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Wonders of a Soap Bar!

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From your skincare ritual to hair care therapy, let's now shift our focus to some personal care regime. And, when we say personal care, we are talking about the bathing soaps. When was the last time you actually gave a serious thought to the first beauty product that you use at the beginning of each day? If you are pondering, that clearly means not in the near past for sure. But you don't have to worry as we are bringing to you a range of interesting hand-made soaps from a well-known brand named Nyassa.
Nyassa Soaps & Their Fragrance 
The brand is known for it's natural bath and body products. Now, why are we recommending these soaps?Well, we actually tried these soaps, and found a few key features that make them different from the regular ones' that we use. In fact, to compare them would the regular ones' won't be fair!
The first one that we tried was Berry Berry. Frankly speaking, before you even try the product, the sheer fragrance of it fills your home with a soft and alluring atmosphere. The soap has a very limited lather, which is a clear indication of less chemical component. Even the cleansing also doesn't need much of water, so it actually saves water too.
Berry Berry Soap
to check if it's same with rest others as well, we later tried one of their Mogra soaps. This one is simply amazing. Very light fragrance, and post the bathing ritual, you don't even need to apply any moisturizes. Which means that all these soaps have essential oils as their active ingredient.
Ocean-inspired Soaps 

 We spoke to Ishween Anand, Founder & Owner sometime back to know more about the product range, and which one is best for working women. " I feel that if your day starts on a good note, you don't feel the fatigue even by the end of the say. So, if you pay some attention to your bathing ritual, like adding bath salt for rejuvenation, using the right soap for a day-long freshness, or even just applying a proper moisturizer all this does make a difference. And, since women are so busy all the time, what can be a better me time that a self pampering with exotic personal care products,' said Anand. 
So true it is! So, when are you planning to the same to yourself? Remember, this is exactly what a woman wants for herself!
Fact File:
Nyassa products are 100% vegetarian with no added fragrance, color or any preservative, and therefore, they can be used for babies, and even for sensitive skin.


Art of Window Dressing

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After filling your day with Beauty features yesterday, we are back with our 'Women at Their Creative Best' series today, one of our most liked series by our sincere readers! And why not? It always talks about women who believe in chasing their dreams, in doing what they want to do, rather what world is asking them to do. So, today once again we have a very creative profile of a women entrepreneur who is into the art of window dressing.
Window Passions India Pvt Ltd

Meet Amita Kanwar, Owner of Window Passions India Pvt Ltd, which was set by Kanwar and her husband more than 2 decades back. As the name says, the brand is into adding innovative design elements in terms of soft furnishing to your sweet home. Window dressing literally means adding curtains and blinds to your windows, but for the brand it's much more than that. " Drapes in your house speak a lot about your decor, and therefore it cannot be just some beautiful curtains, but a lot. There is a lot of creativity involved in that. It's an art how you beautify your windows, as they are like a style element to your rooms," said Kanwar when to did a telephonic interaction with her a few days back.


"Women must follow their dreams "
says Amita Kanwar 

Well, the  brand today is not just about mere blinds and some just curtains, but way more than that. Starting with window dressing from exquisitely worked, elaborate classic drapes to contemporary, new world designs, with the finest finials, tassels, tiebacks, rods, sheers, today they are accessorized with coordinated cushions, throws, rugs, wall hangings, coffee table covers and lampshades, just to name a few.
The brand customizes everything for that perfect window.
And, if you are thinking that their work is just about private homes and bungalows, you will wonder that Kanwar has
 been associated with the Oberoi group of hotels for over 16 years and have done the windows of The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, Ranthambore among others. Apart from this, the duo has also designed windows of the Palace on Wheels luxury train. Wow!
Later, we spoke to Kanwar about her idea of women doing what they want to do and she said, " There was a time when I was a mom to growing kids, and I use to make sure that once they are back home from their schools, no client of mine should disturb me, even if the assignment was important. I made sure to dedicate my afternoons to my children, as I knew that at that point of time it was important for me as an entrepreneur to be with my children. Today, after getting free from that responsibility, I as a woman 'm enjoying my work 100 percent. In fact, my son is a grown up now, and helps in business," she concluded.

Time to make your home a dream home with some creative touch to the place that brings in the positivity to your rooms!



Stylish Smartphone

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To add more fun to your weekend shopping, we are here with our latest review in our MACHINES section. And, this time it's the LG Optimus L9, a latest from the brand. Not exactly, a March launch, but yes, this one is already there in the market!
We Reviewed the Black Version of the Same!
Now, first thing first, how does it feel in first hold. Quite light weight, we must say, fits perfectly in your palm, and gives a luxury feel instantly. Shifting our focus to the features now, the smart phone has a 4.7 inch IPS display, and as the brand says this one is one of the latest LG offerings on the block. Well, now when we say smart phone, we must say that it actually has that feel, especially the touch screen. It's just amazing, quite sensitive to a feminine finger touch too!
And, since we reviewed keeping our women audience in mind, the machine is absolutely sleek, and chic both in one go. 

While the brand says that the phone is feather light, well, it certainly is not that light, but yes, perfect for women who want style and easy-to-handle machine in their palm. Other than this, if we go on the technical side smartphone’s powerful 1GHz dual core processor ensures that you can play music, text your friend, run an app and update your Facebook status without facing any lag in performance whatsoever. We also loved the camera and it's flash, both give a great result. 

Additional, the phone has QuickTranslator app, which makes sure to translate languages in English. Though, we did not try this app! But there is no doubt that Optimus L9 is a perfect style accessory for women who want to look tech savvy and fashionable both in one go. 
Why We Recommend: Easy to carry, it's very light-weight, and it has a wonderful touch screen, to swipe your delicate fingers on the screen.
What We Feel: The brand could have added more strength to the back flap, which you open to slip in the chip (dual), we found it way to delicate, and always had a fear that it might break anytime!

Price: Original was 23,000/- Plus, but in 2013, it is varying from 15,921/- to 18,999/-

Food for Your Busy Day!

