Deck and Dine

Hi everyone,

Today I am going to talk about a raved product from the beauty industry. It is BENEFIT COSMETICS They're Real! Mascara.

This is one of Benefit Cosmetic's best selling mascaras and it is called ‘real’ because it creates an illusion of fake eyelashes but they are actually real.

I have waited years to try this. All the hype and positive reviews made this hit the number 1 rank on my wish list. So lets see if I am happy with this mascara or not.

What the Company Claims About the Product:
They're real! Lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!

Packaging:-

Drooling. It comes in a classy looking chrome tube. The brush is very unique too. The outer black cover has all the other details.

My Experience:-
It is jet black which I am really fond of. My lashes are brown and this black gives definition and makes them stand out. My lashes look curlier, longer and thicker with a single coat. The consistency is pretty good, more on the wetter side, just the way I like. I wore this for 9 hours at a stretch, and I didn’t face any smudging or flaking problems. The formula is semi-waterproof, so it washes off easily with regular cleansers. No need to soak your lashes in cleanser or oil at the end of day, no need of rubbing and harming your lashes. I also like the unique brush, it has custom-domed tip and the precision bristles that make it easy to coat each lash evenly from root to tip.

This mascara is good for your first coat. But when I try to apply a second coat, my lashes stick together and it becomes too hard to separate. I have followed their instruction as well: applying horizontally & wiggling brush from side to side, base to tip and then vertically stroking upward. It crazily clumped my lashes. The brush takes out a lot more product that what you need. Moreover, I don’t feel comfortable wearing this mascara during daytime, it adds way too much drama. (which I love during evening).

Summing up my Likes and Dislikes-

What I LIKED about BENEFIT COSMETICS They're Real! Lengthening Mascara:-

Jet black color.
My lashes looked curlier, longer and thicker in seconds.
Dramatic lashes.
Well pigmented.
Creamy consistency, more on the wetter side.
Brush has bristles all the way around the tip which is perfect for doing your bottom lashes and getting in the corners where the lashes are smaller.
Stays intact until you remove it with cleanser.
No smudging or flaking issues.
Semi water proof formula.
Can be removed without much effort.

What I Don’t LIKE about L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Blackest Black:-

Hello spider legs lashes.
Pricey.

Final thoughts:-
Well I wouldn't say I am disappointed with this as it gives amazing volume, length, curl, anything you could want in your mascara. But the only problem is, it clumps galore. To avoid it, you have to be really patient. Thus It is definitely not one to use on the go or if you're in a rush. But if you wear it properly, you will love the drama. I love it when it doesn't create spider legs, absolutely breathtaking.

Claim Tick and Rating:-4/5Here’s to bigger, bolder, sexier lashes!

I really want to hear your thoughts? Have you tried this mascara? Let me know.

Hello my lovely ladies,

Imagine you are getting decked up for an occasion, you are done with draping your saree, doing your makeup, hair; everything looks perfect. Yet something is spoiling your look: Ahh…that ill fitted blouse..!!

Have you ever faced a situation like this? I have; and trust me it seems to be the worst situation ever. An ill tailored suit or blouse can spoil even the prettiest of looks.

So choosing a good tailor is very necessary. A good tailor should know about various fabrics, fits, and should be able to identify what looks good on your body shape. He/she should also be able to communicate with you about what you want and what you need.

Getting the fitting and styling correct is a work of art and good tailors are increasingly hard to find. I have been asked a million times about my tailors. Even I have asked people too. Specially during my pre-wedding days. I wanted someone to make perfect tailor made outfits for my trousseau. My search in all these years helped me find a few outstanding tailors in Kolkata.

So today I’ll be listing my favorite tailors in the city of joy. Please note that these are MY favorite stops for tailor made suits and blouses. It isn't necessary that they will become your favorites too. But they have made a name in the industry and I hope you won’t be disappointed if you go to them.

Here go my top 10 favorites…

Ganga Jamuna Ladies Tailor:-

Address:- 109, S. S. Hogg Market, New Market, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 700087
Contact No: +919830125461 / +919830351896 22468269
Well, this is an ever crowded place and you have to be really patient with them. Don’t o to them if you are in a rush or when you need something done urgently. They have loads of orders and they need time to finish your stuff.

Ladies Own (Ladies Tailors)

Building No: 174E, Rash Behari Avenue, near Triangular Park, Kolkata-700029
Contact No: 9038314485
Years of experience have made them what they are now. It is one of the oldest reputed tailors of Kolkata. A favourite of both my Mom and me.

V-CUT:-
Address:- P-360, Keyatala road, Kolkata-700029.
Contact: Call at +91 98310 98830 or
If you want to see their collection / designs on Facebook, Click Here ..

Go to them for designer wear in all its glory - both ready-to-wear and custom made Blouses. They make them within 72 hours! :D

French Ladies Tailor:-
Address:- Shop No: 2, Madge Lane, Kolkata, West Bengal, Pin: 700016
Contact No: 22521684
Another gem from old Kolkata.

Senorita:-
Address:- 128, Hazra Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700026.
Contact Number: +91-33 24555054

XnY Chromosomes:-
Address:- 139B, Rash Behari Avenue, near Triangular Park, Kolkata-700029
9830243337
One of my favourite stops for designer blouses and suits. But sometimes they act very unprofessional and always have a tendency to postpone delivery dates. Keep in touch with them to avoid such problems.

Manohar Tailor:-
Address: 119, Rash Behari Avenue, Kolkata, West Bengal 700029
Phone: +91-33 24659287
Punjabi uncle is very nice and you can expect pretty good tailoring service.

Meena:-
Address:Shop No.216, 15A, Ground Floor, Sreeram Arcade(Centrally AC), Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, Opp.Light House Cinema, Dharmatala, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700013, India
Contact: +91 33 3010 2551
Another favorite of mine.

