[PR News] NEXT re-opens its doors at Select Citywalk

~Store to offer the best of British fashion for women’s and kid’s products~

New Delhi, March, 2014: 'NEXT', the UK based brand, re-opens its doors at Select Citywalk on March, 14 2014. Following renovations, in its new avatar, the store sports the new interior design of international NEXT stores at this exclusive brand outlet. The new fixtures, lighting design, and ambience creates a new and pleasant shopping environment for customers. With this refreshed look, NEXT makes the shopping experience more exciting, and comfortable. Popular with regular patrons prior to its closure for renovations, NEXT is now back in an all new and vibrant look. This re-launch will be followed by the opening of three more outlets in Mall of India, Noida, Shoppers Stop, Inorbit Mall, Mumbai and Phoenix Marketcity, Pune. 

The store is located on the first floor, and is spread over an area of 1489 sq. ft.

NEXT offers well designed, quality clothing, shoes and accessories at reasonable prices for kids and women. The store re-launches with the latest collection of Spring Summer’14. For the Women’s range, NEXT unveils a forward thinking collection for SS14 mixing key florals, sports luxe and aquatic tones. Attention to detail is a must across clothing and accessories with embellishment and bows in abundance. While the Kidswear range is all about on bursts of colours on to clothes in a summer explosion of prints and patterns for the season.

Showcasing the best of British fashion, NEXT clothes are styled by its in-house design team to offer great style, quality and value for money with a contemporary fashion edge.

Under the women’s category, NEXT offers a wide range of formal wear, casual wear including denims, and party clothing, in addition to a complement of nightwear, shoes, handbags, belts and jewellery. In the kid’s category, apparel for infants, baby girls and boys, older girls and boys are available alongside shoes, sleepwear, and underwear. The NEXT selection in particular also offers options of partywear dresses for younger girls.

Through a series of stories each season, a collection highlighting the trends of the season along with a unique set of stylish designs, forms the storytelling pattern for the brand.

With a five city presence, in Forum Mall, Koramangala, Elante Mall, Chandigarh, Shoppers Stop, Juhu, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, and Koregaon Mall Plaza, Pune, the brand has gathered a loyal fan base who’re fashion savvy and looking for current styles.

In India, NEXT has partnered with Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd, through an exclusive franchise, for the Speciality Retail Division.

On the re-launch of the store, MD & CEO, Arvind Lifestyle Brands, J Suresh, said, “We are delighted to reopen the renovated NEXT store in Select City Walk Mall in Delhi. NEXT always brings the best of British Fashion to India and now customers can buy the best of British Fashion in a World Class Shopping Environment.”

How much I love & miss Goa!

Everybody loves Goa. There's nothing not to be loved about this place. It is serene, calm and beautiful. For me, it is not just the beaches, the sand, the food, the churches or the shopping but the memories I have of this place. For those who don't know, I have lived in Goa fr 5 years during my schooling and it was a great time that I had there. So Goa is a lot more about my memories and that's what I relived (most of them) when I visited the familiar places after 6 years this February.

somewhere along the beautiful coast :)

so this time when I went to Goa, after 6 years of moving out from there and moving to Mumbai; I re-connected with the old-me, my friends, school memories, familiar places, the road which lead to my home back then and the Goa I remember.

Met my best friend of almost 10 years now, Ruchika.

and when the wind blew across my face at the '3 Kings Church'; I felt at peace. Did a little pose, a side smile, sitting on the staircase, thanked myself for not refusing to come on this trip.

At the '3 kings church'. The people call it haunted church.

Moved on to the Colva beach, one of my favorites along the beautiful coast of Goa. As my sister walked and talked with her college time friend, I decided to sit and watch the people walk by, enjoying the breeze, the waves hitting the shore, and clicking the pose I always wanted to capture. My feet and the never ending sea, a little horizon too. Like it? :D

Spent quality time, basking in the sun and sand, @ the Colva Beach

That's me, striking a pose. Well, trying to.