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While we have usually kept our weekends for some F&B review features, but since Monday are becoming more and more hectic for women these day, we thought why not fill your day with some sumptuous food?
Take a look at our recent reviews that we did at one of the best fashion fashion hubs of the capital, Hauz Khas Village, a  place that is now full of restaurants, clubs, bars, and God knows what else!

The first one that we tried some time back, rather in the month of Valentine's day was The Pink Room, which is a newly launched Cafe and Lounge bar. You won't have to get into any guessing game, as yes, it is Pink by all means. From seating, to the interiors, to the upholstery  everything is pink. Seems as if the place is Girl-only place, but no, it's not. And, what it offers is flavours and tastes of the various cuisines like Asian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, Italian, and Spanish. Too much isn't it? actually, if restaurants will
have an experte in one particular food, it makes things much better for those who drop in to try. Since we were in a bit of hurry, we thought of trying something that's quick. Don't remember exactly what we tried, but it tasted just OK. What we liked about the place is that even though it is located in the narrow lanes of this village, but still they have carved out a decent space for a small party or a get-together.

Cire Ristorante Interiors
Time to shift our focus to another interesting newly opened place, named Cire Ristorante. Thankfully this one has it's speciality, and that is European Food. We liked the way the interiors is done. The only thing that you might have to ignore is it's location. It's in a building that is already flooded with so many other restaurants, and to find the entrance of this one would go a bot difficult. The place, although absolutely new seems good enough to attract the crowd.  You can select from a  menu that has been together by the restaurant Executive chef Sumit Kalra, and his USP seems Cheese Fondue. Well, there are many other as well, but we did not try much. We met Siddharth Suman, Director when we landed at their place one afternoon. He has some big plans for his venture, and it's only time and people who will decide the future of this beautiful restaurant.


Bollywood Inspired Fashion Show

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Since your day has already started on a good note, which is Food (after all it's National Breakfast Day), let's shift our focus to some Bollywood Style. This event that marked as a tribute to 100 years of Indian Cinema, was quite an interesting one as it had the Delhi socialites turned bollywood stars!
Conceptulized by by Artist Anjanna Kuthiala  and  Vandy Mehra, Director,Study by Janak, the event was hosted by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark Freddy Svane, and Mrs. Lise Frederiksen. Kuthiala as an artist has been working on bollywood themes in her paintings, she worked on a thematic fashion show with unveiling of a few paintings as well.
Mehra, added all the fun by providing their designer wardrobe to each Star on the ramp. The show witnessed some of the well-known faces from the capitals' social circuit walking the ramp, along with some entrepreneurs and sports fraternity.
We loved the look of the Ambassador's wife who was happily flaunting a sari despite being of a Danish origin.
We thought of speaking to the artist and the Director both, but they were so busy taking care of their other start clientele that we decided not to disturb them on their special day.

But we got to interact with Nafisa Ali, a diva turned activist, and this is what she had to say for the show. " I really enjoyed the show, it was a very sweet concept, it was all fun, and I loved the way it was conceptualized," summed Ali. Before the show, the paintings of Kuthiala were also unveiled.

Fact File:
Kuthiala has a long association with the film industry and has painted a number of Bollywood stars over the years, while  Mehra of Study By Janak had put together the entire show and all ensembles were designed by her.
Study by janak, the brain child of entrepreneurs Manoj and Vandy Mehra, transcended their two decade old ethnic couture label to the next level in form of SBJ.

Where Height is Just a Fun Element!

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Before our dear readers get engaged in their busy routine, we are here with our yet another inspiring feature in 'Women at Their Creative Best' series... Meet Delhi-based Sangeeta Bahl. While Bahl is quite well-known in the social circuit of the capital, and is also known for her professional grooming skills, as she owns an Image Consultancy firm, not many are aware that she has a very different profile to her beautiful persona - Bahl is also a Mountaineer, and has been to one of the seven Summits!
Bahl Relaxing at Such Big Heights... 
We decided to know more about her interesting journey, and landed at her place one evening over a cuppa. And, the first thing that we wanted to know before the formal interview session could begin, was how does it feel to be on a mountain as a woman, and how big is the challenge for women to do mountaineering, to which Bahl had a very interesting reply. " Thankfully there are few places in this world that are gender neutral, and mountains are one of them. They give a damn to your gender, and so it's an equal challenge for both men and women."

We found the reply itself so very inspiring that we were sure by now that the entire interview would be a wonderful experience! " I have lived my life on mountains, not literally, but my grandparents had their beautiful house on hills, and we always use to visit them over vacations. So, there was a natural fascination for mountains. Later, with time life changed, I got into airlines, and was travelling, then settled in Dubai. After marriage, me and my husband were travelling often, and we always had adventure on mind. That's how this whole mountaineering passion started," narrated Bahl.

Beautifully Strong...
She further added, "We started going on adventure trips, and only on one such adventurous travel a few years back, we realized that we can actually take it seriously, and can get into professional mountaineering.
I took a basic training before we decided to climb Killimanjaro (one of the seven summits). I did my basic alpine course at 11,00 feet, with 3 feet snow for 12 days in harshest weather to acclimatize  This one was with my husband last year. We decided to go for it together, as we wanted to experience mountaineering, and also for a simple reason how hard it can be at this age. As you know that most mountaineers are quite young, and I decided to go for this adventure in my mid forties," said Bahl. Today, she is 48, and believe us, it is hard to believe looking at the way she has maintained herself, from top-o-toe!
Since we did not want to disturb her in her narration, we asked her to continue further. " I found it a different experience altogether. When I finally reached the peak of Killimanjaro, which was 19,341, I realized it's not that big a deal, and decided to go for other summits as well. But, this time I knew that I will go for a hard training, as the other peaks won't be this easy. So, when I came back, I got into a proper training in 2012, . Post that I decided to go for my next adventure. It was in in Jan 2013, and was  to Aconcagua, in South America, precisely Argentina. This one is on 22,837 feet, and was certainly a challenge. Surprisingly, I was the only Indian woman in our group. It began on a very good note, but after reaching the height of 20,880 feet chopper camp, I fell sick, and since it was going severe, I decided o back out. It was quite disappointing as the peak of Aconcagua was right before my eyes," told Bahl. It was so thrilling to hear all that from her. For us, she is a champion, even if she couldn't touch the second summit.
Later, she told us very amusing facts, and the problems that a She mountaineer usually faces. " Whether you have your periods, or you want to poo, the only logic that works on the mountains is that you cannot spoil the natural beauty, and so a mountaineer carries it's things back to the base camp. Other than this, melting the ice is also a big challenge, when you need water to drink. But, overall it's fun," summed Bahl.
Sangeeta Bahl has big plans for this year, as she wants to explore Mount Everest, the highest Summit on Earth, and also Vinson Massif in Antarctica. By 2015, she dreams of being on all the other Summits. And, last but not the least, she wishes to set a record as the First Indian woman who has been to all seven summits by 50.

