Lifestyle

Just a Ceylon – Assam Tea for me, please!

Lifestyle

Dark, cold mornings can make getting out of bed a harder task than it already is. As the temperature falls, a little warmth goes a long way ☕️

☕️ Recently, I’ve got my hands on a blend of Assam and Ceylon teas from Lord Nelson Lidl Deutschland and I’m completely hooked 😋

🌱 It’s 100% organic

🌱 High aromatic taste

🌱 Refreshing

🌱 Infusion time: 3 min

I generally drink my black and green tea with honey (depending on my mood, I add a slice of lemon or sometime I put a stick of cinnamon.) Other time I like it to be brewed properly for about 5 min and then add little milk and sugar (2 Tsp). What is your favorite kind of tea? And what do you like to put in your tea?

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Meditation and Stillness – How to create the perfect Zen Space

Décor, Lifestyle, Menu

Your home should really be your one safe space – the place you feel safe, relaxed and calm, like a haven of tranquility that you can escape to after a long day. Erratic and stressful times make it increasingly difficult to find stillness and relaxation in our lives, one of the few options left is to create a peace haven in the comfort of our own home.

Motivating yourself to stick with a home practice can be challenging. With an inviting zen space, however, you may be more likely to sit down and find your breath for a few minutes each day. This space could be a room, or simply a corner, where you can meditate, practice breathing techniques, or just take some quiet me time – listen to some soothing music, read your favorite books/magazines, sip a quiet cup of coffee or just breathe.

If you have an empty corner in your home, you’re just a few steps away from creating a space that will encourage home practice and daily meditation, allowing you to be more relaxed, balanced and stress-free every day.

In this post, I’ll be giving you my tips on how to create a Zen space in your home and sharing some products from my zen space that will optimize the corner for your complete mental repose. Here are a few things to look for:

Mermaid Goddess Shrine/Altar

Keep your space minimal: This is the one space in your house that you MUST leave clutter free and tidy. It is really important that you never feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that’s in there. Keep it tidy, airy, and don’t put anything in there that you don’t feel is necessary for your sense of calm and relaxation.

Set the Mood: When you step into a yoga studio, a sense of calm immediately washes over you. That’s not by accident — typically, a studio has turned on soft-playing music and adjusted the lighting to enhance relaxation. Bring these same ideas into your zen space to create a peaceful ambiance. When choosing the room, pay attention to natural lighting as well. For instance, a room that has a lot of natural light will instantly enhance your mood.

Nature: Bringing nature into your space will optimize your relaxation so much – being surrounded by natural elements has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety as it helps to ground us back to the earth. Firstly, you can invest in some houseplants for greenery. It’s also a good idea to incorporate some woven products or decorations, which is also a key element of nature. Lastly, you may want to invest in some kind of water feature like mine (Mermaid Goddess Shrine/Altar with beach sand, stones, shells, coral, candles) – they are calming to look at.

Fragrance: A must-have product for a Zen space is fragrance or aromatherapy. Candles are a great way of incorporating aromatherapy into your Zen space – the glow creates a feeling of warmth and again by choosing scented candles such as lavender and lemongrass, you get to feel all the aromatherapy benefits. Diffusing some essential oils can make a huge difference in your mood and feeling of wellbeing. The diffuser will also help clean and purify the air in the space which will help it feel airier.

Make it comfortable: While it’s important to keep your Zen space free from clutter, it’s important to make it feel as comfortable as possible for you. Invest in some throw and cushions – play about with their texture, opt for fluffy ones, velvet, whatever will make your space feel Insta-Hygge. You can also incorporate some blankets, either for decoration or to wrap up in. Weighted blankets are proven to reduce anxiety, and they feel like a hug in a blanket! Rugs or mats can really complete the space and make it feel more cozy, especially if the floor in the space is a cold laminate or tile.

So there is your ultimate guide on how to create a Zen space in your home! I hope I have been able to offer some inventiveness and ideas. Let me know if you have a calm space in your home, and if so what makes it calm?

Enjoy your Zen moment!

Lots of love

Sanchali x

Makeup – The secret to the perfect Brown Smokey Eye day-to-night

Artist, Lifestyle

Getting your makeup done professionally is a wonderful treat 💄❤️

I recently had Annies_Makeup give me a makeover and I loved Annie’s work so much that right after the shoot I got a makeup lesson scheduled with her.

I work in the media industry and mainly use Instagram to promote my work and others’ too, so I know it is important to credit the artist. For a working professional, someone who makes their living and pays their bills by freelancing, it’s not JUST a photo. It’s hours of hard physical and intellectual work. It’s crucial to credit the artists: explaining why it’s so important to give credit when posting their work.