I chose to layer every time I went out. Reason; I had no intentions of getting tanned. This hat has now become my personal favorite, very lady like :) Ignore the luggage, look at me! :P

and well, nothing can beat the beautiful sunset across the sea. I wish I could stay and watch the Dawn while the Dusk engrossed me and my soul :)

Stayed till the sun went down leaving me with a new hope of a better tomorrow

How many times have you been to Goa? Any special memory?
Do share!

A little something that I got from Goa :)

Hair and Skin Care tips for Holi

Holi, the festival of colours, brings a dainty array of colours to the fore — colours that paint our life bright.

Holi is also a time to bond with family and friends. It is a celebration that both the young and old look forward to, with excitement. All of us enjoy the festival’s revelry and review our festive success by the colourful remnants on our clothes and body. Celebrations apart, most of us tend to ignore, or are unaware, of the potential damage the use of ‘wrong’ colours can have on us. Some colours can be harmful to our skin and hair; they can lead to more damage than delight. It is, therefore, imperative to be conscious of this possibility — we’d all do ourselves a huge favour by preventing any damage, at the outset.

Most colours today contain chemicals. Some also contain copper, lead, silver, aluminium and iodine. Hair and skin would be the first to get affected badly following a splash of chemical colours. Also, chemicals not only bleach the hair, they can also damage it badly.

Certain chemical colours are minute enough to penetrate the covering of our hair (cuticle) and enter the hair shaft. They can, thereafter, weaken the hair shaft, causing the hair to break easily. Many individuals present with complaints of hair breakage, after Holi. This condition is called trichorrhexis nodosa.

Some colours contain dyes, engine oils, and powdered glass too! Apart from damaging the hair, they can cause damage to the scalp. Some people show a dye ‘reaction’ to these colours — this can cause long-term damage to the hair and scalp.

Increased dandruff and itching of the scalp are other common complaints after Holi.

It ain’t difficult to prevent such problems, if one follows certain easy-to-use preventative measures during Holi.

A little about Skin Care -

Holi is not just colourful clothes, or skin and hair splashed with colours. It can be dangerous, sometimes. Prevention, as always, is better than cure.

• Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colours or natural products.
• If you have a history of eczema, wear a barricade cream (white paraffin) before playing Holi. Avoid using colour on the face.
• In case of allergy, take prompt medical treatment.
• Synthetic colours cause skin irritation; they can even cause blindness. So, take good care.
• Wear clothes that cover most of your body. Apply cold cream/oil on all exposed parts and follow it up with sunscreen (waterproof).
• After Holi, remove colours with a paste of soybean flour, or besan, with milk.
• Use warm water and moisturising soap to wash off the colours.
• Do not rub your skin forcefully with soap.
• Apply cold cream or moisturiser generously; they are good for your ‘post-Holi’ skin.

Crowning Glory

Grandma was right, because oiling our hair never came in as handy as during Holi. Oil forms a protective layer around the hair shaft; it prevents chemicals from entering the hair. It can also avert potential damage. Oil ensures that the colours are washed away easily. Oiling the hair before stepping out to play Holi would, therefore, be beneficial.  Olive or coconut oil is ideal choice.

Use natural colours

It is best to use natural colours to play Holi. This won’t cause any damage to others as well as to oneself. Gulal (rose water) and other natural water colours are relatively safe to use. Chemical colours, particularly permanent colours, are best avoided. Colours, such as silver and shiny green or bright gold, are chemical-based; they should not be used. Home-made colours from vegetable sources are safe.

• Red sandalwood powder is a good substitute.
• Beetroot water is also a good wet colour.
• Dry spinach powder makes for a good green colour.
• Yellow turmeric (haldi) powder is a good natural yellow colour.
• Dried marigold flowers and paste, or red hibiscus, can also be used as a substitute for artificial colour.

Such colours can be used safely as dry powders, or mixed with water and diluted to be used as colours.  

        

After Care

• Wash your hair with lukewarm water.
• Keep your eyes closed to avoid the colour from going into your eyes.
• Use a mild shampoo and make sure to rub hair gently, and lather with shampoo.
• Rinse hair with lukewarm water. It would be advisable to repeat this process 2-3 times.
• Follow this up by using a conditioner. The conditioner will soften the hair and prevent brittleness resulting from chemical colours.
• Towel dry your hair lightly; avoid using a hair dryer. 
• Apply warm olive oil after your head bath. It would be best to oil your hair for 2-3 days after Holi. Oiling the scalp will help keep your hair moist as well as soothe the scalp.