Well, with women like Bahl, nothing can be impossible!! BTW, Bahl is already heading to Elbrus in Europe, precisely Russia, this July...


Home Storage Styles

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We have been featuring a lot of decor styles for your home, but not once have we featured something that is all about keeping things well in place, stocking things that are seasonal, and home accessories that can save a lot of space. Well, if you are looking for any of the above mentioned, Bonita from Casa Brands is here to take care of your needs.

First thing first. We will talk about what all things the brand has on offer, but  first we will talk about the space constraints that women tend to face. It's not always because of the small house, but at times it is because of the way we store the stuff. The brand is offering Vacuum Bags. These are moisture-free, moth free, dirt-free, odor-free, and help you get rid of the  overstuffed storage areas, or the cluttered boxes and  beddings.
Coming to what is the USP of the product, the vacuum-seal storage bags store up to four times more bedding, of comparable sizes. This should come to women as a big relief. Additional,  the product is reusable and comes with a patented valve design for safety. And yes, it is certainly see through, so that you can keep a check on where you kept what! And, these are available in two interesting sizes, Extra Large and Large.


To know more about what the brand is all about, and what all it has on offer, we spoke to Vineeta, one of the Directors of the brand. " We know that women are busy today, and they are looking for instant and easy to maintain solutions when it comes to their house. We have a lot of such products like laundry care, organizers, which are like hot sellers, and women just love them in one go, and then we also have storage, ironing boards just to name a few," said Vineeta during the interaction.

Fact File:
The brand's parent company is a preferred partner for all major American and European brands of these products. The production is under strict quality control guidelines by using excellent quality raw material and state-of-the-art machinery like German Automatic Powder Coating machines, Robotic Welding and many other automated machineries.

Fashion Glimpses from LFW

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Designer Debarun's Collection


It's the season of Fashion Weeks in India! First there was on that was held in the capital, now it's Lakme Fashion Week, which is ongoing in Mumbai. While we could have covered the previous one too, but we know that for a working woman like you it's the present season's trend and collection that is more relevant for our readers. And, That's why we are exclusively featuring LFW's Summer Collection here...
Designer Sonaakshi Raaj's Show-stopper
Gown, Worn by Sara Loren
Designer Kiran & Meghna's Collection!
We will be talking about all these collections, and the trends that the fashion week declared, we are right now bringing to you just the glimpses of some of the collections! Take a look... get set to upgrade your wardrobe with something that will easily fit your closets, minus any adaptions.





Spa-ful Sunday

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Summer Sundays can be real fun, especially when the outing plan is all about soaking yourself in the luxury of a spa. And, that's what we thought to bring to you today!
Heavenly Bliss, Aradya Spa in the Capital
We recently reviewed this beautiful spa- Aradya Spa in the capital, which is located right at the hub of fashion- The Gallery on MG. As the tagline of the spa says 'Heaven on Earth', one actually needs to try any of it's service to believe that. Indeed, it feels that ways, not just for the service but for it's relaxing interiors as well.
The spa is spread in 6000 sq.ft. and offers an array of treatments. From pampering to grooming, to various healing therapies, they have everything. Since we are always talking about a working woman, who is all the time tied up in her busy schedule, which ultimately takes a toll on her body, we went for a healing session that was all about a complete body massage.
when we went inside to see the area, we realized that the spa is quite spacious, and maintains a nice privacy. Perfect for a mind, body, and soul relaxation, which is what every spa must be all about. Since the spa head herself is from Indonesia, and has been associated with spa industry for so many years, we knew the therapy will be a wonderful experience.  What we found interesting was that you get to select the massage oil, from a range that consists of Rose, Jasmine, Tea-tree, and a few more. And all these oils are related to a particular healing. Additional, you can go for any massage,  Thai, Chinese or Swedish. And, the wonderful massage, that had absolutely gentle strokes lasted for good 60 minutes, followed by a 10 minutes steam, and then a shower.
And, as you can guess by now what must have been the feel like. Complete rejuvenation, to sum up!
Fact File:
The spa has both single and couple rooms, Thai room, pedicure and reflexology room, salon, Jacuzzi and steam bath. It is not just a spa, but also has interesting salon services. What we liked was the sweet romantic packages “King & Queen” for a truly royal experience.
 
The other interesting thing about spas (any spa) when you are getting your appointment fixed, one must check if the spa offers any water therapy or not, as if you want yourself to be called a professional spa, you must have a water therapy in your menu!


A Taste of History...

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.... yes we are back post our yet another leisure travel break to this beautiful state of India- Rajasthan!

