The Body Shop Body Mists Review: Aqua, Musk and Rose

I have heard some good things about The Body Shop fragrances and so thought of checking them out, and I wasn't disappointed. I have around 5-6 fragrances. I was looking for a body mist and they have 3 fragrances in the category.

Aqua Lily Body Spray: Rs 545 for 100 ml

It was a very very refreshing fragrance. I absolutely loved it. The fragrance is very fresh with a floral tinge and is appropriate for any time of the day.

Surprisingly, it is also cheaper than the other two body mists. I am not sure why TBS had to have different prices for the same product!

Aqua Lily: The Range

Anti-perspirant deoderant

Body lotion

Body spray

Eau de Toilette

Shower Gel

Moroccan Rose Body Mist: Rs 645 for 100 ml

This is a purely floral fragrance. It's strong, vibrant and very feminine. It is best for evenings, has an elegant and romantic touch. Being floral, it has a sweet tone and the fragrance 'precious oils from roses handpicked at dawn'. The range includes the following products.

Moroccan Rose: The Range

Body mist

Eau de Toilette

Shower Gel

Body milk

Body butter

Bath and Massage oil

Hand & Nail cream

White Musk Chiffon Body Mist: Rs 645 for 100 ml

This is a can't go wrong classic fragrance. But it felt slightly strong and too spicy in the beginning and then gradually settled into a soft and floral fragrance. I actually liked these fragrance the least. There is a huge range of products available in this fragrance.

White Musk: The Range

Anti-perspirant deoderant

Creamy cleansing body bar

Body lotion

Eau de Toilette

Eau de Parfum

Perfume oil

Sensuous body powder

Sumptuous Silk Shower Gel

Voluptuous Velvet Body Creme

Musk Chiffon Body Mist

The Body Mists in General

Body mists effect generally don't last for more than 2-3 hrs. In fact based on my experience, they last even lesser. But for a long lasting effect there are other products in this range like eau de toilette. All the body mists are non-greasy.

My Favorite

Aqua lily.. It is very refreshing and soft. Not too spicy, not too floral, it seems like a perfect blend.

Have you used one of these fragrances? Which one's your favorite?

All pictures from http://www.thebodyshop.in

Rediscovering Kolkata (Part 1: Victoria Memorial)

Calcutta was the city I was born in. I spent about a decade there before moving to Munger and then Delhi owing to dad's tranfer and my higher education. And Kolkata is the city I now visit a couple of times in a year to meet my family and to relax. (I still prefer the name 'Calcutta' though.) The city has changed over the years like all other cities, but it is still slow, lazy and still beautiful. It has some great heritage bulidings built in the British era. I always admired them but this time I decided to permanently store their beauty through my second set of eyes, my camera.

So I ventured out in the middle of the intermittent rains with my camera hanging around my neck and an umbrella in my hand to rediscover the City of Joy! I have to admit that I could barely capture 25% of the city's beauty because I was awetsruck by my first destination, the Victoria Memorial and spent most part of the day, doing one of the two things people go there for (making memories through making out or photographs). So this post is entirely dedicated to Victoria Memorial.

A Little Bit of History.. (Courtesy: Wiki)
The Victoria Memorial, officially the Victoria Memorial Hall, is a memorial building dedicated to Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India. The foundation stone of the memorial was laid down in the year 1906. The monument was intended to serve as a tribute to the success of the British Empire in India.

The design of the structure represents a fusion of British and Mughal architecture. White Makrana marbles were used in the construction of Victoria Memorial Hall and the building was inaugurated in the year 1921. The massive hall is 338 feet (103 m) by 228 feet (69 m) and rises to a height of 184 feet (56 m).

Now Lots of Pictures!!

1

2

3.Victoria Memorial against the clouds

4.View from the Balcony

5

6

7

8.The Other Side

9. Enjoying the Rains and the Pebble Walk

10. The Garden 

11

12. King Edward VII Arch

13. King Edward against Victoria's Fairy

14. Every Cloud has a Silver Lining :)

Hope you enjoyed these and tell me the one you like the best!