Also

• Never smear colour in the eye area.
• Watch out for water balloons.
• If a water balloon hits you in the eye, wash immediately with water. If irritation persists seek immediate medical attention.
• In the event of bleeding in the eye, cover the eye with a clean cloth or cotton. Rush to an eye specialist. Do not massage or rub the eye.

Just remember to play safe with colours as also to keep your hair glowing.

Have an amazing and safe Holi :)

(The writer of this article is Dr Akshay Batra, managing Director, Dr Batra’s Positive Health Clinic Pvt. Ltd.)

[Guest Post] Oscars Fever

Oscars by Aniket Tari

So finally the Oscars are done. After three months of closely following all the other awards and debating which films will make it to the final race, we finally have somewhat satisfying results. And now begins the post-Oscars micro-analysis of the entire ceremony, the wins, the snubs and the memorable moments off-stage, on the red carpet, etc. etc. But what is surely undeniable is that despite all the criticism directed towards this particular awards show, a lot of people do watch it and they do discuss it an awful lot. And that's how the Oscars have always been; sharing a love-hate relationship with the audience.

For starters, the majority of the audience has always had problems with the academy for always choosing to honour old-school, conventional films over ground-breaking ones such as Crash over Brokeback Mountain, How Green Was My Valley over Citizen Kane, Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan and so on. So when this year Gravity was up against the slavery-drama 12 Years a Slave, it was expected that the latter would win. And it did win, but after Gravity was honoured for all the right awards. But the Best Picture snub left the fans of Gravity disappointed nonetheless. Why does a breathtaking film like Gravity lose when it has everything a film should have? Which eventually leads us to the question - what makes a film worthy of Best Picture? Answer - Nothing. Cate Blanchett in her acceptance speech said that the award is "random and subjective" and she is so right! Each year, hundreds of thousands of films are made worldwide. Among them a few thousands might stand out for their amazing storytelling, creativity and resonance. It isn't possible to award all of these films. And why must they be awarded? We don't need awards to decide the greatness of a film. Every person finds specialty in a different film. What one might view as a mediocre film, can be inspirational to another, resonating with them on a different level. So when 12 Years a Slave wins against Gravity, there isn't a need for an uproar. We have no right to pit two completely different films against each other in the first place. So why is there a need for such an extravagant award ceremony that supposedly puts people in an extraordinary league? Well, the Oscars can be viewed as the Olympics of films. A competition among films and artists. Simple.

So when I read about people boycotting the awards ceremony, trashing it publically and calling it foul, I have a hard time understanding them. Why do we have to take these awards to heart? All awards are subjective. It is widely known that most among the 6000-member jury of the Oscars consists of retired artists from different fields such as actors, directors, producers, cinematographers and other technicians who have been out of touch with making films for a long time. So what appeals to their old-school sensibilities, might not necessary go down well with us. And in recent times, it has been the other way around as well. The academy has been grappling with diminishing TV ratings, primarily because of the choice of films being nominated but also because the ceremonies are awfully long and boring. 

The academy's insistence on doing things the old-fashioned way hasn't always gone down well with the audience, especially the younger audiences. So they've tried attracting the younger demographics by appointing younger hosts like Anne Hathaway and James Franco, Seth MacFarlene, etc. However, this attempts backfired horribly when the hosts either couldn't manage the pressure of hosting an event viewed by a billion viewers worldwide or went too far with their attempts at edgy comedy. So when this year, the academy appointed Ellen DeGeneres to return as the host, after her stint in 2007, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Ellen, in her previous gig, had managed to salvage the academy from its ratings slump with her charismatic persona and immense popularity, giving us an entertaining ceremony in return. So she seemed like the best bet this year after the previous years' misfires.