And, before you get tied up with your Friday routine, make sure to have a look at this creative piece. This one will charge you, as it's so very creative! Recently, Rajasthan, the hot spot travel destination, where we were recently  was in news for  a glitzy Auction that it hosted, by Bid & Hammer. and, the venue was the beautiful Umaid Bhawan Palace, which is probably the youngest and the last lavish palace of India, precisely at Jodhpur.
The Auction Area at the Palace!
Now, before we tell you what all things were there in the auction, it's important to know that this auction was part of the Jodhpur One World Retreat. While the artifacts that were there on display for bidding were ranging from 11th century to 19th century, the event also witnessed brightest luminaries from the world of entrepreneurship, philanthropy, music, art, spirituality and science who together to celebrate the spirit of One World. And, all this was for a burning cause – the scourge of head injury.
But, not just this, the event was marked by the presence of people like Mukesh & Nita Ambani, Duke of York Prince Andrew, and Dutchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Naresh Trehan, Suhel Seth,  Anjali and Sachin Tendulkar, Diya Mirza and many others. We spoke to one of the Director's of Bid & Hammer who conducted this event to understand this bidding concept, and how this can be helpful for women. " Well, bidding is open for everyone, and this is one trend that is now picking up in India. I feel that if you are earn a good salary, then there is no harm in investing 5 to 9 percent of what you earn in rare art pieces, as this is like any other investment, which grows with time. And, women by nature have an eye for art, so why not go for it, " he said. What say women?

Fact File:
Bid & Hammer is a professional Auction House that has five years of prior successful experience of holding auctions in India, and had sourced lots available, at the auction from different individuals across the country. This was for the first time when there was wide range of products like Daggers and Swords other that regular ones like jewellery, art pieces, sculptures etc. 


For Your Me-time Travel This Summer

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Planning your summer holiday vacations? Well, we would suggest all women out their to try a trip like this. Trust us, it will turn out to be quite a memorable experience! Read this feature coming straight from the horse's mouth...
Exploring new destinations is part and parcel of a journalist’s life, but when it comes to exploring it with your kiddo, it turns out to be a different experience all together. And, I realized this on my recent visit to some of the exotic locales of Rajasthan with my 6-year-old!
Relaxation Zone Meant Only for Women...
Laxhman Sagar resort, located 126 km from Jodhpur, in Raipur town is a place that will charm you in one go. First and foremost, it’s in the middle of nowhere (in true sense), and secondly it’s beautiful in all sense. From luxury cottages, lake side bar with peacocks strutting around and water hens adding charm to the lake, interestingly done Zanana & Mardana (women & men) areas for relaxation, and above all huge farms all around for some village tourism.


But, to all this when you have a child with you exploring such resorts, other that enjoying the beauty, and the luxury, you also need to be careful enough to take care of your little one, who in case has already gone crazy in such bliss.
The resort, while is meant for adults, children have more than enough engagements for fun. Chasing peacocks, migratory birds, watching fishes and water hens in the lake, your child can join you for some hiking in the rocky plains that lead to the village. I along with my daughter enjoyed my 2 days stay at this resort like anything. The interior of cottage is a sheer delight. Completely rustic, the cute little hut is well equipped with modern amenities (only exception is you won’t find toothpaste here but a tiny Neem stick).
The Cottage Interiors
So, if you are planning your next holiday destination, consider Laxhman Sagar Resort! Additional, you can plan visiting Pushkar too as they have a property there as well, and that one is totally child-friendly, but I had more fun here!
We had no intention of saying goodbye to this place, but Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer were calling for more fun. I drove back to Jodhpur the next day afternoon. Jodhpur, is not just child-friendly, it has many more things to enjoy. From a half day long visit to Mehrangarh fort, to Umaid Bhavan Palace, you can also explore some shopping in the old city. My daughter although had some nice time in the fort (it’s quite tiring by the end of the day).
Tent Stay at Mirvana
Next on this expedition was Jaisalmer, rather 55 km before this golden city. We took a Rajasthan road wage bus from Jodhpur to this peaceful village named Lathi near (known for Army base). It’s almost 5 hour long journey, but absolutely fruitful. This time the stay was at Mirvana Nature resort. The cab was already waiting for us at the bus stand, and took us to 108 acre huge farm hose. The resort is absolutely a dream come true for any kid.
The moment you enter, there are chicks, ducks, rabbits, swans, and their pet dog to welcome you. I loved the stay here as it was luxury in budget. From cottage, to tent stay, you can tell your preference as they all have the same rate.
Mirvana is my recommendation to all those, especially a group of women who want to see the beauty of Jaisalmer, and Sam both. Reason being, it’s away from the hustle-bustle of the city, and is huge enough to offer you endless activities.
Night View
Our next day morning was all about their farm house visit. I’m falling short of words when it comes to describing what all they were growing in their farm. From Dates, Plums, Castor, Chilli, Carrot, Lettuce, Wheat, Brinjal, Cabbage, Sweet Potato, to God know what many. And, all this is organic farming.
My little girl particularly had fun with the sheeps and goats that the farmers living on this farm had in the backyard of their huts.
Tired of this? Then take a break, and visit their private sand-dunes and the camel safari. You can also visit Sam, which is more pocket-friendly, but their it’s no cleaner now because of the crowd.

Me With my Girl... Promise Yourself a Me-time This Holiday Season!!
This was really a fun trip for me and my daughter, as we had a perfect ‘Me time’. Infact, I strongly recommend such trips for moms, minus dads, as it’s not about family, but is only about ‘You’!

Fact File:
Laxhman Sagar Resort has around 16 Luxury Cottages. Per night fare is 18,000/- inclusive of all taxes and meals.
Mirvana Nature Resort had 70 plus cottage & tents. Per night fare is 7200/- plus inclusive of Breakfast and Dinner.

Jodhpur
Laxhman Sagar is around 126 Km, in Pali district. And, the route is absolutely safe for women too (during daytime).
Mirvana Resort is around 5 hour long journey from Jodhpur. You can also take a train, or a flight from Delhi to Jaisalmer.

Let Your 20's Glow Like Teens!

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Have you ever noticed how with age your beauty needs experience a drastic change? From simply washing your face in your early teen years, it shifts to trying out something that can do interesting cleansing. All this was fine till you were 19. Welcome to 20's now!
When in 20's, Follow a Disciplined Skincare Regime... 

