My First Blog Award

This is my first blog award and this is from Jiya of Confessions of a Shoppaholic fame. I'm really happy to have gotten this award from her. Jiya is a beautiful and stylish blogger. And her posts are always a delight to read. She truly is a shoppaholic and her hauls are always interesting. Head on over to her blog right now.

So, to accept this award, I have to

1. thank the person who gave you this award. Thank you so much, Jiya.

2. tell 7 facts about yourself.

3. pay it forward to 7 bloggers you adore and contact them to let them know they've been chosen.

So, 7 facts about me

1. I am an extremely clumsy person. I can literally trip on flat surfaces. And I can't remember the last time I got out of bed without hurting myself. Everytime I see a great pair of heels in a store and want to buy it, my mom jokes about having to hire someone just to keep me from falling flat on my face. 

2. I used to play rugby in school. And i'm not ashamed to say I loved being rough on the field.

3. I'm an engineering graduate and will soon be an employee of one of my dream companies. 

4. I have a mortal fear of public speaking. 

5. My mom is my best friend. I can tell her absolutely anything. 

6. I wear glasses all the time. I've been wearing them for 10 years now. I tried wearing contact lenses. But every time I buy a new pair, I lose them in about a week. 

7. I own over 400 books that I've been collecting since I was 13. 

If you want to know more about me, go here.

And the 7 bloggers I tag are:

Classy&Fabulous of Fashion Ph.D

Sandhya of 5 Wall

Deeptima of Beauty Unleashed With Deeptima

Bhumika of New Love

Poohkie of Poohkie's Place

Mehak of Peaches and Blush

Srishti of Style Fashion Etc

Thank you again for the award Jiya.

Online Shopping – I (CherryCulture, CoastalScents, ShopCraze)

I have been doing a lot of online shopping recently. And Anamika suggested I do a post on the sites I’ve been using. So, here goes.

1. CHERRYCULTURE.COM

This was the first online store I shopped from. I had heard so much about NYX that I really wanted to try it out. But the prices in India were so ridiculously high, I just couldn’t bring myself to do so. So, I checked a few online options, and came across this site. I’ve ordered from them twice now. And I’m really impressed.


Good:

1. Website Navigation is great. You can shop brand wise, category wise. It’s extremely easy to find what you want.

2. Apart from NYX, they have a whole lot of other brands available. I personally have shopped only NYX, Jordana and Wild n Crazy.

3. They have year long discounts running on almost all products. During holidays, they have additional discounts too. Recently, they had halloween & thanksgiving 20% off over existing discounts. Christmas is coming, so I’m sure they’ll have on for that too.

4. Returns policy (subject to terms and conditions).

5. Packaging is good. Each of the individual products were separately bubble wrapped and packed in a cardboard box.

6. They have a variety of shipping options.

7. Customer service is prompt.


Bad:

1. I find the shipping cost a little high. Especially when you buy nail colors and palettes, the shipping costs sky rocket.

2. The swatches on their site are definitely not reliable.

3. They took over a week to ship the order. Its annoying.

4. I wasn’t very satisfied with their direct credit card payment. They only asked for card no and validity. No CVV no. Cashiers at stores I visit could have that information. I trust only Paypal.


2. COASTAL SCENTS

I have ordered from Coastal Scents thrice now. One order never arrived. But they said they’d shipped it some 3 days after I placed my order. So, I think its mostly the fault of Indian Postal Service.


Good:

1. They have a decent collection of products. And the prices are pretty good too. The brushes are the cheapest I’ve seen and the quality is pretty good for the price.

2. Well packaged in bubble wrap and pink paper.

3. Delivery time was pretty good. It reached me in about 10-14 days.

4. They have links to other websites (only for certain products) which have actual swatches which is quite helpful.

5. They have some discount or the other at all times.

6. The customer service was prompt.

7. Shipping costs are pretty decent.

8. They give a free eyeshadow sample with every purchase.

9. Returns policy (for false or broken items)


Bad:

1. When I informed them about my missing package 20 days from payment, they just told me to wait for it and no other response. But its mostly the Indian post’s fault. But their site says that they will reship missing orders (if not received within 42 days). I just mailed them. Yet to hear from them. Will update when I hear back.

