Vilvah Haul & Night Skincare Routine

Past few months have been crazy at work and even though I had the weekends where I could take time out & write, I haven’t. Thank you if you stopped by here to read this blog, I am writing after MONTHS!

I haven’t been much of a personal care products buying person but lately trying my best to take care of the skin and hair in this unpredictable polluted weather of Mumbai. While there are daily care products like my Johnson & Johnson moisturiser which is always with me, my interest in organic products has grown quite a lot since last year. So much so that I spend time on Instagram learning about such brands; be it personal care or fashion - organic and sustainable products are the new trend and I hope they are here to stay for LONG.

One of such brands that has grown up to be of my liking is - Vilvah. A home-based brand, Vilvah is based out of Coimbatore in South India, and believes in using close to nil plastic, chemical-free products for your skin, hair and body care. There’s a wide range of products on their website; right from shampoo and conditioner to oil, serums, lip scrub, toners, etc. Their goat milk shampoo & Moringa Beautifying serum are the bestsellers. The products are not too expensive and if you are looking at investing in yourself for a change, do give this a try.

I recently shopped for a few products from them online for my night skincare routine which includes Honeyfix Facewash, Tea tree toner, Under eye cream & Anti-acne serum. I have been using their Herbal Shampoo for Dandruff & Light Conditioner since last year which have managed to make my hair softer and considerably reduce dandruff (if only I was more consistent!). 

Do take a look at the products I bought and my first impression of using them for a month. I will add a review for each product after a few months of usage on this blog itself.

 

Honeyfix Facewash -
Honey is known to have anti-bacterial property and this facewash is made of it. As soon as you take a drop on your palm, the smell of honey is very evident & once you apply it on your face, it makes the skin feel softer from the first go itself. I would suggest you use facewash 1-2 times everyday. I use it after coming home from work after a long day out and it relaxes me.

 

Tea tree Toner -
After a generous love from the honeyfix face wash, I move on to Pure teatree water, it is made for acne prone skin & makes the skin feel cool. I use it twice every day, once in the morning before leaving for work and once after coming back home after face wash. 

Anti-acne Serum -
Once the Cleansing and Toning is done, I move on to this anti-acne serum from Vilvah. 3 drops and a massage on the face makes it feel relaxed. Use it only once a day. 

This is the first time I have used a serum on my face. Am one of those girls who thought serums should only be applied on hair. Note: You do not have to rinse your face or clean it with cotton.

Under eye cream -

Lastly, the under eye cream. A small dab under the eye, and you can even apply it on top of the lids. Use it only in night.Th cream is very light & doesn’t feel like a drag on the face. 

 

So yes, that’s about my latest haul and night skincare routine. If you have a skincare regime or have used Vilvah, do share your views in the comments section below.

(I cannot believe I have put up a blog after ONE WHOLE YEAR!)

Hair & Skin Solution: Jadi Buti India Review

Phew. Am back to blogging after a long time. And another weekend has gone by. November has been quite a lot of work, especially with Diwali. Lately pollution has increased in the city too. People have been falling ill, skin and hair have taken a toll too! I for one certainly is always on the lookout for products which do not harm the environment and at the same time work well for me. Because sometimes, even 7-8 hours of sleep doesn't do justice with us. 

Few weeks back, a homemade start-up Jadi Buti sent me and Amma Ki Rasoi some herbal oils and teas to try. This blog is primarily my take on their oil which I have tried over the past month. As for tea, you can read about it on my mother's blog next weekend!

Coming on to the Herbal Oils from Jadi Buti India. The start-up founded by the duo of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is fairly new in the market but their recipes date back to 50 years ago. They believe in natural products even with their packaging. 

What came to our doorstep were 4 herbal oils: Aloe Vera, Methi, Camphor and Mixed Herbs. Made of fine ingredients, the oils can be used for not just hair but skin too. 

Starting with how each of them can help you; 

Aloe Vera: For those of you who follow me on Instagram know that I love organic products. Especially things my mother grows in her balcony garden. Aloe Vera is one of them. If you take a stem out of the aloe vera leaf, the gooey mixture can be applied directly on to the scalp for dandruff-free life. Coming on to the oil, apply it lukewarm on the scalp for better blood circulation and for best conditioning your hair can ever receive!