Yes, your 20's are no more the same. Don't wonder if we say that it's not because you have started aging (of course you ain't), but you are now in jobs, you are tied up in multi-tasking, and above all, you are on the move now!
But, we also know that 20's can be equally confusing. There is your mum around using anti-aging, and their are brands that are continuously telling you to start anti-aging right from 20's. Then, there are also those who are explaining you to stay away from everything, and just stick to washing with water. Well, to simplify your state of dilemma, we thought of speaking to some of the lovely ladies, who are right in their 20's, and have decided to stick to what suits best to them!

Be Loyal to a Brand, is her Key Mantra!
New Delhi-based Kanchan Hiranandani, 25, is a Marketing Head, and travels often for work. Read what she has to say.
" In the 20's the teenage years are left behind, and it is definitely the time to shine. Skincare regime changes in 20's and it's easy to care as skin is plump and firm and there is good elasticity. But, it is also in an awkward phase. It is getting out of terrible acne and the face is setting in to look like what it will be for a long time. My daily routine now comprises of cleaning & moisturizing with sunscreen on a daily basis. Cleaning again at night is followed by a night cream. I try using as much of home made remedies possible along with regular scrubbing. I feel that all cosmetic products have ingredients that cause different reactions, so analyzing the skin type is most important. Read the label content to see if there are any ingredients that make skin feel irritated. Also,choose skin care products that are water-based, soft-textured and not too fragrant. Lastly, stick to the habit of being ''faithful'' to one particular brand," sums Hiranandani.
Her Tried & Tested Are:
Clean & Clear Face Wash, Olay Total Effect, Nivea Body Sunscreen, Vitamin E Body Lotion, & Night Cream from The Body Shop.

20's Make you Understand Your Skin Better
Mumbai-based Atika Singhal Jain, 23 is a Public Relations Executive and feels a strong difference in her ritual now. " In my teen years there was no particular skincare routine, but I used to take lots of care like avoiding spicy food, mangoes, oily stuff etc. I use to try Multani mitti, chandan pack like stuff, but today I follow some basic regimes. I drink a lot of water that keeps my skin look supple. I wash my face twice with Clean and Clear, as I find it to be the best face wash for oily skin. Whenever I get time I try to splash water on my face.I follow basic 3 steps- cleaning, toning (I do with rose water) and moisturize (I use Garnier bb creme, which works at moisturizer and face primer at the same time). Along with this, I use water-based sun block. I feel in 20's only you get to understand your skin better," says Jain.
Her Tried & Tested are: 
Clean and Clear, Garnier BB Creame, Dabur Gulabri

Check the Expiry Date of all Products

The third one in our list is Isha Gakhar, 25, Assistant Editor of a beauty magazine from the capital. She travels, is usually in the field, and has a very hectic lifestyle. "Yes, skincare is definitely important for any age group, especially when you are in your 20's. If one doesn't starts caring at a right time (this age), then it leads to several problems like pigmentation, early ageing, etc. I don't tamper my skin much though, but make sure to wash my face with Cetaphil Cleanser twice a day, followed by a moisturizer, and a lip balm with SPF. I stay away from bleach rather prefer to have a face cleanup. I also scrub my face twice a week with The Nature's Co Chocolate Scrub. It's extremely mild and effective. Being a journalist, I am always on the go, hence my skin gets extremely tanned, so I apply natural aloe vera gel or curd to remove it. Also, my skin is sensitive, so I don't use too many products, and invest only in good beauty products. I also make sure to read their ingredients and expiry dates," says Gakhar.
Her Tired & Tested are:
Sunscreen by Clinique, Elizabeth Arden Eye Cream, Olay Moisturizer, Cetaphil facewash, J&J baby wipes and oil, and  Lacto Calamine.

I'm Brand-conscious When it Comes to Skincare!
DJ Gouri, 27, whom we featured earlier in our ART section, is a girl who is flying, and singing. Quite a busy life, we must say. Look what she has for you. " When any girl step in her 20’s, her daily routine changes as most of them get into jobs, and are often exposed to direct sun rays and dirt. So one has to be very careful about skin, and get into a proper skin care routine. When I was in my teens, I never used to care about my skin that much. At that time only a face wash and a cream use to be sufficient. But, when I started my career, I became more adherent towards my skin. My job required make up, but then I prefer good brands as I'm a brand conscious person, and apply minimum make up. One thing that I strictly follow is a good sleep, drinking plenty of water and my daily workout," summed Gouri.

Surprising, she didn't suggest her Tried & Tested. Probably, she is once again on move.... like you all!!


A Chic & Stylish Venture

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A lot of women these days are opting for jobs that happen to be their passion. While the trend is not absolutely new, but what we find interesting is that a lot of young women in their 20's are leaving behind their premium paid jobs, just to follow their dreams... just to do what they want to do!
Meet these lovely entrepreneurs Harshita Singh, Shivani Gulati, and Sugandhika Singh,Founder Chiclique.com.
Women Power in Entrepreneurial Arena 

Now, what's this name all about? Well, the portal is a latest in Indian E-commerce industry that is all about women's clothing and style accessories. You might wonder, what's so special about it, and why are we featuring it, but when we attended their recent Style Exhibition event in the capital, where we got to meet young, talented 'She' designers, we realized that these entrepreneurs seem to be interested in promoting only young talent. In fact, this trio has selected 16 designers so far, from all over India, and the creative work of these designers is already available on their chic-looking portal. 
On the day of the event, we got a chance to meet some of these talents, and one of them was accessory designer Upasana Jaipuria, who the Founders call as the star designer of their portal. For a visible reason, her stuff (see pic) sells pretty fast. Her accessories are creative too, although, we felt that there is still some scope to pay some attention to the finish of the product. Later, we met Gayatri Chopra, and Namrata Kumar, whose fashionable clutches were quite colourful, and had beautiful texture, and handwork. 
There are a lot of other designers who are retailing via this portal, and that includes 'He' designers as well, like Rohit Mittal, Shashank & Prajwal, just to name a few. 
Now, for a while let's shift the focus to the main stars of the venture, the founders themselves. Look what they have to say. " We all were working before this venture. From corporate to event management, we have jobs like these to talk about, but we always wanted to start something of our own, where we could be our own boss. And, since we have so many designers as our friends, getting into a creative venture was a very natural call," said Harshita and Shivani, while Sungandhika was busy interacting with other media. 
We loved this whole idea of self-boss concept. And, looking at the portal, one cannot make out that this is the work of a novice. From party dresses, to ensemble to a bag and jewelry, Chiclique has all.
We also spoke to Jaipur-based designer Ritu Jain Singh, and she shared quite interesting facts. " While I'm based out of Jaipur, but I cater to metros, and B-towns as well. As a designer, I have observed that online shopping is a big trend in small cities, but we can only sell reasonable stuff, not the expensive one. But, in metros, women have a taste for designer dresses, and they don't mind if the style is good," said Singh.
It's too early to talk about what's the future of this style portal, but we appreciate the fact that women are willing to give a try to what they want to do.... When are you re-discovering yourself?