Rajneeta:-
Address:- Shop No.22, Gariahat Rd, Golpark, Gariahat, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019, India
Contact: +91 33 2460 1650
This used to be my regular stop for blouses when I stayed in Dhakuria.

Prasant Ladies Tailor:-
Address:- Deshapriya Park, Rashbehari Avenue 700029
Phone: +91-8017071440
Well, I personally haven’t tried making blouses from them, but my cousin is their regular customer and I love the designs and fit.

This is my list of favorites. Now you don't have to worry about your bridal trousseau and lookout more for the perfect tailor. Your search ends here.

Do you know anyone who creates magic when he/she touches a piece of cloth? Share with us...

The cherry blossom tree is truly a sight to behold, especially when it is in full riotous bloom. Love those small pinkish-hued flowers. So yesterday I tried doing a cherry blossom nail art inspired by it's beauty... This is easy and looking very pretty.

 Learn how to do cherry blossom nails with our step-by-step  tutorial.

Things I used for this nail art:-:-

Nail polishes ( A hot pink, a pale/ French pink, dark brown, a clear top coat). I didn’t have brown nail polish, so I mixed up red and black.
Brushes
Nail paint remover

Steps:-

Paint the index and little finger nails with the hot pink nail color and the rest with French pink. Let it dry completely.
Dip your brush in a brown nail polish and start drawing branches on the nails you painted light pink. Make sure the lines aren’t too thick. Practice on paper to nail the brush control. Let dry.
I mixed a little bit of the dark pink to the light pink and mixed together well. It should be a few shades darker than the light pink background you have on your nails. Now taking this pink in a brush I made little tiny dots clustered together to form flowers. Draw a few random tiny dots.
Now taking the hot pink color, add a few more flowers to make the nail art appear brighter. Draw a few tiny dots here and there like before.
Draw the centre of flowers with the light pink color.
I just added a few light strokes of light pink and purple on the “hot pink” nails to give a texture. Well, this is completely optional.

So that’s it. You can apply a top coat if you want. I personally like to keep them “non-shinny”.

Hello my lovely ladies,

Foundation is one of the most important facets of makeup. It prepares the canvas on which the rest of your makeup will be applied.

Today I’ll be reviewing a liquid foundation that I bought last year as a part of my bridal kit. It is SEPHORA Brightening & Hydrating Foundation” in shade C10 Claire Light (IVORY).

As Francois Nars says, “Foundation should unify tone, but it shouldn't take away the individuality of the skin.” So let’s see if it is one of those “worth the try” foundations…

Company Description:-
Achieve an even and comfortable coverage with this foundation. Upon application, it reduces the appearance of blemishes, lines and dark circles. The nourishing formula instantly brightens and smoothens your skin. It leaves your skin suppler to create a translucent appearance.

My Take on SEPHORA Brightening & Hydrating Foundation:-

Packaging:-
A glass jar with a fuss-free pump mechanism. I love pump dispensers as I can control how much product I want. The lid closes well and this 20ml jar glides easily in my vanity.

Shade:-
Mine is in shade Claire Light- IVORY and it suits me just fine.There are total 9 shades in the range.

Texture:-Texture is very smooth and easy to blend. It is enriched with moisturizing Hyaluronic acid that provides day-long hydration.

Finish:-
This foundation leaves my skin healthy looking with dewy finish. I just love the glow it provides. Skin looks healthier, brighter and more radiant.

Coverage:-
This foundation has a light to medium coverage and is buildable. I can totally build this foundation to get medium-full coverage. It covers mild freckles, discolorations, blotchiness and red marks left by pimples. If you have major scars, you need a concealer with this.

Staying Power:-
It leaves skin peachy-soft and naturally flawless for up to 12+ hours. (That’s the maximum time I wore it for).

So summing up “LIKES” and “DISLIKES”

LIKED about SEPHORA Brightening & Hydrating Foundation:-

Provides day-long hydration. I have dry skin and I didn’t face any dryness with this even in the winters.
Light to medium coverage and is buildable.
Reveal a perfect and naturally glowing complexion.
Skin looks more radiant.
Covers redness and li spots on my face. Make my face look rather smooth.
Can be blended easily.
Fuss-free pumping mechanism.
Fragrance-free.

What I don’t like about SEPHORA Brightening & Hydrating Foundation:

Limited availability. Available in India only at Sephora outlets.

Final thoughts:-
I really love this product. The feather-light finish easily blends into the skin keeping it healthy, glowing. It hides my skin imperfections and evens out skin tones. There was no tight and dry feeling with this foundation. My face feels smooth and naturally beautiful all day. Happy with my buy.

Would I recommend?
Absolutely. If you are looking for a daily foundation that moisturizes, gives a lovely dewy, radiant finish, then you can surely give this a try.

Rating:-
4.5/5

So have you ever tried SEPHORA Brightening & Hydrating Foundation ?

"No elegance is possible without perfume. It is unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory..." says Coco Chanel, and I can’t agree more.
A good perfume is like a way of presenting oneself. This finishing touch on a dress is an indispensible part. Yes, you are never fully dressed without a perfume..

Today, I’ll be reviewing one of my favourite perfumes. It is Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom EDT and was gifted to me by the man of my life. The fragrance was launched in 2012 and is available in a flacon characteristic of Green Tea edition.

Company claims:-
Ethereal. Fresh. Feminine. Green Tea Cherry Blossom is an ethereal fragrance that exudes the sparkling femininity of delicate pink petals while capturing the lush freshness of green tea leaves to create a truly beautiful and unique fragrance experience.

