Archive for August 2013

Biotique has been a brand I had ventured into using right from college days. I don't know how I chanced upon it then. But I like to imagine that I strolled into a fancy store one fine day when I was most likely bunking class, and me being the face-mask loving freak, decided to explore the little green tubs lining the glass shelves.
I don't think this was the first product from their line that I may have used. It must have been most likely their fruit face pack which I love and will review shortly.

This I remember was recommended by a friend of mine, let's call her Penguin. Because that's what I used to call her in those days anyway. Penguin's sister was getting married. She'd come visiting from Kuwait and was raving about this product to me saying how her tan completely lifted off and how it made her glow on her wedding day. If someone raves about something I used to just buy it. There were no beauty blogs then to go consult and research before getting anything.

It took me so much time to review this because it took me even longer to finish it and do full justice to the review.

I just wanted to find one good thing because I really like Biotique as a brand but not this product.

First of all it's a very thick, goopy cream which is white in colour.

It has a strong smell of coconut cream, the kind that I do not like. Not the smell you get in those delish cakes.

It's super greasy, super oily and super icky.

It sits on your skin like a tub of lard and will not melt in.

It makes me want to wash it off the minute I apply it.

My pores get clogged and my skin feels really uncomfortable.

It did not help in any form of tan removal. I felt my skin looked darker than it should be.

It made me sweat at any temperature, be it in a centrally air conditioned room or otherwise.

I have used the entire little tub and it did not give me the results I imagined it would.

Very disappointed with this product.

Maybe, just maybe, if you have extremely dry skin you may want to try it but I wouldn't even if I had dry skin.

I finished the last of it off by using it on my feet but even then I had to wipe it off before sleeping.

Can a product ever get 0/5 on Coral Crue? We are never that harsh but well, this is a first.

MRP- RS.199

Have any of you had any results with this product? I would love to know. but I am not getting this again.

Published by coralcrue

There's only one way to start losing weight. No wait, there are two. One is to exercise and second is to eat right.
I am not much of a cook, I don't have a fancy kitchen or even a basic one. I am lazy to cook.
So many excuses and a lot of weight gain later, I decided to go and buy some fresh veggies last night.
I headed over to Spar where I was spoilt for choice for greens. They had just bought in some organic produce from Gopalan farms. I have spotted this brand only recently and they have a nice variety of herbs and good green produce that is made organically. They are not too expensive either.
I grabbed quite a bit of stuff like fresh palak, coriander, rosemary, curry leaves, spring onions, cauliflower and mint. I wanted to pick up lettuce too as they looked really nice and crispy but I wouldn't have eaten everything so I decided lettuce for another day.
I have learnt cooking only through trial and error. I never learnt any cooking when I was at home.
When I had to leave for college, cooking just happened as the mess food really sucked and I missed home while I stayed in a hostel for six long years.
I try recipes online and from time to time, I end up with some good food.

This meal can be prepared in a jiffy.
Do you want to know what I used to make it?
Read on for the recipe.

Fresh organic Spinach(palak)- 1 cup
Sona Masoori Rice(you can use basmati)- 2 cups
Garlic-12 pods
Ginger- 2 inch
Green chilli-2
All spice leaf- 2 ( you may use bay leaf) I grow all spice leaves in my garden so I pluck them fresh
Onion- 2 Big
Tomato- 1 very ripe
Coriander leaves- handful
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
Clove- 3-4
Star Anise- 1
Cinnamom stick
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1.5 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Flax seeds- ground- 1 tsp
Any oil- I used sunflower oil, just enough to cook the veggies. 3 tbsp( you can use more if you want it to be rich)

Wash and cook rice. I use a rice cooker as I always mess up the regular way. In the rice cooker, you get really well done rice in 15 minutes. While cooking rice, add few drops of oil and salt to the water.
Keep aside.

Now for the chopping,
Finely slice the onions.
Chop the tomato
Peel the garlic and ginger. In a grinder, make a paste out of garlic, ginger, green chilli, flax seeds.

