All these posts about Taking Care of Hair and Skin, really made me forget to upload wallpapers or even the Things That I love post...
So before the month ends, let me just make a post about the best buys of this month-November.

The whole of November month, I was at home, since I had Diwali vacation goin' on. However, I didn't shop anything. I watched One Tree Hill and few movies. I made blog posts. Sat down on society-benches with my society friends, just passing time around. I played with little girls, like actually ran races with them, played Ringa-Ringa-Roses, played Train-Train...and lots of other games! This month was more of being a kid, plus an adult, watching OTH Season 1.

Still I've made quiet a few buys, among which I would love to shortlist two of 'em-

I'm neither a makeup lover, nor a makeup user!

These are some of the tips about makeup and beauty, that you'll love-

1. Makeup products are SUPPOSED TO BE thrown once they pass their expiry date. Don't try to be a miser and stick with same product, just because there's lot of cream still alive in it!
2. Buy products ONLY of well-known companies. No matter how expensive they seem, you should think about your skin protection, and then the price.
3. If you're running out on a mascara or lip balm, then instead of pumping the tube up and down, you better try pushing the inner walls of the tube. You might be surprised after seeing so much cream coming out of the tube, which you thought wasn't there in.
4. Wearing makeup before going to bed will only make your skin dull and dirty. So try washing your face before hitting the bed.
5. Don't share your favorite lipsticks with your friend. You don't want to get her sore throat or cold. Sharing makeup products helps in transmitting colds, viruses and other illnesses. 
6. If you wonder why your favorite lip color doesn't suit you now, then you must know that along with the changes in you, day by day, your skin tones are changing too. Concentrate on knowing which color suits your skin-tone now, instead of cribbing about those that you used when you were a kid!
7. Don't go with a makeup product that you see on your friend's face or on your fave celeb. The colors that look great on their pale skin, won't just look great on yours!

Facts about skin that you probably didn't know-

1. Wash your face after you apply conditioner, as it might be still on your face, which can lead to acne.
2. If you have a dull or pale skin, then you might wanna try eating some iron-rich foods like spinach or juices; they will do wonders on your dull skin!
3. If you've got cuts on your skin, then massaging with an aloe vera gel or a moisturizer can help soothe the pain, plus heal the bruises.
4. Avoid bathing more than once a day in winters, and more than thrice in summers. More than that, will actually take off the natural moisture from your body, leaving your skin to be super-dry.
5. If you've got dry lips or dry skin, then use a nighttime moisturizer that usually has 'nighttime', 'night' or 'overnight' written on it. This will help your skin to not appear dry in the morning.
6. Dark circles may not occur just due to lack of sleep. There are other reasons like bad nutritional habits, over-thinking or stress, consumption of more dairy products or the red meat, or due to less intake of water. Putting cucumber slices on your eyes for 15 minutes, every once in a while, can be helpful.
7. After putting cleanser/soap/face-wash on your face, massage a bit, before you rinse it off. Concentrate on all the areas, specially those where your skin tends to get more dirty, or has zits, most time of the year.

No matter which season it is, or which day, there are few tips that you must keep in mind while it comes to a healthy and glowing skin.

1. Drink lots of water // A recommendation of 6-8 glasses of water per day.
2. Moisturize your lips // Use lip-balms whenever you feel your lips need one. 
3. Wash your face every night // Cleanse it with a cleanser or just normally wash it with a soap or a face-wash.
4. Keep your body clean // Use good soaps or body-wash for a perfect clean of the mostly-ignored body.
5. Get that beauty sleep // Very difficult, I know. I've been a victim of this lack-of-sleep habit of mine.
6. Don't touch your face often // Touching your face often might lead in transferring the germs from your hands to your face.
7. Eat healthy // Vitamins, minerals, fruits, veggies, proteins, etc. 
8. Keep your hair off the face // The sweat and dirt from your hair might lead in transferring to your pretty face. So keep 'em off!

Do-It-Yourself mania is goin' on this blog, lately. I hope you're trying out with all the DIY stuff, and have liked them too. Today you'll learn how to make a scented body-wash/shower-gel at home! Sounds super-fun, doesn't it?

Things you'll need-

• Mild and Unscented Liquid Soap 1/2 Cup
• Almond or Light Sesame Oil (Skip this if you have oily skin) 1 Tbsp
• Essential Oil or Scented Oil 4 Drops
• Large Bowl
• Spoon
• Plastic Bottle
• Loofah

Steps-

How about a yummy lip-smacking balm which is self-customized and self-made for you and by you? You know you really wanna try it!

