Who are H Wood Beauty ?

- A holistic tea inspired beauty line.

If you live in LA you probably have heard about the h.wood tea room and their innovative tea based cocktails. This cool and mysterious place that supposedly is all the rage in LA has inspired some of the city's most respected makeup artists to come together and create a beauty line called - H.wood beauty. How cool is a beauty line inspired by tea based cocktails ! I think its a great story ! But what's even more amazing is that their products are big on natural / organic goodness.

Lip Tea

The folks at h.wood beauty sent me a couple of products to try and the organic / natural geek in me loved seeing the "ORGANIC" label on their lip balm ! Their lip balms AKA lip teas ($10) come in six flavors and have the shortest ingredient list ever. Its just a bunch of clean products like coconut oil, olive oil, Shea butter, green tea coming together to keep your lips soft and hydrated. I tried the vanilla caramel flavor - and have contemplated chewing it many a times - smells so good ! Once you try products like this , it almost makes you feel guilty about using petroleum byproducts on yourself.

Lip Shine

Another new product from the line , is their lip shine ($16). Housed in an alluring golden tube, these lip shines are sheer lip colors made with all the goodness of their lip balms. These are available in five shades - sheer, poppy, ruby, rose, plum. I tried ruby and adored the look of translucent red on my lips. Its great for a no makeup look. But its also so so so very easy to use them up in a minute. Not a minute really but you know what I mean. And for this reason alone I wish it were cheaper.

Overall très impressed with the line. Its hard for me to not like a line made locally with lots of good-for-you ingredients and h.wood beauty plays to this weakness in me.

Love,
Indian Girl

PS : For those of you asking, I received confirmation from JHLA that they are not affiliated with h.wood beauty.

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Guys !

Just what you asked for ! I have the whole list of winners mentioned below !

Apart from this, I have loads of other fun stuff to share with y'all. My BFF is visiting me this weekend so before she gets here, I will try and write up a few posts for y'all to read ! Yesterday I was in Houston for the Manchester United vs. MLS All Stars game - mad crazy fun ! Will have some pics up from the game too !

Now onto the list...

BEST OF SKINCARE

Cleanser: Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser
Moisturiser (for day): Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15
Moisturiser (for night): Elizabeth Arden INTERVENE Stress Recovery Night Cream
Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+
Serums: Guerlain Super-Aqua Serum and Leaf & Rusher Active Serum
Eye cream: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex
Peel/mask: Clarins Gentle Peeling

BEST OF ANTI-AGEING

Cleanser: La Prairie Foam Cleanser
Moisturisers (for day): Dior Capture Totale Multi Perfection Crème and Clinique Youth Surge SPF15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer
Moisturiser (for night): Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lifting Creme
Sunscreen: Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25
Serums: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules Intensive Treatment for Face & Throat and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex
Eye cream: Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Eye Cream
Peel/mask: Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Mask and Dermalogica AGE Smart TM Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque

BEST OF BODY

Cellulite Busters: Clarins High Definition Body Lift
Creams/lotions: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter and Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Body Treatment
Scrubs: L’Occitane Almond Delicious Paste

BEST OF MAKE-UP

Concealer: YSL Touche Éclat
Lipstick (day): Dior Sérum de Rouge, Rosewood Serum 740 and M.A.C. Lipstick, Half ’n Half
Lipstick (night): Lakmé Nine-to-Five Colorfix Lip Duo, Grapevine
Lipstick (red): M.A.C Lipstick, Russian Red
Lipstick (brown): The Body Shop Colourglide Lip Colour, Beechnut
Lipstick (pink): Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Lipcolour, Super
Lipstick (nude): L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Star Secrets, 722 Aishwarya Amber
Lip gloss: L'Oréal Paris Glam Shine Gloss Brillance, Cinnamon Addict
Eyeshadow Palette: L'Oréal Paris Color Appeal Trio Pro Hazel Eyes
Blush: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color, PK 304
Eyeliner: Lancôme Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner Noir
Mascara: Lancôme Hypnôse Precious Cells
Kohl pencil: Colorbar I-Glide Eye Pencil, Jaded and Lakmé Kajal
Foundation (compact): M.A.C Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, NC43
Foundation (liquid): Lancôme Teint Idole Silky Mat
Primer: YSL Top Secrets Unifying Perfecting Primer SPF 25
Nail Polish (day): Chanel Le Vernis, Ming
Nail Polish (night): Chambor Nailpolish, Dark Angel
Nail Polish (red): Chanel Le Vernis, Dragon
Nail Polish (brown): YSL La Laque Long-lasting nail lacquer, Rich Coffee
Nail Polish (pink): Leighton Denny Expert Nails, Gorgeous
Nail Polish (nude): Chanel Le Vernis, Inattendu
Finally, the best counter in-store, Clinique