Hibiscus Anti-Dandruff Hair Cleanser from The Nature's Co.: Review

So how often do you receive a package that takes you by surprise completely and pleasantly! Well, this was my first time. The Nature's Company did tell me that they would like to send me some products for review, but they didn't say when and what. I returned from office and my neighbor handed over the package! I was absolutely thrilled. It was a nicely packaged box and inside were a shampoo and a small bottle of essential oil. I will talk about the shampoo in detail. But first a little bit about the Nature's Company.

About The Nature's Company (TNC)
TNC offers a variety of personal health care products and is a prominent in the Ayurvedic / Herbal category. The company believes in ‘goodness from goodness’ and truly believes that the goodness of nature can positively affect human health and beauty. Their range of products include natural products for face, body & bath, hair and wellness.

Since they strictly adhere to natural products only, their products belong to 5 ranges, each based on an element of nature. You can read more about them at http://www.thenaturesco.com. They also offer international shipping for their products.

Product Details

Product Name: Hibiscus Anti-Dandruff Hair Cleanser

Product Range: 'Foressence' (based on the element of 'forest')

Product Price: Rs 795 for 250ml

Product Description/ Claim

'Rejuvenate, heal and nourish your hair with Hibiscus extracts. They restore your hairs natural barrier stimulating growth and leaving it dandruff-free and silky smooth. Furthermore, it prevents split ends forming, strengthens roots and acts as an anti-dandruff agent.'

My Experience and What I Like about this Shampoo
First of all the packaging was very good. Nothing spilled or broke. And I also like the look of the cuboid bottle. It was different (looked like a fancy brown candle) and the tight cap ensured there there was spilling even after the pack was opened.
However, I was not much into herbal shampoos. All I could remember about them was that they never lather and smells weird. But this one offered a pleasant surprise.

• The Fragrance: While I was opening the pack, my first apprehension was about the fragrance, particularly because it was a 'hibiscus' based cleanser. The shampoo did smell of hibiscus but it was very mild. In fact after washing, the smell almost disappeared. 
• The shampoo doesn't lather with the first application, but does with the second application.
• I felt my hair soft right after the first application. This would usually happen whenever you change your shampoo, but I have now used this for a while and I like it.
• It definitely does not make the hair sticky.
• Since it is herbal, it can be used everyday! Also, hibiscus is known for its effectiveness in treating hair-loss and dandruff. It also stimulates hair growth.
• I never had major dandruff/ hair-falling issues, and things haven't changed either since I switched to this shampoo.

What I Don't Quite Like about this Shampoo
The price is a big turn off. Rs 795 ($18) is a quite a lot for a shampoo. It is by far the most expensive shampoo I have ever used! It's much more expensive than hair cleansers from The Body Shop etc.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 (-0.5 for the price)

Disclaimer: The sample was sent to me by PR. However, this does not in anyway influence my opinion about the same.

By the way did you know there are several hundreds of species of hibiscus and here are a few!

Nina L’Elixir for Women: Review

Nina L’Elixir for Women by Nina Ricci: This is one of those perfumes which give the same 'feeling' to the visual as well as the olfactory sensibilities - the apple! I am not exactly a fan of fruity fragrances but I like interesting bottles and this bottle is cute :). Nina L'Elixir Eau de Parfum was launched late last year and is said to 'Evoke the rare and luxurious essence of a love potion.'

The Look
The bottle is in the shape of an apple (keeping with the theme of Adam and Eve's apple). The glass is deep red in color on the top and then gradually becomes transparent at the bottom. At the top you can see metallic leaves flowing out of the metallic stem. By the way, the apple bottle is not new and is an evolution of the Nina Ricci fragrance bottle designed by Lalique and Robert Ricci, Fille d'Eve in 1952.

