Lotus herbals Whiteglow Hand and Body lotion Review

With dresses and skirts becoming the "in" thing once again ,keeping the arms and legs even toned and sun protected becomes necessary .Body lotions with added SPF are generally pretty good for this purpose so today Ishall be  sharing my experience with  Lotus herbals Whiteglow Hand and Body lotion .

                                                   

Price and Presentation - Rs 295/- for 300 ml . This comes in a white plastic bottle with a pump dispenser .Sturdy and convenient to use . I think they have now discontinued with this product and relaunched it in the "Safe Sun " range as nourishing body lotion with  SPF 25 in the trademark orange colour Safe Sun range .

                                                             

    PROS of   Lotus herbals  Whiteglow Hand and Body lotion      

1. Easily available and affordable .This one bottle with daily use is going to last two months very easily for me .
2. Contains SPF 25 ,which is the minimum sun protection advised by dermatologists for daily use.
3. I found its claims to lighten , whiten and brighten , true to some extent .The lotions leaves a thin matte cast which makes the skin look fairer on application.After using it for one week ,I find that my feet that get tanned easily  are looking less tanned and hence I find that this is effective to some extent surely .My skin looks more even toned .
4. It has a thick consistency but spreads easily and gets absorbed fast .The fact that it is not very thin and runny helps in controlling the amount that I am using and helps in reducing wastage .
5. Gives a matte finish within few minutes of application because of which my arms and legs do not look oily or sweaty , which I quite liked .
6. Claims to contains natural extracts of  liquorice, green tea and lemon extracts to help in brightening though the actual ingredient list shows the same ingredients including parabens that regular sunscreens contain .

                           

CONS of Lotus herbals  Whiteglow Hand and Body lotion 

1. The fragrance is initially flowery but within seconds changes to a chemical smell though it is not strong and neither very noticeable , but to me ,that is a disadvantage because I like smelling good .
2. Even though it claims to be a natural/herbal product it is actually a synthetic product with added natural extracts to strengthen their herbal claim.
3. It mattifies after application which may be a con in the dry and cold weather .

                                            

FINAL VERDICT - I am not a whiteness freak but I found that this body lotion protected my skin better against tanning and sun burns and gave a more even toned look to my arms .Also I am happy that this does not make my arms sweaty and greasy .The only thing I do not like is the medicinal fragrance .
I am yet to use it in the winter season to see if it makes my skin dry or keeps it soft .

Till then, I rate it a 3.5/ 5 .

Biryani Blues - Restaurant Review

Hello Friends !

 I have recently started on my gastronomic journey ,trying out different food joints .A few days back I tried out a relatively new food joint which has been making waves in Sohna and Gurgaon already but I was a little late in catching on .Since I have already told you that it is a popular joint now let me now tell you why ...

                       

                                           

They have about seven outlets in North India already and I visited their Connaught Place restaurant in New Delhi .


                                       

     

As I entered the place , the aroma of spices wafting in the restaurant ,almost seemed to assure me that I will have some great food and I was not wrong .

Contrary to what you would expect in a hyderabadi outlet (read heavy brass statues , agarbatti smell etc .), this place has a modern and funky vibe to it .Comfortable seating and kitschy decor with mouth watering food photos on the walls sets the mood as you take your seats .

                                                    

The service is quick and attentive .The waiters are well informed about the food and the portions .

                                                   
   

         

The Value meal Veg at Rs 199 per head and Non Veg at Rs 249 is very popular 

                                   

           

Value Meal Combo for Four @899 for Veg Biryani and @999 for Chicken Biryani

                                             


Me and my friend ordered an Egg Biryani ,Chicken biryani and Double ka meetha (Shahi tukda ) and all of them were pretty good .This was served with onion roundels, Mirchi ka Salan and Boondi Raita which complemented the food very well .The portions were sufficient for two .At some extra charge they can also upgrade the biryani to "premium " which means they will add a few extra pieces of the juicy and aromatic chicken to the regular biryani .

                                           

                                          

                                               
                                           
                                              

Another fact that I also loved is that other than your regular Biryani Menu , they also serve other traditional hyderabadi dishes which I would like to try next time like the Baghara Baingan , Andhra Chicken etc .

                                                      
                                                      

The Egg Biryani is basically a veg biryani with fried Boiled eggs added

   A meal for two with taxes came to about Rs 800 /- only which was decent by all standards .


                                

The Double ka Meetha is a double roti (bread) fried
in desi ghee and served soaked in fragrant syrup

A great place to hang out with friends for sumptuous Hyderabadi fare at equally  sumptuous prices .Icing on the cake - they deliver too !

 Address :-                                 

Biryani Blues, Shop No 9, Scindia House, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001

Phone -  8010801000

Mon-Sun

11:00 am - 10:30 pm

contact@biryaniblues.com

Colorbar Perfect Match Compact - Nude Beige

Hello Ladies !

Today I am going to review a much needed all weather product and specially in the hot weather from one of my favourite brands .Yes,it is the "Colorbar Perfect Match Compact "in the shade Nude Beige .                                           

                                                      

Before trying this , I was using another compact which had sunscreen and whitening properties and because it made my skin look " white " I was looking for something that sits like second skin after application.