Overall, except for the missing package (not their fault), it was a good shopping experience. I’ve been dying to buy their new Eyelash Curler.

UPDATE: I just got a mail from Coastal Scents and they said that if my package doesn't arrive by Dec 6, they'll either reship or refund the item. Now, I don't how long they'll take for that. But this is the first time an online store has taken responsibility for a missing package. I'm really impressed.

3. SHOPCRAZE.COM


I’ve only ordered from them once. But I was quite satisfied. This was actually started by a YouTube makeup guru MakeupSquare.


GOOD:

1. The prices are the cheapest I’ve seen anywhere.

2. They have fixed shipping costs for specific price ranges. And the shipping costs are quite low.

3. They ship it out in about 2-3 days and delivery was quite fast. Reached me in a week.

4. Packaging is very good. Comes in a bubble wrap envelope wrapped in those foam packets.

5. Safe checkout through Paypal.


BAD:

1. They currently only have MAC pigment samples, NYX and TrueFace and LA Colors Nail Art products.

2. The site design is quite basic.

3. No returns policy.

4. They don’t have all the shades available for a given product.

5. Unreliable swatches.

I would personally have preferred ShopCraze over CherryCulture. But the lack of brands and shades makes me gravitate more towards CherryCulture.

Since this post is already getting too long, I’ll continue this in the next post. Hope this information helped.

NYX Slim Eye Pencil

I’ve always been more of a liquid liner person, the main reason being I’m a dud at applying pencil ones. I can never get a decent line, and if the pencil is not soft enough, all the tugging irritates my eye. Hence, for me liquid eyeliners have always been a safer bet.

But, I decided to experiment a little, and bought these NYX ones. And am I glad I did. These are the best eye pencils I’ve ever had.

So, here’s the review. And I’m going to keep it small.

Price: Rs. 100/ $1.99 (on cherryculture.com).
Buy in bulk here: http://stores.ebay.com/JOYs-cosmetics/slim-eye-pencil-/_i.html?_fsub=1160936016&_sid=91711236&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322. They have some amazing prices.
Also available at Hypercity and Empire Stores in Bangalore (Rs. 295/$6.50)





  

It doesn’t look as vibrant because I’m using it over the NYX jumbo pencil in iced mocha which kind of dilutes the color. But used over a matte base, looks as vibrant as in the swatch.


The Good:

1. Super pigmented. Applies without any effort. Glides like a dream.
   
2. Great price. Cheaper than so many of the other drugstore eye pencils.
   
3. Amazing range of colors. I think they have about 40 shades. And I love how vibrant the colors are.
   
4. Great staying power.  I’ve had it on the whole day with just a tiny amount of fading. But they’re quite creamy. So, I’m not sure how they’ll fare on oily lids. But nothing a primer can’t fix.
   
5. You can smudge it to create a smoky look.
   
6. It actually stays on my waterline. Something no other color eye pencil has ever done.

The Bad:

1. The size of the pencil is quite small. And since they are so creamy, you need to sharpen more often. But for the price, I think its hardly a complaint.
   
2. I don’t have a habit of rubbing my eyes. But if you do, its going to smudge like crazy.

 Final Verdict: I currently have it in Emarald City and Sapphire. I definitely want to buy more shades. I’m in love with these pencils.

Another Book Tag

I saw this tag at Ginger & Cardomom,  Weaving the Web and Someplace Else and I couldn’t resist, so I picked it up.

Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.

Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Bold those books you’ve read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn’t finish or read an excerpt. Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can see your responses!

1. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series – JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11. Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk
18. Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch – George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26. Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
27. Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
28. Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
29. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
30. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
31. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
32. Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
33. Emma -Jane Austen
34. Persuasion – Jane Austen
35. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis
36. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
37. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieres
38. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
39. Winnie the Pooh – A.A. Milne
40. Animal Farm – George Orwell
41. The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
42. One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
43. A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
44. The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
45. Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
46. Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
47. The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
48. Lord of the Flies – William Golding
49. Atonement – Ian McEwan
50. Life of Pi – Yann Martel
51. Dune – Frank Herbert
52. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
53. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
54. A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth (I’ve been wanting to read this, but always skips my mind)
55. The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
56. A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
57. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
58. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
59. Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
60. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
61. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
62. The Secret History – Donna Tartt
63. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
64. Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
65. On The Road – Jack Kerouac
66. Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
67. Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
68. Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
69. Moby Dick – Herman Melville
70. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
71. Dracula – Bram Stoker
72. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
73. Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
74. Ulysses – James Joyce
75. The Inferno – Dante
76. Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
77. Germinal – Emile Zola
78. Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
79. Possession – AS Byatt
80. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
81. Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
82. The Color Purple – Alice Walker
83. The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
84. Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
85. A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
86. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
87. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
88. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
89. The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
90. Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
91. The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
92. The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
93. Watership Down – Richard Adams
94. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
95. A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
96. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
97. Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

Score 23/100

For someone who prides herself on reading a lot, that’s a terrible score. I guess I have a lot of catching up to do.

Sony Ericsson Giveaway

The lovely Shreya of 'For the love of fashion and other things' is having a Sony Ericsson giveaway at her blog. Do check it out.

Lakme Black Satin Kajal

I’ve been using Himalaya Kajal for years now, and I was pretty content with it. Unlike what everyone else said, it didn’t really smudge on me. But when I saw everyone raving about the lakme satin kajal, I was tempted to try it.

Price: Rs. 150/-


What Lakme Claims:
Jet black kajal for the blackest black delivery in just one stroke. Draw a sharp, intense line or smudge for a smoky finish. The easy-to-use pencil glides on super soft and smooth, with a glossy finish only satin can provide! Create bold and beautiful eyes with this water resistant formula that keeps color and shine in place without spreading.


My Experience:


The Good:

1. I love the packaging. The gold floral design is really pretty.

2. It is jet black.

3. It really is soft and smooth.

4. Great staying power. Lasted over 9 hours on me on my waterline.

5. I like that it can be sharpened. I used to end up wasting more than half of my Himalaya kajal. Plus, the pencil is more hygienic.

6. Great for tightlining.

7. Perfect for a smoky eye.


The Bad:

1. Smudges on my upper lash line, unless set with a black eyeshadow. Surprisingly, doesn’t smudge much on my waterline.


Overall: I really love this kajal. Even more than my Himalaya one. Will continue with this till I find a better one.

Bibliophilic Tendencies

I grew up in a family of voracious readers. And both my parents made sure I cultivated the same habit. They tried that on my brother too, but failed miserably. Anywho, I’ve been reading since the time I can remember. When I was younger, my second cousin had this huge library at home. She had every single book by Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew series, Hardy Boys, Mallory Towers, and several others. And every weekend, I would force my dad to take me to their house so that I could borrow a few more books. Then there was the school library. I checked out a book every single day. At one point, the librarian didn’t have any more books for me. The only gift I wanted as a kid was a book. When I started getting pocket money, I spent it all on books. Today, its reached a point where I can’t leave a bookstore without a book in hand.

So, when I saw this post at Swayambhu’s blog, I couldn’t resist doing it myself.

Here goes:


Favourite childhood book?
The Secret Seven books. I loved reading them. Every time I finished one, I’d get restless till I could get my hands on the next one.


What are you reading right now?
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. I’m on a mission to finish all of Austen’s book. 2 down, 4 to go.


Bad book habit?
Letting my reading take over everything else, even my studies.


Do you have an e-reader?
No. And I don’t really want one. I enjoy the feel of a book. Its not the same on a machine.


Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?
I can never read more than one book at a time. I feel like I’m cheating on the book.


Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I’m a fairly new blogger. So, no, not really.


Least favourite book you read this year (so far)?
Roller Coaster Ride by Saumil Srivastava. I’m just so tired of all these indian authors writing about IITians.


Favourite book you’ve read this year?
The Millenium trilogy by Stieg Larsson. I know it’s not one book, but I loved all three of them.

How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I don’t have a comfort zone. I’ll read anything that catches my fancy.


