Have a Very Harry Christmas a.k.a Winter Favorites

To anyone who got that reference - please be my friend if you aren't already.

I've been doing a little decorating in these parts, and I thought I'd share. I love anything festive and sparkly, so this time of year is my time. The streets are lit up, Fifth Ave has all the christmas windows, there are sales EVERYWHERE and caramel lattes are a thing.
I ordered my tree off Amazon, and got these dinky little decorations from Jacks, which is like the dollar store, I guess. I'm surprised by the quality of some of the decor they have, for 99 freaking cents. One day, I will be able to afford Kurt Adler, but until then...

I've discovered so many new products this year, especially since I've moved (woot woot for consumerism and capitalism in the U-S-A) and some of them, I've been reaching for a lot.

You'll probably wonder why I have so many hair products. Well, the thing is, my hair gets very temperamental when it gets cold. It loses the frizz that humidity gives it, but sometimes it feels so dry that I wish I could put some body butter on it.

I've tried a lot (and I mean A LOT) of combinations but the one thing that has been working is anything that is sulphate and paraben free. I can see that my scalp is healthier, hair is shinier and my hairfall has reduced (it's still there, but at least it's less). And hair masks. They have been miracle workers for those days where my hair feels like hay. Now that the heating has turned on, and there is practically 0 humidity, oil massages and hair masks are the way to go.

The Hask Macadamia Oil Shampoo and Conditioner (around $4.99 each depending on where you get them) has been making all the difference in the world. It has a sweet, almost vanilla-esque scent that lingers. The shampoo does it's job but the conditioner is the star of the show. Even in the shower, after I rinse it off, I can feel the difference. Super manageable, smooth hair. I usually let my hair air dry, but now that it's getting colder, I finish up with a hair dryer so I don't catch a cold. They're the worst. I highly recommend both.

Bath and Body Works need to stop having flash sales. It's one street away from school and I have to pass it when I go to the station. I picked up some hand sanitizers (5 for $6) because Purell makes me sneeze, and I need to put sanitizer on every day cause like 99% of NYC, I use the subway. There are nasty germs on the subway. Ones that flu shots can't take care of. The Be Joyful PocketBac is my favorite - I much prefer this to the old packaging cause it's just SO DAMN CUTE.

My cuticles have been looking pretty shabby lately, and I feel like that's something that everyone forgets to take care of. No matter how much lotion or hand cream you put on, those suckers always seem to flake and look pretty gross. This Ella and Mia cuticle oil is amazing. It applies like nailpolish, which is pretty innovative. Reduces mess and fuss. And it works. It's a thick, clear oil that you can paint on and rub in (I recommend doing it post shower so it absorbs better) and makes your nails look like you actually give a shit.

Milani Matte lipsticks are life. I went to Duane Reade with a few friends and convinced one of them to buy Sangria. You can check out the post about that here. The forumlation is amazing. And when it fades through the day, it leaves a forgiving stain, instead of being patchy. I will say that it takes some getting used to at the beginning because the lipstick takes time to set and really get matte. I bought the Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Black Cherry. It is an AMAZING vampy maroon, with some deep brown undertones. I was looking for a vampy maroon that didn't have purple undertones forever, and I've been after Black Cherry for almost 2 months now. But it's ALWAYS been sold out in stores. So when I saw it restocked, I just had to. I'm one of those people that buys makeup with the intention of using it up - and I'm already almost done with Sangria, so I'm pretty proud of myself.

I've spoken about the Wet'nWild nailpolish in Disturbia too in this post, but it is an amazing, opaque color that is perfect for the holidays. Super vampy with a hint of shimmer (not glitter) which looks very put together. Also totally hides ugly cuticles.

And last but not least. I went out and bit the bullet. And bought a Bath and Body Works candle. Okay look. I've never understood why a drugstore brand needs to charge $22.50 for a candle. How good could it be? When they were on sale, I decided to get one as an end-of-semester present. And the verdict? I totally understand why they're pricey. Okay, I would never buy one full price. But. It burns so slowly, the scent fills the room in under a minute AND, it lingers. It lingers like you've used a freaking diffuser! This candle, Winter, is a beautiful blend of icy mandarin and pine - both sweet and woody at the same time, which I enjoy.

