Down in the Dumps!!!

Don't get thrown off by the title but today I do not have makeup or skincare item to review. Today I shall be focusing on the "life" part of my blog. You see I wanted to make a blog not just about makeup and beauty related stuff but also to be able to throw in some of that other stuff sometimes. Things like emotions,books,recipes etc in no precise order.

Anyways coming to today topic "Down in the Dumps". What I mean by that is basically just that one day or those couple of days where you know there isn't anything wrong with you nor with your present life situation and yet you're unhappy, mad,sad,cranky,irritated,angry etc etc. So many terms you can use and none will ever seem right. Ever had such a day or days?

Trust me it happens to the best of us especially us women as we have a tendency to get overwhelmed alot( you know being in touch with your emotions can do that to you sometimes). Lets breakdown why this happens and what can we do by our self to feel us better. Dear men if you feel that this will decode your demonic Partner during her period then skip this post. But yes if you want to help your girl cheer up when she is low or help her help herself then carry on reading..:)

Why it happens?
Firstly let get this out of the way that this only happens to a Woman in or nearing her period. That's absolute bull-crap. The reason could be anything stress at work/home, lack of sleep, not eating properly, no proper rest, periods,hormonal imbalance usw (German for etc). The reasons will be aplenty but solutions are seemingly simpler than you think. Frankly speaking in such a situation self-help is the best help you can get because even though you will want someone to help you get over this feeling, chances are you will bite of his/her head off even before that poor thing tries to help you.

How to get over this feeling?
The most important thing we need to know is that this is absolutely normal and it happens to everyone one so your are not alone in this. There is no need to look for a reason why this is happening as that will help you achieve nothing and will just make you pine more. I shall note down some steps which I personally like to use and also that some people commonly like and do:

1.) Write:Yes this actually helps you alot as the most difficult part for most of us is to pen down our thoughts and feelings in words. This is a real stress buster as not only does it help keep you busy but also helps to consume that negative energy. This is truly an absolute favorite method of mine aside from massages..;~)

2.) Massages: No prizes for guessing that eh! Well massaging will help your girl to relax so go on bust out those massage candles and oils. She will honestly thank you for it. Also this helps to sleep better..Ps. You dont need a partner for a massage,do it yourself ,no one understands your body like you after all!

3.) Baths: Again specially for you single ladies or heck even the hitched ones. Take a warm water bath and soothe those stressed muscles out. Give yourself/each other those amazing back-rubs and see what a huge difference it will make apart from the fact that you will sleep wayyy better after a warm bath.

4.) Comfort Food: This is a rather vague term as everyone has their own type of comfort food. So dig in and forget those calories for a while.

5.)Walks/Runs/Dance: Many people like to walk/run/dance it out. So if you are into that thing go for it. It will also help burn those calories you had..;)

6.) Movies: Ahh! The joy of bundling up in your couch/bed before your favorite movie comes on. Movies are a source of great distraction so go be that couch potato. You deserve it.

7.) Scented candles/sticks: This may be 7th in the list but it does not mean its of any lesser importance specially for a candle-o-maniac like me. When i'm down in the dumps i love me some scented candles specially those sweet ones.

8.)Books: If you are not a much of a movie person like me you could tuck into that old favorite book that you really wanted to read again.  I love doing this as then I get to sometimes see a different perspective to the story or character that I may have missed before plus that nostalgia of  the time you read the book and fell in love with it the first time!!( All my fellow book-lovers can I get an Amen!!)

9.) Meditate: People think this is difficult but honestly I cannot even tell you how easy it actually is. When you start clear your head  take a deep breath and when you release loudly say "AUM". The key to doing this successfully is that you need to be loud enough to stop your brain from thinking and straying away. Only after your head is clear start focusing just on your breath. While your at it repeat "inner peace" (a la Kung fu Panda), no seriously it helps. Personal research you see..;)

10.)Cry: This may seem weird but crying gives you a emotional release like no other. There needs to be no reason but a few tears will help wash out that self pity nonsense after which you shall be free to do other things that have been listed above or any thing else of your choice that puts you in the mood.

