The Ordinary -Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

ABOUT THE BRAND - The Ordinary is a brand from DECIEM. DECIEM is an umbrella of brands focused on advanced functional beauty. The Ordinary is an evolving collection of treatments offering familiar, effective clinical technologies positioned to raise pricing and communication integrity in skincare.(taken from https://theordinary.com )

If you have dark spots, you should not ignore using Vitamin C 

                                    

IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN C 

We all know the Vitamin C also known as Ascorbic Acid helps in repair and regeneration of tissues,it is necessary for a healthy immune response and also plays an  important part in the production of Neurotransmitters.
                                   

Image courtesy -Pexels.com

                                           

A deficiency of Vitamin C can cause Infections ,Scurvy (bleeding gum disease), dry brittle hair and unhealthy skin , general lethargy etc.

Vitamin C has shown great results on the skin when applied directly to the skin , improving brightness , fading marks , helping healing and improving wrinkles .

SOURCES OF VITAMIN C 

The best source of Vitamin C are Amla (Indian Gooseberry ),Guava, Kale,Coloured Peppers,Kiwi, Seabuck thorn, Kakadu plum and citrus fruits.

     

Image courtesy -Pexels.com

                                       

Image courtesy - Pexels.com

VITAMIN C IN SKINCARE PRODUCTS                                              

Because Vitamin C applied to the skin has shown a significant improvement in the appearance of dark spots, fading of dark spots , skin lightening , brightening and preventing wrinkles , it is widely being used in cosmetics and skin care  products .

Vitamin C for application is commercially available in the following preparations and since Vitamin C can cause skin irritation and is also not a very stable compound , you can choose according to your need and suitability.

This may sound very technical and even boring or useless but let me tell you that this information is going to be very handy if you wish to get the best results out of your Vitamin C serum and avoid any unpleasant sensation.

Vitamin C helps in fighting dark spots and preventing
wrinkles and regenerating tissues giving a youthful glow 

                                       

1. Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

This format is a suspension of very fine L-Ascorbic Acid powder and, as such, provides the most direct exposure of extremely high concentrations of Vitamin C topically. With such format, there are 2 important things to consider: 1) A very strong tingling but non-irritating sensation is expected during the first 1-2 weeks of use until the skin's tolerance to such high exposure is elevated; 2) The powder exposure to the skin disallows the formula to feel like a serum, lotion or cream and each application requires a few seconds to feel absorbed by the skin. If desired, this formula can be diluted in a cream base per application to allow the skin to build tolerance over time.

This formula feels gritty on the skin for a few seconds.

2.Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone

This formulation comes in a suspension form but in light silicones base for a smooth, non-gritty skin finish. Despite the very light forms of silicone used, silicones do impair dermal exposure to Vitamin C slightly but the additional (30%) added helps in overcoming this drawback.

3. 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder

The format of this formula is a very fine, anhydrous, L-Ascorbic Acid powder and, as such, provides the most direct exposure of extremely high concentrations of Vitamin C topically. With such format, a very strong tingling but non-irritating sensation,

4. Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%

The Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% formula combines two of the most powerful brightening agents ,it can  feel slightly "oily" for a few seconds after application .

5. Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

more stable in water but it is less potent than direct L-Ascorbic Acid. Being more compatible with water allows for a very pleasant serum texture. It is considered a gold standard of Vitamin C derivatives due to its high stability and comfortable use, but it's impossible to achieve extremely high L-Ascorbic Acid potency with this solution

6. Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%

This is a water-soluble derivative of Vitamin C, less potent than pure L-Ascorbic acid and it comes in a  light cream form that offers 10% pure MAP , it's brightening effect is more powerful than other Vitamin C derivatives. 

7. Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

It is one of the most physically stable derivatives of Vitamin C but, being a derivative, it is not as potent as pure L-Ascorbic Acid. It comes in combination with Vitamin F a.k.a. essential fatty acids

8. Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution

This is a water free formulation that might feel slightly "oily" for a few seconds after application,so if you have dry skin or live in a dry climate , this might be a good choice.