Heat 2-3tbsp oil in a pan, add all spice leaves, clove, cardamom, star anise. Let it release it's aromas.
Add garam masala powder, asafoetida, pepper, chilli powder, saute for 5 seconds before adding, the ground up paste of ginger, garlic, green chilli and flax.
Saute 3 minutes. Add sliced onions. Saute till they turn transparent. Add the tomato.
While this takes a little more time to cook, cut up your spinach leaves. I didn't use the stem, I wasn't sure if I could. I finely sliced the leaves. Then ground them up in the grinder to form a coarse paste.
Once the tomatoes were done, I added the spinach into the mix and sauted. Keep covered for 3 minutes.
Spinach doesn't take time to cook.
You may add some ghee or more oil if you want at this point.
Add required salt.
Taste the gravy, add in the cooked rice, coat the rice well with the masala and keep covered for ten minutes till the rice absorbs all the flavour. Garnish with cilantro. Switch off heat and leave it covered till serving time.
Tadaaaa!! I was really happy with how this turned out :)

ps- Onions have gotten so expensive!!!! Rs.70-80 for a kg!! *faint*

Published by coralcrue

It doesn't hurt. You lose nothing.
Be Kind.
There are so many people in this world going through a myriad challenges or situations each day.
Some of us face inner and outer battles on a day to day basis. Most of us.
It would help cushion emotions if you just worked in your way to kindness in some little way.
Smile at them. It's the best form of kindness you can ever show to anyone.
Don't give a fake smile though. Mean it.
Kindness should not be an effort. It should flow naturally from all of us not only to our
fellow beings but also to all creatures big or small.
We all have a place in this universe. And we share this space with each one of us who are
living in it at this very moment. These are the people who share this moment in time with us. There
are no replacements for them.
That man who walks with a slight tilt to his body. The child who looks up at you while on her way to school
every day in the morning. The old lady who lugs three heavy bags back from work at night.
The kitten that comes around from the neighbour's garden to see if you are cooking some fish and hoping even more that you might want to share some while you both satisfy your 2am cravings in the moonlit darkness.
They all make up part of our reality, the here and now for you. Be nice to them. Acknowledge them every once in a while.
Whenever possible. All you have to do is come a little out of your comfort zone. Very little.
We should celebrate kindness just like we celebrated Rakshabandan yesterday, our birthdays every year and rejoice in what a beautiful gift to the human race it is to be.
It's not that hard. It doesn't need that much courage.
Practise perhaps one kindness at a time. Keep doing the same repetitive act over and over again
till it becomes a habit. And it also gets easier.
For example, whenever someone drops an item when grocery shopping, I pick it up for them.
And it happens a lot. People keep dropping stuff all the time. Now it's habitual for me to pick stuff up for someone who has dropped it. Bending over doesn't hurt for me and it's possible.
So I don't just pick up objects, I pick up midgets who fall.
Kids keep falling down. In playgrounds, at the mall, everywhere you look there are falling kids.
And there is that moment when they fall, that they realize that they are down and hurt.
I pick them up promptly so they don't start crying and want their parents to beat up the floor.
And I smile at them. The beautiful and amazing next generation of us.
Most of them end up wailing back in to your face but at least they are back up on their feet.
I love picking up kids who fall. Call me crazy. It's a rare moment that I get to connect with them.
Kindness can be huge or as small as what I have just described.
Share your food with someone, your smile, your bending techniques, whatever....Just Share :)

Published by coralcrue

Tired eyes, puffiness, bags, under eye circles are major issues that we face as a generation which is hooked up to the internet 24/7 by all means. We sleep less, stay online long, facebook like crazy and don't get me started on the bloggers. Yep, I am talking about a product that will suit us all.

Yesterday was one of the most tiring nights of this month. I had this crazy facial pain, my eyes kept drooping and I had a two hour class that wouldn't give until late into the night. I just wanted to close my eyes but I couldn't. After the lecture, I just wanted to plonk on to bed but I had a generalized headache, eye pain and I wanted to soothe my eyes. I reach out for this product every time I need some soothing, some relief and some pepping up. This is one product I don't want to finish up and I want to re-stock from time to time.

