It’s all about Wellness

I am supremely excited for this one. It has been on my mind for a while and finally, I have decided to take the plunge. We all are constantly running around and always busy in the hustle and bustle but I think it’s high time that we invest a bit of time and energy and maybe money in our overall well-being. What say? Not asking for a major turn in life but just wanting to explore the world of wellness talking about the best of products, resorts, practices and so much more. As we go along, I hope to grow along as well.

It’s all about wellness for this year and if we love this beat then even beyond.

xoxo,
Sonali

Deyga- For the love of Natural Skincare

Well, I would have to accept something straight up for not only am I quite proud of this habit but this entire move has educated me immensely on the subject of skincare- I have genuinely started exploring quality products and do play close attention to what goes on my skin or hair.

And as they say, “Better late than never.” I am quite happy that I now closely monitor the ingredients and certainly believe in the magic of natural products and most importantly I don’t follow the herd, instead I go with what my skin says yes to!!!

I was fortunate enough to have encountered this amazing Indian brand which is 100% pure, handcrafted and natural making use of sustainable practices and traditional recipes- Deyga.

I tried these following products over the last few weeks and this is what I have to say about them:

IMG_4029

A peek into the products

  1. Rose & Mulethi Skin Brightening Pack– Well, Mulethi as an ingredient for the skin was new for me as I have used a lot of Multani Mitti in the past but Mulethi instead I felt conditions the skin well. You need to apply the pack regularly and actually see for yourself a brighter face with lightened dark spots. I realized that it cleanses the face rather well giving it a rejuvenated and refreshed look. The application process is quite simple, you mix the powder with milk and form a past and apply on your face and neck. As the pack dries up- wash your face and feel as well as see the difference! For those who are intrigued, its ingredients comprise of Native Roses, Mulethi, Oat Meal and Skin Cherishing Essential Oil.

    IMG_4167

  2. Beetroot Lip Balm- No girl can ever have enough lip balms. However, few of them little to no good but Deyga’s Beetroot Lip Balm is truly a blessing for parched lips. It does infuse some life in them. The lip balm has a subtle natural smell and is made up of Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Beeswax and Beetroot extract. For someone like me who has had dry lips- it has worked well to moisturize and smoothen them! It does add a good shine to the lips and works as an excellent base for lipsticks! While it is always giving me company during the day, I love to even apply the Beetroot Lip Balm before going to sleep to ensure I do not wake up to dehydrated lips.

    IMG_4019

  3. Sweet Almond Oil- I have started hearing the benefits of Sweet Almond Oil often and far too many and hence, wanted to give it a definite try. Sweet Almond Oil is full of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Mono Saturated Fatty Acids, Protein, Potassium and Zinc.
    Vitamin E does well to protects one’s skin from UV radiation damage while keeping it soft and smooth. The best thing about this product is that it can be used head to toe. I have used it mostly on my face and it definitely ensures that my skin doesn’t look dull and dry. It truly makes the skin look and feel healthy. We don’t need to apply large quantities, just a little bit massaged well and evenly on the face is good enough. It is also known to heal brittle nails, contributes to healthier hair and works well as a natural make-up remover.
  4. Sunscreen SPF 30- I am always up for investing in good sunscreens for I reckon- it is imperative to protect your skin from sun exposure. This sunscreen adds a good sheen to your skin and is made up of Raspberry Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Shea Butter and Sunflower Oil.
    It should be ideally applied 20 minutes before you plan on stepping out and should be applied at regular intervals of 3 hours or so. It is 100% natural and well suited for everyday use. Its compact size even makes it easy to carry and move around with. Last but not the least, it is also believed to soothe irritation, repair sunspots and other signs of sun damage.

I would like to sum-up by saying that Deyga certainly is a brand to look out for and you wouldn’t feel guilty investing in its products even a bit for they are natural, cruelty free and loaded with goodness! To get their products, log on to: http://www.deyga.in

Love,
Sonali

The Oasis Spa for an experience like no other!!!

Okay then, some of the finest things take time… Hence, this review is coming now- well, I was in Bangkok in February like many of you already know and a ritual of sorts for me is to pamper myself at the top quality and extremely rejuvenating spot- The Oasis Spa.

IMG_9067

Once you enter its surreal setting, you’re sure to leave behind all your worries and stress and trust me on this, I always feel when I am here that I am no longer in a city but truly in heaven.

Oasis Spa Bangkok 15

It truly is an Oasis of everything pleasant and positive! The tranquility develops as you pass through the gate into an exotic world of beauty, serenity and pleasure. Here you are in company of a place of lush foliage, wooden bridges and walkways, waterfalls, reflective ponds and private treatment villas encompassed in the arms of ancient venerable trees.

The manner in which you are greeted as if they were only waiting for you (even though they keep quite busy), the welcome with fruits, towel and a drink that follows, then the entire process of ensuring you get the most appropriate and effective therapy taking into consideration several factors- everything is dealt with utmost care and professionalism.