                                           

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE ORDINARY VITAMIN C SUSPENSION 23% +HA SPHERES 2%

1.The Ordinary products are free of parabens ,sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone and cruelty free.

2. The product is much more cheaper  than what luxury brands charge for the same product.

3. I like how they educate the consumer about the composition of their products and help in making     an informed choice.

4.I could see a visible difference in my skin tone after two days itself ( nights actually since I only applied at bedtime ) and after about 15 days my friends  complimented me on my skin they noticed that the dark spots on my face were less visible and my skin looked more even toned.Tanning was much less visible and my skin looked bouncy and healthy.

5.My skin looked slightly less dry and dehydrated, less tired.

6. Plastic Tube packaging which is easy to squeeze out the product and sturdy and spill proof enough to carry in the bag.

This Vitamin C Suspension has tiny spheres

                                                            

WHAT I DISLIKED ABOUT THE ORDINARY VITAMIN C SUSPENSION 23% +HA SPHERES 2%

1. I wish it was cheaper 

2. It has small particles that feel slightly rough and also sting my skin for about 10 seconds , the stinging is mild though and I have sensitive skin so hopefully others may not even feel the irritation.

3. It is essential to use a high SPF ( about 30+)  sunscreen or sunblock when using this cream.

FINAL VERDICT 

I rate it a 5/5 💖

I am loving my skin😇 and loving this product !

Will I buy it again ? 

With the amount of compliments I have been getting lately Definitely !!

I am eager to know if you  have tried using Vitamin C serums or any such HG skin care products and if yes then share your experience here and let others know too!

GROVER RESERVE ART COLLECTION CHENIN BLANC White Wine

I recently got  to drink this Chenin Blanc White Wine from the Grover Reserve Collection 2017 vintage and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.

                                   

Chenin Blanc is a versatile white-wine grape variety that has been cultivated in France for nearly 1300 years and recently being cultivated by Grover Zampa Vineyards in Southern India .

This wine is from the Grover Art Collection range and bears the artwork of famous Bengali Artist Sanjay Bhattacharjee who is well known for his use of vivid colours to convey depth and perspective just like the wine the bottle holds !

So that is another fact that can make this a collector's item or great for gifting.
    

           

                Grover Reserve Chenin Blanc has a pale straw colour 

                                                     

Wine Tasting Notes 

Name - Chenin Blanc 

Vintage - 2017

Price  -   Rs 720 for 750 ml 

Alcohol - 13.5%  v/v

Colour - Pale straw
Nose - Yellow fruits , Peach , Citrus
Style - Dry
Acidity - Medium and crisp
Palate - Great mouthfeel , silky and full bodied ,I really loved the way it feels and moves around the mouth.
Flavour - Yellow apples,pine apple ... I could taste some green and fresh notes and a bit of oak that gave this wine a complex but great taste in every sip .

Food Pairing 

I paired it with a watermelon, apple and feta salad and it went quite well with it highlighting the salt of the feta and the sweetness of the fruit.
It also went well with red gravy curries. I suggest pairing it with salty and slightly sweet gravies but not creamy ones or desserts.

                                   

FINAL VERDICT 

I rate it a 4/5

Incidentally this wine was also the bronze medallist at the #DecanterAsiaWineAwards 2017 .
So if you are looking for a good #white #wine #under1000 this can be your pick and you will only get compliments for your good taste.

Silver Hair Sins - Book Review

                                                             

Price - Rs 249/- for Paperback , Kindle Edition is free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers 

Pages - 166 pages 

Genre  - Science fiction, Suspense,Thriller 

About the Author - Saumick Pal 

The author of this book ,Saumick is a Futurist by profession, an engineer by education, India’s first accredited communicator by chance and a certified Usability Analyst by choice.