In the end all I can say is that do all those things that make you happy. You don't deserve to be in the dumps so snap out of it and take that break and love and pamper yourself. You owe it to yourself!! If you have any other ways you  like to de-stress then do let me know in the comments..:)

PPS: You have no idea how low I was before writing this blog, it was just one of those days you know, Needless to say I'm up and bouncy again thanks to my candles a warm bath and typing the negativity away!!!...:~)

Thanks for reading and dont forget to em likes and comments coming!!!

Love Makeup Love Life

Sayonara!!!
Yours Truly
Sayuri.:~)

Review- Just Herbs Rejuvenating Beauty Elixir facial serum

For the longest ever time I have been curious about Face Serums. I was hesitant to shell out alot of money for the high end ones available in the market as I was skeptical if it will suit me or not,(looking back now this was a foolish thought..:`)). So the first facial serum I picked up was by VLCC ,it was their Snigdha Skin Whitening Serum which costs around Rs.500-800 ish if I'm not wrong. Frankly speaking I did not like it, it did absolutely nothing for me. This put me off serums for a while until I received the Just Herbs Rejuvenating Beauty Elixir facial serum in one of my Fabbags last year, I cannot remember when was the first time I received it seeing as I fell in luurrve with this product instantly on first use after which I kept picking it out again and again when they sent us a product of your choice questionnaire every month. I picked this minimum 3 times I guess one of which I gave to my mom to use and she loves it too. :~). So thanks again Fabbag for introducing my skin to the love of its life!!! Teeehee!!!

So yeah I was intrigued when I first received it and honestly it did wonders for my skin in the first use itself. For the first time I had used just on its own as I was a little scared it would break me out if I used it under my night cream. But the next day you will not believe my skin was so soft and glowy. Since the there was no looking back. Now its a very important part of nightly skin care routine and I use it just after spritzing some rose water on my face mixing a 3-4 drops in my Sula Grapeseed oil, full review of which you can check on this link below:

http://sayuri2323.blogspot.in/2016/03/review-sula-pure-grapeseed-oil-extra.html

Below is what the bottle and packaging look like:

This comes in a mint green box packing with a dark yellow brown hued glass bottle with a dropper on top. The bottle needs to be shaken a little before you dispense it as all the good stuffs tends to settle at the bottom due to the weight. Its net weight is 15ml or 0.53 oz. It will last you for a good 1-1.5 months as you need only 3-4 drops when you use. The color is yellowish and is sort of thick but is easy to blend into skin and does not feel oily or heavy on the skin, it absorbs super quick into your skin. The smell is little funny on the other hand, it honestly smells like bread to me which is sort of tolerable as I dont mind it that much. But thankfully it doesn't linger for long.

You can use it on its own or you can mix it it with your night cream and or any other product you might put on your face. I normally use it with my grapseed oil like I said earlier after which I put my night cream and eye cream (Yes, I have long and sometimes tiring nightly routine but well it works in the long run!) You can use it all over your face and that includes your eye contour area. It can also be used to treat spots on your skin, all you have to do is use it directly on the spot by putting 1-2 drops on the affected area.

It highlight ingredient is Gotukula extract which is supposedly the Indian Ginseng of sorts which frankly I'd never heard of until now but having done some internet research its apparently very beneficial for your skin as it has anti ageing properties amongst it various other benefits. Please click on the link below for more details on Gotukula:

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-gotu-kola.html

Other ingredients are as given in the images below:

This serum needs to be stored in a cool dark place. You can purchase it online on various websites like Nyyka, Fabbag, Amazon etc, I'm not sure where you can find it locally in Mumbai as I have not seen it anywhere till date. If anyone knows do let me know too..:). It retails for Rs.985/- on Fabbag. The other sites should also be having a similar price range. Its pretty economical if you ask me since many other serums retails between Rs.2000-5000 INR. I think 15ml is the biggest size available.