Things you'll need-

• Aloe Vera Gel 1 Tbsp (Available in medical shops)
• Petroleum Jelly 1 Tbsp
• Strawberry Essential Oil (or any flavor you love) 1 Tbsp (Available in medical shops or grocery shops)
• Small Bowl
• Spoon

Steps-

Alright so as the winter chills are increasing day by day, and with that the dry skin, you really need a skin softener, don't you?

So here's a little recipe, not to eat, but to...apply, uh.

Things you'll need-

• Granulated Sugar 1/4 cup
• Light Oil (Sunflower, Almond or Canola) 2 Tbsp
• Milk 2 Tbsp
• Small Bowl
• Spoon

Steps-

I have top 3 winter tips that you all must follow for a soft and healthy skin:

• YA, THE SUNSCREEN | No matter where you're heading to, a snowy place, or a normal winter-y place, do not forget to apply the good old sunscreen. Sunscreen in winter is as important as that in the summers. Apply a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. 

A small stay at my father's aunt and uncle, is always a blessing for the soul. They invite us at their place for good 4-5 days stay, always. They even phone and invite, no matter which festival it is. So we went for a one day stay.

The uncle (my grandfather) has studied lot of books on Aura, Cosmic rays, spiritual things, Vedic medicines, etc. So he always keeps on telling me new-new things, that are inside us, yet we are so much unaware. He reveals few secrets of the energies. He teaches different exercises for different body parts. He knows lot about gems and numbers.

In all, it's really a very interesting and knowledgeable time spent there! My grandmother is very sweet too.

My grandfather says that, "...you should not think about the past or the future. Just live in your present...and take risks in life. Be bold".

-xxx

Now that you know your skin type, let's find out which skin product suits you the best:

• BAR SOAPS:
• Mild bar soaps, the ones you have been using traditionally for bathing, since childhood, are termed as 'bar soaps'. They can be used on face, too. They're good for cleansing your facial skin too.
• Good for // They are good for oily, normal and combination skin. They might irritate dry or sensitive skin. But honestly, I have a sort of oily skin, and I don't use these soaps, instead I use face-wash. Bar soaps tend to make my oily skin, super-oily. 

So much about HAIR, lately. Well who doesn't love their gorgeous mane? And you really need to know how to take care of them, don't you?

1. If you're too scared that your stylist might cut your beautifully-grown long hair, too short, then I have a solution: You can tell her where you want the scissors to hit your hair, instead of telling how many inches you wanna cut. This way, you're sure about the haircut, plus even your stylist is happy.
2. If you want a particular haircut like that of your favorite celeb, then just carry a photo of hers (in your cellphone, or a magazine cut-out), and show it your stylist. She would exactly know what's really cooking in your head, and you would end up twinning your favorite celebrity! 
3. Start your hair-wash with warm water while you shampoo, and then end it with cold water, while you rinse off your conditioner. My friend, Divya, had told me this once, when we were in 3rd grade.
4. Rinse your shampoo/conditioner thoroughly, for at least two minutes. You don't wanna weigh your hair down, I'm sure.
5. Shampoo your hair, rinse it, apply conditioner, do rest of your bathing activities, rinse off the conditioner. This way, you're sure of keeping the conditioner on, for like, 5 minutes, at least. 

All those facts about hair, that you didn't know-

1. Hair is most vulnerable when it is wet. So handle your wet hair with care. Do not be harsh while you towel-dry it. Also, avoid combing wet hair.
2. Don't always tie your hair in a ponytail holder, as much of tying activity will cause hair loss, due to constant hair-pulls. 
3. Applying gel/sprays on your hair will look great, but then remove off the natural shine from your hair.
4. Gels/sprays that have silicone as one of their ingredients, will make your hair greasy. So go for a product which promises you a healthy shine, and that comes with a mist-er. 
5. Spray these mist-er type of styling products on your hair with just few pumps. 
6. For wet hair, just spray a bit in the air, and then walk past by it. This way, the spray will get absorbed in different parts of your wet hair.
7. After hitting gyms, you usually tend to have sweaty hair. So don't use any moisture-based products. Just dab your regular towel on the sweat, and style as usual. 
8. Do not wash your hair too often, as it soaks off your natural nutrients. But if you're a sporty-girl, and usually wash it almost daily, then deep-condition your hair at least once a week. Deep-conditioning doesn't mean going to your favorite salons, it just means keeping the conditioner few minutes more, than you usually do. You can even apply a leave-in conditioner. 
9. So you want to go swimming very eagerly, but just don't know how to take care of hair? Then, putting up braids and then wearing a swimming cap is a great way to protect it. These cute braids would not even tangle or frizz. 