Omved Eye Contour Gel as described by the brand

An anti-oxidant rich, cooling natural firming eye gel for puffy, strained and tired eyes. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that helps reduce the appearance of fatigue marks, such as fine lines and dark circles, restores the sensitive skin around the eyes and protects it against environmental pollution.
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and helps to protect, restore skin and reduce fine lines.
Hydrating Aloe Vera lightens skin, by fighting pigmentation. It also tightens and tones the skin.
Baheda rejuvenates the skin and reduces eye puffiness.
Soothing lavender, Chamomille and Vetiver cool and tone.
Suitable for all skin types, age-proof your eyes with the purest most natural eye gel.

Ingredients
100% natural. No synthetic, parabens, sulfates, silicones, petrochemicals, glycols, pthalates, synthetic colours or perfumes.
100% pure, therapeutic essential oils, blended in cold-pressed plant oils.
Contains only herbal actives- pure botanical extracts in a natural skin- and earth-friendly base, therapeutic-grade pure essential oil of Lavender, chamomile, vetiver, with healing extracts of harida, baheda, green tea and aloe vera, Glycerine from plants blended into a base of demineralised water, carbopol ultrez (rheology modifier), phenoxyethanol and sodium benzoate

How to apply

Take a little on your finger. I prefer using the ring finger for gentler application as the eye area is very sensitive. Gently spread around the contours using tapping motion. Gentle pressure stimulates circulation and drains excess accumulated fluid. Smooth gel from the inner corner of your eye outwards(upper and lower lids)

I use it at night, some days when I feel I need some moisture around my eyes, I use it in the day time too.
As it is a clear gel, it dries up nicely and is not visible at all. It refreshes my eyes instantly providing a nice and relaxed feel.
Whenever I have applied it at night, I wake up to refreshed looking eyes which have a more even tone skin colour.

It is a very light, clear gel which gets instantly absorbed into your eye area.
It gives a mild warm sensation that relaxes and de-puffs the eye area almost immediately.
Feels really very nice when it is just applied.
Gets absorbed almost instantaneously and there is no greasy feel.
It is odour free but I can detect a very faint pleasant smell, maybe of the essential oils present in it.
I love to apply it quite generously.
I have been using it for two months now and I have to say it's the best eye treatment I have come across which is closest to as natural as it can get.
I prefer using natural products so this is a real favourite.
It clearly takes care of most eye issues like puffiness.
I have chronic dark circles so it has taken time but over a long period of use,
it really has shown remarkable difference and given good skin tone compared to before I started using it.

I love the packaging, it's a solid glass bottle which I really love. I prefer my skin care in glass bottles.
It's well worth a product. Rs.370 for 15gm
I hope to explore their other best sellers soon. Hope they are as good as this product, if not even better :)

You can purchase it from their online store which is a delight to go through www.omvedstore.in

Product send by Brand for consideration but it has not in any way affected my review.

Published by coralcrue

image courtesy: google

Am not one to have outrageous tastes when it comes to jewellery. I prefer delicate pieces. Pieces I can work with. Even if the piece is heavy I would want an artistically and intricately designed piece with really good hand work.

Rarely does jewellery catch my eye and if it does, I keep staring at it. But seriously, it almost never happens.
I had this friend in college whose father was an extravagant doctor. He'd travel to various countries and come back with lovely trinkets for her. Me being the goof, I'd never even notice when she'd wear something to class. I'd just have woken up late, brushed my teeth and without even combing my hair run to class with bag and books. She'd sit there waving the rock at my face or delicately pointing at some pages in my book and I still wouldn't have noticed the lovely ring he got her from Egypt. Finally, she'd give up and say,'What do you think of my new ring?' or 'Does this arm band look sexy on me?' And I'd go, 'Oh yeah, definitely!' I still remember her silly ways and laugh. But it was so endearing and cute. Now I see many more women around me doing the same thing and make it a point to compliment them and make them happy if they are waving their hands at me like flailing windmills.