But this year the ceremony took a different turn; the host wasn't just on the stage taking digs at the actors and announcing presenters, this year the host spent majority of her time interacting with the audience and that's where they nailed it! We're living in the social media age where we are not content just seeing the actors from a distance but where we want to interact with them and have a conversation. And that's precisely what Ellen did! We want to see our favourite actors act normal and behave in an everyday manner by letting go of their celebrity act once in a while. So when Ellen began taking selfies with the actors and the actors began jumping and cramming to get into the picture, the audience rejoiced! Next came the pizza act, where Ellen distributed pizza in the audience and the starving actors let their guard down to enjoy America's favourite food in their tuxedos and magnificent gowns. Gone were the days when presenters came on stage with sombre faces to hand off the trophies and actors sitting in the audience with equally sombre faces. These artists of the Twitter age were honest, playful and, well, tweeting during the ceremony! The result? Highest ratings for the ceremony in a decade, 75% rise in live tweeting during the ceremony and lots of discussions about the ceremony that lead people to watch the repeat telecasts. Despite being a three and a half hour long event, it didn't feel like a drab. Instead, it just passed by, leaving us fairly satisfied.

I genuinely hope that the academy learns it's lesson from this year and loosens up a little, in the way it plays out the ceremony and also by letting newer films with newer narrative styles win the coveted trophy. The academy got most of the things right this year and Gravity was really close to winning. And that's a great feat. If it continues like that, maybe the Oscars will be able to come out of its ratings slump and again become one of the most watched TV event of the year.

Ciao!

YouTube FanFest with HP brings together the biggest international and Indian YouTube stars

Mumbai, 1^st March 2014: The sold-out YouTube FanFest with HP brought to India for the first time by YouTube and Branded Ltd. featured incredible performances by some of YouTube’s most popular artists. 

YouTube FanFest with HP, held at Bandra amphitheatre in Mumbai this evening, was created as a platform to bring established and rising YouTube stars from around the world off computer screens closer to their fans. 

The festival featured videos and performances by American clarinetist Shankar Tucker, Canadian entertainer Lilly Singh, aka IISuperwomanII, a motivational speaker who relies greatly on comedy, American beauty and fashion expert Bethany Mota and more. The hilarious All India Bakchod, India’s highest selling comedy collective and popular YouTubers, hosted the festival. The event was sold out with fans grabbing the tickets within 48 hours of listings.

YouTube FanFest with HP also brought some of the biggest International YouTubers to India, to collaborate with the new breed of Indian content creators. The YouTubers who together combine 14.6 million subscribers and over 1.2 billion views have spent a fantastic week collaborating with each other and producing new content as well as working on their shows for YouTube FanFest with HP. During the week, Superwoman spent time shooting videos with TheViralFever, MaatiBani, AIB https://www.youtube.com/user/IISuperwomanII. 

Scherezade Shroff, Prashant Raj, Vsauce, Shankar Tucker, Aakash Gandhi, Bethany Mota,  IISuperwomanII, Shraddha Sharma , Maati Baani at the YouTube FanFest in Mumbai

Bethany Mota shared tips with Sherry and shot a video while shopping on the streets of Mumbai http://www.youtube.com/user/Macbarbie07 . Shraddha Sharma, the young Indian sensation also shot a video featuring Shankar Tucker.

YouTube star IISuperwomanII  aka Lilly Singh performing for her fans at the YouTube FanFest in Mumbai

It's been so great learning new things from YouTubers across the world. Everyone I've collaborated with thus far does things much different from me with respect to shooting and scripts. To be honest, they're much less lazy! I'm definitely getting inspired!” said the hilarious Lilly Singh aka IISuperwomanII.

I’m so happy to be in India. I’ve had so much fun with the shopping experience in Mumbai and the food is great. It was an amazing experience to meet all my viewers from India in person,” said popular beauty and fashion expert Bethany Mota who has travelled all the way from the U.S. to India for the event.

Event hosts and popular YouTubers from Mumbai All India Bakchod said, “We hosted the evening so we made sure fans get enough time with the stars they're looking to interact with. This has been a crazy week, meeting and collaborating with Superwoman, Bethany Mota, TVF and all the other YouTubers. Stay tuned to catch some of the craziness on our channel.”