Rating I would give it would be 5/5 since I absolutely love this product. Do check this out if you are looking for a change in your facial serum or you're just curious about facial serums just like me. Do also let me know if you know any other goods brands that do good facial serums.

Like always thanks for reading and don't forget to leave your comments and like the post.


Love Makeup Love life <3

Sayonara!!!
Your's truly
Sayuri... :~)

Review- Sula pure grapeseed oil (extra virgin) 100% Natural

Bless those days when the boss does not come into work!! Times like these you can actually get some work done all the while having fun at it with your office friends. I love to catch up on office gossip on such days whilst having tea.What is your favorite thing to do when your boss is out for the day? Do let me know...:)

Well today as I'm relatively free at work I shall be telling you about an oil I picked up when I visited Sula Vineyards on Christmas last year.(Hope the boss doesn't see this..:P)

Sula vineyards is truly an amazing place to visit, apart from the obvious drinking there's a lot more to do there like visiting the facility to see how wines are made and bottled, plus the view of the grape fields is gorgeous and a real treat to look at. Its a very refreshing place away from all the hustle bustle of the city. A quiet getaway you can enjoy with your significant other or even your family. They have staying arrangements also there if anyone's interested ranging from Rs.5500/- to 27,000/- but if that doesn't fit your pocket you can look for options in the city as its not too far away from the city (approx 20kms or so from Nasik). For more info click on the link below:
http://www.sulawines.com/

So moving on I have been to Sula about twice now once for my birthday and the other on Christmas day. I got the Sula Pure Grapeseed Oil Extra Virgin 100% natural from their in-house souvenir shop. on my first trip I picked up a bottle only for my mum  not entirely sure if I'd actually use it. But one fine day I ended up trying it out and finally gave in on my second trip. This oil is cold pressed and extracted from the white grapes seed and is bottled and sold in the facility. It has zero trans-fat, sodium,cholestrol and is very rich in anti-oxidants.

I do not think you can find it locally in Mumbai although its available online on may sites such as Natures Basket, Amazon, Alibaba to name a few. So this oil is multi-purpose and can be used for cooking, bathing,massages,on your hair and you can also put it directly on your face. Yes! I kid you not its actually really good for your skin. I was initially very apprehensive of putting any kind of oil on my face like most of us normally are but using this oil was life changing. I do not have an oily skin per say neither is it too dry, its just normal which mostly means I'm not very prone to breakouts apart form the hormonal ones here and there and I also have a little liberty in trying out different skin care products.  From what I've read and researched (internet research) is that facial oils are actually really good for your skin and it helps balance out the your dry and oily areas of your skin. Its also way more easier than using 2-3 different products

You can use this oil directly on your face or add a little to your serums or moisturizers to enhance its effectiveness. I use it underneath my serum and night cream. It contains linenoleic acid which is really effective against pimples and spots. I use it at night along with my other products or sometimes just on its own when I'm feeling a little lazy. Next day my skin is plump soft and glowing <3.Good part it also help lighten any scarring or acne marks. For more info on Lineoleic acid check out the link below:
http://www.dermascope.com/ingredients/vitamin-f-linoleic-acid#.Vumc8dJ97IU

The bottle I purchased cost me Rs.495/- and it is a 500ml bottle. This is the biggest bottle available there although there are other size option there available at a lower cost if you do not want to go for such a big bottle. For me I was sold onto this oil ergo I picked the biggest one.

