Four Ways to Make Your Summer Better

It's getting​ hotter by the day, and God knows we start worrying about our skin, amongst other things, even more during these times. Here are some tips to make sure your skin is glowing and you are comfortable even through the hot, dehydrating summer days!

Aloe Vera Gel

A very versatile product, you can leave it on for a few hours after a grueling day in the heat, or even overnight. It acts as a cooling agent and it also moisturizes skin very well. It plumps up your skin, and helps regain the softer and smoother skin you love.

Drinking more water

Water keeps you hydrated and fresh. It is much more important in summer because there's a higher chance of dehydration, so you gotta be much more careful. Always carry a water bottle so you can keep track of your water intake. Oh and fruit water works wonders too! You could also carry a small spray bottle to mist your face once in a while to refresh yourself or simply carry a pack of wet wipes!

SPF Sunscreen

This is actually a prerequisite for all seasons but it's always good to pay extra attention in summer. Always look for an SPF sunscreen with a factor of at least 15, irrespective of skin type and ethnicity. Damaging UV rays can penetrate all types of skin. However, the lower the melanin content of your skin, the higher the SPF you require, because melanin is like a natural UV filter of sorts.This Kaya sunscreen is my personal favorite and I absolutely recommend it! Find it here.

Loose clothes

Loose clothes allows your skin to breathe easily and light colors does not trap heat as much as dark ones. Think soft colors, flowy fabric, and airy silhouettes. An extra tee shirt in the backpack will always come in handy.
An added bonus: These clothes are super comfy!

Would you like to see me talk more about specific skincare products? Let me know on Instagram/Twitter!

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Picture Credits:

express.co.uk

ayurtimes.com

pinterest,com

nykaa.com

pinterest.co.uk 

I moved to Dubai!

Hi guys,

Once again I start with an apology for my lack of posts! I have a reason though. A very legitimate reason. I moved to Dubai!

I moved here around a week and a half ago and I'm excited and scared in equal measure!

This is a new chapter in the journey of my life and I am looking forward to it. Moving here was a leap of faith. I am not someone who takes risks easily so for me this was a big deal. I am looking forward to a new life here and hoping that destiny has good things in store.

This is a little something I wrote about it.

I believe that every little change is meaningful, but something this big is definitely going to have major effects. Looking forward to unraveling them in the future!

This blog will continue and I have promised myself I will be more regular here. However, location specific posts will probably be at a minimum, unless its something I really love and want to show to the world at large. My readership and audience is global and I think it's time to start giving them something that is relevant and useful, too.

I'm still going to be writing about food, but it'll take on a different aspect that I am excited to share with you in the coming days!

Because who doesn't love Cinnabon!

Apart from this, I am finally finally starting to focus on the skincare and wellness posts that I speak about writing but never get around to.

I have a list of topics and I want to get around to covering them asap. I big part of this decision has been the realization that I love my blog and somewhere along the way I kind of lost ownership. I started to post what I thought people wanted to read. But you know what? My best and most read posts are the ones I wrote because they were posts that I wanted to read. Turns out that's exactly what resonated with you guys too.

So I'm going to continue doing that and this time I'm going to create the best content I ever have!

Cheers to many more posts and I hope this blog becomes better and better every day.

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Life Update + Things to Do

Hi darlings!


I've had such a crazy time these past few months.

Yes, I have not updated my blog. I apologize wholeheartedly to each and every one of you. You guys have been so sweet, sending me mails, DMs on Instagram and Facebook - thank you all.

For those of you who have been with me on Instagram (FB and Twitter too), you'd know about my #project50. Just like how I hadn't been posting on my blog, I had also been ignoring my social media. I felt like giving myself a little challenge about posting regularly. So my #project50 was essentially about posting 50 pictures in 50 days. Maybe it was just that I had gotten lazy, or maybe it was something deeper. After a few months of inactivity, I felt it was high time I tried to figure it out.

Hence, my project commenced. Mind you, I was only thinking of Instagram that time. I wasn't even thinking of posting on my blog, even though I had a list of topics to write on. Baby steps. Plus, I wanted to get to the root cause of my reluctance to post anywhere.

Making myself post everyday was pretty difficult at first, for two reasons. First, I was not used to posting so often, and secondly, I didn't know what to post about. Providence decided to format my phone a week into the experiment. So all my fallback options disappeared. I HAD to go find nice things to take pictures of. Which I did try to do, and some of you liked it.

After a point, I got a few requests to write longer captions as people enjoyed reading those snippets. So I did. I wrote, and very soon veered off into inspirational/productivity/positivity based writings. Which, surprisingly, really struck a chord! So I decided to do more of those, and soon my Insta feed started to look different.

By the end of 50 days, I learnt:
1. People love reading about positivity.
2. People appreciate genuine encouragement.
3. People are super supportive of new ideas.

Apart from this, I realised it wasn't just laziness holding me back. I was unsure of what to post, but I realised that as long as you are true to yourself and honest about what you write, there is nothing wrong. You can do no wrong, in fact. All you have to do is stay true to yourself and write.

I found out that posting, be it a blog post, or just a picture + caption on social media, is not a big deal. It's just that social media was never something I enjoyed - I am a total homebody and introvert. That's why I took up this #project50 challenge in the first place. My blog is my baby and if my reluctance to deal with social media was hurting my baby, well I was gonna do social media for sure! And once my 50 days were over, I didn't stop! Yes, I am not posting every single day, but I am definitely more relaxed and having more fun with it. Which was more than I hoped for while doing this project.