He actively advices CEOs & Commercial Directors on Storytelling, Insight-mining, Disruptive Innovation,Digital Strategy,User Experience focused on Service, Health-tech and Design Thinking.
Saumick is passionate about films and startups, enjoying the dramatic tension in both. He is a script writer and a mentor to young leaders and entrepreneurs.

The novel  "Silver Hair Sins" is his first foray into the world of fiction .

About the Book 

I finished the book in one go!

This story is set in the future, in 2088 to be precise, and through its characters Cadet Meera and her father Akbar and its Bald Elders takes us through a thrilling flight of ideas and ideologies in an era where even reality can be manipulated!
Augmented Reality, Hovercrafts , Silver chips embedded under the skin,Humanoids … it is a different world all together and yet the basic questions remain the same even in the 22nd century  where the major religions like Hinduism, Islam or Christianity have been done away with and  replaced with a new world order of ‘One God AI'.

Even the concept of punishment is new - CROSP( Criminal Reform One Silver Programme)– where the criminal will keep reliving the horror of his crime and has to repent else he/she will be subjected to sensory deprivations (can’t see happy colors,can't taste good food ,will only smell death and decay, will only see a dark world etc. till he repents and is atoned of his crime and punishment gradually).

Can the One Religion,One AI and the Bald One Master really solve once and for all the questions of Good versus evil, Silver versus Dark, Male versus Female and Crime versus Sacrifice?

Is a crime committed against an innocent child for the betterment of society not a crime?
Does a father have the right to volunteer his child for sacrifice for a better society?

These are some questions raised and answered in this thriller.

What I loved about 'Silver Hair Sins '

The book has a futuristic language but it stays clear of jargon  and one can make sense of it.The pace of the storytelling is kept tight throughout the book and the characters are well etched out.The story keeps you glued to the book, as I said, I just could not put it down and kept at it till I reached the last page.It also makes you sit back and think.

What I did not like about 'Silver Hair Sins'

On the downside,I feel this story needed a few more pages (or maybe a second part) to really explain the concepts in depth; I struggled a bit with the concepts of Religion, Sin and One God.

Final Verdict - I rate it a 4/5 star 

The book forces us to think about issues ailing our society- Patriarchy, Hypocrisy and,Fanaticism and Politics that exploits this religious fanaticism – all of them burning issues in today’s context.

‘Silver Hair Sins’ begs to be the excuse that makes us debate the relevance and importance of these social practices in modern times .

With more than half of the thriller narrated by hard hitting and poignant black and white cinematized photographs , this book is one of its kind and asks for a one time read surely.

This could make for an interesting movie – is Hollywood listening?

Morris Garages Hector - The first Internet Car in India with iSmart Next Gen

MG Motors India's Hector is the First Internet Car or Smart Car to be launched in June 2019 in India under the mid size SUV segment and so I had every reason to be thrilled when I was invited to witness the  sneak preview of the MG Hector at J.W. Marriott Hotel in New Delhi.

                                         

But I cannot I plunge into the various features of the Hector without first telling you about the way the auditorium was readied for the unveiling.

The whole place was made up to simulate the inside of the Hector replete with a steering wheel and the Head Unit in the centre, the sun roof at the ceiling and the windscreen and side windows . Watch the video below to experience it yourself.

                                   
The Internet Car Hector has been inspired by the legendary Trojan Prince  Hector who was a noble, strong and dependable warrior. The Royal Air Force of Great Britain had also employed The Hector Biplanes in 1930 , so that is another Hector story for you. MG Motors India promises the same kind of boldness , power and dependability in this car which promises to be far ahead of its times.

The car logo has a WiFi symbol if you look closely

Catching up with my band of bloggers before the event

Here are the Salient features of the Hector ,as outlined by the MG Motors India MD,Rajan Chaba :

1. iSmart Next Gen Integrated Solutions Technology

The iSmart Technology gives connected mobility everywhere to the user.The OS developed my MG India gives the user remote control of the car through the iSmart mobile App , superior safety features like Geo fencing, quick emergency response and  curbing cyber threats,maps and navigation services, pre-loaded infotainment content,Voice Assistant that makes driving your car a smooth and enjoyable experience.