BEST OF FRAGRANCE

For Day: Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey
For Night: Dolce & Gabbana, The One
Men’s: Giorgio Armani, Armani Code
Classic: Dior, J’adore
New Launch: Gucci, Flora
Celebrity: Beyoncé, Heat

BEST OF HAIR CARE

Shampoo (for normal hair): Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo Long & Strong
Shampoo (for damaged/coloured hair): Kérastase Reflection Bain Chroma Riche
Conditioner (for normal hair): Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy Keratin Care Conditioner and Pantene Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Treatment
Conditioner (for damaged/coloured hair): Kérastase Reflection Chroma Riche


BEST OF HAIR STYLING

Volumiser (straight hair): Philip Kingsley Maximizer
Definer for curly hair: TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Defining Serum
Defrizzer: L'Oréal Professionnel Tech Hair Mix Sublime Shine
Texturising product (for straight hair): Sebastian Professional Matte Putty
Texturising product (for curly hair): Sebastian Professional Whipped Crème Light Conditioning-Style Whip

BEST OF SPA AND WELLNESS

Day spa: The Spa, Four seasons Mumbai
Destination spa: Nadesar palace, Varanasi
Medi spa: Evolve, Mumbai
Ayurveda: Soukya, Bangalore
Detox treatment: Forest Essentials Marigold & Basil Sand Treatment at The Leela, Goa
Anti-ageing treatment: Keraskin Age Néojeunesse
Energising treatment: Gotukola body envelopment, Trident, BKC Mumbai
Pampering facial: Biodroga Oxygen Facial, Shangri-La–Eros Hotel, Delhi
Salon (mani-pedi): Juice, Mumbai
Hair spa : Kim Robinson Aman, Delhi
Stylist (hair): Nikhil Sharma, Affinity Salon, Delhi and Adhuna Akhtar, b:blunt, Mumbai

BEST OF FASHION AND BEAUTY S/S ’10
Show for hair: Anamika Khanna
Show for make-up: Rohit Bal
Hot stepper on the ramp: Gia Johnson
New face in an ad campaign: Jyotsna Chakravarthy (Garnier Fructis Shampoo)

BEST MAKE UP ARTIST:
Mickey Contractor

Love,
Indian Girl

Hey Guys !

I have some great news to share with y'all !

Starting this week, I will be writing a weekly beauty / makeup article for Vogue India website ! I am super excited about the oppurtunity and cant wait to share more beauty / makeup stories !

My first blog post for Vogue went up today. You can read it here. Its the one on Vogue India Beauty Awards ! Show me your love !


Love,
Indian Girl

***This is an AIMB exclusive, almost. The list aint out online yet ! You heard it first !***

Last night Vogue India celebrated their first Beauty awards show announcing the winners in various beauty / makeup categories. The event was attended by a host of celebrities including my favorite Indian model - Lakshmi Menon !

The selection process wasn't an easy one. Over 1000 products were tested by experts from the industry who then cast their votes, shortlisted 583 products. Then a panel of 11 expert judges went on to select 79 winners in 8 categories !

The panel of expert judges included many popular Bollywood actresses like Malaika Arora Khan, jewelery designers like Queenie Dhody, skin care experts, makeup artists including Mickey Contractor and of course the Vogue team.

Now onto the winners ! Its a long list so I selected a few categories to share with y'all. But if you are curious about the entire list , lemme know and I'll have it up soon !