KEY NOTES:-

Top Notes:Bergamot, Meyer Lemon, Tangerine, Orange Trees, Green Tea Vapor, Sweet Almond

Middle Notes: Cherry Blossom Tree ScentTrekTM, Ume Plum, Apricot, Chinese Peony, Green Tea Leaves

Base Notes:White Birch, Moss, Skin Musks, Heliotrope, White Lily

My take on Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom EDT:-

Packaging:-

The glass bottle is pink colored and is decorated with white cherry blossoms and green tea leaf patterns. The frarance can be obtained as 50ml and 100ml EDT.

Price:-
$29.50 for 50 ml, i.e. INR 1962.76..

Fragrance:-
When it comes to choosing deodorants and perfumes, I become very skeptical, especially about the fragrance, and it is simply because I detest heavy perfumes. I get headaches when wearing heavy fragrances. At first it felt to be a bit strong than what I prefer, but soon the fragrance changed to a comforting and beautifully soft floral. It is perfect for spring and summer days, keeps me feeling fresh and smelling nice even in the hot, sultry, sweaty summer days. It is gentle, refreshing and smells amazing without disturbing my sensitive nose.

Staying Power:-This gentle fragrance lingers for about 4-5 hours on me. Wish it ad a longer staying power.

Summing up my Likes and Dislikes:-

LIKES:-

Light and delightful fragrance.
Mild floral fragrance that doesn’t disturb sensitive nose.
Keeps you feeling fresh
Non allergic and skin-friendly.
Cute, feminine package.
Easy to use spray dispenser.
Easily available.

DISLIKES:-

Glass jar and plastic cap… :(
I wish it stayed longer.

Final Thoughts:-
It's fresh, pretty, light, delicate and nice. It is such a perfect perfume for Indian Spring days. It makes me happy every time I spray it on myself. It's also one of the few perfumes I can wear any day and that won't give me a headache. As I mentioned before, I'm very sensitive towards smells and so it's pretty much priceless to find a scent that I love and that I can wear without a worry.

Btw, I am planning to buy their other fragrances too… :D

Rating:
4/5.

Have you tried any of Elizabeth Arden perfumes?

Hello my gorgeous ladies,

Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Today I am here with the swatches of 6 Coca-Cola Collection nail polishes from OPI. These nail polishes are inspired by various Coca-Cola beverages. My husband got me this travel exclusive mini collection form the airport duty free shop when he returned from a business trip. He knows how to make me happy :D

So without any further delay, let's move on to individual polishes and their characteristics.

First the packaging:-
The nail colors come housed in a red box. Color names are not written on the bottles but below each nail polish on the box. The cute, little bottles glides on my vanity without any hassle.

Price:-
This 6 piece set was for 25$ in airport duty free.

You're So Vain-illa:-
This is creamy nude and inspired by Vanilla Coke. It lies in between white and nude actually. It is creamy and smooth. It though is a tad streaky on first coat but levelled well on the second. It is pigmented dries super fast.

Turn on the haute light:-
Inspired by Coca-Cola light / Diet Coke, this shimmery silver foil kinda color is pretty unique. It is runny in texture and is seer in first coat; however is opaque in two coats. Love the chrome-metallic finis it gives.

Sorry I'm Fizzy Today:-
Inspired by Vanilla Coke again and it is a yellow-toned pink crème. It is bright and beautiful and lies in between pink and coral. It is creamy and smooth. It is well pigmented and dries super fast.

Coca-Cola Red:-
Inspired by Original Coca-Cola, it is Classic red – always in style, always perfect. This is an iconic shade of O.P.I and is one of the most gorgeous red nail polishes I have.

Get Cherried Away:-
It is a red-toned purple inspired by Cherry Coke. It is over-the-top gorgeous! But the first coat was really hard to apply.

Today I Accomplished Zero:-
Inspired by Coke Zero, it is raspberry glitters in black jelly base. Very dramatic and very sexy. But black jelly base was very difficult to work with. It was streaky like hell and formed lumps, don’t know why. The second coat made it worse.

So what I Liked and Disliked about OPI Coca-Cola Travel Exclusive Collection:-

LIKES:-

Beautiful Colors.
Dries in a wink.
Travel friendly, mini bottles.
Glitters are not overly-bling type.
Stays long.
Super easy to remove.

DISLIKES:-

The textures could have been better.
Pricey :(

Overall thought:-
Love these “nothing like anything in my stash” kind of colors. I do like this collection quite a lot as there are more unusual colors compared to what I have in my stash. Coca-cola red is my most favourite. I am obsessed with reds, can’t help…!!!

Ratings:-
4/5

What do you think of them? Let me know by commenting below…

“These are the four that are never content: that have never been filled since the dew began-Jacala's mouth, and the glut of the kite, and the hands of the ape, and the eyes of Man.” - Rudyard Kipling, Jungle book.

Jungle book is not only a book or a show which made my childhood, it is an emotion. The extraordinary tale of Mowgli is still engraved deep in my mind. The lyrics of the famous song still linger in my mind even after so many years.

So as Mowgli is back again in town, I thought of doing a Jungle book inspired nail art. But before starting the tutorial, I would like to thank my blogger friends for themotivation. Thank you Anjali for the idea and Kanu, Snigdha, Ragini, Dr. Farhat. Love you all…

So lets begin..

Tutorial:

I have used a light pastel green as a base.
Then I sponged a light leaf green and a dark green around on the nails.
Used shades of green acrylic color to draw branches and leaves. Experiment.
Mowgli, Baloo and Sher Khan are free hand using acrylic paints.
Seal the paint with a non-streaky top coat.

I suck at painting and so this was definitely not up to the mark. I failed terribly. But what to do? I couldn't stop myself from sharing. Also I have no clue why Sher Khan is hanging from nowhere. .. :( And my ending love for smudged eye-makeup, I smudged Sher Khan too :P

Anyway, let me know your thoughts. I am all ears today. Pour in your honest opinions.

Voting is quite a prevalent term under the current political scenario of India. In-fact it has gained its importance since independence. Every Vote that we, i.e. the citizens of India cast decides the fate of our Councillors, MLAs and MPs. Through this representative form of casting votes the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and other Ministers are elected.