Now that you know how to deal with a face shape and have a haircut accordingly, you'll know in this post, the different hair types and a great cut following it-

• FINE & STRAIGHT :
• DOs- A long blunt cut will look real great. You can also try short blunt cuts, as they will help in adding body to this hair type. 
• DONTs- Stay away from long layers, as they make your straight and fine hair look super-thin, plus you might even shed lots of hair. 

• FINE & CURLY/WAVY: 
• DOs- A chin-length or a shoulder-length cut will look just nice. This will help in adding body to your Fine hair type. 
• DONTs- Super-long hair would just make your curly-curls harder to handle. But if you have wavy hair type, then go for super-long hair! 

There are some days, when I'm so, so busy, that writing a post is just not at all possible. Yesterday was one of those. I was too busy, to even switch on the computer.
After directing college's play, this was the next big thing that I organized or managed. It was an event of my society, and I was one of the lead members to plan stuff and organize.

Yesterday, in the morning, around 11:30, we planned to do something like a function/event for the society. After deciding the event and the time, we girls started running to every door in our society, and invited them at 8:00 in the evening, for the Tulshi Vivah.
Tulshi Vivah is a Hindu festival, where we conduct a marriage (Vivah) between Tulshi (a very auspicious plant for Hindus) and an unmarried boy, assumed as Lord Krishna.
So, after the oral invitations, we went to our respective homes for lunch, and then went for the best part- shopping! Though the shopping wasn't anything about clothes, accessories or shoes, we enjoyed it. We got the wafers, paper plates, plastic glasses and two big bottles of Mirinda and Pepsi. It might sound less, but it was very, very heavy!
After getting the stuff back home, I stayed at one of my building aunts's home to watch the mighty batting of the God of cricket- Sachin Tendulkar. 
I sat there for like a half-hour, and after it, it was Stumps for the day, and then I started moving my feet, again. I went to my house to have tea and cookies and changed into a different t-shirt. After all the freshening-up was over, I went down again.
We cleaned the chosen floor with a broom, sprinkled water on it, cleaned again. Brought the Puja stuff from a lady's house and kept it in a corner. Brought a table, and the Tulshi plant, and placed it over the table. Decorated the pot with gift papers. Took out all the chairs (there were 15 in all) from the society's pump-house. Cleaned all the chairs with an old cloth, and arranged the chairs with alternate colors, with the help of three little girls. Brought a tea-table from one of the homes, and washed it under a water-tap.
It was 7:00 till then, and was the time to bring the BIG THING from store. We hadn't ordered the food. So, after deciding who was going with me to the store- the little girls, or a lady. The lady won, and I'm thankful to the God that she did!
We left the place at 7:10 and walked very long to reach the store. We ordered 3 Kg Jalebis, and 65 Samosas! After waiting there for like half-hour, we got our parcels. SO. DAMN. HEAVY. It felt as if my hand muscles would tear anytime soon.
We reached our society at 8:05, and the guests had arrived already! We still had to change ourselves into traditional attires. We hurriedly went to our respective homes, and changed. I couldn't even lift my arms up, the parcel was so heavy!

Now that you know what's your hair type, the next step is to take proper care of it.

1. OILY HAIR // Don't use heavy styling products like hairsprays or gels, because they just help in weighing down your hair even more. Don't apply much conditioner...use it sparingly. Don't brush too often. Brush only when necessary (before you're going out), as brushing disturbs your hair roots, thus secreting more oils. Avoid playing with your hair. Shampoo often, to clean the sweat and the oils. Shampoo more in summers. Choose a synthetic bristles brush. Apply conditioner only to your tips, and not your roots. (I'm more of an oily type, so I know many tips for this one.)
2. THIN, DRY HAIR // Use conditioner every time you wash your hair. Use a volume-boosting shampoo. Trim your hair often, to reduce split-ends. Avoid blow-drying your hair. Tie your hair more often to prevent the damage. 
3. FINE HAIR // Use a volume-boosting shampoo to give your hair a fuller look. Try a light conditioner. For instant lift, apply a little mousse to your roots, turn your head upside-down while you blow dry. 
4. THICK HAIR // Use shampoos and conditioners for thick hair. See to it that you cover every hair strand. This is important to keep your beautiful mane, healthy! Air-drying is the best way, and not hair-dryers, because then you'll turn up wasting your time in the bathroom doing that all day!
5. CURLY HAIR // If your hair is super-curly, a moisturizing shampoo would be of some help. A rich conditioner is a great option to help reduce the frizz. Partly rinse your hair after you condition it. You can try hair-smooth-ening or hair-straighten-ing too, for a change.