BEST OF SKINCARE

Cleanser: Dermalogica Ultra Calming Cleanser

Moisturizer (for day): Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15

Moisturizer (for night): Elizabeth Arden INTERVENE Stress Recovery Night Cream

Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+

Eye cream: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex

Peel/mask: Clarins Gentle Peeling


BEST OF MAKE-UP

Concealer: YSL Touche Éclat

Lipstick (day): Dior Sérum de Rouge, Rosewood Serum 740 and M.A.C. Lipstick, Half ’n Half
Lipstick (night): Lakmé Nine-to-Five Colorfix Lip Duo, Grapevine
Lipstick (red): M.A.C Lipstick, Russian Red
Lipstick (brown): The Body Shop Colourglide Lip Colour, Beechnut
Lipstick (pink): Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Lipcolour, Super
Lipstick (nude): L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Star Secrets, 722 Aishwarya Amber

Lip gloss: L'Oréal Paris Glam Shine Gloss Brillance, Cinnamon Addict

Eyeshadow Palette: L'Oréal Paris Color Appeal Trio Pro Hazel Eyes

Blush: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color, PK 304

Eyeliner: Lancôme Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner Noir

Mascara: Lancôme Hypnôse Precious Cells

Kohl pencil: Colorbar I-Glide Eye Pencil, Jaded and Lakmé Kajal

Foundation (compact): M.A.C Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, NC43

Foundation (liquid): Lancôme Teint Idole Silky Mat

Primer: YSL Top Secrets Unifying Perfecting Primer SPF 25

Finally, the best counter in-store, Clinique

..............What were your favorites that made the cut ???

Love,
Indian Girl

This fall collection from Estee Lauder is all about mysterious blues, purples and the dreamy effects they bring to our eyes. The main attractions of this collection to me are the palettes - Blue Dahlia and Surreal Violet. I tried out the Blue Dahlia palette ($40) and believe me it is every bit as stunning as the model Hillary Rhonda makes us believe it is.

The Blue Dahlia palette houses five eye shadows in a sophisticated Estee Lauder trademark golden compact. I am a sucker for golden packaging. The five shadows are medium pigmented with very soft blendable textures that make mixing and shading a breeze. Its all about soft sophistication, no over the top colors.

The shades include

- a pearl white with tiny blue flecks
- a satin sea blue
- a shimmery deep blue
- a satin taupe
- a matte black



The satin taupe and the sea blue are my two favorite shades. But the pearl white with blue flecks is just as gorgeous. Overall a dream of a palette from Estee Lauder. I'm now off to try the look. Its a bit cloudy here but if it clears up I'll take pictures and have em up ! This is the face chart I'll be following.

Shade 4 over entire lid as base. Blend.
• Shade 3 to frame the eye:
- Start at crease, extend above and out to outer corner.
- Define and blend into outer corner.
- Extend down under lower lashes. Blend.
• Shades 5 and 1 blended together. Apply over inner 2/3 of lid.
• Shade 1 as liner along lashline.
• Shade 2 blended over liner at upper lashline. Blend out into outer corner.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Good Morning Ladies !

Hope you had a great weekend ! If you are a Mad Men fan, I'm sure it was. So good to get back to knowing what Don Draper has been up to.

I am in a really sunny mood today. I think, finding quality products at the neighborhood drugstore does this to me. Its the Milani HD Advance Concealer ($6.99) y'all. I not only love this product, I feel so good about it that I am recommending it to everybody !


Yellow Yellow Sweet Little Fellow

The Miani HD Concealer comes in a click pen model looking all bright and blingy in its gold packaging. One of the biggest concerns I've had with drugstore concealers has been the lack of yellow pigment. Most of them are pink or just plain beige. You pat it under your eye and they sit there staring into space ...doing nothing to hide your dark circles. This is why Milani gets much of my love - its truly yellow based. Check that out !

Nobody can complain about the lack of warmth. Its exactly what a warm skinned person like me needs to look bright and fresh !

Key Ingredients :
• Rona Coated Pigments that disguise dark shadows
• Invisaskin moisture base which keep the eye area hydrated,soften expressions lines and wrinkles
• Grant X Gamma Amino-Butyric Acid that plumps out creases, lines and imperfections
• Granactive RD 101 to help brighten and gently resurface the most delicate skin

Alicia Keys & I - Concealer Best Buds

I saw that the shade Medium Honey was used in Alicia Keys so I decided to try the same. Its perfect on my NC 40 (medium tan) skin tone. I almost feel like Alicia and I are best buds ! We use the same concealer , that's got to mean something !

