even if my activities go unnoticed, I will continue to be the same. And that’s for a simple reason, I have learnt to buy peace for myself this way!!!
HAPPINESS IS BY WILL:
Things started to fall in place, when I made the commitment to find direction in my moment-to moment experience. I decided each day I shall wake up afresh, and tackle each day as and when it comes. The big picture was still too blur, but I realized that in each moment there was a kernel of truth, a clarity, a “yes” that showed me my next step.
I recognized that this guidance had been there all along, but I was too caught up in trying to find solutions to see it. When I let go of paying so much attention to the unnecessary troubles that were in my mind, life automatically simplified!!!!
There i realised the biggest moment of truth, HAPPINESS is truly by content.
LIKE A SLIT IN DARK ROOM:
“This too shall pass” were empty words to me. I looked into the future, and all I could see was confusion. My negative mind had taken over, and I couldn’t see my way out.
But the clouds do part in their own time. The human spirit is resilient and wants to find its way home to wholeness.
One day I realized that I was happy, and soon after, I saw that I was thriving. I had been through the fire and emerged whole and clear, with doors opening in so many wonderful ways. The sad and frustrated stories in my mind had fallen away, and the emotions that had captured me softened. I can breathe freely again!!!!
This new year make a resolution to be happy!!
Suffering and joy teach us, if we allow them, how to make the leap of empathy, which transports us into the soul and heart of another person. In those transparent moments we know other people’s joys and sorrows, and we care about their concerns as if they were our own.”
~Fritz Williams

STAY HAPPY – STAY FABULOUS – STAY YOU!!
Until next tym,
Love you all!!
Aqsa

I-Factor

One question that lies behind every struggle we face is: How do I deal with it??

Behind all our stumbles, behind all our missteps, behind all our failing steps lies the inability to handle, what I would call I-factor.

We have to realize, I am responsible for all I have got in life and for all I have lost. And I am solely able to change My Life, My Destiny!

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Life gives us experiences for personal development. Appreciate the lessons and be a learner. Let the gladness of your soul blossom.

Each of us experiences ,the perpetual revival of the self. We constantly recast our emotional index by perceiving each encounter in life as a marvel, impedance, problem, disaster, or nothing at all. Living in the moment allows us to escape the lonely landscape of self-interest and be part of a larger world filled with beauty, reverence, and adoration.

Nothing is permanent, if not joys, certainly not the sorrows. We should embrace the broader sense of life.

Few steps that I have implemented to buy peace for myself are:

  • Appreciate what you have – and don’t long for what you don’t have: Yes, crying all the time for things that you do not have whether it is for your appearance or material goods can be a bad source for your self-esteem and your state of mind. Of course you are not perfect, but you do possess qualities that many people don’t.
  • Don’t wait for your dream opportunities; create new ones with what you have right now:Yes, dreaming is a good thing. Strive to convert the dream to reality. You have to look around and see what you have and what can you do with that.
  • You can choose happiness each day:This is true. Every morning when you wake up, you can choose, so your mind knows whether to produce positive or negative thoughts. You are the worst enemy of yourself by letting your fears and negative thoughts obsess your head. As a result you will feel weak; you won’t stand up for your rights each day because you are afraid.
  • By not appreciating yourself, you don’t let other people appreciate you : You have to let your mind to produce thoughts, which you believe in yourself, and you are the best. Not just that, you have to believe it. You are worth it and you have to make it happen to actually you have a faith in yourself and your abilities. At that moment when you will believe in yourself, things will change rapidly. You will see that other people will treat you with more respect.

I know one thing as a matter of fact; the above points will b more”drama than real”. These are very popularly seen in books, internet, counseling sessions etc etc. We often read them and appreciate but never adhere. And this is the real reason why they never seem real!!!

I have few friends, who in my opinion, are sorted in life. They belong to lovely family, are educated, are married, have kids, have settled finances etc etc. Now the real question: are you happy??? If there is a slightest trace of negation in your answer, then all the above mentioned blessings from Almighty are of no use. May be everything in your house is sorted, but not you. May be there is some unsaid desire in your heart, that needs fulfilment. May be you need a life!!