IMG_9072

I am not new to this spa at all as have been visiting it for years but this time around I wanted a loved one to try it for she is getting married soon. And with the wedding preparations comes enough anxiety and stress, so I thought this would be the most ideal spa date and gift for her! And while I shall take you through our treatments, I must share upfront itself that my lovely was blown away by the services and the experience and towards the close of our trip, said without a doubt that the visit to The Oasis Spa was the highlight of the entire trip for her!

While she opted for the King of Oasis Signature Massage which is a two hours massage and ensures utmost level of release, relief and contentment using a unique combination of “East meets West” massage techniques. It employs kneading, thumb pressure, stretching and compression combined with a warm aromatherapy oil massage and a Thai Herbal Hot Compress. Tired muscles are soothed to allow stretching that removes energy barriers and re-open all the body’s energy pathways. Eventually you find relief from stiff muscles and muscular discomfort, and gift yourself improved sleep and reduced stress.

King of Oasis Spa Signature Massage

 

And I this time around went in for the Queen of Oasis Signature Massage which is also a two hours massage combining the best of Eastern and Western therapies to promote a woman’s health and sense of well-being. The ancient oriental massage integrated into this therapy concentrates on the Meridian Lines to detoxify, improve organ function and promote self-healing. The Swedish, Hot Stone and Aromatherapy massage further restores and enhances vitality. It realigns a woman’s life-energy, improves digestion and promotes inner harmony. And you know what? This treatment quite rightly has been compared to doing yoga without the effort while receiving acupressure treatments!

And let me make an honest confession here that the hot stone therapy is absolutely blissful. I also believe that a good spa experience always helps you get some relaxed sleep and guess what? We both woke up totally refreshed post our treatment, still wanting more.

Oasis Spa Bangkok Sukhumvit 31 5 (1)

 

I always say this and shall say this again- when in Thailand, a visit to The Oasis Spa is a must!!! The Oasis Spa has over 10 branches in Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations of Bangkok, Chiangmai, Pattaya, and Phuket. This is a special year for the brand as it completes 15 years of excellence in 2018!

Happy Spa-ing you all!!!

xoxo,

Sonali

Bright & Beautiful Birthday at Blo Bar

Can only begin by expressing gratitude to all those who made my birthday super special and beautiful. While the celebrations went on for days, sharing a little about the party I had hosted for my girlies at the newly opened Blo Bar in Defence Colony Market.

The minute I came across the fun concept of this place, I just knew it that I wanted to host a party here and what’s better is that the birthday was not very far off. Blobar is India’s first blow-dry bar only. They strongly believe in the transformative power of a simple blowout.

Here is taking you through the journey of planning and executing this very simple yet supremely fun party. As a birthday girl, I can talk for myself for sure with confidence that I had a ball of a time.

  1. Invitation- Being an event planner, I was certain to go into details. Hence, this invite for my close group of friends and sisters. The theme had to have an essence of celebrating “US”- so, I thought of Bright and Beautiful. And I love making invites on www.greetingsisland.com so the birthday invite too had to be from here!
    WhatsApp Image 2017-09-07 at 11.05.26 AM
  2. Venue- Girls, believe me when I say this that I made the best decision to host my party at Blo Bar. It was something so different and unique that everyone thoroughly enjoyed and so many reached out to me to ask more about this entire concept. The package I opted for included shampoo/conditioning and hair styling with drinks from their side such as Champagne, Sangria and Vodka which translates to the fact that each guest got 2-3 glasses of alcohol. Yes, you read it right, the owner-Sargam is ever so sweet and did pop a Champagne as well. In addition, they provided some munchies such as Cheese Crackers, Nachos & Salsa and Puffs. What’s better is that they are ever so flexible and hence, let me add more food to the table. 
    IMG_3761
    IMG_6504
  3. Food- Since the talk on the food just got started thought I’d enlighten you a bit on what all I added. There was Vegetarian Quiche from Defence Bakery, Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Kathi Rolls and Yummy Sandwiches, courtesy mother.
    IMG_6518
  4. Games- Yes, we had to play some fun games as the girls took turns to get their hair shampooed and conditioned and then styled. They have a lovely hair styling menu for one to pick and choose! And each one loved their hair styles and flashed a big smile! The games included- What’s on your phone- the girl with the maximum score won, then-Who knows the Birthday Girl the Best and lastly, I got everyone to write their most Special Memory with Me!
    IMG_3743
    IMG_6529
    IMG_6549
  5. Cake- Well, this element too had to be different so I ditched cutting the usual cake and instead ordered Passion Fruit, Mixed Fruit, Lemon and Chocolate Tarts from The Bombakery! And believe you me, their tarts are absolutely divine!
    IMG_3816
  6. Photos, please- The entire venue is so so pretty but there is one particular wall against which you gotta click enough pictures! And Blo Bar was kind enough to arrange some amazing photo props as well!
    IMG_3749
    IMG_6472
    IMG_3748
  7. Decor- The place requires very little add-ons. They arranged for some beautiful hangings and I too added a few cut-outs of flowers, pink buntings, purple tissues, polka plates, pink glasses and the like! The place is very bright and beautiful!
  8. Music- I had shared my preferred list and they played them all! In the end, you gotta a shake a leg or two!
  9. Return Gifts- I just wanted to do this! As a very small gesture to express tremendous gratitude to each one of them for adding so much brightness to my life- I gave each one a Face Mask from The Face Shop with a Thank you Card!