Live-streamed on YouTube, YouTube FanFest with HP was designed around live performances, interviews and personal meet-and-greets with fans. YouTube experts added extra layer of comprehension by delivering insights, analysis and advice related to online video communities and their trends at the YouTube FanFest Academy.

Aakash Gandhi from 88 Kets to Euphoria, Bethany Mota and IISuperwomanII  at the YouTube FanFest in Mumbai

"With amazing artists, crazy fans, incredible hospitality and stunning locations, India has proved itself as the perfect location for the first YouTube FanFest with HP of 2014. Next stop is Singapore in May but India has set the bar very, very high." said Jasper Donat , CEO, Branded Ltd.

Gautam Anand, Director Content Partnerships & Operations, APAC said, “From creators just starting out to big-name stars, YouTube has provided a platform for people to turn passions into businesses. We are delighted with the response we got from the YouTube Fans with a packed house and it was incredible to see the energy amongst the Indian creators collaborating with some of the top YouTube stars globally. India is truly a fascinating market and we will continue to host more such initiatives to inspire up-and-coming creators in India.”

Sharukh Khan drops by at the YouTube FanFest that was hekd in Mumbai for the first time

Nargis Fakhri and Varun Dhawan regaling the audience at the YouTube FanFest in Mumbai

Put together by YouTube and Branded Ltd., YouTube FanFest with HP is a unique event where YouTubers and their followers can forge a tangible bond between each other. The digital video world steps out of their screens to join fans in the flesh, for a day that centres around behind the scenes footage and discovering new talents.

The Nature’s Co. Founder unveils beauty essentials at work!

March being the financial year end calls for appraisal and promotion evaluations. Don’t you want to show the confidence inside out at this time of the year? We’re sure your desk drawers are fully supplied with pens and post-its, but what about beauty essentials? It’s important to keep an inventory of beauty must-haves at your workplace, after all, the amount of time we working ladies spend at our work desk, it makes it pretty much our second home. 

 TNC doesn’t leave a chance to help you look your best naturally, around the clock. This time Beauty Expert & Founder, The Nature’s Co, Natasha Shah, herself has rounded up 6 products in the March Special Gorgeous 9 to 5 Beauty Wish Box, that'll work as hard as you do.

"Impromptu outdoor meetings or after-work plans, ‘freshening up' or touch-ups become inevitable. These emergency fix-its have slowly filled up my desk, and I refuse to part with a single one, making me look and feel my best at all times. You’ll be ready for anything!" shares, Natasha. 

She decodes some inside tips to keep you feeling gorgeous, confident and ready for any challenges the day might bring. Here is her daily beauty checklist:

1) Hydration: Keeping yourself hydrated keeps your body and mind active and fresh. Always have a bottle of water on your desk. Replace teas and coffees during work hours to green tea and lemongrass tea.

2) Moisturisation: Outdoor meeting and continuous air condition at work leads to skin dryness and damage. Treating your skin with the apt amount of moisture is necessary. Never skip your body lotion, day face cream, lip balm and hand cream quick retouches at work.

3) Quick Fixes: To freshen up anytime of the day a good face wash in your bag is a must have. When on the go wet wipes always help.

4) Grooming: Being well groomed helps to boost confidence level. Always keep a nail file, tweezers, an extra hair clutcher and hair ties handy to be looking perfect at any time.

5) Me - Time: Long hours in front of the computer screen causes a lot of strain to your back, neck and posture. Ensure you occasionally break into simple neck exercises and feet stretches to relax your muscles. 

*Personal Tip* : Take a break from the screen. Make sure you get up every hour for a few minutes and walk around your office. Avoid calling / emailing your colleagues, instead walk up to their desks, get up to get a drink, go near the window for some fresh air or get up to get your print or photocopy.

Find the handpicked recommendation in their March Special Gorgeous 9 - to - 5 Beauty Wish Box.

Subscriptions start at Rs. 595/- only. Also get 35% Discount Vouchers on full sized products on subscription to sample size. A complimentary spa coupon at TNC stores, and a special refreshing delight from Kara facial wipes.

To subscribe the wish box you could visit the below mentioned link: http://www.thenaturesco.com/Subcategory/beautywish-subscription/beauty-wish-box.aspx