Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Diwali Look + Look for the Wedding Season - Happy Diwali EVERYONE

Bright eye makeup to compliment the festival of lights


The gold , Silver and Smokey Black eye makeup

Outfit by Megha Grover

Net Churidar (Courtesy Megha Grover)

Hankerchief Net Dupatta with gold edging and Gold fabric brotch in the middle.

Lovely Embellished Neckline

li'l bells on my net sleeves

Jewelery from Sia (Inorbit Malad)



Check out the this Makeup tutorial on my youtube channel

Thursday, 20 October 2011

DOVE- for the LOVE of Beautiful HAIR


In the past few months I have tried a a load of hair care products, from moisture kicks, to protein conditioning , deep conditioning to home made regimens. WHY you ask? In June this year I was faced with an inescapable truth, my health was detoriating and to such an extent that my condition gave my usually very calm Dr those ugly frown lines. Now without giving you the ugly details (that's for another post), one of the side effects of my multiple ailments is hairfall. So I started taking the prescribed medicines, and they are ALOT.

Now the catch 22 was the side effects to the medications is HAIRFALL! And also the texture was frizzy and unearthly. Now to add to my load of voes, I have been color treating my hair since I was 16 years old and changed or updated the color every 4-6 months. Yes! THAT much damage and thats not all. At the begining of this year I decided that 2011 will be the year I grow my hair longgggg. For those of you have hair thats longer than shoulder length, know the amount of upkeep unvolved.

The Red Hair Phase
So here I was on my knees praying to the God of Healthy folicles and the doorbell rang. Now, who could this be at 7:45am? I opened the door to a very apologetic courier man who handed me a brown package. Me being me, ripped open the package ferociously (now who doesnt like receiving mail). And saw this beautiful gold trimmed plastic pouch containing the magic potion to revive all damaged hair. My Dove Nourishing Oil Care Range with Vita Oils had arrived.



I ideally wanted to review it after 30 uses, however, I've had a few lovely readers curious about the effects and asking me whether they should buy it as well. Now I don't want to tell anyone what to do, however let me tell you what Dove has done for me and what I do over and above my Dove Nourishing Oil Care Regimen.

My Simple but amazing hair regimen.

So before washing my hair since they get entangled easily, I comb it outwith my fingers
then i wet it well and apply the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo. I take about a 50 paise size worth of shampoo and apply it from the roots to the ends of my hair. And i slowly and very gently start working it through. I wash off the shampoo with luke warm water and repeat the entire shampooing process once more. Now I do that because I have hair that can only be compared to Saddam Husain's Oil wells... It is very very oily and hence i always repeat shampooing. The instructions on the shampoo bottle also recommends using the shampoo atleast twice, however you would want to alter that depending on whether you hair is dry or oily.

After the 2nd application of the shampoo, I use the Conditioner of the Nourishing Oil Care range. I use about 50 paise size of this softy (ice cream) looking conditioner and work it from the ends of my hair to mid length. I assess mid length to my nape of my neck. And whatever is left I apply it to the top of my head very very lightly. Now the instructions recommend leaving it on for 1 to 3 mins. Since I have oily hair I leave it for 1 min and wash it off again with luke warm water.

Right at the end of my shower I do stand under cool water, dont know if it will help you, however this one tip works wonders for me. Especially with keeping a less oily scalp.

Once I towel dry my hair, I immediately apply the oil serum. I swear by this product it works wonders and I feel Dove should supply it by the bucket load. I have started carrying it with me in my purse just in case I feel my hair has frizzed out due to humidity (remember Monica's hair from Friends where they went on a holiday..yup! exactly like that). This serum is MAGIC!

I only comb my hair once it has completely dried and i start with the ends working my way upwards.

I have tried different versions of this regimen, e.g. not using the conditioner and only the serum after shampoo, applying different amounts, keeping the conditioner for longer time etc. The above method has worked BEST.

What else do I do?
Once a week I do oil my hair. After my hair has naturally dried, I take a little lotus oil and apply it to the ends of my hair. Now when i do this I do not apply the Dove Serum.