So I had this wonderful session with a very young, talented & most affordable makeup artist in the island. She has a wonderful eye for color, respectfully listens to your requests, and moves throughout the getting-ready period with a calm, collected stress-free attitude.

Annie was absolutely brilliant and so lovely with myself and my family. She immediately put me at ease and listened to what I wanted in my makeup application. I trusted her immediately and was not disappointed. I never felt rushed and she took a great deal of care with my application. I felt pampered and enjoyed her company; we had some good laughs. My makeup was perfect! She gave me a brown smokey eye day-to-night look.

Here’s the final look and the step-by-step breakdown:

The 13 Products that was used to Achieve the Brown Smokey Eye Day-to-Night Makeup Look:

Step One: essence makeup primer spray.
Step Two: Maybelline Fit me foundation 220.
Step Three: Kryolan concealer wheel.
Step Four: Becca blush and highlighter.
Step Five: Kat Von D Metal crush highlighter.
Step Six: Anastasia Beverly Hills brow gel.
Step Seven: Revolution shadow palette.
Step Eight: Huda Beauty shadow palette.
Step Nine: Eyelashes @Bahrain Lashes
Step Ten: Gosh Arabia loose powder.
Step Eleven: Lipstick Nyx exotic peach no12

Step Twelve: Eyeliner Inglot gel black liner
Step Thirteen: Mac Cosmetics fixing spray.

I can’t wait to see Annie again for my next event and will recommend her whenever I can. For bookings, inquiries & tutorials, go follow her Instagram account Annies_Makeup

Say yes to wellness. Say YES to you!

Lifestyle

Saturday, June 9, 2018 marks Global Welness Day 💕

For anyone who knows me, I’m not a very emotional person. But this shit matters. Mental health is not something we can ignore. Know this – for every person trying to knock you down, there are 10 more incredible people who want to help you stand back up. Be authentic, and never be afraid to ask for help. You are not alone.

Feed your mind positive thoughts, nourish your body with healthy food and fun activities, and most of all, take the time to do what makes your soul happy! 😍

Kids like to see their parents happy. Crazy but true. Seeing you engaged in something that makes you happy is guaranteed to pique your child’s interest in that activity. The experience you have while doing an activity you love may be much different when your child joins you. It may take a longer amount of time to complete, it may not be as relaxing, and it may be frustrating at times. For me, it was all of the above. Once I let go of the idea of a traditional yoga practice and embraced the idea that yoga can be silly, it was much more enjoyable for my child and I. We make a lot of goofy animals noises, sometimes we fall off balance, and we don’t take our yoga practice too seriously. Most importantly, we laugh. A lot.

As a parent, you don’t just pass on genes to your children. Whether you want them to or not, your kids will pick up your good and bad habits. So make them good, all good, and teach your children some well-being habits that they can carry along with them long after you can carry them.

xx Sanchali

Being a night owl – I stay up late because..

Lifestyle

Nightbloggers 🙋🏻 In need of some inspo. Go through this and see if it can do anything for ya. Have fun!

I have always been a night owl, and you’d think since becoming a parent I would have switched from night owl to early bird…but…I haven’t.
Well, let me tell you…

I stay up late because the allure of peace and quiet—while everyone else sleeps—is too appealing to miss out on.

I stay up late because the desire to have time to myself—to do whatever I want, without answering to anyone else—is too precious to pass up.

I stay up late because my passion for my work runs deep, and sometimes I just can’t seem to switch it off.

I stay up late because I want to finally start that book I bought a month ago.

I stay up late because I want a sliver of time to feel like “human-adult-me.” Not “mom-wife-me.” Just me.

I stay up late because I want time to let my brain think and process—without distractions and noise.

I stay up late because I can’t seem to be okay with the fact that I don’t get any time to myself during the day. Does time while sleeping count as “time to myself?”

These late night hours are my time to be selfish. To think of me—and me only. In this world of motherhood, we don’t often get time or space to put our needs first. Because throughout the day, the needs of others must be filled. But late at night, my people are all safely, peacefully sleeping, and I can focus on whatever is calling to me in the moment.