One more major good thing about the concealer is the formula. I can never wear concealer and head out without applying some foundation because I feel like the concealer is too obvious. But with Milani HD one the formula sinks into your skin and merges with the top layer so well that I look naturally dark circle free. So now I don't have to add foundation just coz I did the concealer ! And for someone who likes to keep it as less as possible with makeup - this racks up huge points in favor of the concealer.

I am not the biggest fan of the click pen but really this isn't a complaint. I assume many women love it given that one of the best selling concealers of all times YSL Touche Eclat is a click pen.


Now all I want from Milani is to add a lot more shades so my deeper toned girlfriends get to try this too.

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

I've been dying to try Constance Jablonski 's gorgeous bronze look that was featured in Vogue China, a few months back. I'd saved the pictures and looked at it several times through out this summer. Truth is, I was attracted like magnet to this look and was waiting on finding just the right bronzer to finally try it out. And when I found the perfect product I got work, immediately !


How To :

1. Start off with clean moisturized face
I have been regular with my latest crush - Envision Beauty The Solution Moisturizer. It has made a huge difference in the betterment of my skin !

2. Mix a liquid highlighter into your tinted moisturizer and paint a thin layer on your face.
I used Clinique Up- Lighting Liquid Illuminator - 01 Natural + Smashbox HD Foundation.

3. Give it a couple of minutes to settle down

4. Take a large fluffy face brush and dust your bronzer below your cheek bones, the temples, sides of your nose and across the sides of your forehead. Run the brush now, along your hairline and sides of your chin with whatever is left. I am loving the Milani Powder Bronzer - Light. Though its called Light, the color works perfectly with my NC 40 skin tone.

5. Let them brows be unruly - adds to the look.

6. Line your waterline delicately with a black eyeliner. Then use a white / pink shimmer pencil to highlight the inner corners of eye and bridge of nose. I like Anastasia Brow Highlighter pencil.

7. For the lips I went with a fuchsia shade - Cover Girl Out Last Lip Stain 410. The model's light eyes make for a great contrast so I built in the contrast with a fuchsia lip. If you are all for the brown look try Jouer Lip Gloss - Monsoon, Avon Big Color Glossy Lip Pencil - Glossy Sand.


That's it ! Are you bronzing a lot this summer ? If not , you must try it sometime ! Compliments will follow - trust me .

Love,
Indian Girl

I been dying to play with some blues all week long and finally got to it. I really wanted to do something but it tuned into something else.... Thanks to me using an unwashed blending brush that dusted brown on my blues and then mascara did its thing and smeared on the lid. So after housekeeping came in and cleaned the mess ...this is what happened.

Either ways I am happy I got to play with blues ! That Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof eyeliner - Navy Blue is gonna get used a lot this week. Its wonderful along the waterline - lasts all day long ! And that that silver Liquif - Eye Metallic Eyeliner from Milani - makes for a perfect companion to the blue along the lash line.

The two blues are from good old Estee Lauder Sand & Sea Palette released last year

Also - please notice the lack of dark circles. Would you believe me if I told you its a drug store concealer ? Would ya ? You must ! Its the Milani HD Concealer in Soft Honey !


I started out going for the ice queen look with the frosty blues and the silver.

And then I wanted to see how a contrasting deeper blue would do.

After that I pretty much had to go and add some color to the waterline. Just to see what that would look like.

Finally I ended up with this !


I'm going to the movies tonight to see Robinhood. Yup, haven't seen it. And no, I'm not going with this improvised ice queen look. I'll probably just do the blue and silver eyeliner. Will post a pic soon !

Love,
Indian Girl

Few weeks back I wrote a mini story on how blister prone I am. And before that I told you about how I get all stationary while wearing heels. Really, its just one sad story after another.

I'm pouring my heart out here, man.
Or is it feet ?