 

The desire can be as small as mine, (I am sure my family will kill me for it!!!) I want a vacation with friends to a dream destination. That’s it!!

But yes I have found the love of my life in writing. This is something I longed for. If I can follow my heart after reaching late 20s, everyone should. Choose a small occupancy, get involved, and get happy!!

The rejuvenating power of gratefulness should never be forgotten. Even if some desires CAN’T be materialized there’s enough to celebrate, rejoice!! Being thankful has a profound impact on your spiritual and psychological well being.

  • Spiritually, gratefulness is a demonstration of your acceptance of Almighty’s will.
  • Psychologically thankfulness makes your heart at peace by focusing on all that you have rather than what you don’t have. It prevents depression when you enumerate your blessings.

Lastly, LOVE. It’s that amazing feeling which sums up all complaints with a beautiful smile:-)

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ma mère

Love is made up of three unconditional properties in equal measure:

1. Acceptance
2. Understanding
3. Appreciation

Remove any one of the three and the triangle falls apartL . Which, by the way, is something highly inadvisable?

Think about it — do you really want to live in a world of only two dimensions??

If not, learn to add a dimension of  LOVE,SMILE, APPRECIATION in your 2D life and see your amazingly creative 3D life , with I-factor!!20141011_121715-1

 

STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!!

Until next time,

luv you all,

AQSA.

L’OREAL SHINE CARESSE CC GENIUS BALM REVIEW AND SWATCHES

With the winters sneaking in, I was on a hunt of a lip balm to caress my chapped lips and moisture them. I have been using  L’Oreal glam shine lip balm in the shade pomegranate punch and it is by far my favorite. L’Oreal keeps coming up with new products and have launched their CC Genius Balm Caresse lipsticks and I got one in the shade ‘Drama burgundy’. Basically these are pigmented lip balms hence the name CC genius balm. Let us get to the review:

PRODUCT CLAIM:  Lip care so brilliant it’s genius. The 1st intelligent color-caressing lip balm. It’s exclusive micro-neon technology targets dullness and instantly flushes lips with vivid color. Ultra-light aerogel oil delicately wraps lips in extraordinary shine and 12 hours of the most nourishing care.

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 SHADES:  701 Roseate Delicacy, 702 Cupid Peony, 703 Ispahan Rose, 704 Statement Pink, 705 Femme Fatale, 706 Drama Burgundy, 707 Runway Orange, 708 Fearless Red, 709 Midnight Rouge, 711 Summer Sienna, 713 Daydream Beige, 715 Angel Maroon.

Price: 650 INR for 3g of product 

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MY TAKE ON L’OREAL PARIS CC GENIUS BALM CARESSE- DRAMA BURGUNDY

Packaging:

The packaging is similar to the Rouge Caresse range, the only difference is that the lipstick cap is colored coded according to the shade of balmy lipstick. This one characteristic is my personal favorite as it eases the identification of the shade in the vanity. Yayayaya 😉 The lipstick is in bullet form. It is very travel friendly as the cap fits snugly and doesn’t come off on its own.

Texture:

The lipstick/balm is very soft and smooth. Nevertheless, the lipstick glides on lips like a dream.

Shade:

Drama burgundy is a lovely burgundy shade with plum undertones. Should go well with all skin tones. Single swipe gives good color and is buildable.

Fragrance:

The lipstick/balm has lovely jammy smell which anyways goes away after application.

There is no need to exfoliate before application since it is a kind of lipbalm only and moisturizes lips really well. I simply swipe twice all over my lips and I am done. I would say even single swipe is pigmented keeping in mind it’s a lip balm cum lipstick.

It stays until you eat anything; and transfers like anything. I had my lunch while I had this on my lips, after lunch it was completely gone- no tint left behind. Even if the color fades in 4 hrs,  lips still feels soft and hydrated. Since it’s a lip balm, you cannot even expect it to stay all day long, also keeping in mind it has a smooth texture.