The Fragrance
I am not really an expert when it comes to perfume notes. So that is the part I will pick up from the site. But this is how I felt about the fragrance. Initially it is very fruity and strong, sweet and vibrant; in fact a little too strong and citrus for my liking. Gradually it settles down into a milder and more likeable and sensuous fragrance and stays on for fairly long. The perfumer is Olivier Crespi, The notes are as follows.

• Primary – Deep Red Apple
• Top – Caipirinha Lime and Calabrian Lemon
• Mid – Mixture of Forest Fruits and Jasmine
• Base – Cedarwood, Warm Amber and Cotton Musk

The Range: The Nina L'Elixir Eau de Parfum is available in 30ml, 50ml and 80ml bottles.

The Price: 30ml - $47-50, 50ml - $70, 80ml - $ 90-100.
In India, the 50ml bottle is available for about Rs 3,000.

Recommendation
If you like citrus fragrances you would adore this. It is fresh, vibrant and strong. But if you don't then I would not recommend it.

Shopping Options at the Delhi Airport

The first time I had to catch a flight from T3, Delhi Airport, I actually didn't feel the pinch of my flight getting delayed! In fact I was kind of 'loving it', because the place was a shopper's paradise! Gadgets, clothes, accessories, perfumes or even chocolates, you can find everything there. You can't always have enough time to shop till you drop but you do have enough to shop till you get your boarding call, and there are convenient trolleys in which you can go on dumping your stuff without really having to carry so much!

I wanted to do this post the when I went to Mumbai in February, but somehow lost the pictures! Here are the latest ones, while some are well-stocked while others, merely a waste of time. Read on..

Marks & Spencers

This store is actually bigger and better stocked than some of those in the malls!

Dazzling Swarovski

WHSmith: The Complete Solution to Your Groceries Needs and More! 

Accessorize: Pretty Well Stocked

MANGO

I was really excited to see a Mango store in the middle of the airport and that too with a sale board! But it's rather poorly stocked and it is unlikely that you will find anything even at full price!

The Body Shop: Well Stocked!

Parcos: The Perfume Shop

This is really one of my favorite stores out there. They have a good stock at reasonable prices. They are also quite upto date! You must visit this one!

Boggi Milano: I didn't enter here :(

Reebok: Perpetually on Sale but Nothing Fancy

Eyewear and Watches

Besides these there are many other stores like

• Odyssey
• William Penn
• Croma

So which is your favorite shopping destination at T3?

The New Bug called 'Obsessive Sale Shopping Disorder'

A good friend of mine was in town from Pune. We planned catch up at the Select City Mall almost after a year! I left office early at 4, took the metro and reached the destination on time. She was already there waiting, we were thrilled meet after so long. While we were chatting and walking around the mall, both of us got our eyes stuck on the 'SALE posters on 'Mango'. We walked into the store as if that was the coffee shop we had always planned to go to. After hunting through the heaps of clothes and not really finding anything, both of us realized that we had actually met to chat and catch up and not shop! And having met after a while it was a better idea to bond with each other at a restaurant rather than a crowded store!

'Sale' is actually the sign most of us can't resist these days! Shops get crowded as if they were selling things for free and not just discounted prices! Remember the '2 hr 50% sale by Benetton', The AC does not seem to be cooling any longer because of the number of people, the billing line gets out of the store. What had shocked me even more was the looooong line of customers outside the 'Ed Hardy' store during sale. Believe me or not, they had bouncers to control the crowd! And there was a 'Waiting' before they would let you in. I wish I had taken some photographs.

Jack n Jones and Vera Moda Sale

And yesterday was a similar repeat when Jack n Jones and Vera Moda were on 60% sale. I knew it was next to impossible to actually be able to find some thing in such a crowded shop but I wanted to atleast check out if the line was longer from the last time or not :) For a change I had no intention to buy anything. And yes there was a line before you could get in. I reached the place at 9, so the 'waiting' was not too long, just around 5 min. But I heard that people had lined up outside even before the store opened at 9am. They had a lot of huge security guys/ crowd managers all equipped with walkie-talkies. Here are some images, but again since it was post 9pm, the length of the line was nowhere close to the crazy Ed Hardy sale.