In my continued effort to heal my sole (ignore that) , I came upon Foot Covers. I had no clue they made things like this. And I bet they had no clue about all the comfort this brings to my ailing heart...err feet.

I got a pair of the most gorgeous gold flats (jooties) from India many many years back excited about wearing them every single day. But years later the count remains at two. It has no cushioning what so ever and the sides of the shoe dig into my skin leaving my feet all red and almost blister-y. But this past weekend, I pulled on a pair of nude , regular Kushy Foot, Foot Covers and headed out to brunch. Four hours later I got back home to a pair of very happy feet. No redness, no pain thanks to the cushion and most importantly my little toe was happy.

The foot covers come in thee basic shades and four lengths. The one I tried were the regular lace kind. There is also the low cut one which doesn't rise as far up in the front as the regular ones . They'll hide very well under your shoe. The best part though is the price - the regular foot covers cost only $5.25 for three pairs ! The lace ones are around $10.50 for three pairs.You can find them here

Overall - I am happy about the low cost of keeping my feet happy under all circumstances. If you've ever gone through the pain of red feet, you must indulge in foot covers - they will bring all the peace you need.

Have you tried foot covers ?

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Truthfully I do realize that JLH doesnt really care if we like it or not. No one should. The lady loves it and is flaunting it with many other things( like her gorgeous shoes is all I meant)

But for me, the nails don't work. I am all for bright summer nails but they must exist all along the length of the nail. We are talking full on yellow ! The yellow tips on the lines of white french manicure is not my style.

What about you ? You liking them ? Do you approve of yellow tips ?

Love,
Indian Girl

We are in the peak of summer and there is no sign of things cooling down ever. So, why not make the best of the heat and flaunt your best summer looks ! That's exactly what we will be doing with our In The Sun Series - showcasing a bunch of fun summer looks !

I woke up this morning at about 11 :45 AM - great time for a weekend brunch ! Gathered up a couple of friends and hit a new brunch spot only to have them say they were done serving brunch. So we headed out to the lake side for a sunny lunch. Thankfully we scored a great table ! It was fun looking at all the boats passing by and checking out people slathering on SPF so they could enjoy their time in the sun without burns. We also contemplated buying boats ...but that's another story for another time.

The ruffle top and jeans shown above are from Express.

This is what I wore to brunch. I went with a very natural looking minimalistic peach /pink look. Its almost morning ( not technically at 1 PM but go with me on this, will ya ?) and I couldn't fiddle with a laundry list of products. Also more importantly I was having a 'as good as it gets' skin day so of course I had to showcase the good skin and keep things minimal !

Face
- Envision Beauty - The Solution moisturizer
- Covergirl Tru Blend Pressed Mineral Foundation - 04 Soft Honey
Eyes
- Mild shimmer peach shade from Pur Mineral Paint by Number Kit (now discontinued)
Substitute with MAC Paradisco Eyeshadow
- Flirt It Curl Mascara
- Julie Hewett Eyeshadow - Vita for my brows.

Cheeks
Becca Soft touch Blush - Song bird

Lips
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Lip Pencil - 01 Pink
- Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss - Pulse

I like applying the lip gloss first and going over it with my lip pencil. Took me a grand total of five minutes to dress up. Paired with a gray ruffle top and jeans I thought I looked very much brunch-y given that I am not a dress / skirts kinda girl. Very pleased with myself on this one !

What would you wear for a Brunch In The Sun ? Let us know in the comments !

Love,
Indian Girl

Good evening Ladies !

Just finished swatching loads of nail polishes ! My nails hurt but my heart feels warm and fuzzy looking at all these beautiful colors !

This here is the new Wicked & Wonderful collection for Fall by Zoya ! Its a fulfilling mix of solids and sparkles. Of course the sparkles are Wicked and the creamy solids are the Wonderful ones.

The six Wonderful shades include
Kelly - Gray ( concrete gray)
Stacy - Mahogany Red ( wine red )
Burke - Sienna Red ( pink red )
Kristi - Crimson Red ( summery red )
Cola - Desert Sand Red ( henna-ish brown)
Shawn - Myrtle Green ( Sap green)

Right off the bat I feel in love with Shawn. Nothing to do with the name - there actually was a really cute guy in my class by that name. Very funny, very sweet guy but married. Anyhoo, this Shawn spoke to my green grass loving side.