(Image Source: GOOGLE)

Going by the outer picture of exercising this Constitutional Right it seems to be quite a meaningful task. But when it comes to a population of around 130 Crores, one might argue that it hardly matters. Just a single vote cannot make such a big difference. And there lies the catch. Refraining oneself to exercise their power actually leads to corrupt practices. It is that single person’s valuable vote which he/she undervalues which gives the anti-socials to take up this golden opportunity to cast a false vote in place of that original voter. The harshest reality is that not only am I losing on my right but also helping someone to take
advantage of it. Do you really want to do give this opportunity?

Elections generally take place during summers. Don’t know the logic behind it, might be to discourage citizens to cast their vote. Disregarding the underlying reason behind such schedule, date of Voting becomes eventful as it is declared as a paid holiday under Section 135B under Representatives of People Act, 1951. No school, colleges remain open and even the employees have the luxury of that holiday guaranteed. Under such a scenario few are lazy enough to spend the entire day back at home and not to lose their glamour under the scorching sun just to cast a vote. I have also witnessed a few who has the audacity to flaunt regarding their sloppiness. How irresponsible of them.

Another strong factor that negates us to vote is to have a pre-conceived notion of the candidate losing which we support. I would say that it is like losing a match before I actually come on field and play. It is also like giving a walk-over to the opponent team. Even if I am on the losing side is there any harm in reducing the gap between the loser and the winner? Let me put it in this way. If I have filed a nomination and I get just a single vote in place of zero, which one do you think is still a better way of losing?

This often confused as a Fundamental Right, which is actually a Constitutional Right gives us a lot of power. We, more often than not tend to oversee it. With the introduction of NOTA since last Parliament elections it has been a blatant step on the part of Government to encourage voting i.e. adult suffrage. With NOTA coming into play, it had created a lot of impact on those who would have refrained from voting since they had no candidate on whom they can utilize their vote. Although its post inception results has not been impressive, many finding it as a ‘useless attempt’ or ‘blunt sword’, but it still has a big impact in
Indian political scenario. That also makes me think of a situation where if someday the percentage of NOTA is more than the highest number of votes obtained by any candidate in that constituency.

Last but not the least I have more than one good enough reason to cast my vote and will not waste this opportunity which generally comes once in 5 years. Casting of vote is a privilege unlike a few nations where people are no more elected. And if we stop voting diligently, the little bit of democracy that exists in India will be gone forever.

-Written by Indrayudh Dey

What do you think? Share your thoughts with us.

Splatter nail art is one of the easiest ways to create chic, colorful nails. It is super fun to splash and splatter colors on your nails.

I created this nail art a day before Holi, and i felt, "Ohh my, this is so colorful, this is so Holi.." Well I couldn't upload this tutorial then, but better to be late than never, I am uploading it today. Also, you can create this beauty anytime of the year. There is no harm in splattering colors. Today I’ll be sharing a super easy to do splatter nail art tutorial. So lets begin…

Things I used:-

A nail polish which acted as the base. I have used white.
Different colored nail polishes. I have used blue, pink, yellow and green. You can use acrylic paints as well.
A straw.
Tape/ gum
Clear top coat

Procedure:-

Apply two coats of the white polish.
This splatter nail art will create a huge mess, so apply glue around your nails. After finishing off the nail art, you will just have to peel off the dried glue. I didn’t have glue with me today, so I went with tape.

Cut a regular sized straw to about 3-4 inches and dip into the polish. Place the straw above your nail and blow to create splatter effect. Position the straw closer to your nails for larger splatters and further away for smaller splatters.
Do this with all the colors you want to.
Let dry and apply the top coat. Remove the glue/ tape.

That is it. Isn't it is super easy? Do it. I am sure you are going to love it.

Have you tried doing splatter nails before? Let me know what you think about this nail art.

Hello ladies,

We are back on “Blushing Brides” with a very favorite person, Bidisha Banerjee. She is one of the very few brides I know who were “courageous” enough to bid “goodbye” to the trademark red Benarasi and opted for a different look altogether. I used the word “courageous” because it definitely takes a lot of courage to experiment with your bridal look.

Welcoming the very pretty Bidisha Banerjee (SInha) on deckanddine….

How did you guys meet?

“We met in the beginning of 2006 at Calcutta Global Chat Room of Yahoo Messenger :D

We were initially good friends. We met a couple of times. He graduated and I was in 1st year of college. Eventually he went to Pune and Bengaluru for job . While I graduated, he left for Florida, USA for his Masters in Engineering. We still were just good friends. But due to this long distance we just remained Facebook friends i.e, we were not that much in contact for two years. But one fine day (beginning of July 2012) we again started to chat like we used to do before and within a month he proposed me on my birthday!!”

So how long did you get to plan your entire wedding?
“Honestly, we did not get much time to prepare. We just had 6 months.

Luckily, there were not much wedding dates in the beginning of the year 2015. There were just one or two days in February and March. So it was kind of easier for us to book Swabhumi as the Wedding Venue. Venue selection was done around 6 months

before and I started with the shopping from the beginning of January 2015 (Wedding was on March 10th, 2015)”

From where you got your outfits and accessories, both wedding and reception?

“The wedding day sari is Georgette benarasi

I got my Wedding Sari from Saarang , Park Street, Kolkata and Reception Sari from Vastra Kutim, Ballygunj , Kolkata. My jewelleries of the Wedding Day were mostly from Senco Jewellery , Dey's Jewellery Mansion and the Long neckpiece was from Dubai (Gold Souk)

Reception sari is kanjivaram silk from Vastra Kuttim and jewelry were from Syndicate Jewellery,City Center II, Kolkata. My accessories which I wore other days were from Vardaan Market, Kolkata.”