What is your reading comfort zone?
Same as above


Can you read on the bus?
Honestly, I can’t. I get sick and nauseous. But I can’t resist and end up doing it anyways.


Favourite place to read?
I love reading outdoors. In a park, under a tree, at a bus stop. Anywhere and everywhere.


What is your policy on book lending?
That I don’t lend my books. I have OCD when it comes to my books. I can’t stand to not have them with me. My brother lended MY book to a friend of his once. I got so pissed I refused to let even my brother touch my books.


Do you ever dog-ear books?
Never. I have a hundred million bookmarks for the purpose.


Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Nope. I like my books to look like they’ve never been touched.


Not even with text books?
I was one of those people whose books looked brand new even at the end of the school year, and not because I didn’t study. If I absolutely had to, I used post-its.


What is your favourite language to read in?
English. That’s the only language I read in. Never ended up reading hindi, except for school. And I read my mother tongue, malayalam so slow, that I'll be 60 by the time I finish a book.


What makes you love a book?
The characters. More often than not, I find myself becoming one of the characters from the book I’m reading. Of course, the plot, pace, and all matter. But the characters are what reel me in.


What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If the book really impresses me, I will. I don’t have a lot of friends who read, so it’s not something that I do much.


Favourite genre?
Crime. I like coming up with my own theories about the culprit, and then finally finding out who it was at the end of the book.


Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Biography/autobiographies.


Favourite biography/autobiography?
I haven’t read that many, so can’t say.


Have you ever read a self-help book?
That is the one genre I stay away from.


Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
I really can’t think of one.


Favourite reading snack?
Potato chips.


Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience
None really.


How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I never read reviews of a book before reading it. I find that it corrupts my judgment.


How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
If a book is bad, it’s bad.


If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
German. I’ve always wanted to read books by Goethe, Franz Kafka, Schiller, Lessing etc, in their original versions. And I also want to read ‘Dead Souls’ in the original Russian version.


Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
How can a book be intimidating, maybe except in size. But as far as I’m concerned, the longer the book, the better.


Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Like I said, no book can be intimidating.


Favourite Poet(s)?
Lord Byron, Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Prem Chand, are just some of them. And I also love Shakespeare’s sonnets. I’m not much of poetry person, but I like reading them from time to time.


Favourite fictional character(s)?
Sherlock Holmes, Lisbeth Salander, Garfield, Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes)

Favourite fictional villain?
Professor Moriarty


Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Chick Lits. They’re light reading. And I’m normally able to put them down in order to enjoy my vacation.


The longest I’ve gone without reading
A couple of months during college. Studies got in the way.


Name a book that you could/would not finish-
Quite a few actually. Mostly when I was in college. I'd start reading a book, but would then get burdened with college work, and completely forget about it. I'm currently in the process of finishing those book.


What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Internet, phone, sleep.


Favourite film adaptation of a novel?
I personally loved the Sherlock Holmes movie, but that had more to do with Robert Downey Jr., than the movie (which actually was equally good). The movie does take a lot of liberties with Holmes’ character, but it was a delight nonetheless. And plus I loved all the quotes they took from the books (“Data, data, data — I cannot make bricks without clay”)
Another movie I liked was the swedish adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.

Most disappointing film adaptation?
Harry Potter series. The movies skip so many scenes from the books, I feel like I’m skipping chapters and reading.


The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Not much really. At the most, I’ll buy maybe 2 or 3 books at a time.


How often do you skim a book before reading it?
There are times I get really curious and skim a few pages ahead.


What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If its extremely slow paced. I hate having to read 10 chapters before anything substantial happens.


Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes. I have 4 bookshelves in my tiny room, and I keep all my books well organized.


Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I love collecting books. I’ve never given away books, except for text books maybe.


Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not that I can remember.
UPDATE: I just remembered. 'The Agony and the Ecstasy' by Irving Stone. I got it as a prize. I've had it for years, but haven't been able to bring myself to read it. I'm not really sure why.


Name a book that made you angry –
Circle of Light by Kiranjit Ahluwalia. Domestic violence is something that I cannot tolerate. Just hearing about it makes me furious. And Kiranjit Ahluwalia’s story literally brought me to tears, and made me angry at the same time.