Use: At least once a week

After using it over a period of time, it also helps in reducing the scalp irritation. When it comes to skin, I have only used the natural aloe vera but this oil is also good to use on sunburn as it soothes the skin, leaving a cooling effect. You can even apply it on insect bites, works immediately!

Methi Oil: If you have been dealing with hairfall, Methi Oil should be of help. At least twice a week, apply lukewarm oil on to your scalp to prevent hairfall and make them shiny. 

Did you know that having a few seeds of Methi with Lukewarm water helps in better digestion? The ingredient sure is abundant with healthy benefits. This oil also works well for acne reduction and moisturizing skin. 

Camphor Oil: All you need after a long tiring week at work is a relaxed time. Camphor does that for you. Camphor oil is known to reduce stress and promote hair growth. It is also one of the perfect remedy to get rid of Lice! 

If you have joint pains or swelling - gently massage this oil on to the affected area for relief.

Mixed Herbs Oil: I have recently started to use this one. I have always had thin and frizzy hair and somehow no oil has made it better for me since childhood. Will this be able to? According to Jadi Buti India, Mixed Herbs Oil is made to prevent Hairfall and stimulates its growth. 
Well, it is certainly what I need.

Have you used any of these oils? Use Free10% code to get 10% off on your first purchase with Jadi Buti India and don't forget to tell me if you do buy!

Like them on Facebook. 
Based out of Mumbai, they ship across India.

Until next time,
@WanderlustGirl_

Table for one, please?

In front of me sits my laptop. To my left is my phone with photos of the last restaurant I went to with my friend for a meal this week. I went home after it while my friend for a quick drink ‘alone’.

Personally, I love the idea of solitude but what I also love is to talk, spending time in a company rather than sitting eating alone in a restaurant of going for a movie alone. While there are all kinds of people in a restaurant – a couple who is busy taking selfies or chatting away to glory, a group of friends laughing – probably having met after a long time, family with kids enjoying their food, colleagues enjoying their time post-work and then some who simply are eating alone. While I can do all of it – this concept of eating alone is not me. Most of the time it bothers me. 

There was one incident when that same friend had to leave the theatre while a movie was going on and I was left there watching the rest of it, alone. Though I completely enjoyed that Salman Dulquer’s movie with subtitles – the thought of people looking at me and judging me for watching a movie alone – made me feel weird. A friend resonates with my thought.



Yesterday, I shared this thought of – dining out/going for a movie alone on Facebook and so many of you / my friends shared views! 90% of them made sure to tell me how amazing of an experience it is to sit with a book in a café all by yourself and how going for a movie alone has its own pros.

So, while the comments section is still receiving several opinions, in this blog, I have clubbed a few of them to share with you.

Tips/Pros/Views of Eating alone/going for a movie on your own:

1. To eat alone is the ultimate indulgence, a chance to be away from everything.




2. You can cry or laugh or feel what you want to feel like! Nobody knows you in that theater (probably!) 

3. You don’t have to worry about the genre another one likes. 



4. You don’t have to share your snacks (I loved this one!) 




5. It’s how you can treat yourself once in a while. 



6. No talks or questions during the movie

7. Some time to yourself 



8. Book is the ultimate company





9. Watch the world go by!

While, 90% of you made sure to tell me how great it is to be on your own sometimes; few did agree with me on how it is boring or simply weird to eat/go for a movie alone.




Nevertheless, while I might just end up visiting a café or two on my own (doubt though!) ... you don't forget to share your views in the comments section and also, do tell me which which category do YOU fall under?

Until the next blog,
Table for one, please?

Monsoon Special - Take care of that feet!

Every season has its advantages and disadvantages. While the rains cool down the humidity during monsoon, it also brings home, infections. The water logged streets, moist atmosphere, the dampness may bring skin problems to your feet. With all the mud and dirt around during this season, it is all the more important to take care of your feet. It rains like crazy in my city - Mumbai and commuting in local train makes my feet prone to all kinds of dust, dirt, pollution, mud, etc. 

Here are a few tips which I follow and you can too to make sure your feet smiles back at you, every day:

1 - Keep it dry and clean
If you have got your feet wet in the rain, wash them with clean water after getting home or reaching home and dry with a towel. Avoid wearing socks and shoes this season, if you cannot avoid, make sure you keep a pair of socks to change into in case the one you are wearing get wet.