    Hope you enjoyed going through my party in brief!!! And THANK YOU Blo Bar for making this Birthday truly memorable and extra special!

    Love,
    Sonali

For the love of Good Skin

It is quite well believed that the best cosmetic is great looking skin! Hence, we reckon that one should go deep into the skin-care products we use and lay utmost emphasis on the quality of what gets applied on our skin!

Though I love my basic make-up but I also truly appreciate natural beauty, I mean we would all love it if we could just step out more often in our no make-up look. For if the skin is glowing and radiating- who needs loads of make-up? Anyways, even if we do apply make-up often, there is still no missing on a regular skincare routine.

Up your confidence in your skin by upping the quality of products in your beauty closet.

Now accelerating focus on a brand we came across few days ago and got a chance to unravel more about… Sharing all from our chat with Zahara Gizelle Nedou, CEO, Zahara Skincare. Let me tell you the brand sure looks promising and I am thoroughly enjoying applying their refreshing Spring Scrub and before calling it a day, I love to apply their Walnut Oil on my face and body for some nourishment!

Spring Scrub

Q: Tell us the story behind Zahara and what led to the coming up of the brand?
A: My English and Kashmiri grandmothers were my biggest influences, watching them every day make something out of pure recall of what their cultures of parents did-was for a 6 year old almost a miracle! At the age of 9, I already knew what Cleopatra did as a beauty regime and I would fill my bathtub with milk and roses and was very well aware that it would moisturize and lighten my skin! So, I grew up replicating and adding to what I knew about organic skincare. With my diverse family culture and all my travels and knowledge and love for organic skincare regime grew. However, it was not until recently that I decided to commercialize it.

Q: How has the response been so far?
A: Fantastic! I tested my products in Dubai when I first started making them and it was there where I realized what Zahara Skincare is actually capable of and what it can do as an organic skincare company. I came back to India with the same zest and it has been a positive if not a similar response like I had internationally. It is slower but very positive as the awareness of using or switching to an organic lifestyle is still in its initial stages in India. But we are growing as a brand on a daily basis and it’s becoming a really fun journey!
Oil-AlmondV2

Q: What is the uniqueness of Zahara products which sets it apart from the rest?
A: I do understand that each organic brand has a few things that sets them apart. At Zahara Skincare, we grow most of our ingredients and harvest them on family run farms across the valley and our very own orchards. We also pay detailed attention that everything is grown chemical-free and most importantly, we are reviving and modernizing traditional beauty regimes and recipes from the Middle-East as well as Kashmir. These are tried and tested methods from the past, which we re-introduce today!

Q: Tell us about the hot buys of Zahara and what makes them must try products?
A: Hot buys would be-
1. Shine Bright like a Diamond- It’s a glow pack with a history of hundreds of years of Kashmiri culture!
2. Spring Scrub- It’s a rose and oatmeal scrub with just the right amount to give you a scrub and a soft rosy glow!
3. The Bow-tox in the Bottle- This is a traditional Arab recipe for removing fine lines and shall plump your skin for that young look.
4. Our rare product “Mulberry Silk Worm Cocoons” that no one in the country has and we at Zahara skincare, have got a raging response for that.

Scrub-ShineBrightLikeADiamond

Q: One unhealthy beauty routine according to you which must be done away with right away?
A: I can sit here and list a million routines that we still practice in India which really aren’t very good for our health or bodies. But if I had to choose the worst according to me, then it would be the constant use of “Skin Bleaching Creams/Products”. Some cosmetic products, including skin-lightening creams contain high levels of mercury.

Mercury is primarily used in skin-lightening creams because it blocks the production of the skin pigment melanin. It can damage the kidneys and the nervous system, and interfere with the development of the brain in unborn children and very young children.

Q: The healthy home beauty routine which must be a part of our routines?
A: First up, not many people are strict about their water intake, so- hydrate, hydrate and hydrate yourself! If you find it difficult to have plain water, add some lemon or mint or even fruit. Add whatever but have water! Most people don’t realize how water affects a human body.

About the beauty aspect of it, try to reduce the use of chemicals on your skin. Try applying organic turmeric with coconut oil on the face at least 2-3 times a week- it eradicates acne, any toxins or any form of infections that may start to begin on your skin and the coconut oil hydrates and lightens your skin.

Q: What are the future plans for the brand and where can one get their hands on Zahara products?
A: As for now, we take orders and are very efficient on both our social media platforms, i.e., Facebook and Instagram. Just “like us” on either of the pages and send us a message and we would guide you through your skin concerns and offer you a few of our products and BOOM within the next 24-48 hours, our jars of joy will be with you! We will be now available on various other platforms just for the comfort of our clients like Amazon, Scootsy, Sublime Factory and many more. We also plan to be available on ground across the country in many organic/multi-brand stores! And we are even available in Dubai, Oman and New York at selected stores.

 

Well, I can only sense goodness for the brand and being offering by the brand. Here is wishing them the very best, always! And I am almost running to try out their Shine Bright like a Diamond pack!
Best,
Sonali