1. OILY HAIR // If you have sort of greasy hair, and they start getting greasier after combing, you know you have oily hair. Oily hair tend to get heavy and clumpy at the roots, with lots of brushing. They are sleek. 
2. THIN, DRY HAIR // If your hair strands break easily, and have split-ends soon after a haircut, you have dry hair.
3. FINE HAIR // If your hair don't weigh much, have less volume or don't have much body, you have fine hair. If you need to wrap your ponytail holder three to four times around them, you know they're Fine. 
4. THICK HAIR // If your hair have a lot of volume, your hair is the Thick type. Your Thick hair just need a one or two wraps of ponytail holder.
5. CURLY HAIR (Fine or Thick) // If you got waves, curls and ringlets, you know you're a curly girl! 

So, yesterday's post was about the things that I carried. But that's not enough. I had been to the Elephanta Caves, for the very first time. So that itself tells the list wasn't a perfect one.


Here are few of the things that I should have had carried there, but, well, didn't-

1. Water // Though we carried one bottle, I guess, we should have carried one more. We all were very thirsty, plus the afternoon time was really tiring. 
2. Hand Sanitizer // I always forget to buy one. I've used it many times, but not a daily user of it. I guess hand sanitizer is a MUST, no matter where you go. 
3. Notepad and Pen // If we are going with a large group, then for calculations and maintaining record of who paid what, these things are required. 
4. Talcum Powder // Well I don't use it, but I heard one of the ladies saying: we should have brought a bottle of powder along with us. 
5. More Food // Others had brought enough food, so it was sufficient. But if it a small group, or a small family, more food should be carried, than just sandwiches. There is availability of good restaurants there, so not a matter. 
6. Cash // There are few gorgeous things in the market, there. So, carrying a good amount of cash, is a tip from me. 
7. Band Aids // Yes, I got a bruise on my palm, but missed a band aid, there. So I wished I carried one. 
8. Scarf // Yes, we did carry a scarf, but that was for my mother. I guess I should have carried one for myself too. As the cap wasn't covering me enough. 

I was very busy yesterday, and had a day-out today. My society members and I were planning one, since many, many days. And at last, the plan was executed today! I had never been to Elephanta Caves, ever in my life (in spite of bunking lectures and roaming in Mumbai)! The experience was different, as the company was different.
We had never went on such a trip with our society. This small trip just bonded our relationships.
I always like to go on World Heritage Sites, as I can see the unity in my secular country (I'm a big patriot, you see!)




I just want to share all the things that me and my mom carried to a day trip to Elephanta Caves, Mumbai-

1. Back-Pack // Someone had told me that there are monkeys in there, so I had to carry a bag that was attached to me, thus avoiding my fear of the monkeys snatching it away! Plus, a big Adidas back-pack is always the best option for trips, as we have loads and loads of things to put inside. 
2. Cap // Did I say I was obsessed with caps? Yeah, so travelling anywhere in Mumbai without a cap, is a hello-black-face! I carried a cap for the protection from direct heat of the sun. 
3. Glares // I just cannot go on a trip without my glares in the carry-on luggage bag. I had carried my RayBan aviators, to add up the outfit. I carried them for the style-matter, you can say. However I used it when the sun was low. 
4. Fresh Mints // I carried a packet of HappyDent chewing gums, as I always carry chewing gums for a trip. It is fun to chew a gum while you're travelling. 
5. Napkin and Handkerchief // My mom always insists me on carrying this. I used my red napkin so many times, to wipe off the sweat. 
6. Swiss Knife // My companion for a day or a night out: my Swiss knife. Well we used it to cut apple slices and onions (yes, we made Bhel, there! Typical Indian day-outs). 
7. Mini Face-wash // The face-wash, which was one of my best-buys last month, was at last put to some utility, as we washed our blackened and dirty faces, there. 
8. Tissues // I did not use tissues to wipe the sweat on my skin, but to clean my hands, after eating. 
9. Sweet candies // My mom loves eating these candies for many reasons: to gain energy, to gain glucose and to avoid sudden and abrupt throw-ups. 
10. Scarf/Dupatta // As my mom was in a Punjabi suit, she had a dupatta, else she would've had carried a scarf, for her sun protection. 
11. Food // We carried sandwiches, to just much on, because other moms (from our group) had brought other such things too. So after adding up, it made a lot of  food. 
12. Water // You seriously CANNOT travel to these caves without ample of water. We (everyone) had to buy many bottles, in spite of carrying ten bottles ourselves. 
13. Newspapers and Plastic Bags // Plastic bags to throw away the garbage and for the abrupt throw-ups again, and newspapers to rest your 'back' on.
14. Camera // In India, lots of historical places don't allow you to click photographs or take videos. But, yes, photography is allowed here, so it's a delight for the photographers! 