So that wraps up my post. I've left links if you want to buy anything too! I hope you like my tiny little tree as much as I do. I doubt I'll take it down till February...
Happy Holidays!

IMHO: Best Budget Perfumes

Personally, the biggest compliment I get is when people tell me I smell good. I get all warm and fuzzy inside. It's a little bit sad, actually, but I put a lot of effort into it.
Although my brother tells me I smell like liquorice, it's fine. I like it :P

I tend to go for fresher, lighter smells in the summer and frutier, sweeter smells during the winter   monsoon. God I wish we had a proper winter in Chennai. No snow and all, just nippy cold winter.

Between me and my mum, we have quite the perfume arsenal. From the Victoria's Secret splashes, to the Cerrutis, the Diors and the Elizabeth Ardens, there is probably something for every mood and occasion.
They range from around a few hundred rupees to disgusting amounts that I'm sure neither of us is proud of (most of them are presents so it's FINE.)

I completely agree that the higher end ones have a ridiculous lasting power and sillage (this is basically the trail of scent that you leave that makes peoples heads turn and go WT*) but I have uncovered a few which are all under 1000 INR and I think are very good quality for the price and definitely last quite long.
So if you're just starting out your perfume collection and don't want to go straight into Parcos and drop a few thousands, these are some lovely ones that you can dabble with before you're ready to buy your big girl perfume :)

(I am going to do a men's perfume one because god, if all men smelled as good as some I know, the world would be a happy, happy place)

NOTE: Perfumes smell different on different people because of body chemistry, so I recommend always trying a perfume on your wrist, leaving it for a few hours and wander around the whole mall OR come back the next day and buy it so you truly know what it smells like on you. Never go by the papers test that they do especially if you're buying an expensive one. Paper isn't skin. 


1. Zara Silk - INR 890

The first perfume I bought from Zara. When I saw the price, I thought there was a 1 missing at the beginning. Or that something was wrong. 890 for 75ml WHAT. I grabbed it. Ran to the counter and asked the guy five times if that was the price. They started looking at me so weirdly after I asked them third or fourth time.
Anyway. A nice, light daytime perfume. A fresh floral scent, not to sweet.

Staying power: 4/5 It lasted a good 4-5 hours but did wear off almost completely after that.


2. Zara Tulle - INR 890

From the same line as Silk, comes this little beauty. This one is a lot sweeter and the staying power is considerably more than Silk. The top note is apparently melon, so that explains the fruityness. It's definitely not overpoweringly sweet, so I wear this pretty much all the time in the day.

Staying power: 5/5 Lasted all day. And my clothes smelled of it the next morning. WIN.

3. Marks and Spencers Sunny Daze mini - INR 700 (Approx)

I love the M&S minis. Some of them they get really, really right and you can just carry it around in your purse and keep spritzing. A real lifesaver for college and work. Some of them are really weird smelling, I'm not going to lie. But I love Sunny Daze. It literally smells like it sounds - a sunny, happy day. Sweet notes, reminds me of sunshine in a bottle. Cue Natasha Bedingfield :P. Well that's pocket but you get the idea. I am not sure if they've discontinued it ( they had another lovely one called Perfection) but DO go to M&S and check out the minis they have this season - they're really good for the price point (all under INR 700).

Staying power: 4/5 Lasts a good 5 hours. And the mini size makes it really convenient to carry around and re-spritz if you need to.

4. Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mist in Pure Seduction - INR 675-775 (Approx dollar conversion) or INR 700 - 1000 (Flipkart/Jabong)

I sent one of my close friends to VS in Singapore last year to pick one up for me and he came back with two (aw, bless him). I think you can judge the strength of your friendship with a guy if he's willing to avert his eyes (or not) and brave the raw sexy that is a Victoria's Secret store and come back with a body mist for you.
I LOVE THIS SCENT. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH. As you can see, I'e used it a lot. I thought I would never love anything more than the Strawberries and Champagne one but god this is a close second. It smells like fresh berries in a bottle. I used to wear this all of last year in college and a couple of my classmates knew I was in the room purely by the scent. If you have someone in a VS retailing nation - please get this one. Or Strawberries and Champagne.