Where did you get your makeup and hair done?

“My Wedding Day Makeup was from Lakme Salon, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata and

Reception Day Makeup was from Green Trends Salon, Salt Lake City, Kolkata.”

Tell us something about your photographer?

“Photographer from my side :

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShivlokMovies/?fref=ts

Website : http://shivlokmovies.com/

I can vouch for this~ They make the best Wedding Album ! They are also photo journalists other than being Wedding and Event Photographers.”

Photographer from his side :

“Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeddingEssence/

They make creative Wedding Photoshoot.”

Any advice you want to all the readers out there?

“Honestly speaking, Don't freak out before marriage !

Now and then you may have sudden cold feet. But it's normal .

I was always smiling throughout the wedding day because I knew this would be the most memorable day in my life so I couldn't seem to look worried in the pictures, Rofl ! So enjoy the wedding. Also take care of your skin the most before marriage. Start at least 4 to 5 months before so that on the main event the makeup artist gets the perfect canvas for the makeup because if your skin isn't nourished and well treated, makeup will not look good in pictures and for that you need to have a proper diet as well. So consult a doctor to get a proper food chart ! Needless to say, avoid junk food especially during this phase as it may hamper your skin and hair too. Instead, have good amount of vegetables, fruits and lots and lots of water. Also, workout for 45 mins everyday at home to feel fresh and rejuvenated.”

Deckandddine says:We completely love her looks. They were the perfect mixtures of modern and traditional elements. She looked every inch the queen when she was being carried in the Palanquin.

Shehad a perfect fairy tale wedding. When you are truly happy, it shows in your face. This happens with Bidisha too. The bridal glow is impeccable.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. You two make a wonderful couple.
We wish Bidisha and Ushnish health and happiness J Stay blessed.

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Hello my lovely ladies,

Today I am back with a review of a perfect summery lip shade. It is Faces Petal me Out. This was bought by me quite recently with a few other shades and I am totally loving it since then…

So lets go through the complete review…

Product Description:-
Super stay, easy to apply Lipstick gives uniform coverage. Repair your lips against climatic changes. Get ready for rich, long lasting color in just one swipe.

Price:

250 INR

Packaging:-
A glossy black bullet case which is simple and chic. It comes housed in a black box,

Color:-
It is a pretty warm medium rosy pink with hints of peach in it; very pretty and very summery. The shade goes well with both neutral and dramatic eyes. It is a perfect peachy pink for me.

Texture:-

Very soft and creamy. It glides smoothly on lips without tugging or pulling. It is very moisturising and keeps lips soft for hours.

Color Payoff:-
It goes sheer on the first swatch, but can easily be layered to have a full coverage. It would cover pigmented lips as well.

Staying power:-
It stays well for 2-3 hours which is decent since it is on the sheer side and has a glossy finish.

Summing up my LIKES and DISLIKES:-

LIKES:-

Pretty color.
Creamy and soft texture.
Glides beautifully.
Moisturising.
Color is buildable.
Simple packaging
Affordable.

DISLIKES:-

Needs re-applying after 2-3 hours. But this is the case with every glossy lipsticks.

Final Thoughts:-

A glossy pretty pink, which can definitely be your everyday color. If you like your lips with something more than just a regular, natural color, then this is a great color for you. It is also a great option for someone looking to ease themselves into the world of lipsticks. Creamy and smooth formula, provides the right amount of glossiness and moisture. Can’t wait to try some of the other colors in this range.

Rating:-
4/5

Hello ladies,

Today on “Blushing Brides” we are featuring a very pretty lady from the City of Joy, Mrittika Mitra. She got married on 29^thJanuary this year and today she is here to share her wedding moments with us.

Here is what she wants to share with us …

How did you guys meet?
Ours is an arranged marriage but eventually love found its way. The process from first meeting to getting engaged was done in one week..right just one week.. as the saying goes when it’s right, its right. Like every arranged marriage setup, me and Prateek first met each other with our parents. On the first day itself we really connected with each other and as days followed we started talking about our future together and tadaaa… our families were more than happy with our decision.

So how long did you get to plan your entire wedding?
Like every girl I too had some plans for my d-day since long, but the actual planning happened for nearly 5 and a half months. My wedding date got fixed in mid august and the d-day was 29th January. Our main concern was getting a venue, as in Kolkata wedding venues gets booked well before a year. But luckily my wedding took place at Swapno Bhor, New town and we were the first ones to whom they let out the park.

Tell us something about where you got your outfits and accessories for wedding.
My wedding benarasi was a true red benarasi silk from Adi Mohini Mohan Kanjilal. I always wanted a clean jewellery look rather than a gold shop advertisement. My main wedding choker necklace and the other long necklace were from Shyam Sunder Jewellers. The choker necklace design was their own but the long necklace design was provided by me. While buying my other wedding accessories like kamar bandh and maang tika I came across a necklace which I really liked. I took a picture and gave the design to Shyam Sunder Jewellers to custom make it for me. The earrings I wore was my mom’s. It was her wedding earrings as well which almost matched the long necklace.

Where did you get your hair and makeup done?
My makeup and hair was done by Goutam Sarkar. I first saw his work four years back and somehow always wanted to get my makeup done by him. I am super happy with his work. I highly recommend him. He is a professional makeup artist. His the makeup artist for Tollywood actrees subhasree and as well as many commercials as well.
Click Here to visit his facebook account:

Tell us something about your photographers
After a lot of research and filtering I choose Love stories Wedding Photography as my photographers.
Click Here to visit his Facebook Page.
We absolutely loved their work. They captured every moment of my memorable day so well. Each picture is like a story.