The oil is of an olive hue with a rather nutty smell. Its not off-putting though. You only need a very little amount hence little goes a long long way. Its very light and non-sticky which makes it perfect to be used anytime. This also works as an excellent leave- in conditioner for your hair if you apply a little to the mid-lengths and ends. It helps protect your hair from heat styling damage and also damage caused by the Sun.Its also a great product if you want to bring back some strength to your nails, just apply once a week and massage it nicely into your nails. This oil can also be used to remove face and eye makeup and honestly it takes off even the clingiest of Mascara, although it could sting your eyes a little. All these have been tried by your's truly hence do not hesitate to try them too..:)

To sum it up I would definitely recommend you to try this oil as it's multifaceted you can use it in a number of ways. People suffering dry skin and spot marks issues should definitely give this a try. This oil has become a part of my daily skin care routine and I absolutely enjoy using it.

Rating: 5/5..:D

As always thanks for reading and dont forget to like and comment.Do let me know if you know any other oils which you think I should try out. I'm curious about rosehip oil, has anyone tried that,if yes do leave me a comment about it!!!

Love Makeup Love life <3

Sayonara!!!
Your's truly
Sayuri... :~)

Hikari cosmetics blush review- Harvest

Hello everybody!!!! Isn't summer amazing in some ways,longer days which means its still daylight when I leave from work,gives me that little pep to get stuff done. No, I'm not a big fan of the heat and all still its lovely to still see daylight after being in the office all day stuck in front of the computer. How do you feel about summers do leave me comment on your thoughts about summers. :-)

Summer is the season to bring out all your colorful makeup and I've just found  a new obsession which is surely going to last me the whole of summer,heck even winters.Its a blush I got in my February Fabbag by Hikari cosmetics in the shade Harvest (even the name is summery!!)

For all those who do not know what Fabbag is, its basically a monthly subscription box where in you get sample sized or sometimes even full sized make up products which you can use and re-purchase if you like.You can subscribe on monthly.quarterly,half-yearly and even yearly basis. Anyways my love affair started with Fabbag in April of 2015 when I was looking for Makeup subscription service in India after stalking Michelle Phan's Ipsy bag. Anywho I subscribed to Fabbag and since then there was no looking back. I even had my husband renew my subscription as a birthday gift!!! :D So basically after subscribing you fill up a questionnaire about yourself and then the lovely ladies at Fabbag send you a carefully curated bag every month containing makeup,skincare and even haircare range of products. I honestly have never been disappointed with the teams works so kudos to you Fabcrew!!! :*

So coming back to the product, this came to me as part of my February Fabbag and its pressed powder blush bearing net weight 6.0 grams/21 OZ e. Its a decently sized pan and will last you pretty long time in my opinion. Its a nice mauve toned which comes off berry to pinkish depending on how much you use. Its a matte finish so its actually wearable on daily basis.The best part is that it lasts super long. Even after a long tiring day at work it stays put on my cheeks which is a major plus for me.  Its super pigmented hence you need very little and is very easy to blend. It has a very negligible fragrance so that's another plus point to it. It looks good with most makeup looks and can be used as a day to night wear blush. The packaging however seems a little too delicate to me. The plastic packing is very thin and does not look too travel friendly although I'm yet to test that theory out. Word of Advice: Keep it inside a snug makeup bag and hopefully it should survive. Will let you know when I do so. 

Here is the blush swatched on my hand unblended on the top and blended in the bottom picture :

Trust me this blush is more berry toned in the pan than it comes off in pictures although it comes off mostly pinkish on the skin. Its a cool toned blush so it has no coral tones to it. It should suit most Indian skin tones. It start off as a nice rosy pink and fades to muted pink by the end of the day which is pretty darn good if you ask me as compared to other blushes I have used. Overall I would rate this a 4/5 , 1 point less until I test the packaging theory. :P

Hikari Cosmetics is company based in the USA and makes blushes and lipsticks and other makeup products. I had never heard of this brand prior to this so I'm actually keen to try their other products namely the eyshadows, tell you gurl they look simply awesome.For more information on Hikari cosmetics click on the link below:

http://www.hikaricosmetics.com/

As far as I know Hikari cosmetics products currently only available on Fabbag and retail for Rs.1000/- which is pretty decent considering the quality. If you know anywhere else I could get my hands on their range leave me a comment and let me know or if you feel I should try something else in their range keep me posted:) . You can purchase this blush on the link given below:

http://www.fabbag.com/hikari-cosmetics/

or If you wish to subscribe to the Fabbag go ahead click on the link below and start your love affair!!

http://www.fabbag.com/

This blush is an absolute must have for the summers so I definitely recommend you to try it out and let me know when you do. :)

Please don't forget to like and comment. Thanks for reading!!