Source: mother.ly

Beauty – Updated Top Five Favorites

Lifestyle

Hey beauty addicts! Updated Top 5 current beauty, skin & hair favorites onto my story and beauty highlights..
______________________________
I make no pretenses that I’m some beauty guru.
But after a baby and months of seeing pictures of myself and thinking, “My skin does not look 21 anymore,” I decided I was ready to take my beauty and makeup routine a little more seriously. I don’t like wearing a lot of makeup and I really don’t want it to take up very much of my time, but after months of experimenting with some different products and slowly getting the hang of how to actually wear makeup like a grown-up, here are the five products that make me happy every single morning & evening.

There are so many beauty products out there and it’s fun to experiment. I always love hearing what people are using and what product(s) they just can’t live without. Don’t forget, I want to hear from you too, so make sure to SHARE yours in the comment section below!

Best

Sanchali xoxo

Holi in Bahrain – Dipped in hues of Love and Color

Events & Experiences, Lifestyle, Travel and Food

Nobody apprehends the importance of celebrating festivals than the Indians settled abroad away from their country and cultural roots. I had it marked on my calendar since the beginning of February.

Celebrating Holi, (the Hindu festival of mischief, love, affection, and color) was on my list of goals for the blog alongside shifting apartment and raising a 14-month-old. We got to welcome spring (and diversity) with warm-loving arms, during this Holi in Bahrain on March 2nd 2018.

A day full of fun for all, was organised extremely well at Novotel Bahrain Al Dana Resort. Wolfpackeventsbh, IGMH – Indian Gulf Media House, KTK Events, Desi Nights Bahrain and Bollywood Glitz have done an excellent job of organising a wonderful, successful event this season. The vibrant lineup included live dhols to rain dance, best of mind-boggling DJs from all genres, 6 hours of non-stop music, unlimited organic colours, kids play area, live food counter,  and more. Food Attractions included: Indian BBQ, Pani Poori, Shawarma, Momos, Chaat, Cupcakes & many more.

A big crowd of citizens and residents of the Kingdom came together to celebrate one of India’s iconic festivals. Everyone seemed to love the spirit of fun and enjoyment and dived into the barrel of colors to play Holi.

Guests were given organic colored powder to toss around the beach to celebrate the season in style with food, cocktails and beats at this party.

PHOTO GALLERY –

Thank you so much for having us Novotel Bahrain Al Dana Resort, Wolfpackeventsbh, IGMH – Indian Gulf Media House, KTK Events, Desi Nights Bahrain, Bollywood Glitz and for letting us be a part of this celebration of Love. Congratulations, can’t wait to see what next year brings.

🙂

 

 

Mohey by Manyavar – A Trend in Tradition

Jewelry, Lifestyle

Here you go! Mohey by Manyavar launches this magnificent new wedding collection. With the wedding season already begun, many stores that sell ethnic wear are seeing a lot of visitors.

This week I visited Mohey in Guwahati to check out their latest wedding collection. With the finest Lehengas, Gowns, Sarees and Suits – holding true to the core values of Manyavar (its parent brand), Mohey offers a lovely and affordable range of Indian ethnic wear and is one of the most popular among all Women’s ethnic wear brands, popular for their wedding and festive wear. And with each passing year their creations and style has become more refined.

Here are a few photographs of what went down at the blog shoot:

Hands down to my current favorite Indian ethnic wear brand that not only gives an amazing quality of clothing but even has a vibrant touch to each outfit.

Whether you are skinny or you are pear type, these Kurtis are sure to enhance your figure.

Few of my favourite accessories. Chandbali to Jhumar Earrings – Loved the shape and royalty – couldn’t help but pick a pair

The accessory range includes beautiful handcrafted jewelled Potli bags and Clutches

Whether we talk about their fabric or cuts they have something unique to offer you

In today’s global world where we are quite influenced by western traditions and dresses, we have that silent love for our Indian ethnic wear

With the wonderful Pradeep Gupta, Manyavar and Mohey NE. Incredibly thankful to the entire team for making my shopping experience so memorable

Make sure you check out the Manyavar and Mohey Ganeshguri store in Guwahati and experience it yourself with your friends and family this wedding season. Also make sure to visit the official website HERE.

The Face Shop – Travel Ready Beauty

Lifestyle

Everyone around me knows I’m the hang-up type. When I find something I like I consume it with all my heart until the love affair is over for good. Luckily there are long lasting loves that last a lifetime, but there are also shorter flings that are just as important.

These are my current favorites from The Face Shop,  the ultimate must-have skin care and beauty items for travel – the ones I’d never leave home without. There’s nothing worse than arriving at security and having your precious, full-sized products confiscated.  I hate to admit it, But I’m a fan of buying travel-size emulsion, deodorant, contact solution, toothpaste and skin products.
I’ve been using these Calendula essential moisture toner and emulsion as part of my daytime skincare routine for the past one month, and I think that’s enough time to get a good feel for them. If you’re not familiar with what Korean-style “toner” and “emulsion” are, it basically means a liquidy skin softening step (usually applied with a cotton pad or the fringes) and a very lightweight creamy lotion.