Any advice you want to tell all the readers out there?
I have heard lots of people freaking out before their marriage, but strangely I never experienced anything like that. I was really happy throughout the phase. I was sure that this phase from getting engaged to getting married would never come again, so I thoroughly cherished each and every moment. I would tell every to be brides to just cherish every moment of the phase. Another thing that my make-up artist told me not to do was to cut fringes or bangs and not to chop off hair too short. As fringes and bangs are difficult to set. And the last facial you do before your d-day should not be experimental. Always stick to what you have done before. Try to eat healthy, although for us Bengalis its not really possible because of the innumerable aiburo bhaat invitations. Try to follow a skin routine that suits best for your skin type. And most importantly be happy and keep smiling.

DECK and DINE says:-
I just completely adore her look, traditional, elegant and classy. Her makeup was clean and enhanced her features. The combination of red Benarasi and gold jewellery can never go wrong on a Bengali wedding. She was the quintessential Bengali bride and looked ethereal.

Thank you Mrittika for letting us feature your journey here.
Congratulations…I hope your life together will be filled with joy, happiness and lots of love!

If you too want to feature your wedding tale with us, then mail us at madhu.9615@gmail.com

Hello my gorgeous ladies,

Today I am going to show you how to paint a landscape for your summery nails. As per weather trends so far this year, the 2016 Indian summer in on course to be the hottest ever. It is 46℃, unreasonable dry and hot and I can’t wait to hit the beach. (I guess I don’t have to tell you that Goa is super fun in summers as well). But as my work and study are really keeping me busy, taking time off seems like a far-fetched dream.

So the sad and tired me thought of doing summery nails to boost the mood.

So without any further ranting, let us go through the tutorial…

Things I have used:-

Nail polish (purple, orange, yellow, blue, white, black and a top coat)
Paint Brush
Makeup sponge
Nail polish remover.

Procedure:-

Well, there are two ways by which you can nail this nail art. One is by using a brush and the other one is by using a sponge. I have done this with a sponge.
Apply a white base coat. It will help the other colors to pop.
Then on a plate, drop a drop each of all the colors; first the purple, then orange, then yellow and finally the blue. Dab a sponge on the colors and sponge it on your nails. You can also sponge one color at a time. Repeat on all the nails.
Let the colors dry completely. In the meantime you can clean up any polishes on your skin.
Now take a thin brush, dip in black nail polish and draw lands, coconut/plum trees and birds.
Apply top coat.

That’s it. It is very simple and looks amazing. Let me know what you feel about this nail art.

Pour in your thoughts in the comment section and don’t forget to click on the G+ button if you like it :)

See you on my next post. Love you all…bye bye :)

Cousins are usually the first friends we have as children; best of two worlds, they are family and friends at the same time. And thus seeing your childhood friend all decked up as a bride is definitely a very emotional moment. Seeing her in her wedding lehenga, smiling next to the groom, all of a sudden, it dawned on me, “She is leaving India forever and I won’t see her anymore whenever I want.” Yes, it was so hard to believe that she was getting married, but preparing for the D-day was even harder. We had only three months to plan and execute everything. She had a Punjabi-Bengali fusion wedding and it was a day that everybody was looking forward to.

So let us see what she chose and how she looked on this very special day of her life.

1. How did you guys meet?
“ I was on my cultural exchange scholarship to China for 1 year after post-graduation. Luckily, his place was close to my friend's place where I was putting up for a night and then I received his Wechat friend request (he added me by finding nearby people, LOL). And for a long time we didn't meet, just used to chat on Wechat. After 3 months we met just for a casual dinner and on my birthday he proposed directly for marriage with an engagement ring.”

2. So how long did you get to plan your entire wedding?
“Since he is a Chinese, our marriage was supposed to be a very complicated affair because of the registration process and communication barrier between our parents. We decided to register our marriage in China since it is a lot hassle-free here. After the marriage registration, my parents started to arrange for the December wedding ceremony in India while I was working in China. So, almost all of the preparation was done by my parents. It took around 3 months for the entire preparation. We didn't have a separate reception since our wedding was a wedding-cum-reception affair mixed with Punjabi and Bengali rituals (my mummy is a Punjabi and my papa is a Bengali). The night before wedding we had the Mehendi & Sangeet ceremony which was quite fun. The morning of the wedding had a simple haldi ritual followed by lunch. After the December Indian Wedding, we also had a March Chinese wedding in his ancestral home. Everything was in such a hurry, i barely got any time to arrange my wedding properly.”

3. Tell us something about where you got your outfits and accessories, both wedding and reception?
“For the wedding, my mummy wanted me to wear a lehenga badly so I made her wish come true. The lehenga was quite a simple red-beige lehenga with minimal work on it. I got it from a Rupahali in Park street and I got the choli stitched from a boutique nearby my home. I didn't want to go for heavy accessories and wanted to put minimal jewelry on my D-day. So I started to search for costume jewelry and my cousin-sister helped me through it. I got a red kundan jewelry set from a shop in New market. The chooda and other bangles, waistband, hair pins, hair brooch was bought from a shopping complex near Bada bazar. The wedding heels were bought from Catwalk online store from China and the wedding purse was also bought online. The Gold jewelry was pre-arranged by mummy from Tanishq.”

4. Where did you get your makeup and hair done?
“I got my makeup and hair done by Anirudhha Chakladar. He's just absolutely amazing and a true expert. I loved his minimal and natural bridal makeup.”

5. Tell us something about your photographer?
“Ahh!!! what to say about my photographer!!! He took such good pictures just on a 5 hour period. He's none other than Rig Biswas of Rig Photography.”
Visit his FB page Here

6. Any advice you want to all the readers out there?
“ For the wedding, I would like to say everyone should have sufficient time to prepare for their wedding since its once in a lifetime affair. Earlier I had imagined so much how to prepare but when it was my turn it was such a hurry I hardly prepared anything in advance. I didn't lose weight to look slimmer and I couldn't take good care of the skin and there were pimples bursting on my cheeks during the wedding. But being the bride thrice for the same man was exciting and super fun enough, so even though i couldn't have my ideal wedding yet i enjoyed it and would cherish it all my life.”