You should know your face-shape, in order to know which haircut suits you the best.
To know your shape, just stand in front of the mirror, and with an old lipstick, draw the outline of your face. Easy, enough?


Now that you know your face shape, you can try haircuts, accordingly-

1. OVAL // Long layered hair suits you the best. You can try haircuts that enhance your best features: Have awesome eyes? Go for cute bangs! Have amazing cheekbones? Try a layer cut that might just enhance them, further. 
2. SQUARE // You need to avoid haircuts that end near your jaw-line, or even avoid middle-partition. You can try long or short hair, but ask your stylist to see what suits you the best. You can try razor-ed edges or chunky bangs. 
3. HEART // Try a haircut that will enhance your jaw, and NOT your forehead. Soft waves or soft layers look cute. You need to avoid straight and long haircut. A shoulder length cut, with waves is ideal. Side part your hair and give them a bouncy look. This will distract the attention from your forehead and chin.
4. ROUND // Long hair are ideal, as they distract the attention from the round-y face. The cut should have lots of bangs and frame your overall shape with a fun hairdo. Even, a short bob looks cute on round faces. 

If you guys really want a great shine on your mane, then I've got a great idea. Why not make a homemade mixture for that shine?

Things you'll need-

1. Honey- 1 tbsp
2. Warm Water- 4 cups
3. Lemon Juice (optional)
4. Small Bowl
5. Spoon
6. Regular Shampoo
7. Towel

Steps-

This might be quite common to most of you. I don't have a single piece of a formal clothing- neither a shirt, nor a trousers, oh and not even formal shoes...and yet I give away so many presentations! (I have a formal handbag, though.)

I always end up wearing a semi-formal shirt or a formal-looking tunic as the formal shirt, and my old cherry-red flat bellies as my formal shoes. I'm seriously bored wearing the same type of clothes, for every presentation, and for every formal event.

I don't even have a pair of trousers, so, I end up wearing my BLACK JEANS as the trousers. I know it is very annoying, to dress the same for every formal event. But, I just don't want to splurge my money over a formal outfit.

Well, the simple reason behind me telling you guys about all the formal stuff is that, this can be a great outfit too. And black jeans are the best, plus they hardly look like 'jeans'.
I bought my only black jeans from Spykar, and must have altered and de-altered it, many, many times! But I love it, and it is very comfy.

Black jeans go great with any colour shirt, except if it is plain black. But otherwise, you go girl!


Do you own a typical formal outfit? Or do you just cheat like me?

A very inspirational quote by the famous Abraham Maslow, "What one can be, one MUST be".

So here's a second list for some useful Lumia apps.

So today was one of the few days in a year, when I had applied makeup. I love keeping a minimal and clear makeup. I'm not at all a makeup addict or a makeup lover. But since I'm a girl, my mom had insisted me to buy few of the makeup products when I was in my 10th grade. And since then I felt that a bit of makeup isn't going to harm me or my tom-boyish image. Thus, I started buying them.
Since I was a dancer in my school days, a bit of makeup was must during dance competitions, annual gatherings or celebrating the founder's birthdays. I used to apply my mom's lipstick and use the same as blush, and for the eyes? Well, I used to borrow stuff from my neighbor's. My neighbor used to help my mom in makeup and making me ready before every dance.

Now, I provide with makeup supplies to that same neighbor's little daughter's dances! What a sweet thanks!



STEPS for basic makeup/clear makeup //

1. Wash your face with a face-wash.
2. Apply foundation with little drops of water and cotton balls on your face and neck (and the visible parts).
3. Apply eye-liner.
4. Apply mascara.
5. Apply Kohl.
6. Apply lipstick.
7. Apply compact powder (right before stepping out).

1. Remove your old nail polish with a nail polish remover using cotton balls (and not tissues!).
2. File your nails and shape them; or cut your nails (if you're a short-nail lover like me). 
3. Soak your hands in lukewarm water preferably putting a mild liquid soap inside for few minutes. 
4. Apply moisturizer to your hands/feet, concentrating more on your cuticles (avoiding nails).
5. Apply base coat (you can skip this step).
6. Let the coat dry. Apply your chosen nail polish colour. 
7. Let the coat dry. Now finally, apply a top coat (you can skip this step). 
8. Let the top coat dry. Apply a bit moisturizer to give the hands/feet and the nails a finished-up look. 

Oh, you can thank me later!