A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
5 Point Someone


A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Sleeping with the Enemy  by Nancy Price


Favourite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Chick Lits


Books I love or “the ones I can read again and again and again and…..”
I normally never read a book a second time so as to not ruin my image of a book. But I have read the Harry Potter books 3-4 times. and Calvin n Hobbes.


Books I love to hate:
Books about IITians. Same old love stories.
UPDATE: Also the twilight series. Loved reading the books, inspite of the spineless female lead. Totally against my feminist principles. But the writing is good. Plus I love vampires. I've been dying to order the Vampire Diaries books and the Southern Vampire Mysteries.


Books that left me underwhelmed:
Above Average by Amitabha Bagchi. It wasn’t bad, but I was expecting more.


I encourage all you bibliophiles to do this tag. If you do, let me know in the comments.

9 Makeup Must Haves

Most of us have the same problem: a makeup bag thats overflowing with items we probably don’t need on us all the time. For me, the biggest problem is deciding what to take when travelling. I can’t possibly carry all my makeup. And on top of all the additional clothes and shoes I just HAVE to carry, I don’t have a lot of place to carry all the makeup that I want to. Thats when you end up having to go back to the basics: just the essentials.
Here are a list of 9 items that are absolutely essential for me. This is just my list. You may not need as many items, or you might need more.


1. Foundation/Tinted Moisturizer
The foundation is the base for good makeup. It is absolutely essential. 3 factors to be considered when buying foundation: skin type, skin tone, and coverage.
Now, not everyone likes to apply foundation on a daily basis (such as me). I normally just do with tinted moisturizers. Foundations are only for special occasions.

I use: Ponds tinted moisturizer.

2. Concealer
A concealer is a must have for me. I have terrible dark circles, and scars from previous breakouts. The only way to hide them is use a concealer.
When applying concealers on dark circles, never forget to apply an eye cream first. And the key to good concealing is blend, blend, blend. Don’t rub too hard though, the product might rub off.

I use: Coastal Scents Camo Quad/NYX Concealer jar

3. Eyelash Curler/Mascara
Most people don’t have eyelashes that grow upwards. So, always curl your lashes so that the mascara can give the right effect.
Never curl your lashes after applying mascara. The product sticks to the curler, and sometimes may get yanked off.

On days that I have  no time for makeup, mascara is my best friend. It opens up your eyes, and makes you look wide awake, even if you probably aren’t.

I use: Maybelline Volum’ Express Waterproof mascara/Oriflame eyelash curler

4. Eyeliner
For me, my eyes are always my main focus. An eyeliner is always a quick fix. Use a pencil, or liquid or gel. Its your preference. Find a go-to color and always carry it with you. Make sure your eyeliner glides easily without tugging or pressure. Your eyes don’t take nicely to being ill-treated. Since eyeliner don't stay on my waterline, i prefer kajal. I'm currently using the Lakme Black Satin Kajal.

I use: Lakme 9 to 5 defining eyeliner/Maybelline liquid liner


5. Basic Eyeshadow
A lot of  people might skip this, but I like to use eyeshadows. For an everyday look, I use neutral colors that’ll hide my terribly pigmented eyelids.
The best option is to have a neutral palette that’ll fit into your bag, and can be used on the go.

I use: NYX Runway Collection 10 colors palette in ‘Champagne & Caviar’




6. The Perfect Nude Lipstick
Everyone has that one lipstick that is a staple for them. Some go for browns, some for pinks. It all depends on your skin tone.
The perfect everyday lipstick is matte, but those can be drying. So, always keep a lip balm handy.

I use: an Oriflame one. The label’s missing. So, I don’t what shade it is.

7. Good Brushes
All of the above products are useless if you don’t have good brushes. The perfect brushes can do miracles. So, invest in a good set.

I use: an assortment of brushes from Vega, Coastal Scents, Oriflame and Sinful Colors

8. Blush
I’m not much of a blush person, but on days when my skin looks extremely dull, a light sweep of blush makes me look fresh. For daily wear, pick a nice matte natural shade. The best blush is the kind people can’t make out you’re wearing.