DeckandDine says:-
It was wonderful growing up with someone like her - someone to lean on, someone to count on. She made one of the prettiest brides I have ever seen. You don’t really need any makeup, when you have such a million dollar smile. I loved how beautiful my baby looked in the bridal wear.
All of a sudden, I realized I'm all grown up, because she got married. :P

My very best wishes and deepest love to you two,
I am so thankful to you have a sister like you.
Love you two..
_____________

If you too want to feature your wedding tale with us, then mail us at madhu.9615@gmail.com

I am no writer, not even an amateur. In fact simply the thought of it would give me chills and make my tummy rumble. Writing has never been my cup of tea; rather I have never actually considered it. I don’t know why, but I guess I was always afraid of it, may be scared to reveal the deficiency of my vocabulary. But lately I have been thinking a lot, more than I usually do. And I somehow didn't feel it right to waste my thoughts. So right now I am sitting down here at this table, all alone in this house, with a glass of cold coffee and my laptop trying to make something out of my thoughts.

KOLKATA, it would be an understatement if I say that I love this city. A city of amiable contrasts, a city of cultural affluence, and a combination of ancient and modern beauty, Kolkata has an “alluring old- world charm and tranquil pace of life” which can hardly be experienced in any other city.

While I was juggling in between what this city has given me and what she hasn’t, the list of “what I got” is so long that it doesn’t really matter if there is anything on the other.

My love for Kolkata started long back, when I was small, so small that I didn’t know what love or attachments were. I only felt a strong bond with the place I was living in, I could only feel the pain when I bid goodbye to the Howrah Bridge during some trips outside and then had the desire to be back soon. Then Kolkata meant rushing to Victoria Memorial or Birla Planetarium with Papa early on an Sunday morning, going for a boat ride in the Ganges, tram ride, pandal hoping in Durga Puja, Nizam’s biryani, Sabir’s rezala, my home, the wooden staircase at the back of it, running from roof to roof in North Kolkata, playing cricket in the galis, the smell of haldi from Maa’s saree, Didun’s songs, Dadu reciting mantras and me sitting at his side praying hard enough so that God listens and I don’t have to go to school again. Kolkata meant everything.

But in my 26 years, things have changed a lot. I have lost my parents in these years. Fighting life alone is not easy, but I have always felt an immense comfort whenever I come back to Kolkata. The setting sun over the Ganges, the huge pillars of the Princep Ghat, the sun playing peek-a- boo through the leaves, the narrow lanes, black and white corridors, my lonely solitary walks in unknown streets, the long hours in coffee house, bustling energy of New Market, the tram ride to Gariahat to shop at one of the cheapest and most happening street markets of the world probably, Bengali food, and not to forget bonds which helped me to connect with myself, my man and my friends who are there in every thick and thin of my life, all these have made Kolkata even more special to me. It would be a lie if I say I never miss my Maa and Papa when I’m here in Kolkata, but the pain is much less, cause I feel them in every nook here there, whenever I get drenched in the rain, whenever I walk in the streets, whenever I push open the huge gate and enter my home, whenever I climb that wooden staircase and whenever I lay on my bed and look outside my window just to stare at my Kolkata. It is really hard to find description that would do justice to Kolkata, all I know is this city has made me… the city with soul, my Kolkata…

Someone has rightly said, “If you give time to Kolkata to love you back, she will engulf you in her arms.”

Hey guys,

What if you wake up one busy morning and feel like having something which has the best of both the east and the west. We Indians find hot and spicy delicacies to our west and mild and savory wonders to our east. So what do you do when you want the best of both worlds?
Well, you make Massaman Curry.

A Thai version of Persian meat curry, this dish suits a wide variety of meats. We made chicken at home. This is my version.

INGREDIENTS:-

Chicken ( medium pieces)
Coconut milk
Soaked peanuts
Potatoes
Tomato

For the curry paste

Tamarind paste
Cinnamon stick
Fish sauce
Shrimp paste
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
Lemon grass
Dry red chilies
Garlic
Cloves
Nutmeg

PROCEDURE:-

First, make the curry paste.
Dry roast all the ingredients except the tamarind paste, shrimp paste, and fish sauce. Grind the roasted ingredients into a medium to fine powder, then mix in the wet ingredients and let it rest.

Heat oil in a pan and add a few dry red chilies. Toss in the peanuts and stir. Add the potatoes and cook further till they are slightly brown.

Empty the pan, add the coconut milk and the curry paste; mix them thoroughly and let it bubble. When the mixture reduces to about three fourths, add in the chicken and stir in for about 2 minutes.

Toss in the potatoes and peanuts. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium flame for about 7 minutes. Add lime leaves, half a tomato (this was totally my touch), water; cover and cook till the meat and potatoes are cooked through.

Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy.

I hope you liked this recipe. Let us know what you think about this. Pour in your comments and dont forget to give a G+ if you like it :)

Relationships in Bollywood can be quite confusing. The story of Bipasha Basu getting married to Karan Singh Grover, is currently the talk of the town. While people are trolling Karan big time on the hatrick, I am more interested in our Bengali bomb Bipasha Basu and what she wore.

So without wasting anymore time, let us jump straight into what we love doing.. i.e. look breakdown :D.

Her wedding had a mix of classics and trends and she was literally glowing with happiness. Have a look…

MEHENDI and SANGEET:-

The bombshell looked as fresh as a daisy and as sweet as honey in a pretty, summer lehenga by Anushree Reddy. The lehenga is in pastel pinks with florals and a dash of bling.

Love her floral jewelry.