2 - Soak it!
Not in the rain water but lukewarm water at home, at least once a week! Add some bath salt or mild shampoo to it - soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes for an ultra relaxing time at home. It helps to kill bacteria and softens the skin.

3 - Scrub it!
Now that your skin is softened, it is easy to scrub out dead skin off it. Use a pumice stone or scrubber and you are good to go! Dead skin over a period of time can lead to cracks and make your skin hard. And you don't want that!

4 - Use a good moisturiser
I have recently got myself a foot cream from Oriflame which is abundant with Avocado and Aloe Vera. I apply it overnight every day after washing my feet before sleeping. 

Available for 375 INR (75ml)
Photo courtesy: www.meandmysuitcase.com

It's got a nice fragrance, not overwhelming, and the tube is so easy to carry on your travels (win-win!). The best part? It's not tested on animals.

While most of us tend to neglect our feet, we forget that it takes us around all the time and sure need a little pampering every now and then! Wear open foot wear as much as possible, especially when outdoors and don't forget to clean your sandals/shoes with hot water regularly.

I hope these simple tips help you, they are easy to do and bring results over a period of time if you regularly follow.

Until I bring to you another blog,
@WanderlustGirl_

Review - Roop Mantra Neem Face Wash

It's been a while I blogged here. There's so much to share with you all but just couldn't put words together. Firstly, I cannot believe it's near to September now. In no time it will be 2019! DAYYUM.

Secondly, the work never ends. To add to it, the Mumbai commuting, traveling and pollution takes a toll on the body. Weather is polluted excessively and no matter how much you cover it up - your skin tends to get affected. If there's one thing which has continued to trouble me this year as well, it is breakouts! There's a new acne on my face almost every week and the blemishes have made home on my cheeks.

I have used several products to get rid off the problems and the recent addition to my regime are these two products sent over by the brand - Roop Mantra. Am very particular about using products on my face and hence was with them since it claims to be Ayurvedic.

The team had sent over an entire range of products which includes: 4 different types of Facewash and 2 creams. Take a look below!

I have been using a couple of products out of these since almost a month and here's a quick sneak peek to how they fared for me.

Roop Mantra Neem Facewash:

Especially formulated for removing pimple problem, Roop Mantra Neem Facewash is a blend of Neem, Tulsi and Turmeric with antibacterial features. The product usage has considerably delayed the occurrence of new pimples and blemishes have faded a little.

Got something my skin agrees to. Been using for about 3-4 weeks now, @roopmantra #Neem medicinal facewash is what's coming up on the #blog soonish! 🙌 Been a while the blog got updated. 🤦 #skincare #personalcare #shotononeplus #acne #oilcontrol #skincareroutine #facewash #skincareregime #instablogger #instafeed #skininsta #mobileshot

A post shared by Megha (@meghashrimali) on Aug 14, 2018 at 10:51pm PDT

• You can apply it twice a day, I use it once before leaving from home and once after coming back from work.
• Take only a small pea sized amount on your palm, add a little water and form a lather.
• Apply on the face in circular motion.
• Make sure the face is cleaned with fresh water before applying the facewash. 

The facewash also comes in variants of cucumber, Mix fruit, Aloe Vera and Lime & Mint. It leaves a soothing and cooling sensation behind on the skin and you are bound to feel fresh.

The packaging is handy and comes in size & price range of 

20ml at Rs 18 | 50ml at Rs 48 | 115ml at Rs 83. The varied range makes it easy to carry on your travels too!

I moisturise after it using the Ayurvedic medicinal cream by Roop Mantra - stay tuned for its review along with that of Roop Mantra Pimple Gel in my next blog. Definitely writing the next one sooner :)

Have you used Roop Mantra products? Do share your views with me in the comments section below. You can shop for their products here from Divisa Store.

Keeping up with Kaneda: Book Review

The title of this book transported me to the times when a friend of mine would jokingly call Canada - Kaneda during college days, with a stress on 'e'. That's how actually a lot of us Indians amusingly refer to it as. 

'Keeping up with Kaneda' written by Gaurav Kumar takes us through the first-person view of being in a foreign country for the first time with a score of desis around you who somehow still haven't gotten over their ability to judge you for doing things like back home (we Indians are almost everywhere). 