But later while swatching I had a huge girl crush on Kristi - shez a perfect summer red. One of my all time favorite red shades is America by Zoya . But Kristi gives her a stiff competition.

Cola and Stacy fall right into the category of my favorite Fall shades. I'm sure I'll be wearing them a lot ! Soon hopefully.

Burke was the only shade that I didn't care for much. But I'm sure she'll find a home in someone else's heart ! Shez real sweet.

Zoya nail polishes are available on their website here.

............................What looks like your favorite shade ?

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Swatches from Zoya Wicked and Wonderful Collection !
From index to little - Stacy, Julieanne, Edyta and Shawn. Shawn and Edyta ae my absolute favorites so far ! Will have more swatches up soon with a review.


My new lipstick obsession. Its a gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous paprika color. I took this pic after a few hours of wear so its toned down and looks very friendly. But if applied well its a fiery warm orange with a delicate bronzy finish. Imagine that ! Perfect for a Vogue Summer photo shoot ! She's called Majorca. I told you about her hot fuchsia friend here

More randomly I've been listening to Dontcha. Its one of my secret favorite songs to dance to at home. What is your secret favorite song ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Chck out the new primer at Sephora by Kat Von D called the High Voltage Eye Primer in Smoky. This was created especially for the ever popular smoky eye look. The primer is said to not only "help shadows stay put, but the darker color blend seamlessly and enhance the smoky effect."

The promise of easy blending and enhancing the smoky effect is making me want to give it a try. I've never tried anything from Kat Von D before. The primer and the palette seems like a good way to start off !

Check out the video below for more tips on how to create a smoky using the new primer !



Love,
Indian Girl

My latest it thing is powder SPF. I discovered this one from RAW Minerals back in November last year but didn't use it until summer came along.

Every time I start to write something about sun protection, I feel like I don't know enough. It is such a controversial topic. Over the years since I started my blog ( we will be three soon !) I've educated myself on various sides of the story. I am just curious like that and can never blindly stick to one party. I like knowing everything and making a regime that suits me from the knowledge I have.


Few Facts I've Learned

1. We need Vitamin D. From grade school on it is drilled into us that sun provides us with our daily dose of Vitamin D and our bodies cannot generate Vitamin D without the help of sun.
But there is more here
- you need have at least half you body exposed
- exposed for at least 15 minutes.
- the time differs based on your weight, skin color,location, age and many more factors.
to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

2. UVA / UVB - there is a lot to talk here. Its mostly boring but keeping in with #1 - UVB is necessary for Vitamin D generation. Sunscreens block the UVB and hence the vitamin does not get generated.

3. You need to apply a shot glass full (4oz) of sunscreen for the SPF to be effective.

4. Higher SPF is not directly proportional with higher protection. "SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks 98 percent. (SPF 30, that old-timer, holds its own, deflecting 96.7 percent)"

5. "If you apply half the amount, you get the protection of only the square root of the SPF. So applying a half-ounce of SPF 70 will not give you the protection of SPF 35, but 8.4" - NYT

6. You need to reapply sunscreen after every two hours - generously. Refer to #3.

7. Many sunscreen lotions out there contain toxic ingredients. Look out for ones that are paraben free and oxybenzone free.

8. Continued beauty of our skin has more to do with diet than just watching out for sun damage.

9. We all need to get some sun everyday in moderation.

10. In addition to UVA / UVB protection with sunscreens, antioxidants play a major role in protecting our skin from harmful rays that come with too much sun exposure. Invest in skin care and foods that are high in antioxidants.

11. Products with additional SPF like moisturizers and others are said to be more volatile / unstable compared to the ones without SPF. So always remember to keep them in a cool dry spot where the sun does not reach it. And since we are not going to apply 4 oz of moisturizer better buy one without sunscreen, one with antioxidants and plenty of other goodness.