You can buy this one here (125ml) (it's on sale!) and the full size here (250ml).

You can get more of them here: http://www.flipkart.com/search?q=victorias+secret&as=off&as-show=off&otracker=start


Staying power : 4.5/5 It does vary though, I've had people who've said body mists do not last on them at all. But I tend to have it last the whole day. Tip - spray it on your skin more than your clothes. I find that it doesn't cling to fabric.

5. Bath and Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist in Sky - INR 840 (Approx dollar conversion) or INR 825 - INR 1300 (Flipkart/Jabong)  I was fortunate enough to get it on sale for, wait for it, the equivalent of INR 180.

Bath and Body are an another company that do great mists. I love this one which is basically violet and lily. Super fresh and summery. It smells like a perfume. The staying power I feel is a bit longer than the VS ones, and they tend to stick to clothes a lot more.

You can get them online (for less than 1k!) : http://www.flipkart.com/all/bath-body-works~brand/pr?sid=all 


Staying Power : 5/5 Again, same as the VS one. Varies. But if you're in India you obviously can't test but for the price you really can't go wrong. I recommend them :)

Well that wraps this up.
I do know that Westside, Fab India and a couple of other smaller brands also do body mists but I haven't really tried them out to know the staying power but I definitely will soon. If any of you have found alternatives, please comment and tell me where you get them from, cause I'd love to try them :)

Have a nice weekend :D

Purchases: Bath and Body Works deliciousness

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for things that smell good. Be it perfume, soap, candles, lotions, men - I appreciate the subtle science and fine art that is scent-making. It bewitches the mind, ensnares the senses and all that.

When I found myself outside a Bath and Body Works during the summer sale, I went a little crazy.

I went over three different days (eep) and as things were on sale in rotation, it was just a matter of time before the scents that I wanted to buy were on knockdown.

I am no beauty expert but I know that some people do prefer The Body Shop for their lotions and potions probably because of the natural ingredients. But come onnnnn. I think the scents that Bath And Body offer are amazing. A lot of them have incredibly creative names and associations with places/seasons and feelings which I think is extremely fun. I don't think it particularly does wonders for the skin, they're nice, good quality products that do their job.

Out of all the things I bought, I think these four products were the best smelling ones.

1. Dark Kiss

    This is probably my favorite. It makes me feel like a sexy vixen because it's all night time-y. Light floral with hints of vanilla in it, it's something you should bathe in if you've had a long ass day and want to wind down. Or if you're heading out and want to smell good because the scent DOES linger (which is what I really like about these products).

2. Warm Vanilla Sugar

    Where to start. If you like smelling edible, this is the one for you. I've tried vanilla scented products from loads of brands, but I feel like they all get it wrong, because this clinical, chemical, cream smell comes through the vanilla note, completely killing it. But this product, you ONLY get this amazingly warm, vanilla scent. I swear I have spent a good ten minutes post shower just sniffing my arms.

3. Sweet Pea

    If you're one of those people that likes sweeter, floral scents, you will enjoy this. Their whole Sweet Pea line is pretty great, actually. But I picked up the lotion because one, it was one sale and two, I didn't want a perfume or a bodywash because I feel like that would be an overkill on scent.

4.  Paris Amour

     Ah, the city of love. This is one of those cleverly named scents that suck you in and make you buy it because you can fool yourself into thinking you've been transported to Paris in your shower space. This is another fruity floral scent but a rather fresh one.

I envy people who live in a city with Bath and Body. India seriously needs to get one. More importantly, Chennai. So if you've got that uncle/aunt/sister/brother/grandparent/boyfriend/girlfriend who has access to a store, especially during the sale because it's INSANE, do not pass up on the opportunity to force them to go there for you and pick up something. I've done it. I have good friends :P