                      

                                                      

Call me vain , but I was immediately sold on the mirror finish presentation .It is actually so clear that you can actually use the whole case like a mirror and check your lipstick !

                                                     

                                            

                                           

Price - Rs. 725/- for 9 gms

                                                  

How to use - Apply all over the face and neck with the compact puff in light downward strokes going with the direction of hair growth . This should be the last product to be applied if you are wearing any make-up or can be worn over cleansed and moisturized skin .


                                               

PROS of  Colorbar Perfect Match Compact in Nude Beige

                                                        

1. Easily available online as well as  offline 
2. I love the super stylish ,silver , mirror-finish packaging , very chic though very difficult to photograph too !
3. Very soft feel on the skin , it is very finely milled powder .
4. Blending is a dream , you do not have to scrape out the compact and the powder puff easily picks up the right amount and it is fluffy enough to give  a brush like blending touch 
5. Contains Hyaluronic acid which is an excellent oil free hydrator for oily skin which gives slight plumpness to the skin and helps in reducing the appearance  fine lines .
6. Contains Vitamin E which has anti-ageing and skin nourishing action .
7. No white-ish  look after application 

                                     

                                                       

CONS of  Colorbar Perfect Match Compact in Nude Beige

1. It does not have SPF unlike my earlier compact but I make do by wearing the sunscreen underneath and then applying the compact after 20 mins .
2. Some may find it expensive compared to other drugstore brands .
3. It claims to give you a dewy complexion , but I did not find any such effect other than that it felt very soft, silky and natural .

                                                     

FINAL VERDICT - It is decently priced product,blends well and the presentation is lovely .So I rate it a 4/5 .A great product that can be bought again and again .

Colorbar B.B. Cream- Vanilla Creme 001

A B.B. cream is actually a beauty balm or Blemish balm , which moisturises, offers sun protection and also gives some coverage .I had earlier reviewed the Colorbar BB cream - Honey Glaze 002  , and recently when I went to get the BB (blemish Balm ) cream ,I found some changes to the earlier presentation .

So here goes my review ...

Price  - Rs 550/- for 29 gms / 1 U.S. Oz 

There are some superficial changes in the outer packaging ,which was earlier an Ombre shade going from the actual color of the BB cream to a silver finish .Now it has been replaced with a completely silver finish .

                                                      

                                                      

PROS of Colorbar bb cream- Vanilla Creme 001

• Easily available 
• Affordable , though compared to some other popular brands it may be expensive
• Available in 4 shades (which is great considering many brands give only two options ) -Vanilla Creme, Honey Glaze,Cinnamon Swirl and White Light .
• Blends easily .It does not have a thick or runny texture , just about right texture that make sit easy to spread .
• Does not leave a whitish cast or look cakey .
• Excellent colour match , I was very happy with this shade as it was neither light nor dark for me .
• Medium coverage .It helps gives an even tone, hides pits and pigmentation too giving a smoother and flawless complexion .
• Contains SPF 20 , so you don't need to wear a sunscreen additional to this .
• Parabens free  
• Slight fragrance which I like but does not linger 
• Contains aloe vera and apple extracts to nourish the skin                                           

CONS of  Colorbar bb cream- Vanilla Creme 001

                                                          

• Slightly more expensive than some of our other popular brands 
• More product is needed so i am probably going to exhaust it soon if I wear it daily .
• SPF 20 may not be enough if you have to be out in the sun for more than an hour 
• Good for light to medium coverage , you will need a foundation if you want more coverage 
• It claims to give a radiant glow which I did not find though it gives a more even tone to the skin without any luminosity .

                                                              

                                               

                                              

FINAL VERDICT  - I am loving it ! I will definitely buy it again as it is an exact match and is good enough for light coverage and daily wear . I rate it a 4.6/5 .

Garnier Ultra Blends -Blackberry and Henna Conditioner Review

I wanted to review this conditioner along with the shampoo review itself but was a bit occupied and could not do it but better late than never and so here is the review of Garnier Ultra Blends Blackberry and Henna Conditioner .

                                              

Price - Rs 75/- for 75 ml

PROS of Garnier Ultra Blends -Blackberry and Henna Conditioner

1. Affordable and easily available 
2. Sturdy and travel friendly packaging
3. Easy to work with, spreads easily on the hair shafts 
4. Mild fruity fragrance
5. Leaves hair softer than without conditioner  

             CONS of  Garnier Ultra Blends -Blackberry and Henna Conditioner

1. I do not like the fragrance, good thing that it's mild and does not linger 
2. It does not make much of a difference to the hair texture ,I feel the hair is smoother to some extent but it is not a significant change
3. The effect on my hair lasts hardly for one day 

                                             

FINAL VERDICT - I rate it a 3/5 .
I have generally skipped using this after using the Garnier Ultra Blends -Blackberry and Henna shampoo and I found that the effect was better if I used it with the shampoo .Nothing noteworthy here ,it is an average product and I will not be buying it again .