Diamonds are 'Not' Forever!

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We know that your TGIF is still a day away, but don't worry as we are here to fill your day with some stunning creativity! You have heard of this saying 'Diamonds are girls best friends' but what if we tell you not anymore?Today's woman has found a new friend in her jewel box - Coloured Gems, and not from any Tom, Dick & Harry, but from Gemfields...
Beautiful Mila Kunis is the Face for Gemfields... 
The brand is here in India bringing the beauty of gemstones. From Zambian Emeralds, to Mozambican Rubies, Gemfields has a wide array of shades, shapes, and sizes that will be a jewellery designer's dream come true experience. What is even more special is that whether it's the precision cuts, cabochons that look like candy, or slices that are ruggedly organic, each coloured stone is resulting in a bespoke creation. 
The brand recently had their official launch event in the capital, where the CEO Ian Harebottle, shared the brief of their strategy for the Indian market, particularly women. Any why not? After all, the beauty of such stunning pieces gets highlighted only when women wear them!
The brand also revealed the global ambassador of Hollywood Actor Mila Kunis, the face of the brand, and who made sure to visit the mines in Zambia, just to see how eco-friendly is the approach, and how ethically the stones are sourced from these mines.
Model Showcasing the Collection During the Event

Additional and interesting, they have collaborated with 36 known national and international designers, who have created beautiful jewellery using their gems, and we met Bina Goenka and Sanjay from the Jaipur Gems during the event. Not to miss is the name Farah Khan who is also the part of special 36.
Creation at it's Best, by Bina Goenka!
We spoke to Goenka to know if women in India are ready to welcome gems in their jewel box.
" Indian woman was more than ready to welcome this change. Yes, it is true that for last few years, it has been diamond that has been the in thing, but that never changed or affected the demand of coloured stones. Women love colours, and these stones look any jewellery a masterpiece in itself. whether you are an office-goer, or a lady that parties, gems can never go out of your jewel box." said Goenka who herself was flaunting a reptile Brooch from Lizard species. Trust us, a reptile could have looked this beautiful with so many coloured stones all around!





Fact file:
Building on the success of its emerald and amethyst operations in Zambia, the brand has now ventured into rubies, processed in Mozambique. Globally, it is the leading manufacturer and producer of emeralds.
Gemfields’ unprecedented mine to market strategy allows consumers to trace the origin of their gems from the source. 
Did You Know?
Emeralds, are many times scarcer than diamonds, although arguably infinitely more exciting, made up of countless microscopic fissures within in each stone that makes each gem completely unique.

Serious Motherhood Facts

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IVF Process Depication
It's been a while that we haven't talked about Health. But, we realized that our women audience want to read about certain issues that they are already dealing with, or have concerns about. And, that's why, once again we are taking this issue of IVF, with another angle. 
We spoke to Dr. Rita Bakshi, IVF Specialist, and Chairperson, International Fertility Centre, in Delhi about today's working women's concerns about motherhood, and how much IVF as a process in beneficial for them.
"You loose your productive egg with each monthly
cycle, & by 35 you are left with just a few." 
Dr. Bakshi has been practicing gynecology for more than two decades now, and runs her own fertility centre. The first thing that we wanted to know from her was that is IVF a boon, a solution for women who are dealing with the infertility concerns. " A conception other than the natural way, or in simple words the way body is adapted to is any day a tricky affair. Having said that I certainly don't deny the fact that the advance treatments for conceiving are a boon for any woman who wishes to be a mother. But, the bottom line is that not every body is meant for IVF. I have patients who come to me for the treatment, and I have to tell them straight away that the chances of motherhood is bleak, as the success rate of IVF is 50  percent if you are 35 plus, and even lesser if you are 40 plus," said Bakshi.

This is just one concern that we have started with. Dr. Bakshi had even more interesting facts to share with our readers. "Most of us today are tied up with work commitments. Also, there is a big trend of pushing motherhood to late 30's or early 40's. Well, very little do women realize that the physical anatomy of a woman's body is not designed in a way that she can have babies at any age, unlike men who can still have a good sperm count even in their 80's." Quite a shock, isn't it?
Additional, she also revealed that many women in their 20's come to her to freeze their eggs, as they would want to go for motherhood via IVF, as the later stage of their lives. " I find such ideas really bizarre. Technology is not about using it as per convenience, but it is for your serious concerns. Whether you are a super busy woman, or a free-willed woman, you need to understand that motherhood has everything to do with your age. Like a good career at the right age, same is becoming a mother at the right age. IVF, or any other treatments can only help you out in cases of infertility," sums Dr. Bakshi.

Face File:
Dr. Bakshi's clinic offers a range that encapsulates all the trends and definitions of IVF solutions, be it the IUI, IVF, Surrogacy, Assisted Hatching, Endoscopy, Obstetrics, or Gynecology.

Tickle Your Taste Buds With Tiki Bar!