Once a week I also apply the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Hair mask. When i do this I do not apply any conditioner. Since it is a deep conditioning product.
I drink 3-4 liters of water.

I wash my hair 4-5 times a week. Now I feel I need to do that because of the amount of dirt my hair attracts since it is oily.



All this might seem a lot for some people, but it has given me some prespective. It has given me an opportunity to feel taken care of, Lush and very proud of my almost perfect hair. Now ofcourse there is still hairfall, however it has reduced drastically. I find myself now not only taking care of my hair but also my skin, health and my mind. Only to ensure that I always feel this loved and cared for. Somehow that best time spent is when im taking care of myself and a happy me has more to give the people I love. So do i think you should get the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Range? Yes! The range comes with a Shampoo, conditioner , hair mask and hair serum and i think the entire product range is within 800rupees. And for 800rupees it has the ability to make you feel a million bucks.

Now the only problem I face is, that I find myself running my fingers though my hair all the time.

Post wash

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

What Makeup shoud'nt look like.....

Gold Brocade Nail Color

Mixed 2 colors today to get this beautiful color. Sorry about the picture, I had to click it from my phone.  I call this Gold Brocade

Dinesh Ahuja Photography - Getting better by the day

Photographer: Dinesh Ahuja, Model Rohit Reddy
I knew I had to blog about this the moment I saw the new additions to the Dinesh Ahuja Photography page on Facebook. If you have read my previous post on Dinesh, you'll know that he is this talented photographer and a friend as well. He very enthusiatically describes his creative process to any photoshoot like its as easy as apple pie. However, what he described only a few are blessed to experience.

He mentioned that even before he started the shoot, he visualized the concept, the layout, colors and Scene enabling him to complete this photoshoot in only 45 minutes. I was amazed! He sounded so matter a fact about it.

Take a look at this man's genius.



Find Dinesh Ahuja Photography on Facebook and Twitter

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Big Love of Oprah


Anyone who knows me even a little bit, knows that I live by the words of our lord "Oprah". LOL! Ok, maybe thats a bit much, however, I love her. I coud'nt believe that I had been blogging since June and had not thought about a post on my Idol Oprah Winfrey. Better late eh?

When it was suggested to me to review an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show I jumped with joy and screamed Hallehua! An episode with Oprah, babies, cash cab, Interesting (read dirty) jobs and Food...my favorite things well except for the dirty jobs bit. Wowie!

This wonderfully upbeat show kicks of with a very average family of three members, until the high school sweethearts and now husband and wife decide to use the same fertility treatment they got their first child with, and they find themselves pregnant with 5 children..YES 5! Phew! This part of the show talks about their reality show on TLC called Quints by Surprise and also how the community, their church has helped them ever since the babies were born. This part had me all choked up. The babies now 2 yrs old are adorable, even their elder daughter is a sweetheart.

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/quints-by-surprise

Joneses Family Photo Album








The next segment take a hundred and eighty degree turn. Here you get to meet Mike Rowe from shows like Deadliest Catch and Ghost Lab on Discovery. He is also the creator and host of an Emmy nnominated show called Dirty Jobs. He finds the dirtiest jobs and the heroes who do them and spends a day in their shoes. If you have seen the show he has done some brift stints in garbage disposal, turkey insemination etc. He also commorates the amazing people who do these jobs and do it quitely to receive rare appeciation. You can also see that on the show, however i won't reveal everything.
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/dirty-jobs/



The next part of the show is fun, not only cuz its a quiz show , however one of my favorites with an amazing host named Ben Bailey. He is the host of the Discovery show Cash Cab. He takes paasengers in his Cab and starts a very elaborate game show right there in his cab. In this particular episode passengers are asked Oprah related questions (I would ace that quiz) and if you win, you are given tickets to the Oprah Winfrey Show. (OMG! I wish it were me) The quiz continues on the Oprah show as well.... I'm not gonna reveal the winners, you will have to catch the show to find that out.



Now we come to the last segment and my very favorite one. Why is my favorite? Cuz its about two sisters as business partners doing what they love...Georgetown Cupcake owners Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne,also  the stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes, show Oprah how to make their festive Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes. I hope one day my sister (http://laila-rebelwithoutacause.blogspot.com/) and I become business partners, we just gotta figure out what?