A hydrating toner emulsion that helps improve suppleness, and gives your skin a surge of moisture. The emulsion consistency is thicker than the toner’s. I only used my hands to apply these two products, and never had to use any cotton pads. The toner consistency is actually thicker than the usual watery toner, which does help moisturize my skin when the cool blast of air conditioning leaves me dried out.

The Therapy is an anti-aging skincare line that embodies a two-century-old European natural blending method from Le Marche, Italy. The use of oat seeds, marigold, bay leaf and olive extracts keep skin looking youthful.

The Therapy is bottled up with the sweat of Marches’ very own hand-made manufacturing method. This European base skincare line comes with four products from tonic treatment, formula emulsion, oil-drop-anti-aging serum and cream. The anti-aging treatment is formulated with an essential ingredient that functions as a toner and booster to even out rough and flaky skin.

Sheet masks are always my favorite option to carry during my trips and I carry a lot of them especially when I am visiting home as these are my mother’s favorite thing!

The sheet masks are fully dipped in a plain white moisturizing solution. I think the quantity of moisturizer is very good to cover up my whole face. It is a normal plain white mask, that never leaves any stain behind on face. Size of the sheet mask is good for a long face like me but with oval face, it needs effort to fit it properly. The texture nicely sticks on my face. The gel feels like a super smooth silky consistency, that is also easy to massage on face.

I keep this for around 20min on face and then massage the gel on face for around 5min and rinse it off. Sheet is full of moisturizer, that starts to penetrate in the skin nicely after few minutes. It never feels dry on skin and also it is easy to peel off from face.

After removing the mask, face feels totally moisturized and soft. It acts as an instant relief for dry skin. It hides all my dry patches and makes skin super soft. The mask feels very soothing on face and the cooling sensation provides a great relief to tired skin.

The Face Shop launched its Dr. Belmeur range a few months ago. It is a gentle Derma Cosmetics solution that uses mild plant-based ingredients + low irritant formula recommended by skin experts tailored for different skin types to achieve beautiful, healty skin that feels great.

Dr. Belmeur line uses Skin Sync formula that comes very close to our skin cell structure, which will be easily accepted by skin. Dr. Belmeur Clarifying Toner is a low-irritant clarifying moisturizer that takes care of excess oil and maintains skin’s oil and moisture balance. A must-have to achieve flawless, oil-free skin!

YEHWADAM Revitalizing Serum is a good choice if you want to re-vitalize and re-energize your skin. The first thing I noticed after using this serum is the suppleness of my skin, it feels bouncier and smoother. I just love the texture on my skin because it gives me this cooling sensation that could help in soothing my mild sensitive skin.

Been using The Face Shop Rice Water Bright and Perfume Seed collection for about a fortnight and it’s good. While it is a bit of tedious step to foam it up I love how soft and bright my skin feels post wash.

The perfume seed line penetrates to nourish and soften the skin while leaving it delicately perfumed. The Face Shop Perfume Seed Capsule Body Wash contains rose hip oil that moisturizes and removes dead skin cells. Its sweet fragrance lasts up to 15 hours.

When it comes to skin care and cosmetics, the Korean brand The Face Shop is one of the most trusted names when it comes to beauty and skincare products. Aside from getting a great and effective products, The Face Shop price is actually so affordable that you will be tempted to check out more of their products. So whether you are a newbie or a makeup enthusiast, The Face Shop cream, cleanser, and moisturizer are absolute must-haves. Check out the full price list from your trusted online shop.

Till next time!

Poppy Apparel – great shopping deals for all seasons!!!

Experience and Collections, Jewelry, Lifestyle

***Shout-out to all my followers***

Get your favorite looks NOWWW!!*** Guess what?? I have a discount code for you guys 😁 Use my Brand Ambassador discount code (sancsuum444) on the CHECKOUT page to get a 10% off on all your orders ❤️ Check out www.poppyapparel.com for more of their outfits and collection!!

This very cool brand named Poppy Apparel has some really cool accesories, sunglasses, backpacks, swimwear, shoes and clothes. Loved all their stuff & also purchased a few from there, I will review them as soon as I get it. Let me know if you ever buy something from Poppy Apparel.

P.S. They do free shipping worldwide (It’s only fair to share) 💁