Love makeup love life!!<3

Sayonara!!

Yours Truly

Sayuri..:~)

Review- Bath and Body works Warm Vanilla Sugar Bath Gel and Body lotion

For years I have contemplated proper blogging and I always knew what I'm going to blog about mostly beauty and makeup related jazz and some other random bits and bobs. So here I am after watching tons of YouTubers and reading their blogs finally biting the bullet and jumping onto this bandwagon into this crazy world of blogging.

 So for my first ever blog I shall start with a review of a Bath and Body works shower gel and body lotion to go with it.Bath and Body works is an American retails store specializing into shower gels, lotions, fragrance mists, perfumes, candles, and home fragrances. My one dream is to actually visit a Bath and Body works outlet and perhaps even a Lush outlet,sadly we don't have either in Mumbai :( Boo Hoo!! .If anyone  happens to know where any of these outlets are in Mumbai please help this woman out.:P

Body Lotion

Shower Gel

I got this set of bath gel and body lotion gifted to me by my awesome sauce twin sister who just knows what I want,trust me I never once told her I want this one, and yet that woman knew just what to pick...(twin instinct eh?)..Bless her heart <3 :*

The product in question here is the Bath and Body works Warm Vanilla Sugar bath gel and body lotion. The bottle measures 295ml/10fl Oz for the shower Gel and 236ml/8fl Oz for the body lotion. Bigger size options are available in the regular one.The shower gel and body lotion is a blend of Shea butter,Vitamin E, White Orchid, Sparkling Sugar and Creamy Vanilla.

The one I got is probably the Christmas version as the original one I've seen is slightly more salmon pink than the one I got which is Christmasy Red(Shower Gel) which I like. Smell-wise the smell is quite warm and homey although frankly I was expecting it to smell like Baking and vanilla sugary goodness but sadly it isn't that way. I do not dislike it though,its a nice sweet smell. It's the kind of smell you would like when you are tired and wish for a nice warm bath a sort of a pick me up though it can sometimes turn out to be a bit too sweet and overpowering..ahem ahem Hungover days!! :D

It leaves my skin nice and soft after use and the body lotion helps keep the moisture locked. It last for one full day or night depending on when you use it. I mostly use it at nights after work so it lasts me till morning. My skin is plump and soft when I wake up,yayy!! Ps. My skin leans more to the drier side so its a major plus for me.  The bath gel lathers well so you don't a need a huge amount of it on your loofah and the body lotion is nice and creamy and long lasting.  The color and the bottle packaging is an absolute treat to look at. Overall I thoroughly like this product rate 4.5/5, 0.5 less because of the smell. 

The Ingredients are as listed in the pictures:

Warm Vanilla Sugar Shower Gel

 Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Lotion

Bath and Body works products are today easily available online like on Flipkart, Jabong or Amazon to name a few. Price range is anywhere between Rs.500/- to Rs.2000/- and they do hand sanitizers,body butters, hand washes etc in the same range. Gift sets of the same are also available online. Though mind you I'm talking about the regular range of warm vanilla sugar not the Christmas edition one, I doubt that available anywhere now since Christmas is long gone. I am yet to try or smell the regular range so I cannot say whether that smells any different to one I have.

   Regular Warm Vanilla sugar range

                                    

In closing all I'd like to say is do give this range a try as it definitely worth it. I have tried other products of Bath and body works and have found them to be absolutely worth it. :-) Please don't forget to leave your comments below if you know any other products I should try from their range.

Thanks for reading!! :)
Sayonara!!
Sayuri P