I'm not a big fan of chunky pieces of metal thrown together with outrageous amounts of stones and bling which are sold at even more outrageous prices. There are pieces I see at the store sometimes and wonder if anyone would ever buy something like that and after a few weeks would see it on a gaudily dressed bride. Oh, horror of all horrors!!

Going to a jewellery store is not a satisfying outing for me as it used to be when I was younger when my mom used to take us girls browsing. There used to be very fine work done back in the day. Now, it's hard to find what I have in mind. Maybe I am not just frequenting the right places. Also, I hate when my mom puts a gun to my head and says, "Pick one RIGHT NOW!!" Isn't jewellery something you should like before you buy?

image courtesy: neimanmarcus.com

When it came to choosing bangles I was a little adamant that I wanted some of these. The soft gold hammered ones. Instead of very traditional chunky bangles which couldn't be used as daily wear, I preferred some of these. I use them every day too. Infact, I have one on while writing this piece. See how useful these pieces can be, mom!! :)

tanishq rani haar image courtesy: tanishq

This Tanishq Rani Haar is so pretty. The strings are beaded emeralds embellished with regal polki work.

image: tanishq

This is another very pretty piece from Tanishq, it's a manga necklace. Manga as in mango and not the popular Japanese Manga comic series. ;)

There is one more popular design that's being sported by many South Indian brides. I'll probably go look for that piece and put it up in another post.

The essence of my post being: Remember girls, when it comes to jewellery and makeup, less is more.

Till the next edit, toodles.

Have a fun weekend

Love

Published by coralcrue

Manjari- Resting my finger over the dried up and beautifully painted signature, the M drawn so exquisitely once belonged to me. A string of emotions run through my veins, the longing makes me tired and raw enough to need to sit. Deep pangs of lost youth rage upon me with regret now.
The wooden floor creaks under me as I sit giving me some strength. A touch of support, even though a false one, it helps nevertheless.
Memory flashes by. Her smile. Even before you caught it on her lips, you could see it in her eyes.
I'd just asked her out. Got her number from a friend who had a string of numbers. Her name caught my eye in his address book. Thought I'd try my luck. She grew on me. Not the most beautiful creature or the kind of girl you could date. She had brains and used them well.
I found out that she loved ice cream, I called her out for some and promised to drop her home. Didn't give her time to think and hung up.
That's how it began. My addiction and soon my best friend. She jabber, jabbered all the way to my heart. We got married. Time passed. One year. Two years. Her parents never agreed to the alliance and promptly threw her out.Years passed by with her waiting for them but they never called. I think a part of her heart she left with them. She came to me with the other.
She struggled with work. She was young, wanted to continue college but by then I'd lost my job. We were struggling. Everything cost money.
Through the mundane and hardship, the sadness eventually got to her eyes. I figure she got lonely. Exhaustion didn't allow her time. She was immensely talented, I urged her to paint and do exhibits. She didn't want to. We'd fight and make up but she got tired of my prodding. She felt I'd made her a mule. I had my friends over one night when they broached on the topic of her painting. It always enraged her. She said she didn't care if she made any money and had to meet another's expectation. There was more to life than a painting that needed to sell. We laughed. It must have hurt but she laughed too. I noticed a glint in her eyes. Maybe, just maybe, we'd finally convinced her.
Next day, she didn't return from work. I waited that night and several nights after. It was hard to think she'd just up and left. It finally sunk in that she was not coming back. The whole world turned black.
Years passed. I'm moving homes. I've made something of myself with a job that keeps my sanity. While clearing the attic today I stumbled over mouldy cardboard that wrapped tattered tissues covering really exquisite charcoal works and oil paintings that came to life as my pupils dilated. So neatly stacked and hidden, quietly resting all these years. I'm never selling them as they are all I have of her with me. My sweet Manjari. Sigh, as beautiful as your work.

http://mia.tanishq.co.in/

This post is a part of As Beautiful As Your Work contest via Mia Tanishq

Published by coralcrue

Piper Chapman: "I'm not me."
Crazy: "You gotta start from the inside out or else you'll step on the clean."