That is what compelled me to pen down this post. I need to break the inactivity curse, and what better way to do it than to accept, and, in the process of accepting, banish the negative?

Also, I learnt I should add productivity/mindfulness/positivity as a section to my blog. People seem to really appreciate reading it and I love that I can make a difference to someone by what I write.

Well, this has become quite a long post. For those of you who read till here, thanks for staying! Drop me a comment below, if you'd like :)

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Review - Aplava.com

Hi guys! Now I don't often post on beauty products and suchlike, but I just HAD to write about this place. Two reasons, mainly.

One, a lot of you have asked me to write about skincare and haircare - products as well as styling tips (thank you all for the compliments on my hair!).

Secondly, this website is actually different. Now, I've always loved staying up to date with innovative startups, and I will continue to do so. I feel like the startups scene in India will really help our country reach new heights, but that's a story for another day. Aplava is one such startup based out of Bangalore, the startup hub of the country; and it's growing in leaps and bounds.

Pronounced as “Aap Luv“, it is Sanskrit for "taking a bath to purify oneself". Aplava sells authentic skin care, hair care, wellness products and fragrances. There is a separate section for men and children.

Aplava is a beauty shoppe with a difference. How is it better than the rest of them? Let's find out.

So far, so good. What's their key differentiator?

1) Take a personalized profile quiz - Here, you create a profile with requisite information. Aplava's algorithm will then analyse that information.

2) Receive personalized recommendations - Based on your responses in the first step, they run your details through the algorithm to tell you about your skin health, skin type, and recommended products.

3) Build your regimen - Pay heed to their recommendations, and start improving your skin with the help of their double whammy, algorithm + dermatologist advice.

I especially liked the 'Ask the Expert' section, because what is really the point in having loads of products if you don't really know what works for you? Better to ask than to blindly experiment and harm your skin in the process.

For all you makeup and beauty buffs out there, check out the 'Just Arrived' section for updates about their newest offerings. 

They've also conveniently divided their products into three sections - Best Sellers, Exclusives, and Sale Products.

Let's just say that instead of concentrating on writing this article, I ended up 'researching', which actually meant that I was completely stalking their website and staring at all the skincare products I wanted to try. 

Just look at the detailing of the filters on the left. I love websites that can filter their products/services well, that's just half the battle done in terms of customer attraction. Aplava has done a beautiful job of that, and somehow their product placement order selection is so good that I wanted to try each one of the first six products I saw there! I would not be surprised if they use a back-end algorithm for that too. For all you beauty buffs who can't be bothered with what I'm talking about, suffice to say, you will find what you love without struggling to look for it. You might even find something new to fall in love with that you didn't even know you needed. Something like toning water. It is an awesome thing to have, trust me. 

Overall, I think the website is really helpful. Whether you are totally into beauty and skincare, or just starting out a regimen of your own, this will really help you gt better. Their use of technology to ensure your skin is happy, well, what can be better? I especially appreciate the dermatological advice. After all, an expert opinion always helps.

The only thing I can see as a drawback is that they don't have the multitude of products that more established brands/websites have, but that's really a very minor issue, because what they do give you is so much more, and they are stocking up on new products ever so often. Do visit the website; I bet you'd love the effort they've put into skin profiling and providing expert opinion to all of us. 

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*sponsored post

Why Go Green?

Nowadays we are seeing a lot of interest in ‘living green’ or ‘going green’. Apart from it being the latest fad, what do we really know about it? It isn’t just about getting into the latest trend or following the latest fashion. It is fashionable right now, yes. However, I do not advocate this as a trend, or something to do once and move on to the next thing. Do it if you believe this is a way of life, not a new hashtagged trend. What does it mean to go green?

It means living a sustainable lifestyle

Knowing that what you’re using is not going to harm the environment, is a really good feeling. Also, it will be good for your skin and health and your mind, too. Many of these sustainable products also help the farmers and growers who painstakingly ensure that the products are truly green and environment-friendly. That also adds to a sense of satisfaction. It gives a certain peace of mind, knowing that your actions help our planet and the generations to come. Knowing where the ingredients of your products come from or the fabric of your clothes, or the vegetables in your food; makes you more connected with the world, giving you a keen awareness of how our actions affect everyone else.

It means awareness and caring

Being aware to this extent – it stands to reason that you do care about the effect of every decision that is made. It means living in harmony with your surroundings. It means being aware of the effect of every purchase you make. It means living a more responsible life. Being in harmony with the world around you goes beyond healthcare or sustainable fashion. It touches you in ways you won’t imagine or understand till you try it. It is a good lifestyle, one we truly advocate. And I can’t stress this enough – do not treat this as a trend. A green lifestyle is above and beyond such fads. It is something that requires dedication and a will to really make a difference.

It means commitment

Going green is a gradual lifelong process for most of us. We really don’t just wake up one day and decide to make radical lifestyle changes – it requires a commitment and dedication that would be difficult but totally worth it in the long run. The fact that you are here, reading this, shows that you’re wondering about whether to make that commitment. Honestly, go for it.

I'm not saying it will be easy; it is a lot to take in at once. Go about it slowly, make small changes, and you’ll see that it is easier to do so when you do it little by little. 

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Picture credits:

heartsandmindbooks.com
lovetoknow.com
pinterest.com
theecologist.org