The MG Hector has been built in partnership with leading names in Global technologies -Cisco,Unlimit,Microsoft,Nuance,TomTom,Accuweather,SAP,Adobe,Cognizant,Panasonic,iTeligence  and Gaana to name a few.Such big leaders give you a sense of assurance that you have made a sound investment while buying a car.

                                                       

2. The largest Head Unit at 10.4" 

I always like to use my smartphone screen in a vertical fashion and so I was really pleased to discover that the Hector too has a vertically mounted  Head Unit unlike the horizontal ones in most cars and it is in fact larger than most tablets in the market !

The Head Unit is packed with pre-loaded infotainment ( in collaboration with Gaana ) with a choice of downloading ten songs of your choice for free and the information is much easier to process at a glance.They are even providing free WiFi subscription (Yay -We love freebies ) !

                                                         

3. Connected Mobility Via Airtel SIM

With an imbedded Machine-to Machine (M2M)  5G eSIM , you can enjoy connectivity on the go anywhere and everywhere .The Connectivity Solution gets upgraded and updated automatically and routinely Over the Air (OTA) thus ensuring that the user gets services like Remote tracking , Geo fencing ,Automated Emergency Response , Music and Content streaming , Real Time Navigation , Remote control of the car through Mobile App seamlessly.

I specifically like the Real Time Navigation Updates because poor connectivity really makes navigation a nightmare when you do not know the route and rely on navigation support.

Being a female driver and driving at odd times for me -good navigation , updated maps and a Quick Emergency Response helps me feel more confident and secure when driving.

4. Over the Air (OTA ) Updates 

OTA ensures that the smart car gets updates automatically like the apps in our smart phones , so you get fresh look , fresh themes , fresh music and updated maps as soon as they are available.This technology will be introduced in Cars for the first time in India through  MG Hector.

5. Privacy and Cyber Security

To combat cyber threats and ensure security and privacy , the Hector will have all the Driver and vehicle related analytics stored in a secure local Microsoft Azure Cloud DC so that your Data remains safe and secure.

Bye-Bye pesty calls from Insurance companies !

6.Voice Assistant - HELLO MG !

This was my favorite feature .As an iphone user , I have struggled with Siri, the iPhone Voice assistant, not recognising my Indian accent Voice commands easily.

Hello MG has a cloud enabled , Artificial Intelligence based Voice Assistant with over 100 voice commands to control the vehicle - like open sun roof , climate control ,open windows ,radio controls,search songs and navigate places .

Most importantly the Voice Assistant has been trained to understand Indian English and its various accents and nuances.The AI enables the Assistant to learn and customise itself to each user.

                                             
                                                   

In case you are driving with kids, it will take commands from the driver side only which came as a great relief for me as my kids keep sabotaging my Alexa commands at home !

7. Safety and Security Via E-CALL

The E-call feature is an Instant Emergency Response.In case of an accident when the Airbags are deployed, the E-call is automatically triggered and sends a message through the connected system to the Emergency response team at Pulse Hub or MG's Customer Care centre, The Pulse Hub then calls to reach the Head Unit or the Driver of the car and in case there is no response , makes a call to the emergency contact listed.

The keyword here is Quick , everything happens  fast ensuring that help reaches the driver ASAP because every second counts in an emergency.

8. I-CALL button for CONCIERGE SERVICES 

When the I-call button is pressed ,a message is sent to the customer service agent at Pulse Hub and the agent then makes a call to the owner on their phone.The customer can request Places of Interest , ask for help in finding location , in which case the navigation system will take charge.

9. MAPS and NAVIGATION By TomTom

TomTom is the world leader with 600 million Vehicles uisng its Maps and Navigation because its maps are updated and the traffic data is real time.MG Hector iSmart comes with embedded maps and navigation from TomTom thus making navigation easier.