I use: Jordana Powder Blush in sandalwood

9. Loose/Pressed Powder
All that makeup you’ve done needs to be set. It also allows the makeup to stay for longer. A must have especially for oily skin.

I use: Lakme Perfect Radiance/Maybelline Whitestay UV






What are your makeup must-haves?

My Birthday/Christmas Giveaway

~~~~~GIVEAWAY CLOSED~~~~

As I mentioned in a previous post, I turn 22 in just over a month. Also, Christmas is coming. And I just realized I crossed the 50-followers mark. So, a giveaway is definitely in order. There are also some other things that I'm super ecstatic about, but that's for a different post.

I started blogging as a way to pass time, but it has become an essential part of my life. And the biggest reward are all those readers that I get to share it with. I'm really thankful to all who read my blog and support and encourage me with their comments.

December is usually a tough month for me, with too many birthdays, wedding anniversaries, christmas shopping, etc. So, I'm kind of on a tight budget. Also, since I want the gift to be a surprise, I won't reveal the contents of the giveaway (I hope you guys don't mind that). I may not be able to afford fancy high-end brands, but everything I've bought are items I would buy for myself.

Rules for Entering
1. You MUST be a follower of my blog. As a way of appreciating all those who brought my blog this far, I'm going to give 2 additional entries to all my existing followers (i.e., the first 51).
2. You MUST fill out the form below. ONLY ONCE

For additonal entries:
1. You MAY post a link on your blog sidebar
2. You MAY do a blog post about my giveaway.

This giveaway is open internationally, and will end on 15th December, 11.59 pm IST.

P.S.: If you've entered, please leave a comment letting me know. 



Thank you so much for participating. Hope you have a great day.

Gender Stereotypes: Isn’t it getting old?

The other day, I was going to a classmate’s engagement party, and I was unfortunately forced to hitch a ride from this moron guy who I really really hate. I hated him already, but this particular ride made me loath him. I’m right in the car, and this guy was talking about how he hates this other girl from class only because she speaks her mind in front of guys.

Which century do we live in? Does a girl really have to conform to gender stereotypes in this day and age? If a girl is not docile and soft-spoken, then she’s not a girl. There are plenty of things I do that I supposedly shouldn’t be.

• I’m loud. I can’t be soft-spoken. I’ll say what I want, when I want. And I never back down from a fight.
• When I’m pissed, I’ll either punch you in the guts, or kick you in the shin. I don’t do slaps.
• I hate wearing heels. My converse are my best friend.
• I can’t stand girl bands, or boy bands, or pop, or any of that crap. I love my alternate music.
• I played rugby in school. I’m not scared of getting dirty.
• I’m not a big fan of pink.
• I loathe cooking.
• I prefer men’s colognes.
• My only friends are guys.
• I’m a car-freak. Love them all (mostly)

There are many other things. That doesn’t mean I don’t have my girly moments. This is, after all, a beauty blog, and its proof of that. But I should have the liberty to be the way I am, however I maybe.

I have lost count of the number of times I’ve been told, “Don’t sit with your legs far apart.”, or “Don’t laugh so loudly”, or “Don’t beat up guys” (The last one was only once, and was from a lecturer in college. In my defense, the guy totally deserved it :P). The point is, why is there this pressure to be conform to these gender stereotypes? It’s not just for us girls. Even guys feel the pressure. I have a perfectly heterosexual male friend, who gets a manicure once a month. He gets so much crap for it, its pissing off. Why doesn’t a guy have the liberty to look well groomed? Is it reserved for girls? I personally love guys with clean nails.

I remember, a few years back, a friend of mine took our whole gang to this restaurant for a buffet on his birthday. Now, I’m a healthy eater. I took 3 full plate helpings, and I’m not ashamed of  it. But then the girls in the gang were giving me weird looks and one of them even told me that I’m not very lady-like. A guy can eat like a bloody animal, if he wants to, but if a girl eats more than a salad, it’s a crime.

I have nothing against  the girly-girls or the so called Ubersexuals. What I have a problem with is these gender stereotypes, which are frankly insulting. Every person is different and unique in their own way. Why is there such a need to classify human beings in pre-defined categories? Its about time people came out of their comfort zones and realized that different is good, even interesting.