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Yes, we know that your weekend is going to end shortly, but how about ending it on a yum note? Well, we are here with our weekly F&B review. And, this time it's the newest, super-cool place in town. Get set to enjoy some Hawaiian fun with Bora Bora!
 Beautiful Interiors of Bora Bora
Yes, this is one fun place that Delhi is ready to welcome. And, why not? After all, this restaurant is the first Tiki Bar of the capital! We loved the Hawaiian theme in the first go. Located exactly at the hub of dining out centre of the city, Bora Bora is serving French Polynesian cuisine. Now, before we speak about the cuisine and the platters that we tried, let us first understand the concept of Tiki bar. Well, this sort of a bar is mainly about Rum-based drinks, and in a country like India, where men love to flaunt a glass of whisky, and women, as usual, either wine, or vodka, this restaurant is undoubtly a fresh approach. Additional, the food that they are offering is all about having a shot of some great cocktail, with sharers' and Polynesian platters.
The Bar Area, Which has a Very Kinda Feel!
So, we were greeted by mother and daughter duo Anju Bhattar and Nikita Bhattar, the Co-owners of the place. Anju's son too is part of the venture, but we decided to chat with these lovely women, as that is what we want our readers to see how women of every age are doing such creative things. While Anju takes care of the kitchen, and the food, Nikita has as experte in creating cocktails and mocktails. " Me and mom always had an interest in F&B, but we never actually took it seriously in terms of a venture. But, since we both are so well travelled, we had been trying various cuisines for quite a long time. Tiki bar is a very popular concept in other countries, but in India, I believe we are the first one to introduce this concept. Basically, it is all about spending some fun time over rum-based drinks along with side platters," said Bhattat junior. 
Before we could agree with her, our cocktail was served along with Tamarind & Toufu Crispy cup. And, not to forget, the Skull that was kept on our table. You actually need to to be there to see the beauty of that skull. OK, coming to the food, well, yum, what else! The rum tasted fine, but we especially loved the peanuts in the tamarind dish. Post this was Spanish Tapas, and Veggie platter, which was the combination of wantons, fritters, spring rolls. The wantons tasted fine, but the fritters were just amazing, especially with the Japanese mayonnaise.
In the mean time we again chatted with Bhattar junior to know more about the plans. " We are quite happy with he response, as it's just been a month or so, but it's good to see that women today are ready to try new things. In fact, some of our Hawaiian-based interior has women forms in it. I'm quite confident that tiki bar is here to inspire others as well," she said.
Later, we tried the main course, which was Phad Thai noodles, and that was quite full-filling. but, we tried it with  Flaming Skull drink. Don;t get scared, it was a wonderful drink, with a mix of five different rums, served with vodka on top. And, finally it was the turn of dessert. Guess what? We tried unconventional Churros with hot chocolate etc. Yum, once again!

Fact File:
The word "tiki" was the name given to large wooden carvings in roughly human shape, although this is a somewhat archaic usage. The carvings often serve to mark the boundaries of sacred or significant sites.

So, be there, as Bora Bora is all set to say... Aloha!!

For the Summer Bride!

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And, we are once again here to make your days more beautiful with our yet another stylish feature. Well, this time we are introducing a young designer to you, who recently opened her stand alone store in the capital. Meet Ridhi Arora, whose brand 'Mutiyaar' is all about some creative couture, trousseau, and ethnic wear!
Designer Ridhi Arora
We liked the name of the brand as the word 'Mutiyaar' is originally a Punjabi word, and means 'a young beautiful girl'. Well, looking at the collection one can make out that the designer has actually chosen an apt name, as Arora's ensembles are all about beautifying a young girl, who is about to get married, or is newly married, and is looking for a fresh collection for her wardrobe.
From saris, to trousseau wear, cocktail dresses and to evening gowns, her label has everything for a mutiyaar. In fact, what she wore (see pic) on the day of launch clearly indicates the choice of a young bride-to-be, or a new bride.

Now, coming to her store, it is spread over 1000 sq. ft. area, with a very subtle interiors done by Arora only.  What we found on display in her store was the Spring Summer collection. It was an eclectic mix of silhouettes, colors, fabrics and embroideries. We spoke to her to know more about the trends and the collection. " As you can see I'm wearing red, so bright colours are the choice when it comes to ethnic, whichever is the season. As a designer, I love to play with vibrant colours, but black is also one colour that I frequently experiment with. Today, there is a big trend of playful textures, which means the dresses will have different styles of embroideries. Like, embellishments, zardozi, aari work, just to name a few," said Arora.

Additional, we noticed that the range included styles for a modern bride who demands contemporary styling but with an inspiration from Indian traditions. Like there was this trousseau wear, which had a bikini top with a lehenga. We simply loved it, as it was meant to keep the top fitted during the wedding ceremony. " I feel that every woman is beautiful, and if the styling and colour selection is right, she looks her best. And, that is what a designer's job is. I am very passionate about dressing and styling up the women to make them feel beautiful and highlight what’s best in each one of them. I make sure to customize each piece from my collection to ensure a fine masterpiece for every individual," summed Arora.

Well, so now it's for our readers to have a look at her recent collection, and decide which one to go for. After all, a woman desires to look stylish when it comes to dressing up!


When Looks Say it All...

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Don't wonder if you haven't read any new posts n Allwhatshewants recently! For the simple reason, we were tied up in doing our interesting Editorial Shoots, just to bring something creative for you...
And, this time we have the perfect must-have for your summer time need. Yes, the best of make up styles, in our series " Makeup, Experts... and the Magic Spell"
She is a Woman Next Door, Turned Into a Diva
by Simple Brush Strokes, by Nidhi Khurana!

Go Nude This Season... of Course, in Makeup!!
It's summer season, and you will see that even the make up styles are changing. Whether you are on a move, or at leisure, there are certain make up basics that can help you get the perfect summer look.
To know more about this, we landed up at Delhi-based Makeup expert Nidhi Khurana's studio one afternoon. To our surprise, she was already with her model. Well, Shruti Puri (in pic) is not a professional model, but just a neighbour of this expert. She, like any other women, homemaker, working loves to play with makeup. And, this was easy to get why she decided to be the muse of Khurana for our Photoshoot!
Khurana, has trained under various experts, nationally and internationally, but her USP seems to be the perfect application of foundation, along with eye makeup. " I make sure that my base should do all the talking, as if the foundation is wrong, the creativity is no use,"she says. Well, we certainly don't doubt that!!