10. MUSIC by GAANA 

As a present to its customers,the MG Hector iSmart comes pre-loaded with the premium version of Gaana App that streams ad free music and downloads.The 10.4" Head Unit gives a better visual experience and added features.

11. iSmart Mobile App 

The iSmart Mobile App will be available to every MG Hector Owner and once fired this App can scan the car and give instant information about the Vehicle range, Fuel status,Lock/Unlock status,enable remote Climate Control , find your car , give info about tyre pressure , create travel plan and help you drive smarter through its iSmart Drive.

Just imagine reaching your office and wondering if you locked the car ? 

With this App , you can relax and check the status and lock the car and sunroof  sitting in your office!

Or even switch on climate control so your car cools to your preferred temperature while you walk to it.

Besides the above ,what else will work in favor of this SUV from MG motors India is their carefully cultivated Superior Customer Business Experience where you are not at the mercy or whims of the car dealer.You can get to test drive the exact model or color of the Hector that you wish to experience, you will get service alerts through your iSmart App and you will get alerts when your car is ready for pick up.
Service charges will be disclosed at the very outset when the car is brought in and scanned and you don't have to shell anything more than what has been quoted at the outset.
Sounds amazing - right !

                                     
With the British Actor Benedict Cumberbatch ,who has won accolades for his roles as Sherlock Holmes, Stephen Hawking and Doctor Strange etc,being the Brand Ambassador of the Hector and convincing us that this car is smart enough to be considered a friend in the campaign #ItsAHumanThing ,this Internet car is all set to make big waves and definitely going to set the bar quite high for it competitors.

You can expect the Hector to hit the market in the second quarter of 2019.

Let the countdown begin !

Book Review - Immigrants by Sam Boyd

Price -  $ 4.99 

Pages  - 346 

Genre  - Drama, Fiction, Suspense

About The Author Sam Boyd - Sam Boyd is the author of the Jack Turner Series.Sam has traveled the world as a consultant and seen the dark underworld of big cities and the hardships and exploitation of the poor firsthand during his travels. After his retirement he took up writing which had always been his passion.He is now settled with his partner in  Laem Mae Phim on the coast in Rayong Thailand.

                                                  

The Book - The Book ' Immigrants -Taken for a Ride ' takes us along the tumultuous journey of Kasim, his wife Sabine and their two young children -little Lia who suffers from Tuberculosis and needs to be on regular medicines to survive and the resilient Manal who bears it all without ever complaining,when they try to escape the civil war and mass killings in Sudan in the hope of getting a better life in England.

It is a well written book that reveals the pain and anguish that illegal immigrants suffer.Since they are illegal migrants they do not have a voice and at every stop in the journey they are gradually stripped off their money and humanity ultimately even bereft of any dignity and hope of survival.

Irrespective of age and gender,be it young boys or girls or adults,they are subjected to merciless torture, gang rapes and even sold as slaves  when they cannot pay for the onward journey.Those who survive the torture, perish at sea when they are loaded in hundreds like cargo on dinghies without enough food,water or warmth and left to their fate to fend for themselves.Only the very lucky or tenacious ones can make it to land and a new life but by that time their spirit is too broken and the loved ones are gone for whose better future they left their homeland in the first place.

Thankfully the hard hitting story ends in a happy ending with Sir Jack turner from the Special Forces pitching in to the rescue in a dramatic twist.

Unfortunately real life is not so rosy!

Nevertheless the action and suspense helps in alleviating the sadness and rage you feel when reading about the plight of people being sold or butchered like cattle or forced into sex slavery.

With so many Indians too trying to get a green card to America in search for better employment, this book struck an emotional cord with me.Maybe such books will highlight the plight of these unfortunate people tricked by fate and preyed upon by mafia and help in getting them a better future.

SPECIAL OFFER - My  readers can avail of a special offer and get  this book at a whopping 50% discount on the cover price of $4.99 when they go to the  webpage: https://payhip.com/b/o7xe and use this discount code: 31GZGR1MOK