I will try this recipe as it is amazing! How can you go wrong with strawberry and rose champagne? In this particular segment, I saw a jovial , funny side of Oprah which i loved. I guess Strawberry, Champagne and dessert makes even the most powerful woman excatly like a school girl.
If you want the check out the recipe go to www.oprah.com
To check out these lovely ladies visit www.georgetowncupcake.com






If you like what you hear...and i dont see how you won't.. catch this episode of the Oprah Show tomorrow 20th October 2011  on Big CBS Love at 9pm.


MasterChef India 2

आपके ज़िन्दगी के सबसे बेहतरीन तीस सेकंड !!!!


And boy were they right!
15th October 2011, 2:30pm and Venue RK Studio in Chembur.

My very first Indiblogger meet. I was excited, apprehensive and eager to see what the experience had in store for me. I'm majorily a very shy person, and i'm used to dealing with most new experinces by saying NO! I was tempted to do the same for the IndiBlogger meet at the MasterChef India 2 Set, even though I LOVE MASTERCHEF. However, one of the situations that gave me the courage I needed to go for this amazing event, was when a fellow blogger , IndiBlogger member /Organiser replied to my transport query email stating that it will be a lot of fun and was going to be happy to meet the IndiBlogger members. Now! mind you, this person had never met, spoken to me before. I found that a very kind gesture and it gave me the boost to get ready and step out to RK studios. So thank you Karthik from IndiBlogger for unknowingly encouraging me to come fore my very first IndiBlogger meet.
 I would'nt trade anything for that experience.
En route to RK Studio

I was very excited to visit RK studios. Being in a place where creativity makes history is an adrenalin rush and to have that with an entire community who does what you do (in the broader sense) made it even more special. I trulu expected a small inconspicous meet and what I was welcomed with was beyond incredible. The entrance of the MasterChef studio was strewn with Indiblogger and MasterChef India Standees etc. I entered through this really small door into the studio and looked beyond these glass doors at what i can only explain as an decorating phenome. I entered with my mouth open , eyes wide and couldnt believe me luck....I was here at MASTERCHEF India Kitchen....My dream is to enter as a participant but this was jsut as amazing.
The dark wooded interiors gave it a warm welcoming feel and with its bling/crystal detailing i was at home. The steel applicances and prestine white ceramic dishes made this the kitchen of my dreams. It was defintiely over 6000 sq feet with a mezzanine floor to boast about.I found myself just sitting there and watching everything in Awe!
 At the Entrance of the MasterChef India 2 Kitchen



The Famous Master Chef Clock...I love it!



My New Friend Neha (nehasblog.com)


I look a little drunk...I guess i was high on masterchef






The Three esteemed judges Kunal, Vikas and Ajay

Me with Chef Ajay


I went to MasterChef India 2 eager to meet Chef Vikas, cuz he is super cute and i came back in love with Chef Kunal and Ajay. Their humor and sensitivity as well as relatibility is amazing. They actually consider themselves the common man. I do realise thats where their roots are. However . a reality check for the Chef/Judges, You are no longer the common man. You now have the ability to reach almost every person in India and i cant even imagine the number of people around the world.

I know that the judges realise their responsibility as well as their reach, but they are now celebrities.
And i'm glad they are. Out of most of the celebrities out there, they seem to be the ones with substance and reason for this kinda success. I stopped watching MasterChef India Season 1 because at the time i didnt want to see only indian food being made (purely because i didnt know the art of indian cooking then) Now that I cook everyday and love every bit of it I'm going to watch MasterChef India 2 ont eh 22nd of Oct for the food, but mostly for the wonderful judges. They seem amazing.

For my first IndiBlogger meet I got something that i can brag about for a long time. And i am so grateful for this experience.

Here's to MasterChef India 2 and Indiblogger. You guys ROCK!

P.S I'm uploading videos from the meet on youtube. subcribe to my channel so that youre intimated when they are uploaded. http://www.youtube.com/user/aasheianaal

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