Makeup otherwise is not a very tough job, if you have eye for it. That's what Khurana stared with

" I feel every woman can try the basics at her home, if she has that desire to look beautiful. We have often heard that bare skin, looking natural is the way out. But, not anymore. Today, women have ample choices when it comes to brands, make up techniques, and even the experts. There are such interesting products that one doesn't need to look cake-like, with lots of icing that becomes visible," said Khurana.

Like any other expert, she too started with the base. It is important to note that when it comes to summer, it is best to apply primer, including eyes, as that will help the make up to stay for long.

As her brand name is Brush Strokes, we could actually see that in make up, the way you apply the product using a particular brush, and then later blend it with a certain technique. play the most important role.


She created 2 interesting looks for this shoot. One had a very subtle make up, whether lips, or the eyes, both had a perfect colour control. No wonder, this was the day look, but what we liked about the second look was without changing the base, she quickly changed the eye and the lip colours, turning her muse of the day into perfect evening girl!
With some interesting hints on your eyes, women can change their day look to evening one, minus any difficulty.
Nidhi Khurana With her Muse...

Later, she also shared a few basics of summer make up-

Start with primer for Nude look, and most importantly use mascara in first and last.
For a darker skin type, always prefer a powdered foundation. Also,use a powder blushes, highlighters and a soft brush to contour around the hairline, across the temples and around the outer perimeter of the face. Matte lipstick is an ideal choice for nude looks, go for peachy colours!

What are you waiting for? Try this look at home ASAP... We shot an exclusive Video of the looks that she gave to this model, and we will soon be sharing the Video with our Readers, via Youtube!!


Add Fun to Your Man's Basics

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This feature will come as a surprise to many of you out there. Looking at the pictures only you can make out what we are featuring, but why we are covering, is a question that needs to be answered. Well, men's bare basic fashion has a lot to do with women, because globally it's the women who usually shop for men's innerwear, says research. And, we are quite sure that most of you will agree to this. Even the author of this feature does the shopping for her man when it comes to his bare basics!


So, it's time to make your man ready for some Italian style. Zoiro, is now in India, and what we loved about this brand is that it has some very interesting colours to drive your man crazy. No wonder, if you go crazy too, the way we did when we attended their recently held fashion show in the capital. It was beautifully conceptualized show, where these models showcased the entire Zoiro range that will be available in India. Looking at the models, we could see how comfortable they were flaunting their basics. After all, for the first time they had colours to show off!


We spoke to Navinn Seksaria, Zoiro India to know more about the brand. "I had always felt that we men never had great options for the innerwear. Somehow, the style factor was missing in innerwear sector, as compared to women. Yes, I do agree to the fact that it's women who usually shop for men's basics. Infact, Zoiro products are such that girls won't mind gifting their boyfriends the entire range," said Seksaria. Hope girls out there are listing. But, when we asked him who shops for him, he replied, " Let's keep that a secret."
Well, it's no more a secret when Seksaria is heading a brand that sure is fashion statement in itself.

Special Features of the Show:
The show had showstoppers MugdhaGodse, NiketanMadhok, Shawar Ali and LalitTehlan. The show was  set in 4 different sequences showcased the four new and exciting collections Savio, Urbano, Trento and Lorenzo. Along with the revelation of each innerwear, the meaning of the word ‘Zoiro’ was demonstrated. The theme of the show was ‘One Life. Go beyond the ordinary’. 
And, the most important thing to remember about this brand is that the product is made of 95% super combed cotton and 5% elastane, leading to a comfy softness. Additional, the product has micro-fiber nylon to make it itch free. Something that every Indian man needs badly!!

Rural Fashion, Empowering Women!

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Art is quite a new entry at Allwhatshewants, but we make sure to connect you with some really interesting and innovative things in the field of Art. And, look what we covered last week?



There was this beautiful exhibition of traditional Phulkari work, exhibited at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. What was special about this work was that all the traditional embroideries were complete hand work, and that to counting the yarns of the fabric. Which means, there was no pattern, no space-setting, no tracing... just the calibre of roral women, who have been doing this form of art form a few generations now! That surely is interesting. And, these pictures will make you understand what we are talking about

Phulkari is a traditional form of embroidery, from Punjab (North India) which years back used to be done by the mothers, on a broad Stole (Odhna) for their daughters, for their wedding day. But, with time, the meaning has changed, as it not much about the wedding gift now, but more about empowering the rural women of that state, as Phulkari work is now an international demand, and has become a Style statement. We spoke to Ms. Krishna, the organizer, and who was the first women employee at National Musuem, of the event, who told us that the displayed work was purchased by the centre in later 90's, as later the traditional emproidery went through a lot of modifications, like tracing the patterns and then doing the embroidery, just to make the process faster, also using machines for the embroidery, to make it more affordable.


Later, we also spoke to one of the National awardee's under whom more that 500 women artisans work and provide a decent earning to themselves. " We have been doing this work for ages now, but today, it is more about making women independent. We get orders in such exhibitions, people get to see what we do, and how tidious the work is. Because of this talent, a lot of women are the strong pillars of their home, in terms of revenue. I just love to do this work, although, I'm not very happy with Punjab government's support, as the officials don't do much for us," she said.
Well, we feel that at least we are trying to do our best for these women... and, our readers know how!!

Fact File
Phulkari work on a simple stole takes at least 4-5 weeks to complete it, as it is totally a hand embroidery.
These emproiders usually have Darn stitch or running stich, which are traditionally done by counting threads!
Asimple stole costs around 3500/- and a sari costs around 8000/-  (depending on the embroidery and fabric)
Today, phulkari is also done on Kota Doria, georgette, and chiffon!

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