Swatches :

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PROS:

  • Travel friendly
  • Glides on smoothly
  • Lovely shade
  • Moisturizes lips and keeps them soft and supple
  • Buildable
  • Gives subtle shine
  • Even after the lipstick is gone, lips still feel soft and hydrated

CONS:

  • Can break if used without care
  • Transfers a lot
  • Vanishes after meals
  • EXPENSIVE L

SHADE: DRAMA BURGUNDY

Do i recommend it: YES, worth a buy. Can be a good alternative to a regular lip balm with amazing tints.

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STAY HAPPY – STAY FABULOUS – STAY YOU!!

until next tym,

luv you all,

AQSA.

Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek Color:

 

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Lakme recently released this beautiful matte lip and cheek mousse in gorgeous shades. Firstly, I love multi-purpose products. They are easy to use and touch ups are a breeze. Lakme has exploited age-old technique of  using the lipstick on the cheeks, as the same color on the cheeks and lips looks good together.

Shades Available: Burgundy Lush, Crimson Silk, Plum Feather, Pink Plush, Blush Velvet, Cocoa Soft, Coffee Lite, Fuchsia Suede, Rose Touch, Tangerine Fluff

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Product Description:
Say ‘No’ to touch ups with this perfect for office wear, Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Matte Lip and Cheek Color. Lakme’s first lip and cheek color comes in a mousse texture that’s weightless, giving a powdery matte finish to lips and a soft blush to your cheeks. Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Matte Lip and Cheer Color is ideal for daily office wear adding charm and lasting long. Its dual benefit makes it a high functional product for the busy and on the go working woman. It looks and feels weightless because of the lightweight formula. Since it’s a mousse texture, it absorbs well, giving an intense color that long-lasting. The applicator brush glides on seamlessly making it easy to apply and giving a smooth and even finish. There are 10 vibrant shades designed especially for both lips and cheeks.
Price:
INR 575 for 9gm of the product.

My Experience with the product:

I was totally blown by the concept of light weight, mousse textured lip and cheek tints and the gorgeous shades. I own 2 gorgeous shades from the list : plum feather and rose touch.

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My possessions 🙂

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Texture:

The texture seems a little dry to apply, mousse-like for sure, but dry. It felt like my product has dried in the tube, which is not possible since this is a recent launch. The product is thick and glides very well, it coats the lips and feels plush. After a few minutes, it gets really matte. I would say it is smudge-resistant, but initially, it does feel like it is moist and will smudge easily. As the day passes, the product seems a bit drying, and looks more matte. It hardly transfers and even survives many meals. I can wear it at at stretch of 6 hours without touch ups! I know, insane!

My sensitive nose does not agree with the really strong and artificial vanilla smell. It is just too strong for my liking. It kind of subsides after a while but as soon as you open the product, that whiff of vanilla hits you right in the nose. So sensitive nose ladies need to smell this product before buying.

When used as blush, they are highly pigmented. So tiny dots along your cheekbone should be enough. Blend well and then powder for proper blushed look!

PLUM FEATHER:

Its a gorgeous deep pink color with mauvy undertones. It actually took me a while to describe the color. Trust me girls, buy it!! you shall not repent. Its very pigmented and the wand is enough to line the lip and then fill in it. If you are dark lippi-fan like me, its a must buy. Gorgeous-Gorgeous!!!!

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on lips: lakme mousse lip and cheek tint in shade plum feather                                                                                           on the eyes: lakme 9to5 eyeshadow color Quartet

 

 

ROSE TOUCH:

Its a beautiful nude shade with heavy mauve undertones. Due to the undertone, it does not wash out my skin tone( fair to medium). Its an excellent everyday wear.

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Pros of Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek Color:

  • Great lip color to own.
  • Would suit Indian skin tones.
  • Wand is awesome.
  • Mousse-like, not a matte dry layer on the lips.
  • Strong pigment.
  • Lasts very very long!
  • Affordable.
  • Does not accentuate my lip lines.
  • 10 shades to choose from in this range.

Cons of Lakme 9 to 5 Crimson Silk Weightless Matte Mousse Lip and Cheek Color:

  • Could be drying.
  • Boring tube tester like packaging.
  • Not matte for the initial application, but gets matte after an hour.

Its a must buy for the season!!

 

                                                    STAY HAPPY-STAY FABULOUS-STAY YOU!!

UNTILL NEXT TIME,

LUV YOU ALL,

AQSA 😉