The story is funny and relatable at so many levels. Right from hilarious encounters in the foreign land to the mindset showcased. Relatable because I have heard about them from friends and ex-colleagues who live there and somehow experienced it within the initial days of shifting to Canada. The story is an easy read and if you have a habit of sitting with the book with an aim to read it continuously, a day is enough. 

The story begins with journeying through the moments one lives while shifting to another country. You not only have to get accustomed to the place and people but also the language, food and the culture. 

While the book starts on a hilarious note and him landing in Canada to doing odd jobs, completing his college while it ends on a philosophical note which somehow doesn't go with the entire flow. 

Nevertheless, it makes for a fun read. 

It is priced at Rs.175 and on a discounted rate of Rs. 88 on Amazon, you can buy it here: Keeping up with Kaneda

Baaya Reimagined!

Home is where the heart is and we all dream to make an exclusive space in our home which we can go back to for solace and infusing creativity every day! Baaya Reimagined aims to do that by unleashing a whole new area of imagination in your life.

An evening with people admiring artworks from Baaya Reimagined. The event was inaugurated by none other than architects Sanjay and Nina Puri along with founders Shibani and Vipul Jain. There was an outstanding performance by acclaimed fusion singer Isheeta Ganguly who specially curated a fusion track for Baaya to make it more personlised. 

Baaya Ver 4.0 - a new avatar- one that is sure to inspire amazement and appreciation about our artisan skills and the tantalising possibilities that emerge with the help of contemporary design. 

To grace the occasion they had the beautiful Mamta Raja, hair stylist Colleen Khan who came along with husband, Derek Affonso, Ashwini Kakkar and Dennis Metzger. 

The new and improved store is designed to re-imagine your interiors, providing well thought-out mock-ups for visualisation of various living spaces like a living room, home office and dining area. The renovated store offers more space, new product categories and a lot more choice! 

You can expect a mix of new, innovative art, artefacts, zany furniture, mirrors and rugs apart from the classic range available at Baaya. The range has been curated from the corners of India to add the quintessential ‘Baaya appeal’ to your home. The perfect eclectic blend, the place where tradition meets design.

The store will also feature Baaya Design Studio, where we help design and execute customised solutions for interiors - be it a residence, office or a hotel. Customisation enables possibilities that are only limited by your imagination. The Design Studio will have a full-time design consultant available to suggest exciting concepts for your spaces.

Prepare to have your imagination unleashed!

The subtle art of Serendipity

I can hear the waves splashing onto the shore. There are birds chirping in the vicinity. It is probably an early morning. I can also hear cricket in symphony. I can imagine the smell of leaves, freshly covered with morning dew. The grass feels just about right under my feet. 

It's this very moment when I realize I have conveniently managed to forego the reality of this hot and sweaty Mumbai evening and embraced the sounds and feel of this unknown place through my earphones.

I often resort to doing nothing on one day of the week and find myself listening to the sounds of nature, the rain, the forest. It is my way of meditating and cutting myself from the stress. There are umpteen options to choose from online and I haven't found a better therapy in recent times. (apart from an occasional Spa and coloring)

Stress. Exhaustion. Anxiety. Trying to achieve too many things. Trying your best to keep everyone happy. Trying to tick off tasks on your list. It's more than important to find a time out of this. 

Doing overtime ain't an achievement. Neither is being miserable running behind more money for that lavish life. What's an achievement is to find time for yourself, for your family and friends. From the times which are surrounded with the number of likes and shares on your timeline.

Coming from a job which expects me to be on social media almost the entire day has been exhaustive. This subtle art of doing nothing, absolutely nothing promises to be a bliss. Fighting the tendency of tweeting, checking out trending videos, catching up with several amount of posts scrolling through your timeline. 

So when people ask me the next time, what did I do this weekend; I want to say, "absolutely nothing. And yet, it was everything."

Reading a book. Taking a nap. Finding time to talk to your best friend. Finding time to help your mother in the kitchen. Making sure your Dad knows what you are upto. Taking out some time to sketch or simply clean your wardrobe. Asking your brother or sister out on a dinner. Spending time with your love on a slow date. 

Take some time out so you look forward to Monday.

Take some time out so you feel fresher.

Take some time out so you don't feel drained out.

Take some time out so you don't look back and say, "why didn't I?" 

Take some time out and do absolutely nothing to say 

YES to serendipity.