What Am I Doing

If it smells like chemicals and feels like chemicals - its probably chemicals. That's the way I feel about sunscreen lotions. But these are chemicals we need to keep our skin from burning during prolonged sun exposure. So I keep from slathering 4 oz of chemicals on my body unless I absolutely must. The best things to do is to avoid baking in the sun for long hours and I do just that. I avoid the sun as much as possible.

And I've taken a liking for powder sunscreen. I've realized I don't need SPF 100 everyday for what little sun seeps into my day. Most sun exposure I get is when I'm in the car traveling back and forth during peak sun hours. So I apply hand cream with SPF on my hands and powder SPF on my face. These are great for so many reasons.

They are light
I can apply them over makeup.
I can reapply as many times as I want without ruining my makeup or looking oily.
I feel good that they are not the first layer on my face. They sit on top of moisturizer and tinted moisturizer.

The powder SPF I am currently using is the one from RAW Minerals - Active Veil SPF 18. It is paraben, oxybenzone free and contains many additional naturally derived antioxidants.Though it looks a white-ish powder, it leaves no white cast on my brown skin. Its just like a good translucent powder. I use it all over my face and neck just before I get out. And if I'm gonna be out again - I keep a kabuki brush and reapply. It makes me feel happy that I get just as much everyday protection as I need and I don't think I need a whole lot !


One other thing I must start doing is taking Vitamin D supplements and get a little sun at least during weekends uniformly. I've been getting loads of antioxidants from the 2 pounds of organic blueberries I picked up last weekend ! Yay for good skin days !

Reading Material

I've learned a lot about the SPF numbers form this article here in NYT . I urge everybody to read it. Also follow Kimberly Snyder's blog - she is an amazing raw food writer who writes a lot about beauty through food !

Love,
Indian Girl

This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.

Love,
Indian Girl

The Getaway Collection is the newest offering from Three Custom Color Specialists. The collection consists of five vibrant, long wearing shades named after popular destinations. I was sent tiny samples of all five shades and I fell in mad love with three. Today I'll talk about this one color that I am wild about - Bora Bora !

Bora Bora is a cool fuchsia with a very very sheer blue opalescence. The blue appears in very few angles and looks like its reflecting off your lips. The shade is this super fun , 80's inspired fuchsia. I think the 80's was a great time for makeup - people had fun then. Unlike now when mostly its all about nude. I am no different I have 20 different nude shades of lipstick and this makes Bora Bora the most fun lipstick in my collection. I want everybody to own this shade because it makes you feel so cool !

Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd wear a shade as vibrant as this and love it ! But I do. Its a great fashion accessory and will get you noticed (in a nice way) even if you're just wearing a pair of skinny jeans and tee.

Color apart the formula is just as brilliant. They are so pigmented that even after a shower and dinner I still had a faint stain from my application in the morning. I've had no dryness and you'll notice the satin finish in the swatches. Overall for a fairly big number like $21.50 its worth every penny !


Love,
Indian Girl

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These are ten things I do because I like doing them. Turns out they are pretty good stuff that are good enough to recommend even. But more than anything it is just me writing my personal story that would help anyone looking to

Maintain your weight
Make overall easy healthier choices without turning into a raw foodist
Do something food wise in addition to working out to lose weight.

Important Note : I am not a trained nutritionist. I am merely a budding enthusiast in the field of food. Do not take anything from my fitness / diet posts any more seriously than you would take something that comes up in a conversation with your friend. Talk to a trained professional / physician before starting out on any exercise / diet routine.

Lets get on with it.

1. Water Is The Best Drink

Every time I eat out whether its at Subway or a nice little Italian restaurant my drink of choice is water - no ice. Nothing wrong with cold water, I happen to like room temperature better than cold and full of ice. Water is just pain ol water - zero calories.

Regular soda -12 oz, 10 calories. Too much sugar and don't like it
Diet soda - zero calories. Still bad, can tolerate but wont drink it.
Beer - Have liked only one beer all my life. But not enough to add 200 calories to my meal.
White wine - 6oz, 120 calories. Cant stomach wine.
Cocktails - cant stomach alcohol.

2. No Deep Fried At Home And Outside

I hate the taste of oil gushing out from food. If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say - add more oil it adds taste to the curry. No it does not - it only adds fat. Rolls and rolls of belly fat.