One word for the TV Series, created by Jenji Kohan, that I am currently hooked on - FABULOUS!!!

image courtesy: jill greenberg

I don't know how I started watching this show but one episode led to the other and I was hooked.
With characters like Taystee, Red, Poussey, Healy, Crazy Eyes and several more there is not a moment of boredom in this flick. I'm almost done with the first series and I can't wait for them to start airing the next season. My only worry is what will I watch after this? Not too many series have caught my attention lately, like this one. And I'm not even a TV person addicted to serial after serial on the idiot box. I do use it as entertainment once in a while but there really are times when if you move the TV from my room and I wouldn't even miss it.
Maybe because my ankle's hurt and I can't do much outdoorsy stuff right now that I tune in on the idiot box more than usual.

The show is so addictive, I've been watching it 12 days straight. And, seriously there is nothing 'straight' about this show. I have one more episode to go and that's it I have to wait till 2014 for the next season. God!
And why does it make prison look so attractive, man! Ok. Did I just say that?
Another plus is that women run this show, they make up the main characters. It's all about us. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Not only is it rich with stories, the portrayal is frank with emotions that are real. You just have to watch it. I watched it so much that I've started swearing every time I stub my toe(happens often) that I had to stop myself and say,"Bitch, please!" Eerr....what I meant was, I had to consciously stop mouthing filth. It just gets into your head and you start talking like one of them inmates.
I am not going to discuss the story line because you just have to find out if you like it yourself; just wanted to shout out because I didn't hear of it from any of my friends and so I can see myself spreading the word now. You might already be watching it but if you aren't, check it out.
ps- Maybe you might want to watch this alone. There are some explicit scenes that you might not want kids around you watching or your mom seeing you watch lest you want your head whacked with a flying ninja book that comes out of nowhere.
Don't carry any suitcases on behalf of anyone( Especially at airports. I've been asked to several times when I was younger and in college). That's how sh@# happens.

images courtesy: google

Published by coralcrue

This versatile product was introduced to me by my dad. We have had this in our bathroom cabinet for years and years as a staple for anything to do with the eyes.
It's heaven sent for me and I will vouch for it over and over again.
The pity being that it's not available in India.
Optrex, you need to launch in India!!!

If you are a night person who sits at his or her computer for long hours, straining your eyes then imagine if your eyeballs were placed in a soothing, refreshing and cooling pool of water. That's exactly what you feel when you use this wonderful product. I had recently used Refresh tear drops when I had visited the ophthalmologist and that's a pretty good product too but when it comes to soothing the eyes, there's nothing that comes close to the feeling when you use this.

It's special formula is developed to relieve any discomfort, irritation caused by dust, grit, stressful work conditions.

It is balanced at the natural ph level of tears and enriched with plants extracts.

The cute little eye bath, I never throw this away, is useful in application.

Cleanse your hands before using it.

Pour the lotion into the eye bath.

Bend your head forward, swish the lotion around your eye by rocking your head from side to side for atleast 30 seconds. Relax.

Key incredients are Witch Hazel, one of my favourite ingredients but I can't find it anywhere!!!

I like that the container that it's stored in is completely glass. The bottle's really cute.

The solution has a very soothing smell too. I can't describe it but it reminds me of a nice pool filled with fresh water.

It really helps to maintain youthful appearance of your eyes, removes any redness and really cleans your eye very well.

Do get your hands on this if you are traveling abroad. I am almost done with my bottle, so sad that it's gotten over so quickly.

Do you use an eye lotion, bath or drops that refresh your eyes instantly?

Also, does anyone know specifically where to get witch hazel here in India?

10/10 Superb!!!

Published by coralcrue

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