*Itching to sit by a beach in Goa*

Borderless Love

When I sat down to write about one of the experiences am most passionate about in life, I stopped at the topic. I have attempted to share my cherished moments and lessons learnt from traveling earlier as well but couldn’t do justice to it because there was so much to share and also for the fact that I have hardly travelled much. There are so many destinations to explore that one might want to write and rewrite about each one of them and yet yearn to go back or move to next.

For me, Traveling is not just about checking off another destination from my list. It’s about sharing the same world, albeit different time zones. In many ways, traveling is about rekindling communities, reviving abandoned spaces and stories and simply exploring the world on your own terms and decreasing the distances and borders, one step at a time.

Traveling has helped me look at things, people and situations in a different perspective. One of the things being – a common passion can bring people together. 

I never thought I would live in a hostel, but I did.

PC: The Brown Scooter

When you breathe in an unfamiliar atmosphere or try out a completely new cuisine or getting to know about different cultures – you are letting yourself out of comfort zone and that’s what I love about traveling. It need not be a solo travel to experience such things – it could even be a short trip with friends like the one I had in Jaisalmer where I met this young fellow who sings traditional/Folk songs of Rajasthan to meet the ends of his daily life and cannot afford to go to school since it is far. One day, he wants to earn enough so his family has to suffer less.

Another incident being from the same trip where I met this Airbnb Host who knows more than 7 languages and is yearning to learn more so he can serve his residents in a better way and promote it to a wider audience. If this is not passion, what is?

I never thought I would get to experience Wildlife in a way I had never imagined. But I did. And how!

I still call this moment my 'beginner's luck'
PC: The Brown Scooter

Back home, we are a person made out of the work we do, the family we have, the people we interact with on a daily basis – when traveling – the story is a little different. Traveling has made me much more confident and convey it in a way people can take a cue from and implement in their lives. 

Traveling has taught me to think of the little things in life. I have become conscious about my surroundings, about the people whom I see on a daily basis. It has given me an all new perspective about exploration and inspiration. Which reminds me of this young local man who hosted me and my friends in a desert and made sure his camels and midnight stories make for a great stay. His ultimate goal in life? To visit China with the help of a man from that country he hosted several years back. He comes back to India every year to meet him and take an update on his VISA update (the time I met him, he had got his passport!)

Another fellow whom I met on my trip this year in Uttar Pradesh – a guide who made sure that I get to know each and every single thing about the monument to go back home and write about and share their story with the world, a lady whose idea of traveling is not just about being in one place today and another tomorrow but to stay in different cities and do community service. 

Just because a culture is alien to you doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance to explore. People are largely the same; though they speak in a different language in a foreign land, ultimately, their expectations from life are similar to ours.

These are some of the people who make for a cherished memory for me and you will always find me #SayYEStotheWorld for it will always give an opportunity to learn, retrospect, be a more creative person, help me prioritise in life and last but not the least – Live it to the fullest!

Traveling is unpredictable, it can make the world look small one day and the other - vast. But, it is such a rewarding and enriching experience that you will never have to find an excuse to say YES to it. Watch this video to get ready to visit this beauuu-tiful world with Lufthansa!

Instagram Accounts one must follow!

When most of us spend our maximum time online, it is all the more important to follow the right accounts to make the most of it! I have recently started a #FridayFollow on my Instagram page and the response has been quite well. 

Below are some of my personal favorites that one must follow on to welcome good vibes on timeline. I shall keep updating this blog as and when new ones' make it to my list!

(In no particular order)

Alicia Aradilla:

This artist has been traveling around the world and articulating her trips in the form of beautiful sketches. She is currently in India and journeying through Rajasthan. Take a look.

Tawfik Rahman:

A postcard a day is what this account follows on Instagram. Whether food, or travel, or moments you want to keep a picture of - there's a painted sketch for all of it. 

Go follow!

 

Next one - Kresha Bajaj

A designer, Kresha is a known name in the industry. Her feed is beautiful! The way she composes her photos is something to learn from.

Have a look!

Courtney from New York - ColorMeCourtney

From her fashion sense to beautiful photography, Courtney is one of my favorite fashion blogger since a while! Her carefree attitude is what makes her feed 'colorful'. 

Check it out.

If you would like to recommend an Instagram account, do leave their links/username in the comments section below.

I will update this particular blog every fortnight :)

Until then,

Bubye!