I also cant stand oil fumes. I almost will pass out if I stand in front of oil fumes that come from deep frying things in oil. Also its too much mess to clean up - so I never deep fry anything at home.

There is no nutritional value in deep fried breaded chicken. All the oil that the bread soaks up goes straight to those thighs. Wings taste best when they are not breaded - to me.

3. Eat Lots Of Vegetables, Beans And Bake Everything

I load up on veggies on every trip to the grocery store. The seasonal ones are always marked down so its not very hard on the wallet either. I pick up a few frozen veggies that make cooking easier - pre cut and all. Veggies are low in calories, fill you up and you can eat loads of it. Three cups of cauliflower which is probably one whole head of cauliflower is only 75 calories !

Eat beans. Canned are fine too - lots of protein, fiber and they fill you up. I love all kinds of beans.

I throw everything into the oven from kale to green beans to zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, falafel, potatoes - anything. Take a baking tray, add a sheet of foil ( makes it easy to clean), spray PAM, lay your vegetables, add salt +pepper and throw them under the broiler. Five minutes and you have cooked, tasty food without the effort of cooking or the addition of oil.


4. Decisions At The Grocery Store

All my food decisions are made at the store. If I want to pick up a bag of chips...am I ready to add all that fat into my body that already jiggles - No. So I make a pout and drop it.
Never buy any food that comes in a cardboard box and is frozen. No ready made meals for me.

5. Home Made Salad Dressing

This is the best thing since sliced bread. Store bought salad dressing are drenched in oil and are super fat. Almost all regular dressings at the stores are almost all fat - calorie wise. The fat free ones taste like corn syrup and are made with so many unknown chemicals.

Home made dressing are the best. You take four or five clean ingredients and make tasty dressings. I add oil sometimes but limit to one table spoon - excellent taste and very low on calories ! Lemme know if you would like a few dressing recipes - I am all about sharing !

6. Lean Organic Protein

Food Inc taught me to buy organic meat. I taught myself to buy only lean, mostly poultry meat - bacon aside.

7. Eat Light

Make one meal a day - a light one. My lunch is almost always light - a deli salad / sandwich / wrap. I choose fat free deli slices, lots of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, mustard, olive oil mayo and good cheese slices. None of that fat free singles. I used to get em all the time but now I'm into good tasty cheese. One slice , may be even half per sandwich is way better than a couple of fat free blah slices.


If for dinner try going raw for a change ! Slice up some zucchini, peppers, onions or carrots. Squeeze a lemon on top and enjoy the refreshing salad. Or try some miso soup - loves it !

8. No Desserts

After eating a whole entree at the restaurant I almost never have space for a dessert. My friends are the same way so its not a problem. Unless the dessert sounds really exotic - like something we've never eaten before. Some folks like to bag half the entree and go for the sweet stuff. That works too.

9. Snacks

Not big on snacking but I love raw almonds and dried cranberries. They are my snack of choice. Together I love the sweet and sour cranberries with the crunchy sweet almonds. Sometimes if I'm really really hungry , I eat cereal or watermelon or cucumber.

10. Fruits

Its the berry and melon season which means its time for everybody to indulge on fruits. Hit COSTCO for cheap , organic berries and watermelon. I usually go to COSTCO once in four months but now I go there often just to load up on berries. Add them to your oatmeal, salads or as snacks. I love eating say 6-7 strawberries / black berries or half a cup blue berries with some honey and walnuts after dinner at home. Or bite into a big slice of watermelon.

Unnecessary Information

I don't want to give the idea that I get it all right or even mostly right because I probably don't. I haven't been working out consistently. Once a week does not count , too bad. I always eat dinner after eight and my berries go in at about ten. So Oprah's no food after eight is not happening here either. I love my white bleached basmati rice.

But I am not downplaying my better choices either , I am secretly proud of them. I haven't eaten a donut in over 18 months. If you knew me, you'd know I LOVE DONUTS. But nothing adds pounds on me faster than donuts do so I've kept away. I ate burger and fries for dinner a couple of days back. It was my first in over 6- 8 months.

What are a few simple choices you make to stay healthier ?

Love,
Indian Girl