WEDDING:-

The Bengali beauty went for a quintessential Bengali look for her wedding. She chose a gorgeous red and gold Sabyasachi Mukherjee ensemble for this most awaited day of her life. The jewelry was by Kishandas for Sabyasachi.

With the intricate designs of white and red dots on her forehead, the shola pith mukuta, she looked every inch of the Bengali bride; on the other hand the choice of a lehenga over a traditional Benarasi added a touch of fusion. I love the perfect blend of Bengali and Western elements. Her makeup was minimal; perfect base, neutral eye shadow, winged liner, well-groomed eye brows and red lips.

Karan Singh wore the traditional Bengali jor and dhoti.

RECEPTION:-

Bipasha dazzled in a stunning golden-ivory Sabyasachi Mukherjee number, while Karan kept it classy in a white tuxedo.

I love how Bipasha didn’t let go off her Bongness. Sindoor, the sexy, red bindi and Sankha-Pola, I just can't take my eyes off her. She also wore an emerald jadau piece from Jaipur Jewels and the iconic Sabyasachi belt.

The grand reception was brimming with celebrities. Here are some of the bigwigs (whom i liked) and who made the night a memorable one.

Aishwarya Rai in a black and cream Manish Malhotra ensemble. She went for diamond jewelry and minimal makeup to round off her look.

Malaika Arora in a pastel Anita Dongrelehenga. Smokey eyes and a wispy updo rounded out her look.

Sonam Kapoor was spotted in a white and red border Nikasha saree which was paired with antique silver, statement jewellery. The jewellery, the flowy off-shoulder blouse and dramatic smoky eyes added a tint of glamour to her relatively simple saree.

Dia Mirza went for a grey Shantanu and Nikhil gown and Renu Oberoi emerald tassel earrings to add some color to the look. She looked great as usual.

Neha Dhupia picked Manish Malhotra ensemble for the night. Her makeup and hairstyle were very simple and she complemented her look with a metallic chain-strap bag and ring from Anmol.

Priety Zinta was spotted in manish malhotra double shaded mirror work saree with matching short sleeves blouse. The newly-wed wore choda too.

Bipasha Basu made a very beautiful bride. She seemed to be the happiest person in the world. And as Miss Malini says, “There was not one moment where we saw her face without a smile or a blush.” She is making me drool all over her bridal looks.

Wishing both of them a lifetime of love and happiness.

Pictures Courtesy: The Wedding Story and Google.

Hello everyone,

People fall in love with people they can’t have and I fall in love with a MAC lipstick I can’t have. Yes, because it will remain OOS like forever. Seriously..!! This is the thing I hate most about MAC. According to a MAC SA, “Lovelorn” is one of their ignored lipsticks ( I wonder why.!!!), but I was crushing on this color since time immemorial. And it was OOS since time immemorial as well. But thanks to my friend, I finally have this in my kitty now.

So let us see if this MAC lipstick is actually worth the wait or not…

Packaging:-
The lipstick comes in a glossy black bullet case, with shade name and number at the base. The bullet comes in a black box, and ingredient list, price are mentioned on it.

Shade:-
MAC describes Lovelornas emotive blue pink. It is basically a medium toned pinkwhich has subtle cool tones. What I like most about this shade is that, it is not overly cool; that means, it can flatter on a lot of skin tones. However, I would recommend “swatching before buying” to someone who is above NC or NW 42.

Texture:-
This is from their 'Luster' range. Very soft and creamy. It glides smoothly on lips without tugging or pulling. It is very moisturizing and keeps lips soft for hours.

Color Payoff:-
It goes sheer on the first swatch, but can easily be layered to have a medium coverage.

Staying power:-
It stays well for 2-3 hours which is decent since it is on the sheer side and has a glossy finish.

Summing up my LIKES and DISLIKES:-

LIKES:-

Pretty color.
Creamy and soft texture.
Glides beautifully.
Moisturising.
Doesn’t accentuate dryness
Color is buildable.
Travel friendly packaging.

DISLIKES:-

Doesn't last longer than a couple of hours before a reapplication is needed. But this is the case with every glossy lipstick.
The texture is so soft that the bullet tends to melt in summers.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations:-
Lovelorn is one of the light-medium must have pink colors from MAC. On my skin it is brighter than my natural lips but isn't too bright or intense. Just a glossy pretty pink, which can definitely be your everyday color. It gives me a fresh faced glow. If you like your lips with something more than just a regular, natural color, then this is a great color for you. It is also a great option for someone looking to ease themselves into the world of lipsticks. Creamy and smooth formula, it provides the right amount of sheen and moisture.

Rating:-
4/5

Hey everyone..

How are you guys doing? I am really really happy today. It has finally started raining here and nothing makes me happier than seeing and feeling the refreshing drops of rain gently landing upon the thirsty ground. Rain makes everything better. It helps me to concentrate, relax, and sleep. So today while I was sitting idle on my couch watching the raindrops coming down the window pane, this idea stuck me. Why not create a “Raindrops nail art”?

And it took me just a few minutes.
So sharing this ridiculously easy, just 2 step tutorial for you all..

Things I Used:

A matte blue nail polish (You can use any other nail polishes. It is just that the raindrops look more prominent on a matte base)
A top coat (Time to use your old, gloopy top coats.)

Steps:-

Paint all your nails with the base color. Let the color dry completely.
Once dry, begin making drips and drops with the clear top coat. And you are done..!!

See, I told you it is ridiculously simple. Another thing, you have to be really patient with this manicure. It takes time for nails to fully dry, so be patient.

And that's the election ink :P

Hope you guys like it. Pour in your comments and don’t forget to give a G+ if you like it. :)

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Article 14

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The Blushing Bride: Mrittika Mitra

Tutorial: Summer Sunset on the Beach Nail Art

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Kolkata.. My city, my love :)

Chicken Massaman Curry: Recipe with Step by Step pictures

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NAIL ART: Raindrops on my nails