When I managed to get in, all I saw were heaps of clothes lying on tables all around and people desperately trying to find something useful amongst them, a few pulling the two sleeves of the same top! The clothes didn't even look like they were new! 'Heaps' is the accepted form of display of items during sale these days, which is okay for street shopping but very un-appealing for high-end clothing. And there were so many guys in black with walkie-talkies that I felt I was probably at the US  President's office and not a shop!! Nevertheless people did manage pick their heaps from amongst those heaps! Lucky them. But I felt rather agoraphobic and moved out in 5 min!

SALE is a word that instantly attracts consumers and the marketing agents using it to their best benefit! The word almost drags you into the store. But are clothes truly sold at a discounted price in the name of sale? I have myself seen Reebok hiking their price and put a 50% off tag during sale. And I would assume Reebok is not the only one. Most of the times the stock is pretty old and no-one really know the original price. Whatever it is, we the consumers definitely go ballistic the moment we see the SALE sign! That is why I think this is the latest new-age lifestyle disorder: 'Obsessive Sale Shopping Disorder'!! Are you affected too?

Oh by the way, did any of you manage to get something at the Jack n Jones sale yesterday? Do share! I would love to know..

Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer: Is it the Ultimate Solution for Dry, Chapped Lips?

I have been looking for solutions for two problems - Brittle nails and dry, chapped lips since time immemorial. While I have found some kind of a relief for the former in the Seacret nail care collection, I had hoped that I had found the answer for the latter through Neutrogena lip moisturizer. Here's more about the product and my experience and my review.

Product Details
Product Name: Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer
Sun Protection: SPF 15
Fragrance: No Fragrance :)
Color: No Color
Price: Rs 99 for 4gms (0.15 Oz.)

Product Description
'Lip Moisturizer softens, smoothes and protects dry, chapped lips with no waxy feel. This moisture-enriched formula soothes and conditions your lips, keeping them healthy looking and soft in all weather.

Contains a PABA-free SPF 15 sunblock for added protection from the sun's UV rays.
Use everyday to keep lips smooth and moisturized.
Formulated with only the purest of ingredients - so there's no color, no fragrance, no unnecessary additives.'

What is PABA?
'Para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) was one of the earliest active ingredients used in sunscreen. While PABA is a powerful UVB absorber, it does not absorb UVA rays. PABA can also attach to skin proteins so it is not easily washed off while swimming. Since PABA needs to be mixed with alcohol for application formulas, it can sting when applied to skin. PABA can also stain clothing. Other disadvantages were allergic reactions, dermatitis, or perceived sensitivity to PABA.'

My Experience and Review
This was recommended to me by a friend who was very happy with the effect the product had on her. In general I trust Neutrogena products and hence decided to check this besides the numerous lipsticks and lip jelly's I have already tried. Moreover it was reasonably priced, so no worries.

May be I was expecting results too soon, but nothing really happened in the first 2 weeks. My lips continued to dry and flake. I had almost given up hope but then things started improving. My lips softened and it stopped flaking and drying too soon. And it's not like I had to re-apply every 5 min, but I did have to re-apply at regular intervals. The product started finally doing what it was supposed to do! I am reasonably pleased but not overwhelmed.

What I like about Neutogena Lip Moisturizer

• No color, no fragrance
• Very convenient to apply and carry, wouldn't melt in hot summers
• Eventually did what it was supposed to do (after 2 weeks of use) - softened lips, prevented dryness and flakes
• Has sun protection
• Not heavy on the pocket

How Has Your Experience Been?
In general I have read good reviews about this product. I like this product too, but I am not convinced that this is the 'bestest lipbalm' as many claim. How have you liked it? Did it take 2 weeks to show its effect? And have you ever used any other lip balm which has had a faster and better effect?

Conclusion
While I will continue to use this product till I a better one, my search is not fully over. What will you recommend?