We might have become more modern in our lifestyles, but most people, even today, stick to their archaic beliefs and think that they’re perfectly right. We, as a society, will never evolve, till we learn to change our mindsets, and accept the change that’s beckoning us.

Okay, i’m done with my rant. Have a lovely weekend, all you guys.

Spreading Cheer, My Way

Every year for the past 5 years, I’ve been gifting one random person every year on my birthday, which falls on the eve of Christmas Eve. I do it as a way of showing how thankful I am for another birthday spent with my family and friends, the people that I love.

It started when I was in grade 12. There was this girl in my language class. We had that one class, 4 times a week, for 2 years and I didn’t even know her name. Then, sometime in December 2005, we got put on an assignment together. And I realized what a wonderful person she was and how I’d missed out on a great friend the past 1 1/2 years.

She lived with a roommate close to college. Her parents were divorced. And every year, her parents would fight over who got her over Christmas break. To avoid all of that, she decided to just stay back and not visit either of her parents.

When I heard her story, I was heartbroken. Her roommate was gone for the holidays. She was all alone during the holidays. Can you imagine not having your loved ones around during Christmas? Or for us Indians, during the 357852 festivals we have every year. Diwali just went by. All of those who live away from their families must know how lonely it feels to not have your family around during festivals.

Anyways, I obviously got her to stay at my place during the break. My parents wedding anniversary  is on 21st, my birthday on 23rd and Christmas on 25th. So it’s a lot of celebration for us. I accidentally got a sneak peek of her college ID and found out her birthday was the day after Christmas. She didn’t even tell me. I felt even worse that her parents weren’t with her on her birthday. So, I threw her a birthday party. It was also half my party. I can’t really afford two parties. I love birthday gifts (who doesn’t?).  But seeing her happy that day made me more happy than all the gifts in the world. And that was the first time I did something so big for someone I barely knew for about 2 weeks. Every year since, I gift someone who really needs the cheer, on my birthday.

This year I’m gifting my best friend’s girlfriend. I don’t know her that well. We must have met barely 4-5 times. But she’s a really sweet girl and I honestly adore her. But she’s going through some really tough times with her family, and I want to be able to cheer her up.

I don’t do it as charity. All the people that I’ve gifted have been people I know. I do it as a friendly gesture. And it’s my way of being thankful. And since Christmas comes right after my birthday, it’s a good excuse for gifting.

This year, I also have a blog. I’m so thankful to all the people that follow my blog. I can’t thank you enough for reading my mindless ramblings. I wish I could send a gift to each one of my followers. But I’m pretty sure I can’t do that without my bank balance going into negative. So, I’m going to go the classic blog way, and hold a giveaway (I honestly didn’t mean for that to rhyme. creepy. lol).

I won’t tell you the contents of the giveaway because I honestly want to surprise the person who gets it. But since this is mostly a beauty blog, the gifts will be beauty-related. I really hope all of you will participate.

I’ll put up the form in about a week or so. I’m currently super-duper busy and haven’t had time to go shopping. I will, hopefully this weekend. And then I’ll put up the official giveaway post.

I’m looking forward to all of you participating.

Anamika's (WiseShe) Giveaway

Wise She was one of the first beauty blogs I started reading. And I've been addicted since. Anamika is having a 200 followers Giveaway and it ends on November 21. 

Click here to enter her giveaway

Beauty Ambition's Giveaway

Check out this amazing 600 followers giveaway by Evelyn from Beauty Ambition

Ends: December 3rd

Juliet Doesn't Live Here Anymore – Sneak Peek

This is what is in store for Gossip Girl viewers next Monday. Who do you like the best?






I, personally, am in love with what Serena’s wearing (Zuhair Murad Fall 2010 RTW Gray Sheer Lace Drape Gown).

And, Venessa doesn’t look too shabby for once.

Also, really liked the Ralph Lauren Floral Silk Gown that Blair’s wearing.

I have no idea what Juliet is wearing, and frankly, I don’t really want to know.

Picture Courtsey: gossipgirlfashion.net